Sunday, January 25, 2009

Sunday and the Spirit

You know I have known for awhile that I have the potential to be a real trial to a teacher.;)
Not this time. This time I am waiting patiently for the material to unfold and trying not to ask too many questions.
But honestly....this is killing me! :)
We show up for Sunday school for 9:45...and of course there is chit chat time(all the while I am thinking of the time we are wasting) and then prayer request time and then we finally get to get into the meat......after a review of the past week.
(what word would you use here for someone pulling out there hair in frustration?)
Guess that is the problem of teaching a teacher---I want to see a well formed idea...but for peets sake lets not wade in like the water is cold....anybody know where the diving board is? :)
And yes, I know that it is important to have everyone on the same page and our teacher is good at this...I was just being silly...but it is how I feel.

I love this teacher. She tells us that she is just the donkey Jesus picked to teach this class.....but I think she undersells what God has put in her. And yes, I told her so today.
I think He did a great job picking this someone. :)

So here is the back drop for this study. And I will try and keep it short.
The most important relationship you will have while here on earth is the relationship you have with the Holy Spirit. He is the one that Jesus sent to guide, teach and comfort us when He returned to heaven. Need comfort? The Holy Spirit is your source.
You get the idea.

So here is the steps we take in moving toward that relationship.
1. Know-this is the point where we become aware of God and that He is the creator.
2. Belief-at this point we acknowledge that we are sinners and that we need the saving work of Jesus for salvation. We must all get to this point of salvation in order to move further.
Most Christians get to this point and stay here. They have their ticket to Heaven and that is all they want.....sometimes all they know they can have.
This is a miserable place to stop.....I was here for years just building up information.
3. High Belief- This is where all the knowledge moves from your head to your heart and out through your action. Your belief becomes experience.
And who is the one who we have been given to move that knowledge into experience?
The Holy Spirit.....our guide and teacher.

So high belief involves experience.
Kind of like this.
Many years ago when I was in culinary school we learned some pretty great things in the classroom. I could spout the recipe and even tell you step by step how to put the dish on the table. But now I know from my experience in running a kitchen......book learning will not get you to far when it comes to putting out an elegant meal that tastes superb.
Time in the kitchen......in the heat.....hands on is what it takes to take that knowledge into an area where I know that what I know really works. And along the way I have found that usually it takes more than one time with a dish to get it right. And you had better believe that my chef instructor let me know when I missed the mark.
But when I got it right......well, no one could take that feeling and wisdom away from me.
It was mine!

That is High Belief.
So here is what I would like to hear from you.....this is what we did in class.
I want you to look at your life and tell me about a time when you saw the work of the Holy Spirit/Trinity in your life. A time when you know what you gained came from a rooted, grounded, trusting relationship with the Holy Spirit------He had walked you from KNOW to HIGH BELIEF.
Lets not use salvation- because if we get to high belief we know we have been saved.

An example.....maybe you had a really tough decision to make and you know that scripture says if we ask for wisdom He will give it to us. So is there a time when you know you asked and received guidance from the Holy Spirit?
Or maybe someone was really sick and you know that scripture says that He is our healer..........and you experienced the healer.

Mine......the Holy Spirit taught me about God being my Abba Father.
I know some here did not have a close personal relationship with their earthly father.....and this can be a real hindrance to knowing God as a Father. In my life the Holy Spirit taught me the things in scripture that opened my eyes to God as my Daddy God in Heaven.
I could go on and on here....but I want to respect your time.


I look forward to sharing more as I hear it.
If you would like to do some reading on your own In Touch has some great short articles on the Holy Spirit. Here is the link.....In Touch Ministries.....scroll down to 68 and they have some great things. They are not long...and to the point.
Love you girl!

Now I am finished! ;)





9 comments:

Denise said...

I have experiecned the healer in my life so many times. I am so very grateful.

luvmy4sons said...

I can't pin point it exacty but the process of being taken to high belief started within the last decade with marital problems, job loss, financial woes, a cancer diagnosis for my son...I think for some it just takes living some more...and others He moves more quickly because of life experiences...lately I feel a potential nudge to go even higher...and to be honest I am fearful of that at times. Yet, I want it to much! I so enjoy listening to your thoughts. Blessings to you sweet sister.

pam said...

I wish I had known when I was younger, that my brain function would be so scattered as I aged oh so gracefully. I KNOW there have been many revelation moments when I got something but they are like vague testimonies...known but veiled in my mind. But I can remember the sense in my spirit when it hit home.
My advice to young people...start a notebook of moments that need to be altar's of remembrance. Our lives should be filled with testimonies of His Spirit moving us along.

Shirley said...

Linda, I so enjoyed your thoughts today. Yes, I have experienced the sweet Holy Spirit's guidance in my life and there is nothing like it. There aren't words to express how it makes you feel to know that you have followed His leading....blessings overflow into tears of joy.

Blessings to you!

Halfmoon Girl said...

Lately there are many things going on- it can get overwhelming, so I am just choosing to believe and trust, even when i can't see how things will work out for good. Feelings are liars, right- I am praying for wisdom!

Denise said...

I remember once when teaching a singles class... I had studied and studies and studied this one lesson of the blind man being healed.. Where Jesus spit in the dirt and rubbed it on the blind man's eyes.. I walked through the entire story and walked with Jesus and walked with the blind man and walked with those around them.. Studied and studied and studied from the Sunday after Sunday school to the Saturday night before class........ That is how I studied........ I remember sometime around 1 or 2 in the morning finally closing my bible and going to head to bed..... I had the lesson OK, but I needed the meat, the diving board (ha) so to speak....... Then, the Holy Spirit took me back to the scripture to where Jesus spat in the dirt! What I said what?
Then.......... it hit my spirit man like a lighting bolt and out of my spirit man came......... HE made eyeballs, HE had to make eyeballs! The man had no eyeballs! I jumped on the bed and jumped up and down like a mad man! Jesus,,,,, HE is creator! The man needed eyes...... Jesus created them! OMG....... and to top it off after class that Sunday and several days latter I heard a very well known man speaking on the TV..... Talking about the blind man! I listened! Jesus made eyeballs this preacher said! He needed eyeballs........ Jesus is a creator! I jumped up and down again........ The Holy Spirit is no respecter of persons! He gave me the very same Revelation that he gave that "important" man! I had moved into a new place with the Holy Spirit....... I still get getty (is that spelled right?) talking about it!

sorry this is so long! Had to share... It just sprang up in my spirit man while reading your post!

Anonymous said...

You're hilarious! Somehow I can see you trying to keep quiet yet wanting so much to chat!! LOL I love your new pic w/ the snow on you! & I saw FIVE cardinals in our tree the other day -- I thought of you (& prayed for you!) D

Winging It said...

Early 90's...baby Christian...struggling greatly Holy Spirit directed my attention to the scripture that I needed to hold onto...saved my marriage and more. Then again about 1 - 1 1/2 yrs later again directed my attention to the scripture that I should obey and cling to, I did, and it began a transformation process for my life and our family...Since then there have been so many, many times...I am just grateful!

MJ said...

I love your posts so much!