Stuck, with the Gospel.

I feel like I am stuck with the gospel. What I mean is that I live in a very traditional and religious city and when I talk with church people about the gospel, I get a half-hearted smile and head nod as if they have known it their whole life. Yet there is no movement or passion in their eyes, much less their lives. Then I have the world that is hurting, yet many seem like they know they are hurting and open to truth, but are not ready to get over their lives to take on His life and His cross.

I think there are some stuck like me. Here is my encouragement to us. Be real, honest and open to the church people and the lost. Maybe by our lives and the genuine relationship with Christ in us, they might be moved. And two... live by faith. Going to church is not faith, its habit. Meeting someone and knowing their name and sharing hope is faith. Trusting in God that He would use you to change someones life for Him, is faith. Let's not walk by sight because it can be very disheartening in our city, but walk by a different life and different calling, a calling from up above. Make a difference before you die and do not let your life pass you by without having God moving radically through it. On our knees praying, soaking up God words to us and walking by faith. Lets do it.

The Role of the Holy Spirit

It is amazing all of the views that people have of the role Holy Spirit. Some people do not know much about the Holy Spirit simply because their church does not teach on the subject and they do not read God's word to seek to see what it says. Others take on a role and view of the Holy Spirit and start "making" the Holy Spirit do things that in reality it is what they want to do. You see this in a lot of churches or tv that abuses the role of speaking in tongues. How about this one: Have you ever heard someone say that "God told me to do ____". That is a statement that I would encourage people to rarely or never say. God tells us what He wants us to do through His Word.

We live in such a prideful and self seeking society, that we could do things and say it was the Holy Spirit. That is very dangerous for us to do what we want to do and call it God or place His stamp on it.

God clearly gives us the Bible to read and study it so we can grow in our faith and seek to know Him more. In doing that, we can get to know different parts and different things about God, including the act and the role of the Holy Spirit.

Read John 14-17 and read through Acts to start a study. John and Luke write these books and describes the role of the Holy Spirit. There are other passages, but this is a good start. Think clearly and think biblically and see what God wants to do through your life through the role of the Holy Spirit.