The Culture of Hope Founded on Faith
Tag Archives: Holy Spirit
God of All Comfort
There are a few items I have been batting around in my brain regarding God’s comfort. In John 14:26-27, Jesus promised the presence of the Holy Spirit as our Comforter in His place: “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I…..
The Story of Esau and Jacob
There are lessons to be learned in today’s Church from the dysfunctional family of Isaac and Rebekah. Isaac’s story is found in Genesis 21 – 35. While he was growing up, his father and mother had instilled in him his part of the Abrahamic Covenant confirmed and the prophecy spoken to Abraham by God. And yet Isaac and his wife somehow missed the opportunities to pass this heritage on to their own sons, the…..
The Problem with Wood
On November 1, 1918, a Brooklyn Rapid Transit subway train derailed and crashed into the Maldone Street Tunnel entrance killing more than a hundred people and injuring some 250 others. More than a hundred years later, it is still touted as the deadliest subway crash in New York City and ranks among the worst train accidents in the United States. Culpability factors cited concerning the crash include an untrained and inexperienced motorman who was a substitute…..
Before the Cross: Comfort and Final Instructions From Jesus
Before He was arrested and taken to the High Priest to be tried, to Pilate to be convicted, to Golgotha to be crucified, and to a borrowed tomb to be resurrected, Jesus met with His disciples one last time to encourage them and to give them final instructions. His talk to His disciples took place after celebrating the Passover at supper in an upper room. While many passages in the…..
Holy Spirit Assignment, Part 2
The night He was arrested and taken to the High Priest, Jesus spoke to His disciples after supper in the upper room. The discourse spans John 13-17. Giving final instructions to His disciples, Jesus’ talk included specific information about the Holy Spirit. Here is what He said about the ministry of the Holy Spirit to believers, including you and me.
The Holy Spirit…
Indwells Us Forever: John 14:16, 17 – “And I will ask…..
Holy Spirit Assignment
There is a lot of confusion regarding the Holy Spirit. Different churches preach different things about the third member of the Trinity. But Scripture teaches us that God gives each believer the Holy Spirit who dwells in us (1 Pet. 1:12) and functions in a number of ways within us. Here are three of those functions.
First, He is one of the “two immutable things” of the Hebrews 6:17-18 discussion about the oath of God:
Speak the Truth in Love, Part 1
Quite often what we say gets us into a lot of trouble and causes deep division, even between the best of friends. In the public sphere these days, we hear many opinions that are touted as fact. Likewise, there is a lot of censure for the expression of contrary opinions. But Believers are in a unique position to counter the falsity around them by speaking the truth.
In James 3:2b-12, the tongue is…..
Perspective
Do you know anyone who has had the exact same experiences as yourself throughout your life? I don’t believe that is possible. Like fingerprints, each one’s set of life experiences is unique to each individual. Just as God created us unique human beings to begin with, our paths through life are also unique. The way we view life, God, even Jesus, is determined by a complex set of variants such as personality, physical characteristics, settings, and relationships. I’ll save…..
Forgiveness
After watching the movie “Overcomer” I found the Holy Spirit prompting me to consider my own unforgiving heart. It began with the drunk driver who caused the collision last summer and left me with a great deal of pain that continues to plague me. It included the Christian friend who revealed unrelenting hypocrisy in her blast at a perceived offense on my part. And it included the parents of a student I had in class one year who unfairly…..
Born Again, Part 3
To be born again entails faith that Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection was the final and only sacrifice required for the remission of sins and the cleansing of all unrighteousness for those who believe. Setting aside the legalism of the “thou shalt nots” involved in how we should then live as born-again believers, we are called to take positive steps towards the obedience that God both calls us to and enables us to do by His…..