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Make this your prayer everyday: Lord, give me the Holy
Spirit.
We are but men of frailty even more so in our off-guard
moments. But pray and ask and the Holy Spirit will change
you and you will find yourself giving way more often while
you drive and husbands will find themselves loving their
wives more.
A Paradox
The disciples, after following Jesus for three and a half
years, developing intimacy and strong bond with Him, were
unable to face the imminent painful separation. After seeing
Him walking on the sea, calming the storm, healing the sick,
feeding the thousands, they could not understand why the
separation was necessary, and hence were naturally
depressed. But it is expedient for Jesus to leave,
for if He does not go, they would miss wonderful blessings.
This divine strategy is God’s perfect plan. Jesus has come,
died for us on the cross and has risen, of which the
ascension is vital, for without it we Christians would have
no hope. Then was the time for the third person in the
Godhead to come, and to do so, Jesus must leave, seemingly a
paradox.
The Work of the Holy Spirit
Conviction of sins
The reason why we come to church is none other than the work
of the Holy Spirit in us. No one can be conscious and
convicted of his sins except for the work of the Holy Spirit
in his heart. There are so many evil doings in the world,
but when the Word of God shines and the Holy Spirit comes,
we would be convicted of our sins. Because of the Holy
Spirit, we could be called righteous, not that we are
righteous but that Jesus gives us His robe of righteousness.
By death, He has destroyed that which has the power of death
(Heb 2:14).
Growing in Christ
Are you growing in Christ? The disciples were then still
babes in Christ. We find them squabbling over the question
of who is the greatest, even after the Lord’s Supper on the
night of betrayal when all the disciples fled. Let him be a
servant whoever wants to be great. The mother of James and
John wanted her sons to be at the left and right hand of
Jesus in heaven, but can they be baptized in His baptism and
drink the cup He drank? Ultimately they did — James martyred
first and John last, but the outcome is definitely not their
decision to make.
Always seek to grow in grace and knowledge in Christ with
the help of the Holy Spirit. Will you take up the challenge
of reading the Bible through the year, from Good Friday this
year to the next? The Bible is your spiritual diet, not
television programmes, sensational news or glossy magazines.
Stay godly, holy and pure.
The Ministry of the Holy Spirit
The same disciples that had fled and were ashamed had become
brave and keen to spread the gospel and even ready to die
doing so. They no longer squabble about being the greatest
because the Holy Comforter has come.
The Holy Spirit can be with any given number of people at
any given time and the people in Sri Lanka need the Holy
Spirit as much as the people in Calvary Jurong. Consult not
the futurologists. Pray that the Holy Spirit will comfort
you and tell you what the Godhead speaks, for you will then
know the things that shall come. Amen.
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