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#1 Brian Rushfeldt

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Posted 29 October 2010 - 07:05 AM

Today's devotional with AW Tozer, "The world, in the New Testament meaning of the word, is simply unregenerate human nature wherever it is found, whether in a tavern or in a church" was a great challenge to me.

Reflecting on this, God reinforced the truth of walk in the spirit and you'll avoid the works of the flesh. I am so thankful for the power of the Holy Spirit - where I am weak He is strong. My deep realization is that only when I surrender my toungue, my thoughts and my behavior to His leading will I avoid the ways of the world (my unregenerate human nature). Using the best of my human nature to overcome the degnerate human nature is futile isn't it? I had often thought of the world as that external realm. Not after today.

I just cannot, in my own strength or will, rule over the human nature. My surrender and submission must be frequent. And the desire of my heart be that I will hear the Lord say this is My way walk in it and from that strong position obey Him and have victory over the flesh.

How greatful I am that His love has drawn me so that I may have the opportunity to have His indwelling. God help me follow you.

#2 Guest_Marvin Harrell_*

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Posted 29 October 2010 - 01:18 PM

Too true! The place of powerful living has always only been broken surrender to The Holy Spirit's work in my life. And the fact that he starts the work, continues the work, and will complete the work is more than I can fathom.

It is impossible to live the holy life without his power to do so, and keeping a short list and being near his feet is the ultimate joy and challenge! Keeping in his ways and not the ways of the world can only be done in his shadow!

#3 Lori Smith

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Posted 30 October 2010 - 06:32 AM

Brian,

Your words are so true! It is amazing how the Holy Spirit will teach and guide us when we rely upon Him. This certainly was a lesson I had to learn this week. I had been so sad and depressed...wondering what was so wrong with my life. Then, God broke through and showed me that I had stopped believing Him and had started asking Him to prove Himself to me instead. I suppose I thought circumstances in my life had not cleared up fast enough. However, yesterday God showed me that my turn from faith to doubt had stifled His voice in my ear. He actually showed me a picture in my mind of wooden steps going across the water; and this question came to my mind, "could I have the faith of Peter and walk on water because Jesus tells me I can, or do I need Jesus to construct wooden steps on the water that reveal a safe place for me to walk?"

The Holy Spirit is God and Jesus sent Him to be our counselor and so we would not be left as orphans (Jn 14:16). Additionally, since He is God, He can do things in us and through us that we are incapable of doing. We simply need to keep our focus squarely upon Jesus and avoid becoming separated from the vine (Jn 15:4-5).
In The Pursuit of God, A. W. Tozer writes, "Jesus taught that He wrought His works by always keeping His inward eyes upon His Father. His power lay in His continuous look at God (John 5:19-21)."

#4 Dave Dagwell

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Posted 01 November 2010 - 04:34 AM

Lori,
I may be wrong, but it seems to me that in John 14:16 Jesus asks the Father to send the Holy Spirit to the disciples. Did Jesus send the Holy SWpirit, or did God?


Brian,

Your words are so true! It is amazing how the Holy Spirit will teach and guide us when we rely upon Him. This certainly was a lesson I had to learn this week. I had been so sad and depressed...wondering what was so wrong with my life. Then, God broke through and showed me that I had stopped believing Him and had started asking Him to prove Himself to me instead. I suppose I thought circumstances in my life had not cleared up fast enough. However, yesterday God showed me that my turn from faith to doubt had stifled His voice in my ear. He actually showed me a picture in my mind of wooden steps going across the water; and this question came to my mind, "could I have the faith of Peter and walk on water because Jesus tells me I can, or do I need Jesus to construct wooden steps on the water that reveal a safe place for me to walk?"

The Holy Spirit is God and Jesus sent Him to be our counselor and so we would not be left as orphans (Jn 14:16). Additionally, since He is God, He can do things in us and through us that we are incapable of doing. We simply need to keep our focus squarely upon Jesus and avoid becoming separated from the vine (Jn 15:4-5).



#5 Brian Rushfeldt

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Posted 01 November 2010 - 06:08 AM

Dave ,

i think Jn15:26 answers your question - Jesus speaking,

John 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father...

John 14;16 says Father will give you... but 15:26 makes it clear Jesus sent Holy Spirit.

#6 Denes House

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Posted 01 November 2010 - 08:18 AM

Dave ,

i think Jn15:26 answers your question - Jesus speaking,

John 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father...

John 14;16 says Father will give you... but 15:26 makes it clear Jesus sent Holy Spirit.

Ahhhhh, theology! As Protestants in the Western tradition, we tend to believe in what is called "double procession" - the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father AND the Son, as Brian states so wonderfully above, and with the clearest Scriptural backing available. The Eastern Christian tradition (Russian, Greek Orthodox, etc) holds to single procession, believing that the Spirit is sent by the Father alone, though at the request of the Son. You can tell what tradition people come from by looking at their illustrations of the Trinity (see attached image, taken from Bringing Theology to Life: Key Doctrines for Christian Faith and Mission By Darren C. Marks (2009, IVP)

I love the smell of theology in the morning! :)

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