| IS THE HOLY SPIRIT WELCOME HERE?
TUNE IN TONIGHT: IGNITE Radio Live! 8p (IGNITERadioLive.com)
GUESTS: Peter Herbeck | Fr. Jeff McBeth. Availing to the power of the Holy Spirit.
A favorite worship song of mine has the refrain, "Holy Spirit you are welcome here!" Of late I've been challenged. Is He really welcome here? Are the words authentic and true, from my deepest heart, or just empty, fleeting sentiments?
Each of us are a kind of "vehicle."
Mind. Heart. Gifts. Resources. The vehicle that is each of us has many great faculties. Have we ever stopped to consider "why"? Put simply, each of us have been blessed to be blessers. Everything we are, everything we've been given, is for fulfillment of His purpose.
The big question: Who's really driving? Who's in control?
If you examine every biblical example of power, authority and control you'll note that God alone gives these for one purpose alone: accomplishment of His will. He wants to drive the car. While God is omnipotent and can accomplish anything Himself, He chooses to manifest His power through us! This is why we exist. Everything we are, everything we've been given, is entrusted to our stewardship. Stewardship is exercising power we've been given for the purpose for which it is given.
And if we're honest, each of us are in the driver's seat.
Each of us are in control. White knuckles clinging to what we can calculate. Safe. Comfortable. Mesmerized by our bells, whistles and switches.
If we're honest, most of the time we're not even seeking what God wants. We're not prayerfully availing to His will in everything. We're just moving. Because we can. We spend our time working at whatever. Purchasing whatever. Committing to whatever. Speaking whatever. Thinking about whatever.
Many of us are, as Pope Benedict XVI suggested, "practical atheists." God is not in our practical lives. Our vehicle is off the road, and we're off-roading. It may be exhilarating, but that's another word for distracting. In our moments of great honesty, in our depths, we must be aware that we're incomplete. Wisdom informs us of a greatness that can not be obtained by our coordinates... by our control.
God desires so much more.
He desires all.
Don't pray for greater outpouring of the Holy Spirit. He's always pressing in with the force of a Niagara Falls of grace. Pray to recognize the obstructing junk and get it out of the way. Forgive. Because unforgiveness is like drinking poison and expecting the other to be hurt. Apologize. Because you carry the debris regardless of whatever they've done. Renounce the whispers of the Enemy. Pride. Lust. Inadequacy. Bitterness. Jealousy. Selfishness. Control. In the Name of Jesus Christ, constantly, renounce these and you will be flooded. Streams of Living Water. Filling us up and overflowing.
We're so blessed to be united with you in this great adventure of His Grace! This is what we're about... God's call to personal, marital, family, parish, regional transformation in His Son, Jesus Christ. Not another program, but a way of life in Jesus Christ.
Greg Schlueter Mass Impact | Image Trinity
REGISTER FREE NOW for Family Emmaus (August 12). An amazing journey deeper into the heart of Mass on the beautiful campus of Holy Trinity, led by awesome pastors and other missioned couples and families. GO NOW: MassImpact.us/EMMAUS
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