Gigi's Blog

My morning (before church) was timed so that I was able to really soak in Charles Stanley.  I always listen, but sometimes am so busy that I can't really hear.  But yesterday I could, and it was something that I believe will stick with me. He was preaching on the Holy Spirit.  One of the things he said was that as believers, we often don't realize who the Holy Sprit is, therefore we don't utilize His power.  So true.  I fall into that category oftentimes. 

John 14: 15-17"If you love me, show it by doing what I've told you. I will talk to the Father, and he'll provide you another Friend so that you will always have someone with you. This Friend is the Spirit of Truth. The godless world can't take him in because it doesn't have eyes to see him, doesn't know what to look for. But you know him already because he has been staying with you, and will even be in you!   Acts 1:8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." 

Let me ask you a question.  What if you had a flashlight but kept the batteries to the side even though they were yours??  Well that's crazy.  But, we have huge power available to us that must be utilized. It doesn't just happen.   The Holy Spirit is your friend, and wants to do amazing things in your life.  Charles also brought up something else that I've struggled with for a long time.  He said that he used to have a difficult time practicing Glatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,.  He said that he really wanted these, but felt he wasn't there, and prayed that God would help him obtain these fruits.  Charles said that God revealed to him that these are fruits of the Spirit, not fruits of Charles.  I'm not sure if I can articulate what he was saying, but I totally understand it.  The power and gifts of these fruits are all about the Giver, not about us.  We pray for the Holy Spirit to use us as His tool, and empower us.  I'm not there yet, but I feel like I'm getting to know my Friend in a new way. 

Now to church.  I did sing in the choir, but I fought to keep my eyes open during P&W, but sometimes I just couldn't.  But, it all worked out.  I didn't get left.   

I John 5: 16-17For instance, if we see a Christian believer sinning (clearly I'm not talking about those who make a practice of sin in a way that is "fatal," leading to eternal death), we ask for God's help and he gladly gives it, gives life to the sinner whose sin is not fatal. There is such a thing as a fatal sin, and I'm not urging you to pray about that. Everything we do wrong is sin, but not all sin is fatal.  Roger preached on Christians that are living outside of the will of God.  Do we care????  We turn our backs, or use that clever cover "prayer" which (we believe) gives us the freedom to gossip about anything.  He talked about the sin leading to death, which this tell us not to pray about, and gave some examples from the Bible.  But, I also thought of something that I have done, and it was as if God was  speaking to me saying  "Don't do this anymore."  When a person dies and has rejected Christ, the Bible says they go to Hell.  I think that I sometimes pray "God have mercy" when I know or I believe that a person died without Christ.  To me God was saying yesterday, "Don't pray then.  It's too late.  Your opportunity to pray is while they are alive."  But the reality is I often haven't cared until they committed this "fatal" sin.  The reality is at that point, prayers are useless.  But, what can we do for those who've just lost their way??  1-3 Live creatively, friends. If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day's out. Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so complete Christ's law. If you think you are too good for that, you are badly deceived. Do you care this much???  Or do you say, "It's none of my business."  Well, this scripture says it most certainly is your business.  To restore in a way that doesn't offend, that is free of "holier than thou" speech that people who are in the wrong will most likely turn off too.  I read this scripture this morning and loved it, and thought it really applied:  Proverbs 28: 23 In the end, serious reprimand is appreciated  far more than bootlicking flattery. That's The Message translation. 

I led youth last night, because the majority of them went to the A.R.C. banquet, as well as all the leaders, exept for Mark (who helped me).  We played charades about problems, the point being that we can't know what going on in our friends lives if we don't ask.  Get it??? Like you have to ask in charades??  Oh, never mind.  We also went around the room to share the things we wanted to praise for.  I explained to them that we all have things that we can offer up praise for.  I named several and then told them I had one more.  I am thankful that I've been given the realization that all the leftover Christmas chocolate candy tastes very good when you put chocolate syrup in bowl, put the canday in, melt it in the microwave for 1 minute and throw a Klondike bar in the middle.

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