Holy Spirit – Page 2 – Cross Culture Church

Meditation: April 18

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” (Matthew 16:13).

What men say cannot change the nature of a person or a thing. It has to do with recognizing and agreeing with the truth. Those who know Him merely by reputation can only repeat what they have heard and never share their truest knowledge of Him. Those who see Him from afar and can only see His silhouette may describe it with accuracy without ever knowing those special features that give expression to His passion. Only those who have answered the call to come to Him; to come close enough to see His face will be able to share with others the intimate things that would ignite a fire within the hearts of others to know what they may otherwise would have never known. What they say is not as important as what you say. Jesus Christ came to be known, but not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. The resurrected Christ invites us to come closer and see the nail wounds in His hands that His love may be known through the price He paid for our redemption. He is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. God is alive and His Spirit makes alive those who receive Him into their hearts.

17 Apr 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: April 17

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“He shall die for lack of instruction, and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray” (Proverbs 5:23 NKJV).

“Death is the reward of an undisciplined life; your foolish decisions trap you in a dead end” (Proverbs 5:23 MSG).

A warning to the wise is the anecdote to his falling away and divorcing himself from his wisdom. Disciples are to exercise disciplines in order to safeguard areas that would otherwise be vulnerable to the enemy. He is seeking to influence those who have taken pride in their stance as being invincible thus allowing their guards to be down. Death is the price paid for our redemption. Since we are alive to Christ and dead to the world, Satan’s ploy is to attempt to resurrect things that once dominated and controlled our lives. Daily decisions have far-reaching and severe consequences. Nothing is done in isolation from a path leading to a destination. And nothing is done that does not follow a pattern of living modeled by a master. Our death in Jesus Christ produced life with a purpose. We are being led to triumph over all the works of darkness. Our thoughts must be directed towards the eternal unless we become entrapped by temporal pleasures requiring more than we have come to understand. We must allow wisdom to teach and guide us in a straight path.

16 Apr 0Comments 1Like

Meditation: April 16

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“And He said to me, ‘Son of man, can these bones live?’ “(Ezekiel 37:3).

God asks us questions that He alone is able to answer. We try our best to understand how a possibility of hope may arise out of an impossible situation. What we see are circumstances that appear to be beyond hope. God placed the prophet there. And God continues to communicate to him at that place for which he has been prepared. The valley is a lonely place if you are alone. But God is in the valley in order to teach valley lessons. There we learn to raise others above their lowly state. He allowed him to see the ruins of what once was vibrant and alive. Then He asked him the question that sounds like a mockery of his intelligence, adding insult to injury. “Can these bones live?” Not just any bones, but the bones of the defeated army; an army that must rise from death then rise from defeat. Life would be meaningless if defeat was to be continual. His will is that we live on purpose. God must answer His own question, but if He is asking us, then He must have more in mind than we at this present moment are able to see. Ezekiel’s answer was, “Thou knowest.” He is looking at the end of our faith to see if our confidence is in what He knows rather than what we may think or even see.

15 Apr 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: April 15

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever” (Isaiah 40:8).

Who can preserve his own life and maintain the fading glory that comes and goes so quickly through the passing of time? Each may have his or her day in the sun, but the same light that brought forth the growth will ultimately cause what has grown to wither. In our youth, it seemed as if growing up and enjoying the benefits of independent adulthood was the essence of life. But if we live our lives as if there is no tomorrow, the candle will be burning on both ends and too soon the pleasures of youth will fade. Time and abuse will take their toll upon the body and reveal the marks of decisions made without thought. Even at our best, the grass withers. We grow old. Then our values shift from the immediate to the ultimate. We wonder if our lives really counted for anything of significance. The flower fades and what once had a pleasant aroma to the world has now become putrid and detestable. Only the Word of our God is able to preserve our lives and prepare us for eternity. It stands up within us to defy the curse of death and absorbs it all with the light of life.

10 Apr 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: April 10

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:44).

The Father does a work by way of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of all who are responsive to His love. None can take the credit for the saving of even one soul. We do our part, but must wait on God to redirect the hearts and wills of those who would otherwise be eternally lost. Our prayer must be a constant ascension of incense, the aroma of our passion and desire to experience an environment where the deepest need within each heart may be realized. Our petitioning His throne will set the atmosphere for the divine will of God to be given expression that can reap much greater benefit than the striving of individuals and groups of people who think that their efforts can “save the world” according to their own guidelines. We are powerless without Him. Not His work in conjunction to our efforts, but rather His work through us as His initiative and not our own. God alone can do exceedingly, abundantly, above all that we could ask or even think. So why should we ever think that our persuasion is sufficient to cause a sinner to be a saint? No, we wish to participate with Him as we trust Him with our whole lives. Then He will draw those to the remedy of what they have been made to know as their deepest need. As Jesus is lifted up on the cross as crucified, people will see that the sin debt they have been made aware of has been paid in full! But why should any wish to take advantage of His great provision unless they first know that their need is great?

08 Apr 0Comments 1Like

Meditation: April 8

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left. Then Jesus said, ’Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do’ ” (Luke 23:33-34).

The blinding and paralyzing effect of sin restricts one’s view and motion towards the right prerogative. It is blindness that causes those who engage in destructive activities to see no harm in them. It is there but without foresight, the immediate benefits outweigh the ultimate consequences. Jesus was placed between two common criminals as one among them. To see Him there, none would question why One with such a significant mission as to save humanity from the vice-grip of sin would be placed there. He did not accept the opinions of the authorities; therefore they felt justified in removing the blasphemer who defied their beliefs. Sin also has a paralyzing effect upon its victims. Since they could see no further, they could move no further than to condemn and mock Him. How many times has this scene been played out in the lives of those whose sense of reasoning does not allow them to embrace God’s agenda? But Jesus loved even those who vented their hostilities against Him. He prayed to the Father, “Forgive them.” His appeal was because of their ignorance and blindness, “they do not know what they do.” How will what we are doing effect our future? Do we care or just do not know what we are doing? He prayed for us on the cross that our eyes be opened in order to see and know the Father through Him. Then we would be willing to do what pleases Him.

07 Apr 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: April 7

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“ For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him” (1Thessalonians 5:9-10).

The love of God has been directed towards all mankind, but not all know the depth of His love or the greatness of His power. He alone has the power to save us from the judgment that is measured against all ungodliness. He is angry at all things that may interfere with the peace of His beloved. We are saved from sin, but we are also saved from the wrath to come. God will eliminate all things that work against His divine plan, that is, the evil works of darkness. The penalty for sin is death. Jesus died for us while we were yet sinners to provide a way of escape from His wrath. Love cannot be expressed without hatred being measured against the enemy of love. It is the opposite side of the same. He will ultimately make all things new. Adversarial things and competing values will soon pass away for Jesus died to abolish sin. It has already been judged through His awesome act of love. Now we can anticipate a life together and forever with Him whereas even death cannot hinder or alter His plan.

03 Apr 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: April 3

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen” (Hebrews 13:20-21).

The restlessness of the soul was resulting from the waywardness of the heart. When you were determined to fix your own problems your own way, none of the benefits made available by God through our Lord Jesus Christ could be applied. Now that the struggle has ended as to whether the life of Christ was to be followed because His death was sufficient enough for His life to be our life, we are being made complete. What a difference now in comparison to then. All you need to do is remember how strained the struggle was and how difficult your life would be if His knowledge was absent. But now that you know Him, allow Him to complete the great work within you that He has begun. His objective is to complete you. When your ways please the Lord, you are at peace with yourself and even with your enemies. He is the God of peace who will ultimately prove all things according to its character and His original design. Therefore, give Him the glory that He so rightly deserves now for it will be His forever and ever. Amen

02 Apr 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: April 2

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. And He said to them, ’It is written, My house shall be called a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves’ “(Matthew 21:12-17).

When Jesus arrived at the seat of both religious and political power, He confronted religious authorities as being “a den of thieves.” When Jerusalem was robbed of an environment conducive for spiritual renewal, their leaders were indicted by Jesus as thieves. Religious leaders were using their followers as merchandise to be traded for profit, and their souls were both hungry and lost. An atmosphere of greed reproduces after its own kind. It spreads like a contagious disease thus hindering those who would otherwise listen. They would rather gravitate in the direction of their instructions. Jesus did not approach the civic leaders first. He confronted religious leaders for their perverse ways. The house erected with the intent of worship must first become a house of prayer. If the priorities are misaligned, the activities will be dishonorable. The confrontation followed the coronation among those who recognized Him as King. The Lord is determined to have what He desires. His communion with the Father was the source of His strength as the Son of Man. The Church will be as strong as she is consistent in prayer from which all other activities must find their origin.

01 Apr 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: April 1

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“Later a few religion scholars and Pharisees got on him. ’Teacher, we want to see your credentials. Give us some hard evidence that God is in this. How about a miracle?’ ” (Matthew 12:38).

Those who appear before men as authorities in relation to God’s order seldom recognize the fact that He refuses to restrict Himself to their expectations. Formulas and theorems of success do not work. He will withhold from them what they expected, but show forth the unexpected. These few that approached Him thought that He would be anxious to validate Himself before such an impressive crowd. But Jesus had nothing to prove. He was as sure of Himself then as He was when Satan tempted Him on the pinnacle of the Temple requesting Him to show off His divine powers. When we are asked to prove ourselves to be what we have been called by God to be, we must first recognize who it is that requires of us evidence. If not God by way of His Spirit, a prophetic word is sufficient. We live by what God has said and it serves as the basis for all He is now saying. If not by the Word of God, we become performance oriented. We must live by the Word and allow the Word to be given full expression through us. But never should we hide behind our credentials of education to prove our pedigree nor miracles to prove our power before men. It is God who wills and performs His work in and through us.