Thoughts on the Holy Spirit

A friend challenged me with some questions about the Holy Spirit recently. Most of my growing up years the Holy Spirit was mentioned in passing as part of the Trinity, but was not emphasized in Sunday school lessons or sermons that I can remember. As I did some searching, I found the Spirit is very active throughout Scripture! Here are some examples, just from the book of Acts:

Acts 4:8-12 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. He is ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone.’ Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”

Acts 4:31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.

Acts 8:29 The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it”.

Acts 9:31 Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord.

Acts 11:22-24 News of this reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he arrived and saw the evidence of the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.

These are just a few places where the Holy Spirit is mentioned. It is amazing to see how the Spirit is at work! Here are a few summary points from Acts of the Holy Spirit’s:

•         Gives power and boldness for evangelization

•         Enables cross-cultural communication of the gospel

•         Gives the power which brings spiritual awakening

•         Qualifies, equips, and empowers people for Kingdom service

•         Enables to act boldly and endure in persecution

•         Gives guidance for divine appointments

•         Encourages

•         Expands the Kingdom of God

•         Brings conviction and repentance to those not yet following Christ

•         Consecrates and sends out believers

•         Gives prophecies

•         Speaks through believers

•         Helps people understand the gospel

•         Guides in and to the harvest

I think too often we focus on Jesus and forget about the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives. I feel like I am just scratching the surface in understanding how that applies to my life and what it means to allow more of the Holy Spirit to fill my own heart and life, to speak through me and give me boldness and wisdom as was the case with the believers in the book of Acts. There are times when I am reading and I don’t understand the work of the Holy Spirit, like when people spoke in tongues or other things that are a bit out of my comfort zone. But I'm still learning and seeking to understand.

Do you have any thoughts on the Holy Spirit or ways that you have been learning more in this area?

Finally, Be Strong in the Lord

We are in a battle. Does that thought cross your mind very often? I have become more aware of the spiritual battle that is going on as Satan tries to hold on to the darkness in the world. He knows he is losing but that does not prevent him from trying his best to keep out the Light.

I have never been the kind of person to see a devil behind every bush, behind every trial whether big or small. But, I think particularly in the US we are either naïve or choose to ignore the spiritual realm and the battle taking place. Are we ready to do our part in the battle?

Ephesians 6 is our go-to passage for the equipping needed for fighting the darkness. I have been going to this passage over and over lately trying to understand how I can fight for God’s reign more effectively.

^{Ephesians 6:10-20}

¹⁰ Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹ Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. ¹² For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. ¹³ Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. ¹⁴ Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, ¹⁵ and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. ¹⁶ In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷ Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

¹⁸ And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. ¹⁹ Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰ for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

Here are a few thoughts that came to mind as I journaled through this passage:

·         “Be strong in the Lord” and “Put on the full armor of God” are commands to obey, not just suggestions

·         God doesn’t say, “Run away”, but rather “Stand your ground”

·         Belt of truth- God’s truth of who He is and who I am in Him. We should ask, “What is true?”

·         Breastplate of righteousness- Above all else, guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life

·         Feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the Gospel of peace- Go! We are to walk in obedience out of love for God and because of the urgency of getting the message out

·         Shield of faith- instead of worrying, pray and step out into the heat of the battle in faith

·         Helmet of salvation- protecting our minds, turning to God and remembering his way of salvation

·         Sword of the spirit- speaking God’s Words aloud, it is powerful!

·         And pray- Keep praying; pray for the battle, pray as the battle, be alert and always on guard, pray for other believers, pray for boldness and for the right words to say. 

What can you do today to join the spiritual battle against the darkness?

Cambodia Facts at a Glance

A few facts about Cambodia to liven up your day! :)

• The median age in Cambodia is 22.9 years
• Life expectancy at birth is 62.67 years
• The country is 96% Buddhist, 2% Muslim and 2% other
• The garment industry employs more than 280,000 people, which is about 5% of the workforce, and contributes to more than 70% of Cambodia’s exports
• The primary agricultural products are rice, rubber, corn, cashews, tapioca and silk
• Cambodia uses US money for big bills and for smaller transactions they use the riel. The exchange rate is approximately 4,000 riel per US dollar

Birthday Blessings

I celebrated my 26th birthday on Wednesday and it was a wonderful day! God blessed me with friends and family who called, sent emails, chatted, sent gifts and cards and helped make my day special. My co-workers also provided me with a birthday lunch in the office. Here a few pictures:

Lessons from Grad School

Over the last three years I have had the opportunity to attend Dallas Baptist University and am two weeks away from receiving my Master’s degree in Global Leadership/Missions. I didn’t really picture myself attending grad school and if God had not thrust open the door, I don’t think I would have headed in this direction. I'm so thankful, however, for the lessons I have learned, the people I have gotten to meet and opportunities I have had while attending DBU. Here are a few things I am thankful for in my graduate school journey:

1. Interaction with students from around the world: DBU has a huge international student population and I have had the privilege of meeting many of them in my classes over the years. These students amazed me with their desire to pursue their education in a foreign country, in another language, in order to be more effective in their work back in their home country. They often added a insight to our discussions that helped me see things from another point of view.
2. Practical Professors: Many of the professors that I have had at DBU had not spent their life in the world of academia. Many were passing along their practical experience from ministry or overseas work. When the professors could back up their points with personal stories, I understood better and will remember more of what they were saying.
3. Good Challenges: I enjoy having my mind stretched and thinking about things in a new way (most of the time anyway). I appreciated the challenge that grad school brought as I completed the assignments, listened to the lectures and discussions in class and looked at my own way of thinking in a new light. I'm not sure that I have radically changed any of my values or philosophies, but it so helpful to be pushed to think about things differently.
4. Fun Stories: One of my favorite classes was Biographies of Outstanding Missionaries which I took last spring. I loved reading of missionaries throughout the centuries who served under all sorts of different circumstances. Some of them were not the best example but there was something to learn from each one.
5. Defined Calling: When I started graduate school, I knew that I would one day serve in missions overseas but I didn’t know any details. Not only did school give me more time to listen to the Lord’s calling, but He used my Global Leadership Practicum in Cambodia last year to help define what He had next for me.

My Chains Are Gone

This last Easter Sunday in church, we sang the song “Amazing Grace/My Chains are Gone”, by Chris Tomlin. This is a special song to me because it was played at my grandmother’s funeral, but it also took on a new meaning on Sunday. The chorus is:

My chains are gone
I've been set free
My God, my Savior has ransomed me
And like a flood His mercy rains
Unending love, Amazing grace

I started thinking about many of the people I have met and prayed for in Western Cambodia. Khru Map, the teacher in Ou Thmaa, who has had visions of Jesus and is finally seeking but hasn’t committed his life to following Jesus. Meng, the young man who does not want to become a Christian because it means he will have to forgive those who have wronged him. Many other men and women who are addicted to alcohol or gambling, who are not able to find adequate work or who struggle to provide for their families. All of those who have not had a chance to hear about Jesus and find TRUE release from the bondage they are in. As we sang the song in church, their faces flashed before me and I thought about them being able to one day sing this song. Not just one day to be free from bondage on earth, but to be around the throne of God worshipping Him with all of their hearts. Would you pray with me for that to happen?

History and Art

A couple of weeks ago, a friend came to visit and we did an Art Walk in downtown Dallas. I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect, but the variety along the 3 ½ mile walk was so fun! There were 30 stops along the walk that exemplified the unique history of the Dallas area.

One of my favorites was the design of the Dallas City Hall and the Dallas Public Library which sit across the street from one another. The city hall was a very different design as the top of the building is wider than the bottom. The architect designed these two buildings to look like they are “dancing” with each other. The city hall “leans” forward while the library looks like it is leaning back.

I also enjoyed Pioneer Plaza. Some of the oldest residents of Dallas are buried there, but unfortunately many of the stones are broken down or unreadable. Also in the park is an elaborate collection of statues representing a Texas cattle drive.

I never knew many of these places existed! It made me appreciate the heritage of Dallas more and it was exciting to find these places as we did the Art Walk.

Fun Cambodia Fact for the Day

Cambodia and Afghanistan are the only countries with a building on their flag. Cambodia's flag features Angkor Wat, an ancient temple that is one of Cambodia's top tourist sites.

The Real Deal

Missional church: a reproducing community of authentic disciples, being equipped as missionaries sent by God, to live and proclaim His Kingdom in their world.

In my last post I provided this definition from Milfred Minitrea’s book that gives a picture of the missional church. When I think of a missional church, this is a body of believers that is obeying God and doing what He has called all Christians to do. Minitrea’s definition is chock full of some pretty potent words, but I want to look at just two of them.

Authentic Disciples

Authentic: genuine, real. Do you know someone that is the real deal? They live a life of integrity, they genuinely care about people, are thoughtful, and offer deep insights into their walk with God? I can think of several people in my life who are that way.

Sometimes in the Christian life I think it is easy to fake it. I suppose I'm bordering on being judgmental, but I think we can fall into a trap of going to church, putting on a front, and doing all the things our culture says makes us successful Christians, but is it all real?

If we are to be the Church that God intends us to be, we need to strip away those ideas of being a successful Christian and be real with one another. This does not mean pouring out our deepest struggles in front of the entire congregation every Sunday, but rather we need to be willing to walk with one another in the joys and struggles, serve with one another and confront deep issues head on by having honest dialogue.

There is nothing wrong with helping people and doing good things, but the difference between fake and real disciples is the motivation. What are these things accomplishing? Are we serving in order to win favor and make a good impression, or out of joy and response to God’s call and provision? This is something individuals need to check in their own heart, but also the church as a whole should look at their motivation for their overall philosophy and outreach.

A disciple is an obeying follower of Jesus. Do we find joy in our obedience to Christ? As we seek to proclaim Christ’s Kingdom, we must put our own heart and desires up against God’s Word and His Truth and align ourselves with Him, the ultimate “real deal”.

Doing Church vs. Being the Church: What's the Difference?

This semester I have been helping with a class at my church called Perspectives on the World Christian movement, a missions-focused class that I attended back in 2010. Each week we have a different speaker that helps us to understand the Biblical, historical, cultural, and strategic basis for missions and our place in God’s work around the world. Last night our speaker was Dr. Milfred Minatrea, who wrote the book Shaped By God’s Heart: The Passion and Practices of Missional Churches. I heard Dr. Minatrea speak when I took the class, and I also read his book for one of my courses at DBU. It was exciting to hear him again and get some very important reminders.

He began with his definition of a missional church, and I have been chewing on this since last night. Here’s his definition:

Missional church: a reproducing community of authentic disciples, being equipped as missionaries sent by God, to live and proclaim His Kingdom in their world.

Wow, I could pull apart each word in that definition and find great meaning for what God wants for us as His church. But I think I want you to mull over that definition for a bit and I’ll come back later to unpack it and some other ideas related to being on mission with God. (So if you don't read my blog very often, which is understandable since I am not the best at posting frequently, make sure you read this post first). :)