Call out to the Holy Spirit. Is He speaking to you now? Answer Him with a resounding yes!

12 Do you see a person wise in his own eyes? there is more hope for a fool than for him.

Living for Christ or living for ourselves answers the question about whom we serve. Is Christ really in you? When I first trusted in Christ, I knew a few Bible stories including Jesus’ death and resurrection. I didn’t put my trust in the stories, but in the Savior as His Spirit drew me. Since then, I have studied His life, as well as the background information given in the Old Testament, and have found Him to be TRUE to His Word…

1. Concerning His ORIGIN: Jesus said that He came from God (John 7:16-17). In fact, He said that Abraham saw His day and was glad (John 8:56). He even called Himself by God’s name, I AM (John 8:58).
2. Concerning His MISSION: Jesus said that He only did what He saw His Father doing (I assume that He could see the Holy Spirit working in those around Him; John 5:19-20). He said that He came to be lifted up and that He would draw all people to Himself (John 12:32).
3. Concerning His PROMISE: He promised that He will come back for us (John 14:3). At the renewal of all things (Matthew 19:28), Jesus will sit on His glorious throne and judge everyone, for good or for bad (John 5:25-27, Matthew 25:31-32). Of the place of His throne and the time of His Coming, He said, “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by His own authority.” We would do well to keep our eschatology vague. He said that He was coming again, and that’s enough for me.

Want to be mature in Christ? Then develop a love for His Word, both Old and New Testaments. The Old is the foundation of the New, and the New is the fulfillment of the Old. We don’t follow the Old Covenant, but we do learn from the history and prophecies. They are what provide the background and setting for the New Covenant. For instance, Jesus’ prophecy about the separating of the sheep and the goats is grounded in Isaiah 58:6-7,

⁶ “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
    and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
    and break every yoke?
⁷ Is it not to share your food with the hungry
    and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
    and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

Jesus wants your life. Give it to Him daily by reading and studying His Word; then apply what you read through obedience. It’s the only way to grow spiritually. It is also how He spends time with us. The more we spend being obedient to His Word, the more He shares with us insights into spiritual things. It is how we become wise:

¹³ This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. 1 Corinthians 2:13

Are you ready? Let’s go! For starters, study the book of John. You may have noticed that I quoted from it extensively today. John wants us to know that Jesus is God. His book is a great place to start.

Abba, I pray for my readers that they would develop a hunger and a thirst for Your Word and for righteousness (Matthew 5:6), for You promise that You will fill us with good things of the Spirit. I’m ready, Lord. Fill me that I may know Your thoughts and see people as You see them. I want to be just like You, Jesus. Please make it so. Amen.