Guardrails.

When you have young children and you and your spouse are going out, kids have questions. “When are you coming home?” “How long are you going to be gone?” “Where are you going?” They have some angst, some worry, some concern. They want to know, how do we get along without you?

I’m guessing the disciples felt the same when Jesus said he was leaving and going back to the Father. And to top it all off, Jesus says in John 16:7, “It’s better that I go away so I can send the Holy Spirit…” Really!!!! It’s better to be without Jesus than with him? Jesus is saying, “It’s better to have God IN YOU than God with you.” Jesus has promised not to leave his followers alone like orphans but the Spirit of God will always be in us for multiple reasons.

When the Holy Spirit is present with us, He convicts us of our sin. Jesus tells us that in John 16:8. The Spirit reminds us we need a savior and his name is Jesus. There are moments we are convicted to say something different or do something different. Some call that our conscious but that’s the Holy Spirit reminding us there is a better way.

How many of us who follow Jesus have spent 6 minutes hammering out a FaceBook response but before we hit send, we deleted it and just said “okay”? How many of us have been tempted to “set someone straight” but held the words back and just smiled? Those moments are Spirit-driven moments where he is guiding us to be more like Jesus.

And the Holy Spirit also confirms our salvation in Christ. He is constantly affirming us to God the Father, reminding us that we are his children. The Apostle Paul tells us in Romans 8 that our spirit joins the Holy Spirit affirming we are God’s children and also in Ephesians 1, Paul uses adoption language to remind us we are God’s sons and daughters.

Finally, the Holy Spirit comforts us in all our troubles. Jesus called him an “Advocate” in John 14 which can also be translated “comforter”. The Spirit provides us the peace that passes all understanding. And you’ve watched other followers of Jesus bear up under enormous pressures. You think that there is no way you could handle what the world is throwing at them. But yet these followers have smiles and joy and forgiveness and a peace. It’s because the Holy Spirit is with them and they are comforted despite the despair.

So how do we connect in such a way as to allow the Spirit to give us that peace we long to have? Well, you certainly have to be intentional about the relationship. You have to place yourself in a spot where you can experience and feel the “wind” of God. So rather than constantly being on your social media, carve out some intentional time to be present with the Spirit. Instead of right before bed and right when you wake up needing a screen in from of your face, why not create quiet moments to be still before God?

The truth is when you’re intentional about the relationship, you don’t get more of the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit gets more of you. So the challenge is to carve out time everyday to be in the Word, to be in prayer, and to be receptive to the Spirit of God in your life. Don’t do it tomorrow; start today. Blessings on your journey.

On Purpose!

We’ve all had those moments when we intended to do something but never got around to it. We meant to clean up the back yard but it was easier to sit on the couch and watch TV. We meant to send thank you cards but never got to the store to purchase them. We meant to get healthy but it was so easy just to go through the fast-food drive through for dinner.

Psychologists have a phrase for that kind of action. It’s called the intention-action gap. It’s the difference between what we say we will do and what we actually do. And if you are like me, I find myself living in the gap too many times.

There is a story about an eight-year old boy who becomes king of Judah. His name is Josiah. His story is found in 2 Kings 21-23. He had ever opportunity to live in the gap but chose to follow God. His grandfather, Manasseh, created idol worship throughout all of Judah. Then Josiah’s father carries on that ungodly legacy. But we find Josiah decided…intentionally…to follow God. He tore down and obliterated all the idols and idol worship in Judah and brought his people back to God. That kind of action doesn’t happen on accident.

As we live our lives, we may find we really do want to be in God’s Word every day. We really do want to have a meaningful prayer life. We really do want to surround ourselves with good, wholesome people. We really do want to dedicate our income and material possessions back to God. We really do want to serve people like Jesus served people. But all those things will not happen by accident. You and I have to be intentional if we want that kind of life. So what did Josiah do to turn it all around?

Well, one, he had a responsive heart for God. He heard the Word of God read for the first time at age 27. It changed his heart…led him toward God. He allowed God’s Word to sink into his soul. He was a different man almost immediately. That’s called conviction. Being in God’s Word everyday will allow us to be pulled toward God and the life He wants us to live.

But Josiah also humbled himself. That’s probably the hardest thing for any human to do. To de-throne yourself and say that someone else has a better idea than you takes resolve. Jesus says in Luke 18:14, “Those who exalt themselves will be humbled and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” So, if we are to move in this direction how do we get there?

We ask for help. Josiah asked his mentors and friends to go to bat for him. So equally, I have 5 guys in my life who I’ve given permission to ask me hard questions, to kick me in the seat of my pants when I’m not acting like Jesus, to journey with me through the good and hard times. They are men I could call at 2AM and they’d be right there. They don’t judge me but remind me that there’s a better way with Jesus.

Finally, Josiah tore his clothes and wept. That’s a physical representation of a changed heart. So too our lives should represent that we follow a risen Savior. Our lives should look like Jesus in the way we talk, treat other people, honor our spouse, discipline our kids, in our work ethic…the list goes on. The world should be able to look at your life and say, “There is something very different about that person in a great way.”

So get out of the gap and live on purpose. Be intentional about how you live your life, knowing we are here to lift up the name of Jesus. He is our hope and Savior. Blessings on your journey.