Make Sure You Receive Christ

When tragedies occur, it's still a very popular thing for people in our culture to say, "Well where was God when this happened?.... Why does God allow this?.... Why do bad things happen to good people?  There must have been something going on in their life to receive this judgment of God.."   

This thought is sometimes even bantered around by Christians. When that fateful day of 911 occurred, some suggested it happened because America has departed from God (no prayer in public places, "removal" of God from the schools, a culture that has eroded in morals permitting abortion and allowing for same sex marriages). 

This type of thinking (that bad things only happen to people who do wrong - i.e., "are sinners") occurred during Jesus' day. 

Gospel writer, Dr. Luke, captures this in the thirteenth chapter when he writes,

About this time Jesus was informed that Pilate had murdered some people from Galilee as they were offering sacrifices at the Temple."Do you think those Galileans were worse sinners than all the other people from Galilee? "Jesus asked. "Is that why they suffered? Not at all! And you will perish, too, unless you repent of your sins and turn to God. And what about the eighteen people who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them? Were they the worst sinners in Jerusalem? No, and I tell you again that unless you repent, your will perish too." - Luke 13:1-5 NLT

Jesus referred to two local tragedies and denied that these happened because of people's bad or sinful behavior. Rather Jesus focused on the need for mankind to repent, that is to acknowledge his sin and turn to Christ. That's the real tragedy, to live on this earth and die (either through natural causes or through some event that occurs) and to not have asked Christ into your life. 

So, understand, there are events in our world that occur and Jesus doesn't say they are because of our sin - but the one thing He is concerned about is that we repent, trusting Him to be our Savior, lest we perish without Him. 

The Gift of The Holy Spirit

"And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.  You Fathers- if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him."  Luke 11:11-13 NLT

Luke shares that the Holy Spirit is given to those who will ask and that He (the Holy Spirit) is regarded as a "very good gift" to receive.  

Now I think Luke is referring to what I might call the "filling" of the Holy Spirit (some also call this the Baptism with the Holy Spirit.")  This filling or baptism occurs when we ask in faith for God to bless us with His gifts and thereby to control our very lives. 

The overall context indicates that if we will simply ask in faith, God as our heavenly Father will give us the things that are good for us .. and in this case it's about receiving not a what but a gift in the person of God the Holy Spirit and His control, filling and leading in our life. 

I know that for years I served the Lord as a devoted Christian, but I always felt like I lacked everything that God had for His children. For years I thought, studied and spoke with others about God's very unique gifting through the Holy Spirit. But it wasn't until May 27, 2007 that I prayed "God, I just want so much of what you have for your children, i am open and ready to receive."  That evening as I attended a church service, I had the Pastor pray over me and lay hands upon me, and I received the filling or the Baptism with the Holy Spirit to a degree that I had never experienced.  It was one of the greatest experiences of my life and i have continued to enjoy the Holy Spirit's power and mastery in many areas of my life since that time.

God truly is the gift giver and aside from His son Jesus, the Holy Spirit is the greatest gift that God is more than willing to bless His children with. 

The Hope of Fruit

‎"Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! The Sovereign Lord is my strength!..." Habakkuk 3:17-19a 

If you have ever felt like there's just no fruit or productivity from your life, then this verse is for you. We are reminded that despite our circumstances, God is more interested in our character - and in our character may we have a "character of worship" that always acknowledges the greatness of our God and His plans despite what is going on around us.

May our joyfulness simply be found in the God who has graced us with salvation (through the Son - Jesus - salvation, healing and deliverance) and has given us through the Holy Spirit His strength.