Self Worth

 

    God created everything.  He created the heavens and earth.  He created everything that brings beauty into this world.  He created all life including you.  Humans are God's masterpiece.  You are made in the likeness of God.  

    Male and female are different in almost every aspect except that they were made by God and both hold worth in different ways.  Everyone holds a likeness to God in some way.  You are a physical representative of God in this world.  Nothing else is able to communicate and have a relationship with God like people.

    Every person matters.  Every person has a purpose.  How you treat others matters to God.  He cares if you chose abortion, prejudice, genocide, murder, or other forms of hateful acts that harms His creations.  He cares enough to forgive you and forget any past mistake, but He does want you to repent.  No one is without fault of hurting someone in some way.  He can use acts of hate to change people's hearts including your heart.

    A person is a body, a soul, and a complex mind.  You have a personality that is all your own.  You have the ability to reason.  You build your morality and what direction you take spiritually.  Your freewill directs your life and how you invest your time with the life God gave to you.  

    God created and loves each person.  You are not clumped into a group with Him.  You are precious, valued, and important to God.  You have dignity because you are His creation.  You are an eternal being.  You decide where you end up in life.  

    God commands you to love everyone, so when it is hard to love people pray for them.  Pray over your own heart to see them the way God sees them.  Pray to see their value in this world.  Sin can cloud your perspective.  Sin can make some people very hard to love.  Like you, your enemy is a workmanship, a masterpiece, of God.  No matter how far they stray from Him that truth never changes.

    No matter what people tell you, you are worth the effort.  You are crafted by God.  You are a piece of art, uniquely made and can never be fully copied.  You are worthy of love, dignity, and bare minimum of respect as God's image bearer.  Your nationality, race, sex, language, intellect, personality, or anything else does not matter because God made you exactly the beautiful image that you are.  You don't need to try to change or improve the appearance.  Grow in your relationship with Him and everything else will sort itself out.  God's signature is on your DNA.

Genesis 1:26-31, Romans 8:26-30, 2 Corinthians 3:16-18, Ephesian 2:8-10, & Revelations 7:9-14

Holy Spirit's Work Part 2

 

    The Holy Spirit has always been the same, but He held different roles before and after Jesus came to save the world.  He was a part of creation. He hovered over the world almost like He was blessing it's creation or held it all together for God to give it form.  As people entered the world his role got more active.

    The Holy Spirit has always been a guide and mentor.  In the Old Testament He led the prophets and authors of God's Word.  He moved people's hearts to trust and obey God even people who did not follow God.  He directed people to serve God's purpose even if they were not aware.  He gave divine wisdom to judges and then kings.  He gave some supernatural abilities to be able to serve God in their timeline.

    God went silent for about 400 years and so did the Holy Spirit.  It does not mean that they were not working, but the work was not in the forefront for people to notice.  The silence was broken with the beginning of the New Testament with a lot of excitement.  The Holy Spirit muted Zechariah, made his senior wife Elizabeth pregnant with John the Baptist, and performed the miracle of impregnating a virgin with Jesus.  The Holy Spirit has been very active since the New Testament began, but not it is more noticeable.  He had a part in Jesus' ministry and post resurrection.  

    The Holy Spirit now lives in the transformed souls of all who faithfully follow Jesus.  He reveals the truth of scriptures in God's Word.  He convicts you of your sin.  He shows you how to trust God and love like Jesus.  He empowers you to do good and build the church in Jesus' name.  He comforts your and will intercede on your behalf with God.  He is your companion for the rest of your life until you enter Heaven and all is perfect.

Genesis 1:1-2, Numbers 11:29-30, 27:18-21, Judges 3:9-11, 6:33-35, 1 Samuel 10:9-11, 2 Samuel 23:2-4, Matthew 1:18-19, 3:13-4:11, Luke 1:35-37, 2:25-35, Acts 10:34-38, Romans 8:9-11, & 2 Peter 1:19-21

Holy Spirit Fruit

 

        

    The Holy Spirit gives out gifts to people upon salvation.  He also cultivates them into your character and way of life as you mature in your relationship with God.  He gives you what you need and helps you learn how to use them, but you have to do your part to remove the roots of everything that would suffocate or steal from your growth.  If you don't invest into your own growth it will not happen.  

    You can look churchy, but that doesn't mean you are actually following Jesus.  If you want to grow and have the fruits of the Spirit apparent in your life, then you need to be in God's Word and prayer.  You can be the Christian that gives Christianity a good reputation and becomes a light in the world to draw people to God.

    Holy Spirit fruit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.   His love teaches you how to love like Jesus.  Joy is finding excitement or purpose in life no matter the circumstances.  Peace is being able to mentally and emotionally stay calm.  Patience is stopping to enjoy life instead of always rushing or focusing on what needs to be done.  Kindness is treating people with empathy.  Goodness is doing things God's way.  Faithfulness is being steadfast in your relationship with God.  Gentleness is caring about others and their pain.  Self-control is being able to put aside your desires to do things God's way.

    The fruits of the Spirit give you spiritual freedom to be right with God instead of trying to earn His love.  You obey Him out of love and desire instead of human fear.  You are no longer a slave to sin, but it doesn't give you the freedom to keep sinning.  You have been set apart to be like Jesus  Don't willingly go put yourself back into filth.  You don't lose your salvation, but it serves no purpose here and now.  The world can't see a difference in you from them.

    Allow the Holy Spirit to work in your life.  He will produce growth in you.  You may stumble from time to time, but you can always repent and get back on track.  Allow your heart to change.  Salvation circumcises your heart to be able to embrace the truth.

Genesis 17:9-14, John 15:5-8, & Galatians 5

Life Giving Spirit

 

    You are dead to your sins until you meet Jesus, believe, and start living a new life.  It is the Holy Spirit that makes your new life possible.  When you live without Jesus your mind is on worldly things.  You can't change on your own.  You need the Holy Spirit living in your heart and talking to your mind to be a different person.

    When you are a person of the world you are an enemy of God.  When you live by the Spirit your mindset changes from death focused to what brings forth life and peace.  Life is unpredictable, hard, and lonely at times.  When you have the Holy Spirit you never face anything alone.  He counsels you.  He comforts you.  He knows your mind and heart, so He knows how to reach you if you will let Him.  

    If you are Christian, then world will overwhelm and break you in suffering until you reject your sinful nature and face God.  Christians were never meant to fit into Satan's environment.  You belong to God.  If you follow Satan, then life may coast.  Why would Satan get in your way?  He already has you.  He wants to stop Christians.  Endure this world because you will find your reward in Heaven.  You will get to spend eternity worshipping God as the first fruits.

    First fruits is your faith in action.  In gardening it is the first and the best.  In the church it means you are living out your spiritual gifts to serve Jesus.  In eternity it means you get the full reward from God.  You sacrifice your sinful nature to experience life with the the Holy Spirit who promises to give you a future close to God.

    The Holy Spirit is your spokes person.  When life is too much and you can't even find the words to pray, He reads your heart and speaks to God on your behalf.  He is there with you in it and He loves you enough to go to God to ask to make things better.  No matter how bad things get they won't stay that way forever if you belong to God.  Do not live like you are still in bondage to sin.  Live free to do good in the world.

Leviticus 23:9-14, Job 33:1-7, & Romans 8

Holy Spirit Seal

 

    When you put your faith in Jesus the Holy Spirit comes to live within you.  His presence is the seal of salvation.  It is not something you deserve.  It is done because you chose to believe and God keeps His Word.  You have the seal that can't be broken because God loves you.  It is a guarantee that when you die your soul will live eternally in Heaven with the Trinity.  Nothing can ever take that away from you.

    The seal of the Holy Spirit means you get to live freely for and with God now.  He is God's signature on your heart from now to eternity.  Things will change and be better once eternity begins, but you can live with peace and freedom now.  

    When you are sealed by the Holy Spirit, then there should be a difference in you.  People should be able to see that you belong to God even if they don't understand what the change is about.  This is not a signet ring, tattoo, or regular seal of authority or importance.  The seal of the Holy Spirit is God imbedding Himself as a part of your soul.  It is the missing piece of your soul that makes you complete and sustains you.  

    No matter what people do, you do, or anything that happens when you have the seal of the Holy Spirit you belong to God.  He protects His own.  That doesn't mean that life wont happen.  It does not mean that people will not make life difficult.  It does not mean that you will not die one day.  It means that you have protect of God.  He will allow things to happen to serve a purpose, but it doesn't change the fact that your eternity is guaranteed. The truth always comes out eventually.

    The Holy Spirit seal is irrevocable.  Once you are adopted into God's family, you can never be kicked out or removed.  You can live life with humble assurance because you are loved, favored, protected, and secure.  You never have to doubt your relationship with God even if you don't hear or feel Him close to you all the time.  Know that He is still there watching and protecting you.  You can ask Him all your heart questions and not worry about annoying Him or being rejected.  He loves it when you come to Him.

    The seal of the Holy Spirit enables you to walk in authority to do God's work.  You are not walking into anything alone.  When you seek to obey doors of opportunity open up.  The Holy Spirit will give your stillness, peace, quiet, and rest when you need it.  He will also be with you when you need to move, act, or respond instantly.  All you have to do is believe, repent, and trust in God to have salvation (the Holy Spirit's seal).  It can never be taken away or revoked.

Esther 8:1-8, 2 Corinthians 1:21-22, Ephesians 1:3-8, 4:20-30, 2 Peter 1:10-11

Holy Spirit Guidance

 

    The Holy Spirit is your reminder what what is holy,.  He speaks truth into your life.  He is your counselor and teacher.  He doesn't use a voice, but He whispers to your conscience and subconscious.  He brings truth out of the scripture you are reading.  He clarifies your prayers to God while giving you wise counsel.

    Jesus had to return to Heaven for the Holy Spirit to come live within the followers of Jesus.  I do not know why they could not co-exist on earth together other than it was not a part of God's plan and because Jesus declared it himself.  That is why it is called faith.  You trust God even when you don't have all the answers.  

    Everything the Holy Spirit tells you is the truth.  He gently guides you to find certain truths for yourself, but is with you every step of the way.  It is a faith journey that you never will travel alone.  He convicts individuals of their sin, directs toward righteousness, and provides judgment now to avoid it for eternity.

    Being convicted of sin is a gift.  It means you can repent and change things for eternity now.  He removes the confusion that the world provides.  He reminds you that you can't be righteous on your own.  You need God like it or not.  He provides clarity on what judgment applies to and how to avoid condemnation.  The closer you get to God the less you hear Satan's lying whispers.

    The Holy Spirit will never lead you astray.  He speak on behalf of Jesus and God.  He is what unites you God while you are still alive through righteousness.  Don't get lost in things of this world:  selfish desires, money, experiences over relationships, entertainment over service, other people over God, or sinful desires.  God never said go follow your heart or that love is always comfortable.  Your heart will lie to you if you allow it to become worldly.

    The Holy Spirit guides you to obedience to God, humble heart, and ways to glorify God.  He helps you to become more like Jesus everyday.  He helps you face life without giving into fear and anxiety.  It doesn't happen in one day.  It takes work and willingness to change.  He will guide the transformation of your heart to live more like Jesus than who you were before.  

Isaiah 64:1-7 & John 14:23-26, 15:18-27, 16:5-15

Theology of the Holy Spirit

 

    The Holy Spirit is the part of the Trinity that seems to hold the most mystery or misconception for people.  However, he is the most intimate part of God that is with all true Christians.  The Holy Spirit is what Jesus promised to come after he left.  He lives within everyone who believes and walks in faith with Jesus.  

    The Holy Spirit is the counselor, comforter, advocate, and guide in this world for all true Christians.  He affirms that God's Word is true.  He teaches and transforms the heart to be more like Jesus.  He empowers you to do God's will and follow the path God designed for your life.  

    The Holy Spirit provides you with supernatural gifts to benefit the church (God's people).  They also help you in ministry to show people who Jesus is.  He gives out blessings from God.  Like God and Jesus, he never changes.  His character is true and steadfast.  He will never leave you once he lives within you.  

    The Holy Spirit shows you true love.  He gives the mundane meaning.  He is intimately involved in your life.  He gives your life awareness to the truth, answers questions when you read the Bible, rids your doubts, and helps you triumph over your sinful nature.  He is your biggest advocate in life and before God.  

Genesis 1:1-2, Matthew 28:16-20, John 14:15-21, Acts 1:4-5, 2:1-13, & Romans 8:1-17