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Rushed Upon Him

Throughout the Avengers series, Bruce Banner struggled to control the Hulk from taking over.  That’s how many believe the Holy Spirit acts in our lives.  Samson seems to exemplify that, but with a closer look we see that those with the Spirit of the Lord choose their actions.

I.  Judges 14:1-20.  It’s clear from the onset of Samson’s story that God knows our terrible choices ahead of time and uses them for His will.  The ‘lawless men’ who sent Jesus to the cross were not thwarting God’s plan but falling into it (Acts 2:22-24).  It’s also clear throughout all of Samson’s life that despite having the Spirit of the Lord that he acted out of selfish motives and anger, something that could not please God.

II.  John 2:13-17.  Jesus had God’s Spirit (Matthew 3:16-17), and many might have thought that there was another Samson in their midst when He overturned tables and drove money-changers out of the temple with a whip.  But, John explains that the source of Jesus’ anger was different.  Jesus who never sinned (Hebrews 4:15) had an anger not rooted in sin (Ephesians 4:26) but rather zeal for His Father’s house.  Like Samson, though, Jesus chose His actions.

III.  Acts 2:16-39.  We too choose our actions.  Given the Spirit of the Lord as a gift at baptism, Christians choose to either take the route of Samson and grieve the Spirit by our sinful choices (Ephesians 4:30) or serve one another in love (Galatians 5:13).  With His Spirit, God has given us the ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18-21) to bring others to Christ the choice of waging spiritual war differently than the world does (2 Corinthians 10:3-5).  But we have to choose these!

If you have obeyed the gospel, you have the Spirit of the Lord.  With it dwelling in us, teaching us, and equipping us in various ways, we each need to choose what we will do with this new life we have been given.

 

 

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Transform My Mind

© 2019 J. Randal Matheny

O God, transform my mind,
Give power to leave behind
All worldly ways and timid days,
Be to your will aligned.

Create your life in me,
The Spirit’s full degree
With joy untamed and hope ordained —
Of earthly suffering free.

Perfection my desire,
Your holiness my fire —
The Savior’s zeal my close ideal
To move me higher and higher.

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Ten requests to God in prayer

  1. Blanket your people with peace, O Lord, that we may live in quiet submission and glad thanksgiving.
  2. Remove from us those earthly and material things upon which we rely, so that we might depend wholly upon your grace and power.
  3. Bring us low in humility, as Jesus himself humbled himself, in order to be useful to the Kingdom.
  4. Jolt us from our comfortable routines and throw us out into the world of need.
  5. Fix before our eyes the single task of proclaiming Christ to a condemned mankind.
  6. Stir up our zeal for the truth of the gospel that we might know the Scriptures and guard your word in our hearts.
  7. Steer us away from sin and produce in us the holiness that permits us to see your face.
  8. Pour out your Spirit into our hearts that we might produce that holy and righteous fruit of all good things.
  9. Swell the ranks of reapers in the field of salvation, so that those who are ready to hear might have a message to respond to.
  10. Expose the lies of the evil one, so that the God who does not lie might be seen as the Savior and Sovereign of all.
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Promised to Him

Remove myself, O Sovereign, as the center,
Into my heart as Lord let Jesus enter;
For him I die — the kingdom my surrender,
His cross for glory, eternal crown of splendor.

Zeal that comes from Christ, pure and single,
No human view or earthly prize to mingle,
Promised to him, sincere and whole devotion,
Owner of every thought and deed and emotion.

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Jesus and me

Father, the lack of zeal in self dismays me. Jesus died for the zeal he felt for your house. Ignite my fervor for your kingdom.

And not only in me, but in others diligence is missing. Jesus did all your will and spoke just as you told him. Give your people that same dedication, that same attention to detail and to the larger picture.

How far I feel from your holy nature! Jesus sanctified himself in order to know and please you. Purge me of all defilement, for I desire to see you after this earthly life has ended.

My love is imperfect, I still judge people by appearance, often sizing them up by what they might could do for me. Jesus loved everyone, offered them acceptance, was willing to give opportunity to all to be a part of his family. Perfect your love in me, so that I might see every person as one of your special creatures.

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To know you better every day

Our Father in Heaven, your name is special. Let us all give you proper respect. Let us treat your things with special regard. Keep us from acting in a profane manner.

Help us to think constantly of you and your plan of salvation. Thank you for reaching us with the Good News. We rejoice in our hope of eternal life. Reach others through our teaching. Motivate us to share the message of Christ with others.

We want to know you better every day. We read Scripture in order to understand you and what you like and dislike. Give us understanding. We ask for wisdom. Keep our feet from transgression. Hold back our hands from doing evil. Give us the power of your Spirit to win over temptation.

Lord God, the faith of many is weak. Their zeal wanes and, for some, is doused by the devil. Fire us up. Make us enthusiastic for Christ. But keep our fervor guided by knowledge. Let that knowledge be the firewood that keeps our love burning strong.

Father, the church seems such a fragile thing. So few people, with few physical and material resources. It seems like all our work would fail with but a little gust of wind. But we know that your Spirit enlivens us all. Your power will not be denied its efficacy in the world. The evil one cannot push over your people.

Others seem to have so much to work with. Resources are squandered, funds are spent selfishly, time is wasted. But help us not to look wistfully at what others have. Let us see how you work in and through us. Make us understand that we have all we need to be powerful instruments in your hand. Keep us from resentment and bitterness. May Christ live in us to bring us peace, joy, and righteousness.

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Not afraid to do good

Dear God, let me do my tasks with dedication and with all powers at my disposal. Let me enjoy the present. Thank you for the pleasures of the moment that, although eternity is but a step away, you provide for us as reminders of heavenly blessing.

Give strength and patience to us, to our children, and to our family of faith, as we face life’s misfortunes and sadness. Let the peace of Christ rule in us at every moment and in every circumstance.

Be with us and help us to feel your presence, so that we might be content and full of love. Keep tiredness at bay. Let our zeal not flag.

Help us not to be afraid to do good. May your grace make us stand and keep us strong to overcome. Let nothing upset our firm trust in you and our certainty of hope.

Give us the attitude of our Lord Jesus who saw each moment as a chance to let your glory shine.

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Lord, I Would Be a Simple Soul

Lord, I would be a simple soul,
Make me see with a single eye.

I’d always speak an honest word,
Come fill me with the gospel truth.

I ask to be a saint of zeal,
Show me the living passion of Christ.

I seek to sanctify my heart,
Let me know your holiness.

I’d wield the Spirit’s powerful sword,
Give me wisdom in the Scriptures.

I want to please you in the Way,
Strengthen my feet to walk your path.

Lord, I would be a fisher of souls,
For I was taught and led to Christ.

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Let passion die

The violence of sin, O Lord, grows and masks its evil. Satan’s servants appear as angels of light, hiding death in their robes, concealing the face of eternal suffering. Caricatures of life and pleasure, they steal the young and rob the old of joy.

Unmask them, Lord, for who they are! Rip away their disguises! Let sin be seen for what it is, raw rebellion against your good and perfect will, self-destruction that cannot be undone!

Let us recoil from the Adversary’s enticements. Give us eyes to see behind the temptation, beyond the moment of pleasure. Save us from the pain and heartache of transgression.

Let passion for this world die, and cause to live in us an eternal zeal for good.

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Things that don’t make sense

  1. Zeal without knowledge, Prov 19.2; Rom 10.2.
  2. Riches without wisdom, Eccl 4.13; Mark 10.17-27.
  3. Sex without commitment, Gen 2.24; Heb 13.4.
  4. Hope without reason, Prov 10.28; 1 Pet 3.15.
  5. Faith without obedience, Acts 6.7; Rom 1.5; Jas 2.14-26.

What points might you add?