My Utmost Journal - Weekend Edition
Christianity, My Utmost
May 27th
My Utmost For His Highest
The reception of the Holy Spirit is the maintained attitude of a believer.
We do not receive the Holy Spirit in one glorious moment and then simply have Him for the rest of our lives (& eternity). We are still receiving Him. We will continue to receive Him. He will continue to show more of Himself to us as we continue to seek Him. We don't suddenly become better people the moment we receive the Holy Spirit. He takes us as we are, but He uses the Spirit to make us who He wants us to be.
It is not the baptism of the Holy Ghost which changes men, but the power of the ascended Christ coming into men's lives by the Holy Ghost that changes them.
Again, our lives are changed by the power of Christ continually coming into our lives. We don't receive that power as a one-time gift, but we perpetually receive it. And our lives should reflect that over time. The more of Christ we have received, the more our lives will reflect His glory.
Begin to know Him now, and finish never.
May 28th
My Utmost For His Highest
Until the resurrection life of Jesus is manifested in you, you want to ask this and that; then after a while you find all questions gone, you do not seem to have any left to ask.
I've always envisioned getting to heaven and being able to ask God all the questions that I want. This makes more sense. It's a cool thought. The closer and closer I get to Him, the more dependent I will be. When I become one with Him, I will be completely reliant upon Him. If that is the case, then I do not need to ask Him anything because I know He is in control and I trust His will.
Why don't I do that already? I'm too independent. I don't need Him enough in my life - or rather, I don't think I do. When I understand my need for Him, I won't need to ask "Why?".
This is my declaration of dependence
On the one who gave His life to me
May 29th
My Utmost For His Highest
What soever ye shall ask the Father in My name, He will give it you.
~John 16:26
God, please give me a lot of money.
...
?
Not - "You shall use My name as a magic word," but - "You will be so intimate with Me that you will be one with Me."
Oh. Hmmm...Well that changes things, doesn't it? At first that seems like an empty statement. "Ask me for something that I want to give you, and you will receive it." But it would only be empty if I, a human being, said that to you, another human being. When the Divine, Omnipotent Creator of the Universe says that He will answer my prayers, that He will listen when I call, that He will give when I ask...Wow. Who am I to deserve this? I don't. But...
Just as Jesus stood unsullied in the presence of His Father, so by the mighty efficacy of the baptism of the Holy Ghost, we can be lifted into that relationship
Very cool thought. It also reveals why some prayers seem to go unanswered or are answered in the opposite way of what I want. When I pray that God will provide for me, but I still end up not having enough money, did He say "No" or did He provide in a way that I don't understand? As I walk closer with Him and become more dependent upon Him, I will ask for things in His Nature, not the word that designates His Name.
The Father Himself loveth you.
~John 16:27 Tuesday, May 29th, 2007 11:57:53 AM
