Blessed Are Those Who Mourn

Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. – Matthew 5:3

Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh. – Luke 6:21

There are a lot of things that we might mourn and cry over in this life, especially if we value good things like life and love, which seem to be declining in value in the eyes of many godless people.

As a Christian, I am thankful for the commandment of Jesus Christ: love your God and love your neighbor like yourself.

I like to apply the New Testament commandments and mindset of the teachings of Jesus to psalms like 119 that state, “I love thy commandments more than gold, yea, above fine gold,” and “my zeal has consumed me because my enemies have forgotten thy word. Thy word is very pure, therefore thy servant loves it.”

That psalm speaks volumes to the suffering of the servants of God—both as we deal with our own lack of love and as we deal with the lack of love of others. “I will follow in the way of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart.”

The more we see the good things of God in short supply, the more valuable they are and the more we should want to see the nature of Jesus grow in us. We feel our lack and desperate need, otherwise the world would overtake us. “They had almost consumed me on the earth, but I forsook not thy precepts. Quicken me after thy lovingkindness, so shall I keep the testimonies of thy mouth.”

In times of murderous men who do not value the things of God, His love is oh so precious—and extraordinarily comforting.

When I see or read things by Christians who encourage us to seek Jesus, remember love, and do our best to be at peace with everyone, my heart is lifted. When I see or read things by other Christians that remind me that Jesus will return, reward our faithfulness, and repay those who slay His servants, I am comforted.

It is good to know that while the wicked seem to prosper in their love of death, their time is short. It is also good to know that if it were not for the grace of God towards us, we would be no different.

How sad it is to have this life only.

If all the wicked get is this one life, let them have it all. They can “take what is theirs and go” as the parable of the talents teaches. A life spent in the earth only is all they get, but we have a greater inheritance.

We have everlasting life, and the suffering we endure at the hands of godless people is nothing compared to the joy we will experience in that kingdom—and can even now experience when our minds are set on Jesus Christ.

Despite our suffering, we can find happiness, peace, patience, and love for our enemies. The godless don’t have that. They are consumed by their hate, and it is sad.

So, while we mourn for ourselves and those who are robbed by the godless, we should mourn for those consumed by this world and its hate.

I know how it feels to be consumed by hate, and I am so thankful that as a Christian, I can confess this to Jesus, pour my complaints out to Him, and be strengthened so that I might overcome for His Name’s sake.

There is much comfort for us Christians. We are comforted when the Spirit corrects us and changes our attitude or brings us to some other form of truth in Jesus Christ. We are comforted with the amazing promises of salvation and a kingdom to come in which righteousness dwells.

How wonderful that kingdom will be! Can you imagine it? Jesus on the throne, visibly reigning with justice, judgment, and mercy forever…a land full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. How amazing that is!

This life is short, and though the suffering feels oh so long and hard to deal with, and though at times we do not feel the comfort we’d like to feel, don’t lose faith. Trust in Jesus and praise Him for all He as done and will do!

Once we are sufficiently strengthened according to the individual calling we have, He will settle our hearts on Him. I also need more strengthening and settling, but I know that He will do it!

Here is one of my favorite scripture songs, Psalm 119 by Paul Stringini. I want to include it here because it might be comforting for others as it is for me. You can find more free scripture songs here.

This article is part of a series that considers the Parables of Jesus. Right now, we are looking at the statements Jesus made during His Sermon on the Mount, to which He referenced in His Parable of the Building on Rock and Sand.

*note* I later realized that I got my parable references crossed, so I want to apologize for that. I combined ideas from the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25) and the Parable of the Workers Wages (Matthew 20). The ideas do go together.

We all receive something from God, represented in one parable as a talent and in another as a day’s wage. For some, all they get is this life–their one talent or a day’s wage–and they are okay with that. They take that talent or wage and they bury it in the earth, and in so doing, many think they are first because they seem to come first in this world. But as Jesus says, “those who are last will be first, and those who are first will be last.”

There are other ways to look at these parables. Lord willing, we will get to all of them. ❤

Considering Proverbs 10:16

The labour of the righteous tendeth to life: the fruit of the wicked to sin.

There are many forms of work in this life. We work to put a roof over our head. We work to put food on the table. We work to provide luxuries for ourselves and others. Maybe we work to advance our careers. Maybe we work to build up our homes and our lives in general.

These things are usually honorable, so long as we do not neglect what Jesus teaches us.

He says, “do not labor for food that perishes, but for food that brings everlasting life.”

He says, “Do no lay up for yourselves treasure in earth, where moths and rust corrupt and thieves break through and steal. Instead, lay up for yourselves treasure in heaven where moths and rust do not corrupt, and thieves do not break through and steal. Where your treasure is, your heart will be also.”

What does this mean?

How do we labor for bread of life? How do we lay up for ourselves treasure in heaven?

As Christians, we have things to care for. Most importantly, we have people to care for. We have our families, we have our brethren in the faith, we have unbelievers we live around an encounter. We should work to bring the Bread and Fountain of Life to everyone, to the best of our ability and according to the faith and grace given to us.

This is a great treasure. Just as Jesus brings life, we are given the task of brining life as our own lives testify of He who IS Life. In so doing, we are rewarded as “good and faithful” servants who properly “occupy” until our Lord returns.

This can feel futile sometimes.

In a world in which “iniquity abounds” and the wicked tend to sin instead of life, it can be hard to maintain a focus on the Kingdom of Heaven. We get bogged down by the world and our hearts go after it.

As the parable of the sower teaches, there are many things in this life that can steal the good things of His Kingdom from us.

Maybe unbelievers snatch the good things of God away from us before they take root. Maybe hard times come and we give into sin instead of trusting in God. Maybe we lose sight of Jesus at times when the cares of this life and worldly purists overshadow Him. Maybe the world tramples on us and our hearts become hardened.

If we get overly distracted by this world, we find ourselves also tending to things of wickedness instead of things of life. Maybe we had a kind of “fruit,” but exposure to the world and those who love sin ate up what we had and turned it into refuse.

However, as Christians who take the faith seriously, He will not allow us to fulfil the wrong side of His parables only.

There is going to be some measure of “good ground” in which His seed will develop deep and abiding roots and bring forth lasting fruits of the Spirit and treasures in His Kingdom that will not be taken from us.

This takes time. It takes time to grow deep roots. It takes time for a strong plant to form. It takes time for fruit to produce.

There are also differing types of plants. Some plants require much difficulty so they can grow into what they are meant to be. Sometimes we go through dry seasons. Sometimes we endure freezing temperatures and scorching heat. Sometimes we are made to grow within hard and rocky soil.

So, it may seem that we are seed on bad ground, but in reality, these hardships are making us into who we are as we learn an important truth: everything we have is the grace of God towards us.

Maybe we can bring forth some measure of fruit by own work, but I don’t think it will last. I know this from experience.

Although I appreciate the virtue it takes to strive against sin, our striving should always be in the form of seeking Jesus. It can be easy to forget this and before we know it, we see that we are fighting our battles alone, trusting in our own virtue to preserve us.

It won’t. We do not have the strength or the goodness enough within ourselves to maintain.

This world will get in. This world will corrupt. This world kills, steals, and destroys. Jesus brings life abundant.

We will be fruitful according to the measure of faith and grace given to us, so above all else seek the grace of God through the Son, Jesus Christ and the power of His Spirit that never dries up. He will do all things in us according to the perfect and pleasing will of the Father for us, so that God is glorified in us and by us.

Do our hearts seek the treasures of Life in the Kingdom of Everlasting Life by the power of He Who IS Life? Or, are our hearts looking to this world? I know that many Christians are caught up in the things of this world. I know how easy it can be, but I also know that the Lord will do anything He must in order to draw us nearer to Him.

This world will steal our worldly riches. They cannot have enough of these things because that is all they have. Let them have it.

“Blessed are those whose God is the Lord, Jesus Christ.” He cannot be stolen from us. HE is the GREATEST treasure!

Grace Means So Much More

Grace is often used interchangeably with the Christian ideas of mercy and forgiveness. Although these are aspects of grace, grace is not exclusively mercy. Grace is not exclusively forgiveness. More accurate is the understanding of grace as the “unmerited favor” of God.

What does it mean to have the “unmerited favor” of God?

If something is unmerited, then it is not based on merit or worthiness. We can never be good enough to earn the grace of God.

There is no goodness we naturally possess that will ever be enough for God to look favorably on us. In-fact, we are told that any good thing we posses came from God in the first place. He made us. He made our natures. He created the world we live in. Nothing we have came from us. How could we possibly earn anything from the One who made everything? It’s simply impossible.

However, if God is favorable to us, then that means a few things.

Considering that all things are made by Him—things that we have only tasted in this life and have no real understanding of—how much more could we gain?

Mercy? Yes.

Forgiveness? Yes.

These are so important because without mercy and forgiveness we would have no hope. We have all done things worthy of death because we have all brought death to this world in some capacity due to our sin nature.

However, there is more.

The grace of God brings healing of our minds so that we are free from the destructive things we do that harm ourselves and others.

The grace of God brings gifts of His Spirit so that we can better serve the brethren, and by extension, serve Him.

The grace of God means that all things are working together for our good, even the trying things.

The grace of God means that we will suffer. Suffering makes us stronger. Suffering humbles us so that we can receive more of Him and be faithful to that which we receive. Suffering teaches us how to walk more after the Spirit and less after the world.

The grace of God means that we will have truth in a world of lies.

The grace of God means that we will inherit with the Son. As Jesus says, “Those who overcome will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I overcame and am sat down with my Father in His throne.”

There is so much to grace. So much that this little post does not do grace justice.

I just want to encourage any who read this to think about it. Do we use grace and forgiveness or mercy interchangeably and to the exclusion of all the rest that grace entails, thereby robbing ourselves and others of the immeasurable wealth that we have to pursue in the Kingdom of our God?

If God favors us, who can be against us? Even if someone is against us, we know that as Jesus said, “you would have no power over me unless the Father gave it.”

If God favors us, what do we have to fear?

If God favors us, why do we need the favor of man?

If God favors us, why do we claim defeat to any device of the adversary of our soul?

We cannot lose. Even if we seem to fail, it is the favor of God working in us, making us stronger, drawing us nearer to His Kingdom.

If God favors us, how can we not pity and want mercy for those who receive less favor?

If God favors us, how can we think ourselves any bit better than another, knowing that anything good we have was received by Him?

If God favors us, how can we live our lives without doing our upmost to lead unbelievers to Him?

We should do what we can to love our enemies, but the lack of love between the brethren is most disheartening.

Everyone wants to be “the greatest in the kingdom of heaven,” but who wants to sacrifice themselves for the brethren, and in turn, for He who sacrificed Himself for us? Who wants to give up their loyalties to their denomination in favor of a unified body? Who wants to give up their lucrative ministries and church buildings in favor of the temple “not built with hands?” Who wants to give up their pride and foolish self-sufficiency in favor of unifying with brethren who could add to them and make them stronger?

If God favors our brethren, why do we accuse them?

If God favors our brethren, why do we mistreat them?

If God favors our brethren, why do we compete with them or feel envious of them?

If God favors our brethren, why do we reject them?

If God favors our brethren, why don’t we favor them also?

If God favors us, do we favor Him? He who said, “what you do to the least of these my brethren, you do also to me?”

If we believe that Jesus is the Son of God who was slain and risen again for the forgiveness of our sins, then we are favored. God loved us enough to give His Son for us. Jesus gave up more than we can really know so that we can live and inherit with Him.

This grace we so easily and sometimes cheaply throw around means something.

The grace of God means so very much. We have the immeasurable gift of the favor of the Almighty. How amazing! Let us really consider.

The Love of Many Gone Cold

The weather isn’t the only thing that’s been cold lately.

I feel cold too. Cold hearted. It’s fitting that we see unusually low temperatures in my neck of the woods right now. Maybe God’s cooling me off, because though I feel cold hearted, I also burn with a lot of rage. I’m so ashamed and afraid of it. I don’t understand what’s happening.

I never want to put on heirs, even online, as being some perfect Christian. So, I thought I will write about this. Maybe some judge me as a fake Christian because “the love of God is not in me.” Maybe some will relate and know they are not alone.

In any case, this is the reality of it. At least, as much as I can state while keeping discretion in mind.

I am so angry with so many things.

I am angry with fake repentance. I am angry with false promises and fake friends. I am angry with lies and those who take advantage of others as they sit idle and enjoy themselves while people suffer. I am angry with the apathy and fear of those who would take the path of least resistance all the way to the gates of hell.

I am angry that there is no where to go for real spiritual help and fellowship. No none to hold me accountable and encourage me to do better. Accusations and assumptions without compassion; traitors who took the pain I revealed to them and despitefully judged me for it, gossiped about me, then turned their backs. But not real admonition. That’s what you get for showing your real struggles with people. The body of Christ should not be so.

What really gets me is the lack of care or effort. The path of ease and shirking of responsibility reigns in the hearts of man, and I’m tired of treading uphill against them.

I have anger burning in me like never before. It scares me. It scares me because I know that the judgment of God is against us being angry with our brothers, and we should think of all as brothers in some capacity. I know that Jesus teaches that we should love all, even our enemies.

I value His wisdom in these things. Yet, I also have lived long enough in this world to know that many people in this world do not want love so that they can repent and grow. They want love so they can walk all over you. They do the same to Jesus. Will He continue to stand for it?

I was looking at the next Proverb that I am to write about, and I felt sick to my stomach. It states that the labor of the righteous brings life, but the fruit of the wicked is sin.

What if you’re just tired of laboring to bring forth righteous things because the sinful immediately eat it up, and as it passes through them, the fruit your suffered to bring forth is turned into crap?

I’m tired of walking in crap.

I’m tired of crying. I’m tired of working myself into severe exhaustion just to see the fruit of my labor eaten up by the wicked. Then I look at our country. I know all too well what is going to happen. I’ve lived it. If I’m so angry and tired of trying, what will the other Christians of the world do? Lord, I pray they are stronger than me.

This ball of rage in me is so strong, that I almost fear what would happen if I were to just let it roar out of me. It’s seeping out. Little bits here and there. Then I retreat and pray, hoping it will all go away.

Love your enemies.

Do good to them that hate you and despitefully use you.

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake.

God will avenge us of our adversaries.

Great is your reward in heaven.

Those who are angry with their brother are in danger of the judgment…

Yet, I wonder how long will the Lord allow such things to continue, because surely, I am not the only one in this kind of position.

Jesus said, “because iniquity will abound, the love of many will grow cold, but he that shall endure until the end, the same shall be saved.”

How many Christians feel their love growing cold because there are none to warm them?

Then I think, shouldn’t the love of the Lord be enough? Shouldn’t I love Him enough!? What is wrong with me!?

God is in control of all things, and all of this is for a reason. I have life. I do not matter. He does. I can endure this for a while longer, right? Or will I lose sight of Him and let my fury devour me? Will I cry out to God to avenge, or should I ask that He be merciful and open the eyes of the blind and soften the hearts of the wicked, yet another time?

It’s hard to be patient. It’s hard to turn our gaze to Christ, whose eyes burn like fire, when we know that we have been full of darkness. It’s hard to trust in His mercy when we know that we are allowing this world to consume us and put our lights out. It’s hard when we bring shame to His Holy Name.

As long as we live, we can turn back. Refocus. Cry a few more tears and scream to the heavens. Beg for mercy for ourselves and others, because any good thing we have came from God.

We cannot let this world consume us. We cannot let this world make the love of God in us cold. We cannot let this world fill us with wrath, and though it is good to be angry with wickedness and to love righteousness, vengeance is God’s. He will repay, and it will not go well for them. It will go well for those who turn their hearts to God.

Just stating all of this make me feel a little better. Maybe enough to get by just a bit longer. As Jesus says, “sufficient to the day is the evil thereof.”

I need to focus on Him more and on the evils less, keep praying and see what He will do. Trust in whatever that means. All things are for the good of those who belong to Him. Maybe all of this suffering is blessing in disguise. One day I will see and know, if I am not beaten by my adversary. Jesus won’t allow that to happen. He won’t allow that to happen to you who trust in Him either.

I haven’t said this lately, but…

Keep going and trust in Jesus. ❤

We all Deserve to be Cancelled. Yet we Live.

There is something freeing about accepting the fact that none of us really matter that much. Not in the grand scheme of things.

“Man is like to vanity. His days are as a shadow that passes away.”

Yet, we are alive. Do we really appreciate that fact?

We exist.

Just sitting still with that thought and fully feeling my existence is almost strange.

On one hand, I know that I am nothing and that is okay. It is good to accept that. Needing to be more than nothing leads to all sorts of problems. Pride. Vanity. Self Righteousness. Hypocrisy. Wrathful Indignation. Vengeance. Blindness. Death.

It is a blessing to know just how little our lives really are and how fleeting they are. How brief. How inconsequential. Yet, how wonderful. We live. WE LIVE!

Such a simple thing that we take for granted. Yet, in our vanity and pride we think that it’s not enough to just live. We have to matter. We have to matter so much that other people do not matter unless they bow to us and all that we hold dear–and that we hold above the only One who does matter. The One who gave us life in the first place.

In reality, we should be so thankful to have life that we do what we can to preserve it–and not for ourselves, but for others because their life is precious too. Fleeting as a shadow and inconsequential, yet also precious.

We need to be humble and sober minded about our lives, yet exceedingly grateful and protective of them. And again, not protective of our own, but for life in general. If we have to destroy another to preserve our own lives, then that is not appreciation for life as it should be. It is pride and love of self.

I think things like Cancel Culture and Black Lives Matter have it all backwards. Any movement that feels entitled to preserve themselves by robbing others of life has it backwards. Pro Choice movements. An Marxist ideal. Any idea that exalts mankind is foolishness and vanity.

We all deserve to be cancelled. None of us really matter. Yet we live.

If we saw how much we were given instead of feeling entitled to more, we would not cancel one another. We would not exalt any group of people above another or demand that people repay us or give us all that we are due.

Those who think that they should cancel opposition might be judged by their judgment. Those that think they should be given what they are due might find that they get exactly what they deserve.

These movements lead to just one outcome: death. You will get what you gave others. You who cancel will be cancelled. You who think you are entitled to reparations will be repaid with the non existence you deserve.

Why? Because you live and it is not good enough for you. Why should you continue to do so? Especially when you want to take life from others.

Instead of cancelling others or demanding reparations and worship, we should lift one another as we realize that our lives did not come by chance. There is One who created them. He holds it all. One day He will deliver those who trust in Him from the “hands of the sons of strangers.”

They will know that the battles we fight amongst ourselves are pride and vanity. We will all see how our self-preservation is our death. “He wounded me so I killed him.”

The curse of man is to do so, and the world rejects the gospel of Jesus Christ that could remedy the hearts of man–through humility and respect and thankfulness for life. Many will willingly welcome Death and worship him, all the while thinking that they are saving their skins. All the while thinking that they are “cancelling” the enemy. All the while thinking that their lives matter. Their comforts and riches matter. Their vengeance matters.

God will repay it all, and we will see that we are nothing more than dust.

I want to be more thankful. I want to do better about accepting the fact that I do not matter. I want to do better about accepting the fact that I deserve to be cancelled, and in fact, I deserve to be wiped from all existence. Our God is exceedingly generous to us. So much so that He gave His Son for us. How we take it for granted!

You exist.

Do something worth while with that life–though it is not worth anything–because you could just as easily not exist. And that would be fair. Even so, to Jesus who gave His life for you, “your are worth more than many sparrows.” You matter to Him. He needs to matter more to us. He cannot be canceled. He won’t be. His voice will shake the heavens and the earth, and those who trust in Him will live.

Those who love their lives will lose them. Those who lose their lives for His sake will gain everlasting life. As Jesus has said, we should remember.

Can a Christian Walk After the Spirit of God Alone?

This is a question I have been thinking about. I know someone who received the Holy Spirit several years ago, and their walk in the Spirit has been very up and down. There are times when this person believes they were freed from a sin issue, just to later have that same sin take them over. There are times when this person feels strong in the things of God, and there are times when they wonder if the Spirit has been so grieved by their sin that he left.

This person believes that the gospel promises a life of freedom through the power of the Spirit, but for some reason that freedom never seems to come as it should, or as they think it should.

I wonder if this has to do with how isolated this person is from other Christians who are of the same mind and Spirit.

As Christians, we are supposed to be a body in Jesus Christ. There is no single Christian who has received the fullness of the Spirit of God. Only Jesus was given this, as far as I know. How can one single Christian attain the promises of Jesus in this present life without edifying fellowship? There is fellowship, but it seems lacking.

There are Christians who are serious about keeping their outward lives clean and seem very judgmental of others whose lives aren’t as bright and shiny as theirs, but they don’t seem to take much thought for deep issues of the heart. There are Christians who value relationships, but in a kind of soft way that is resistant to speaking about sin, so they do not want to talk about the hard things for fear of upset. There are Christians who have a kind of zeal for Jesus but are caught up in the cares of this life. There are many churches, but doctrinal disagreements lead to division.

There has been online fellowship, but that is not the same as face to face. We need connection. We need to live alongside one another in a real way. It seems we are so content living in our own little worlds that we do not gather together in meaningful ways.

Is this person missing something? Is it just a kind of tragic lot in which this person landed or was placed in by God—to be surrounded by unbelievers and other Christians, but none who seem to really add to them? Is it pride for them to feel this way? It’s hard to tell for sure.

This person so badly wants to live an upright life, but there are things for which real healing never seems to come. And I can’t help but wonder if this has to do in part with a lack of Spirit-filled relationships. How can one stand alone and not have their light go out when there is no one there to fill them, but they keep trying to fill others so that the world around them is not so dark?

I don’t know. I do know that God is not limited and His will is done in all things. I do know that through Him all things are possible. If you can relate, please do not lose hope.

There is a great multitude of zealous Christians who we are connected with, though we do not see them. Let us pray for those lonely brothers and sisters so that they can know that the body of Christ alive and well. Perhaps the Lord will send fellowship. Perhaps the Lord will be more gracious with His Spirit so that the lost sheep can be made stronger.

It is said of Jesus that “a smoking flax shall he not quench and a bruised reed shall he not break.” A little faith is good. A little fruit is good. He can bring forth more. Sometimes we have an uphill battle and we get tired of trying, but we can be glad in knowing that God has His grip on us and nothing can take us from Him.

When we are surrounded by unbelief or bound to “unequal yokes” we cannot break that seem to drag us down and quench the Spirit, replacing Him with spirits of unbelievers because “evil communication corrupts good manners,” we can trust in the mercy of God. Trust in His timing. Trust in His power to do something about it for His Name sake so that we do not dishonor Him. It is true that we are to be lights in a dark world, but the darkness hates light and will overtake it. Yet, He who is in us is stronger. Though the pain can be unbearable at times, He will come through. We can trust in this.

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit

Originally Posted on February 1, 2017 by Amanda at kindlingtruth.com

There is much to be understood about the baptism of the Holy Spirit. This article hopes to answer important questions you might have, though much more could be written on this subject.

The baptism of the Holy Spirit is a fundamental part of our walk with Jesus, and it is necessary for salvation. Without truthful understanding of this important event, many don’t know what it fully means, much less how critical it is to their salvation that they seek it. The Holy Spirit is our connection with God, the earnest of our inheritance as children of God, the product of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

To be baptized with the Holy Spirit is to have the very spirit of God within us, so that we can grow into Christ and be freed from the bonds of sin. Without it, we will remain at a stand-still, unable to find freedom from sin fully, unable to know Jesus as we aught to, and if we don’t know Jesus, He doesn’t know us. If He doesn’t know us, then on the day of judgment He will say to us, “depart from me you who work iniquity. I never knew you.”

If you haven’t taken the baptism of the Holy Spirit seriously, there’s no better time to start than now. Read on for answers to questions you might have, as well as my own experience with the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

What is the Holy Spirit?

The Holy Spirit isn’t a “what” or “it,” but a “He.” He is ALIVE! Just as there are evil spirits that work on us in the flesh, there are spirits of God, mentioned here in the scriptures:

And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. – Revelation 3:1

And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. – Revelation 4:5

And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. – Revelation 5:6

What are these “seven Spirits of God?” See Isaiah 11:2-3:

And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord;

And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears.

The Fruit of the Spirit

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. – Galatians 5: 22-23

There is much more to the Holy Spirit than I think we can answer, at least not until we know Jesus as we aught to. In any case, there is much we can know.

The Holy Spirit also goes by the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of Truth, and the Comforter.

All of which give some understanding into what this spirit is. He is a shadow of God, and he is God. He is the essence of His Truth. He is our guide, our healer, and our comforter in times of trouble. Here are some scriptures that help us understand who the Holy Spirit is:

John 14:16-18 – And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

John 14:26-27 – But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, 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 give you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

John 15:26 – But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me.

John 16:7-11 – Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

The Comforter is the Holy Spirit, sent to God’s children after the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ Jesus. He is the Spirit of Truth which brings our own darkness to light, and draws it out of us. He shows us the truth of God’s promise for remission of sin through faith in Jesus. The Spirit is an amazing gift, one that came at a price we cannot repay.

What does it mean to be born of the Spirit?

John 3: 3-5 – Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?

Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

Being born of the Spirit through the baptism of the Holy Spirit is what it means to be born again. Simply stating that you “accept Jesus” does not make you born again. As with the gift of faith, the gift of the Holy Spirit is given at God’s will, at a time when He deems best. Many believe the false notion that once you make your declaration of faith, you immediately receive the Holy Spirit, and you are “saved.” This is a very deceiving, very deadly lie.

The Holy Spirit can be with you, guiding and teaching you. But, to be baptized is to have Christ “make his abode with you.” He lives IN YOU!

When you receive the Holy Spirit, it is a powerful, life changing experience. If you didn’t experience anything remarkable, then it didn’t happen. But, Jesus is a rewarer of all who diligently seek Him, and He will give his Holy Spirit to those who ask – though it may take years of asking. But, once it happens, a seed of God is planted in you, transforming you by writing righteousness into your heart.

Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart. – 2 Cor 3:3

How do you receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit?

John 3: 6-8 – That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

You cannot pin down the Holy Spirit. Many try to come up with special instructions on how to make the baptism happen, but they are trying in vain. The Spirit moves where he will, and on whom he will – not at the command of man.

If you want to receive the Holy Spirit, the best thing you can do is ask – and ask often.

Many who are given the Holy Spirit ask for years, so don’t lose hope if it doesn’t happen as fast as you’d like. God does this for a reason. Waiting works patience in us, creates more hunger for Him in our hearts, and shows us that He is in control. There is much in the scriptures that offer encouragement to those who are discouraged when they don’t get the Holy Spirit right away:

If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? – Luke 11:11-12

The parable of the unjust judge – Luke Chapter 18

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. – Hebrews 11:6

How do you know you received the Holy Spirit?

It bears repeating, that simply believing that you have the Holy Spirit without any evidence of it being given to you is a dangerous lie. When Jesus gives you His Holy Spirit, you should experience something very similar to that of the apostles on the day of Pentecost.

Today, many have a hard time believing this to be so, denying things like speaking in tongues and prophesying. Many believe that the gifts of the Spirit are not for today, but in reality, we rarely see them because the love and obedience of many has gone cold, not because the gifts ceased. God does not change. We have. These things are real. Accounts that I’ve heard of, including my own, are in unison with one another, and with the apostles.

To help demonstrate this very important point, I’m going to share my story of how this happened to me.

My experience with the Holy Spirit baptism

Like many Christians, I was brought up in the traditions of the church. I thought I became “saved” when I was about 10 years old. I accepted Jesus as my savior, and was baptized in a local river. As a child, I was very close to God, but during teen and early adult years, I fell away.

Between 2012 and 2014, events in my life made it very important that I know the truth of Jesus. I was overwhelmed by the many denominations, and was considering a lot of the New Age ideas as truth. In the summer of 2014, I prayed that God send me a true teacher of the Gospel, and the prayer was answered very quickly.

Once my eyes were opened to the truth, and I learned of the Holy Spirit baptism, I began asking for it. I asked, and cried, and begged, and asked some more. The Lord was gracious in giving me great zeal and hunger for it.

In late January of 2016, my prayer was answered. I started Kindling Truth (the first time) in October of 2015. But I lacked the Spirit, and felt I didn’t have what I needed to continue with it. So I quit. On top of that disappointment, I was also dealing with a lot of pain in my own life, making me feel like a horrible hypocrite, because I could in no way live the righteousness I believed in.

I was in a great depression, and so I again called on Jesus. I prayed to him, that he would help me. That he would give me His Holy Spirit because I didn’t know if I could continue on, that a life without serving Him was nothing. I wanted to serve Him and his people, I wanted to understand His truth – and live it.

As I lay there sobbing and praying, a force came over me, like a wave of power mixed with a peace and indescribable joy I had never felt. But it was more than emotion. It was like electricity was moving through my veins, and then I spoke a word or two softly in a language I did not understand.

This all happened simultaneously, and within seconds. It hit me, “this is it! It’s really happening!” I sat up in my bed, and continued to speak in the language of the Spirit, then my speaking turned to singing. The singing was forceful, bold, and I had the sense that I was singing about the true churches of the Lord.

After this happened, I began writing songs.

You can find those here. The Lord continues to work in me, revealing the truth of my sin, cleaning me from it, and showing me His will for His children.

What does the Holy Spirit baptism work in us?

The Holy Spirit leads us on a path of truth, so that we can be called the sons of God. It reveals the truth of Jesus, the hidden sins in our hearts, and gives us a desire to walk in His love and in obedience to Him. The Holy Spirit also comes with much fruit, as mentioned earlier.

For some, they find that some of their sins are taken away instantly after they are baptized in the Spirit. For me, I found healing from crippling social anxiety, freedom from a desire to become drunk off alcohol, and an understanding that psychedelic drugs were a form of sorcery. The Lord also revealed other things to me, in bits and pieces, which I often mixed with my own desires and fears, leading to a great deal of confusion until He was gracious enough to pour more of His spirit into my heart.

Receiving the Holy Spirit is a sign that you are on the path to knowing Jesus, that you are His, and that you will be saved! But, don’t be discouraged if you continue to struggle with sin. What you have been given is a tiny seed of Christ, one that will grow you up into the fullness of Christ. Believe that He will clean you entirely. Go on and run the race. Run to win!

Baptism of the Holy Spirit a Requirement?

Originally Posted on January 15, 2018 by Amanda on kindlingtruth.com 

This article is meant to accompany the article, Baptism of the Holy Spirit as a kind of retraction, but not an exact retraction so I didn’t want to entitle it as such. I also want to remind readers that I am still on a kind of personal break from writing new content so I can work on my own spiritual issues, but being on break does not keep people from reading content on the site or asking questions (Nor should it.

I welcome anyone to ask questions or just reach out anytime). I saw that someone had read the Holy Spirit Baptism post and so I feel it’s necessary to clarify some things I have learned since writing it.

As part of my personal journey and things I am learning now, I am seeing a shift in priority in the way I approach Christians. It used to be all about doctrine and fighting falsehoods. I came out of that to a degree then became sucked back in, causing me to reevaluate where I stand. First and foremost, I do not want to hinder the faith of anyone who might be struggling with doubt. Secondly, I do not want to be an accuser of the brethren or a legalist.

With these things in mind, how do I approach the teaching of the Holy Spirit Baptism? For one, I do not want people who have trouble accepting this, or who have asked for the Spirit and have not received it, to feel as second-class Christians or like they are not accepted by God. I do not want to make anyone question their salvation, but rather encourage them to seek the fullness of what that salvation has to offer them. I also understand that we cannot look at things from a strict letter of the law sense.

Anytime we tell people that they must experience, perform, or believe just as we do in order to be a Christian is legalism. Of course, we need to believe the basics. Jesus is God and the Son. Jesus was killed and resurrected. Jesus is the lamb of sacrifice for remission of sin. Jesus is the only way to God. However, we often have doctrines that we hold to such a high esteem that we ostracize people from the faith if they believe differently. I believe Paul the apostle called this “doubtful disputations.” We should avoid this as much as it is possible. So, with these things in mind:

Are We Required to Experience Holy Spirit Baptism to be Saved?

The main thing I want to address is the “requirement” for the Holy Spirit baptism. Until recently, I believed that every Christian should experience something similar to what I had experienced, otherwise they would not be saved because they were not “born again.”

Since then, I have realized the error in that line of thinking. It is a kind of legalism of the Spirit. I believe that we should seek the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and I do believe that when this happens there will be evidence of this experience given to the person being filled. I do believe that simply making a declaration of faith and assuming you have the Spirit in you is an unfortunate and massive error. However, I do not believe that everyone must experience things just as I did.

For example, many will tell you that unless you spoke in tongues, you did not receive the Spirit. I do not believe that. I believe that our experience depends on which gifts of the Spirit we are being filled with. I believe our experience should be powerful and life changing but can vary a great deal from person to person.

This is one of those things that all Christians should seek as a sign of good conscience towards God, just like the water baptism. If it makes us more like Jesus and we love him and we mean it when we call him Lord, then it’s just not something we would want to refuse. However, there are many who might not learn of this, or otherwise do not have the opportunity for one reason or another. For example, the thief on the cross had no ability to live out the Christian life, but Jesus was merciful towards him. Had he gone on to live a long life with the gospel being preached, then it might have been required of (or rather given to) him. I hope this makes sense.

We need to be careful when laying down things that “must” happened in order to be saved because we do not know the individual circumstances people face and the mercy the Lord might show them. However, if we are of sound mind and have ability, if we are not putting on a show of faith or have not been confused by things like the corruptions of the Charismatic Movement or some other issue that Jesus might respond mercifully towards, we should and would seek to experience this.

The Difference Between the Spirit “With” You and “In” You

I wrote above that simply believing that the Holy Spirit is in us does not make it so. I think there is confusion about the difference between the Spirit being with is and IN us. We know that Christians cannot declare Jesus as Lord without the Holy Spirit, right? So one might think that when they believe in Jesus, they are fulled with the Spirit. They “ask Jesus into their heart.” Right? Does this mean he is obliged to adhere to our commands? I don’t think so. That would be work based salvation.

Along with my own experience and growth, these scriptures speak to what I am thinking at this time:

Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. – 1 Corinthians 12:3

Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. – John 14:17

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. – Revelation 20:21

When Jesus died, his Spirit went out to the world. Those whose hearts are prepared by God to hear the gospel will hear and “accept.” At this point, Jesus dwells “with” us. However, he is knocking at the door of our hearts, and we have to open the door so that he can be “IN” us – and when this happens, we are receiving greater assurance of our salvation, and as Paul the apostle wrote, “the earnest of our inheritance.” Such an important event would come with something tangible.

It is the seed of Jesus within us, a power that provides us with the ability to overcome sin and walk after things of the Spirit. However, because of the mercy of Jesus, many do bring forth fruit and grow when they seek the Lord who is “with” them, though maybe not “in” them. I cannot say for sure what happens there; all I know is what is possible and I want to encourage Christians to get the most out of the faith so we can be more effective for the kingdom of God.

And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you. — Luke 17: 20-21

Is There a Fake Holy Spirit?

I want to touch quickly on this. I cannot say much because I know very little, but I know there are things that happen within Charismatic churches that do not seem truly Spirit led. I want to be cautious here, because I can’t say for sure what happens when people are “slain in the spirit” or have some strange “tongues” experience that seems more like confused babble than an actual language. However, I know these things greatly deter many from seeking the baptism of the Spirit and a negative social stigma is often associated with those who believe in the present activity and power of the Spirit today.

So, though I cannot say much about what is happening in these cases that seem off to myself and many others, I do want to say that I hope these things will not keep you from something that is real and is of God. Is there a false Holy Spirit as some claim?

I do not know. I do know we are told to test the spirits. I also know that we should look at the fruit being shown. I also know that you do not have to have hands laid on you to receive the Spirit, and there is no special steps to take. Just ask. I also know that Jesus rewards those who seek him diligently, and it’s not uncommon for us to ask him for many years before the Spirit is given – and with power, as I still believe to be true. Power to overcome sin. Power to understand the bible. Power to have greater faith. Power to speak in tongues – there are many things we might see as “fruit” of this event.

In any case, I do believe it to be something that changes your life towards seeking Jesus and placing him as Lord of your life—not just in word—but in deed and change of nature from one who brings death to one who brings life through he who is Life.

I am reviewing, rewriting, discarding, and in part republishing articles from kindlingtruth.com to thelordalone.com as an attempt to take the things done in service to Jesus as seriously as I can. I abandoned the first website for a few different reasons, the chief one being that I did not feel I was always of the right spirit. As Jesus said, “you do not know what spirit you are of.” There were other influences too. I probably need to write a more cohesive statement on this.

These are two related articles that I published four years ago. I have some thoughts about this topic that I want to think more about and share. For example, how could it be that I would not always be of the “right spirit” and have the Holy Spirit at the same time? I’m certain all of this could spark some questions and discussions. Feel free to leave a reply or send an email.

Moving Away from Cancel Culture toward Connection – Reblog from In My Father’s House

Last time I talked about how we do have some commonality with people who may have a different worldview than ours. Today I want to look at how we can navigate a potentially combative conversation to come to some sort of agreement, maybe even win the other person over to our point of view. As […]

Moving Away from Cancel Culture toward Connection

Blessed are the Poor

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. – Matthew 5:3

And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God. – Luke 6:20

This is the first statement that Jesus made, to which He referenced as a building set upon a rock verses one set upon shifting sand.

What does this statement mean and how does this contribute to a life lived on a solid foundation?

What does it mean to be poor in spirit?

I like the way I was taught to view the idea of being “poor in spirit.” We can learn what being poor in spirit means if we consider what it means to be rich in spirit.

I believe that the spirit is what animates the person. A person can be of many spirits, and it is possible for many people to be of the same spirit. As Christians, we want to be of the Spirit of God: The Spirit that brings us the indwelling of the Kingdom of God.

If we are rich in spirits of this world—spirits of pride, greed, vanity, and various spirits of the times of the world we live in—how can we seek the Spirit of God?

If we feel satisfied with ourselves and with our lives apart from Jesus, then we will not know how badly we need Him.

If we are poor in spirit, then we are not satisfied with ourselves or the world we live in. We feel like something is missing. We can feel like we don’t have any real place in this world. We can feel lost and alone.

Unfortunately, many who are poor in spirit search for ways to be filled, but they do not go to Jesus. Instead, they go after spirits that satisfy for a time, but ultimately destroy.

Some who are poor in spirit try to “find themselves” by attaching to identifying features of themselves, like their race or nationality, their gender, politics, social movements or causes large than themselves, or methods of being “spiritual” that are not of Jesus Christ.

Some fill the void with drugs and alcohol. Some fill the void with financial prosperity or popularity. Some fill the void with power and control over others. Some fill the void by tearing others down.

For some insights into spiritual poverty, take a look at: Self Image Reformation (Complete Series).

Being poor in spirit is just as much a hazard as it is a blessing.

The thing is, we are all poor in spirit without Jesus. Those who are blessed are those who know this to be true.

When we realize that the spirits of this world only lead to more emptiness and destruction, we might look to Jesus.

If we look to Jesus and learn about His ways, we learn that He promises the Holy Spirit of God to those who want to love Him and keep His commandments: commandments of love towards God and fellow man.

When we receive the Holy Spirit of God, we are given a seed of the divine nature and the beginning of our entrance into the Kingdom of God. As the things of God grow in us, we are freed from the spirits of this world and their destruction and these spirits are replaced with the things of the spirits of God: spirits of life.

How does being poor in spirit provide us with a solid foundation?

If we recognize our lack, then we will seek the One who gives all good things. As we seek Jesus and are blessed by the Holy Spirit, also known as the Spirit of Truth and the Comforter, we are given what we need in order to stand firm in the right things during times of trouble and confusion.

Even after we receive the Holy Spirit, though we can appreciate the blessing, we should always consider ourselves to be lacking. If we look inward and find our areas of poverty, we can grow. If we begin to think that we have it all, then there is risk of falling into temptation or failing to obtain the promises we are given.

When the world is taken in by the “flood” of wicked men and wicked spirits of the current age, we will not be moved. We might be tempted. We might sin and need to repent. We might go off that straight and narrow path to some degree and have to seek Jesus so that we are reoriented, but we will not fall away as one who is consumed by these evils.

This world is taken over by many kinds of spirits that are not of God and the Holy Spirit of Truth, but of Satan: the father of lies.

What about the version of this statement contained within Luke? Here it simply says, “blessed are the poor.”

Financial prosperity can bring a feeling of contentedness and safety and often leads us towards fullness in spirits of this world. The poor feel their mortality and spiritual poverty more so than the rich, because the rich feel secure. We discussed this idea in the Considering Proverbs 10:15 article.

This article is part of a series that considers the Parables of Jesus. Right now, we are looking at the statements Jesus made during His Sermon on the Mount, to which He referenced in His Parable of the Building on Rock and Sand.

Choosing Which Burdens to Carry

Life is full of difficult scenarios, and sometimes knowing what to do can be trying because there are multiple perspectives to take on the issue. One perspective might mean doing one thing. Another perspective might mean doing the opposite. Both could be true and good, depending on the timing.

For example, I do believe that Christians will be forced out of society and will ban together out of necessity. Scriptures seem to indicate this, as does our Christian history. I can look at situations arising, like the censorship and cancel culture of the digital world, and think that it is right for us to leave that world behind. If we did, we would have to take care of each other because we live in a digital era. Many could not “buy or sell” without that world.

I also believe that if enough people walked away at once, then some entities might experience a big hit, and maybe reconsider their cancel culture.

However, censorship and cancel culture are more than decisions made by big tech corporations. These are societal movements that reside in the hearts of many deceived and wicked people. This is a heart issue, first and foremost.

Maybe if Christians banned together and showed love for one another as it was in the days of the apostles, then maybe that would be a strong testimony to the unbelieving world. Maybe some would experience a change of heart.

I’m certain we would become targets also. However, part of me believes that I would rather become a target because I chose to walk away and be a separate people than to become targets later and forced out. We will either choose to leave or we will be forced to go. God’s will is done regardless.

So, I think, we should leave the digital world of our own accord. Yet, if we do so before our time has come, or encourage others to do so, we could be laying heavy burdens on them that they do not need to carry. I also lack the faith to take that leap alone. I don’t know of anyone personally who is willing to give it all up in hopes that others would follow suit.

So, what should be done?

I feel like I am at a crossroads, and I don’t know which direction to take. I can keep doing as I have been doing. I can keep working on myself so that I am a better servant of Jesus. I can keep writing the articles for as long as I can write them and try to be of use to those around me.

I can wait for the things I believe to be true to come to pass then do whatever the Lord calls me to do in that time. That means bearing the burdens of patience in a time that makes my need to take action and control over injustice go haywire. That means waiting to meet the Lord a while longer when there are things that make leaving this world seem oh so sweet.

Or, I can try to push a movement that no one would take up, and then I am possibly destroyed before the time of real trouble comes, and those who I would have supported in that time are left alone.

I also know that as zealous as I can be at times for what is good and as much as I long to see Jesus, my own life is not in order sufficiently to meet Him. I would that it was. Then maybe I would have the faith to take that big leap. I know in my heart that I am not ready yet, and those who depend on me are not ready to do without me.

So, I will do what I can, in my own small way, to change the hearts of a few by turning them to Jesus as I continue learning how to better submit my own heart to Him. For now, that means being consistent in my home and in service. I will resume the planned articles, Lord willing, tomorrow.