Well of course I live there - ? – but - ?
God began (PHLP.1:6) a good work in you and He will complete it. WHY? Christ in you (COL.1:27 your hope of realizing His glory in you. HOW COME?
BECAUSE –
- your body (1COR.6:19) is the temple of the Holy Spirit.
- your body (2COR.6:16) is the temple of the Living God.
Do I have responsibilities in the temple? Yes, many including:
- 1TIM. 2:9 - adorn the temple with modest apparel.
Yes, what about those almost unnoticeable, seemingly insignificant sins?
As I was getting up one morning in the very act of getting out of bed – the Holy Spirit brought a thought to my mind which really gripped me. The smallest – slightest – seemingly insignificant SIN is just as evil as the most vile sin. Not because of the deed itself but because of my CHOICE. Choosing the natural over the supernatural and choosing the flesh over the Holy Spirit.
Which are you? Which am I?
Let me think about that. If I am always putting myself down, with envious admiration for believers who “do things”, all the while cluttering up the Christian landscape with self-pity for my inadequacy - - what am I actually doing? Since my concentration would be always on myself, wouldn’t that be a form of self-protection, deceitful pride and idolatry? Help! I have to get out of here - - I have to think this through.
My thoughts took an unusual turn this morning. I found myself thinking about Lucifer having more beauty and wisdom than any other created being. Then my mind asked me a question. How could God make a creature of such magnificent beauty if He Himself was not unutterably beautiful? I had to spend several minutes there but my thoughts forced me on. How could God put such sweetness in a baby’s smile if He Himself did not have surpassing sweetness? I know He does and my eyes are leaking because I know this SWEETNESS every day when I come to Him for my morning hug.
The MAN Christ Jesus: His agony, torment, abandoned and cursed, total aloneness - - who is that? Who is coming? In the wilderness temptation, Satan left Him for a while (MATT.4:11) but now he is back in full force. Of course he cannot touch the Son of God but the Son of Man in the tortured weakness of His humanity - - Satan hoped his onslaught to taunt, torment and seduce Him might tempt Him to get through it as a solitary Figure only. That would mean He could be no Saviour. Satan’s final attack against the Son of man was in Gethsemane. Because of what the Son of man went through, every believer can now get through into the Presence of God.
It was battered and scarred and the Auctioneer
Thought it scarcely worth his while
To waste his time on the old violin,
But – he held it up with a smile.
My breakfast was a banana, muffin and mug of tea. (Sorry if I made you hungry.) As I was eating and as usual talking with the Lord – suddenly this phrase invaded my thoughts – “The pinnacle of God’s creation. The dictionary describes pinnacle as the highest point. So I began to think about creation and its pinnacle.
One night in Bethlehem, many years ago, God the Son deliberately laid aside His Divine attributes and bought a new suit. It was very expensive. It cost Him (JN.17:5) all the transcendent glory He had with the Father before the world existed. His new suit was a human body, the human body of the MAN Who would be called Jesus. That suit was absolutely essential to the purpose for which He came. His purpose was - - to die!
Have you ever come across things in the Bible that you can’t figure out or fully grasp? I have and then I have long conversations with the Holy Spirit, my dear Friend, and I am often thrilled and amazed by what He shows me, including guiding principles for my life.
You have been deeply and wrongly hurt. Did you know that your pain is a warning bell because hurt can lead to anger and anger to bitterness and before you know it you are far from God. Please listen – I know – I’ve been there.