spirit – Page 6 – Cross Culture Church

Meditation: February 6

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“Let love be without hypocrisy.” Roman 12:9

Love is to be an expression of one’s real character or actual behavior. It is a movement and not a state of being. God is love and as we move in His direction, His love within us moves us in the direction of becoming more like Jesus. It is the Spirit of love within our hearts that transform our personalities. Therefore we cannot take credit for any good that may generate from us. We know that it is the love of Christ within us that we have received from God as evidence that we belong to Him. Whatever may try to remain outside of love must be surrendered. It is a strain on occasion to walk in love among those who may not deserve it. But in light of His love released towards us before we were enabled to respond, we can love the unlovely. Remember that it is His love and not our own. It is not ours to withhold from those who He wills to love through us. Let it flow without our interference. We will benefit more than those who are the recipients.

04 Feb 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: February 4

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.” Philippians 2:4

There is an interest that ought to be equal to our own. There is no way for one to know this because there is none that is able to tell that make sense to our intellect. Why should we not know this truth that defines us as humans in the likeness and image of God? It is because we are fashioned to consider our own needs and war to make good on what our own heart desires. Self-interest is the path of least resistance. But to resist selfishness without strength, will lead to a loathing within the soul with the feeling of neglect. One will feel as if he is forced to deny himself merely because of a legal standard, but deep within his soul he feel is not fair. One can only be deeply concerned about the interest of others as much as his own with help from above. It is only when the love of God is accepted is he be empowered to release His love. He has a selfless love to give as evidence that His Presence is with us. As we have received the Spirit of Christ, we must allow His mind to govern our every thought; thoughts that include the interests of others.

01 Feb 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: February 1

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God.” Ruth 1:16

Naomi and Ruth were joined together in a God honored covenant. They became one family with bonds of love that could not be broken. It is the same with members within the Body of Christ. We are joined to Christ by the Spirit to be with Him in order to go wherever He goes. We are also joined to one another as one people. No longer are we divided by race, class, or any other division. There is a kindred spirit among those who have come to know the Lord. As we walk together with a resolve to remain together, we learn things concerning Christ and the love of the Father demonstrated through Him. It is a journey that takes us beyond our current location as we grow in both grace and knowledge. Time does not cause our commitment to fade away, but we are further strengthened in our resolve. “Your God is embraced as my God. Therefore your people that serve under Him are my people as well!” I must be with my people and be concerned about their welfare. This is the Body of Christ and members in particular.

30 Jan 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: January 30

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

”Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” 1 Timothy 4:12

Youthful lusts do not automatically translate into wantonness. There are temptations that come in our youth to channel our energies in the direction of our unchecked passions. It takes forethought to consider the outcome of decisions that so many peers make. The admonition is to think ahead and consider what your life would be like in the future. Decisions now have far reaching consequences later. The wise and mature, as result of years of trial and error, have much to teach the young and immature. They have walked the path that the young are yet considering. Unfortunately, we only have one life to live. If it were possible, the warnings to the young would be their precautionary actions now. Since this is impossible, they can only speak wise words borne from experience and observation. Listen to wise and godly advice. It will spare you from many failures and heartache as result of snares set by the enemy.

26 Jan 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: January 26

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?” Galatians 3:2

It is the Holy Spirit that empowers the believer to become what God wills for him to become. Out of his becoming, he is enabled to do what God would have him to do. The reversed order is to do what one may thinks may be His will with the expectation of God’s approval. Receiving the Spirit initiates the believer into a life in the Spirit. But the Spirit is quenched if the recipient does not yield to who he has received. God’s intention is for our efforts to be a response to His initiative. God’s interpretation of deeper meaning of His truth is hidden within our simple obedience to what is understood. Hearing the word preached is more than an exercise in attempting to retain the information made known. It is also a matter of receiving the Spirit of the Word that becomes life within the hearer. Works alone is one attempt at self-justification but void of God’s approval. Hearing sets the standard for Spirit-life in the believer. He then would have a target of which to aim. He is positioned to see Jesus Christ as He is and not a caricature, but as real. Paul’s question was a means of asking them, what has been added to their lives by the Spirit as the result of hearing the word preached. The teacher then may learn from his pupil by what is gained when the Spirit takes what is received and adds Spirit-life to it.

07 Jan 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: January 7

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“I’m single-minded in pursuit of you; don’t let me miss the road signs you’ve posted.” Psalm 119:10 (MSG)

The heart has many paths available for it to follow. There are significant things that one must pay attention to that can easily grow into obsessions, and one can find justification for having to give their undivided attention to them. To be single-minded is to consider the Lord in all of our ways; it is to pursue Him, not merely first and then move on to other things, it is to pursue Him in the midst of everyday life. What pleases Him must become our priority even when other things are pressing us and vying for our attention. The signs along the way; His Word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our pathway. We are then able to read the signs leading us closer to Him. God is here to direct us through every decision if we just let Him have every area of our lives. There is a message for us as His Spirit guides us along the Way.

05 Jan 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: January 5

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“Oh, that You would rend the heavens! That You would come down!” Isaiah 64:1

There are many things about God that are hard to explain and at best, difficult to make others to see. Dimensions of His love present among us when it feels like He is not there, and how definite the course is that we are to fully follow. We do our best in attempting to point people in the right direction, but very often our instructions are taken as an opinion equal to any other opinion. Things will continue as they have always been unless there is an infusion of life in this culture of death. If we are left to ourselves, there would be no resolving of the riddle or answer to deep question that one lack the ability to ask.

God revealed Himself through His Son Jesus Christ. Now Christ must be seen through His Body, the Church. We need the Spirit of God to come down and descend upon His people in revival! Then we will feel the need to be on one accord under the same governance and rule. God’s power will then function among us as it did on the Day of Pentecost. We cannot afford to lose this battle by default while many are merely concerned about their own personal affairs. We need to be about our Father’s business. “Oh, that You would rend the heavens! That You would come down!”

03 Dec 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: December 3

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“…and you will find rest for your souls.”Jeremiah 6:16; Matthew 11:29

It is not established paths that causes constant disturbance of the soul. It is the ignorance that there is a course already laid out before us that is both tried and sure. Each message from God provides both guidance and peace. When the commitment is to do the same, the results will be a peace that passes all understanding. The pleading of the Spirit of Christ is “learn from Me!” He is fully aware of the outcome of every decision made in a lifetime. He still pleads rather than force us to do what is best. Yet many will stubbornly reject the offer to learn from Him what He knows. My friend, your restless soul can only find rest in Him. He will take your burdens and permit you to be His yoke-fellow. As you walk with Him, even though there will be challenges ahead, the lessons learned through those challenges will provide a much greater reward than the little effort required of you. You will discover a new kind of rest, a rest in labor rather than from it for His yoke is easy and His burdens are light.

02 Dec 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: December 2

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

Now this, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain.” Hebrews 12:27

The voice of God speaks from heaven and the earth is shaken. God’s Word has the power to disturb the false peace that resides upon the earth when it is not according to His design. Our lives must be established on the principles of His doctrine unless we too will have a false sense of security merely to be shaken by the calamities that are sure to come upon all who live their lives in disobedience to His will. He stands alone as the Creator of all things. He has the authority over and the design for the whole of His creation. They are unstable without His Spirit bringing all things into proper order. The Word of God may appear obsolete in our day. The true ministers of God may seem to have lost their significance among much talk and activity that in God’s eyes is meaningless chatter. God has both a heavenly message and gives a heavenly vision to those whom He has called to represent Him on the earth. It is His Church established upon the revelation of Jesus Christ that will remain when all other things have failed.

15 Nov 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: November 15

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Thessalonians 5:23

What God began in you required your dedication to His cause. He saw you struggling in your own strength to make life make sense. When your attempts to hold things together began to falter and your goals for the future began to crumble, He took your broken pieces of your failures and fallen world and replaced them with a new and living way. He wanted to sanctify you. He wanted the whole of you to be given over to the whole of Him. When He is given your whole spirit, He gives it new life. When He is given your soul, He lifts your countenance with a lively hope. When He is given your body, He uses it as seed for a glorious, resurrected body fit for eternity. He says to you now, “let Me have your life. Only when it is set apart for My exclusive use will it ever experience the peace that your so desperately pursue.”