AJTozer and Francis Chan about importance of Holy Spirit
Matthew 28:19-20 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.
John 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in myt name he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
John 16:13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.
Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching, and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
2 Timothy 2:15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth
2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is God – breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
James 3:1 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness
“It is not the body of truth that enlightens, it is the Spirit of truth who enlightens. If you are willing to obey the Lord Jesus, He will illuminate your spirit. He will enlighten you. The truth you have known intellectually will now be known spiritually.” AJ Tozer.
“To have found God and still to pursue Him is the soul’s paradox of love.” AJ Tozer
“Our greatest fear should not be of failure but of succeeding at things in life that don’t really matter.” Francis Chan
“The irony is that while God does not need us but still wants us, we desperately need God but don’t really want Him most of the time.” Francis Chan
I have always liked reading about others’ journeys and I read a lot of fictionalized books about some of the greats in the bible–James, the brother of Jesus, Lydia, the woman who sold purple cloth, then invited Paul into her home and became a good evangelizer herself, and many many others. Sometimes, reading these brings the actual bible story more to light for me. One of my favorites was to read King Hezekiah. Anyway, off track, except that to read the paths these two men follow(ed) has been enlightening. And their quotes often make me realize, ‘Oh yeah, I’m saving that. I think someone might actually HEAR it if I repeat it as an opener.’
Many of our religious leaders do not mention very much about the Holy Spirit, and yet he is vital to the trinity-they are three persons in one God. They each have their own attributes and duties. Jesus came as a humble Messiah. He taught, healed, saved, rebuked demons, raised persons from the dead, and then suffered, took our filthy vile sins on Himself, was crucified and died, rising again to go to glory with His Father on the third day. But He told his disciples a Helper would be sent. The Helper would give us strength and wisdom when needed, would supply the words when we had to defend God and the bible teaching, would open our eyes to deeper understanding when the time was right, and would show us how to deepen our faith, to rid ourselves of much of our sinful ways, to resist temptation, and show us how to live as examples of God’s blessing and pure radiance. The Holy Spirit gives out gifts and talents–we may have the gift of teaching, preaching, nursing, writing, artistic talents of paint, sculpture, or of music. He teaches and prods us to learn more of the bible, and then to give us a better understanding a passage that has been difficult to understand or follow.
Much should be taught about all God has done from the time of creation until now. The bible is full of predictions of a Savior and Messiah, and then His life during a brief three years with his disciples and others who sought him for good, for healing, for food, for freedom from disease or demon possession. He gave us all so very much including the grace of eternal life with Him IF we choose to believe in Him and confess our sins and allow Him to be our Savior. Less is taught about the Holy Spirit…and he too is busy!
Francis Chan has stated he thinks most preachers concentrate on God the Father and Jesus Christ and omit much about the Holy Spirit. And he remind us the Holy Spirit is available to each of us every day to give us strength and power. The Holy Spirit was certainly intimately involved in the creation of all with God the Father and the Son. (Genesis 1, John 1)
When we are touched by the Holy Spirit to stand and say ‘I believe, I choose Jesus and life and all that means!’ Then we are more aware of the Holy Spirit, and as we get more familiar with the promptings, the urgings, we begin to change our misbehaviors and become more Christ-like.
Allow this member of the trinity guide you, help you to better understand and to take you deeper into all God wants for you. Let the Spirit teach you about resisting temptation, about strengthening you in God and His wonders, and to deepening your relationship with the trinity. Let His light shine in you!! May you be a beacon to others so they will want to know what you have that they don’t; where it came from, how to get it, and where to “buy” it. You can assure them it is a free gift, given by the grace of God if they will only believe in Him, choose him as their Savior, confess and repent of their sins, and seek Him in their lives.
Together, they offer 3 F’s—forgiveness, freedom and forever!
Thank You for the forgiveness You have given me and how You have blessed me and ‘mybellaviews.’
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