World Renewal International
Thursday, February 14, 2008
"I've Got It!"
"I've got it! I've got it!" the baseball outfielder shouts to the rest of his team indicating that he feels he can catch the fly ball heading his way. "I will catch and possess the ball for our team. You can count on me. I've got it!"
In Dr. Dennis Kinlaw's daily devotional This Day With The Master on February 11 he asks the question "Does God's presence fill your life?" Kinlaw points to last night of Jesus' life before the cross. Jesus is praying for his disciples in John 17:17 asking God the Father to make the disciples holy. He knows the coming hours, days, weeks and months will be the most critical of their lives. He wants them ready. He wants them prepared. The disciples seemed to often feel like, "I've got it!" However, Jesus knows who and what they are and their need. Therefore He prays, "Make them pure and holy by teaching them your words of truth. As you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. I give myself entirley to you so they also might be entirely yours..I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me." NLT When it came to the "sending them into the world" he would warn them with these last instructions, "Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you what he promised...you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit." Acts 1:4 NLT
Kinlaw points at the connection between being "pure and holy" with the "give myself entirley to you." He says, "When God puts His holiness into a human heart, it does not become a human possession." He says that when we give up ourselves to God "entirely" that giving allows the "Holy One to come and dwell in us so that we begin to look like Him." However, it seems that this "dwelling" is dependant on whether or not we have given ourselves entirely to Him. He possesses us, we do not possess Him.
We humans seem so capable of taking something that seems rather simple and messing it up. The liberal theologians view on the Holy Spirit seems to be "Well, we all have the Spirit....don't we?" The Calvinist defends, "I recieved the Holy Spirit at salvation. I am fine. I've got it. Don't tell me I need more!" So often the Wesley-Arminian position seems to say, "I now have the Holy Spirit. I've got it now. I now have all that I need." The Charismatic seems to often say, "I've got the Holy Spirit and I have the spiritual gifts to prove it!" We all seem to be saying, "I've got the Spirit!" However the key to the spirit-filled life and having and maintaining his "presence" in our life seems beg the question, "Do we have Him or does He have us?
When Jesus prays, "I give myself entirely to you," he seems to be saying, "Father, you've got me! I'm yours entirely!" Kinlaw is saying that this is the only state at which "enables that person to share God's holy character." Now, I don't know about you, but I all for sharing. Do I have the Sp
irit or does He have me? Do you have the Spirit or does He have you?
Thanks for stopping by.
In Dr. Dennis Kinlaw's daily devotional This Day With The Master on February 11 he asks the question "Does God's presence fill your life?" Kinlaw points to last night of Jesus' life before the cross. Jesus is praying for his disciples in John 17:17 asking God the Father to make the disciples holy. He knows the coming hours, days, weeks and months will be the most critical of their lives. He wants them ready. He wants them prepared. The disciples seemed to often feel like, "I've got it!" However, Jesus knows who and what they are and their need. Therefore He prays, "Make them pure and holy by teaching them your words of truth. As you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. I give myself entirley to you so they also might be entirely yours..I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me." NLT When it came to the "sending them into the world" he would warn them with these last instructions, "Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you what he promised...you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit." Acts 1:4 NLT
Kinlaw points at the connection between being "pure and holy" with the "give myself entirley to you." He says, "When God puts His holiness into a human heart, it does not become a human possession." He says that when we give up ourselves to God "entirely" that giving allows the "Holy One to come and dwell in us so that we begin to look like Him." However, it seems that this "dwelling" is dependant on whether or not we have given ourselves entirely to Him. He possesses us, we do not possess Him.
We humans seem so capable of taking something that seems rather simple and messing it up. The liberal theologians view on the Holy Spirit seems to be "Well, we all have the Spirit....don't we?" The Calvinist defends, "I recieved the Holy Spirit at salvation. I am fine. I've got it. Don't tell me I need more!" So often the Wesley-Arminian position seems to say, "I now have the Holy Spirit. I've got it now. I now have all that I need." The Charismatic seems to often say, "I've got the Holy Spirit and I have the spiritual gifts to prove it!" We all seem to be saying, "I've got the Spirit!" However the key to the spirit-filled life and having and maintaining his "presence" in our life seems beg the question, "Do we have Him or does He have us?
When Jesus prays, "I give myself entirely to you," he seems to be saying, "Father, you've got me! I'm yours entirely!" Kinlaw is saying that this is the only state at which "enables that person to share God's holy character." Now, I don't know about you, but I all for sharing. Do I have the Sp
irit or does He have me? Do you have the Spirit or does He have you?Thanks for stopping by.
:: posted by Gary Wright, 12:16 PM
