It is a Jesus Thing

12 Tuesday Jun 2012

Posted by eisakouo in When the Holy Spirit Comes

Tags

Advocate, business matters or work, Comforter, Companion, Gordon Dalbey, Healing the Masculine Soul, Helper, Jesus thing, John 16:14-16, logos, Luke 1:37, Matthew 18:19, Matthew 21:24, paraclete, pragma, rhema, the Holy Spirit, the spoken word or revealed word, the written word or account, things, to be called to one's side

Have you learned just what your Jesus thing is? The word “thing” is over-used in our language today and has lost its meaning. But Jesus talked about things all the time and it meant something specific. When Jesus used the word “thing” it represented one of three issues.

1. “logos” – Things sometimes translate as God’s “written word or account”. On one occasion Jesus was telling the religious leaders…”I will reveal to you My things (words) if you show Me yours first.” (my paraphrase) Matthew 21:24 Note to self…Never get into a word or revelational match with Jesus. His things are bigger and better than my things.

2. “rhema” – Things sometimes are translated as God’s “spoken or revealed word” to us personally. Mary, Jesus’ mother, discovered the power of a thing when Gabriel said to her…”For nothing will be impossible with God.” (Luke 1:37) Just think… there’s never been a revelatory word and there never will be a word impossible for the Lord to perform in our life. If God speaks to you, then He will perform it. Wow!

3. “pragma” – Things are sometimes translated as the Lord’s “business matters or work.” Our English word pragmatic comes from this word. Listen how Jesus used it in Matthew 18:19. “Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven.” What a promise. Jesus promises to bring to pass any practical business matter which two believers agree should be performed. Anything is not everything. Anything is only God’s business.

Why I am talking about this today? Because in the last few blogs, I have been sharing about the necessity and importance of having the Holy Spirit in our lives. One of the jobs of the Holy Spirit is to glorify Jesus. The Spirit does this by taking those “things” of Jesus and disclosing it to you and me. Listen to these words in John.

He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you. 15 All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you. John 16:14-16

Here in verse 15 the “things” of the Father and the Son are “pragma“. So, it is the Holy Spirit’s job to reveal to us the very practical business matters of the Kingdom. Numerous times in the Gospels, Jesus alluded to the fact that all He has at His disposal is available for His followers. The Holy Spirit is the vehicle the Lord uses to give us Jesus’ knowledge, power, and authority. We should be expecting this process to happen throughout our walk with the Lord.
Another Greek word used by John for the Holy Spirit is “Paraclete“. You may be familiar with it. It basically means “to be called to one’s side.” Translators have used many different words to try to translate it…

Comforter
Helper
Advocate
Intercessor, and even
Companion.

Maybe the best way to understand this word is to give an illustration from Jesus’ day. In the book Healing the Masculine Soul, Gordon Dalbey says Paraclete was an ancient warrior’s term. “Greek soldiers went into battle in pairs, so when the enemy attacked, they could draw together back-to-back, covering each other’s blind side. One’s battle partner was the paraclete.”
The point is the Lord never intended for any of us to fight the good fight alone. Jesus knew in the beginning we would need a Partner, Helper, and Companion. The Holy Spirit is our Battle Partner who covers our blind side and helps in our struggle to bring to pass the Lord’s business.

None of us will be able to accomplish the Lord’s will without the Holy Spirit’s help. Take some time today and ask the Lord to help you understand more fully the Holy Spirit’s role in your life. There are some “things” there you need to know.

Blessings,

Pastor

Obeying Commands Verses Obeying the Word

13 Tuesday Mar 2012

Posted by eisakouo in Our Spiritual Process

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

ask, commandments, I John 2:3-5, John 14:21-23, knock, logos, seek, tenderness of heart, words

By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; 5 but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: 6 the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked. (1 John 2:3-5)

Do you see the word “commandments” in verse 3? Then in verse 5, John appears to repeat himself. He talks about keeping God’s “word.” Sometimes John talks about keeping the commandments of the Lord, and at other times he refers to keeping the word of the Lord. We might walk away thinking these two phrases are interchangeable. But this is far from the whole truth.

Jesus separated these same words in John 14. Note the difference.

“He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.” (John 14:21)

“Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.” (John 14:23)

Once again we might simply conclude Jesus is referring to the same issue because “commands“and “words” are similar. The truth is there is a difference between wanting to fulfill the commandments of God and wanting to do the Word of God.

Remember obeying a command calls for repeated obedience. For example, the Lord doesn’t want keep telling us over and over again to go to church for worship and fellowship. He gives a command to attend church. In order to fulfill this command we must repeat our obedience for the rest of our lives. We do not have to ask the Lord each week if it is His will to attend church.

Now a “word” from God is more personal. Like a command, it too must be believed and obeyed as well. Unlike a command, it may apply to other believers or it may not. Jesus is referring to the “logos” word. A word which is written or spoken. Commands apply to everyone, but words are only given to those who ask, seek, and knock.

Why do both Jesus and John make a distinction between commands and words? I am glad you asked. One pastor shared this illustration to note the difference.

Suppose a young man comes home from school and his father says to him, “Bob I want you to take out the garbage and wash the car.” These are the specific commandments of his father and the young man performs them. But suppose young Bob overhears his father tell someone else that he is not feeling well and wishes someone would mow the yard and rake the leaves. So Bob does that, not because he is commanded to, but because he loves his father and wants to do not only his commandments but also his word.

Some things you do because you are commanded and some things you do because you love. This is should be the attitude of our hearts towards God. Because of our love for the Lord, we should want to keep His word with all our heart. We read specific commandments in the Bible but also we learn some of the desires of the Lord concerning our lives and we will want to obey these in addition to the Lord’s commands.

The difference between obeying the commands of God and the words of God reveals our tenderness of heart. I am sure you are obedient to many of the commands of the Lord. But how is your personal obedience? Is your heart ready to go above and beyond the call of duty to obey even the desires of God?

Blessings,

Pastor