pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Tag Archives: spirit


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With Us Always

In Matthew 28, Jesus gives his last instructions: “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you”.  Jesus goes on to promise that He will be with us always, to the end of the age.

We are invited to baptize in order to bring all aspects of God into the new believer’s life.  God empowers, Jesus redeems, and the Holy Spirit sustains.  Just as a new believer needs all three, we too need all three to do our ‘work’ in the world.  No one can do it alone.  And we must not forget the last part of Jesus’ command: teach them to obey all of Jesus’ commands.  We are not called to simply bring people to Christ, but to also teach them about being like Christ in their world.  We too often forget the second half of Jesus’s great commission.

To make disciples and to teach them we must allow ourselves to be vessels of God’s redeeming love.  But if all we do is give, soon our well will run dry.  We too must allow ourselves to be poured into and filled by God’s love.  Once we ourselves are filled them we can go forth to disciple and teach.  Jesus promises to be with is always, to the end of the age.  This promise gives us the confidence to go forth in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  May all three fill us up and send us out!!


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Spirit Rain Down

On the day of Pentecost the Spirit was poured out upon the followers of Jesus.  If we seek God and commit to a relationship with Him we too will have the Holy Spirit poured out upon us.  We too will be filled with God’s indwelling presence.

Some may wonder why we need the Spirit if we have this relationship with God and follow the teachings of Jesus.  The Spirit is what brings the head knowledge down into our hearts ad souls.  The Spirit also works in and through us to unite the people of God into the body of believers.  As the one body we are all included and we welcome all in, regardless of sex, ethnicity, race, status, previous deeds…  Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ, therefore nothing should separate anyone from the unified body of Christ that is the church.  All are loved.

The Spirit allows us to see and be aware of God’s work in the world.  It also pulls us into being a part of that work in the world.  The Spirit brings us courage, conviction, and a willing heart.  It allows our gifts to be manifest for the work we are called to in the world.  God’s Spirit brings light into our darkness so that we can in turn light a path for others.  May we seek the love, guidance, and presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives this day and every day.


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Offering Our Best

Together, as a church, there is so much potential.  Each unique person contributes to the fabric and talents of the whole.  Each brings different gifts, ways of serving, and contributions of works.  When all work together to accomplish the work of God in the world, great things can happen.

Sometimes what each has to offer to the body of Christ is not readily seen.  Sometimes we have to search and maybe try a few things to see what our gifts of the Spirit are.  As members of the body, we can help each other to discover and nurture and use the gifts we have been given.

When those with the gifts of healing, teaching, discernment, prophecy, knowledge, speaking… work together for the glory of God, a unified body of Christ can do much.  How are we each fitting in?  Are we each giving the best of ourselves for the building of His kingdom?


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Healing Our Hearts and Minds

In Psalm 104 we read of God’s loving care for the earth and all its creatures.  God’s Spirit brings life to the animals, birds, plants, trees, waters, mountains, and even to us. His absence brings death to all these things.  All He creates is good.  All that is lost He mourns.

In our care of His creation we have done much that is wrong or bad for the earth and its creatures.  But we are leaning and beginning to rights our wrongs and to live with more attention to creation.  God’s Spirit guides us here too if we listen.  We can trust the Spirit’s leading and the Spirit’s lead to bring our efforts to fruition.

In our care for all of mankind, we still have some progress to be made.  In a world that produces much more food than it needs, no one should be starving.  In a world full of vast medical technology, no one should be dying of diseases that are preventable and/or curable.  In our nation of amazing resources and huge wealth, no one should be living in poverty.

Please pray with me today for God to continue to nudge us with the Spirit and to continue to bring healing to our hearts and minds so we can truly love all of His creation.


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Walking a Spirit-led Life

In Romans 8 Paul calls us to live a life in the Spirit instead of a life in sin.  In one we choose the things of God and in the other we choose death.  In one we ask the Spirit to come and dwell in us, to become a part of our very essence.  We humbly admit to God, “I need You.  I cannot walk this path on my own”.   In the other we say, “I can do this on my own.  I can handle this.”  Yet we fail.  Even when we choose to live the spirit-led life, we stumble and fall.  But He is right there to pick us up, to dust off the sin, and to set us back on our walk with Him.

Paul promises that when we choose to live a spirit-filled life, we will find peace.  He is not promising a life of no problems.  But Paul is promising that within the trials we will have peace because of the spirit dwelling in us.  Living with His guiding hand upon us is of great comfort and peace.

Choosing a spirit-led life will exceed any expectations we have for these earthly bodies that we inhabit.  When we choose to let Him lead, we begin to live into an external promise.  We begin to live with an eye on His kingdom that will come again and with an eye on bringing that to reality.  As we dwell in and live into that promise, life is exciting!  The journey is much better when we know where our end will take us.

Guide us this day, O Lord, to choose to walk your path today.  Lead us to live into the Spirit so that we may walk as your child today and to honor You in all we do.  Amen!


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The Rock and the Call

This past Sunday in church we had a ‘remembrance of your baptism’ during each service. The message was “New Promise” and PastorKeihwan Ryoo spoke both of what baptism is and what it promises. He also spoke of our call as Christians.

In case you were not there, Keihwan set two bowls of water on a small table in the front of the church. Within each bowl were many smallish rocks. Folks came forward and selected a rock and some spent time at the altar rail. The rock that I selected remains in my pocket and I encourage you to keep yours there as well.

Toward the end of the message, Keihwan defined the challenge – to serve God, one person at a time, one moment at a time. This is our call as Christians. In our baptism we became part of God’s family and the work of the Spirit began in our lives. At some point each of us made (or will make) the decision to enter into a personal relationship with Jesus. As this relationship grows, so too grows our realization of the call.

So why tote around the rock? Not because it is small and easy to carry – if it were truly symbolic it would be large and would take an effort. In part, the rock from the water symbolizes God’s promise and provision. When the 12 tribes crossed the sea, they selected 12 stones from the seabed and made an altar – to remember what God had just done for them. You rock can mean that too – a tangible sign to remember all that God does for you. BUT it can be more!!

The rock can also be a tangibe sign of God’s call in your life that began way back at your baptism and grows as your relationship with Jesus grows. It can be a reminder of that call to make a difference in our worlds – one person at a time, one moment at a time. SO as you feel that opportunity to be that difference, slip your hand into your pocket and feel God’s spirit enveloping you to guide and empower you as you step forward in obedience to the call!

[No rock? Missed church Sunday? Stop by this Sunday and visit the chapel. Take some time to thank God for your baptism and His love. Grab a rock.]