Advocate anybody?

John 15:26

"But I will send you the Advocate-the Spirit of Truth. He will come to you from the Father and will testify all about me."

Advocate is defined as one that will speak, plead, argue in favor of…Who doesn't need this? Anybody?

I remember as a little girl being afraid when preachers or church folks would talk about the Holy Spirit or the "Holy Ghost" and the terrible explanation that was often given about the Holy Spirit. Even today, people are a little afraid of this conversation. You feel it in classes, in the church pews when Holy Spirit is mentioned aloud…

Let's look at this and study what exactly we are talking about – let's break down the barriers to a beautiful gift that we don't always unwrap!

In the original words the word used was "paraklhtov" – a comforter, helper, another who pleads your cause. Well, I like that how about you?

Spirit – "pneuma" – the 3^rd triune God – vital principal, rational spirit that allows humans to feel, think, decide – our soul…I like this too!

The original words go on to tell us that the Spirit allows us to know the true notions of God. Wow..this is really cool. We get to feel the real feelings of God through the Spirit, we get to be comforted by the Spirit, we get to be helped by the Spirit and the Spirit pleads our case…pretty cool stuff!

I read a beautiful explanation about the Holy Spirit by James Packer that I am going to share with you …

When floodlighting is well done, the floodlights are placed so that you do not see them; in fact, you are not supposed to see where the light is coming from; what you are meant to see is just the building on which the floodlights are trained. The intended effect is to make it visible when otherwise it would not be seen for the darkness, and to maximize its dignity by throwing all its details into relief so that you can see it properly. This perfectly illustrated the Spirit's new covenant role. He is, so to speak, the hidden floodlight shining on the Savior.

Or think of it this way. It is as if the Spirit stands behind us, throwing light over our shoulder on to Jesus who stands facing us. The Spirit's message to us is never, "Look at me; listen to me; come to me; get to know me", but always, "Look at him, and see his glory; listen to him and hear his word; go to him and have life; get to know him and taste his gift of joy and peace." The Spirit, we might say, is the matchmaker, the celestial marriage broker, whose role it is to bring us and Christ together and ensure that we stay together.

All I am able to say is WOW!

Debbie

Remain

John 15…4, 9

Remain in me and I will remain in you.

Remain in my love.

 

I love the way God works. Just this week I heard a little talk on it being our choice whether we remained in Him. It was beautiful!

Have you thought about how God allows us to choose our own way?

Don't you find this fascinating? He allows us to pick Him or not. He allows us to pick peace or not. He allows us to remain with Him or not.

The man speaking shared it is easy to connect with God, but not always easy to remain with Him. Isn't this true? When times get difficult isn't it easy to pick worry over being positive?

Isn't it easy to believe the worst about someone or ourselves, rather than remain positive? Isn't it easy to just go our own way, which isn't necessarily God's way?

Once again, I am reminded that God's way must become our way. When His way becomes our way ~ WE REMAIN IN HIM and surrounded by HIS LOVE!

Wow!!!!

 

Thanks be to GOD!

Debbie

Hang up the robe!

John 13:4

So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist….

Have you ever taken a mission trip? Have you ever participated in a mission experience with a local shelter?

Did you go in thinking what a good thing you were doing? I have to admit…I did!

Was I shocked when I realized that it was me that would be changed!

The scripture above speaks to something that mission work will do for you; if you don't do this yourself…It will take off your robe! What do you have standing in the way of service work?

Is it possibly time? Is it pride? Is it just not in your comfort zone?

Well, let God take off your robe for you and experience a life changing time with your heart! I remember the first mission trip to the Appalachian Mountains. The day before I left I was so upset…I was talking to myself what have I done? I don't know anything about helping work or work on repairs for a house...I don't know anything about any of this stuff.

Upon arrival, I realized that it didn't matter what I knew about building it was that God wanted to work on my heart and my eyes. Was the floor hard that we slept on at night? Yes. Were the showers cold? Yes. Did my heart change? Yes.

I remember a feeling washing over me that is not easily explained other than to say that I was a part of something much bigger than me. I was taking off my pride, my feelings of being superior, my busy schedule and I was letting another human being know that they mattered. I was doing something for them that they could not do for themselves and it felt fabulous. It truly wasn't about me…

I still don't like sleeping on the floor or cold showers, but I love the feeling of being a servant. The feeling that I am serving someone like Jesus would!

So, take off your robe ~ whatever it is and see the world through new eyes! It is amazing!

Serving,

Debbie

Open the door

Matthew 25:11

…they stood outside, calling, Lord! Lord! Open the door for us!" But he called back, "Believe me, I don't know you!"

Do you ever remember growing up and you wanted to go into a place that required membership and they wouldn't let you in. You didn't have the right card or you didn't look right? Well, this is much worse….The Lord doesn't recognize us, so we aren't allowed inside.

The ladies are standing outside "kurie" begging please affirm us Messiah, please call us by name and His reply is I don't know anything about you. Original word was oida ~ he doesn't know anything about us.

We need to Know our Savior! Right now! We don't need to wait until we older, or we have more time, or just when we wise up…the time is now! We don't know when He will return to us, so we need to be prepared, but not only that we can have a relationship right now! We don't have to wait till we are in heaven. Continually in His Word, He assures us that He is with us and that He wants to know us.

How do you build a new friendship? You spend time with the person, getting to know them ~ Right? Well, start the same right now…Get to know your Savior, Let Him hold your hand where He will never answer back …I don't know you!

Loving Our Savior,

Debbie