So today's blog post has more than one focus - I'll start with today's sermon, and move on to some thoughts I've been having today.
Pastor Mike Bronson spoke today about having the Holy Spirit fill our lives as part of the blueprint for living the full life that God calls us to. He spoke using Philip as an example, from Acts 6 & 8. Even Philip, a regular guy, stuck it out when persecution came and the whole church thing wasn't going as planned. What was the key to his persistence and commitment? Philip was filled with the Spirit. He was enabled to do things for God because of the presence of the Spirit in his life. We need to be full of the Spirit in the same way. Just like it was God's power rather than Philip's that got things done, we can accomplish His will too, by His grace, through the power of His Spirit. God is very willing to use average people to do extraordinary things. So how do we keep from missing out? We ask, the same way the early church did when Jesus first sent the Spirit. We can ask God for His power to get through the day, and His grace to accomplish what He has for us to do. Just as ordinary Philip became known as 'Philip the Evangelist', if we give God a chance, He'll make something out of us.
Now on to some thoughts I was having earlier, which may or may not end up being related. Just as Mike mentioned in his message today, I too find it difficult sometimes to live up to the life I've been called to in Christ. Honestly, there are times where it seems easy to love God, to serve Him and love people, and to be a godly man, but there are also times where it's easy to ignore what I know to be true, everything that my mind, heart and conscience, and God's Spirit, are telling me and follow the impulses and desires of my sinful flesh. I don't want to sugar coat it, that's the plain truth, and I suspect it's more or less the case for everyone. Sin is a difficult topic to talk about, because we're all uncomfortable with airing it out, but that's often just what's needed for us to be open to God's continued work in our lives. That's why I want to learn everything I can during my struggles, to see what areas I need to work on, and to apply God's truth to the situation, so that He can use for good what the enemy intends for harm. For my own use, and in case anyone else reading this has ever struggled with their flesh in any way, here are some things I've been learning:
1. God loves us. Not just when we're doing well, but all the time. When we fall into sin, God still loves us, and He hates the sin because it harms us and brings separation in our relationship with Him, which is not what He wants. With that in mind...
2. I don't get to blame anyone else for my sin. It doesn't help, or somehow avoid the guilt, to distance myself from it. At the end of the day, every last reason is merely an excuse not to repent, an excuse not to grow. Yes, the world's culture pushes towards an ungodly attitude, the devil wants to destroy me, my flesh has strong urges, people do things that influence me... it's all true. But does any of that change the fact that I chose to give in to those influences, rather than trusting and obeying God? None of it absolves me of the responsibility I have to use my free will wisely. I have to own up to my sin, my faults, my mistakes, before I can turn away from making those kinds of choices. The world, the flesh, the devil... they will always be the hindrance that they are, not the help I might wish them to be. Blaming them is giving them control over the way I choose, and that control will always be exercised the same way. Only acknowledging my part in free will allows hope for change, then I can give control to God. With that in mind...
3. There is hope, peace, absolution, righteousness to be found, and it is found in Christ. As I recognize the control I have exercised, and give it to Him, He has the power to change my life, and also the desire. This mercy, this new life He offers required nothing of me in order to be worthy of it. He is simply that good. With that in mind...
4. My response to His offer requires everything of me. It's not that I'm earning some sort of worthiness of His offer, there's nothing I could do, or was asked to do, to earn that. It's all about His worthiness. Who He is in His very nature, let alone the magnitude of what He has done for me, proves His worthiness again and again, of all I have to offer. He deserves all I can give Him and more. With that in mind...
5. Giving to God never limits what I have, it always expands it. I'm not just talking about material here, I'm talking about potential. God can do far more with far less than I ever could. There are many examples, but one of the most poignant to me is that God chooses to use me in many ways that if I carefully considered, I would see myself as unqualified for. The more I offer myself, the more He uses me, and in greater ways.
I guess in the end there was a connection to the sermon... God wants to use average people (including me) to do extraordinary things.
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