Page Title

FEBRUARY, 2012

From

Joyce Felske

Text Box: Dear Friends, Our New Year has begun. As I pondered about what to dwell on I was reminded by some good Bible teachers that many were not living Spirit-filled lives. Since I have written three Tender Talks on the Holy Spirit previously, I thought that was probably enough for now until I heard the message by Chuck Swindoll. He brought out some things that I want to share with you so let’s begin. SPIRIT FILLED LIFE As I pondered the work of the Holy Spirit in my life I came to the conclusion that many Christians today do not have a real concept of who the Holy Spirit is and what He is doing in the lives of His people today. First we have to realize that He is a real person and part of the Trinity. He is to glorify Jesus and make Him known to mankind today. Jesus is preeminent and the Holy Spirit is always making that known. When Jesus returned back to heaven He sent the Holy Spirit to take His place. He is our comforter, helper, teacher and He came to convict the world of sin, righteousness and judgment. If we don’t know these simple facts we can be in error about the work of the Holy Spirit today. Some dwell so much on the Holy Spirit and what He can do in their lives that Jesus is put on the “back burner.” If they leave Him out of their spiritual walk then what they are doing is only in the flesh. So the Holy Spirit has to be put in His right place. As I listened to Chuck Swindoll on the Holy Spirit it made me want the Holy Spirit more in my life for the right reason and in the right way. I have to live my Christian life in a simple way. I don’t believe God expects us to have to read a bunch of books or listen to many sermons to know how to live a Christian life pleasing to the Lord. But I do believe we need to be reading the New Testament and meditating on what it is telling us. We need the Holy Spirit in our life and when we accept Jesus as our Savior, the Spirit comes to abide in us. Do you realize this? I do not think many Christians do. They feel they are on their own. They wonder why they are struggling so over sin. They have accepted Jesus as their Savior, but they do not know from lack of knowledge that the Holy Spirit is a resident permanently. That is why we must know what the Bible teaches. Paul tells us in Romans chapter 6 many verses about knowing the truth. He says in Romans verse 3, “Do you not know.” Then in verse 6, “We know.” Again in verse 9, “We know.” In verse 16 again we read, “Do you not know.” It would be good to read Romans 6 and see what we are to know. OVER

GOD’S LOVE TO US

John 3:16

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Psalm 37:28

“For the Lord loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones.”

1 John 4:16

“And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love, Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.”

OUR LOVE TO OTHERS

1 Cor. 13:4-13

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy. It does not boast. It is not proud. It is not rude. It is not self-seeking. It is not easily angered. It keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trust, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. And now these here remain; faith, hope and love, But the greatest of these is love.”

God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. Rom. 5:5b