Tag: The Holy Spirit

The Light of the Eyes

~ servantone1

JESUS SPEAKING

       “No one, when he has lit a lamp, puts it in a secret place or under a basket, but on a lampstand, that those who come in may see the light.  The light of the body is the eye.  Therefore, when your eye is good, your whole body also is full of light.  But when your eye is bad, your body also is full of darkness.  Therefore, take heed that the light which is in you is not darkness.  If then, your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, the whole thing will be full of light, as when the bright shining of a lamp gives you light” (Luke 11:  33-36.)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

       Most ancient lamps were round, hollow clay containers filled with oil.  One end of the wick was plunged into the oil; the protruding end was then lit.  Although the visible wick seemed to be the source of the light, it was not; the true source was the oil hidden within the lamp.  Every human being is a lamp; a vessel; a hollow container that is meant to be filled with the Holy Spirit.  Much like the flaming wick, the light from within a man, pours out of his eyes.  Those who observe the radiance of Christ are drawn to it.  God’s greatest desire is for others to receive His Holy Spirit; that they too might be transformed and become vessels of His light.

       As a new Christian, I remember interacting with some believers’ whose eyes were unique; looking into them was like staring into crystal clear water; there were no waves; there was no turmoil either; just a supernatural purity and peace.  On the contrary, some people’s eyes were filled with darkness.  I once knew a man who was engaging in perverse and despicable sins; his eyes were dull and covered in a yellowish film; his hair was greasy and thick; the skin on his face was also quite drab.  Still, his condition wasn’t biological; it was spiritual.  As he began to grow closer to God, that yellowish film began to fade away; his eyes started to clear up; and his face grew warmer and more alive.

       Today, many are overflowing with the Spirit of God, while others are wandering around in darkness.  How can non-believers be filled, and believers grow closer to the Lord?  They can ask God every day for more of His Holy Spirit.  They can take the time to pray and to speak with God.  Reading the bible is another act that produces faithfulness.  We can also practice the teachings of Christ, which will increase our spiritual growth.  With every act of selflessness, charity, outreach, and love, we will grow closer to God.  As the Lord continues to fill us, others will see something different in our eyes.  They will observe a peace, clarity, purity, and a genuine hope that only the children of God possess.  May God fill you with His Holy Spirit, and may you be a light to others in this dark world.

       “Lord Heavenly Father, you are an awesome and mighty God; full of grace, peace, and mercy.  Push the darkness out of our hearts and fill us with Your light.  Help our eyes to be a beacon of hope to others; that we might draw the lost to Yourself and Your Son.  May our eyes reveal all of Your glory, and all of Your goodness.  We love You Lord, we thank You, and we praise You, and we ask and pray all of these things, according to Your will, in Jesus Christ’s name.  Amen.”

Christ’s Replacement

~ servantone1

JESUS SPEAKING

        “These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. However, the helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you” (John 14: 25-26.)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

        The Lord informed his disciples that he would soon be taken away from them. In his absence, he promised to send them a replacement; a helper; someone to guide and direct them; a spiritual entity that would remind them of all of his teachings. After the crucifixion and resurrection, Jesus ascended into heaven; having reached His eternal position, he sent the Holy Spirit into the hearts and minds of every believer (on the day of Pentecost.) The disciples began to speak in foreign languages; they were given the power and authority to forgive sins; to cast out demons; to raise the dead; and to heal the sick. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit was, and is, proof that Jesus Christ did reach his destination; the work of the Spirit today confirms that He is still seated at the right hand of God; a place of honor from which He continues to guide and direct His church.
        In the early 20th century a bold and daring explorer named Roald Amundsen set out to reach the remote poles of the earth. He succeeded in reaching the South Pole in 1911, and the North Pole in 1926. As the story goes, during his northern journey, he took along a homing pigeon (homing pigeons mate for life; in turn, when separated from their mates they have a unique ability to return to their nests from anywhere in the world. Before leaving for the North Pole, Amundsen, not wanting his wife to worry, promised to release the pigeon when he reached his destination; when the bird arrived at its nest in Norway, his wife was elated. The pigeon was a symbol; a message proclaiming that although the explorer had arrived in a distant land, he was very much alive.
        The Holy Spirit is also a symbol; it is a message and a reminder that Jesus Christ still lives. Many have received the message, many have not. Those who have opened their hearts to God’s messenger have acknowledged that Jesus is their Lord and master. That he is a living God; that He currently guides and directs His church through the power of the Holy Spirit. If you have never received His gift, go somewhere quiet, and ask God to provide you with the Spirit of Truth. The Lord never withholds this wonderful thing from those who genuinely ask Him.
        “Lord Heavenly Father, we believe that Jesus Christ is Your Son, and that he is seated at Your right hand. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit; guide and direct us; teach us and remind us of Your ways. May we be faithful believers; may we never waiver; may we never grow weary, and may we never turn away from Your truth. May You continue to use us to fulfill Your will in this place, until the time when we will see You, face to face. We love You Father, we praise You, and we thank You, and we ask and pray all of these things, according to Your will, in Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.” God bless all of you.

Demonic Possession

~ servantone1

JESUS SPEAKING

          “When an evil spirit comes out of a man, he goes through dry places seeking rest; and finding none, he says, ‘I will return to the house from which I came.’  And when he arrives, he finds the house swept clean and put in order.  Then he goes and takes seven other spirits, more wicked than himself, and they go in and live there.  And the final condition of that man is worse than the first” (Luke 11: 24-26.)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

          Evil spirits, although often considered to be a myth, are very real.  They dwell within the hearts of those who deny God.  When an individual receives Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, all demonic apparitions are expelled; the child of God is set free; the chaos and devastation of evil living subsides; the believer ceases to engage in self-destructive behaviors; their hearts are purified and their minds are quieted.  The dispossessed demons however, are not satisfied unless they are causing misery and pain.  So, they often return to their previous hosts, stronger and more determined than ever.  They tirelessly seek to turn the faithful away from God; sadly some fall victim to their schemes and reject the Holy Spirit.  Without the Lord’s protection, the blasphemer is again invaded by demons and their lives plummet back into destruction (a destruction far greater than any they had previously known.)

          I once met a man who had been a pastor for many years.  After he had received the Holy Spirit his life began to change in wonderful ways.  He experienced an immense peace and began to preach the gospel with great enthusiasm.  He served the Lord for some time, before suddenly renouncing the faith.  Soon after his denial of Christ, he joyfully began to engage in strange sexual deviancies with multiple partners; he also started smoking, and boasted of his severe daily dependence upon alcohol.  Additionally, as an atheist, he actively attempted to turn others away from the faith.  I would occasionally see him out in the community from time to time; and he appeared to be physically and mentally deteriorating (a condition I could only attribute to demonic possession.)  The words of Christ are true, in that this man’s situation is worse today than it would have been if he had never received the Lord.

          Demons are very real; they roam the earth, trying to possess those who are weak.  Individuals who receive the Holy Spirit are no longer capable of being possessed.  Unfortunately some believers do eventually reject the Holy Spirit; in turn they are possessed and their lives plummet into even greater chaos.  Maintaining our close relationship with God through prayer, bible reading, fellowship, and obedience, is the best defense against evil spirits [If you have never received the Spirit of God and you would like too, please contact me and I can lead you in a prayer of acceptance and faith.]

          “Lord Heavenly Father, give us more of Your Holy Spirit.  Deliver us from evil, and protect us from demonic attacks.  Remain in us and continue to work through us; give us the strength to endure; may we never turn away from You; may we always continue in Your ways; and may we never return to the bondage of sin and death.  We love You Father, we praise You, and we thank You, and we ask and pray all of these things, according to Your will, in Jesus Christ’s name, Amen.”  God bless all of you.