Good morning -
It's a truth that I'll always have trouble wrapping my mind around. It is stated with profound simplicity, but the implications are worthy of a lifetime of investigation and exploration:
"Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?" (1 Corinthians 3:16)
It's been said that there are no longer holy places, only holy people. Through the sacrifice of Jesus animal sacrifices and temple and tabernacle worship rituals are completely fulfilled and abolished. No longer is God's point of contact through a place called the Holy of Holies, but now through the very presence of His Spirit within believers. You and I have become receptacles of His amazing presence!
I sometimes wonder, however, why I don't FEEL as though I am His temple. If I'm His temple, why are my motives sometimes questionable or impure? Why am I aware of the presence of my old sinful self amidst the very dwelling place of the One who is in complete opposition to those qualities?
As the temple of God and those who "house" the Spirit of God, we're reminded: "Do not quench the Spirit" (1 Thessalonians 5:19). The presence and Spirit of God within are a flame that can grow or diminish. We each can "kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands." (2 Timothy 1:6), or we can "quench the Spirit" (1 Thessalonians 5:19): the choice is ours. By keeping in step with the Spirit of God through obedience to its work the flame can grow into a blaze, or by allowing the old nature to flourish we can diminish the flame to a mere flicker - or worse.
Daily and moment by moment we have the choice as to the fuel we feed the flame. That which is in harmony with the Spirit is like gasoline causing the flame to blaze and roar. But that which is "anti-Spirit" is like green wood which diminishes the flame and, in the most extreme case, completely extinguishes it.
The real issue is that which we respond to. Those of us who have had the Spirit within for some time now have grown accustomed to its promptings: "go here ... do this ... don't do that ... etc." When we resist the Spirit's promptings we diminish it such that it's harder to hear and respond to the next time. The cumulative effect of resisting the Spirit is that we eventually have the empty form of "religion" but are complete devoid of its power.
God's Spirit and presence within serve as an internal guidance system; a GPS unit of sorts. Through it we are prompted how to walk and where. By "locking on" to spiritual priorities, such as seeking first the kingdom and the fruit of the Spirit, we fan into flame the Spirit within.
Rejoice today in this marvelous truth: you are a temple of God and ... the Spirit of God dwells in you" Discover and explore the amazing implications for your life.
Enjoying the presence,
Pastor Steve
It's a truth that I'll always have trouble wrapping my mind around. It is stated with profound simplicity, but the implications are worthy of a lifetime of investigation and exploration:
"Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?" (1 Corinthians 3:16)
It's been said that there are no longer holy places, only holy people. Through the sacrifice of Jesus animal sacrifices and temple and tabernacle worship rituals are completely fulfilled and abolished. No longer is God's point of contact through a place called the Holy of Holies, but now through the very presence of His Spirit within believers. You and I have become receptacles of His amazing presence!
I sometimes wonder, however, why I don't FEEL as though I am His temple. If I'm His temple, why are my motives sometimes questionable or impure? Why am I aware of the presence of my old sinful self amidst the very dwelling place of the One who is in complete opposition to those qualities?
As the temple of God and those who "house" the Spirit of God, we're reminded: "Do not quench the Spirit" (1 Thessalonians 5:19). The presence and Spirit of God within are a flame that can grow or diminish. We each can "kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands." (2 Timothy 1:6), or we can "quench the Spirit" (1 Thessalonians 5:19): the choice is ours. By keeping in step with the Spirit of God through obedience to its work the flame can grow into a blaze, or by allowing the old nature to flourish we can diminish the flame to a mere flicker - or worse.
Daily and moment by moment we have the choice as to the fuel we feed the flame. That which is in harmony with the Spirit is like gasoline causing the flame to blaze and roar. But that which is "anti-Spirit" is like green wood which diminishes the flame and, in the most extreme case, completely extinguishes it.
The real issue is that which we respond to. Those of us who have had the Spirit within for some time now have grown accustomed to its promptings: "go here ... do this ... don't do that ... etc." When we resist the Spirit's promptings we diminish it such that it's harder to hear and respond to the next time. The cumulative effect of resisting the Spirit is that we eventually have the empty form of "religion" but are complete devoid of its power.
God's Spirit and presence within serve as an internal guidance system; a GPS unit of sorts. Through it we are prompted how to walk and where. By "locking on" to spiritual priorities, such as seeking first the kingdom and the fruit of the Spirit, we fan into flame the Spirit within.
Rejoice today in this marvelous truth: you are a temple of God and ... the Spirit of God dwells in you" Discover and explore the amazing implications for your life.
Enjoying the presence,
Pastor Steve
posted by steve @ 10:47 AM
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