[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":5568},["ShallowReactive",2],{"blogPosts":3},{"data":4,"headers":5540,"perPage":5566,"total":5567},{"stories":5,"cv":5537,"rels":5538,"links":5539},[6,73,123,178,244,299,359,439,497,551,616,680,734,802,882,931,983,1043,1095,1145,1202,1290,1338,1392,1449,1501,1549,1597,1645,1693,1749,1800,1859,1918,1971,2022,2077,2129,2186,2234,2286,2348,2396,2452,2522,2569,2621,2671,2717,2773,2827,2891,2940,2996,3044,3093,3143,3192,3241,3305,3356,3404,3452,3514,3566,3611,3674,3721,3765,3818,3868,3920,3964,4006,4053,4092,4136,4184,4256,4347,4427,4471,4517,4557,4605,4657,4780,4854,4899,4971,5019,5112,5165,5204,5248,5299,5339,5380,5431,5482],{"name":7,"created_at":8,"published_at":9,"updated_at":10,"id":11,"uuid":12,"content":13,"slug":63,"full_slug":64,"sort_by_date":26,"position":65,"tag_list":66,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":69,"first_published_at":70,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":72,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Wesley's Counsel","2026-05-07T20:03:59.186Z","2026-05-07T20:12:05.547Z","2026-05-07T20:12:05.558Z",174058042160825,"4092a797-01b9-45e1-a435-ff398c9e7b10",{"tag":14,"_uid":15,"body":16,"image":56,"title":60,"excerpt":61,"component":62},[],"4cae9574-a1e3-45b3-8e5a-f7f6984b332d",[17],{"_uid":18,"component":19,"textContent":20},"9c4ce96c-3493-4ff4-b577-a495aa18c143","blogContentSection",{"type":21,"content":22},"doc",[23,31,36,41,46,51],{"type":24,"attrs":25,"content":27},"paragraph",{"textAlign":26},null,[28],{"text":29,"type":30},"Our path to Pentecost means that there is a path many have trod into this life as Jesus baptizes us with The Holy Spirit.","text",{"type":24,"attrs":32,"content":33},{"textAlign":26},[34],{"text":35,"type":30},"The terms in the New Testament of life in the Spirit begin with the matter of being “baptized.” Baptized is the initial image that teaches the matter of being cleansed and introduced to life in the Spirit. The imagery is that of coming “under” (like going under the water) the influence and power of The Holy Spirit.",{"type":24,"attrs":37,"content":38},{"textAlign":26},[39],{"text":40,"type":30},"But the New Testament introduces us to other terms about this life that began with being baptized by the Holy Spirit. I want to suggest this because life in The life in The Spirit is surely more comprehensive than simply an initial event of baptism.",{"type":24,"attrs":42,"content":43},{"textAlign":26},[44],{"text":45,"type":30},"One of the features of this life, and The Path to Pentecost, is of “walk\u002Fwalking” by the Spirit (Galatians 5:16). One is baptized into the life of The Spirit in an initial way and now we walk in the Spirit. This walk is one of learning how to walk.",{"type":24,"attrs":47,"content":48},{"textAlign":26},[49],{"text":50,"type":30},"Think of learning to walk as a child. We stumble and falter but we are learning to walk. in a same way we have been baptized with the Spirit and are now learning to walk",{"type":24,"attrs":52,"content":53},{"textAlign":26},[54],{"text":55,"type":30},"REFLECT: What is you walk like as you live in the baptism of The Spirit? Have you become frustrated as you learn to walk? Could you ask someone who has been on The Path of Pentecost for encouragement to continue walking",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":59},"","asset",{},"Learning to Walk in The Spirit","Learning","blogpost","wesley-s-counsel","blog\u002Fwesley-s-counsel",-2620,[],false,78957,"81a9b856-3925-42da-b448-2ff92276d0df","2026-05-07T20:10:57.358Z","default",[],{"name":74,"created_at":75,"published_at":76,"updated_at":77,"id":78,"uuid":79,"content":80,"slug":117,"full_slug":118,"sort_by_date":26,"position":119,"tag_list":120,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":121,"first_published_at":76,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":122,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Helper","2026-05-03T02:24:28.718Z","2026-05-03T02:29:44.182Z","2026-05-03T02:29:44.191Z",172382079939337,"4c2e6703-2a6a-49ef-9680-58187f6a78a9",{"tag":81,"_uid":82,"body":83,"image":113,"title":115,"excerpt":116,"component":62},[],"86f431e9-fd75-4825-849a-95e9cf967e97",[84],{"_uid":85,"component":19,"textContent":86},"cf704c91-6bd5-40b9-aadb-d1f8501f77b5",{"type":21,"content":87},[88,93,98,103,108],{"type":24,"attrs":89,"content":90},{"textAlign":26},[91],{"text":92,"type":30},"Truths about The Holy Spirit--Spirit of Truth",{"type":24,"attrs":94,"content":95},{"textAlign":26},[96],{"text":97,"type":30},"Jesus declared that The Holy Spirit is \"the Spirit of Truth (John 14:17).\" This identification or appellation of The Holy Spirit gives insight into The Spirit's nature. The Holy Spirit is about truth and this truth is surely about God and human nature.. This fact about truth is why Jesus says that \"the world cannot receive  the Spirit.\"",{"type":24,"attrs":99,"content":100},{"textAlign":26},[101],{"text":102,"type":30},"The world cannot \"receive\" this spirit of truth because the world in John is a system or values that are opposed to God and His Spirit. The world is not interested in the spirit of truth, especially the truth about God, ourselves, or our need for Jesus. The world and its opposition to truth is throughout the Gospel of John.",{"type":24,"attrs":104,"content":105},{"textAlign":26},[106],{"text":107,"type":30},"The great issue here is are we \"open\" to the idea of The Holy Spirit being our helper AND the spirit of truth who reveals truth to our lives? It is likely easy for us to want The Holy Spirit to be our helper in life and difficulty but more challenging to bear with The Holy Spirit as He brings truth to bear in our lives.",{"type":24,"attrs":109,"content":110},{"textAlign":26},[111],{"text":112,"type":30},"REFLECT: How open are we in  having the Spirit be truthful about our lives? How can we all be more open to this aspect of The Holy Spirit's work?",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":114},{},"The Holy Spirit--Spirit of Truth","The role of The Holy Spirit","helper","blog\u002Fhelper",-2600,[],"29d02f74-80e5-431d-b8c4-1eafeb662cf2",[],{"name":124,"created_at":125,"published_at":126,"updated_at":127,"id":128,"uuid":129,"content":130,"slug":172,"full_slug":173,"sort_by_date":26,"position":174,"tag_list":175,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":176,"first_published_at":126,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":177,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Baptized","2026-04-28T01:38:56.856Z","2026-04-28T01:41:25.611Z","2026-04-28T01:41:25.625Z",170601418217900,"fe85fd57-3072-441e-b3fd-4eefbcb5b910",{"tag":131,"_uid":132,"body":133,"image":168,"title":170,"excerpt":171,"component":62},[],"3cb49da5-7aea-4edf-892e-9b855db425cb",[134],{"_uid":135,"component":19,"textContent":136},"17f88eed-876d-4c88-947b-3c7b3507c0e6",{"type":21,"content":137},[138,143,148,153,158,163],{"type":24,"attrs":139,"content":140},{"textAlign":26},[141],{"text":142,"type":30},"The Path To Pentecost is surely to experience all of the ministry of Jesus Christ. Jesus' ministry to us surely involves the forgiveness of sin and the gift of the Holy Spirit (see John 1:29ff). There is not sense in which a follower of Jesus just experiences one of these truths.",{"type":24,"attrs":144,"content":145},{"textAlign":26},[146],{"text":147,"type":30},"But what is this matter of baptized with the Holy Spirit as part of what Jesus does? What would the original reader have thought when hearing that Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit?",{"type":24,"attrs":149,"content":150},{"textAlign":26},[151],{"text":152,"type":30},"The Jewish practice of washings is something that every observant Jew did. However, baptism was reserved for Gentile proselytes (converting to Judaism) and not practiced by observant Jews. Baptism was seen as a cleansing and an initiation rite for Gentile proselytes into the life and practice of Judaism.",{"type":24,"attrs":154,"content":155},{"textAlign":26},[156],{"text":157,"type":30},"So, the imagery John is using appears to be that Jesus will introduce and initiate a new way of life, much like a Gentile proselyte would know upon their conversion. The imagery is that of cleansing and being initiated or brought into a new life and a new life for sure.",{"type":24,"attrs":159,"content":160},{"textAlign":26},[161],{"text":162,"type":30},"It may even be said that Jesus' baptizing us with The Holy Spirit is cleansing and initiating into a new means of life. We are now given new power that is not our own to live a life that is not our own. The Spirit is surely a new power for the life of the follower of Jesus. The issue is are we humble enough to think we need to receive this new life!!",{"type":24,"attrs":164,"content":165},{"textAlign":26},[166],{"text":167,"type":30},"REFLECT: What difference or differences in the ministry of Jesus are you learning about as we are on this Path to Pentecost? What role does humility play in receiving new life from Jesus?",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":169},{},"Jesus Baptizing","Baptism and its imagery","baptized","blog\u002Fbaptized",-2580,[],"b452646c-4cea-4754-b3c7-25fbe5a29e22",[],{"name":179,"created_at":180,"published_at":181,"updated_at":182,"id":183,"uuid":184,"content":185,"slug":237,"full_slug":238,"sort_by_date":26,"position":239,"tag_list":240,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":241,"first_published_at":242,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":243,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Pentecost--April 23, 2026","2026-04-23T14:29:52.299Z","2026-04-23T14:31:47.658Z","2026-04-23T14:31:47.669Z",169021408513838,"29e5dc75-20b6-4f5e-abf3-c0b1a203ec35",{"tag":186,"_uid":187,"body":188,"image":233,"title":235,"excerpt":236,"component":62},[],"1bc3296d-be1d-4e0d-a0eb-836fd7a498c2",[189],{"_uid":190,"component":19,"textContent":191},"4e18f9e4-93d0-4aba-ab37-45f3cde987f9",{"type":21,"content":192},[193,198,203,208,213,218,223,228],{"type":24,"attrs":194,"content":195},{"textAlign":26},[196],{"text":197,"type":30},"Finished but Not Finished Yet!!!",{"type":24,"attrs":199,"content":200},{"textAlign":26},[201],{"text":202,"type":30},"This idea that before Pentecost it is surely true that Jesus finished any need of sacrifice for sin. He declared it so in John 19:30 when he employed the term \"tetelestai.\" This term that is translated \"it is finished\" was a term used in commerce to indicate that a bill had been paid in full. So, it is sure that Jesus' work on the cross made a finish for the payment of sin.",{"type":24,"attrs":204,"content":205},{"textAlign":26},[206],{"text":207,"type":30},"But, the not finished part of Jesus work was his baptizing in\u002Fby\u002Fwith The Holy Spirit. Again, this the other feature of what John the baptizer had declared was the ministry of Jesus. John's declaration of Jesus as baptizer with the Holy Spirit is surely evidenced by Jesus' interaction with one of the top religious leaders of his day: Nicodemus.",{"type":24,"attrs":209,"content":210},{"textAlign":26},[211],{"text":212,"type":30},"Jesus reveals to Nicodemus that one cannot be a part of God's kingdom unless one is born of The Spirit. Jesus is clear to reveal that The Spirit must be active in one's life for them to part of the Kingdom of God (John 3:5)",{"type":24,"attrs":214,"content":215},{"textAlign":26},[216],{"text":217,"type":30},"Think of what Jesus alleges here to a religious leader. One must be born of The Spirit not just born of a specific lineage of Abraham. God's kingdom was a kingdom of The Spirit and thereby an international, interracial reality. All who experience Jesus' baptism of the Spirit. are his followers",{"type":24,"attrs":219,"content":220},{"textAlign":26},[221],{"text":222,"type":30},"This seems to be precisely what happened on Pentecost. People were no longer members of God's kingdom because they were Abraham's children; people were members of God's kingdom because they had been born of The Spirit. In fact, it is The Spirit's renewal that made the follower's of Jesus an international experience. No longer was it diet or lineage but The Spirit of God residing in people.",{"type":24,"attrs":224,"content":225},{"textAlign":26},[226],{"text":227,"type":30},"The Gospel is for the whole world and all people.",{"type":24,"attrs":229,"content":230},{"textAlign":26},[231],{"text":232,"type":30},"REFLECT: What importance of the Holy Spirit have you heard of in your journey with Jesus? How have you seen the Spirit bring people of different backgrounds into following Jesus?",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":234},{},"Finished But Not Finished Yet","timing","pentecost-april-23-2026","blog\u002Fpentecost-april-23-2026",-2560,[],"67f09ded-c9f2-4d78-8904-ef6882eb38aa","2026-04-23T14:30:26.902Z",[],{"name":245,"created_at":246,"published_at":247,"updated_at":248,"id":249,"uuid":250,"content":251,"slug":293,"full_slug":294,"sort_by_date":26,"position":295,"tag_list":296,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":297,"first_published_at":247,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":298,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Pentecost Waiting","2026-04-13T01:44:02.686Z","2026-04-13T02:19:45.658Z","2026-04-13T02:19:45.668Z",165294254907228,"eb13046e-5353-4dc8-b433-a732076c5b58",{"tag":252,"_uid":253,"body":254,"image":289,"title":291,"excerpt":292,"component":62},[],"f93d827a-6796-4bf5-97b3-bb18c4001c81",[255],{"_uid":256,"component":19,"textContent":257},"accc419f-0794-4167-a72f-b44678311992",{"type":21,"content":258},[259,264,269,274,279,284],{"type":24,"attrs":260,"content":261},{"textAlign":26},[262],{"text":263,"type":30},"The Waiting and Learning",{"type":24,"attrs":265,"content":266},{"textAlign":26},[267],{"text":268,"type":30},"Acts 1 gives us an account of Jesus' telling his disciples to wait in Jerusalem \"for the promise of The Father.\"  But this waiting is not simply doing nothing.  Jesus spends 40 days with them.",{"type":24,"attrs":270,"content":271},{"textAlign":26},[272],{"text":273,"type":30},"In these 40 days Jesus is a present companion and shows many proofs of his being alive.  This was not vision or some apparition; this was a living breathing person. But Jesus also invests time with these followers in giving them some content by speaking of The Kingdom of God.",{"type":24,"attrs":275,"content":276},{"textAlign":26},[277],{"text":278,"type":30},"What is important to see about this time of waiting for \"the promise of The Father\"  is that Jesus gives attention to one subject.  This subject Jesus speaks about  is to The Kingdom of God.  The Kingdom of God was surely the content of Jesus' earthly ministry (parables).  And here he continues to teach and speak of this important subject.",{"type":24,"attrs":280,"content":281},{"textAlign":26},[282],{"text":283,"type":30},"What is the connection here with The Holy Spirit and The Kingdom of God?  It must be that Jesus is speaking and teaching about the Kingdom of God as a spiritual reality for all nations and not only the Jewish nation.  The Holy Spirit would be\u002Fis the presence that creates all the nations as one in this spiritual Kingdom.  This kind of Kingdom will be understood as it expands into all the world in the power of The Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8)",{"type":24,"attrs":285,"content":286},{"textAlign":26},[287],{"text":288,"type":30},"REFLECT:  How do you understand the Kingdom of God as a spiritual reality enabled by The Holy Spirit?  What kind of priority does The Kingdom of God occupy in you understanding of The Spirit's work to create a people of God?",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":290},{},"Pentecost: The Curriculum While Waiting","Jesus teaching","pentecost-waiting","blog\u002Fpentecost-waiting",-2540,[],"1fd3aea0-66df-4391-865b-b61920981217",[],{"name":300,"created_at":301,"published_at":302,"updated_at":303,"id":304,"uuid":305,"content":306,"slug":352,"full_slug":353,"sort_by_date":26,"position":354,"tag_list":355,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":356,"first_published_at":357,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":358,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Promise","2026-04-08T01:51:46.000Z","2026-04-13T01:39:35.455Z","2026-04-13T01:39:35.465Z",163526680640289,"e14f9741-12bc-4c98-a344-d8a7cdedeb80",{"tag":307,"_uid":308,"body":309,"image":349,"title":351,"excerpt":300,"component":62},[],"da5261d0-93b3-4d8c-8967-0f558a4c90bd",[310],{"_uid":311,"component":19,"textContent":312},"87b7d8d6-2986-4201-b6ae-63474fe1b08c",{"type":21,"content":313},[314,319,324,329,334,339,344],{"type":24,"attrs":315,"content":316},{"textAlign":26},[317],{"text":318,"type":30},"Goal and Promise",{"type":24,"attrs":320,"content":321},{"textAlign":26},[322],{"text":323,"type":30},"Our consideration of Pentecost in the drama of God's redemptive work now causes us to \"see\" it as a final feature. But what does it location as a final feature tell us about it?",{"type":24,"attrs":325,"content":326},{"textAlign":26},[327],{"text":328,"type":30},"It appears that Pentecost is the culmination of God's drama of redemption. I say that because Jesus' word (Acts 1:4-5) to his followers after Easter and his resurrection is \"wait.\" This seems incredible. Jesus has been raised from he dead and yet his counsel is \"wait!.\" What? Yes, even with all that has wondrously happened, his specific instruction is to wait.",{"type":24,"attrs":330,"content":331},{"textAlign":26},[332],{"text":333,"type":30},"But for what are they to wait? What else needs to take place since Jesus has paid for the sins of the world and has been raised from the dead, thereby defeating death? Jesus tells them to wait \"for the promise of the father (Acts 1:4).\"",{"type":24,"attrs":335,"content":336},{"textAlign":26},[337],{"text":338,"type":30},"The promise of the Father is a phrase that must have been something that these observant Jewish men understood. What would \"the promise of the Father\" refer? The promise of the Father was in fact the promise of God's Spirit to be poured out (see verses in Reflect from yesterday) that is found in many passages of the Hebrew Bible.",{"type":24,"attrs":340,"content":341},{"textAlign":26},[342],{"text":343,"type":30},"This waiting for Pentecost suggests that the drama of redemption is not yet finished and there is one more event to take place.",{"type":24,"attrs":345,"content":346},{"textAlign":26},[347],{"text":348,"type":30},"REFLECT; Consider what place Pentecost has in your understanding and experience of living for Jesus? Do you \"see\" Pentecost as an essential promise the Father has made to you?",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":350},{},"Pentecost:  Goal and Promise","promise","blog\u002Fpromise",-2520,[],"c4213100-3a38-414d-90b1-e5f93830e5b6","2026-04-08T01:54:31.378Z",[],{"name":360,"created_at":361,"published_at":362,"updated_at":363,"id":364,"uuid":365,"content":366,"slug":432,"full_slug":433,"sort_by_date":26,"position":434,"tag_list":435,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":436,"first_published_at":437,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":438,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Pentecost","2026-04-06T20:36:09.589Z","2026-04-13T01:40:12.678Z","2026-04-13T01:40:12.694Z",163095222727192,"27733bd8-8c0a-4577-81ba-d85b27e06903",{"tag":367,"_uid":368,"body":369,"image":428,"title":430,"excerpt":431,"component":62},[],"82d06cf6-50b5-4305-b00a-8a7eeef121fc",[370],{"_uid":371,"component":19,"textContent":372},"d32a6547-5589-495a-b427-232e7ada3ed5",{"type":21,"content":373},[374,379,409,414,419],{"type":24,"attrs":375,"content":376},{"textAlign":26},[377],{"text":378,"type":30},"Easter To Pentecost",{"type":24,"attrs":380,"content":381},{"textAlign":26},[382,384,389,391,395,397,401,403,407],{"text":383,"type":30},"There are ",{"text":385,"type":30,"marks":386},"3 great \"movements\"",[387],{"type":388},"bold",{"text":390,"type":30}," in the drama of God's redemption through Jesus Christ in the world and each have their own significance and importance. The ",{"text":392,"type":30,"marks":393},"1st ",[394],{"type":388},{"text":396,"type":30},"movement of Christmas surely has the importance of God being \"with us\" (Immanuel). The ",{"text":398,"type":30,"marks":399},"2nd ",[400],{"type":388},{"text":402,"type":30},"movement of Easter has the importance of Jesus taking our place in the removal of sin as God \"for us.\" And the ",{"text":404,"type":30,"marks":405},"3rd",[406],{"type":388},{"text":408,"type":30}," movement of Pentecost and the bestowing of The Holy Spirit as God \"in us.\"",{"type":24,"attrs":410,"content":411},{"textAlign":26},[412],{"text":413,"type":30},"In celebrating Christmas there is the tradition of taking time to prepare one's heart through the practice of Advent. In celebrating Easter there is the tradition of taking time to prepare one's heart through the practice of Lent. But what is the tradition of the time after Easter as Christians prepare to celebrate Pentecost?",{"type":24,"attrs":415,"content":416},{"textAlign":26},[417],{"text":418,"type":30},"In the liturgical tradition there is surely the acknowledgment of the time between Easter and Pentecost: Paschal Time. These are days of prolonging the joy of Easter Sunday and looking forward to Pentecost.",{"type":24,"attrs":420,"content":421},{"textAlign":26},[422,426],{"text":423,"type":30,"marks":424},"APPLY:",[425],{"type":388},{"text":427,"type":30}," How can we take this space to prepare our hearts for Pentecost. How about a Bible reading plan that incorporates with your regular readings Ezekiel 11:14ff, 36:22-27; Joel 2; the Gospel accounts of Jesus after resurrection; John 14:15ff, John 15:25-16:15 and Acts 1.",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":429},{},"Pentecost: 3rd and Final Movement in Salvation History","Redemptive History","pentecost","blog\u002Fpentecost",-2500,[],"e275ea53-9a75-4e38-be3e-e298a4459cf3","2026-04-06T20:39:28.681Z",[],{"name":440,"created_at":441,"published_at":442,"updated_at":443,"id":444,"uuid":445,"content":446,"slug":491,"full_slug":492,"sort_by_date":26,"position":493,"tag_list":494,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":495,"first_published_at":442,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":496,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Fascinating Connection","2026-03-03T20:36:27.234Z","2026-03-03T21:17:26.956Z","2026-03-03T21:17:26.966Z",151062885367561,"a210ddb0-51f9-4973-8195-36978f244225",{"tag":447,"_uid":448,"body":449,"image":488,"title":440,"excerpt":490,"component":62},[],"be4f7abb-5cd3-4c23-a702-436db954915d",[450],{"_uid":451,"component":19,"textContent":452},"664de493-b706-4c4e-9edc-40d167820356",{"type":21,"content":453},[454,459,464,469,474,479],{"type":24,"attrs":455,"content":456},{"textAlign":26},[457],{"text":458,"type":30},"A Fascinating and Important Connection",{"type":24,"attrs":460,"content":461},{"textAlign":26},[462],{"text":463,"type":30},"In Acts 9, Saul has been given authority to find people who are associated\u002F\u002Fbelong to \"the Way\" and bring them \"bound to Jerusalem.\"  This early identification of the follower's of Jesus is surely because Jesus declares himself as \"the way\" to the father.  And now, a campaign of persecution begins.",{"type":24,"attrs":465,"content":466},{"textAlign":26},[467],{"text":468,"type":30},"In this project where  Saul captures and  brings people to Jerusalem he  has an amazing and life-changing experience.  As he travels he experiences a light from heaven that was discernible as different from the sun and heard a voice from heaven speak directly to him.",{"type":24,"attrs":470,"content":471},{"textAlign":26},[472],{"text":473,"type":30},"Saul hears a specific message from this voice (as do his companions: Acts 9:7) that is addressed only to him .  Th voice asks a question: \"Saul, why are you persecuting me?\"  This is a fascinating and curious question.  How is it that Saul is persecuting Jesus?",{"type":24,"attrs":475,"content":476},{"textAlign":26},[477],{"text":478,"type":30},"It is CLEAR that Jesus declares that as Saul is persecuting those who are his followers that Saul is persecuting Jesus.  There is a fascinating connection in how Saul is treating the follower's of Jesus and how he is treating Jesus.  Do we acknowledge this fascinating connection when we consider how we might be treating other follower's of Jesus?  This is a serious question!!",{"type":24,"attrs":480,"content":481},{"textAlign":26},[482,486],{"text":483,"type":30,"marks":484},"APPLICATION: ",[485],{"type":388},{"text":487,"type":30},"How should this truth affect the way we relate and treat other follower's of Jesus?  ",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":489},{},"Jesus and His followers","fascinating-connection","blog\u002Ffascinating-connection",-2440,[],"1546ec03-e907-4fa6-bf88-5d6728ce681b",[],{"name":498,"created_at":499,"published_at":500,"updated_at":501,"id":502,"uuid":503,"content":504,"slug":545,"full_slug":546,"sort_by_date":26,"position":547,"tag_list":548,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":549,"first_published_at":500,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":550,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Acts 9","2026-01-22T20:28:28.427Z","2026-01-22T20:51:01.400Z","2026-01-22T20:51:01.413Z",136905148189018,"868e7b23-1aa9-4867-9500-e63cb14fa53f",{"tag":505,"_uid":506,"body":507,"image":542,"title":544,"excerpt":544,"component":62},[],"20c4c911-0e4d-49bf-9ad6-7d12b39c2845",[508],{"_uid":509,"component":19,"textContent":510},"8fd04202-e71a-4587-b8cc-f6c378ba5b6d",{"type":21,"content":511},[512,517,522,527,532,537],{"type":24,"attrs":513,"content":514},{"textAlign":26},[515],{"text":516,"type":30},"The Learning that results in living The Way",{"type":24,"attrs":518,"content":519},{"textAlign":26},[520],{"text":521,"type":30},"In Acts 9 It is a curious fact that the follower's of Jesus were identified in very descriptive ways.  These ways give a good deal of content",{"type":24,"attrs":523,"content":524},{"textAlign":26},[525],{"text":526,"type":30},"The first way the follower's of Jesus are described are, \"disciples.\"  This term means one who is a pupil or learner of a teacher or leader.  It is clear that the early follower's of Jesus and those around them knew that their lives were characterized as those who were learning about the teachings and practices of Jesus.",{"type":24,"attrs":528,"content":529},{"textAlign":26},[530],{"text":531,"type":30},"However, this term, disciple, is not unique to Jesus.  Centuries before Jesus there were disciples of Socrates and Pythagoras.  There were people who gathered others to themselves to learn of the teacher or leaders beliefs and practices.  Jesus did this very thing for those who followed him as their teacher.  This is surely true of those who walked with him in his earthly ministry but now also those who have learned about him and now learning about him.",{"type":24,"attrs":533,"content":534},{"textAlign":26},[535],{"text":536,"type":30},"Another way the follower's of Jesus were identified in Acts 9 is that they were people who belonged to \"The Way.\"  This suggests that there was some understanding that those who were learners and pupils of Jesus also adopted a lifestyle that could be identified as \"The Way.\"  The beliefs that people learned found expression in their lives so much that they were identified as people of \"The Way.\"  This is a dynamic understanding of the life of early believers and followers of Jesus",{"type":24,"attrs":538,"content":539},{"textAlign":26},[540],{"text":541,"type":30},"APPLICATION:  What is it in your and my life that demonstrates that in our learning and being a pupil of Jesus manifest itself in the \"way\" we live?  How have we made belief in Jesus an end in itself that has little in the \"way\" people live?  ",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":543},{},"The Way","acts-9","blog\u002Facts-9",-2420,[],"6818269d-f098-46e3-b1ac-4e53e596faec",[],{"name":544,"created_at":552,"published_at":553,"updated_at":554,"id":555,"uuid":556,"content":557,"slug":610,"full_slug":611,"sort_by_date":26,"position":612,"tag_list":613,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":614,"first_published_at":553,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":615,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"2025-12-11T16:06:16.110Z","2025-12-11T18:39:08.846Z","2025-12-11T18:39:08.870Z",121977143878628,"0c1fb14e-ce57-4c65-84aa-10c71d40388e",{"tag":558,"_uid":559,"body":560,"image":606,"title":608,"excerpt":609,"component":62},[],"6c212101-f7d8-4f81-993d-1a49082b5abe",[561],{"_uid":562,"component":19,"textContent":563},"0d81fe9f-1b71-4840-98da-f4fa1989164b",{"type":21,"content":564},[565,570,575,580,585,590,595,604],{"type":24,"attrs":566,"content":567},{"textAlign":26},[568],{"text":569,"type":30},"Labels....",{"type":24,"attrs":571,"content":572},{"textAlign":26},[573],{"text":574,"type":30},"It is interesting how we at times identify people by some label that is indicative of who one is.  We say,  \"he\u002Fshe is an introvert,\" or he\u002Fshe is a calming presence.  We seem to have a way of identifying people by their actions or commitments.",{"type":24,"attrs":576,"content":577},{"textAlign":26},[578],{"text":579,"type":30},"In Acts 9 we read the account of people where 2 labels are used that identify them as the targets of Saul (who would become Paul).   Each is a description of an aspect of being associated with Jesus of Nazareth.",{"type":24,"attrs":581,"content":582},{"textAlign":26},[583],{"text":584,"type":30},"Today, the \"label\" used for many is \"Christian.\"  But this was not the case in this text, nor the early days of The Church until Acts 11.  Curiously enough the label \"Christian\" was given to these people associated with Jesus of Nazareth by others and not themselves. ",{"type":24,"attrs":586,"content":587},{"textAlign":26},[588],{"text":589,"type":30},"The term that was used regularly and found in this text is \"disciple\" which is understood as learner of pupil.  This term\u002Flabel was not uniquely restricted for religious use.  It was a term used throughout the ancient world for those who sought to learn from a teacher or craftsman centuries before the advent of Jesus.  There were disciples of Plato, disciples of craftsmen, etc.",{"type":24,"attrs":591,"content":592},{"textAlign":26},[593],{"text":594,"type":30},"So, in the beginning of those who we have come to call  Christians was the term of \"disciple\u002Fpupil of Jesus.\"  This generic term meant a person who sought to learn from Jesus and his teachings for life.  This label is descriptive of an approach to life",{"type":24,"attrs":596,"content":597},{"textAlign":26},[598,602],{"text":599,"type":30,"marks":600},"REFLECT",[601],{"type":388},{"text":603,"type":30},":  How would others \"label\" you and I?  Is it obvious to others that we are committed to being a pupil\u002F\u002Fdisciple of Jesus and His way of life?",{"type":24,"attrs":605},{"textAlign":26},{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":607},{},"What would it be for you?","More than just belief.....The Way","the-way","blog\u002Fthe-way",-2400,[],"01defa14-042e-4083-a0f1-931279babcb5",[],{"name":617,"created_at":618,"published_at":619,"updated_at":620,"id":621,"uuid":622,"content":623,"slug":674,"full_slug":675,"sort_by_date":26,"position":676,"tag_list":677,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":678,"first_published_at":619,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":679,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"A Receptive Person","2025-12-02T20:44:59.612Z","2025-12-02T21:24:32.852Z","2025-12-02T21:24:32.862Z",118860593652974,"acceb82a-8e11-4c1d-846d-c372d4043ae0",{"tag":624,"_uid":625,"body":626,"image":671,"title":617,"excerpt":673,"component":62},[],"869c66e8-7e02-40eb-8905-8bc4b43bc72c",[627],{"_uid":628,"component":19,"textContent":629},"1fbb9e16-860d-4b67-b501-b1d43bac4f0c",{"type":21,"content":630},[631,636,641,646,651,656,661,669],{"type":24,"attrs":632,"content":633},{"textAlign":26},[634],{"text":635,"type":30},"In our continuing look into Acts after Pentecost I find a few more details about Phillip's ministry important to note.  I note particularly the direction of The Angel of The Lord as important or at least instructive.",{"type":24,"attrs":637,"content":638},{"textAlign":26},[639],{"text":640,"type":30},"It is important to note that The Angel of The Lord directed Phillip to a place where there was a man who was already reading The Hebrew Scriptures.  This was a man who had interest in The Hebrew Scriptures even if he did not have a clear understanding of what he was reading.  It is clear to me that The Angel sent Phillip to a very receptive person.",{"type":24,"attrs":642,"content":643},{"textAlign":26},[644],{"text":645,"type":30},"This single feature interests me and causes me to reflect on my own ministry practices.  Am I attentive enough to God's direction to know what is going around me?  Do I overlook some of the people who are the closest to me?  There is a principle of proximity and receptivity here.",{"type":24,"attrs":647,"content":648},{"textAlign":26},[649],{"text":650,"type":30},"It reminds me of Jesus' words about The Holy Spirit's work in witness.  Jesus declared that the work of witness will begin in Jerusalem , Judea, Samaria, and then the whole world (Acts 1:8).  In other words, the work of witness begins with those closest to us (Jerusalem).   The work of witness began with those close to the follower's of Jesus.",{"type":24,"attrs":652,"content":653},{"textAlign":26},[654],{"text":655,"type":30},"Have you given much thought to the receptive people that might already around you?  And here I am speaking of a receptivity to you as a person.  This is someone with whom you have some level of relationship.  What about family members, work associates, people in your neighborhood, clubs or associations in which you participate?",{"type":24,"attrs":657,"content":658},{"textAlign":26},[659],{"text":660,"type":30},"I think it is a particular challenge for all of us to pay attention to people who might be receptive to us.  Have you considered giving intentional effort to develop relationships with those already in close proximity and have some level of receptivity to you?",{"type":24,"attrs":662,"content":663},{"textAlign":26},[664,667],{"text":599,"type":30,"marks":665},[666],{"type":388},{"text":668,"type":30},":  Can you name a couple of people in your life that may not know Jesus and you could begin to pray for them by name?  Would you be willing to have The Holy Spirit help you identify receptive people in your life?",{"type":24,"attrs":670},{"textAlign":26},{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":672},{},"The Ethiopian ","a-receptive-person","blog\u002Fa-receptive-person",-2380,[],"16edf1b5-352d-4c9d-86dd-29bcea886d31",[],{"name":681,"created_at":682,"published_at":683,"updated_at":684,"id":685,"uuid":686,"content":687,"slug":728,"full_slug":729,"sort_by_date":26,"position":730,"tag_list":731,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":732,"first_published_at":683,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":733,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Supernatural and Natural","2025-11-06T17:21:06.961Z","2025-11-06T18:08:16.340Z","2025-11-06T18:08:16.361Z",109609234321135,"bf6cdfba-ce92-4d52-86eb-3e352372104d",{"tag":688,"_uid":689,"body":690,"image":725,"title":681,"excerpt":727,"component":62},[],"3c283bc3-7b56-47c0-9e83-a93a410f9772",[691],{"_uid":692,"component":19,"textContent":693},"1856ba34-3f4c-4521-bfa7-1868e2a7a309",{"type":21,"content":694},[695,700,705,710,715,720],{"type":24,"attrs":696,"content":697},{"textAlign":26},[698],{"text":699,"type":30},"In the last blog the story of Philip (Acts 8) reveals supernatural guidance and what appears to be supernatural transport.  One cannot read this story and not be moved to some degree about God's supernatual action in the conversion of this leader from Ethiopia.",{"type":24,"attrs":701,"content":702},{"textAlign":26},[703],{"text":704,"type":30},"But one should not miss, in the midst of all this supernatural experience (angel and The Holy Spirit),  that a very natural matter also happened.  A very natural thing occurs.",{"type":24,"attrs":706,"content":707},{"textAlign":26},[708],{"text":709,"type":30},"Philip having been directed supernaturally to join this man's chariot asks a question: \"do you understand what you are reading?\"  Think of this. Philip is just asking a common question about what this man is reading.  This simple question begins the process of this man being a follower of Jesus.",{"type":24,"attrs":711,"content":712},{"textAlign":26},[713],{"text":714,"type":30},"Do we, at times, think that ministry is always about supernatural matters?  Or, do we, at times, think that ministry is always about natural matters.  The fact of this incident in Acts 8 seems to suggest that it is both.  Philip is surely directed supernaturally to meet this man but the interaction sees very natural  by simply asking of a question.",{"type":24,"attrs":716,"content":717},{"textAlign":26},[718],{"text":719,"type":30},"This reminds me of the ministry of Jesus who asked questions of those who heard him or challenged him.  He knew the power of questions as a natural way of engaging people.  I would also suggest that questions also can \"make room\" for the supernatural work of The Holy Spirit. So Jesus' ministry and the ministry of Philip have both supernatural and natural elements",{"type":24,"attrs":721,"content":722},{"textAlign":26},[723],{"text":724,"type":30},"REFLECT:  Is your ministry perhaps limited by emphasizing one of these 2 (supernatural and natural)?  What role do questions have in your interaction with people?",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":726},{},"Importance of Both","supernatural-and-natural","blog\u002Fsupernatural-and-natural",-2360,[],"4e309906-8899-4f88-b6ca-140850228324",[],{"name":735,"created_at":736,"published_at":737,"updated_at":738,"id":739,"uuid":740,"content":741,"slug":795,"full_slug":796,"sort_by_date":26,"position":797,"tag_list":798,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":799,"first_published_at":800,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":801,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"After Pentecost","2025-10-27T21:05:59.608Z","2025-10-28T21:01:28.066Z","2025-10-28T21:01:28.080Z",106125556199522,"cf120f23-3116-4035-82f6-85ee7c0ce49e",{"tag":742,"_uid":743,"body":744,"image":791,"title":793,"excerpt":794,"component":62},[],"374caa0d-91fa-4cd6-9d07-59ccc7c8cfa0",[745],{"_uid":746,"component":19,"textContent":747},"3f12dac1-4ff2-45e9-a7f5-6375fbf23761",{"type":21,"content":748},[749,756,761,766,771,776,781,786],{"type":24,"attrs":750,"content":751},{"textAlign":26},[752],{"text":753,"type":30,"marks":754},"An Angel , The Holy Spirit, and a new believer in Jesus",[755],{"type":388},{"type":24,"attrs":757,"content":758},{"textAlign":26},[759],{"text":760,"type":30},"There are some incredible accounts in the book of Acts as it relates to supernatural activity.  None more incredible than the amount in Acts 8 and Philip.",{"type":24,"attrs":762,"content":763},{"textAlign":26},[764],{"text":765,"type":30},"Philip, in Acts 8, has been in Samaria and been part of an expanding witness to the resurrection of Jesus.  Philip's ministry was accompanied by \"signs that he diid\" that involved healing of paralyzed people.   What an incredible ministry for one who was introduced a few chapters earlier in helping to serve food to the widows of the expanding fellowship",{"type":24,"attrs":767,"content":768},{"textAlign":26},[769],{"text":770,"type":30},"However, Philip's ministry in Samaria is followed by what can only be understood as a supernatural visitation by and \"an angel of the Lord.\"  This angel gives Philip directions to leave where he is and go to a road that leads south to Gaza.....a town that has been in our news for the last couple of years.  ",{"type":24,"attrs":772,"content":773},{"textAlign":26},[774],{"text":775,"type":30},"Philip responds to these very general instructions, albeit from an angel , and leaves for Gaza.  With these general instructions Philip observes a chariot on the road....not something unusual.  But here is where it gets even more interesting and unusual.",{"type":24,"attrs":777,"content":778},{"textAlign":26},[779],{"text":780,"type":30},"The Scriptures reveal that now \"The Spirit\" (Holy Spirit) gives Philip very specific instruction to \"go over and join the chariot (8:29).\"  This Philip does, and the story continues to where the occupant of the chariot, an official  from Ethiopia, is brought to faith in Jesus.",{"type":24,"attrs":782,"content":783},{"textAlign":26},[784],{"text":785,"type":30},"One person on a road becomes a believer in Jesus because of supernatural direction.  Wow.",{"type":24,"attrs":787,"content":788},{"textAlign":26},[789],{"text":790,"type":30},"REFLECT:  What does this \"tell\" us about the value of 1 person when we see the supernatural directions given?  Have you even sensed that you were receiving supernatural direction or wisdom in a ministry context?  ",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":792},{},"Supernatural Direction","An Angel, the Holy Spirit, and a new believer in Jesus","after-pentecost","blog\u002Fafter-pentecost",-2340,[],"e703deb8-f9d8-4600-bc42-4a5794b12b41","2025-10-28T20:41:54.612Z",[],{"name":803,"created_at":804,"published_at":805,"updated_at":806,"id":807,"uuid":808,"content":809,"slug":876,"full_slug":877,"sort_by_date":26,"position":878,"tag_list":879,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":880,"first_published_at":805,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":881,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Amazed Then Admonished","2025-09-30T20:30:11.452Z","2025-10-01T14:50:06.000Z","2025-10-01T14:52:13.616Z",96561608570604,"3259952b-bfd4-4737-b2fe-8cdabb711db8",{"tag":810,"_uid":811,"body":812,"image":873,"title":803,"excerpt":875,"component":62},[],"0e9691ec-78fc-4a00-a15b-1863c840b3d2",[813],{"_uid":814,"component":19,"textContent":815},"5e559519-6802-494b-8ebc-34140049b235",{"type":21,"content":816},[817,822,827,832,837,842,853,863,868],{"type":24,"attrs":818,"content":819},{"textAlign":26},[820],{"text":821,"type":30},"Amazed and Then Admonished",{"type":24,"attrs":823,"content":824},{"textAlign":26},[825],{"text":826,"type":30},"In my continued blog about \"After Pentecost\" there is a curious story about a man who amazed everyone but was severely admonished.",{"type":24,"attrs":828,"content":829},{"textAlign":26},[830],{"text":831,"type":30},"Simon the magician is the story of a man in Acts 8. The story is that this man \"amazed\" the people of Samaria for a long time (Acts 8:9, 11) with his magic.  He amazed others but upon seeing the ministry of Jesus Christ he found himself amazed.",{"type":24,"attrs":833,"content":834},{"textAlign":26},[835],{"text":836,"type":30},"Simon's amazement caused him to be baptized and to follow Philip around as he was amazed at the signs and miracles being done.  The Bible tells us that exorcism of unclean spirits and physical healing occurred that surely would amaze anyone.",{"type":24,"attrs":838,"content":839},{"textAlign":26},[840],{"text":841,"type":30},"All is well to this point.  But when the apostles from Jerusalem came to Samaria and began to pray and \"lay hands\" on the people there was an amazing event: The Holy Spirit \"fell\" on them.  This must have been an amazing sight., so much that Simon offered the apostles money for the \"power\" to bestow The Holy Spirit to \"anyone on whom I lay my hands (8:19).\"",{"type":24,"attrs":843,"content":844},{"textAlign":26},[845,847,851],{"text":846,"type":30},"This request is immediately met with a most serious admonishment and rebuke from Peter.  Peter gives no quarter to this kind of thinking and declares that Simon should repent and pray that God, ",{"text":848,"type":30,"marks":849},"if possible",[850],{"type":388},{"text":852,"type":30},", forgive him.  This is a serious and frightening admonishment.  ",{"type":24,"attrs":854,"content":855},{"textAlign":26},[856,858,861],{"text":857,"type":30},"What a statement, \"",{"text":848,"type":30,"marks":859},[860],{"type":388},{"text":862,"type":30},",\" to a person who has been baptized by one of the 7 deacons, full of The Holy Spirit and wisdom,\" (Acts 6). Can this failure of heart and motive be true of someone who underwent baptism?",{"type":24,"attrs":864,"content":865},{"textAlign":26},[866],{"text":867,"type":30},"A question that one might ask from this story is whether amazement, by itself, enables one to genuinely repent and have new life in Jesus?  Is this a story to show that amazement is not enough to bring the change of heart?",{"type":24,"attrs":869,"content":870},{"textAlign":26},[871],{"text":872,"type":30},"REFLECT:  Have I sought amazement or real change in my experience with Jesus?",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":874},{},"Simon The Magician","amazed-then-admonished","blog\u002Famazed-then-admonished",-2320,[],"441bb223-9174-4a8d-a962-56f93c0071e3",[],{"name":883,"created_at":884,"published_at":885,"updated_at":886,"id":887,"uuid":888,"content":889,"slug":925,"full_slug":926,"sort_by_date":26,"position":927,"tag_list":928,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":929,"first_published_at":885,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":930,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Change that involves loss","2025-08-28T19:38:11.494Z","2025-08-29T16:09:16.039Z","2025-08-29T16:09:16.056Z",84870314018941,"a779fb72-9fb8-41f6-8316-91631b4293b6",{"tag":890,"_uid":891,"body":892,"image":921,"title":923,"excerpt":924,"component":62},[],"fdbed981-0d80-4387-8b0d-5f6a4acbe371",[893],{"_uid":894,"component":19,"textContent":895},"85cce1d7-00ae-48fb-a83c-4ea6cd2e0f0a",{"type":21,"content":896},[897,901,905,909,913,917],{"type":24,"content":898},[899],{"text":900,"type":30},"The response to change that involves loss.",{"type":24,"content":902},[903],{"text":904,"type":30},"You have likely heard that people resist change.  This is only partially true.  People resist change when there is loss involved.  For instance, if your boss told you that you were going to receive a 20% raise and 5 more days of vacation, it would be unlikely that you would resist this change.  No, you see, people resist change when there is some loss involved such as losing salary or vacation days.",{"type":24,"content":906},[907],{"text":908,"type":30},"This truth of resisting change when loss is involved seems to be what is occurring in Acts 6.  The people and leaders of Jerusalem cannot \"withstand the wisdom and The Spirit\" of a follower of Jesus: Stephen.  Nor can they deny the \"great wonders and signs among the people.\"  So, some of the members of \"the synagogue of the Freedmen\" rise up and \"instigated men\" to lie about Stephen.  They are able to also 'stir up the people, elders and the scribes so as to bring him to the council.  Instead of accepting this change, which is likely to create loss of authority and status, they conspire to kill Stephen.",{"type":24,"content":910},[911],{"text":912,"type":30},"Stephens defense of himself is unassailable but the people and the religious leaders have him driven out of Jerusalem and kill him.  They could not accept that there was a change that would mean the loss of their authority and status as religious leaders or a religious system that is being changed by Jesus as Messiah.",{"type":24,"content":914},[915],{"text":916,"type":30},"What is so shocking about this are the tactics of religious people in their opposition to loss.  Is it possible that even religious people could be this deceptive when facing loss?  It is a sad fact that religious leaders and people have done terrible things to \"save\" their position.  They are unwilling to change because there will be some loss.",{"type":24,"content":918},[919],{"text":920,"type":30},"REFLECT:  How have you seen religious people be unwilling to change simply because it will mean loss in their position or practices?  Are we willing to admit that we resist change because of some loss that may be personal?  ",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":922},{},"Change That Involves Loss","When change is resisted","change-that-involves-loss","blog\u002Fchange-that-involves-loss",-2300,[],"aa94807a-bc77-4f54-b7f4-87bfd13e1972",[],{"name":932,"created_at":933,"published_at":934,"updated_at":935,"id":936,"uuid":937,"content":938,"slug":977,"full_slug":978,"sort_by_date":26,"position":979,"tag_list":980,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":981,"first_published_at":934,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":982,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Not Everyone is Happy","2025-08-19T21:04:24.984Z","2025-08-20T14:34:27.413Z","2025-08-20T14:56:32.766Z",81706455020056,"ff4b52f3-0c6c-4e64-a3b7-3f6e895c6e36",{"tag":939,"_uid":940,"body":941,"image":974,"title":932,"excerpt":976,"component":62},[],"d20edd89-1ba7-4bbd-b92c-56cba9d9e165",[942],{"_uid":943,"component":19,"textContent":944},"650dd943-759e-4491-a3a1-ea8daeadb757",{"type":21,"content":945},[946,950,954,958,962,966,970],{"type":24,"content":947},[948],{"text":949,"type":30},"Not everyone is happy",{"type":24,"content":951},[952],{"text":953,"type":30},"With the apostles appointing leaders to take care of the daily distribution of food to the widows it would appear that things are now back in order.  In addition Luke tells us that a man named Stephen is going \"great wonders and signs among the people.\"",{"type":24,"content":955},[956],{"text":957,"type":30},"One would think that this new community and these \"wonders and signs\" would have everyone in awe and joy.  But that is not the case.  There are religious leaders who are in great opposition to this new community.  This opposition has been previously seen and is recorded in Acts 5 and now in Acts 6.  Both episodes of opposition lead to arrest (Acts 4) and the death of Stephen (Acts 6) is because of their performing \"wonders and signs\" (Acts 5:12 & Acts 6:8).",{"type":24,"content":959},[960],{"text":961,"type":30},"What a curious thing to happen as people see obvious \"signs and wonders.\"  Wouldn't you think that these signs and wonders would give pause to the religious leaders and their opposition to these people?  Apparently not!  The religious leaders seem to be unable to be humble enough to consider that God is doing something here.",{"type":24,"content":963},[964],{"text":965,"type":30},"These religious leaders seem to have rejected the humble counsel of Gamaliel (Acts5:34ff).  He said that they should practice a \"wait and see\" attitude about all these happenings because if it is NOT from God it will fail and if it IS from God yo will find yourself opposing God.  ",{"type":24,"content":967},[968],{"text":969,"type":30},"Maybe Gamaliel's approach to things with which we are not familiar or uncomfortable is a reasonable and humble approach.  It is an unhealthy approach to our lives to think God must always operate in ways that we have determined or by our religious tradition.  I know this may seem a bit scary but it surely is a humble approach to life.",{"type":24,"content":971},[972],{"text":973,"type":30},"REFLECT:  How have we put God \"in a box\" as it relates to His work in the world?  This is not a call to be gullible; It is a call to be humble and see if what is occurring is in fact God.  Take Gamaliel's advice.",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":975},{},"Conflict","not-everyone-is-happy","blog\u002Fnot-everyone-is-happy",-2280,[],"8621cb01-b5b4-4210-b468-28314b44ef32",[],{"name":984,"created_at":985,"published_at":986,"updated_at":987,"id":988,"uuid":989,"content":990,"slug":1036,"full_slug":1037,"sort_by_date":26,"position":1038,"tag_list":1039,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":1040,"first_published_at":1041,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":1042,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Another Prioirty","2025-08-12T18:49:07.532Z","2025-08-13T15:51:33.925Z","2025-08-13T15:51:33.937Z",79195945144839,"e6e5569e-c608-4016-bc1a-586bc20ba13c",{"tag":991,"_uid":992,"body":993,"image":1032,"title":1034,"excerpt":1035,"component":62},[],"cdf9d646-0bc3-43fc-ab27-eb5cad8de168",[994],{"_uid":995,"component":19,"textContent":996},"ca8c3d36-682c-42af-98d3-4fcf698e2732",{"type":21,"content":997},[998,1002,1006,1010,1014,1018,1022],{"type":24,"content":999},[1000],{"text":1001,"type":30},"Priorities for Leaders (2)",{"type":24,"content":1003},[1004],{"text":1005,"type":30},"In my last blog I wrote about the challenge the early follower's of Jesus faced after Pentecost.  There was the huge increase in people who believed and then the need to meet very practical needs of a \"daily distribution (6:1).\"  This \"distribution\" is clearly for the widows in this new fellowship.  However the general meaning of the term is \"service.\"  This daily \"service\" is likely to the entire group as well.",{"type":24,"content":1007},[1008],{"text":1009,"type":30},"In the midst of this the apostles find themselves engaged in this work of distribution and know that there needs to be some change (see earlier blogs).  The apostles identify 2 priorities that they must pursue instead of being part of the \"daily distribution:\"  prayer and the ministry of the Word of God (see vss. 2 and 4).",{"type":24,"content":1011},[1012],{"text":1013,"type":30},"The \"ministry of the Word.\"  What would this be?  It surely is that the Word of God must be proclaimed about the life and ministry of Jesus.  But it might interest you to know that the word \"preaching\" that is in the ESV in verse 2 is NOT in the Greek text.  The translators inserted it to give some definition to this term and that it appears in the text of Acts that preaching and giving witness to Jesus is surely a feature of \"ministry of the Word.\" ",{"type":24,"content":1015},[1016],{"text":1017,"type":30},"The Apostles are surely \"clear-eyed\" on what their energy was to be placed.  There are many things occurring but the \"ministry of the Word\" was clearly their priority in the midst of this growing community.",{"type":24,"content":1019},[1020],{"text":1021,"type":30},"I am impressed by this clarity of purpose.  These early leaders knew what was important and gave their energy to such.",{"type":24,"content":1023},[1024,1026,1030],{"text":1025,"type":30},"REFLECT:  How would evaluate your personal priority of \"the ministry of The Word\" in your life or ministry?  What can you do to make \"the Word\" a priority in your life and ministry.  You ",{"text":1027,"type":30,"marks":1028},"could",[1029],{"type":388},{"text":1031,"type":30}," go to the videos on this website, click the top on \"Study Tracts\" and then  in 'The \"Starter Trac.\" You will then see 9 videos with pdf handouts to follow the teaching.",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":1033},{},"Reflections After Pentecost (7)","Priorities","another-prioirty","blog\u002Fanother-prioirty",-2260,[],"58180131-7530-47d1-a791-d5884396c2ed","2025-08-13T15:50:20.709Z",[],{"name":1044,"created_at":1045,"published_at":1046,"updated_at":1047,"id":1048,"uuid":1049,"content":1050,"slug":1089,"full_slug":1090,"sort_by_date":26,"position":1091,"tag_list":1092,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":1093,"first_published_at":1046,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":1094,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Priorities for leaders","2025-08-06T15:56:03.891Z","2025-08-06T18:09:34.720Z","2025-08-06T18:09:34.731Z",77030047370284,"3f2e8e8f-0362-4e55-8e49-0df1a07ac87d",{"tag":1051,"_uid":1052,"body":1053,"image":1086,"title":1088,"excerpt":1061,"component":62},[],"a261f6a7-15fa-4224-a960-0c3f203701be",[1054],{"_uid":1055,"component":19,"textContent":1056},"5d39d75d-4706-4b82-b7b5-7043f36c56e3",{"type":21,"content":1057},[1058,1062,1066,1070,1074,1078,1082],{"type":24,"content":1059},[1060],{"text":1061,"type":30},"Priorities for Leaders",{"type":24,"content":1063},[1064],{"text":1065,"type":30},"After Pentecost the group of Jesus followers is growing at an incredible rate (3,000 in Acts 2 and 5,000 in Acts 4) of 8,000 in a matter of a few days.  This rapid increase caused some initial problems for the followers as we saw in the last blog as it relates to the distribution of food and what might be bias against a specific group.",{"type":24,"content":1067},[1068],{"text":1069,"type":30},"What is curious to me is that this problem of food distribution is identified by the 12 disciples (Acts 6:2), not the people.  This speaks to their involvement in this early growing group of followers of Jesus and the very daily life of these followers.",{"type":24,"content":1071},[1072],{"text":1073,"type":30},"What is also important to note is that the 12 disciples make clear what their role is in this growing group . They surely saw the problem with the food distribution but knew that they had other priorities as leaders.  The 12 identify 2 priorities: prayer and the ministry of the word (Acts 6:4).",{"type":24,"content":1075},[1076],{"text":1077,"type":30},"The fact that these 12 disciples commit to the priority of prayer is amazing when accounting for  the rapid and continuing growth of the group.  With all that is occurring would you think that prayer is such an important priority?  Don't we often think that we are \"too busy to pray?\"  While this might be our response it is not the response of the leaders of the early followers of Jesus.",{"type":24,"content":1079},[1080],{"text":1081,"type":30},"Where did they get this priority in the midst of such activity?  My guess is that these 12 followers had seen Jesus' life filled with  much ministry and yet a commitment to pray.  Jesus would, in the midst of much activity \"withdraw to delete places to pray (Luke 5:15-16).\"  This practice in the midst of much activity must have made an impression upon these men.",{"type":24,"content":1083},[1084],{"text":1085,"type":30},"REFLECT:  What priority does prayer have in your life and ministry?  How do we manage the \"busyness\" of life and ministry but still make prayer a priority?  What changes could you begin to make that would make prayer a greater priority?",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":1087},{},"Reflections After Pentecost (6)","priorities-for-leaders","blog\u002Fpriorities-for-leaders",-2240,[],"84656753-2c1b-465e-8315-0da9395c15b8",[],{"name":1035,"created_at":1096,"published_at":1097,"updated_at":1098,"id":1099,"uuid":1100,"content":1101,"slug":1138,"full_slug":1139,"sort_by_date":26,"position":1140,"tag_list":1141,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":1142,"first_published_at":1143,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":1144,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"2025-07-21T21:20:01.213Z","2025-07-24T15:02:21.949Z","2025-07-24T15:02:21.962Z",71447352219866,"df67643c-b091-402e-b5a2-979bbec779d3",{"tag":1102,"_uid":1103,"body":1104,"image":1134,"title":1136,"excerpt":1137,"component":62},[],"bba9f240-a3e9-41a4-9ff9-cbdbcae714c1",[1105],{"_uid":1106,"component":19,"textContent":1107},"10b87937-829e-4b5c-910d-234b7b7dd71b",{"type":21,"content":1108},[1109,1113,1117,1121,1125,1129,1133],{"type":24,"content":1110},[1111],{"text":1112,"type":30},"Problems and Priorities",{"type":24,"content":1114},[1115],{"text":1116,"type":30},"Acts 6 revealed that after Pentecost the early follower's of Jesus grew very quickly and as growth occurred so did needs.  The need I wrote about last week was the need for equal distribution of food to the Hellenistic (Greek) widows that were part of the early follower's of Jesus.  As Wonderful as the experience of Holy Spirit and the growth of the follower's of Jesus was there was still the need to make some decisions and plans for this growing community.",{"type":24,"content":1118},[1119],{"text":1120,"type":30},"So a plan to deal with this problem was to appoint 7 men to take this job of distributing food to the widows .  This is interesting because it seems that some think that if people are filled with The Holy Spirit that everything will be fine and there will be no problems.  But we see early on that things are not fine and there is the need to make some ministry decisions and priorities.",{"type":24,"content":1122},[1123],{"text":1124,"type":30},"Also note that this project of feeding the widows was for 7 men to take this responsibility.  Seven were chosen so there would be a person each day that is in charge of this important assignment.  It is a curious feature to this story that each of the names of these mean are Greek.  Curious I say, as one considers that the problem of food distribution was about the Greek (Hellenistic widows) being overlooked.  Could this be a recognition that even in a community of people filled with The Spirit that there is the need for representation of all people?",{"type":24,"content":1126},[1127],{"text":1128,"type":30},"What we are seeing is a group of people who have experienced the fullness of God's Holy Spirit and yet having to deal with \"day to day\" decisions and priorities.  The same is true for any person or group.  And I think the tendency is for us to think that there is an almost magical experience of The Holy Spirit that relieves us from very practical decisions.",{"type":24,"content":1130},[1131],{"text":1132,"type":30},"REFLECTION:  Do you carry notions that being filled with The Holy Spirit means that there will be no problems?  Do we fail to recognize the need for good organization decisions for the Church?",{"type":24},{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":1135},{},"Reflections After Pentecost (5)","Priorities of leadership","priorities","blog\u002Fpriorities",-2220,[],"e9f19e8e-022a-4fef-ac17-d5f537cfca4c","2025-07-24T14:58:06.023Z",[],{"name":1146,"created_at":1147,"published_at":1148,"updated_at":1149,"id":1150,"uuid":1151,"content":1152,"slug":1196,"full_slug":1197,"sort_by_date":26,"position":1198,"tag_list":1199,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":1200,"first_published_at":1148,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":1201,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Organizing","2025-07-15T20:42:46.143Z","2025-07-16T13:59:52.509Z","2025-07-16T13:59:52.522Z",69314830981848,"469ca14d-fbde-4370-97fd-c91f58c3dfbe",{"tag":1153,"_uid":1154,"body":1155,"image":1192,"title":1194,"excerpt":1195,"component":62},[],"5c3835b0-e272-4c89-9eec-36706778cd19",[1156],{"_uid":1157,"component":19,"textContent":1158},"d2bfbbf9-af38-4255-9514-2a55fc49214b",{"type":21,"content":1159},[1160,1164,1168,1172,1176,1180,1184,1188],{"type":24,"content":1161},[1162],{"text":1163,"type":30},"Maybe Biases ",{"type":24,"content":1165},[1166],{"text":1167,"type":30},"Things have been happening quickly, as recorded in the Book of Acts: a group of over 3,000 people have responded to the message that Jesus is the awaited Messiah and he is alive.  Opposition has begun with the Jewish religious leaders seeking to punish and stop this new movement.  So, the new follower's of Jesus are in an exciting and interesting time to say the least.",{"type":24,"content":1169},[1170],{"text":1171,"type":30},"One exciting and interesting feature of this time has to do with the need to provide some attention to this new community.  We see this in the opening verses of Acts 6 as the sharing of resources and food occurs.",{"type":24,"content":1173},[1174],{"text":1175,"type":30},"The sharing of resources has to do with an increase in the number of disciples (Acts 6:1).  One is made immediately aware that this growth has created a need for some attention because there are widows who are being left out of the daily distribution of food.  These widows are adherents to Judaism but are from a Greek\u002FGentile heritage.  ",{"type":24,"content":1177},[1178],{"text":1179,"type":30},"It looks like some attention is needed because there might be some bias going on since there is neglect to a specific group.  The Jewish widow's (Jewish in heritage) are not being neglected while the Hellenistic (Greek\u002FGentile heritage) are being neglected.",{"type":24,"content":1181},[1182],{"text":1183,"type":30},"Could it be possible that there is bias and prejudice in the midst of this early group of follower's of Jesus?  It seems possible to me that this is exactly what is going on in some form to neglect Gentile\u002FHellenistic converts to Judaism.  ",{"type":24,"content":1185},[1186],{"text":1187,"type":30},"Long term biases, beliefs, and practices are not magically removed when someone becomes a follower of Jesus.  We bring all we have experienced and lived when we come to faith in Jesus and then enter into a life of learning how to live out our faith.",{"type":24,"content":1189},[1190],{"text":1191,"type":30},"REFLECT:  Have you considered the possibility that you have some biases that did not immediately \"drop off\" when you became a follower of Jesus?  How have you seen biases \"crop up\" in your journey with following Jesus?",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":1193},{},"Reflections After Pentecost (4)","Insights about Early Church","organizing","blog\u002Forganizing",-2200,[],"8b5d8d88-77f8-415c-b1bb-39374ab645ce",[],{"name":1203,"created_at":1204,"published_at":1205,"updated_at":1206,"id":1207,"uuid":1208,"content":1209,"slug":1284,"full_slug":1285,"sort_by_date":26,"position":1286,"tag_list":1287,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":1288,"first_published_at":1205,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":1289,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Reflections After Pentecost (3)","2025-07-09T17:36:40.754Z","2025-07-09T20:10:25.837Z","2025-07-09T20:10:25.864Z",67145731141313,"58d829ad-78ac-486d-81d2-0790440d9f96",{"tag":1210,"_uid":1211,"body":1212,"image":1281,"title":1203,"excerpt":1283,"component":62},[],"3e5b53b1-02d5-424e-807a-0e0665951f92",[1213],{"_uid":1214,"component":19,"textContent":1215},"d2da9847-4884-4255-bc18-be3a0b58b8e6",{"type":21,"content":1216},[1217,1221,1225,1235,1251,1272,1276,1280],{"type":24,"content":1218},[1219],{"text":1220,"type":30},"Conflict and Confidence",{"type":24,"content":1222},[1223],{"text":1224,"type":30},"As we note in the book of Acts there is a good deal of conflict after Pentecost.  The conflict appears to be from the religious leaders of the day.  These leaders are in conflict with the follower's of Jesus because they claim that Jesus has been resurrected and that healings and miracles have occurred because of faith in him and his name.",{"type":24,"content":1226},[1227,1229,1233],{"text":1228,"type":30},"The ",{"text":1230,"type":30,"marks":1231},"conflict",[1232],{"type":388},{"text":1234,"type":30}," after Pentecost is because the very leaders who had Jesus tried in a mock trial and executed by the Roman government find themselves trying to manage the growing number of people who believe that Jesus of Nazareth is Messiah.  They must find some way to stop what they thought they had stopped some 50 days before.  So, they resort to interviews and intimidation to these followers.",{"type":24,"content":1236},[1237,1239,1243,1245,1249],{"text":1238,"type":30},"However, the tactics of the religious leaders do not work.  These followers of Jesus who have been filled with The Holy Spirit demonstrate ",{"text":1240,"type":30,"marks":1241},"confidence",[1242],{"type":388},{"text":1244,"type":30}," in the midst of ",{"text":1246,"type":30,"marks":1247},"conflict.  ",[1248],{"type":388},{"text":1250,"type":30},"This confidence is expressed in the disciples message about Jesus even as the religious leaders demand that they stop speaking of Jesus (Acts 4:17-18).",{"type":24,"content":1252},[1253,1254,1257,1259,1264,1266,1270],{"text":1228,"type":30},{"text":1240,"type":30,"marks":1255},[1256],{"type":388},{"text":1258,"type":30}," that these followers of Jesus have is surely the empowering that occurred as they are filled with the Holy Spirit.  This matter of power or empowering is exactly what Jesus promised in Acts 1:8. But I want to suggest that there is also confidence born of their experience with Jesus.  In Acts 4:20 Peter and John state \"we cannot but speak of what we have ",{"text":1260,"type":30,"marks":1261},"seen",[1262],{"type":1263},"underline",{"text":1265,"type":30}," and ",{"text":1267,"type":30,"marks":1268},"heard",[1269],{"type":1263},{"text":1271,"type":30},".\"  Part of the confidence of these early follower's of Jesus was their experience with Jesus.",{"type":24,"content":1273},[1274],{"text":1275,"type":30},"It is a curious fact here that what these men had \"seen and heard\" occurred some time before.  But it was not until they were filled with The Holy Spirit that these experiences become what  they would not stop declaring.",{"type":24,"content":1277},[1278],{"text":1279,"type":30},"REFLECT:  Is your experience of being filled with The Holy Spirit causing you to share wha you have seen and heard with confidence?  Are we giving witness to others what we have \"seen and heard?\"",{"type":24},{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":1282},{},"What is happening after Pentecostr","reflections-after-pentecost-3-","blog\u002Freflections-after-pentecost-3-",-2180,[],"085e5210-ea55-4837-b471-bb562b9d149d",[],{"name":1291,"created_at":1292,"published_at":1293,"updated_at":1294,"id":1295,"uuid":1296,"content":1297,"slug":1332,"full_slug":1333,"sort_by_date":26,"position":1334,"tag_list":1335,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":1336,"first_published_at":1293,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":1337,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Reflections After Pentecost (2)","2025-06-26T15:03:01.244Z","2025-06-26T16:39:25.892Z","2025-06-26T16:39:25.904Z",62507340818633,"b6c83547-1076-4bf7-be12-bd9a0db93c57",{"tag":1298,"_uid":1299,"body":1300,"image":1329,"title":1291,"excerpt":1331,"component":62},[],"a9cf3d21-9263-481f-9aca-ee93852781f5",[1301],{"_uid":1302,"component":19,"textContent":1303},"f2a66d1b-ad47-44aa-9b7d-9a1d9f38b019",{"type":21,"content":1304},[1305,1309,1313,1317,1321,1325],{"type":24,"content":1306},[1307],{"text":1308,"type":30},"Pentecost has changed things forever.",{"type":24,"content":1310},[1311],{"text":1312,"type":30},"The changes Pentecost caused are seen most clearly in the book of Acts.  Here we have the record of the early days of the people of God and their experience with The Holy Spirit.  Much has now changed.",{"type":24,"content":1314},[1315],{"text":1316,"type":30},"First, there was an immediate change (increase) in the number of those who believed the message of Jesus.  Luke records that \"the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved (2:47).\"  What had begun with about 120 people who had been in Jesus' discipleship band was now in the thousands.",{"type":24,"content":1318},[1319],{"text":1320,"type":30},"Second, miracles began to occur as seen in chapter 3 and reiterated in chapter 5.  The healing of a lame man in chapter 3 is just one of many \"signs and wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands of the apostles (Acts 5:12).\"  This message about Jesus was not only proclaimed with power but was demonstrated in power.",{"type":24,"content":1322},[1323],{"text":1324,"type":30},"Third,  the message that was declared was a combination of declaring Jesus' resurrection and because of this the need to repent.  We see in Acts 2, 3, 8, 17, and 26 this recurring message of repent. People are challenged to \"change their mind\" about Jesus as the resurrected Lord (the meaning of repent).  This changing of one's mind is surely the basis of following Jesus as one changes their mind about who is Lord in life.",{"type":24,"content":1326},[1327],{"text":1328,"type":30},"REFLECT:                                                                  How much of our experience in life after Pentecost is consistent with these 3 matters?  Is it still possible to have these matters in our life and experience?  If not, why not?",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":1330},{},"Thoughts after Pentecost","reflections-after-pentecost-2-","blog\u002Freflections-after-pentecost-2-",-2160,[],"8e73f38f-25d9-42af-be25-aee0c23cc3f5",[],{"name":1339,"created_at":1340,"published_at":1341,"updated_at":1342,"id":1343,"uuid":1344,"content":1345,"slug":1386,"full_slug":1387,"sort_by_date":26,"position":1388,"tag_list":1389,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":1390,"first_published_at":1341,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":1391,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Reflections After Pentecost","2025-06-18T15:24:07.212Z","2025-06-18T16:51:12.681Z","2025-06-18T16:51:12.690Z",59681371020115,"ae1b0bd4-239f-42ae-a8f5-ba01cb6d8c1d",{"tag":1346,"_uid":1347,"body":1348,"image":1382,"title":1384,"excerpt":1385,"component":62},[],"42504bc4-e01b-4202-85bc-ce906fc2dce4",[1349],{"_uid":1350,"component":19,"textContent":1351},"043c80f5-d544-4ec2-9bfa-5a9dd704d1c6",{"type":21,"content":1352},[1353,1357,1361,1365,1369,1373,1377,1381],{"type":24,"content":1354},[1355],{"text":1356,"type":30},"Thoughts about life AFTER Pentecost",{"type":24,"content":1358},[1359],{"text":1360,"type":30},"We celebrated Pentecost and its meaning June 8, 2025.  To refresh about what happened on that day see \"Path To Pentecost\" blog for June 7.",{"type":24,"content":1362},[1363],{"text":1364,"type":30},"The day of Pentecost having occurred now sets in motion the plan of God that He had promised many centuries before (Ezekiel 36:26ff; Joel 2).  Now there is a people of God from every tribe and tongue (Revelation 5:9).",{"type":24,"content":1366},[1367],{"text":1368,"type":30},"This creation of God's people will \"rock\" the world in several ways.  First, the configuration of \"the people of God\" is from every tribe and tongue as stated before in earlier paragraph.  Second, this configuration of people from diverse places and languages become a community of people.",{"type":24,"content":1370},[1371],{"text":1372,"type":30},"The interesting thing about this new community of diverse people is that they find unity because of their faith in Jesus and their experience with the infilling of The Holy Spirit.  Moreover, they express this unity as they begin to devote themselves (Acts 2:42) in a community life.  Note that these people from diverse locations and languages devote themselves to the apostles teaching, fellowship, the breaking of bread and prayer.",{"type":24,"content":1374},[1375],{"text":1376,"type":30},"What we have here is a community that is devoted to learning (Apostles teachign) and living (fellowship, breaking bread, and prayer).  Often we might \"find ourselves\" focused on learning but not being engaged in community where we are living out our faith.  Or, we might \"find ourselves\" focused on just living in community.  It seems that this group of people were being devoted to both.",{"type":24,"content":1378},[1379],{"text":1380,"type":30},"REFLECT:  What \"place\" do these devoted practices occupy in your life or the life of your church?  If not, why not?  Which feature of learning and living do you tend to focus your effort?",{"type":24},{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":1383},{},"Reflections After Pentecost (1)--June 18","Thoughts about life after Pentecost","reflections-after-pentecost","blog\u002Freflections-after-pentecost",-2140,[],"45497712-5b5f-4769-8898-76233a0429c0",[],{"name":1393,"created_at":1394,"published_at":1395,"updated_at":1396,"id":1397,"uuid":1398,"content":1399,"slug":1442,"full_slug":1443,"sort_by_date":26,"position":1444,"tag_list":1445,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":1446,"first_published_at":1447,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":1448,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Path To Pentecost (40)--June 7","2025-06-08T00:57:56.121Z","2025-06-08T02:16:07.475Z","2025-06-08T02:16:07.515Z",36294751,"fd6ff63c-cdf4-4c8d-8176-bbb17355bdc0",{"tag":1400,"_uid":1401,"body":1402,"image":1439,"title":1393,"excerpt":1441,"component":62},[432],"92e87613-3541-4ea5-a751-68428ddfe8a8",[1403],{"_uid":1404,"component":19,"textContent":1405},"1546a8b2-6717-44e1-9b8f-517ace0363cb",{"type":21,"content":1406},[1407,1411,1415,1419,1423,1427,1431,1435],{"type":24,"content":1408},[1409],{"text":1410,"type":30},"Ready For The Reality of Pentecost",{"type":24,"content":1412},[1413],{"text":1414,"type":30},"Imagine you have been with the group of disciples and followers of Jesus for 10 days since Jesus left.  These people are in Jerusalem and the town is teeming with people from around the world.  This is because this festival (Pentecost)  is one of the 3 required festivals for people who can make the journey to Jerusalem. There is the atmosphere that something will happen because of Jesus' promise.  However, no one at this point knows what.",{"type":24,"content":1416},[1417],{"text":1418,"type":30},"We now know what happened and there are some important truths that this day surely reveals.  The first  thing we notice is that God's presence empowers the 120 gathered to speak in other (many different) tongues with power and clarity about the \"mighty deeds of God (Acts 2:11).   The many nations that are recorded in Acts 2 reveal that this sound of the many languages one time must have been bewildering to some.",{"type":24,"content":1420},[1421],{"text":1422,"type":30},"Second, there is a  \"reversal of Babel (Genesis 11:1-9).\"  At Babel there was confusion of languages caused by God  while here there is the communication of the Gospel to people in their different languages.  God empowers these followers of Jesus the ability to speak directly to people of other nationalities in their language.  This feature of God's Spirit is that all nations and people have a part in this kingdom.",{"type":24,"content":1424},[1425],{"text":1426,"type":30},"Third, the festival of Pentecost celebrates the giving of the Law from Sinai as that which makes the children of Abraham into the nation of Israel.  The Jewish people have an external guide to study and understand The correlation here I that it is the giving of The Holy Spirit that now creates the people of God.  This giving of the Holy Spirit is now an internal guide for the people of God",{"type":24,"content":1428},[1429],{"text":1430,"type":30},"Finally, there is also the coming of the Spirit to inhabit his people.  This suggests to some the idea of God re-taking residence in His real Temple: people. No longer would the Temple in Jerusalem be thought of as to where God dwells but in people What a glorious truth that we are the Temple of God\u002FThe Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 6:19) and God's true dwelling place. ",{"type":24,"content":1432},[1433],{"text":1434,"type":30},"I want to personally commit to the truth of communicating in the power of The Holy Spirit Gods message of His mighty works.  I also want to live in the truth that I am The Temple of The Holy Spirit.",{"type":24,"content":1436},[1437],{"text":1438,"type":30},"REFLECT;  Let's all live with the reality that God wants all people to know of His mighty deeds.  Additionally, let's live with a new awareness that we are the real Temple of The Holy Spirit\u002FGod!",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":1440},{},"Ready for Pentecost","path-to-pentecost-40-june-7","blog\u002Fpath-to-pentecost-40-june-7",-2120,[],"58a3da40-6e73-4b9b-a47c-49a2e8b0aeb7","2025-06-08T01:57:57.388Z",[],{"name":1450,"created_at":1451,"published_at":1452,"updated_at":1453,"id":1454,"uuid":1455,"content":1456,"slug":1495,"full_slug":1496,"sort_by_date":26,"position":1497,"tag_list":1498,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":1499,"first_published_at":1452,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":1500,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Path To Pentecost (39)--June 6","2025-06-07T00:59:58.119Z","2025-06-07T02:08:16.217Z","2025-06-07T02:08:16.235Z",36291997,"21b5c8aa-23e8-44cf-b78b-df6a4e8ebb9d",{"tag":1457,"_uid":1458,"body":1459,"image":1492,"title":1450,"excerpt":1494,"component":62},[432],"ee844508-ea94-449e-a2eb-060ae6c51fe2",[1460],{"_uid":1461,"component":19,"textContent":1462},"fa9d3ce8-d0ec-4f8c-bd97-3377847b7b57",{"type":21,"content":1463},[1464,1468,1472,1476,1480,1484,1488],{"type":24,"content":1465},[1466],{"text":1467,"type":30},"To Your Advantage",{"type":24,"content":1469},[1470],{"text":1471,"type":30},"These faithful followers of Jesus have been waiting for 38 days in Jerusalem.  Luke has told us in his book (Acts) some of what these people were doing.  The report in Acts is that they were in prayer and affirming what had happened was according to The Scriptures.",{"type":24,"content":1473},[1474],{"text":1475,"type":30},"Besides Jesus' direct command for them to \"wait for The Promise of The Father what else motivated these to wait these 38 days and eventually 40 days?",{"type":24,"content":1477},[1478],{"text":1479,"type":30},"Jesus made an astounding statement about The Holy Spirit before his crucifixion to his followers.  He stated in John 16:7 that his leaving his follower's is to their advantage.  What, your leaving us is to our advantage?  Can you imagine what these follower's of Jesus must have thought upon hearing this? ",{"type":24,"content":1481},[1482],{"text":1483,"type":30},"There must have been absolute shock and disbelief in hearing Jesus say this?  The physical presence of Jesus leaving them is somehow best for them?  I am sure if I had been in that group I would have been stunned.",{"type":24,"content":1485},[1486],{"text":1487,"type":30},"But Jesus tells them that the advantage that they have is that when he goes away The Helper (The Holy Spirit) will come (John 16:7).  Jesus tells his followers that the presence of The Helper (The Holy Spirit) is of greater advantage to these followers than his physical presence.  This must be one of the reasons these followers of Jesus are faithful to wait these 40 days.",{"type":24,"content":1489},[1490],{"text":1491,"type":30},"REFLECT:  Have you considered the advantage you have because you have The Helper that Jesus promised?",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":1493},{},"Your Advantage","path-to-pentecost-39-june-6","blog\u002Fpath-to-pentecost-39-june-6",-2100,[],"89909c02-0aaf-4af3-a712-735618087f43",[],{"name":1502,"created_at":1503,"published_at":1504,"updated_at":1505,"id":1506,"uuid":1507,"content":1508,"slug":1542,"full_slug":1543,"sort_by_date":26,"position":1544,"tag_list":1545,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":1546,"first_published_at":1547,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":1548,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Path To Pentecost (38)--June 5","2025-06-06T01:53:20.409Z","2025-06-06T03:10:25.121Z","2025-06-06T03:10:25.132Z",36140292,"8ee03c67-0ba4-4845-aec5-81aff7cf14a7",{"tag":1509,"_uid":1510,"body":1511,"image":1540,"title":1502,"excerpt":360,"component":62},[432],"60a2e754-78b5-4b6d-a98c-594e25753004",[1512],{"_uid":1513,"component":19,"textContent":1514},"a0e14ef7-632c-424a-a5f8-1a7daaa04582",{"type":21,"content":1515},[1516,1520,1524,1528,1532,1536],{"type":24,"content":1517},[1518],{"text":1519,"type":30},"Many are waiting",{"type":24,"content":1521},[1522],{"text":1523,"type":30},"The celebration of Pentecost (Shavuot) is the culmination of 49 days after Passover. This Jewish celebration is celebrated for 2 days in the Diaspora (Jews living outside of Israel) and 1 day for those celebrating in Jerusalem.  As I had stated in previous blog the celebration of thanks to God  for the spring grain harvest and the reception of The Law at Sinai.",{"type":24,"content":1525},[1526],{"text":1527,"type":30},"Jewish believers from all around the world have gathered  in Jerusalem for this celebration.  Just note the different countries listed in Acts 2:9-11. There is representation from around the world for this important celebration.",{"type":24,"content":1529},[1530],{"text":1531,"type":30},"So, the town of Jerusalem is a place of celebration and waiting.  Jewish people are having candle lit dinners, staying up all night to read and study Torah or hearing the reading of The 10 commandments at The Temple. These Jewish followers are waiting for the day of Shavout.  The follower's of Jesus are also waiting for what Jesus promised that would be Pentecost.",{"type":24,"content":1533},[1534],{"text":1535,"type":30},"The difference is that the Jewish believers are waiting to celebrate something that has happened in the past. The follower's of Jesus are waiting to celebrate a promise of the present.  This is the difference in Judaism and Christianity.  Christians certainly celebrate and appreciate the past of God's activity with Israel but we wait and celebrate what Jesus has promised.",{"type":24,"content":1537},[1538],{"text":1539,"type":30},"REFLECT:  Does your and my waiting related to the past or the future?",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":1541},{},"path-to-pentecost-38-june-5","blog\u002Fpath-to-pentecost-38-june-5",-2080,[],"01c04014-fa6e-4154-932c-b6b5fe30513e","2025-06-06T03:10:07.274Z",[],{"name":1550,"created_at":1551,"published_at":1552,"updated_at":1553,"id":1554,"uuid":1555,"content":1556,"slug":1591,"full_slug":1592,"sort_by_date":26,"position":1593,"tag_list":1594,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":1595,"first_published_at":1552,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":1596,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Path To Pentecost (37)--June 4","2025-06-05T00:58:15.129Z","2025-06-05T01:57:34.059Z","2025-06-05T01:57:34.069Z",36005851,"fb118ef2-e407-4541-abe9-f3541f6a904e",{"tag":1557,"_uid":1558,"body":1559,"image":1588,"title":1550,"excerpt":1590,"component":62},[432],"468b558c-e958-4a38-9a34-d67af0ae5430",[1560],{"_uid":1561,"component":19,"textContent":1562},"87c2547c-6b78-4e43-95e9-e3503f5ed7b9",{"type":21,"content":1563},[1564,1568,1572,1576,1580,1584],{"type":24,"content":1565},[1566],{"text":1567,"type":30},"Waiting and The Word",{"type":24,"content":1569},[1570],{"text":1571,"type":30},"The group of 120 in Acts 1 are  people who are following Jesus' instruction to wait for the promise of The Holy Spirit are devoting themselves to prayer. Perhaps being devoted to prayer is essential  to be prepared to receive the great gift of The Holy Spirit.  A prayerful person is a person who is seeking God.",{"type":24,"content":1573},[1574],{"text":1575,"type":30},"There is also something else going on in this time of waiting that I see.  These people are also people of God's word.  Peter is recorded in Acts 1:15ff to have begun to talk to the group.  He refers to the situation they are in as one that is a fulfillment of the scriptures. ",{"type":24,"content":1577},[1578],{"text":1579,"type":30},"More specifically Peter quotes 2 Psalms that \"make sense\" of the circumstances in which they have been engaged.  Psalms 69:25 is quoted as referring  to Judas and his betrayal of Jesus and the result.  The scriptures are the way Peter helps these waiting to make sense of what has happened.  He did not have the group look at the circumstances and try to make sense; Peter had the group look at the scriptures to make sense of it all.  Then Peter quotes Psalm 109:8 to give scriptural evidence as to the need to replace Judas.  ",{"type":24,"content":1581},[1582],{"text":1583,"type":30},"These people are not only people prayer but are also people of God's Word.  Both prayer and scripture are necessary for the full living of life in Jesus.  But it cannot be missed that even here there is still the need for the presence of The Holy Spirit.   This is why Jesus told these people to wait, and that is what they are doing: waiting in prayer and waiting with scripture.  This is not a bad plan if we still understand the need of The Holy Spirit!!",{"type":24,"content":1585},[1586],{"text":1587,"type":30},"REFLECT:  Is ,your and my life characterized by all of these:  prayer, scripture, and The Holy Spirit?",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":1589},{},"Waiting","path-to-pentecost-37-june-4","blog\u002Fpath-to-pentecost-37-june-4",-2060,[],"b6194e56-4b1f-4fe8-b03e-b4391c398270",[],{"name":1598,"created_at":1599,"published_at":1600,"updated_at":1601,"id":1602,"uuid":1603,"content":1604,"slug":1639,"full_slug":1640,"sort_by_date":26,"position":1641,"tag_list":1642,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":1643,"first_published_at":1600,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":1644,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Path To Pentecost (36)--June 3","2025-06-04T01:25:33.703Z","2025-06-04T02:33:11.227Z","2025-06-04T02:33:11.239Z",35848687,"6ad46115-1797-4998-9c04-6e8e0c029e3b",{"tag":1605,"_uid":1606,"body":1607,"image":1636,"title":1598,"excerpt":1638,"component":62},[432],"efd19811-1536-4adf-b672-b7496eea2d7c",[1608],{"_uid":1609,"component":19,"textContent":1610},"beb7b23c-efb4-4d24-b76e-9d506461a5e8",{"type":21,"content":1611},[1612,1616,1620,1624,1628,1632],{"type":24,"content":1613},[1614],{"text":1615,"type":30},"Waiting and Working",{"type":24,"content":1617},[1618],{"text":1619,"type":30},"It would be a mistake to think that the 120 people who were following Jesus' instructions to wait in Jerusalem were doing nothing.  There was important activity taking place in Acts 1.",{"type":24,"content":1621},[1622],{"text":1623,"type":30},"The activity we have seen that these followers were involved in was in being 'devoted to praying in unity (Acts 1:14).'  They surely were praying in unity and expectation about Jesus' promise that they would receive the gift of The Holy Spirit as well as power to be witnesses (Acts 1:8).  They might have been praying about what this power of The Holy Spirit and witness was going to be and how it might change their lives.  This devotion to prayer likely was how they would be prepared to receive this great promise of power and witness.",{"type":24,"content":1625},[1626],{"text":1627,"type":30},"The prayers of these followers may have also been with great anticipation about the gift of The Holy Spirit.  These people are observant Jews and knew something about The Holy Spirit.  In Jewish thought and teaching The presence of The Holy Spirit is a sign of the Age of The Messiah and His rule over Israel.  What a time to pray if they are to be recipients of The Holy Spirit and be present at the Age of The Messiah.  Wow!",{"type":24,"content":1629},[1630],{"text":1631,"type":30},"Now Acts 1:6  has shown that these followers are thinking about the restoration of The Kingdom to Israel.  They knew that the restoration of The Kingdom to Israel would include the Age of The Messiah and the sign of The Holy Spirit.  This correlation of The Holy Spirit and the Age of The Messiah must have been thrilling to consider and that they would be part of the great age.  What a time to be in prayer together.",{"type":24,"content":1633},[1634],{"text":1635,"type":30},"REFLECT: How would our prayer lives be \"fueled\" if we realized that we ARE in The Age of The Messiah as we experience the presence of The Holy Spirit?  How about giving thanks to God for being born and living in the Age of The Messiah!!!",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":1637},{},"Waiting and Working\n\nIt would be a mistake to think that the 120 people who were following Jesus' instructions to wait in Jerusalem were doing nothing.  There was important activity taking place in Acts 1.\n\nFirst, we have seen that these followers were 'devoted to praying in unity (Acts 1:14).'  This surely was praying in unity and expectation about receiving power to be witnesses (Acts 1:8).  They might have been praying about what this power and witness was going to be and how it might change their lives.","path-to-pentecost-36-june-3","blog\u002Fpath-to-pentecost-36-june-3",-2040,[],"b380a360-086a-47f8-83a9-d77e6b7bfedc",[],{"name":1646,"created_at":1647,"published_at":1648,"updated_at":1649,"id":1650,"uuid":1651,"content":1652,"slug":1687,"full_slug":1688,"sort_by_date":26,"position":1689,"tag_list":1690,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":1691,"first_published_at":1648,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":1692,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Path To Pentecost (35)--June 2","2025-06-03T01:02:48.448Z","2025-06-03T02:05:32.268Z","2025-06-03T02:05:32.279Z",35638315,"7daa1cca-daa7-4915-871e-b885392a3005",{"tag":1653,"_uid":1654,"body":1655,"image":1684,"title":1646,"excerpt":1686,"component":62},[432],"69f67565-f96c-449a-a770-7fecbc368860",[1656],{"_uid":1657,"component":19,"textContent":1658},"c404224f-d3a0-480c-bca7-b0fcefa6c85d",{"type":21,"content":1659},[1660,1664,1668,1672,1676,1680],{"type":24,"content":1661},[1662],{"text":1663,"type":30},"Who are they waiting on?",{"type":24,"content":1665},[1666],{"text":1667,"type":30},"The people waiting  on the presence that Jesus promised that would make a difference in their lives. This difference would be that a person dwells within their lives.  This understanding of The Holy Spirit a a persons is an important distinction to make about The Holy Spirit.  ",{"type":24,"content":1669},[1670],{"text":1671,"type":30},"Very often you hear people refer to The Holy Spirit as a feeling.  You will hear them say something along lines of, 'you could really feel the Spirit in that service.'  I am not saying that one would not feel or sense something when The Holy Spirit is obviously present with His people.  However, to associate the presence of The Holy Spirit with feelings is to limit one's understanding of The Holy Spirit.",{"type":24,"content":1673},[1674],{"text":1675,"type":30},"The Biblical position about The Holy Spirt is that The Holy Spirit is a person.  This is clear in the grammar of The New Testament.  The terms used  by Jesus when referring to the Holy Spirit are personal .  Jesus makes this clear in John 14:16, 26 as uses the term \"he.\"  Jesus never refers to the Holy Spirit as \"it\" or in some impersonal form in grammar.",{"type":24,"content":1677},[1678],{"text":1679,"type":30},"This means that those waiting in the room in Jerusalem are waiting on a person....not just an influence or impression.  This is a radical thought if you give some time to think of it.  We often speak of Jesus as residing in our heart but do we give much attention to the notion of the person of The Holy?  What difference does this make as we proceed to Pentecost that The Holy Spirit is more than a feeling or an influence but a person to whom we respond?",{"type":24,"content":1681},[1682],{"text":1683,"type":30},"REFLECT:  Give some time to consider the person of The Holy Spirit and how that might affect view and experience with The Holy Spirit. ",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":1685},{},"final days","path-to-pentecost-35-june-2","blog\u002Fpath-to-pentecost-35-june-2",-2020,[],"440dec5c-76d5-4fe1-95ab-e6bd9fd2cbd9",[],{"name":1694,"created_at":1695,"published_at":1696,"updated_at":1697,"id":1698,"uuid":1699,"content":1700,"slug":1742,"full_slug":1743,"sort_by_date":26,"position":1744,"tag_list":1745,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":1746,"first_published_at":1747,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":1748,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Path To Pentecost (34)--June 1","2025-06-02T01:14:47.555Z","2025-06-02T14:48:53.346Z","2025-06-02T14:48:53.355Z",35504731,"8d2f9359-65c8-471c-b364-a5fb413509f7",{"tag":1701,"_uid":1702,"body":1703,"image":1739,"title":1741,"excerpt":1663,"component":62},[432],"da9f9bab-3b5d-4b6e-bf31-9741280febb1",[1704],{"_uid":1705,"component":19,"textContent":1706},"d0a4afa0-438d-4591-86af-0965bf384907",{"type":21,"content":1707},[1708,1711,1715,1719,1723,1727,1731,1735],{"type":24,"content":1709},[1710],{"text":1663,"type":30},{"type":24,"content":1712},[1713],{"text":1714,"type":30},"The follower's of Jesus are obeying his command to \"wait\" in Jerusalem for the Promise of The Father.  This promise is none other than the 3rd person of The Trinity:  The Holy Spirit.",{"type":24,"content":1716},[1717],{"text":1718,"type":30},"The Holy Spirit is the one who was involved in creation as he hovered over the waters (Genesis 1:2).  Early on The Spirit is seen present as early as the second verse of the first book of The Hebrew Scriptures.  And The Spirit's participation is related to creation.",{"type":24,"content":1720},[1721],{"text":1722,"type":30},"In the New Testament we read of similar activities in creating.  Mary, the mother of Jesus, is told that the Holy Spirit will \"come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy, The Son of God (Luke 1:35).  Jesus'' incarnation is the work of The Holy Spirit.",{"type":24,"content":1724},[1725],{"text":1726,"type":30},"So, when Jesus declares that a religious leader that one cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven unless one is born of the Spirit (John 3:6)\" he is declaring the creative work of The Spirit.  Here we see the continuing work of creation of life as it relates to being \"born again.\"",{"type":24,"content":1728},[1729],{"text":1730,"type":30},"The Holy Spirit brings about new life in those who have faith in Jesus.  Jesus makes this remarkable statement about The Spirit:  \"it is the Spirit who gives life (John 6:63).\" This notion is supported by the Apostle Paul when he writes that the Holy Spirit regenerates and renews us (Titus 3:5).",{"type":24,"content":1732},[1733],{"text":1734,"type":30},"So, these followers are waiting on the presence of the one who has been in the creation of life from the beginning of time.  They have read the Hebrew Bible and heard Jesus' words about The Spirit and waiting to experience life like they have never known.",{"type":24,"content":1736},[1737],{"text":1738,"type":30},"REFLECT:  Are we trying to live the life of following Jesus in our own life or are we depending on The Spirit who creates and gives life?",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":1740},{},"Path to Pentecost (34)--June 1","path-to-pentecost-34-june-1","blog\u002Fpath-to-pentecost-34-june-1",-2000,[],"886e947d-264f-4c39-9067-c77ae750fbe9","2025-06-02T02:08:56.548Z",[],{"name":1750,"created_at":1751,"published_at":1752,"updated_at":1753,"id":1754,"uuid":1755,"content":1756,"slug":1794,"full_slug":1795,"sort_by_date":26,"position":1796,"tag_list":1797,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":1798,"first_published_at":1752,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":1799,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Path To Pentecost (33)--May 31","2025-06-01T01:27:44.380Z","2025-06-01T02:40:09.546Z","2025-06-01T02:40:09.564Z",35501912,"db30285c-1ee8-4519-9eb3-817a750dca83",{"tag":1757,"_uid":1758,"body":1759,"image":1792,"title":1750,"excerpt":1590,"component":62},[432],"02e98a52-dfa7-478d-9180-e02f19e9c0a2",[1760],{"_uid":1761,"component":19,"textContent":1762},"d9b9d23f-ffae-4326-890d-05589bc9ad35",{"type":21,"content":1763},[1764,1768,1772,1776,1780,1784,1788],{"type":24,"content":1765},[1766],{"text":1767,"type":30},"Those waiting",{"type":24,"content":1769},[1770],{"text":1771,"type":30},"The follower's of Jesus have been told to wait and that is exactly what they are doing.   This waiting, as I indicated yesterday, was not passive but an active devotion to prayer.",{"type":24,"content":1773},[1774],{"text":1775,"type":30},"In another fact of this waiting Luke records for us who is involved in this waiting,   The waiting ones are Jesus' mother and his' brothers.  On a couple of levels this is significant. ",{"type":24,"content":1777},[1778],{"text":1779,"type":30},"On the first level you have Luke recording that there are women in this company.  Luke also indicates that Jesus' mother is in this group but to mention her and other women is significant.  Because In Jesus' day it was not common for rabbis to have women followers.",{"type":24,"content":1781},[1782],{"text":1783,"type":30},"The presence of women however may be a foreshadowing of the Hebrew Bible's prediction about the presence of The Holy Spirit.  In Joel 2:28ff the prediction is that God will pour out His Spirit on \"all flesh.\"  But the prophet goes into more detail by listing the people or groups that God will pour out His Spirit: sons and daughters, old and young, and male and female servants.",{"type":24,"content":1785},[1786],{"text":1787,"type":30},"This is remarkable promise of The New Covenant about the presence of The Holy Spirit.  This spirit will be available to all.  And this gathering and waiting in Jerusalem by these people  foreshadows this reality of The Holy Spirit and Pentecost.",{"type":24,"content":1789},[1790],{"text":1791,"type":30},"REFLECT:  What a gracious God to give His Holy Spirit with such generosity.",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":1793},{},"path-to-pentecost-33-may-31","blog\u002Fpath-to-pentecost-33-may-31",-1980,[],"dcfde22a-9ac8-40f5-864e-7a97bc057abc",[],{"name":1801,"created_at":1802,"published_at":1803,"updated_at":1804,"id":1805,"uuid":1806,"content":1807,"slug":1853,"full_slug":1854,"sort_by_date":26,"position":1855,"tag_list":1856,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":1857,"first_published_at":1803,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":1858,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Path To Pentecost (32)--May 30","2025-05-31T01:36:20.261Z","2025-05-31T02:48:41.881Z","2025-05-31T02:48:41.891Z",35499033,"b67d0106-1a86-43d6-a2d3-14ccb44f7730",{"tag":1808,"_uid":1809,"body":1810,"image":1851,"title":1801,"excerpt":1590,"component":62},[432],"31c9b898-9f27-4592-9d5e-86bcae6dcab0",[1811],{"_uid":1812,"component":19,"textContent":1813},"da9ffb93-5014-4976-bb49-5a0c6224a115",{"type":21,"content":1814},[1815,1819,1823,1827,1831,1835,1839,1843,1847],{"type":24,"content":1816},[1817],{"text":1818,"type":30},"The Waiting Begins",{"type":24,"content":1820},[1821],{"text":1822,"type":30},"Yesterday was Ascension Day (May 29), the day that Jesus returns to heaven in a cloud (Acts 1).  This was the culmination of 40 days of Jesus' teaching and being with his followers.",{"type":24,"content":1824},[1825],{"text":1826,"type":30},"Jesus returns to heaven on the Mount of Olives.  I have been to the place on the top of the Mount of Olives where there is a small shrine commemorating Jesus' return to heaven.  This place was the last place Jesus' followers saw the physical presence of Jesus but will anticipate seeing him again as the men in white robes stated.",{"type":24,"content":1828},[1829],{"text":1830,"type":30},"Meanwhile, these disciples of Jesus are going back to Jerusalem to wait on the unseen presence of The Holy Spirit that Jesus promised in John 14-16. These days of waiting for Jesus to fulfill his promise must have been interesting days.  They surely were days of anticipation.",{"type":24,"content":1832},[1833],{"text":1834,"type":30},"Luke tells us some of what was happening while they wait.  In Acts 1:14.   We are told that these were \"devoting themselves to prayer in one accord.\"  What does this suggest?",{"type":24,"content":1836},[1837],{"text":1838,"type":30},"The notion of one accord suggests that all of these gathered who had been listening to Jesus' teachings were in unity about one thing: the coming of The Holy Spirit.  \"One accord\" suggests unity of heart and intent.",{"type":24,"content":1840},[1841],{"text":1842,"type":30},"In addition to being in unity about the coming of The Holy Spirit they also were \"devoting themselves to prayer.\"   Devoting to prayer is the idea of being persistent and continual  about prayer.  ",{"type":24,"content":1844},[1845],{"text":1846,"type":30},"What is curious is that these people know Jesus has promised to send The Holy Spirit but at the same time are persistent and devoting themselves to prayer.  What would this suggest? Maybe that these people understood the need to were prepare their hearts for the reception of God's Holy Spirit.",{"type":24,"content":1848},[1849],{"text":1850,"type":30},"REFLECT: Is there any sense in which we need to prepare our hearts as we celebrate Pentecost even though we know Jesus has sent the Holy Spirit to us?",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":1852},{},"path-to-pentecost-32-may-30","blog\u002Fpath-to-pentecost-32-may-30",-1960,[],"fffcb215-8ea2-4c9c-8459-8de2d17886eb",[],{"name":1860,"created_at":1861,"published_at":1862,"updated_at":1863,"id":1864,"uuid":1865,"content":1866,"slug":1911,"full_slug":1912,"sort_by_date":26,"position":1913,"tag_list":1914,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":1915,"first_published_at":1916,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":1917,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Path To Pentecost (31)--May 29","2025-05-29T21:30:23.200Z","2025-05-30T01:38:51.511Z","2025-05-30T01:38:51.521Z",35333321,"3e44acfd-ab79-40e0-b076-1e59b5ccce5c",{"tag":1867,"_uid":1868,"body":1869,"image":1907,"title":1909,"excerpt":1910,"component":62},[432],"41d4acff-db6d-4dc2-840d-2dd54e3c0489",[1870],{"_uid":1871,"component":19,"textContent":1872},"75c5e219-c095-49a0-a28a-4065db942236",{"type":21,"content":1873},[1874,1878,1882,1886,1890,1894,1898,1902,1906],{"type":24,"content":1875},[1876],{"text":1877,"type":30},"The Final Countdown--Ascension",{"type":24,"content":1879},[1880],{"text":1881,"type":30},"Today (May 29)  the Church Calendar celebrates Jesus' ascension back to The Father in heaven.  Jesus' ascension is the beginning of  the final 10 days (of 50)  that culminate in the Feast of Pentecost and the bestowing of The Holy Spirit.",{"type":24,"content":1883},[1884],{"text":1885,"type":30},"Acts 1 gives an account of this ascension day.  Jesus has been teaching his followers for 40 days about The Kingdom of God.  The text also indicates that Jesus gave \"commands  through The Holy Spirit'' (Acts 1:2) to these followers.",{"type":24,"content":1887},[1888],{"text":1889,"type":30},"Acts 1 reveals that Jesus gives the content of these commands.  First, Jesus commands them to go back to Jerusalem and \"wait\" for The Promise of The Father.  They have understanding through Jesus' teaching about The Kingdom but are still not prepared for life and ministry, so the command is given to wait.",{"type":24,"content":1891},[1892],{"text":1893,"type":30},"A second command is the command of content or what being filled with The Holy Spirit will be.  This content is that the filling of The Holy Spirit will be power for witness (Acts 1:8) to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the rest of the world.  This will not be a limited witness but the command of a witness to the whole world.  Upon the completion of this command Jesus \"was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight (1:9).  ",{"type":24,"content":1895},[1896],{"text":1897,"type":30},"The response of the disciples is to stare not heaven. But as the disciples stare in heaven \"two men stood my them in white robes\" question why they are looking into the sky.  The men inform them that Jesus WILL return in the same way....in a cloud.",{"type":24,"content":1899},[1900],{"text":1901,"type":30},"Upon hearing this statement  from these two men the disciples of Jesus go back to Jerusalem and wait.",{"type":24,"content":1903},[1904],{"text":1905,"type":30},"REFLECT:  Jesus gave us all these, and other, commands to live out before He returns.  Our role is to be living out his command when he returns.",{"type":24},{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":1908},{},"Path To Pentecost (31) Ascension Day--May 29","Jesus' return to Heaven","path-to-pentecost-31-may-29","blog\u002Fpath-to-pentecost-31-may-29",-1940,[],"cf8570b8-32d4-4955-a769-24d9fe9b8af1","2025-05-30T01:37:05.370Z",[],{"name":1919,"created_at":1920,"published_at":1921,"updated_at":1922,"id":1923,"uuid":1924,"content":1925,"slug":1965,"full_slug":1966,"sort_by_date":26,"position":1967,"tag_list":1968,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":1969,"first_published_at":1921,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":1970,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Path To Pentecost (30)","2025-05-29T01:46:08.283Z","2025-05-29T02:45:49.728Z","2025-05-29T13:09:06.228Z",35220691,"299b0908-5ae1-45b9-8fb2-61fb7e4f35c9",{"tag":1926,"_uid":1927,"body":1928,"image":1961,"title":1963,"excerpt":1964,"component":62},[432],"c73317a5-344f-4090-b463-7d6cc6d3c161",[1929],{"_uid":1930,"component":19,"textContent":1931},"f1a307f8-9801-49e9-95b3-d3309a09fda3",{"type":21,"content":1932},[1933,1937,1941,1945,1949,1953,1957],{"type":24,"content":1934},[1935],{"text":1936,"type":30},"More Work of The Holy Spirit",{"type":24,"content":1938},[1939],{"text":1940,"type":30},"The final work of The Holy Spirit we will consider is the matter of convicting\u002F\u002Fconvincing the world about the reality of judgment (John 16:8).  This convicting\u002F\u002Fconvincing is because the \"ruler\" of this world is judged.\"",{"type":24,"content":1942},[1943],{"text":1944,"type":30},"This is a curious statement about the work of The Holy Spirit.  He will convict\u002F\u002Fconvince the world of judgment about their ruler.  This is the unique work of the Spirit about their ruler that they would never know about or guess is the case..  Partially because the ruler of the world seems to be in control.",{"type":24,"content":1946},[1947],{"text":1948,"type":30},"This \"ruler of the world\" is the evil one or the devil and the world is the unredeemed system that opposes God and His values.  This world system and its ruler are in the position of judged. This is not some future judgment but present judgment",{"type":24,"content":1950},[1951],{"text":1952,"type":30},"The work of The Spirit is to convict\u002F\u002Fconvince all who are in opposition to God's rule that their ruler is now judged and to leave this ruler and his system.  This means that the judgment is now.",{"type":24,"content":1954},[1955],{"text":1956,"type":30},"Do we think that it is our job to convict\u002F\u002Fconvince people of the judgment that is now on sin and the system of the world that opposes God?  Do we see the error of thinking it is our role instead of The Holy Spirit?",{"type":24,"content":1958},[1959],{"text":1960,"type":30},"REFLECT:  How can you reframe your understanding of whose job it is to convict\u002F\u002Fconvince people of their need of Jesus?",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":1962},{},"Path To Pentecost (30)--May 28","Ministry of The Holy Spirit","path-to-perfection-30-","blog\u002Fpath-to-perfection-30-",-1920,[],"a082305a-f58a-4ef6-b3c5-1bbea839977f",[],{"name":1972,"created_at":1973,"published_at":1974,"updated_at":1975,"id":1976,"uuid":1977,"content":1978,"slug":2016,"full_slug":2017,"sort_by_date":26,"position":2018,"tag_list":2019,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":2020,"first_published_at":1974,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":2021,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Path To Pentecost (29)--May 27","2025-05-28T01:11:46.261Z","2025-05-28T02:59:43.364Z","2025-05-28T02:59:43.374Z",35055332,"dfbafc03-4555-4a5c-a598-6c436c9c8b9d",{"tag":1979,"_uid":1980,"body":1981,"image":2013,"title":1972,"excerpt":2015,"component":62},[432],"26d263dc-89e2-4a2e-8a12-b39df9d5bc66",[1982],{"_uid":1983,"component":19,"textContent":1984},"4aa9e20b-dbef-4869-b308-6a50f918ca7a",{"type":21,"content":1985},[1986,1990,1994,1998,2002,2006,2010,2011,2012],{"type":24,"content":1987},[1988],{"text":1989,"type":30},"More work of The Holy Spirit--enable going to The Father",{"type":24,"content":1991},[1992],{"text":1993,"type":30},"The last blog introduced the truth about The Holy Spirit's work or ministry to the world (John 16:8-11).  The work is convicting\u002F\u002F\u002Fconvincing the world of sin, righteousness and judgment.  I dealt with the convicting about sin and so we move to the next work.",{"type":24,"content":1995},[1996],{"text":1997,"type":30},"Jesus says that The Holy Spirit will also convict\u002F\u002Fconvince the world about righteousness.  The word \"righteous\u002F\u002Frighteousness\" is a term that is used to indicate that which is right.  So, the Holy Spirit will connect\u002F\u002Fconvince the world about right--righteousness.  The world has rejected Jesus and did not believe in him to be right and true about his message or ministry so at a very basic level the world is wrong and not right or righteous.",{"type":24,"content":1999},[2000],{"text":2001,"type":30},"However Jesus seems to be more specific about righteousness.  He declares that the righteousness that The Hoy Spirit will execute to the world  is the righteousness because Jesus is going to the Father. What is that? It is that  Jesus' life and ministry were right and because of that he is going to the Father.  Only one who is righteous could go to The Father and by going to The father one is known to be righteous. ",{"type":24,"content":2003},[2004],{"text":2005,"type":30},"Just think of this ultimate attestation to Jesus' being right and righteous.....He is accepted into the presence of The Father.  Isn't this what anyone who lives a life of righteousness truly desires; to be accepted into the presence of The Father.",{"type":24,"content":2007},[2008],{"text":2009,"type":30},"REFLECT:  As you live your life this week, give great attention to the ultimate goal of any actions that could be considered right or righteous: able to go to The Father. ",{"type":24},{"type":24},{"type":24},{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":2014},{},"Continued Work of The Holy Spirit","path-to-pentecost-29-may-27","blog\u002Fpath-to-pentecost-29-may-27",-1900,[],"7de388b1-17a0-4a6e-b8da-38dd1709c37f",[],{"name":2023,"created_at":2024,"published_at":2025,"updated_at":2026,"id":2027,"uuid":2028,"content":2029,"slug":2071,"full_slug":2072,"sort_by_date":26,"position":2073,"tag_list":2074,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":2075,"first_published_at":2025,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":2076,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Path To Pentecost (28)","2025-05-27T01:47:44.159Z","2025-05-27T03:06:59.086Z","2025-05-27T03:06:59.096Z",34873468,"f392c25c-e630-45ec-90c7-06090867eac7",{"tag":2030,"_uid":2031,"body":2032,"image":2067,"title":2069,"excerpt":2070,"component":62},[432],"e2de261f-2506-4ae3-b062-cf0f22e2f27b",[2033],{"_uid":2034,"component":19,"textContent":2035},"d7997d43-01dd-4e0b-88c5-6da91c2fc19c",{"type":21,"content":2036},[2037,2041,2045,2049,2053,2057,2061,2065,2066],{"type":24,"content":2038},[2039],{"text":2040,"type":30},"The Holy Spirit's Work to The World",{"type":24,"content":2042},[2043],{"text":2044,"type":30},"I have shared  several features of The Holy Spirit's work or ministry to the believer from John 14 and 15 in past blogs.  But another feature of The Holy Spirit's work is toward the world or unbelievers is found in John 16.  This is the ministry of \"convicting\" or \"convincing.\"  The term, convicting or convincing in John 16:8 has to do with exposing and convincing of something wrong. ",{"type":24,"content":2046},[2047],{"text":2048,"type":30},"Jesus then gives details as to this convicting\u002F\u002Fconvincing work.  First, it is a convicting or convincing of the specific nature of sin.  Jesus shows that the specific nature of sin is the sin of unbelief in him (16:9).  This understanding of sin is not some violation of some rule or principle but a personal response to the person and work of Jesus.",{"type":24,"content":2050},[2051],{"text":2052,"type":30},"What is this unbelief?  It surely is the reaction of the people and leaders of Jesus' day who did not believe that he was who he claimed to be: The Son of God who had authority.  So, Jesus is defining sin at this fundamental level of one's lack of belief in him.  ",{"type":24,"content":2054},[2055],{"text":2056,"type":30},"This surely raises an important truth for life.  Is all sin really a matter of not believing the truth about Jesus?  Is this to suggest that unbelief in who Jesus is issues forth in all kinds of behaviors that are considered sinful?  If this is true then our fundamental need is to know the truth about Jesus and believe that truth",{"type":24,"content":2058},[2059],{"text":2060,"type":30},"Now this unbelief is not doubt; doubt can be a question of needing more information or answering of questions.  Unbelief is to refuse to believe what one knows.",{"type":24,"content":2062},[2063],{"text":2064,"type":30},"REFLECT: How central to your view of sin is the personal reaction of belief in Jesus?  Can you track any sinful action to a failure to believe the truth about Jesus?",{"type":24},{"type":24},{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":2068},{},"Path To Pentecost (28)--May 26","The Holy Spirit's Work","path-to-pentecost-28-","blog\u002Fpath-to-pentecost-28-",-1880,[],"254fea84-229a-40d4-b47e-5d35abe533cc",[],{"name":2078,"created_at":2079,"published_at":2080,"updated_at":2081,"id":2082,"uuid":2083,"content":2084,"slug":2123,"full_slug":2124,"sort_by_date":26,"position":2125,"tag_list":2126,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":2127,"first_published_at":2080,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":2128,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Path To Pentecost (27)--May 25","2025-05-26T01:53:01.165Z","2025-05-26T03:12:52.671Z","2025-05-26T03:12:52.681Z",34849133,"37f349b4-dcca-4ea5-a23e-f4a23101666a",{"tag":2085,"_uid":2086,"body":2087,"image":2120,"title":2078,"excerpt":2122,"component":62},[432],"8d894ce4-b2d6-4fca-b99a-2c9bd3176150",[2088],{"_uid":2089,"component":19,"textContent":2090},"e6fe69f9-2eaf-4dde-a4e3-0401a370635d",{"type":21,"content":2091},[2092,2096,2100,2104,2108,2112,2116],{"type":24,"content":2093},[2094],{"text":2095,"type":30},"The Work of The Holy Spirit",{"type":24,"content":2097},[2098],{"text":2099,"type":30},"In the blog on May 23 I shared from John 15 about the work of The Holy Spirit in bearing witness to Jesus.  That text also indicates that we also bear witness to Jesus and his work.  So, the bearing witness to Jesus is both the work of The Holy Spirit and our participation.",{"type":24,"content":2101},[2102],{"text":2103,"type":30},"A further understanding of how the Holy Spirit \"bears witness\" to Jesus is found in John 16.  In John 16:7ff Jesus makes some important statements about The Holy Spirit's  work with respect to \"the world.\"",{"type":24,"content":2105},[2106],{"text":2107,"type":30},"Jesus begins by saying to his followers that \"it is to your advantage that I go away (16:7).\"  What a statement to make to these men who have been with Jesus for 3 years.  But his statement is that the advantage is that The Helper will be sent to them.  Now the specific advantage seems to be in the area of bearing witness.",{"type":24,"content":2109},[2110],{"text":2111,"type":30},"The specific advantage that Jesus seems to be referring to is the bearing of witness by The Holy Spirit (The Helper) to the world.  This witness to the world is to \"convict the world concerning sin, righteousness and judgment (John 16:8).\" The term \"convict\" has to notion of \"convincing\" or bringing someone to awareness of their need.",{"type":24,"content":2113},[2114],{"text":2115,"type":30},"How often do we think that it is our job to \"convince\" people of their sin or their need of Jesus?  This seems to be a misunderstanding of The Holy Spirit as the one who does the convincing.",{"type":24,"content":2117},[2118],{"text":2119,"type":30},"REFLECT: How dependent are you and I on The Holy Spirit to do the convincing of others of their need of Jesus?  How can we affirm and practice this in our interaction with others.",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":2121},{},"Work of the Holy Spirit","path-to-pentecost-27-may-25","blog\u002Fpath-to-pentecost-27-may-25",-1860,[],"5a7d9f46-41bd-4c57-866f-2c1c7b1d3b53",[],{"name":2130,"created_at":2131,"published_at":2132,"updated_at":2133,"id":2134,"uuid":2135,"content":2136,"slug":2179,"full_slug":2180,"sort_by_date":26,"position":2181,"tag_list":2182,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":2183,"first_published_at":2184,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":2185,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Path To Pentecost (26)--May 24","2025-05-25T00:31:15.759Z","2025-05-26T01:59:07.001Z","2025-05-26T01:59:07.016Z",34846382,"89ba5a66-3ab5-4501-a34f-b2cffbef48a1",{"tag":2137,"_uid":2138,"body":2139,"image":2176,"title":2130,"excerpt":2178,"component":62},[432],"f40014a8-3141-4857-b52f-404269aea270",[2140],{"_uid":2141,"component":19,"textContent":2142},"e0a8d674-2416-4987-9cc3-70ed3aa0e771",{"type":21,"content":2143},[2144,2148,2152,2156,2160,2164,2168,2172],{"type":24,"content":2145},[2146],{"text":2147,"type":30},"May 24 and a person whose life was changed by The Holy Spirit",{"type":24,"content":2149},[2150],{"text":2151,"type":30},"Today is the date (May 24) in 1738 the John Wesley experienced an assurance from The Holy Spirit that God had forgiven him and accepted him as a child of God. This may seem strange because of who John Wesley was.",{"type":24,"content":2153},[2154],{"text":2155,"type":30},"John Wesley was raised in a pastor's home and received significant training from his father and mother in the home.  Wesley also studied @ Oxford for the priesthood in The Anglican Church.  He was part of a small group of students and graduates that met for spiritual growth there isn Oxford.  They were considered radical by the other students because of their discipline in Bible study, prayer, fasting and serving the poor and prisoners",{"type":24,"content":2157},[2158],{"text":2159,"type":30},"Wesley also served as a missionary to what is now the state of Georgia in the United States.  His service there was a failure and he returned to England in great despair.  This despair was not so much about ministry success but his continuing sense of not being accepted by God.",{"type":24,"content":2161},[2162],{"text":2163,"type":30},"Then in his return to England he attended a small group meeting @ Fetter Lane in London.  He writes in his journal that he attended this meeting reluctantly.  ",{"type":24,"content":2165},[2166],{"text":2167,"type":30},"It was during this meeting that Wesley recorded in his journal that his heart \"was strangely warmed\" and that he received assurance from the Holy Spirit that his sins were forgiven.  It is this assurance from the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:16) that Wesley received that became a central teaching of Wesley for the rest of his life.  ",{"type":24,"content":2169},[2170],{"text":2171,"type":30},"Wesley believed that one could be a Christian without this sense of assurance but taught that it was a great blessing for any follower of Jesus.",{"type":24,"content":2173},[2174],{"text":2175,"type":30},"REFLECT:  How important do you think having an assurance from the Holy Spirit that one is a child of God is?  Is this assurance for everyone?  Is this assurance the same for everyone?",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":2177},{},"Wesley's Assurance","path-to-pentecost-26-may-24","blog\u002Fpath-to-pentecost-26-may-24",-1840,[],"eb9e40fb-e01d-4c83-ae86-04512cc980ca","2025-05-25T02:05:03.925Z",[],{"name":2187,"created_at":2188,"published_at":2189,"updated_at":2190,"id":2191,"uuid":2192,"content":2193,"slug":2228,"full_slug":2229,"sort_by_date":26,"position":2230,"tag_list":2231,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":2232,"first_published_at":2189,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":2233,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Path To Pentecost (25)--May 23","2025-05-24T01:40:03.573Z","2025-05-25T00:28:26.456Z","2025-05-25T00:28:26.471Z",34843640,"3d237ef3-8097-48f2-b1c8-6553e2a50eed",{"tag":2194,"_uid":2195,"body":2196,"image":2225,"title":2187,"excerpt":2227,"component":62},[432],"b1c5d978-564c-493a-83f3-7fa2105ef3f6",[2197],{"_uid":2198,"component":19,"textContent":2199},"edf9609d-bc34-4a42-a38b-5a13ce39a6a4",{"type":21,"content":2200},[2201,2205,2209,2213,2217,2221],{"type":24,"content":2202},[2203],{"text":2204,"type":30},"Co-workers with The Holy Spirit",{"type":24,"content":2206},[2207],{"text":2208,"type":30},"In our last blog I shared that Jesus reveals that the Holy Spirit will teach us and remind us of what Jesus taught (John 14:26-27).  This is his ministry of teaching and reminding  to the believer.  Just think of it we have a teacher and guide in the person of The Holy Spirit.",{"type":24,"content":2210},[2211],{"text":2212,"type":30},"Jesus reveals another ministry that The Holy Spirit performs.  This is the ministry of giving witness about Jesus (John 15:26).  Note that Jesus said that in this ministry of The Holy Spirit is that  of 'bearing witness' to him.  It is also noteworthy Jesus states that the Holy Spirit is also sent \"to you from the Father (Jn 15:26).\"  Because the followers of Jesus will also bear witness about Jesus.",{"type":24,"content":2214},[2215],{"text":2216,"type":30},"In bearing witness to Jesus it should be noted that Jesus states that it is The Holy Spirit who is first to \"bear witness.\"  And with this clearly in mind Jesus says that his follower's will \"also bear witness\" to Jesus (John 14:27).  This is because Jesus stated that The Holy Spirit is sent to his followers for the purpose of bearing witness (vs. 26) ",{"type":24,"content":2218},[2219],{"text":2220,"type":30},"Is there anything to the sequence here at which we should pay attention?  It certainly seems so from the text and from the testimony of Scripture.  Witness that comes from Jesus' followers must be empowered and enabled by The Holy Spirit.  This is most generally understood from a passage like Acts 1:8..  It also is of great importance, I think, that any witness by Jesus' followers is empowered because of The Holy Spirit.",{"type":24,"content":2222},[2223],{"text":2224,"type":30},"REFLECT:  How much of a partnership with The Holy Spirit do you understand you have when you are giving witness about Jesus?",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":2226},{},"The Holy Spirit","path-to-pentecost-25-may-23","blog\u002Fpath-to-pentecost-25-may-23",-1820,[],"4e846548-0036-4b6f-8de0-c125571f34f7",[],{"name":2235,"created_at":2236,"published_at":2237,"updated_at":2238,"id":2239,"uuid":2240,"content":2241,"slug":2280,"full_slug":2281,"sort_by_date":26,"position":2282,"tag_list":2283,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":2284,"first_published_at":2237,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":2285,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Path To Pentecost (24)--May 22","2025-05-23T00:33:52.537Z","2025-05-23T15:19:04.971Z","2025-05-23T15:19:04.986Z",34765199,"0c9bb9db-9567-4135-b11e-972e6705eb76",{"tag":2242,"_uid":2243,"body":2244,"image":2277,"title":2235,"excerpt":2279,"component":62},[432],"7ef983a6-67f3-463d-b0a5-5c7ef8cbe96b",[2245],{"_uid":2246,"component":19,"textContent":2247},"9f12bcc4-55f6-410f-abba-897effc275d5",{"type":21,"content":2248},[2249,2253,2257,2261,2265,2269,2273],{"type":24,"content":2250},[2251],{"text":2252,"type":30},"John 14 and The Holy Spirit",{"type":24,"content":2254},[2255],{"text":2256,"type":30},"As we have seen, John 14 is a great source of the sayings of Jesus about the Holy Spirit.  In fact, on the last night of Jesus' earthly ministry we find the most amount of teaching by Jesus about The Holy Spirit.",{"type":24,"content":2258},[2259],{"text":2260,"type":30},"In John 14:25-26 Jesus draws a contrast between himself and The Holy Spirit. Jesus indicates that he has spoken things while he is with his followers.  But The Holy Spirit's actions will come after Jesus leaves.  This feature of The Hot Spirit's activity is one of the great truths; The Holy Spirit will be the new Helper and presence for those after Jesus returns to heaven.",{"type":24,"content":2262},[2263],{"text":2264,"type":30},"What will the Holy Spirit do in Jesus' \"absence?\" First, Jesus says that The Holy Spirit will teach you all things (vs. 26).  He who Jesus called \"The Helper\" will also be the teacher.  The Holy Spirit takes what Jesus has taught while with them and helps to make the truth personal in them after Jesus leaves.",{"type":24,"content":2266},[2267],{"text":2268,"type":30},"The Holy Spirit will also \"bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.\"  This ministry of The Holy Spirit enables us to remember all that Jesus taught.  What a ministry to us and what a comfort to know that The Holy Spirit is going to remind us.",{"type":24,"content":2270},[2271],{"text":2272,"type":30},"But this reminding makes me wonder if The Holy Spirit's ministry to us is hindered if we do not take time to learn Jesus' words SO the Holy Spirit can remind us.  In other words, there must be an initial learning of Jesus' words BEFORE there can be any reminding.",{"type":24,"content":2274},[2275],{"text":2276,"type":30},"REFLECT:  How much can The Holy Spirit remind you of Jesus' words because you have given time to lean them in the 1st place?  How have you experienced The Holy Spirit's teaching you?",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":2278},{},"More truth","path-to-pentecost-24-may-22","blog\u002Fpath-to-pentecost-24-may-22",-1800,[],"3859a974-fe70-41b2-bcf9-882f39b347cf",[],{"name":2287,"created_at":2288,"published_at":2289,"updated_at":2290,"id":2291,"uuid":2292,"content":2293,"slug":2342,"full_slug":2343,"sort_by_date":26,"position":2344,"tag_list":2345,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":2346,"first_published_at":2289,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":2347,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Path To Pentecost (23)--May 21","2025-05-22T01:40:11.382Z","2025-05-22T02:36:39.158Z","2025-05-22T02:36:39.169Z",34647900,"cda48bbd-d0db-46df-ad9d-2787765a0633",{"tag":2294,"_uid":2295,"body":2296,"image":2339,"title":2287,"excerpt":2341,"component":62},[432],"f4a13a90-779a-48c1-8c15-9e0c3d4abdd2",[2297],{"_uid":2298,"component":19,"textContent":2299},"a152c113-b006-4b4e-942d-414219947d97",{"type":21,"content":2300},[2301,2305,2309,2313,2317,2335],{"type":24,"content":2302},[2303],{"text":2304,"type":30},"The Promise and Presence",{"type":24,"content":2306},[2307],{"text":2308,"type":30},"In John 14:15ff (ff means following verses) Jesus has made several statements about The Holy Spirit.  We have considered these (Helper, Spirit of Truth) and now move to another statement about the Holy Spirit.",{"type":24,"content":2310},[2311],{"text":2312,"type":30},"Jesus states in vs. 17 that these followers know The Spirit of Truth while the world does not.  But beyond that Jesus makes a statement of fact followed by a promise.  Jesus states that  this Spirit of Truth is \"with\"  these followers; this is a statement of fact.  Then Jesus states that this Spirit of Truth and will be \"in\" them which is a promise.",{"type":24,"content":2314},[2315],{"text":2316,"type":30},"Is this a way, Jesus reveals the difference his death and resurrection will have with respect to The Holy Spirit?  The Holy Spirit, before Jesus' work, in the Old Covenant surely experienced the work of The Spirit in terms of actions with God's people.  Whereas Jesus' work in the New Covenant issued forth in The Holy Spirit being 'in\" the people of God.  ",{"type":24,"content":2318},[2319,2321,2327,2329,2333],{"text":2320,"type":30},"This \"in\" quality  is in contrast to general Jewish thought.  Generally Jewish thought is that the Presence of God dwells in The Temple of Jerusalem.  Or, God's ",{"text":2322,"type":30,"marks":2323},"shekinah ",[2324,2325],{"type":388},{"type":2326},"italic",{"text":2328,"type":30},"presence dwelt where 10 people gathered to pray or 2 assemble to study Torah ",{"text":2330,"type":30,"marks":2331},"(Every Man's Talmud, 43-44).  ",[2332],{"type":2326},{"text":2334,"type":30},"But it will be true that God's Spirit will be \"in\" His people.",{"type":24,"content":2336},[2337],{"text":2338,"type":30},"REFLECT:  When you consider the person of The Holy Spirit do you regularly think of. this being an internal presence?  How can we affirm this internal presence each day?",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":2340},{},"The Promise of Pentecost","path-to-pentecost-23-may-21","blog\u002Fpath-to-pentecost-23-may-21",-1780,[],"8cb95fd6-4959-4d00-aaa9-a115bd3ce190",[],{"name":2349,"created_at":2350,"published_at":2351,"updated_at":2352,"id":2353,"uuid":2354,"content":2355,"slug":2390,"full_slug":2391,"sort_by_date":26,"position":2392,"tag_list":2393,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":2394,"first_published_at":2351,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":2395,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Path To Pentecost (22)--May 20","2025-05-21T01:19:46.810Z","2025-05-21T02:21:11.886Z","2025-05-21T02:21:11.895Z",34247260,"dba1842b-b547-4b3b-934e-454934ab285c",{"tag":2356,"_uid":2357,"body":2358,"image":2388,"title":2349,"excerpt":2227,"component":62},[432],"7aab0d9f-2b5e-41cf-8caf-8df1a76d9d82",[2359],{"_uid":2360,"component":19,"textContent":2361},"62fb1f2a-c3ed-4f65-9937-604889e74e45",{"type":21,"content":2362},[2363,2367,2371,2375,2379,2383,2387],{"type":24,"content":2364},[2365],{"text":2366,"type":30},"More truth about The Holy Spirit",{"type":24,"content":2368},[2369],{"text":2370,"type":30},"The Holy Spirit as \"helper\" (parakletos) is a fundamental truth of Jesus' teaching here in John 14.  But Jesus reveals other truths about The Holy Spirit that are necessary for those on The Path to Pentecost.",{"type":24,"content":2372},[2373],{"text":2374,"type":30},"Another necessary truth is that The Holy Spirit is \"the Spirit of Truth (vs. 17).\"  This identification or appellation of The Holy Spirit gives insight into The Spirit's nature.  The Holy Spirit is about truth and this truth is surely about God and human nature..  This fact about truth is why Jesus says that \"the world cannot receive (vs. 17) the Spirit.\"  ",{"type":24,"content":2376},[2377],{"text":2378,"type":30},"The world cannot \"receive\" this spirit of truth because the world in John is a system or values that are opposed to God and His Spirit.  The world is not interested in the spirit of truth, especially the truth about God, ourselves, or our need for Jesus.  The world and its opposition to truth is throughout the Gospel of John.  ",{"type":24,"content":2380},[2381],{"text":2382,"type":30},"The great issue here is are we \"open\" to the idea of The Holy Spirit being our helper AND the spirit of truth who reveals truth to our lives?  It is likely easy for us to want The Holy Spirit to be our helper in life and difficulty but more challenging to bear with The Holy Spirit as He brings truth to bear in our lives.",{"type":24,"content":2384},[2385],{"text":2386,"type":30},"REFLECT:  How open are your to having the Spirit be truthful about your life?  How can we all be more open to this aspect of The Holy Spirit's work?",{"type":24},{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":2389},{},"path-to-pentecost-22-may-20","blog\u002Fpath-to-pentecost-22-may-20",-1760,[],"37b6597d-1375-493f-a786-640f7a85f1fe",[],{"name":2397,"created_at":2398,"published_at":2399,"updated_at":2400,"id":2401,"uuid":2402,"content":2403,"slug":2446,"full_slug":2447,"sort_by_date":26,"position":2448,"tag_list":2449,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":2450,"first_published_at":2399,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":2451,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Path To Pentecost (21)--May 19","2025-05-20T01:21:33.798Z","2025-05-20T01:58:24.552Z","2025-05-20T01:58:24.567Z",34130689,"1fea4eea-7418-4907-a667-f521de630640",{"tag":2404,"_uid":2405,"body":2406,"image":2443,"title":2397,"excerpt":2445,"component":62},[432],"d5598710-8b18-4afb-892e-629921a4a38c",[2407],{"_uid":2408,"component":19,"textContent":2409},"2a557553-5b6e-4b4b-968e-621061f0c253",{"type":21,"content":2410},[2411,2415,2419,2423,2427,2431,2435,2439],{"type":24,"content":2412},[2413],{"text":2414,"type":30},"The Helper",{"type":24,"content":2416},[2417],{"text":2418,"type":30},"In our journey of The Path To Pentecost we find that Jesus gave a good deal of instruction to his followers about The Holy Spirit.  These instructions are most concentrated in The Gospel of John in chapters 14-16.",{"type":24,"content":2420},[2421],{"text":2422,"type":30},"What is so significant about the instructions (John 14-16) Jesus gives about The Holy Spirit (and other subjects)  is that they are given on the last night of Jesus earthly life.  One would surely understand that what a person says to one's friends at the end of life are of critical importance.  This is no less true for Jesus.",{"type":24,"content":2424},[2425],{"text":2426,"type":30},"Jesus has already shared that he will ask the father to send another helper (see May 18 blog). Moreover, we need to understand what Jesus means by \"helper.\"  The use of the term in 14:26 clarifies that Jesus is referring to The Holy Spirit.",{"type":24,"content":2428},[2429],{"text":2430,"type":30},"But what does the term \"helper\" mean?  The term is the Greek term \"parakletos.\"  The basic meaning of the term means 'someone called to the side of another.'  This suggests someone to come to our side to help, thus the term \"helper\" is often the translation preference.",{"type":24,"content":2432},[2433],{"text":2434,"type":30},"But \"parakletos\" has a much richer meaning as one who is called to one's side to plead in their behalf.  This is why some translations use the word \"advocate.\"  And this term is likely close to the idea of defense attorney.",{"type":24,"content":2436},[2437],{"text":2438,"type":30},"Whatever nuance one decides is best the clear meaning of the term is someone who is called to your side to assist and help you.  What a marvelous truth Jesus is teaching.  Here we understand that God is \"for us\" and has someone that comes to our side to aid and help us.  Wonderful!!!",{"type":24,"content":2440},[2441],{"text":2442,"type":30},"REFLECT:  Why would one not want to be on the Path To Pentecost to more fully experience the \"Helper?\"  How can this one, \"called to be by your side,\" help you today?",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":2444},{},"Contining thoughts","path-to-pentecost-21-may-19","blog\u002Fpath-to-pentecost-21-may-19",-1740,[],"6215e050-597c-4c92-99bc-b38983a3017e",[],{"name":2453,"created_at":2454,"published_at":2455,"updated_at":2456,"id":2457,"uuid":2458,"content":2459,"slug":2516,"full_slug":2517,"sort_by_date":26,"position":2518,"tag_list":2519,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":2520,"first_published_at":2455,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":2521,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Path To Pentecost (20)--May 18","2025-05-19T00:47:26.777Z","2025-05-19T02:15:46.563Z","2025-05-19T02:15:46.575Z",33897051,"903bc691-f9f0-4f21-837b-ee75a86a92bd",{"tag":2460,"_uid":2461,"body":2462,"image":2513,"title":2453,"excerpt":2515,"component":62},[432],"7a49259f-48c6-467b-88d7-816633337f53",[2463],{"_uid":2464,"component":19,"textContent":2465},"0c4aaff9-487e-4ad6-b0cf-a0e7138c1f69",{"type":21,"content":2466},[2467,2471,2475,2485,2496,2505,2509],{"type":24,"content":2468},[2469],{"text":2470,"type":30},"Jesus preparing His followers on The Path To Pentecost",{"type":24,"content":2472},[2473],{"text":2474,"type":30},"The final hours of Jesus' earthy ministry are recorded in The Gospel of John chapters 14-17.  These chapters have long been referred to as Jesus' teaching about The Holy Spirit and His ministry.  Or, it may be suggested that Jesus is teaching his followers very important truths since he is about to leave them physically.",{"type":24,"content":2476},[2477,2479,2483],{"text":2478,"type":30},"Jesus tells his followers that \"if you love me you will keep my commandments.  And I will ask the Father and He will give you ",{"text":2480,"type":30,"marks":2481},"another",[2482],{"type":1263},{"text":2484,"type":30}," helper (John 14:15-16).\"  And we know, as Jesus continues to teach these followers, that the helper is The Holy Spirit (see verse 25). ",{"type":24,"content":2486},[2487,2489,2494],{"text":2488,"type":30},"There are a couple of observations I would like to make about this section of Scripture.  ",{"text":2490,"type":30,"marks":2491},"First",[2492,2493],{"type":388},{"type":1263},{"text":2495,"type":30},", Jesus tells his followers that he will ask the father for \"another helper.\"  There can be no doubt in our minds that what Jesus asks of The Father WILL occur.  Our experience of The Holy Spirit in our lives is because Jesus has made this request.  Could you ever have more confidence that a request would be granted than when Jesus makes a request to The Father.  Take time to embrace the truth that the presence of The Holy Spirit in your life is an answer to the prayer Jesus prayed.",{"type":24,"content":2497},[2498,2503],{"text":2499,"type":30,"marks":2500},"Second",[2501,2502],{"type":388},{"type":1263},{"text":2504,"type":30},", Jesus states that his request is for \"another helper (ESV).\"  The term \"another\" is an important term to understand.  There are 2 words that are translated \"another.\"  One term means another of a different kind (heteros) and the other term means another of the same kind (allow).  Jesus uses the second term,: another of the same kind.",{"type":24,"content":2506},[2507],{"text":2508,"type":30},"The context of this chapter is Jesus telling his followers that he is leaving but there will be another (of the same kind) Helper.  This helper is another like Jesus in his ministry and presence.  The helper (The Holy Spirit) will be like Jesus in character and ministry. ",{"type":24,"content":2510},[2511],{"text":2512,"type":30},"REFLECT: How would your confidence that The Holy Spirit is your privilege because of Jesus' prayer?  Be encouraged that the Helper's ministry will be like Jesus' to you. ",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":2514},{},"More thoughts about Pentecost","path-to-pentecost-20-may-18","blog\u002Fpath-to-pentecost-20-may-18",-1720,[],"450350f2-3b5c-4ea0-80f2-52677869cc28",[],{"name":2523,"created_at":2524,"published_at":2525,"updated_at":2526,"id":2527,"uuid":2528,"content":2529,"slug":2563,"full_slug":2564,"sort_by_date":26,"position":2565,"tag_list":2566,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":2567,"first_published_at":2525,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":2568,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Path To Pentecost (19)","2025-05-18T01:41:49.642Z","2025-05-18T02:22:06.489Z","2025-05-18T02:22:06.502Z",33885547,"303af9ea-3c99-4a45-b2c3-d91b8aceff01",{"tag":2530,"_uid":2531,"body":2532,"image":2559,"title":2561,"excerpt":2562,"component":62},[432],"ae06558c-306a-4fac-9f1d-e35b8dbf5737",[2533],{"_uid":2534,"component":19,"textContent":2535},"18163895-6fd5-463c-b428-77ced55b5dbc",{"type":21,"content":2536},[2537,2541,2545,2549,2553,2557,2558],{"type":24,"content":2538},[2539],{"text":2540,"type":30},"The action associated with being filled with The Holy Spirit in Ephesians 5:18ff now moves to the action of  \"submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ\". Th basic idea of  submitting is that of subordinating one's desires in view of another.  It is not to cease having desires or opinions it is simply subordinating or surrendering one's ideas or desires for a greater good.  This greater good is \"in reverence to Christ.",{"type":24,"content":2542},[2543],{"text":2544,"type":30},"So, what is the nature of this submission?  I think that Paul's view is that submission to one another, as an expression of reverence to Christ, This seems so because the work of the Holy Spirit is always to make much of Jesus (John 16:14).  Submission to one another  is to think of Christ first and my opinions second or last.  When Christ is first then any thoughts or ideas I have will be submitted to Him and thereby submitting these ideas and desires to others.",{"type":24,"content":2546},[2547],{"text":2548,"type":30},"But Paul is no mystic.  Submission because of reverence for Christ must find practical expression.  One might say they have reverence for Christ and are really difficult to get along with because their ideas or opinions are only what  they think is valid.  This would not be the kind of reverence for Christ that would be a life filled with The Holy Spirit (under the influence).",{"type":24,"content":2550},[2551],{"text":2552,"type":30},"A life filled with The Holy Spirit (under the influence) will exhibit a life of reverence to Christ that makes us less self-centerd in our thoughts and  behavior and more Christ-centered.  This is surely because of our reverence for all that Christ has done for us as seen in the previous chapters of Ephesians.",{"type":24,"content":2554},[2555],{"text":2556,"type":30},"REFLECT:  I want to suggest that we consider that being filled with The Holy Spirit enables us to surrender our preferences to honor and reverence Christ?  A life filled with The Holy Spirit (under the influence) would be the life of  a person who does not always have to get his\u002Fher way.",{"type":24},{"type":24},{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":2560},{},"Path To Pentecost (19)--May 17","Paul's 4th specific about living filled with The Spirit (under the influence of The Spirit)\n\n","path-to-pentecost-19-","blog\u002Fpath-to-pentecost-19-",-1700,[],"304f9c18-3ef6-4f08-aa62-f7029fa3f00c",[],{"name":2570,"created_at":2571,"published_at":2572,"updated_at":2573,"id":2574,"uuid":2575,"content":2576,"slug":2615,"full_slug":2616,"sort_by_date":26,"position":2617,"tag_list":2618,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":2619,"first_published_at":2572,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":2620,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Path To Pentecost (18)--May 16","2025-05-17T01:09:45.111Z","2025-05-17T02:04:26.638Z","2025-05-17T02:04:26.649Z",33877986,"095a1407-f70e-49e4-8eac-657db9ace08b",{"tag":2577,"_uid":2578,"body":2579,"image":2612,"title":2570,"excerpt":2614,"component":62},[432],"7ddb04c8-7d43-430f-b9b4-6fd8418baebc",[2580],{"_uid":2581,"component":19,"textContent":2582},"41f499c0-c43c-4e2a-a78d-810038d5985a",{"type":21,"content":2583},[2584,2588,2592,2596,2600,2604,2608],{"type":24,"content":2585},[2586],{"text":2587,"type":30},"Another Feature of What Being Filled with The Holy Spirit is like",{"type":24,"content":2589},[2590],{"text":2591,"type":30},"The Apostle Paul has exhorted his readers to be filled (under the influence) with The Holy Spirit in Ephesians 5:18.  He then follows the exhortation with specific ways to live this life of being filled with The Holy Spirit. ",{"type":24,"content":2593},[2594],{"text":2595,"type":30},"The 3rd participle, that indicates how to live filled, is \"giving thanks, always and for everything to God the father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.\"  This practice of giving thanks is characterized as thanks that can be made \"in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.\"  I believe that this thanks \"for everything\" must not be some categorical thanks.  I do not think that being filled with The Spirit calls forth thanks for cancer, job loss, a divorce, etc.  What makes sense of the context is to give thanks for \"for everything\" that Paul has enumerated in the Book of Ephesians.",{"type":24,"content":2597},[2598],{"text":2599,"type":30},"Paul knows that The Holy Spirit would prompt one to give thanks to God for all \"everything\" that Jesus has done that to this point in the Book of Ephesians that has been enumerated.  Paul began the book by declaring that \"God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing (1:3).\"  Here is the \"everything\" of giving thanks that The Holy Spirit inspires for those living filled (under The Spirit's influence).",{"type":24,"content":2601},[2602],{"text":2603,"type":30},"This giving of thanks is not only here as a specific way to live under the influence of The Holy Spirit but throughout the New Testament as Spirit living. In I Thessalonians 5:18 there is the giving of thanks \"in all things.\"  In Colossians 4:2 we are told to keep alert in prayer by thanksgiving.  And Philippians 4:6ff we are exhorted to 'not worry about anything but in everything by prayer...with thanksgiving let our requests be made know to God.'",{"type":24,"content":2605},[2606],{"text":2607,"type":30},"This constant theme of thanks is The Spirit filled life as we live under The Spirit's influence to give thanks for all\u002F\u002Feverything God had provided for us.",{"type":24,"content":2609},[2610],{"text":2611,"type":30},"REFLECT:  How can you respond to the Spirit's prompting to give thanks for what God has done for you?  Use Ephesians 1:3-14 to prompt your giving of thanks",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":2613},{},"Filled with The Spirit","path-to-pentecost-18-may-16","blog\u002Fpath-to-pentecost-18-may-16",-1680,[],"d5a40064-7eaf-474e-a0a8-d36b016e05d8",[],{"name":2622,"created_at":2623,"published_at":2624,"updated_at":2625,"id":2626,"uuid":2627,"content":2628,"slug":2664,"full_slug":2665,"sort_by_date":26,"position":2666,"tag_list":2667,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":2668,"first_published_at":2669,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":2670,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Path To Pentecost (17)—May 15","2025-05-16T00:44:39.132Z","2025-05-16T02:21:57.338Z","2025-05-16T02:21:57.387Z",33564239,"9b8cd354-0148-455d-91ed-32051d65b1e9",{"tag":2629,"_uid":2630,"body":2631,"image":2660,"title":2662,"excerpt":2663,"component":62},[432],"8175f340-aca3-4356-a2f1-576ba007f88b",[2632],{"_uid":2633,"component":19,"textContent":2634},"15812655-ea6e-4120-a6d4-60934377dcd2",{"type":21,"content":2635},[2636,2640,2644,2648,2652,2656],{"type":24,"content":2637},[2638],{"text":2639,"type":30},"The Path To Pentecost is leading us to understand what being filled with The Spirit (under His influence) is in life.  Ephesians 5:18-21 gives details for our understanding of this life.",{"type":24,"content":2641},[2642],{"text":2643,"type":30},"In the previous post I suggested that this life is that of conversations that have spiritual songs and hymns in the content.  In other words a mouth filled with spiritual content.",{"type":24,"content":2645},[2646],{"text":2647,"type":30},"Today we look at another expression of being filled with The Spirit (under The Spirit's influence) as \"singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart.\" (vs. 19)  Here is the expression of one's heart whereas the previous verse had to do with lips (\"addressing one another\").",{"type":24,"content":2649},[2650],{"text":2651,"type":30},"The terms \"sing\" and  \"melody\" are 2 differnet terms to communicate \"sing.\"  There is an sense in which Paul is emphasizing some action of singing.  ",{"type":24,"content":2653},[2654],{"text":2655,"type":30},"The singing listed in this text is not simply a vocal event. This singing here is an expression of being filled with The Spirit so the singing is \"to the Lord with your heart.\"  Note the goal (\"to the Lord) and the method (\"with your heart\").  This suggests that singing here is not some perfunctory action but an act that comes from within.  A person filled with The Holy Spirit will surely have a heart filled with praise to God.",{"type":24,"content":2657},[2658],{"text":2659,"type":30},"REFLECT:  Is your singing to the Lord from the heart or simply a vocal matter?  Will you allow The Holy Spirit to take you on this Path To Pentecost in the area of singing with your heart to The Lord?",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":2661},{},"Path To Pentecost (17)--May 15","The Spirit Filled Life","path-to-pentecost-17-may-15","blog\u002Fpath-to-pentecost-17-may-15",-1660,[],"6ee584ec-1c2f-4857-b991-d75ce1006dc8","2025-05-16T02:11:14.405Z",[],{"name":2672,"created_at":2673,"published_at":2674,"updated_at":2675,"id":2676,"uuid":2677,"content":2678,"slug":2711,"full_slug":2712,"sort_by_date":26,"position":2713,"tag_list":2714,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":2715,"first_published_at":2674,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":2716,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Path To Pentecost (16)--May 14","2025-05-15T00:38:37.430Z","2025-05-15T01:24:07.323Z","2025-05-15T01:24:07.343Z",33315173,"9dc97e49-71f8-47f3-8b5b-0860e0fad630",{"tag":2679,"_uid":2680,"body":2681,"image":2707,"title":2709,"excerpt":2710,"component":62},[432],"3461bb15-a811-4d3e-bfe4-6b358bd559ff",[2682],{"_uid":2683,"component":19,"textContent":2684},"9416b24b-b404-4779-8eb9-290581f08abd",{"type":21,"content":2685},[2686,2690,2694,2698,2702,2706],{"type":24,"content":2687},[2688],{"text":2689,"type":30},"In our Path To Pentecost we have been seeking to understand what it is to be filled with the Holy Spirit (being under the influence).  Admittedly, there are matters of mystery but Ephesians 5 gives the series of participles that indicate the content or features of being filled (under the influence) with The Spirit.",{"type":24,"content":2691},[2692],{"text":2693,"type":30},"First it is how we \"speak\" to one another (5:19).  The passage says that we are to speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.  This may seem unusual to us but it seems to refer to that content of conversation that has to do with some degree of spiritual content  or benefit. This speaking is in contrast with what might be banal or crude.",{"type":24,"content":2695},[2696],{"text":2697,"type":30},"The connection between our speaking and being filled with The Holy Spirit here in Ephesians 5 seems to be what might have been in Paul's mind in Ephesians 4:29-30.  Here Paul appears to make a close connection between speech or talk that is corrupt (not building one other up) and the Holy Spirit.  I am suggesting this from Paul because of the use of the term  \"and\" in vers 30.  The use of \"and\"  appears to express a continuation of thought stated in vs 29.",{"type":24,"content":2699},[2700],{"text":2701,"type":30},"The connection with The Holy Spirit and speech is something that we should take seriously about as an expression or manifestation of  being under the influence (filled) of The Holy Spirit.  How much of our speech to one another could be classified as spiritual or upbuilding?  The Holy Spirit's desire surely is that we engage in spiritual conversations and upbuilding conversations with those in our sphere of influence and life.",{"type":24,"content":2703},[2704],{"text":2705,"type":30},"REFLECT:  Is the filling of The Holy Spirt (being under his influence) a matter of The Holy Spirit filling our mouths with spiritual and upbuilding words?   What a thought!",{"type":24},{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":2708},{},"Path To Pentecost (16)--May 14, 2025","How To Live Filled With The Holy Spirit","path-to-pentecost-16-may-14","blog\u002Fpath-to-pentecost-16-may-14",-1640,[],"e4e83aeb-2951-49a2-947e-4056ee45949f",[],{"name":2718,"created_at":2719,"published_at":2720,"updated_at":2721,"id":2722,"uuid":2723,"content":2724,"slug":2767,"full_slug":2768,"sort_by_date":26,"position":2769,"tag_list":2770,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":2771,"first_published_at":2720,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":2772,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Path To Pentecost (15)--May 13","2025-05-14T01:18:26.349Z","2025-05-14T01:55:54.551Z","2025-05-14T01:55:54.562Z",33118318,"f8570e71-e3ae-4eb4-b3da-bf85075471cf",{"tag":2725,"_uid":2726,"body":2727,"image":2764,"title":2718,"excerpt":2766,"component":62},[432],"2be51d74-bebd-4faa-9544-5bd7a5b06811",[2728],{"_uid":2729,"component":19,"textContent":2730},"158d7f8e-8514-42b7-8ca0-8ab69712a491",{"type":21,"content":2731},[2732,2736,2740,2744,2748,2752,2756,2760],{"type":24,"content":2733},[2734],{"text":2735,"type":30},"Actions associated with being filled with The Holy Spirit",{"type":24,"content":2737},[2738],{"text":2739,"type":30},"In my last blog about our Path To Pentecost  I suggested that we should be careful to not think of being filled (under the influence) with The Holy Spirit in our lives as uniquely a feeling.  Sure, there may be feelings associated with the Ministry of The Holy Spirit but one should not think that this is the only feature of one's experience with The Holy Spirit.",{"type":24,"content":2741},[2742],{"text":2743,"type":30},"The passage in Ephesians 5:18 that has been the basis of thinking about being continually filled (under the influence) with the Holy Spirit gives insight into what this filled life \"looks like.\"  This is because of the structure of the passage.",{"type":24,"content":2745},[2746],{"text":2747,"type":30},"The verb, \"be filled,\" is the command of the passage.  And what follows are 4 participles. These 4 participles function adverbially as they explain what it is to be filled with The Holy Spirit.  The \"be filled,\" as it relates to the command to be filled with The Holy Spirit, is not set in isolation or a command that hs no connection with the rest of the passage.",{"type":24,"content":2749},[2750],{"text":2751,"type":30},"The 4 participles give specific content to what being filled with The Holy Spirit  looks in action.   These 4 participles begin in Ephesians 5:19 and go through verse 21.  I will just list them today and will come ack and give some thoughts in coming days.",{"type":24,"content":2753},[2754],{"text":2755,"type":30},"The actions of the life that is filled (under the influence) with The Holy Spirit are: \"addressing one another,, singing, giving thanks,\" and \"submitting.\"  These 4 participles are expressions of the verb \"be filled.\" ",{"type":24,"content":2757},[2758],{"text":2759,"type":30},"Now are these actions just human actions or are they empowered actions as we live our lives under the influence of The Holy Spirit?",{"type":24,"content":2761},[2762],{"text":2763,"type":30},"REFLECT: Has your view of being under the influence of The Spirit (filled) been this specific? ",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":2765},{},"Actions associated with being filled","path-to-pentecost-15-may-13","blog\u002Fpath-to-pentecost-15-may-13",-1620,[],"585a45f6-4a13-41b2-8ff9-7837897a2fef",[],{"name":2774,"created_at":2775,"published_at":2776,"updated_at":2777,"id":2778,"uuid":2779,"content":2780,"slug":2820,"full_slug":2821,"sort_by_date":26,"position":2822,"tag_list":2823,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":2824,"first_published_at":2825,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":2826,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Path To Pentecost (14)--May 12","2025-05-13T01:13:35.929Z","2025-05-19T02:16:09.900Z","2025-05-19T02:16:09.912Z",32817957,"9aeda19b-cc5d-4706-b6df-6764257b7ccb",{"tag":2781,"_uid":2782,"body":2783,"image":2816,"title":2818,"excerpt":2819,"component":62},[432],"7e33a115-da31-4d02-bef3-f69894ec557d",[2784],{"_uid":2785,"component":19,"textContent":2786},"7d5d6599-aee9-471a-8a5c-d854fcda3fba",{"type":21,"content":2787},[2788,2792,2796,2800,2804,2808,2812],{"type":24,"content":2789},[2790],{"text":2791,"type":30},"A Person with whom to relate",{"type":24,"content":2793},[2794],{"text":2795,"type":30},"Over the last few blogs I have attempted to help us understand the teaching of being filled with and led by The Holy Spirit.  I have attempted to give some practical ways as to how to understand being led by The Spirit and filled by The Spirit.",{"type":24,"content":2797},[2798],{"text":2799,"type":30},"The challenge with this work is so as to be careful that we are not simply referring to a feeling or an experience.  No the work here is to help us know  and acknowledge as to how to relate to a person: The Holy Spirit.",{"type":24,"content":2801},[2802],{"text":2803,"type":30},"This is so important to remember because there is a tendency to associate the Holy Spirit with a series of feelings.  This is not to say that feelings are not in some way associated with an experience with The Holy Spirit, but it is however to say that the feeling is not what we are seeking.",{"type":24,"content":2805},[2806],{"text":2807,"type":30},"So what is it that I am suggesting?  Well, I am seeking to help clarify that The Holy Spirit is in fact a person; the 3rd person of The Trinity.  The Holy Spirit is not a formula or a feeling; The Spirit is a person.  The language of the New Testament (the grammar and the characteristics revealed of The Spirit) reveal that The Holy Spirit is a person.",{"type":24,"content":2809},[2810],{"text":2811,"type":30},"So as we are on the Path To Pentecost let us keep in mind that the Holy Spirit is a person.  This should cause some sense of relating to another person in the Trinity and not simply a feeling.  We might even begin to consider how respecting and relating to The Holy Spirit as a person would create more personal actions on our part as we are filled and led.",{"type":24,"content":2813},[2814],{"text":2815,"type":30},"REFLECT:  How would being filled with The Spirit and being led by The Spirit be informed by relating to the Sprit as a person?  Is your dominant thought of The Holy Spirit as a person?",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":2817},{},"Path to Pentecost (14)--May 12","A Path but not a Formula","path-to-pentecost-14-may-12","blog\u002Fpath-to-pentecost-14-may-12",-1580,[],"e3e08837-e8c3-4af4-b19d-316028d4d930","2025-05-13T01:49:27.964Z",[],{"name":2828,"created_at":2829,"published_at":2830,"updated_at":2831,"id":2832,"uuid":2833,"content":2834,"slug":2884,"full_slug":2885,"sort_by_date":26,"position":2886,"tag_list":2887,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":2888,"first_published_at":2889,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":2890,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Path To Pentecost--13","2025-05-12T01:26:21.321Z","2025-05-20T01:51:58.378Z","2025-05-20T01:51:58.394Z",32481289,"f333da13-2683-4e5a-9b76-157d25e1d18a",{"tag":2835,"_uid":2836,"body":2837,"image":2881,"title":2883,"excerpt":2845,"component":62},[432],"a304d9b3-f452-439d-810f-c67aaf1bd410",[2838],{"_uid":2839,"component":19,"textContent":2840},"7667097e-469c-438c-bde4-895b016e9d3f",{"type":21,"content":2841},[2842,2846,2850,2854,2858,2862,2866,2870,2874],{"type":24,"content":2843},[2844],{"text":2845,"type":30},"A Condition for being filled on a continual basis",{"type":24,"content":2847},[2848],{"text":2849,"type":30},"The blog yesterday showed that Ephesians 5:18 exhorts us to be filled with the Holy Spirit on a continual basis.  The present verb \"filled\" makes this clear.",{"type":24,"content":2851},[2852],{"text":2853,"type":30},"I also stated that a way to experience this continual work of The Holy Spirit (being under the influence of The Spirit) is based on humility.  Humility is the experience of realizing that I do not have the internal power to be the person that I see in God's Word. Humility is the acknowledgement that I need God's Spirit to live the life of following Jesus.",{"type":24,"content":2855},[2856],{"text":2857,"type":30},"It is the humble person who can experience this continual influence of the Holy Spirit.  That is because the truly humble person has a right assessment of their own need and a right assessment of God' provision.",{"type":24,"content":2859},[2860],{"text":2861,"type":30},"The proud person cannot receive much from God because the proud person does not assess that they need anything or at least not much from God.  This is not a failure of God's power it is a failure of one not recognizing one's needs that can be met by God..",{"type":24,"content":2863},[2864],{"text":2865,"type":30},"In this notion of being humble enough to experience God's continual presence of The Holy Spirit I remember a verse from Jesus' brother, James.  James 4:5-6 reveals God's contrast in response of grace  to the proud and to the humble.  ",{"type":24,"content":2867},[2868],{"text":2869,"type":30},"Note in vs 5 about God's yearning \"over the Spirit that he has made to dwell in us.\"  Then James gives a contrast between the humble and the proud we see that God gives \"more grace\" (vs. 6).  How can God give more grace.....well I want to suggest that God can give more grace to the humble because the humble have more capacity for grace.  Think of it, a humble person is open to receive from God because they do not assume that they are capable in their own strength.",{"type":24,"content":2871},[2872],{"text":2873,"type":30},"Note also that the continual influence of The Holy Spirit would be impossible for the proud.  God opposes the proud (vs. 6) because they do not recognize their need of God's Holy Spirit.",{"type":24,"content":2875},[2876,2879],{"text":599,"type":30,"marks":2877},[2878],{"type":388},{"text":2880,"type":30},": So, instead of denying your inability and need for more grace, embrace it.  God has \"more grace\" for you as you humble yourself.  This is life in the the continual influence of The Holy Spirit",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":2882},{},"Path To Pentecost (13)--May 11","path-to-pentecost-13","blog\u002Fpath-to-pentecost-13",-1560,[],"e7036268-b891-451d-badf-df469871feed","2025-05-12T00:54:00.000Z",[],{"name":2892,"created_at":2893,"published_at":2894,"updated_at":2895,"id":2896,"uuid":2897,"content":2898,"slug":2934,"full_slug":2935,"sort_by_date":26,"position":2936,"tag_list":2937,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":2938,"first_published_at":2894,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":2939,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Path To Pentecost","2025-05-11T01:34:46.858Z","2025-05-11T02:06:49.575Z","2025-05-11T02:06:49.590Z",32474230,"fd5509c5-e2b7-44ed-9796-e58e88dab78f",{"tag":2899,"_uid":2900,"body":2901,"image":2930,"title":2932,"excerpt":2933,"component":62},[432],"dcc025de-c3dd-4bee-a8a0-7bddebe88713",[2902],{"_uid":2903,"component":19,"textContent":2904},"735c8c20-9b3b-4fc3-8712-d7effb83c923",{"type":21,"content":2905},[2906,2910,2914,2918,2922,2926],{"type":24,"content":2907},[2908],{"text":2909,"type":30},"How many times to be filled",{"type":24,"content":2911},[2912],{"text":2913,"type":30},"In my entry yesterday I stated that the metaphor used in the Scriptures about our Pentecost life with the Holy Spirit is the metaphor filled.  The idea of being filled of being under the influence of some sort.  We use this metaphor in life when we say that one is filled with anger.  This person is in some way  being influenced  under the emotion of anger when we say a person is filled with angerr.",{"type":24,"content":2915},[2916],{"text":2917,"type":30},"The life of being under the influence of The Holy Spirit is a life of continual influence and not simply at one point or at one time.  The reason I say this is because the verse most often associated with this teaching about being \"under the influence\" of The Holy Spirit is Ephesians 5:18.  In the grammar of this vers the verb (filled) is in the present tense.  The present tense here  suggests something that is continuous.  Paul is urging his readers in Ephesians 5:18 to be continuously filled and under the influence of The Holy Spirit and not some event for once.  ",{"type":24,"content":2919},[2920],{"text":2921,"type":30},"So how does this occur?  How does one live in a continuous influence of The Spirit?  Surely one way this happens is when we have something happen in our lives that we are out of the control of its outcome.  We are \"forced\" to admit our need of the continuous influence of The Holy Spirit",{"type":24,"content":2923},[2924],{"text":2925,"type":30},"In addition, I suggest that any continuous influence of The Spirit in our lives  is because of our coming to the place of knowing that we need God's power in our lives.  One might call this humility; humility that I do not have the power or capacity to live the Christian life in my town strength..  Unless I come to this place in my life I am filled with my own capacity and ability which leaves little room to be under the influence of The Holy Spirit.",{"type":24,"content":2927},[2928],{"text":2929,"type":30},"REFLECT: Have you come to the point in The Path to Pentecost that you have humbled yourself to acknowledge that you need the continual influence of The Holy Spirit?",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":2931},{},"Path To Pentecost (12)--May 10","Filled ","path-to-pentecost","blog\u002Fpath-to-pentecost",-1540,[],"5bd3e37e-1d0c-4d93-92ef-81c09ad9eeec",[],{"name":2941,"created_at":2942,"published_at":2943,"updated_at":2944,"id":2945,"uuid":2946,"content":2947,"slug":2989,"full_slug":2990,"sort_by_date":26,"position":2991,"tag_list":2992,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":2993,"first_published_at":2994,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":2995,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Path Tol Pentecost (11)--May 9","2025-05-10T01:32:12.797Z","2025-05-10T02:54:29.021Z","2025-05-10T02:54:29.088Z",32471433,"fa8a5a51-ebd5-4e7f-97e3-b4bafa504051",{"tag":2948,"_uid":2949,"body":2950,"image":2985,"title":2987,"excerpt":2988,"component":62},[432],"a5ab074c-5728-4602-b0ac-1cb97a80f666",[2951],{"_uid":2952,"component":19,"textContent":2953},"daf799bc-43e3-4758-9f2c-1ad66c367f7d",{"type":21,"content":2954},[2955,2959,2963,2967,2971,2975,2979,2983,2984],{"type":24,"content":2956},[2957],{"text":2958,"type":30},"Biblical and Personal",{"type":24,"content":2960},[2961],{"text":2962,"type":30},"This blog is to help us all think about the incredible ministry of The Holy Spirit as we approach Pentecost.  There will be many questions and thoughts we all will have to process more fully but I offer these as a starter for our thoughts and experience with The Holy Spirit.",{"type":24,"content":2964},[2965],{"text":2966,"type":30},"The Path To Pentecost is both a fact of Biblical truth and personal experience.  Jesus baptizes us in the Spirit as much as he takes away the sin of the world as Lamb of God.  Each of these are Biblical truths and personal truths.  What I mean by personal is that this is not just something to believe but to appropriate personally by faith and experience.",{"type":24,"content":2968},[2969],{"text":2970,"type":30},"In fact, I would suggest that it is the person of The Holy Spirit that makes Biblical truths and values personal.  He is the personal presence of God to make effectual the Biblical truths in the life of a believer (from conviction of sin, to insight of Jesus and His work, to filling of The Spirit).  This is the ministry of The Holy Spirit @ Pentecost.  No longer is God and His gifts something to be believed only but to have some measure of experience because of The Holy Spirit's work.",{"type":24,"content":2972},[2973],{"text":2974,"type":30},"Yesterday I suggested that the language of being filled with The Spirit  (Eph. 5:18) has to do with influence or the experience of something filling our lives and affecting our lives. Being filled with The Spirit is that of being under the influence of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18).  And isn't it interesting that this understanding of being filled or under the influence of The Holy Spirit is placed in direct contrast with being under the influence or effects of wine in Ephesians 5:18!!!",{"type":24,"content":2976},[2977],{"text":2978,"type":30},"Would it be appropriate to translate \"filled\" with the idea of being under the influence?  What if we understood that the experience with the Holy Spirit is a matter of being under The Spirit's influence each day?  Is it not that those who experienced the 1st Pentecost that their lives were characterized by being under the influence of The Holy Spirit?",{"type":24,"content":2980},[2981],{"text":2982,"type":30},"REFLECT:  Think about filling of the Holy Spirit as being under the influence of The Spirit.  What would your life look like if you lived \"under the influence\" of The Holy Spirit?",{"type":24},{"type":24},{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":2986},{},"Path To Pentecost (11)--May 9","Some personal experience","path-tol-pentecost-11-may-9","blog\u002Fpath-tol-pentecost-11-may-9",-1520,[],"3ece50a9-63fe-4f91-ac1d-a9db74e3d735","2025-05-10T02:52:52.218Z",[],{"name":2997,"created_at":2998,"published_at":2999,"updated_at":3000,"id":3001,"uuid":3002,"content":3003,"slug":3038,"full_slug":3039,"sort_by_date":26,"position":3040,"tag_list":3041,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":3042,"first_published_at":2999,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":3043,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Path To Pentecost (10)--May 8","2025-05-08T21:36:54.957Z","2025-05-08T22:09:34.533Z","2025-05-08T22:09:34.546Z",32214519,"2ffa00be-52cf-4377-ab65-c528d3f6f9e9",{"tag":3004,"_uid":3005,"body":3006,"image":3035,"title":2997,"excerpt":3037,"component":62},[432],"4261e9e6-2bbf-4baa-81b5-c3fc25c22877",[3007],{"_uid":3008,"component":19,"textContent":3009},"6c5378d0-c48b-46db-a420-ac50834370dd",{"type":21,"content":3010},[3011,3015,3019,3023,3027,3031],{"type":24,"content":3012},[3013],{"text":3014,"type":30},"Path To Pentecost involves not only walking or keeping in step with the Holy Spirit, not only being led by The Holy Spirit, but being filled with The Holy Spirit.",{"type":24,"content":3016},[3017],{"text":3018,"type":30},"As we journey on the Path to Pentecost it is important that we recognize all 3 of these metaphors that The Scriptures employ to give us insight into life with The Holy Spirit.  Now remember they are metaphors and are not exact in every detail but seek to give us some insight into the life on The Path To Pentecost.",{"type":24,"content":3020},[3021],{"text":3022,"type":30},"Being filled with The Holy Spirit is surely the idea of having the Holy Spirit have full access to our lives or full influence in our lives.  For instance, when it is said of a person that they are full of anxiety it means that the person is influenced in their life  to a full degree by anxiety.  This influence of anxiety in their life  is in their thinking, feeling and believing or in other words, the whole person.",{"type":24,"content":3024},[3025],{"text":3026,"type":30},"If this metaphor is understood, then what the Scriptures mean (Ephesians5:18) is that we are to offer our lives to the fullness of influence of the Holy Spirit in our thinking, feeling, and believing to the presence of the Holy Spirit.  This would be a way of thinking of being filled with The Holy Spirit.",{"type":24,"content":3028},[3029],{"text":3030,"type":30},"How do we do this?  Or, how is this experienced in our daily lives?  It seems to me that we begin this life with an awareness that we are not \"filled\" with the adequate resources to live our lives to the fullest.  We then open ourselves to the fact that God wants to fill us with His Spirit to give us the resources He has.",{"type":24,"content":3032},[3033],{"text":3034,"type":30},"REFLECT:  How about beginning tomorrow by admitting you need to be filled with God's Holy Spirit for the day.  Memorize Ephesians 5:18",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":3036},{},"Filled with The Holy Spirit","path-to-pentecost-10-may-8","blog\u002Fpath-to-pentecost-10-may-8",-1500,[],"4c8d5d29-8364-4d8d-b3b9-ed78600c0a9d",[],{"name":3045,"created_at":3046,"published_at":3047,"updated_at":3048,"id":3049,"uuid":3050,"content":3051,"slug":3086,"full_slug":3087,"sort_by_date":26,"position":3088,"tag_list":3089,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":3090,"first_published_at":3091,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":3092,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Path To Pentecost (9)","2025-05-08T00:47:00.614Z","2025-05-19T02:17:06.521Z","2025-05-19T02:17:06.533Z",31949251,"74f4d2dc-33fe-4202-b2a1-93c31bcbc13a",{"tag":3052,"_uid":3053,"body":3054,"image":3083,"title":3045,"excerpt":3085,"component":62},[432],"afe516a3-f2cf-4229-a5ce-9bc1318d2ec8",[3055],{"_uid":3056,"component":19,"textContent":3057},"b95099a6-5bcb-4b28-8b7a-7af8b705e5ff",{"type":21,"content":3058},[3059,3063,3067,3071,3075,3079],{"type":24,"content":3060},[3061],{"text":3062,"type":30},"In The Path To Pentecost we are investigating the truths about the Holy Spirit and His place in our life.. This investigation has to do with how we experience this path with The Holy Spirit.",{"type":24,"content":3064},[3065],{"text":3066,"type":30},"The consideration has been that we are to walk \"in\" the Spirit (Galatians 5:16).  The  idea of walking \"in\" the Spirit is that we live in the reality or realm of the Spirit.  But to give a bit more detail of this reality or realm of The Spirit Paul, gives what I think might be a bit more detail in this matter of walking in Galatians 5:18.",{"type":24,"content":3068},[3069],{"text":3070,"type":30},"In Galatians 5:18 Paul uses a term to clarify this matter of walking for us; he uses the term \"led.\"  Now here is a term to help us understand what this walking \"looks like.\"  When we are walking in The Spirit we are being led by The Spirit.  Being led would certainly mean that we have given control to our walking to another so as to be led.",{"type":24,"content":3072},[3073],{"text":3074,"type":30},"The Path to Pentecost surely must mean that in my \"walking\" in The Spirit that I am being or allowing my self to be \"led\" by the Spirit.",{"type":24,"content":3076},[3077],{"text":3078,"type":30},"Being \"led\" is something that we do not easily do.  We generally like to be in control of our life and leadership but this is exactly what Paul is asserting.  The walk with The Spirit is a walk of being \"led.\"  So, the Path to Pentecost surely means that we are \"allowing\" The Holy Spirit to lead us in our daily life.",{"type":24,"content":3080},[3081],{"text":3082,"type":30},"REFLECT: How have you experienced being led by The Holy Spirit?  What is something that you need leadership from the Holy Spirit?  Would you ask The Spirit to help you recognize his leadership in this area?",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":3084},{},"Sty Close","path-to-pentecost-9-","blog\u002Fpath-to-pentecost-9-",-1480,[],"49d63566-868e-447a-97fb-1fb4383f33ba","2025-05-08T02:13:53.628Z",[],{"name":3094,"created_at":3095,"published_at":3096,"updated_at":3097,"id":3098,"uuid":3099,"content":3100,"slug":3136,"full_slug":3137,"sort_by_date":26,"position":3138,"tag_list":3139,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":3140,"first_published_at":3141,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":3142,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Path To Pentecost (8)--May 6","2025-05-07T00:55:12.776Z","2025-05-07T14:36:17.688Z","2025-05-07T14:36:17.706Z",31708653,"850cee55-8c27-48ab-85f1-430cec70c0fd",{"tag":3101,"_uid":3102,"body":3103,"image":3132,"title":3134,"excerpt":3135,"component":62},[432],"b494274b-209a-44ec-a46a-21eb3d7f81ae",[3104],{"_uid":3105,"component":19,"textContent":3106},"f21d963b-ed78-41ed-9e00-81ee662b6ea5",{"type":21,"content":3107},[3108,3112,3116,3120,3124,3128],{"type":24,"content":3109},[3110],{"text":3111,"type":30},"Yesterday (7)  the idea of The Path To Pentecost involves walking is a metaphor that is throughout the New Testament as indicating that one is living a certain way.  Walking has always indicated a way a person lived not only in the New Testament but throughout the Scriptures.",{"type":24,"content":3113},[3114],{"text":3115,"type":30},"God told Abraham to \"walk before him\" (Genesis 17:1).  God tells Moses that Israel is to walk in all of God's laws and statues for their lives (Exodus 18:20).  In each of these instances the emphasis is on walking or following God's ways and statues that the people had as an external guide for them..",{"type":24,"content":3117},[3118],{"text":3119,"type":30},"In contrast to these statments we have the words of \"walk in or by the Spirit (Galatians 5).\"  This walking is different in that one is to walk in relationship to The Spirit.  This is different from walking in laws and statues, different in that the laws and statues are principles and rules are external.  Walking by The Spirit is an internal matter of the presence of The Holy Spirit  in one's life.  This internal presence gives power and guidance from the inside.",{"type":24,"content":3121},[3122],{"text":3123,"type":30},"It makes me think of a time in my life when I was in seminary.  I was learning some great truths and concepts for living a life of following Jesus but it seemed a good deal  external.  I am thankful for learning these great truth and concepts but I needed an internal guide!  I do not mean to place learning and life in the Spirit in opposition, I simply want to emphasize that one can forget that there is an internal guide for our walking",{"type":24,"content":3125},[3126],{"text":3127,"type":30},"It was then that I began to understand and experience more of walking by the Spirit as in internal guide.  I needed an INWARD Guide to lead me.  And thank God He did.  I found a new power and presence as I learned to walk by the Spirit.",{"type":24,"content":3129},[3130],{"text":3131,"type":30},"REFLECT:  Is your walking a matter of having external guides or is The Holy Spirit the  internal guide in your walk?  ",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":3133},{},"Path To Pentecost (8)","Baptized then walking","path-to-pentecost-8-may-6","blog\u002Fpath-to-pentecost-8-may-6",-1460,[],"0d2f3bdd-b10c-40da-b1d3-db43fd8b8567","2025-05-07T01:17:34.945Z",[],{"name":3144,"created_at":3145,"published_at":3146,"updated_at":3147,"id":3148,"uuid":3149,"content":3150,"slug":3185,"full_slug":3186,"sort_by_date":26,"position":3187,"tag_list":3188,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":3189,"first_published_at":3190,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":3191,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Path To Pentecost (7)","2025-05-05T19:29:45.804Z","2025-05-07T14:36:09.669Z","2025-05-07T14:36:09.681Z",31393412,"50799ef0-6ab7-48fa-a806-c6bac24d9e52",{"tag":3151,"_uid":3152,"body":3153,"image":3182,"title":3144,"excerpt":3184,"component":62},[432],"886a717c-beba-4a78-84fc-0ae0b78d9559",[3154],{"_uid":3155,"component":19,"textContent":3156},"d40540f4-cc10-4830-bc01-e146e87be55d",{"type":21,"content":3157},[3158,3161,3165,3169,3173,3177,3181],{"type":24,"content":3159},[3160],{"text":29,"type":30},{"type":24,"content":3162},[3163],{"text":3164,"type":30},"The terms in the New Testament of life in the Spirit begin with the matter of being “baptized.”  Baptized is the initial image that teaches the matter of being cleansed and introduced to life in the Spirit.  This, as we saw yesterday, is that the baptism of The Spirit is the initial stage of following Jesus.  The imagery is that of coming “under” (like going under the water) the influence and power of The Holy Spirit.",{"type":24,"content":3166},[3167],{"text":3168,"type":30},"But the New Testament introduces us to other terms about this life that began with being baptized by the Holy Spirit.  I want to suggest this because life in The life in The Spirit is surely more comprehensive than simply an initial event of baptism.",{"type":24,"content":3170},[3171],{"text":3172,"type":30},"One of the features of this life, and The Path to Pentecost, is of “walk\u002Fwalking” by the Spirit (Galatians 5:16).  One is baptized into the life of The Spirit in an initial way and now we walk in the Spirit.  This walk is one of learning how to walk.",{"type":24,"content":3174},[3175],{"text":3176,"type":30},"Think of learning to walk as a child.  We stumble and falter but we are learning to walk.  in a same way we have been baptized with the Spirit and are now learning to walk",{"type":24,"content":3178},[3179],{"text":3180,"type":30},"REFLECT:  What is you walk like as you live in the baptism of The Spirit?  Have you become frustrated as you learn to walk?  Could you ask someone who has been on The Path of Pentecost for encouragement to continue walking",{"type":24},{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":3183},{},"Wesley and his counsel","path-to-pentecost-7-","blog\u002Fpath-to-pentecost-7-",-1440,[],"3b5456d1-e683-4b33-bbf7-5e1495a000c4","2025-05-05T19:58:02.987Z",[],{"name":3193,"created_at":3194,"published_at":3195,"updated_at":3196,"id":3197,"uuid":3198,"content":3199,"slug":3234,"full_slug":3235,"sort_by_date":26,"position":3236,"tag_list":3237,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":3238,"first_published_at":3239,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":3240,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Path To Pentecost (6)","2025-05-04T11:28:27.273Z","2025-05-07T14:36:23.260Z","2025-05-07T14:36:23.272Z",31188770,"277c1953-c090-4251-917e-f10d5ed89cea",{"tag":3200,"_uid":3201,"body":3202,"image":3231,"title":3193,"excerpt":3233,"component":62},[432],"42c3e4e2-8ea7-45f5-933f-1b8789021288",[3203],{"_uid":3204,"component":19,"textContent":3205},"210da1f1-a61a-4315-bebd-2e6e190089fb",{"type":21,"content":3206},[3207,3211,3215,3219,3223,3227],{"type":24,"content":3208},[3209],{"text":3210,"type":30},"The Path To Pentecost is surely to experience all of the ministry of Jesus Christ.  We have established that Jesus' ministry to us involves the forgiveness of sin and the gift of the Holy Spirit (see John 1:29ff).  There is not sense in which a follower of Jesus just experiences one of these truths.",{"type":24,"content":3212},[3213],{"text":3214,"type":30},"But what is this matter of baptized with the Holy Spirit as part of what Jesus does?  What would the original reader have thought when hearing that Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit?",{"type":24,"content":3216},[3217],{"text":3218,"type":30},"The Jewish practice of washings is something that every observant Jew did.  However, baptism was reserved for Gentile proselytes (converting to Judaism) and not practiced by observant Jews.  Baptism was seen as a cleansing and an initiation rite for Gentile proselytes into the life and practice of Judaism.",{"type":24,"content":3220},[3221],{"text":3222,"type":30},"So, the imagery John is using appears to be that Jesus will introduce and initiate a new way of life, much like a Gentile proselyte would know upon their conversion.  The imagery is that of cleansing and being initiated or brought into a new life and a new life for sure.",{"type":24,"content":3224},[3225],{"text":3226,"type":30},"It may even be said that Jesus' baptizing us with The Holy Spirit is cleansing and initiating into a  new means of life.  We are now given new power that is not our own to live a life that is not our own.  The Spirit is surely a new power for the life of the follower of Jesus.  The issue is are we humble enough to think we need to receive this new life!!",{"type":24,"content":3228},[3229],{"text":3230,"type":30},"REFLECT:  What difference or differences in the ministry of Jesus are you learning about as we are on this Path to Pentecost?  What role does humility play in receiving new life from Jesus?",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":3232},{},"Baptism with The Spirit","path-to-pentecost-6-","blog\u002Fpath-to-pentecost-6-",-1420,[],"fd606c3f-6839-490a-b764-d1fb42185a69","2025-05-04T12:45:08.635Z",[],{"name":3242,"created_at":3243,"published_at":3244,"updated_at":3245,"id":3246,"uuid":3247,"content":3248,"slug":3298,"full_slug":3299,"sort_by_date":26,"position":3300,"tag_list":3301,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":3302,"first_published_at":3303,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":3304,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Path To Pentecost (5)","2025-05-03T02:40:35.751Z","2026-04-23T14:28:22.963Z","2026-04-23T14:28:22.974Z",31186026,"03aebf89-3e34-4e3d-87de-c04a6e078ed4",{"tag":3249,"_uid":3250,"body":3251,"image":3294,"title":3296,"excerpt":3297,"component":62},[432],"343867cb-0999-4c2c-96e4-b6f29020792c",[3252],{"_uid":3253,"component":19,"textContent":3254},"e495d11c-f522-4050-945b-385c9122dfee",{"type":21,"content":3255},[3256,3260,3265,3270,3275,3280,3285,3289],{"type":24,"attrs":3257,"content":3258},{"textAlign":26},[3259],{"text":197,"type":30},{"type":24,"attrs":3261,"content":3262},{"textAlign":26},[3263],{"text":3264,"type":30},"This idea that before Pentecost it is surely true that Jesus finished any need of sacrifice for sin.  He declared it so in John 19:30 when he employed the term \"tetelestai.\"  This term that is  translated \"it is finished\" was a term used in commerce to indicate that a bill had been paid in full.  So, it is sure that Jesus' work on the cross made a finish for the payment of sin.",{"type":24,"attrs":3266,"content":3267},{"textAlign":26},[3268],{"text":3269,"type":30},"But, the not finished part of Jesus work was his baptizing in\u002Fby\u002Fwith The Holy Spirit.  Again, this the other feature of what John the baptizer had declared was the ministry of Jesus.  John's declaration of Jesus as baptizer with the Holy Spirit is surely evidenced by Jesus' interaction with one of the top religious leaders of his day: Nicodemus.",{"type":24,"attrs":3271,"content":3272},{"textAlign":26},[3273],{"text":3274,"type":30},"Jesus reveals to Nicodemus that one cannot be a part of God's kingdom unless one is born of The Spirit.  Jesus is clear to reveal that The Spirit must be active in one's life for them to part of the Kingdom of God (John 3:5)",{"type":24,"attrs":3276,"content":3277},{"textAlign":26},[3278],{"text":3279,"type":30},"Think of what Jesus alleges here to a religious leader.  One must be born of The Spirit not just born of a specific lineage of Abraham.  God's kingdom was a kingdom of The Spirit and thereby an international, interracial reality.  All who experience Jesus' baptism of the Spirit. are his followers",{"type":24,"attrs":3281,"content":3282},{"textAlign":26},[3283],{"text":3284,"type":30},"This seems to be precisely what happened on Pentecost.  People were no longer members of God's kingdom because they were Abraham's children; people were members of God's kingdom because they had been born of  The Spirit.  In fact, it is The Spirit's renewal that made the follower's of Jesus an international experience.  No longer was it diet or lineage but The Spirit of God residing in people.",{"type":24,"attrs":3286,"content":3287},{"textAlign":26},[3288],{"text":227,"type":30},{"type":24,"attrs":3290,"content":3291},{"textAlign":26},[3292],{"text":3293,"type":30},"REFLECT: What importance of the Holy Spirit have you heard of in your journey with Jesus?  How have you seen the Spirit bring people of different backgrounds into following Jesus?",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":3295},{},"Pentecost--Finished but Not Finished","Finished but Not Finished","path-to-pentecost-5-","blog\u002Fpath-to-pentecost-5-",-1400,[],"e83e3e2c-7418-4ac6-9b62-a1d2b9b69b66","2025-05-03T12:24:30.927Z",[],{"name":3306,"created_at":3307,"published_at":3308,"updated_at":3309,"id":3310,"uuid":3311,"content":3312,"slug":3350,"full_slug":3351,"sort_by_date":26,"position":3352,"tag_list":3353,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":3354,"first_published_at":3308,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":3355,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Path To Pentecost (4)","2025-05-02T00:34:42.679Z","2025-05-02T11:00:29.254Z","2025-05-02T11:00:29.263Z",31035727,"517d6905-0633-4640-9d01-faf20937fefc",{"tag":3313,"_uid":3314,"body":3315,"image":3347,"title":3306,"excerpt":3349,"component":62},[432],"0fad7d3c-bcd0-4460-b40d-3a64fcb42736",[3316],{"_uid":3317,"component":19,"textContent":3318},"4d490eb6-e76a-4762-8ad6-4a37394706c8",{"type":21,"content":3319},[3320,3324,3328,3332,3336,3340,3343],{"type":24,"content":3321},[3322],{"text":3323,"type":30},"It is Finished BUT not Finished!!",{"type":24,"content":3325},[3326],{"text":3327,"type":30},"Yesterday I suggested that Pentecost is the culmination of God's drama of redemption.   That is a strong statement I know but seems to me to be the reason Jesus told his followers to wait in Jerusalem.",{"type":24,"content":3329},[3330],{"text":3331,"type":30},"Pentecost is to be waited for because God has not finished the work of redemption. Christmas (as stated before) is God WITH us.  Easter (as stated before) is God FOR us.  But now the follower's of Jesus must wait for Pentecost....God IN us.",{"type":24,"content":3333},[3334],{"text":3335,"type":30},"This waiting  for the followers of Jesus in Acts 1 is because of the 2-fold ministry of Jesus as 1st declared by John the baptizer.  John declared that Jesus 2-fold ministry was as the 'Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29) and in a few verses later (vs 33) states that Jesus also 'baptizes with the Holy Spirit.'",{"type":24,"content":3337},[3338],{"text":3339,"type":30},"Easter had surely brought about the \"finish\" of the sacrifice for sin for the world and Jesus' ministry as Lamb of God.  However, the ministry of Jesus was yet to be fulfilled his baptizing of his follower's with the Spirit.",{"type":24,"content":3341},[3342],{"text":3323,"type":30},{"type":24,"content":3344},[3345],{"text":3346,"type":30},"REFLECT:  How much attention have you give to the 2-fold ministry of Jesus?  What",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":3348},{},"Why wait?","path-to-pentecost-4-","blog\u002Fpath-to-pentecost-4-",-1380,[],"db45f7f4-6c1c-4875-b8f1-42d52fb7ffa2",[],{"name":3357,"created_at":3358,"published_at":3359,"updated_at":3360,"id":3361,"uuid":3362,"content":3363,"slug":3397,"full_slug":3398,"sort_by_date":26,"position":3399,"tag_list":3400,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":3401,"first_published_at":3402,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":3403,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Path To Pentecost (3)","2025-04-30T15:23:05.303Z","2025-05-01T11:20:54.087Z","2025-05-01T11:20:54.097Z",30745898,"fa857388-2013-47ff-a276-f6e614251cbb",{"tag":3364,"_uid":3365,"body":3366,"image":3394,"title":3357,"excerpt":3396,"component":62},[432],"45431980-d933-41b8-8e9c-6e0afcf322ff",[3367],{"_uid":3368,"component":19,"textContent":3369},"51b98500-8d7c-474a-ae35-d52cc08e7c7a",{"type":21,"content":3370},[3371,3375,3379,3383,3387,3390],{"type":24,"content":3372},[3373],{"text":3374,"type":30},"Our consideration of Pentecost in the drama of God's redemptive work now causes us to \"see\" it as a final feature.  But what does it location as a final feature tell us about it?",{"type":24,"content":3376},[3377],{"text":3378,"type":30},"It appears that Pentecost is the culmination of God's drama of redemption.  I say that because Jesus' word (Acts 1:4-5) to his followers after Easter and his resurrection is \"wait.\"  This seems incredible.  Jesus has been raised from he dead and yet  his counsel is \"wait!.\"  What?  Yes, even with all that has wondrously happened, his specific  instruction is to wait.",{"type":24,"content":3380},[3381],{"text":3382,"type":30},"But for what are they to wait?  What else needs to take place since Jesus has paid for the sins of the world  and has been raised from the dead, thereby defeating death?  Jesus tells them to wait \"for the promise of the father (Acts 1:4).\"",{"type":24,"content":3384},[3385],{"text":3386,"type":30},"The promise of the Father is a phrase that must have been something that these observant Jewish men understood.  What would \"the promise of the Father\" refer? The promise of the Father was in fact the promise of God's Spirit to be poured out (see verses in Reflect from yesterday) that is found in many passages of the Hebrew Bible.",{"type":24,"content":3388},[3389],{"text":343,"type":30},{"type":24,"content":3391},[3392],{"text":3393,"type":30},"REFLECT;  Consider what place Pentecost has in your understanding and experience of living for Jesus?  Do you \"see\" Pentecost as an essential promise the Father has made to you?",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":3395},{},"The Goal of God's Work","path-to-pentecost-3-","blog\u002Fpath-to-pentecost-3-",-1360,[],"5c2fed0d-e8f3-420a-8ce0-16969d85aba9","2025-05-01T11:14:24.575Z",[],{"name":3405,"created_at":3406,"published_at":3407,"updated_at":3408,"id":3409,"uuid":3410,"content":3411,"slug":3446,"full_slug":3447,"sort_by_date":26,"position":3448,"tag_list":3449,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":3450,"first_published_at":3407,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":3451,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Path To Pentecost (1)","2025-04-28T19:29:40.555Z","2025-04-30T11:28:43.737Z","2025-04-30T11:28:43.748Z",30283063,"b878c5c1-6508-49ba-b8c2-5aeb58e2cf8c",{"tag":3412,"_uid":3413,"body":3414,"image":3442,"title":3444,"excerpt":3445,"component":62},[432],"b929c8bf-be9f-45df-b8a4-29628503315a",[3415],{"_uid":3416,"component":19,"textContent":3417},"1a391a38-c995-4075-85a5-958d473c35a5",{"type":21,"content":3418},[3419,3429,3433,3437,3441],{"type":24,"content":3420},[3421,3423,3427],{"text":3422,"type":30},"I invite you to take the next ",{"text":3424,"type":30,"marks":3425},"40 days",[3426],{"type":388},{"text":3428,"type":30}," to read this daily blog and consider some of the truths of Pentecost as we approach the Day of Pentecost (June 8, 2025)....the 3rd great event in the drama of God's redemption of the world.",{"type":24,"content":3430},[3431],{"text":3432,"type":30},"We celebrate Christmas and Easter but often forget Pentecost.  The celebrations of Christmas and Easter certainly deserve our concentrated attention but I want to suggest that Pentecost deserves no less.",{"type":24,"content":3434},[3435],{"text":3436,"type":30},"I will seek over the next 40 days to give attention to the place, importance, and results of Pentecost.  This of course means that we will give attention to the person and work of The Holy Spirit.",{"type":24,"content":3438},[3439],{"text":3440,"type":30},"I hope you will join me in The Path to Pentecost",{"type":24},{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":3443},{},"Path to Pentecost (1)","40 days of thoughts about Pentecost","path-to-pentecost-1-","blog\u002Fpath-to-pentecost-1-",-1320,[],"d8ed6de9-3b02-492f-8beb-84fb840e0520",[],{"name":3453,"created_at":3454,"published_at":3455,"updated_at":3456,"id":3457,"uuid":3458,"content":3459,"slug":3507,"full_slug":3508,"sort_by_date":26,"position":3509,"tag_list":3510,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":3511,"first_published_at":3512,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":3513,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Path To Pentecost (2)","2025-04-30T01:50:55.149Z","2025-04-30T11:27:20.727Z","2025-04-30T11:27:20.738Z",30589878,"95bf4267-058a-4964-afad-adbdde8d4d27",{"tag":3460,"_uid":3461,"body":3462,"image":3504,"title":3453,"excerpt":3506,"component":62},[432],"273358a2-5df5-4e02-af45-438dfe677699",[3463],{"_uid":3464,"component":19,"textContent":3465},"47633075-67d3-4cd7-9028-e4f6197f1ef1",{"type":21,"content":3466},[3467,3489,3493,3497],{"type":24,"content":3468},[3469,3470,3473,3475,3478,3480,3483,3485,3488],{"text":383,"type":30},{"text":385,"type":30,"marks":3471},[3472],{"type":388},{"text":3474,"type":30}," in the drama of God's redemption through Jesus Christ in the world and each have their own significance and importance.  The ",{"text":392,"type":30,"marks":3476},[3477],{"type":388},{"text":3479,"type":30},"movement of Christmas surely has the importance of God being \"with us\" (Immanuel).  The ",{"text":398,"type":30,"marks":3481},[3482],{"type":388},{"text":3484,"type":30},"movement of Easter has the importance of Jesus taking our place in the removal of sin as God \"for us.\"  And the ",{"text":404,"type":30,"marks":3486},[3487],{"type":388},{"text":408,"type":30},{"type":24,"content":3490},[3491],{"text":3492,"type":30},"In celebrating Christmas there is the tradition of taking time to prepare one's heart through the practice of Advent.  In celebrating Easter there is the tradition of taking time to prepare one's heart through the practice of Lent.  But what is the tradition of the time after Easter as Christians prepare to celebrate Pentecost?",{"type":24,"content":3494},[3495],{"text":3496,"type":30},"In the liturgical tradition there is surely the acknowledgment of the time between Easter and Pentecost:  Paschal Time.  These are days of prolonging the joy of Easter Sunday and looking forward to Pentecost.",{"type":24,"content":3498},[3499,3502],{"text":423,"type":30,"marks":3500},[3501],{"type":388},{"text":3503,"type":30},"  How can we take this space to prepare our hearts for Pentecost.  How about a Bible reading plan that incorporates with your regular readings Ezekiel 11:14ff, 36:22-27; Joel 2; the Gospel accounts of Jesus after resurrection; John 14:15ff, John 15:25-16:15 and Acts 1.",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":3505},{},"Include Pentecost in the great movements of God's redemption through Jesus Christ","path-to-pentecost-2-","blog\u002Fpath-to-pentecost-2-",-1340,[],"07bf7edf-294a-485a-883a-b0f3724e80c4","2025-04-30T11:21:26.513Z",[],{"name":3515,"created_at":3516,"published_at":3517,"updated_at":3518,"id":3519,"uuid":3520,"content":3521,"slug":3559,"full_slug":3560,"sort_by_date":26,"position":3561,"tag_list":3562,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":3563,"first_published_at":3564,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":3565,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Holy Saturday","2025-04-21T15:25:47.176Z","2025-04-21T16:03:40.580Z","2025-04-21T16:03:40.597Z",29231964,"143c246d-192f-4600-8ed5-4e1ad33975c9",{"_uid":3522,"body":3523,"image":3555,"title":3557,"excerpt":3558,"component":62},"2ecf65d4-5095-4296-bee9-b00d6b26afe7",[3524],{"_uid":3525,"component":19,"textContent":3526},"2ff5ab05-d339-4c5b-b8af-5107bff4de81",{"type":21,"content":3527},[3528,3532,3536,3540,3544,3548],{"type":24,"content":3529},[3530],{"text":3531,"type":30},"During Holy Week I was able to have time to reflect and experience much.  The services for Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter were all so meaningful.  These days are packed with meaning for us all.",{"type":24,"content":3533},[3534],{"text":3535,"type":30},"The one day of the week that may not be as obvious to many of us is \"Silent Saturday or \"Holy Saturday\"  This is the day in Holy Week that we remember that Jesus has died for the sins but all seems silent.",{"type":24,"content":3537},[3538],{"text":3539,"type":30},"What made me start thinking is what must the follower's of Jesus be thinking and experiencing since Saturday is Sabbath.  They could do nothing about the situation.....as observant Jews they rested and waited.",{"type":24,"content":3541},[3542],{"text":3543,"type":30},"What they did not seem to know is that Jesus is \"working\" to save humanity on Saturday.  The Apostles Creed says Jesus descended into Hades, and early believes understood this as \"Harrowing Hell.\"  Different interpretations of this may be needed but I take it to be Jesus' victory declared in Revelation 1:18:  \"I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, AND I have the keys to death and Hades.\"  Jesus enacts His victory over sin, the devil and hell!!!",{"type":24,"content":3545},[3546],{"text":3547,"type":30},"Jesus is Lord over all, as He applies His work to all the universe.....and all this while his followers are resting.  What a Saviour!!",{"type":24,"content":3549},[3550,3553],{"text":599,"type":30,"marks":3551},[3552],{"type":388},{"text":3554,"type":30},":  I would like for us to think about this for a moment. Does your view and experience of salvation begin with resting in the work of Jesus?  Just as the early disciples were resting on Saturday, Jesus was defeating sin, the devil and hell and bringing salvation.",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":3556},{},"Holy Saturday--Silent Saturday got me thinking","Jesus working as we rest","holy-saturday","blog\u002Fholy-saturday",-1300,[],"884eae61-7a27-48f8-a0b6-3499809ce45a","2025-04-21T16:00:40.932Z",[],{"name":3567,"created_at":3568,"published_at":3569,"updated_at":3570,"id":3571,"uuid":3572,"content":3573,"slug":3604,"full_slug":3605,"sort_by_date":26,"position":3606,"tag_list":3607,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":3608,"first_published_at":3609,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":3610,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Wesley's Passing","2025-03-06T18:56:35.713Z","2025-04-28T23:47:23.499Z","2025-04-28T23:47:23.509Z",24320849,"15b85062-b019-43b9-9483-95dca127399b",{"tag":3574,"_uid":3575,"body":3576,"image":3601,"title":3603,"excerpt":3603,"component":62},[],"71756255-a7e4-4675-a88b-2265aa0885dd",[3577],{"_uid":3578,"component":19,"textContent":3579},"2b5c6fd3-5201-4340-8367-2d7148b42a3e",{"type":21,"content":3580},[3581,3585,3589,3593,3597],{"type":24,"content":3582},[3583],{"text":3584,"type":30},"March 2 was the commemoration of John Wesley's death Wesley's death at age 88 years old in 1791.  This meant that John Wesley lived most of the 18th century; a century of the industrial revolution and the revolutions of America and France began.",{"type":24,"content":3586},[3587],{"text":3588,"type":30},"While living almost the entire 18th century Wesley also participated in a revolution of sorts.  John Wesley and others participated in a revolution of religion in England and the New World of America.  It was John Wesley, Charles Wesley, George Whitefiled, and William Morgan that were the first Methodists (being members of \"The Holy Club\" @ Oxford).  This group of 4 began to grow in numbers as their vibrant faith attracted and converted many nominal members of the Anglican Church of England.  These 4 men were part of the incredible experience of Methodism that, perhaps, contributed to a revolution of the religious world of the 18th century.",{"type":24,"content":3590},[3591],{"text":3592,"type":30},"At John Wesley's death he had outlived the 3 other members of The Holy Club. But the influence of Wesley and his 3 friends had brought the number of people identified as Methodists from 4 to 72,000 in the British Isles and 60,000 in America.  In addition to these numbers there were over 500 Methodist preachers throughout the British colonies and the United States.",{"type":24,"content":3594},[3595],{"text":3596,"type":30},"What a life that John Wesley lived.  What a model of the influence by friends who are committed to spritual growth.  What an example of one being part of something that will outlive oneself. ",{"type":24,"content":3598},[3599],{"text":3600,"type":30},"REFLECT:  In what are you participating that will last beyond your life? Or, what friends do you have in your life that are helping you to grow in your faith and practice of following Jesus?  These are important and potentially revolutionizing questions for our lives.",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":3602},{},"John Wesley's Passing","wesley-s-passing","blog\u002Fwesley-s-passing",-1260,[],"b7ef7f71-152e-4f50-a148-9ae707f8257a","2025-03-06T20:14:49.186Z",[],{"name":3612,"created_at":3613,"published_at":3614,"updated_at":3615,"id":3616,"uuid":3617,"content":3618,"slug":3667,"full_slug":3668,"sort_by_date":26,"position":3669,"tag_list":3670,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":3671,"first_published_at":3672,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":3673,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Romans 7 (6) ","2025-02-19T15:47:46.222Z","2025-04-28T23:45:47.538Z","2025-04-28T23:45:47.548Z",22804601,"b6381fc5-c3f9-4595-8bda-68aa0875d73b",{"tag":3619,"_uid":3620,"body":3621,"image":3663,"title":3665,"excerpt":3666,"component":62},[],"6a00e616-4c7a-46ec-88e0-e5cba503b63d",[3622],{"_uid":3623,"component":19,"textContent":3624},"32cc3e1a-4f5a-4e23-8472-8b2d7631abfe",{"type":21,"content":3625},[3626,3630,3634,3638,3642,3646,3650,3654,3658,3662],{"type":24,"content":3627},[3628],{"text":3629,"type":30},"Much has been said about Paul's use of tenses in Romans 7.   The tenses that cause the most attention are those where Paul uses the past tense and present tense in this chapter.  In both cases there are issues that a serious reader of Romans 7 must take into account (also see previous blogs to account for context and other matters).",{"type":24,"content":3631},[3632],{"text":3633,"type":30},"Paul makes some staggering statements with the past tense (7:4--:\"have died to the law; 7:5--while we were living in the flesh\").  These and other instances of the past tense cause the reader to take note that Paul has declared some things about the Christian life that are in the past.",{"type":24,"content":3635},[3636],{"text":3637,"type":30},"So, how can one reconcile what Paul has stated  about our past and then using the present tense where he seems to contradict what he has just previously stated?  Well, one might accept that Paul is contradicting himself in the matter of a few verses (see 7:5 and 14).  He after all gives other statements in the present tense (7:15-23) that seem contradictory what he has previously alleged about the past tense.",{"type":24,"content":3639},[3640],{"text":3641,"type":30},"Or, is there some grammatical matter that we have not accounted for with the present tense.  There is surely the \"simple\" present that at times is not so simple.  For example, I might use the present tense in saying \"I am writing a blog\" which would indicate at this very moment I am writing a blog.  Or, I might use the present tense saying \"I am writing a blog\" meaning that I am now engaged  in the practice of writing  a blog (maybe every other week)..  So you see it is a bit more complicated than saying Paul is using the present tense.",{"type":24,"content":3643},[3644],{"text":3645,"type":30},"Finally, there is a use of the present tense that is not often discussed but used throughout the Scriptures.  This use is what is called the \"historic present.\"  In most physical Bibles there are pages in the front that explain the use of Italics, small caps, and asterisks.  Asterisks denote the use of the historic present.  This historic present tense is used by authors to heighten vividness of a past event by brining the reader into the present (Explanation of General Format, NASB).  See Matthew 4:19 as an example: \"he is saying to them\" is in present tense while we know this is not present.",{"type":24,"content":3647},[3648],{"text":3649,"type":30},"This must be Paul's technique here since he has made such striking statements about our past or one is compelled to believe that Paul is contradicting himself.  Or, is Paul using a technique known to authors of his day to bring his reader into the past experience with the failure of law to deal with sin in vivid \"present-ness.\"  This seems to be the only way one can reconcile the stark statements of what \"has\" happened to us and what Paul is referring with this use of the present tense.",{"type":24,"content":3651},[3652],{"text":3653,"type":30},"Paul, I conclude, is revealing what was a past experience of trying to deal with sin and what this looks like: utter failure by using the historic present tense. So, he is Not referring to his present condition but a past condition of dealing with sin by using the law.",{"type":24,"content":3655},[3656],{"text":3657,"type":30},"The utter failure of the law to deal with sin leads to his astounding statement in Romans 8:3 and serves to conclude what Paul started back in Romans 6:15.  We will discuss this in the next blog.",{"type":24,"content":3659},[3660],{"text":3661,"type":30},"REFLECT: How much effort do you invest in understanding grammatical matters as you study the Bible?  Tools for this endeavor are available on line.  Why not investigate how you could employ these tools in your study of the Bible?",{"type":24},{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":3664},{},"Romans 7 (6)--What Tense","A discussion of Paul's use of the present tense","romans-7-6-","blog\u002Fromans-7-6-",-1240,[],"85180681-ff09-476b-96ed-62b9a24739be","2025-02-19T18:48:51.817Z",[],{"name":3675,"created_at":3676,"published_at":3677,"updated_at":3678,"id":3679,"uuid":3680,"content":3681,"slug":3715,"full_slug":3716,"sort_by_date":26,"position":3717,"tag_list":3718,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":3719,"first_published_at":3677,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":3720,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Romans 7 (5)","2025-01-28T17:56:37.186Z","2025-01-28T20:23:57.489Z","2025-01-28T20:23:57.511Z",21009501,"2268d42c-fc78-4961-a375-e2cdfc7ea8f4",{"_uid":3682,"body":3683,"image":3712,"title":3675,"excerpt":3714,"component":62},"a0e3e864-521a-43f8-82ac-b4a278559ad0",[3684],{"_uid":3685,"component":19,"textContent":3686},"7e3b43da-f9f8-4a31-adc0-794b29c872bc",{"type":21,"content":3687},[3688,3692,3696,3700,3704,3708],{"type":24,"content":3689},[3690],{"text":3691,"type":30},"In my last blog I suggested that the issue that Paul is dealing with in Romans 7 is the inability of The Law to deal with sin.  Even Romans 8:3 summarizes this suggestion by stating \"God has done what the law....could not do.\"  What The Law could not do is deal with sin.....only Life in The Spirit can deal with sin (Romans 8)",{"type":24,"content":3693},[3694],{"text":3695,"type":30},"But one final concern that people often have is whether Romans 7 is referring to a Christian.  This concern is usually connected to Paul's use of the present tense when describing himself.  He says, \"I do not do what I want, but do the very thing I hate (7:15).\"  This sounds like the present state of Paul.",{"type":24,"content":3697},[3698],{"text":3699,"type":30},"However, if one is reading this in context of Romans 6 it seems he has contradicted his statements in Romans 6 where he states that sin no longer has dominion over you (6:14).  How can the mastery of sin of which Paul sees to be referring in Romans 7 make sense with what Paul states in Romans 6?",{"type":24,"content":3701},[3702],{"text":3703,"type":30},"So,  is Paul contradicting himself in the space of a chapter or is there another explanation?  I would say there is another explanation to this dilemma that Paul is describing his present state and it is specifically related to a different understanding of the present tense.",{"type":24,"content":3705},[3706],{"text":3707,"type":30},"The specifics of this feature of present tenses will be in my next blog",{"type":24,"content":3709},[3710],{"text":3711,"type":30},"REFLECTION:  If a passage appears to contradict itself with other passages what do you do?  Can something appear to be a contradiction because there Is the need for more information?",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":3713},{},"The tenses in Romans 7","romans-7-5-","blog\u002Fromans-7-5-",-1220,[],"dca4e8cb-4562-441f-8743-a5b74749111a",[],{"name":3722,"created_at":3723,"published_at":3724,"updated_at":3725,"id":3726,"uuid":3727,"content":3728,"slug":3759,"full_slug":3760,"sort_by_date":26,"position":3761,"tag_list":3762,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":3763,"first_published_at":3724,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":3764,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Romans  7--Contd. (4)","2025-01-06T21:39:03.276Z","2025-01-06T22:34:23.508Z","2025-01-06T22:34:23.520Z",19653743,"cd67923a-23a4-422e-a970-22dcc4c659b7",{"_uid":3729,"body":3730,"image":3755,"title":3757,"excerpt":3758,"component":62},"95aa2c32-1192-4427-98c5-16bcce81d752",[3731],{"_uid":3732,"component":19,"textContent":3733},"92c39d57-c7ec-4f86-94a4-65edfd3c603c",{"type":21,"content":3734},[3735,3739,3743,3747,3751],{"type":24,"content":3736},[3737],{"text":3738,"type":30},"We continue to look at Romans 7 and what it might mean about the Law and NOT the Christian life!!!",{"type":24,"content":3740},[3741],{"text":3742,"type":30},"Paul continues his dialogue with his reader about The Law.  Having declared that we died to the Law as a means of our relationship with God (7:4), Paul goes further to reveal the reason we have died to the Law as a means of being right with God is because of what the Law does in our experience of sin.",{"type":24,"content":3744},[3745],{"text":3746,"type":30},"Paul states that the Law is what aroused our sinful passions when we lived in \"the flesh.\"  Note Paul's use of the  past tense: \"lived.\"  Paul asserts that we used to live in the flesh or in human power and ability.  But we have been released from the Law through the death of Jesus and now joined with him (previously asserted in Romans 6::1-11).  This release from the Law is not from its moral standards but from relying on it to give us power to deal with sin. We are now living in a new way, the way of The Spirit (7:6) and relying on the Spirit to be able to deal with sin and its power.",{"type":24,"content":3748},[3749],{"text":3750,"type":30},"Think of this, Paul is declaring that the Law did not reduce sins grasp on people  but aroused sin.  As shocking as this might appear it is exactly what Paul writes in I Corinthians 15:56: \"the power of sin is the Law.  And this is why we live in the \"new way of The Spirit (7:6)\"  as a Christian and not the old way of life in the flesh.  This is quite a change for these readers.",{"type":24,"content":3752},[3753],{"text":3754,"type":30},"REFLECTION:  Can you see how the Law is the subject of Romans 7 and not the Christian life? Reflect on the 2 ways of life: flesh or Spirit and the result of each.",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":3756},{},"Romans 7--Contd. (4)","Assertions about The Law.\n","romans-7-contd-4-","blog\u002Fromans-7-contd-4-",-1200,[],"7c381d2a-0d07-43ee-a347-156817437481",[],{"name":3766,"created_at":3767,"published_at":3768,"updated_at":3769,"id":3770,"uuid":3771,"content":3772,"slug":3812,"full_slug":3813,"sort_by_date":26,"position":3814,"tag_list":3815,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":3816,"first_published_at":3768,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":3817,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Romans 7--Continued (3)","2024-12-18T21:51:26.517Z","2024-12-19T17:15:02.287Z","2024-12-19T17:16:15.873Z",19028885,"1167a89c-1899-4dff-8c23-31422d5d45da",{"_uid":3773,"body":3774,"image":3808,"title":3810,"excerpt":3811,"component":62},"c98b454a-1b71-4e79-9d8d-c8ed268e45dd",[3775],{"_uid":3776,"component":19,"textContent":3777},"aa2d6d10-a956-46d5-a21a-55c61b900895",{"type":21,"content":3778},[3779,3783,3787,3791,3795,3799,3803,3807],{"type":24,"content":3780},[3781],{"text":3782,"type":30},"We continue to study Romans 7, this most disputed and controversial chapter.",{"type":24,"content":3784},[3785],{"text":3786,"type":30},"Last time I suggested that this chapter is written to people how know the Law (Romans 7:1).  This seems clear when one observes the occurrences of the term \"law\" in the chapter. And with this consideration it seems to me that the audience is people who have left Judaism to become Christians (see 7:4) but having difficulty with what is one’s relationship with The Law.",{"type":24,"content":3788},[3789],{"text":3790,"type":30},"This difficulty of The Law was a prominent issue in the life of the early church as the majority of believers were Jewish in their history. There is strong evidence that righteousness by faith in Jesus and adherence to the Law was thought, by some, to be a correct understanding of The Gospel (See Acts 15 and Galatians 2 and 3). ",{"type":24,"content":3792},[3793],{"text":3794,"type":30},"Paul’s opening assertion reveals that The Law has a limited jurisdiction to assert only while one is alive. This limited jurisdiction is understood by an analogy of marriage.  This is instructive because marriage is a common Hebrew Bible image of God’s relationship with His people (see Major and Minor Prophets, most famously in Hosea) as well as The New Testament image of bride and marriage (Revelation)",{"type":24,"content":3796},[3797],{"text":3798,"type":30},"Paul then makes a shocking declaration about the limited jurisdiction of The Law:  “Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the Law (7:4).”  Paul is declaring in stark terms that these readers have come into a new situation and relationship, marriage if you will, with Christ.  This new relationship is to belong to another like the wife whose husband has died and is now free to be joined to another.",{"type":24,"content":3800},[3801],{"text":3802,"type":30},"Paul will follow this profound statement of this change in relationship with more profound statements about The Law.  We will see his thoughts under 2 major topics.",{"type":24,"content":3804},[3805],{"text":3806,"type":30},"REFLECT:  Have you given much thought about your relationship with God in terms of an end to a relationship and the beginning of a new relationship?  Why would Paul suggest a limited jurisdiction of The Law?",{"type":24},{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":3809},{},"Romans 7--Contd. (3)","Continuing to look at Romans 7","romans-7-continued-3-","blog\u002Fromans-7-continued-3-",-1180,[],"04004368-8862-4dc2-b11f-3c7b4a25606b",[],{"name":3819,"created_at":3820,"published_at":3821,"updated_at":3822,"id":3823,"uuid":3824,"content":3825,"slug":3862,"full_slug":3863,"sort_by_date":26,"position":3864,"tag_list":3865,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":3866,"first_published_at":3821,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":3867,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Romans 7--Continued","2024-12-04T17:14:19.314Z","2024-12-04T19:52:50.214Z","2024-12-04T19:52:50.236Z",17417953,"84bc0c96-891f-484d-a201-fd0d33b5669f",{"_uid":3826,"body":3827,"image":3859,"title":3819,"excerpt":3861,"component":62},"53d8b8ac-53ef-439d-9a7c-efbe7e602782",[3828],{"_uid":3829,"component":19,"textContent":3830},"8e2140bc-406d-4ba1-af78-a20f339bd8b7",{"type":21,"content":3831},[3832,3836,3840,3844,3848,3852,3856,3857,3858],{"type":24,"content":3833},[3834],{"text":3835,"type":30},"Last time I wrote in this blog I indicated that we would seek to understand the truth of a rather controversial chapter in The Scriptures: Romans 7.  This will require several entries, but here goes.",{"type":24,"content":3837},[3838],{"text":3839,"type":30},"Paul has carefully proclaimed that The Gospel's offer of righteousness  is received by faith (1:17; 3:21-22, 24, 25, 28 and other passages) and NOT through the \"works of The Law (3:280.\"  These \"works of The Law\" are actions of obedience to the Law in order to earn God's declaration of righteousness.  It is this understanding of Law that is threaded throughout the letter of Romans and in chapter 7 in particular.",{"type":24,"content":3841},[3842],{"text":3843,"type":30},"This understanding of how Paul understands \"works of The Law\" is an important theme throughout the book of Romans.  And no more important than for understanding Romans 7 where the term\" law\" occurs over 16 times in this one chapter.  ",{"type":24,"content":3845},[3846],{"text":3847,"type":30},"The chapter \"opens\" (vs 1) with a statement that he is writing to those who know The Law.  This is an important signal as to the theme and concern Paul is addressing in this chapter.  He is attempting to proclaim something about The Law that these readers have for so long looked to as the means of being right with God.  He does not seem to be speaking to some feature of Christian existence but to life under The Law.",{"type":24,"content":3849},[3850],{"text":3851,"type":30},"We will continue in the next blog entry as to this important chapter in The Bible",{"type":24,"content":3853},[3854],{"text":3855,"type":30},"REFLECTION: How would understanding that this chapter is about The Law and using it as a way of being right with God change your thinking of this chapter? ",{"type":24},{"type":24},{"type":24},{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":3860},{},"Understanding Romans 7","romans-7-continued","blog\u002Fromans-7-continued",-1160,[],"00e70981-f955-49e8-9373-b6f4478da707",[],{"name":3869,"created_at":3870,"published_at":3871,"updated_at":3872,"id":3873,"uuid":3874,"content":3875,"slug":3914,"full_slug":3915,"sort_by_date":26,"position":3916,"tag_list":3917,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":3918,"first_published_at":3871,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":3919,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Jacob Arminius ","2024-11-14T17:47:58.361Z","2024-11-14T21:03:39.357Z","2024-11-14T21:03:39.374Z",15604033,"3198a73c-1ac2-4323-a685-8d6aeadd60f5",{"_uid":3876,"body":3877,"image":3910,"title":3912,"excerpt":3913,"component":62},"d47c4088-8755-413e-959f-1cf593b3955f",[3878],{"_uid":3879,"component":19,"textContent":3880},"ba0cf197-6b05-4f30-a10f-f637e68d9087",{"type":21,"content":3881},[3882,3886,3890,3894,3898,3902,3906],{"type":24,"content":3883},[3884],{"text":3885,"type":30},"If you have read Scripture, attended church or just heard people enter into discussion about theology, you likely know that there is some level of controversy related to Romans 7.",{"type":24,"content":3887},[3888],{"text":3889,"type":30},"The controversy in Romans 7 revolves around seeking to determine if Paul is referring to his present condition as a Christian or was this something in the past on which he is reflecting.  A position that many have taken is that Paul is referring to his present existence as a Christian.",{"type":24,"content":3891},[3892],{"text":3893,"type":30},"The challenge one faces with the assertion  that this is Paul's present Christian experience is that it is not the only view in the history of this chapter.  Notably, Jacob Arminius (1559-1609) took the position that Paul was NOT referring to his present condition as a Christian. **",{"type":24,"content":3895},[3896],{"text":3897,"type":30},"So, what evidence is there that Romans 7 is the experience of a Christian or the evidence that Romans 7 is not the experience of a Christian?  This is what we will be considering in the coming blog posts",{"type":24,"content":3899},[3900],{"text":3901,"type":30},"REFLECTION:  What are your thoughts about Romans 7?  ",{"type":24,"content":3903},[3904],{"text":3905,"type":30},"**Sufficient Saving Grace, Herbert Boyd McGonigle",{"type":24,"content":3907},[3908],{"text":3909,"type":30},".",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":3911},{},"Romans 7--Seeking Understanding of its truth.","An exploration into one of the most controversial chapters in the Bible","jacob-arminius","blog\u002Fjacob-arminius",-1140,[],"73b160a7-d134-407e-aa1e-77bbefd28eed",[],{"name":3921,"created_at":3922,"published_at":3923,"updated_at":3924,"id":3925,"uuid":3926,"content":3927,"slug":3958,"full_slug":3959,"sort_by_date":26,"position":3960,"tag_list":3961,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":3962,"first_published_at":3923,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":3963,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Wesley and Grace","2024-10-15T20:54:09.222Z","2024-10-15T21:12:51.024Z","2024-10-15T21:12:51.040Z",13313040,"6dceda20-f917-4b15-b8ab-f8258582ef51",{"_uid":3928,"body":3929,"image":3954,"title":3956,"excerpt":3957,"component":62},"28d9a4ee-3be2-43be-a636-cc4fdc13d74d",[3930],{"_uid":3931,"component":19,"textContent":3932},"d34b2d6b-a692-44d8-b1ac-d8659d59b471",{"type":21,"content":3933},[3934,3938,3942,3946,3950],{"type":24,"content":3935},[3936],{"text":3937,"type":30},"John Wesley was orthodox in his view of humanity.  He knew the Scriptures taught that human beings had been deeply damaged by the experience of sin. This damage was deeply imbedded in the human family.",{"type":24,"content":3939},[3940],{"text":3941,"type":30},"But Wesley also had an orthodox view of God where he declared everywhere he went that God's Grace was greater than our damaged nature.",{"type":24,"content":3943},[3944],{"text":3945,"type":30},"For Wesley it came down to a basic proposition that God's grace was sovereign over human nature.  In other words, God's grace has the power to repair the damage to the human family caused by sin.  This repair is known as being \"born again (John 3:3),\" brining life where there was death (John 10:10 & Ephesian 2:1), \"regeneration and renewal (Titus 3:5).\"",{"type":24,"content":3947},[3948],{"text":3949,"type":30},"Wesley's assertion was that God's grace was sovereign and not simply that God is sovereign in some abstract way.",{"type":24,"content":3951},[3952],{"text":3953,"type":30},"RELECT:  Do we have the notion that God's grace is sovereign over human nature and thereby believe that God's grace can transform every area of our life?  How sovereign is grace in this area of our understanding and existence?",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":3955},{},"Wesley and The Sovereignty of Grace","Grace as Greater","wesley-and-grace","blog\u002Fwesley-and-grace",-1120,[],"90ce054c-89da-4d7a-a96f-fff6d313b1c4",[],{"name":3965,"created_at":3966,"published_at":3967,"updated_at":3968,"id":3969,"uuid":3970,"content":3971,"slug":3999,"full_slug":4000,"sort_by_date":26,"position":4001,"tag_list":4002,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":4003,"first_published_at":4004,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":4005,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Ordained to Priesthood","2024-09-25T20:59:10.870Z","2024-09-25T23:18:13.934Z","2024-09-25T23:18:13.946Z",12314848,"25bc2089-4497-46c7-bb1b-18ffbc7ccb40",{"_uid":3972,"body":3973,"image":3995,"title":3997,"excerpt":3998,"component":62},"e9c94c1b-f7bc-4d8d-b967-a172309aafcd",[3974],{"_uid":3975,"component":19,"textContent":3976},"7ffc80fe-f106-47d1-819f-2b84e9fbb9ad",{"type":21,"content":3977},[3978,3982,3986,3990,3994],{"type":24,"content":3979},[3980],{"text":3981,"type":30},"This Saturday (September 28) marks the anniversary of John Wesley being ordained to the Anglican Church (Church of England) in 1728. That was 296 years ago. I doubt that he nor anyone else at the moment  would have any idea of what a monumental event this ordination would turn out to be.",{"type":24,"content":3983},[3984],{"text":3985,"type":30},"This entry into the ordained ministry and its subsequent events  in his life and ministry continue to have effects to this day.  His life and ministry are extended all over the world  in different iterations of The Methodist Church.  His organizational skills are a model of how to help people grow in faith through the employment of intentional small groups.   His works, letters, sermons and correspondence continue to engage many to study how God used this man.  His entry to ministry has caused the work of Christ to  go all over the world, not the leas of having come to America.",{"type":24,"content":3987},[3988],{"text":3989,"type":30},"Wesley would live his life faithful to his vows taken in that chapel of Christ's Church @ Oxford on what would have been considered an un-eventful day.  But God has a way of using common events that appear uneventful and makes them monumental.",{"type":24,"content":3991},[3992],{"text":3993,"type":30},"REFLECT:  Can you look back on your life and realize that what did not appear monumental has in fact been such in your life?  Can you pause and thank God for what appeared rather unimportant  at the time but has proven to be very important in your life?  Rejoice in God's work in your life",{"type":24},{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":3996},{},"Ordinary Day that proved to be  Monumental","John Wesley's Ordination","ordained-to-priesthood","blog\u002Fordained-to-priesthood",-1100,[],"9d2ef3e0-a160-413c-b4bd-6c13280c0c95","2024-09-25T23:17:25.733Z",[],{"name":4007,"created_at":4008,"published_at":4009,"updated_at":4010,"id":4011,"uuid":4012,"content":4013,"slug":4046,"full_slug":4047,"sort_by_date":26,"position":4048,"tag_list":4049,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":4050,"first_published_at":4051,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":4052,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Wesley's View of Faith (4)","2024-09-18T20:02:50.079Z","2024-09-18T21:15:02.380Z","2024-09-18T21:15:02.395Z",11963587,"2f44b1c1-e60f-46d7-afdb-15ee8f65b4f6",{"_uid":4014,"body":4015,"image":4043,"title":4007,"excerpt":4045,"component":62},"fef46801-8225-4e22-81b0-dc61eebd9ab0",[4016],{"_uid":4017,"component":19,"textContent":4018},"860d5a9d-88ce-43d6-ae0d-27e3c2fcd5fd",{"type":21,"content":4019},[4020,4024,4028,4032,4036],{"type":24,"content":4021},[4022],{"text":4023,"type":30},"John Wesley, and other orthodox leaders know that the matter of faith was an issue to be clear about in the early days of the church.  The book of James, a very early book in the New Testament corpus, deals with a view of faith that is shocking.",{"type":24,"content":4025},[4026],{"text":4027,"type":30},"James tells his readers that devils believe and shudder (James 2:19).  This is the verb form of faith and is the same term used throughout the New Testament for belief in Jesus.  What then does this mean when James says that even devils believe?",{"type":24,"content":4029},[4030],{"text":4031,"type":30},"Wesley (and others) know that faith must have notitia (know something) and assensus (agree with what one know) BUT one must also trust oneself to what one knows and agrees: fiducia.",{"type":24,"content":4033},[4034],{"text":4035,"type":30},"Wesley and other orthodox teachers know that fiducia is an entrusting oneself to the leadership and guidance of the one believed or the truth believed.  It could be said that fiducia is a personal responsiveness of obedience to the one believed or the truth believed.  This is something that the devils never do.",{"type":24,"content":4037},[4038,4041],{"text":599,"type":30,"marks":4039},[4040],{"type":388},{"text":4042,"type":30},":  How would you know if your faith has the feature of fiducia?  ",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":4044},{},"Component of a True Faith","wesley-s-view-of-faith-4","blog\u002Fwesley-s-view-of-faith-4",-1080,[],"3ca613b8-5c2b-47ee-8845-747a20e262c2","2024-09-18T21:12:03.959Z",[],{"name":4054,"created_at":4055,"published_at":4056,"updated_at":4057,"id":4058,"uuid":4059,"content":4060,"slug":4086,"full_slug":4087,"sort_by_date":26,"position":4088,"tag_list":4089,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":4090,"first_published_at":4056,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":4091,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Wesley's View of Faith (3)","2024-09-05T15:52:33.364Z","2024-09-05T17:00:30.493Z","2024-09-05T17:00:30.511Z",11195494,"a3908bd8-b930-4e60-998a-bd5241bc905f",{"_uid":4061,"body":4062,"image":4083,"title":4054,"excerpt":4085,"component":62},"79996c89-4566-4f85-a705-2088e29a542d",[4063],{"_uid":4064,"component":19,"textContent":4065},"ffc52059-61ac-418e-b35f-1ee821d0f9fb",{"type":21,"content":4066},[4067,4071,4075,4079],{"type":24,"content":4068},[4069],{"text":4070,"type":30},"We now consider the 2nd feature of Wesleys understanding of a lively and real faith.  This 2nd feature is not unique to Wesley since it is what an orthodox and lively faith must consist.",{"type":24,"content":4072},[4073],{"text":4074,"type":30},"The feature of \"assensus\" is the feature that follows \"notitia.\"  With \"notitia\" being the feature of having some knowledge or understanding of what is to be believed, \"assensus\" is personal acceptance or agreement of what is now  understood or believed.",{"type":24,"content":4076},[4077],{"text":4078,"type":30},"It makes sense that after one has knowledge of what is to be believed that it comes to the point of whether one agrees or accepts as true and viable.  This agreement is not simply conceptual or abstract but  personal and not simply agreement in one's mind only.",{"type":24,"content":4080},[4081],{"text":4082,"type":30},"REFLECT:  How has your knowledge of God's truth moved to a personal agreemnet?  Can you list 2 of the most important truths you not only know but personally agree?  Celebrate these truths and your agreement.",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":4084},{},"The feature of \"assensus\" ","wesley-s-view-of-faith-3","blog\u002Fwesley-s-view-of-faith-3",-1060,[],"9ad20a39-9130-4885-a480-25120bb47bf8",[],{"name":4093,"created_at":4094,"published_at":4095,"updated_at":4096,"id":4097,"uuid":4098,"content":4099,"slug":4130,"full_slug":4131,"sort_by_date":26,"position":4132,"tag_list":4133,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":4134,"first_published_at":4095,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":4135,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Wesley's View of Faith (2)","2024-08-19T18:06:37.954Z","2024-08-19T21:17:30.047Z","2024-08-19T21:17:30.064Z",10471293,"745d63de-352d-401b-86bf-42a4703d3e3a",{"_uid":4100,"body":4101,"image":4127,"title":4093,"excerpt":4129,"component":62},"e4080933-533f-416d-a5b9-8b3dd9b984ba",[4102],{"_uid":4103,"component":19,"textContent":4104},"cd686a5e-7ed1-4d5c-b894-313e4ff6fd4d",{"type":21,"content":4105},[4106,4110,4114,4118,4122,4126],{"type":24,"content":4107},[4108],{"text":4109,"type":30},"In our continued discussion of John Wesley's view of faith we must consult what Christian orthodoxy asserts. Wesley is no innovator in this matter but a faithful adherent to orthodox belief.",{"type":24,"content":4111},[4112],{"text":4113,"type":30},"First, faith has the feature of notitia.  Notitia is the idea that one has some notion or understanding of what is to be believed. This feature suggests that Faith is no \"leap in the dark\"  but based on some level of knowing.",{"type":24,"content":4115},[4116],{"text":4117,"type":30},"Jesus encouraged his followers to believe what they know from what he says or \"else believe on account of the works themselves (John 14:11).\"  In other words, believe the evidence you see in my words or my works.  ",{"type":24,"content":4119},[4120],{"text":4121,"type":30},"Faith must begin with this feature: notitia.  There must be some content that calls forth some belief or one is simply wishing.  Romans 10:17 informs us that faith occurs because of hearing the word about Christ.  Here I the notitia.....some content to believe!!",{"type":24,"content":4123},[4124],{"text":4125,"type":30},"REFLECT:  Is your faith based upon some form of \"notitia\" or content?  How could you share this with someone this week?",{"type":24},{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":4128},{},"The features of a lively faith","wesley-s-view-of-faith-2","blog\u002Fwesley-s-view-of-faith-2",-1040,[],"fbe4f13a-13ba-4e56-9be9-5958ad00fb10",[],{"name":4137,"created_at":4138,"published_at":4139,"updated_at":4140,"id":4141,"uuid":4142,"content":4143,"slug":4178,"full_slug":4179,"sort_by_date":26,"position":4180,"tag_list":4181,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":4182,"first_published_at":4139,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":4183,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Wesley's View of Faith","2024-08-07T21:40:55.893Z","2024-08-08T16:52:16.188Z","2024-08-08T16:52:16.202Z",9988893,"7767810e-86e0-4543-bc17-3f9b0649ff08",{"_uid":4144,"body":4145,"image":4174,"title":4176,"excerpt":4177,"component":62},"8d3085e0-39fc-48bb-bba8-09627dc17caf",[4146],{"_uid":4147,"component":19,"textContent":4148},"482c8584-2964-42a9-ab36-32624de7c354",{"type":21,"content":4149},[4150,4154,4158,4162,4166],{"type":24,"content":4151},[4152],{"text":4153,"type":30},"Wesley's view of a vibrant faith",{"type":24,"content":4155},[4156],{"text":4157,"type":30},"John Wesley lived at a time when most of the people of England had some relationship with the national church: The Anglican Church.  This however did not mean that most people lived with a vibrant and transforming faith simply because of church membership.",{"type":24,"content":4159},[4160],{"text":4161,"type":30},"Wesley and many others believed that a lack of vibrancy of faith by many of his day could be traced to a view of faith as simply believing in the articles of religion.  These articles (39) were at least confessed as being believed by all in communion with the Anglican Church.  Wesley taught that faith was more than an intellectual belief in or the ability to recite the articles of religion.  To press his point he stated that one could be as orthodox as the devil by believing or reciting these articles of religion and not be a Christian.",{"type":24,"content":4163},[4164],{"text":4165,"type":30},"Wesley believed that faith was a personal trust in Jesus Christ for one's forgiveness of their sins.  Faith was trust and full recumbence upon Jesus Christ as one's only hope of salvation.  This meant that one not only believed these truths as mere facts to be believed or recited but truths to personally rely upon for one's salvation.",{"type":24,"content":4167},[4168,4172],{"text":4169,"type":30,"marks":4170},"REFLECT:",[4171],{"type":388},{"text":4173,"type":30},"  How would a vibrant faith manifest itself in daily life?  How tempting is it to reduce faith to a confession or mental comprehension and not a personal trust that guides one's daily life and decisions?",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":4175},{},"Wesley's View of Faith ","A vibrant view of faith","wesley-s-view-of-faith","blog\u002Fwesley-s-view-of-faith",-1020,[],"fd18b1c6-ae2b-448b-aee7-b0c8f5c3582d",[],{"name":4185,"created_at":4186,"published_at":4187,"updated_at":4188,"id":4189,"uuid":4190,"content":4191,"slug":4250,"full_slug":4251,"sort_by_date":26,"position":4252,"tag_list":4253,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":4254,"first_published_at":4187,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":4255,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Wesley's View of God (4)","2024-07-30T19:02:34.838Z","2024-07-30T20:39:40.366Z","2024-07-30T20:39:40.382Z",9636760,"77df3aa8-5df7-42b4-8f23-e8322b293f8f",{"_uid":4192,"body":4193,"image":4247,"title":4185,"excerpt":4249,"component":62},"88e3b6c1-7651-44ea-9756-4703391b3ae3",[4194],{"_uid":4195,"component":19,"textContent":4196},"dfdbcee7-24a6-448e-bbc3-5035d7560d39",{"type":21,"content":4197},[4198,4202,4206,4210,4214,4239,4243],{"type":24,"content":4199},[4200],{"text":4201,"type":30},"I would like to give a bit more attention to Wesley's view of God as it relates to the idea of Holy Love.  In fact some scholars suggest that this distinction (Holy) is at the root of all of Wesley's view of God and Christian existence.",{"type":24,"content":4203},[4204],{"text":4205,"type":30},"We all agree that John The Apostle declares that \"God is Love (I John 4:8).\"  This statement does not say that God is loving or that God loves.  As true as these statements are the passage gives a much deeper understanding that God IS love. ",{"type":24,"content":4207},[4208],{"text":4209,"type":30},"The statement that \"God is Love\" is a substance statement.  In other words, God's very substance or essence is love and not simply a feature of God's life. ",{"type":24,"content":4211},[4212],{"text":4213,"type":30},"With the in mind this is where our understanding of Love or more specifically Holy Love becomes so important.  Since Holy Love is God's substance, and Holy Love is the kind of love that makes distinctions how does one understand God's Holy Love?",{"type":24,"content":4215},[4216,4218,4223,4225,4230,4232,4237],{"text":4217,"type":30},"I would like to offer the following features of Holy Love:                                                                                    --Holy Love will Never Give ",{"text":4219,"type":30,"marks":4220},"OUT",[4221,4222],{"type":388},{"type":1263},{"text":4224,"type":30}," on you                        --Holy Love will Never Give ",{"text":4226,"type":30,"marks":4227},"UP",[4228,4229],{"type":388},{"type":1263},{"text":4231,"type":30}," on you                          --Holy Love will Never Give ",{"text":4233,"type":30,"marks":4234},"IN",[4235,4236],{"type":388},{"type":1263},{"text":4238,"type":30}," to you",{"type":24,"content":4240},[4241],{"text":4242,"type":30},"These distinctions safeguard our understanding of God's substance.  Without these distinctions the idea of love may degenerate to mere sentimentalism.",{"type":24,"content":4244},[4245],{"text":4246,"type":30},"REFLECT:  How does your view of God's love include these 3 features?  How would your view of God as love change with these 3 features?",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":4248},{},"God of Holy Love","wesley-s-view-of-god-4","blog\u002Fwesley-s-view-of-god-4",-1000,[],"63cccda9-cfec-4d4c-aa12-47bf8cd53b01",[],{"name":4257,"created_at":4258,"published_at":4259,"updated_at":4260,"id":4261,"uuid":4262,"content":4263,"slug":4340,"full_slug":4341,"sort_by_date":26,"position":4342,"tag_list":4343,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":4344,"first_published_at":4345,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":4346,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Wesley's View of God (3)","2024-07-17T19:42:15.188Z","2024-07-17T20:26:58.697Z","2024-07-17T20:26:58.712Z",9196705,"986689a5-21f8-4b13-81f1-22792a6cf014",{"_uid":4264,"body":4265,"image":4337,"title":4257,"excerpt":4339,"component":62},"89c3568a-0318-41db-bbd6-0cbc9847dffa",[4266],{"_uid":4267,"component":19,"textContent":4268},"92423464-f989-4719-899c-be5c450adf52",{"type":21,"content":4269},[4270,4274,4275,4279,4289,4299,4315,4324],{"type":24,"content":4271},[4272],{"text":4273,"type":30},"A God of Holy Love",{"type":24},{"type":24,"content":4276},[4277],{"text":4278,"type":30},"The contention that God is love is clearly revealed in Scripture (I John 4:8) and in the person of Jesus Christ.  But this love must be clearly understood because of 2 reasons.",{"type":24,"content":4280},[4281,4283,4287],{"text":4282,"type":30},"1--Clarity is needed about any understanding about love due to many of us having our ",{"text":4284,"type":30,"marks":4285},"own ideas",[4286],{"type":388},{"text":4288,"type":30}," of what love \"looks like.\"  Culturally love seems to have no boundaries or distinction in other than being nice and permissive of what people want or do.",{"type":24,"content":4290},[4291,4293,4297],{"text":4292,"type":30},"2--This need of clarity is compounded by the fact that there are at least ",{"text":4294,"type":30,"marks":4295},"3 terms",[4296],{"type":388},{"text":4298,"type":30}," in the Greek New Testament used for the word love, and all have some differences of meaning.  So, understanding love requires some thoughtful reflection on the meaning and nuances of this Biblical term.",{"type":24,"content":4300},[4301,4303,4307,4309,4313],{"text":4302,"type":30},"Wesley understood the different terms used for love and his understanding of God's love is informed by this.  In general Wesley seems to understand that God's love is ",{"text":4304,"type":30,"marks":4305},"Holy love",[4306],{"type":388},{"text":4308,"type":30},".  What is meant by this is that God's love (agape) is love that wills the good for the one loved.  And this willing may take the form of what is thought to be unloving.  The thought that God's love could thought of as unloving is based in an understanding that Holy Love makes ",{"text":4310,"type":30,"marks":4311},"distinctions",[4312],{"type":388},{"text":4314,"type":30},"..",{"type":24,"content":4316},[4317,4319,4322],{"text":4318,"type":30},"What ",{"text":4310,"type":30,"marks":4320},[4321],{"type":388},{"text":4323,"type":30}," does Holy Love make?  It makes distinctions in sanctioning what is good for the one loved and it rejects what is not good for the one loved.  This kind of love may be foreign to many because of a view of love as simply letting me do what I desire even if it is destructive to God's design for one's life.",{"type":24,"content":4325},[4326,4329,4331,4335],{"text":4169,"type":30,"marks":4327},[4328],{"type":388},{"text":4330,"type":30},"  Does ",{"text":4332,"type":30,"marks":4333},"your view",[4334],{"type":388},{"text":4336,"type":30}," of love have the feature of being able to make distinctions?  These distinctions are generally in approving what is good and rejecting what is wrong.",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":4338},{},"Holy Love","wesley-s-view-of-god-3","blog\u002Fwesley-s-view-of-god-3",-980,[],"b78bed28-1e3c-4fc0-8a83-04fe76efa144","2024-07-17T20:22:47.467Z",[],{"name":4348,"created_at":4349,"published_at":4350,"updated_at":4351,"id":4352,"uuid":4353,"content":4354,"slug":4421,"full_slug":4422,"sort_by_date":26,"position":4423,"tag_list":4424,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":4425,"first_published_at":4350,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":4426,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Wesley's View of God--Continued","2024-06-26T20:27:49.252Z","2024-07-08T21:40:21.773Z","2024-07-08T21:40:21.788Z",8320033,"94f6805a-c8df-4891-af10-d989a1e5383a",{"_uid":4355,"body":4356,"image":4417,"title":4419,"excerpt":4420,"component":62},"95b6c1ff-ad48-420b-9722-a0bf6379a2e7",[4357],{"_uid":4358,"component":19,"textContent":4359},"1bef48af-6adf-4515-80d4-2b6316ff448a",{"type":21,"content":4360},[4361,4372,4382,4398,4413],{"type":24,"content":4362},[4363,4365,4370],{"text":4364,"type":30},"To say that John Wesley did not believe in ",{"text":4366,"type":30,"marks":4367},"predestination",[4368,4369],{"type":388},{"type":1263},{"text":4371,"type":30}," is not exactly accurate.  The fact that Wesley did not believe in what is understood as a Reformed (Calvinistic) view of predestination or decrees is not to say that he did not believe in predestination.",{"type":24,"content":4373},[4374,4376,4380],{"text":4375,"type":30},"Wesley, as an orthodox Christian, believed and taught that God in fact did predestine and decree the matters of salvation.  He believed that God decreed and predestined that all who would believe will be saved and all who disbelieve will be lost ",{"text":4377,"type":30,"marks":4378},"(Sermon #58--On Predestination: see Resource tab and Wesley's sermons",[4379],{"type":2326},{"text":4381,"type":30},").",{"type":24,"content":4383},[4384,4386,4390,4392,4396],{"text":4385,"type":30},"The difference here is that God has predestined and decreed the ",{"text":4387,"type":30,"marks":4388},"means",[4389],{"type":388},{"text":4391,"type":30}," of salvation and NOT the ",{"text":4393,"type":30,"marks":4394},"members",[4395],{"type":388},{"text":4397,"type":30}," of salvation.  This is a critical difference that allows Wesley to affirm God as in charge of the matters of salvation as far as it relates to the means or way of salvation.",{"type":24,"content":4399},[4400,4402,4405,4407,4411],{"text":4401,"type":30},"This distinction in predestination is critical.  Wesley believed that the Reformed position of predestination and decrees that \"selected\" certain people (",{"text":4393,"type":30,"marks":4403},[4404],{"type":388},{"text":4406,"type":30},") for salvation and certain people for damnation did too much damage to the character of God as seen in Jesus Christ.  Where Wesley contends that God determines the way (",{"text":4408,"type":30,"marks":4409},"means)",[4410],{"type":388},{"text":4412,"type":30}," of salvation.",{"type":24,"content":4414},[4415],{"text":4416,"type":30},"REFLECT: How do each of these views affect your view of the character of God?  ",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":4418},{},"Wesley's View of God (2)","Wesley's view of Divine Predestination","wesley-s-view-of-god-continued","blog\u002Fwesley-s-view-of-god-continued",-960,[],"e16e8bf7-e35f-4390-8682-bc723ffab316",[],{"name":4428,"created_at":4429,"published_at":4430,"updated_at":4431,"id":4432,"uuid":4433,"content":4434,"slug":4464,"full_slug":4465,"sort_by_date":26,"position":4466,"tag_list":4467,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":4468,"first_published_at":4469,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":4470,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Wesley's View of God","2024-06-20T18:07:28.308Z","2024-06-20T19:48:53.727Z","2024-06-20T19:48:53.741Z",8078355,"af8fd3eb-c170-4e0f-9c1a-f65990be9da5",{"_uid":4435,"body":4436,"image":4461,"title":4428,"excerpt":4463,"component":62},"c5346caa-0947-431c-88a8-f6730597410a",[4437],{"_uid":4438,"component":19,"textContent":4439},"599b1eb3-8865-4007-a49f-ceabe6ed9a50",{"type":21,"content":4440},[4441,4445,4449,4453,4457],{"type":24,"content":4442},[4443],{"text":4444,"type":30},"Wesley believes that God is Great as well as Good.  This is important because greatness by itself  has no moral component: greatness could be amoral or even immoral.  One can be great in power and have no moral feature to the use of power.",{"type":24,"content":4446},[4447],{"text":4448,"type":30},"For Wesley the notion of goodness is what informs an understanding of God's power.  God's Greatness and power are expressed in His Goodness. ",{"type":24,"content":4450},[4451],{"text":4452,"type":30},"This understanding of God's Greatness expressed in Goodness means that all attributes of God are to be understood as manifestations of God's love.  In other words, God's justice is not simply justice but justice informed by love.  God's omnipotence is not just omnipotence but omnipotence informed by love.",{"type":24,"content":4454},[4455],{"text":4456,"type":30},"I believe this keeps us from a \"yeah, but theology.\"  This is when we seem to pit attributes of God against each other.  For example, God is omnipotent, yeah, but he is also merciful.  Wesley's view of all of God's attributes are informed or manifestations of God's Holy Love.",{"type":24,"content":4458},[4459],{"text":4460,"type":30},"REFLECT:  Is your view of God where all his attributes are informed by His Goodness?  If not, why not?",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":4462},{},"Critical reflection on a most important truth","wesley-s-view-of-god","blog\u002Fwesley-s-view-of-god",-940,[],"afc75380-68a9-4068-800b-f3b744988537","2024-06-20T19:41:06.255Z",[],{"name":4472,"created_at":4473,"published_at":4474,"updated_at":4475,"id":4476,"uuid":4477,"content":4478,"slug":4511,"full_slug":4512,"sort_by_date":26,"position":4513,"tag_list":4514,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":4515,"first_published_at":4474,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":4516,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Interesting View of Faith","2024-06-12T19:25:33.127Z","2024-06-13T14:36:39.987Z","2024-06-13T14:36:40.002Z",7670062,"eeeb44cd-a2f1-481b-bb0d-d08d12b8b0c2",{"_uid":4479,"body":4480,"image":4508,"title":4137,"excerpt":4510,"component":62},"084fa527-5c06-447a-9838-05bfb0f821b0",[4481],{"_uid":4482,"component":19,"textContent":4483},"3a2eb65c-b151-4469-9387-b1aee6fa9c20",{"type":21,"content":4484},[4485,4489,4493,4497,4501],{"type":24,"content":4486},[4487],{"text":4488,"type":30},"In my last blog I related the experience John Wesley had on May 24, 1738.  It was when Wesley had some \"inward\" assurance that God in Christ had forgiven him.",{"type":24,"content":4490},[4491],{"text":4492,"type":30},"The journey to this experience surely has caused some serious attempts to understand its features.  Was Wesley devoid of saving faith before this experience?  Was Wesley too introspective?  These and other questions have been the source of much debate.",{"type":24,"content":4494},[4495],{"text":4496,"type":30},"What is clear is that after Aldersgate Wesley had a new assurance about being right with God as well as  bouts of acute spiritual depression (Outler,  John Wesley, 51). This may have been due to Wesley's view of faith.  Wesley believed that faith was not only a belief in all the articles of religion but a personal confidence in Christ that issued forth in assurance.",{"type":24,"content":4498},[4499],{"text":4500,"type":30},"Wesley's view of faith was similar to that of many of the English Puritans as they taught about a \"lively faith.\"  This was a faith that \"takes hold\" of one's heart and makes a difference in how one lives, not simply a set of beliefs one believes.  So, faith to Wesley and others was one that issued forth in personal adherence, assurance and application to life.",{"type":24,"content":4502},[4503,4506],{"text":599,"type":30,"marks":4504},[4505],{"type":388},{"text":4507,"type":30},":  How might faith in our lives be reduced to simply an adherence to the articles or truths of The Christian Faith?  How does our faith affect our lives in our affections and actions?",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":4509},{},"A lively faith","interesting-view-of-faith","blog\u002Finteresting-view-of-faith",-920,[],"5a8f7b2e-7a47-42fc-9817-781f7a0b36a2",[],{"name":4518,"created_at":4519,"published_at":4520,"updated_at":4521,"id":4522,"uuid":4523,"content":4524,"slug":4551,"full_slug":4552,"sort_by_date":26,"position":4553,"tag_list":4554,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":4555,"first_published_at":4520,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":4556,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"May 24th and The Story of a Heart","2024-05-23T18:01:19.175Z","2024-05-29T20:06:34.994Z","2024-05-29T20:06:35.012Z",6830752,"8c095142-69f5-40df-99b3-0f418efb8476",{"_uid":4525,"body":4526,"image":4547,"title":4549,"excerpt":4550,"component":62},"5b40cac5-4293-4a1d-a10f-95acc8a3b67b",[4527],{"_uid":4528,"component":19,"textContent":4529},"01bce3a0-7ca1-4a79-8b84-330d4d28bc5b",{"type":21,"content":4530},[4531,4535,4539,4543],{"type":24,"content":4532},[4533],{"text":4534,"type":30},"May 24 is the day in 1738 that John Wesley's life was changed.  Up to this point Wesley, would write later that he had believed that one would only be justified by God if one was sanctified in their behavior.  Wesley's Anglican training had actually reversed the Order of Salvation and was part of his training.",{"type":24,"content":4536},[4537],{"text":4538,"type":30},"Wesley's life was a winding trail in an attempt to come to some level of assurance about being accepted by God.  It is without doubt that John Wesley lived a life of discipline, service and sacrifice.  His journal's reveal his intense efforts in these areas but to no avail in giving a sense of acceptance with God.",{"type":24,"content":4540},[4541],{"text":4542,"type":30},"But all this changed on May 24, 1739.  The change occurred at about 8:45 pm while attending a small group meeting he admitted later that he did not want to attend.  But while in that meeting he heard someone read Martin Luther's preface to the book of Romans and something happened.  Wesley records (again in his journal) that he felt his heart strongly warmed.  He, for the first time had an assurance that Christ died for him.  His life was changed forever by God's grace.",{"type":24,"content":4544},[4545],{"text":4546,"type":30},"REFLECT:  How you struggled with a sense of God's acceptance of you?  Have you relied on your own efforts or the efforts and work of Jesus?  I encourage you to reflect on Romans 5:1-11 and see if your heart is \"strangely warmed.\" ",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":4548},{},"May 24th and A Heart Strangley Warmed","Wesley's Experience","may-24th-and-the-story-of-a-heart","blog\u002Fmay-24th-and-the-story-of-a-heart",-900,[],"9a441d8c-e138-4ab3-98e9-f17d26a4389c",[],{"name":4558,"created_at":4559,"published_at":4560,"updated_at":4561,"id":4562,"uuid":4563,"content":4564,"slug":4599,"full_slug":4600,"sort_by_date":26,"position":4601,"tag_list":4602,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":4603,"first_published_at":4560,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":4604,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Wrong Fuel","2024-05-15T20:29:27.618Z","2024-05-16T14:54:51.977Z","2024-05-16T14:54:51.993Z",6441673,"c70261ed-ed8e-43fa-a0ca-378475765639",{"_uid":4565,"body":4566,"image":4595,"title":4597,"excerpt":4598,"component":62},"d9ecf948-cbae-4537-ae32-127d515b3987",[4567],{"_uid":4568,"component":19,"textContent":4569},"2c94cd72-59e8-452c-bac7-509ba2db4c35",{"type":21,"content":4570},[4571,4575,4579,4583,4587],{"type":24,"content":4572},[4573],{"text":4574,"type":30},"In my last blog I suggested that we think about a common notion that suggests that sin is normal.  But is that a correct notion?  The fact that sin is frequent is not evidence that sin is normal.  ",{"type":24,"content":4576},[4577],{"text":4578,"type":30},"C.S. Lewis wrote in Mere Christianity that humans are a sort of machine that has certain ways it must operate or it does not work correctly (The 3 Parts of Morality).  So what is it that makes things work in a normal way?  What \"fuel\" does the human machine need to run correctly?",{"type":24,"content":4580},[4581],{"text":4582,"type":30},"When I was in college I learned about a situation where someone bought a new car while on a trip in Europe.  They enjoyed the car so much they had it shipped back the the US and had an employee of their business fly to New York and drive the car back to Texas.  The trip was uneventful until the driver stopped for the 1st full-up on the trip.  After filling up the car wit fuel the. car only went about 3 blocks and the engine locked up. The driver assumed that the vehicle had a gas engine WHEN it had a diesel engine.  The driver had placed the wrong fuel in the tank.",{"type":24,"content":4584},[4585],{"text":4586,"type":30},"John Wesley and every historic, orthodox theologian teach that sin is the wrong \"fuel\" for human flourishing.  The experience of sin is frequent but there is nothing normal about sin.  Sin is the \"great intruder\" that has made human beings and human experience the mess that is.",{"type":24,"content":4588},[4589,4593],{"text":4590,"type":30,"marks":4591},"Reflect",[4592],{"type":388},{"text":4594,"type":30},":  Have you ever given thought to whether sin is normal or simply frequent?  Is sin the wrong fuel for human flourishing? ",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":4596},{},"Correct Fuel","What is the correct fuel for the \"human machine?\"","wrong-fuel","blog\u002Fwrong-fuel",-880,[],"9871494f-94f9-42f9-b273-e9ef5feabfa6",[],{"name":4606,"created_at":4607,"published_at":4608,"updated_at":4609,"id":4610,"uuid":4611,"content":4612,"slug":4650,"full_slug":4651,"sort_by_date":26,"position":4652,"tag_list":4653,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":4654,"first_published_at":4655,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":4656,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Holiness and Normal","2024-05-09T14:58:59.549Z","2024-05-09T15:31:48.564Z","2024-05-09T15:31:48.579Z",6213191,"bf03044e-3c6a-4d1b-a1d9-7aab44b0c770",{"_uid":4613,"body":4614,"image":4647,"title":4606,"excerpt":4649,"component":62},"0c740b0f-b844-4623-85e5-33a0bd13857c",[4615],{"_uid":4616,"component":19,"textContent":4617},"9ecdeef5-0e0d-4d1b-8b20-c73cf4e70e2b",{"type":21,"content":4618},[4619,4623,4627,4631,4635,4643],{"type":24,"content":4620},[4621],{"text":4622,"type":30},"One might be \"hard-pressed\" to think about holiness as normal because sin is actually thought to be normal.  I will grant you that sin is certainly frequent but will state that I do not think sin is normal.  ",{"type":24,"content":4624},[4625],{"text":4626,"type":30},"This confusion of frequent and normal can be seen at times in weather reports.  A weather person will say, \"the normal temperature for today is.\"  But do you ever notice that that is rarely the temperature.  That is because what they are really saying is that the average temperature for the day is.  The weather person is confusing average with normal.",{"type":24,"content":4628},[4629],{"text":4630,"type":30},"Do human beings, on average, sin frequently?  Certainly.  Does this feature of frequency mean sin is normal?",{"type":24,"content":4632},[4633],{"text":4634,"type":30},"Normal, illustrated from the medical field, is a concept of how an organism should function for vitality and health. Normal is how cells should function for this vitality and health.  But we know that some cells do not \"behave\" normally and cause dis-ease and a failure of the organism to be vital and healthy.  So, normal function would create vitality and health.",{"type":24,"content":4636},[4637,4641],{"text":4638,"type":30,"marks":4639},"Reflection",[4640],{"type":388},{"text":4642,"type":30},":  How is your thinking here?  Is sin normal (creating health and vitality), or is Holiness normal?",{"type":24,"content":4644},[4645],{"text":4646,"type":30},"We will continue to discus this important distinction in future blogs",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":4648},{},"Is Holiness Normal or Abnormal?","holiness-and-normal","blog\u002Fholiness-and-normal",-860,[],"bb069a02-f054-437b-8266-3ff764c52a3a","2024-05-09T15:29:06.923Z",[],{"name":4658,"created_at":4659,"published_at":4660,"updated_at":4661,"id":4662,"uuid":4663,"content":4664,"slug":4773,"full_slug":4774,"sort_by_date":26,"position":4775,"tag_list":4776,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":4777,"first_published_at":4778,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":4779,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Continued Thoughts about Holiness","2024-05-02T14:55:01.017Z","2024-05-02T15:39:36.569Z","2024-05-02T15:39:36.586Z",5998978,"8958b347-e6d5-4d45-864d-b524aceea0b5",{"_uid":4665,"body":4666,"image":4769,"title":4771,"excerpt":4772,"component":62},"3412ef7a-4e96-4ac0-aa9b-65b581acd066",[4667],{"_uid":4668,"component":19,"textContent":4669},"2aaaaa9f-db22-43cf-96d5-e7e1802fd3d8",{"type":21,"content":4670},[4671,4681,4691,4701,4722,4749,4768],{"type":24,"content":4672},[4673,4675,4679],{"text":4674,"type":30},"John Wesley's teaching about God's Great Salvation included both Justification and",{"text":4676,"type":30,"marks":4677}," ",[4678],{"type":388},{"text":4680,"type":30},"Sanctification,  Holiness , Christian Perfection.  His thoughts were that Justification is what God does FOR us and Sanctification, Holiness, Perfection is what God does IN us (April 11, 2024 blog).  He uses these terms interchangably in his writings and preaching so I will use the term Holiness in referring to all 3.",{"type":24,"content":4682},[4683,4685,4689],{"text":4684,"type":30},"Wesley was clear that the work of God was to bring about holiness of heart and life, in this life.  He also believed that the reason God raised up the people called Methodist was to proclaim the doctrine of holiness and the \"",{"text":4686,"type":30,"marks":4687},"grand depositum\"",[4688],{"type":2326},{"text":4690,"type":30}," of the people called Methodist (1790 letter to Robert Brackenbury).",{"type":24,"content":4692},[4693,4695,4699],{"text":4694,"type":30},"This doctrine of holiness was central to all of Wesley's teaching and hymns.  In fact he continually affirmed that what he taught about holiness did not change as he edited and produced \"",{"text":4696,"type":30,"marks":4697},"A Plain Account of Christian Perfection",[4698],{"type":2326},{"text":4700,"type":30},".\"",{"type":24,"content":4702},[4703,4705,4709,4710,4714,4716,4720],{"text":4704,"type":30},"So, what is Wesley's fundamental thinking about this matter of Holiness under these 3 words he used.  Wesley believes that God ",{"text":4706,"type":30,"marks":4707},"can",[4708],{"type":388},{"text":1265,"type":30},{"text":4711,"type":30,"marks":4712},"will",[4713],{"type":388},{"text":4715,"type":30}," pour out His love within our hearts ",{"text":4717,"type":30,"marks":4718},"(Romans 5:5) ",[4719],{"type":388},{"text":4721,"type":30},"in a way that produces a life of love and obedience to God.",{"type":24,"content":4723},[4724,4726,4730,4732,4736,4738,4742,4744,4748],{"text":4725,"type":30},"This ",{"text":4727,"type":30,"marks":4728},"sequence",[4729],{"type":388},{"text":4731,"type":30}," of love and obedience is critical.  Wesley would ",{"text":4733,"type":30,"marks":4734},"not invert",[4735],{"type":388},{"text":4737,"type":30}," the sequence so as to make obedience his primary concern; his primary concern was love so filling the heart that one's life was transformed and obedience would be the ",{"text":4739,"type":30,"marks":4740},"result",[4741],{"type":1263},{"text":4743,"type":30}," and NOT the ",{"text":4745,"type":30,"marks":4746},"cause",[4747],{"type":1263},{"text":3909,"type":30},{"type":24,"content":4750},[4751,4755,4757,4761,4763,4766],{"text":4752,"type":30,"marks":4753},"Reflection:",[4754],{"type":388},{"text":4756,"type":30}," How important in your thinking and living is Holiness?  What ",{"text":4758,"type":30,"marks":4759},"role",[4760],{"type":388},{"text":4762,"type":30}," does God's love poured out into your heart occupy in the ",{"text":4745,"type":30,"marks":4764},[4765],{"type":388},{"text":4767,"type":30}," of obedience for you?",{"type":24},{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":4770},{},"Continued Thoughts About Holiness","Why God raised up the people called Methodist","continued-thoughts-about-holiness","blog\u002Fcontinued-thoughts-about-holiness",-840,[],"aa8caadf-99a3-48f5-bab4-d1d3d2967430","2024-05-02T15:28:14.542Z",[],{"name":4781,"created_at":4782,"published_at":4783,"updated_at":4784,"id":4785,"uuid":4786,"content":4787,"slug":4848,"full_slug":4849,"sort_by_date":26,"position":4850,"tag_list":4851,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":4852,"first_published_at":4783,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":4853,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Perfect.....","2024-04-25T15:48:08.098Z","2024-04-25T16:18:31.403Z","2024-04-25T16:18:31.418Z",5729143,"e9e7ddde-5fed-4d22-836a-ac4a626b5a1a",{"_uid":4788,"body":4789,"image":4844,"title":4846,"excerpt":4847,"component":62},"5250f1c2-1321-45ee-bdc7-9e8e7b7e2421",[4790],{"_uid":4791,"component":19,"textContent":4792},"ffe125c3-c86b-4c0b-95f5-013cdefea35b",{"type":21,"content":4793},[4794,4804,4814,4830,4843],{"type":24,"content":4795},[4796,4798,4802],{"text":4797,"type":30},"In the last blog I suggested that the word \"perfect\" is certainly present in many of the pages of the New Testament.  This term is often associated with the teaching of Holiness in Wesley's sermons and writings.  In fact, Wesley's position is that there is a perfection in ",{"text":4799,"type":30,"marks":4800},"holiness",[4801],{"type":388},{"text":4803,"type":30}," for God's children. ",{"type":24,"content":4805},[4806,4808,4812],{"text":4807,"type":30},"Wesley knew that the word \"holy\" (qodesh--Hebrew; hagios--Greek) meant ",{"text":4809,"type":30,"marks":4810},"different, unique, set apart from and to",[4811],{"type":388},{"text":4813,"type":30},".  He also knew that the Hebrew for the opposite of \"holy\" (chol) was common. ",{"type":24,"content":4815},[4816,4818,4822,4824,4828],{"text":4817,"type":30},"Isn't that interesting.  This helps to understand that \"holy\" has to do with some unique quality or being \"set apart\" ",{"text":4819,"type":30,"marks":4820},"from",[4821],{"type":388},{"text":4823,"type":30}," what is common or usual.  This might give some insight as to how bowls, temples, clothing for priests, etc. were considered \"holy.\" This is because they were not common or for general use but set apart from common use to particular uses.  This is a basic understanding of the term and how our minds should ",{"text":4825,"type":30,"marks":4826},"begin",[4827],{"type":388},{"text":4829,"type":30}," to think about Perfect\u002F\u002FPerfection.",{"type":24,"content":4831},[4832,4835,4837,4841],{"text":4590,"type":30,"marks":4833},[4834],{"type":388},{"text":4836,"type":30},": How would your thoughts about holy change if you knew that its opposite is \"Common?\"  What are the Scriptures \"calling us\" to be ",{"text":4838,"type":30,"marks":4839},"separated to",[4840],{"type":388},{"text":4842,"type":30},"?  Is it just some behavior or is it to someone?",{"type":24},{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":4845},{},"Thinking About Perfection and Holiness","Wesley's Doctrinal Teaching","perfect","blog\u002Fperfect",-820,[],"dcaf8f06-72fa-459d-b7ab-d2054df97454",[],{"name":4855,"created_at":4856,"published_at":4857,"updated_at":4858,"id":4859,"uuid":4860,"content":4861,"slug":4892,"full_slug":4893,"sort_by_date":26,"position":4894,"tag_list":4895,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":4896,"first_published_at":4897,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":4898,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Should We Reject the word Perfect","2024-04-17T21:30:54.708Z","2024-04-17T21:52:01.697Z","2024-04-17T21:52:01.712Z",5595070,"7acbbb31-b458-4367-8da7-a01e771e7907",{"_uid":4862,"body":4863,"image":4888,"title":4890,"excerpt":4891,"component":62},"260a0b16-96ac-4151-a71e-a39550206d4f",[4864],{"_uid":4865,"component":19,"textContent":4866},"7afe5120-f6b6-4d56-960c-700e5baaa203",{"type":21,"content":4867},[4868,4872,4876,4880,4884],{"type":24,"content":4869},[4870],{"text":4871,"type":30},"In the last blog I indicated that Wesley held to a robust view of what God can do IN the life of the believer.  This robust work is the work of the Holy Spirit is often relayed by the use of the term \"perfect.\"",{"type":24,"content":4873},[4874],{"text":4875,"type":30},"Wesley knew that the word \"perfect\" (telos and ) was distributed throughout the New Testament and so he is not hesitant to use it.  One sees this term in the Gospels on the lips of Jesus in Matthew 5:48, the Apostle Peter in Acts 3:16 and by multiple authors of The Epistles (II Corinthians 7:1; Phil 3:12 & 15; Hebrews 10:1; James 1:4; and I John 4:18).  To say that the term perfect is never applied to human beings is to not consult the language of the New Testament.",{"type":24,"content":4877},[4878],{"text":4879,"type":30},"However, the real challenge is to understand what this term means.....not just what it says.  This challenge  caused Wesley to give a great amount of time in his teaching and writing to explain what perfect\u002Fperfection did NOT mean in the Scriptures.  Wesley's work at times seemed to be more of what this term did NOT mean than what it DID mean.  But Wesley was determined to use Biblical language in his preaching and writing and would not reject the term.",{"type":24,"content":4881},[4882],{"text":4883,"type":30},"Over the next several blogs we will investigate whether we should keep or reject this word.",{"type":24,"content":4885},[4886],{"text":4887,"type":30},"REFLECT: Have you given any attention to the occurrence of the term \"perfect\" in the New Testament?   What is your understanding of this term?",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":4889},{},"Should We Reject The Word Perfect","Wesley's use of Perfect","should-we-reject-the-word-perfect","blog\u002Fshould-we-reject-the-word-perfect",-800,[],"21324ca2-d6ab-494e-ab80-7bb595f9c7ac","2024-04-17T21:48:00.613Z",[],{"name":4900,"created_at":4901,"published_at":4902,"updated_at":4903,"id":4904,"uuid":4905,"content":4906,"slug":4965,"full_slug":4966,"sort_by_date":26,"position":4967,"tag_list":4968,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":4969,"first_published_at":4902,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":4970,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"God's Work For Us and In Us","2024-04-11T14:18:58.173Z","2024-04-11T14:40:42.948Z","2024-04-11T14:40:42.962Z",5450654,"638860e4-da49-4336-9e6f-50a902334592",{"_uid":4907,"body":4908,"image":4962,"title":4900,"excerpt":4964,"component":62},"069331a3-e899-4a4f-9b32-2164f98230d4",[4909],{"_uid":4910,"component":19,"textContent":4911},"19e5a313-1255-4519-8307-1f47056f4b6c",{"type":21,"content":4912},[4913,4935,4951,4955],{"type":24,"content":4914},[4915,4917,4921,4923,4927,4929,4933],{"text":4916,"type":30},"Wesley's work in the revival was to help people understand and experience the ",{"text":4918,"type":30,"marks":4919},"whole",[4920],{"type":388},{"text":4922,"type":30}," work of God.  This work was more than just being ",{"text":4924,"type":30,"marks":4925},"forgiven",[4926],{"type":1263},{"text":4928,"type":30},", it included a ",{"text":4930,"type":30,"marks":4931},"transformed",[4932],{"type":1263},{"text":4934,"type":30}," life.  This transformation was understood in two dimensions:  justification by faith and sanctification by faith.  ",{"type":24,"content":4936},[4937,4939,4943,4945,4949],{"text":4938,"type":30},"It was Wesley's view that much of the Christian world ",{"text":4940,"type":30,"marks":4941},"stopped",[4942],{"type":388},{"text":4944,"type":30}," at this experience of justification  or what God has done FOR us. He believed in a more \"lively faith,\" a fullness of faith, that also ",{"text":4946,"type":30,"marks":4947},"included",[4948],{"type":388},{"text":4950,"type":30}," a transformed life: what God has done IN us.",{"type":24,"content":4952},[4953],{"text":4954,"type":30},"This \"IN us work\" was to transform our hearts affections and cleanse our motives 'to love The Lord your God with all our heart, soul, and mind...and your neighbor (Matt. 22:37-39.'  Wesley called this work IN us, \"Perfect Love.\"  This is a  love that rules all the heart and intentions is what God does IN us.  Although a controversial doctrine Wesley maintained his belief that God does this IN us by The Holy Spirit's work and brings us to a life of Perfect (full) love.",{"type":24,"content":4956},[4957,4960],{"text":4638,"type":30,"marks":4958},[4959],{"type":388},{"text":4961,"type":30},": Have you and I stopped at what God has done FOR us?  How can you identify what God has done IN you in terms of your intentions and affections?",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":4963},{},"Dynamic understanding of Salvation","god-s-work-for-us-and-in-us","blog\u002Fgod-s-work-for-us-and-in-us",-780,[],"f7f99138-1721-4fd3-80a7-ee676f3b9118",[],{"name":4972,"created_at":4973,"published_at":4974,"updated_at":4975,"id":4976,"uuid":4977,"content":4978,"slug":5013,"full_slug":5014,"sort_by_date":26,"position":5015,"tag_list":5016,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":5017,"first_published_at":4974,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":5018,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"April 2---A Day to Remember","2024-04-02T15:17:09.392Z","2024-04-02T17:24:54.328Z","2024-04-02T17:24:54.344Z",5278934,"42420ff9-1145-4a34-9bd8-75d3a8e66d99",{"_uid":4979,"body":4980,"image":5009,"title":5011,"excerpt":5012,"component":62},"588bb8ce-16fb-4144-bf8e-ebf5b13d1eff",[4981],{"_uid":4982,"component":19,"textContent":4983},"fc023162-d0a5-4976-9137-de68d16dd49f",{"type":21,"content":4984},[4985,4989,4993,4997,5001,5005],{"type":24,"content":4986},[4987],{"text":4988,"type":30},"April 2 (today) is the date in 1739 when John Wesley began preaching in the open air.  This kind of preaching was called \"field preaching\" and was a practice of some notable leaders in the revival sweeping The United Kingdom (England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland).",{"type":24,"content":4990},[4991],{"text":4992,"type":30},"Most notable among those preaching in the fields was George Whitefield whose preaching and ministry reached what was to be The United States. He asked John Wesley to join him in Bristol and its surrounding areas to preach in the fields",{"type":24,"content":4994},[4995],{"text":4996,"type":30},"Wesley was reluctant to preach in the open air, as he records in his journal, because he thought it improper.  But at Whitefileld's insistence and Wesley reading of Jesus' Sermon On The Mount he concluded that it would be proper to preach in the open air.  ",{"type":24,"content":4998},[4999],{"text":5000,"type":30},"When Wesley relented and began preaching to the crowds that showed up it was clear to him that this was a way to declare the Gospel.  Records reveal crowds of several thousand gathered in the fields to hear Wesley.",{"type":24,"content":5002},[5003],{"text":5004,"type":30},"On this day (April 2) in 2023 the School of Wesley Studies website was launched.  It was our way to preach the Gospel and the truths of Wesleyan Theology in \"the field of the Internet.  ",{"type":24,"content":5006},[5007],{"text":5008,"type":30},"REFLECT--How are you and I involved in reaching others in \"the fields.\"",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":5010},{},"April 2--A Day to Remember","Remembering Wesley's 1st Field Preaching experience","april-2-a-day-to-remember","blog\u002Fapril-2-a-day-to-remember",-760,[],"bac51a45-6895-45f3-ad4a-2e3c33fdd26a",[],{"name":5020,"created_at":5021,"published_at":5022,"updated_at":5023,"id":5024,"uuid":5025,"content":5026,"slug":5106,"full_slug":5107,"sort_by_date":26,"position":5108,"tag_list":5109,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":5110,"first_published_at":5022,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":5111,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Groups Need Guidance","2024-03-27T20:13:22.877Z","2024-03-27T20:45:56.661Z","2024-03-27T20:45:56.675Z",5114898,"3f337660-63a8-47b3-a4f8-e072a696ec5f",{"_uid":5027,"body":5028,"image":5103,"title":5020,"excerpt":5105,"component":62},"31ed8402-9cc2-4ffb-82fb-a3164d873c26",[5029],{"_uid":5030,"component":19,"textContent":5031},"23fded81-a526-4ee9-a33d-9428bbf42f80",{"type":21,"content":5032},[5033,5037,5041,5045,5049,5053,5099],{"type":24,"content":5034},[5035],{"text":5036,"type":30},"It is likely that we all have been a part of a small group.  These groups might range from work to one's participation in a religious order.  Whatever the case many of us have experienced what we would call an effective group and what we would call an ineffective group.  These 2 experiences usually are due to the level of leadership.",{"type":24,"content":5038},[5039],{"text":5040,"type":30},"John Wesley, and his organizational tendencies, would not allow for groups to be ineffective if he could help it.  This is why Wesley designed a series of questions to be asked each week in Class meeting of 10-12 members (see questions below).  In addition leaders of the class meeting were tasked with visiting the members at least once a week and ask each \"how does your soul prosper?\"  And finally, the members of the Class meeting were to contribute a penny for the poor.",{"type":24,"content":5042},[5043],{"text":5044,"type":30},"Here one sees guidance for groups to be well ordered in their personal growth and outreach.  Groups with this sort of guidance for internal growth of the members and external concern for others seem to thrive where other groups fail.",{"type":24,"content":5046},[5047],{"text":5048,"type":30},"Reflection:  Are you part of a group that encourages personal growth and concern for others? ",{"type":24,"content":5050},[5051],{"text":5052,"type":30},"**Questions",{"type":5054,"attrs":5055,"content":5057},"ordered_list",{"order":5056},1,[5058,5065,5071,5077,5083,5089],{"type":5059,"content":5060},"list_item",[5061],{"type":24,"content":5062},[5063],{"text":5064,"type":30},"Am I a slave to dress, friends, work or habits?",{"type":5059,"content":5066},[5067],{"type":24,"content":5068},[5069],{"text":5070,"type":30},"Am I self-conscious, self-pitying or self-justifying?",{"type":5059,"content":5072},[5073],{"type":24,"content":5074},[5075],{"text":5076,"type":30},"Did the Bible live in me today?",{"type":5059,"content":5078},[5079],{"type":24,"content":5080},[5081],{"text":5082,"type":30},"Am I enjoying prayer?",{"type":5059,"content":5084},[5085],{"type":24,"content":5086},[5087],{"text":5088,"type":30},"Do I pray about the money I spend?",{"type":5059,"content":5090},[5091,5095],{"type":24,"content":5092},[5093],{"text":5094,"type":30},"Do I get to bed on time and get up on time?",{"type":24,"content":5096},[5097],{"text":5098,"type":30},"(onerockinternational.com)",{"type":24,"content":5100},[5101],{"type":5102},"hard_break",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":5104},{},"Wesley's guidance for groups","groups-need-guidance","blog\u002Fgroups-need-guidance",-740,[],"04d0f39a-1c64-450a-b5e5-de3f638d15a6",[],{"name":5113,"created_at":5114,"published_at":5115,"updated_at":5116,"id":5117,"uuid":5118,"content":5119,"slug":5158,"full_slug":5159,"sort_by_date":26,"position":5160,"tag_list":5161,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":5162,"first_published_at":5163,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":5164,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Music of The Revival","2024-03-21T01:03:41.315Z","2024-03-21T01:39:00.510Z","2024-03-21T01:39:00.523Z",4820160,"c0016c4b-16ad-41ae-adba-9c41a8c4a474",{"_uid":5120,"body":5121,"image":5154,"title":5156,"excerpt":5157,"component":62},"d7e52309-f50c-4ebe-8f25-f012c921296d",[5122,5149],{"_uid":5123,"component":19,"textContent":5124},"3b3caded-c672-40c8-90e4-6fa149d04bf3",{"type":21,"content":5125},[5126,5130,5134,5138,5145,5146,5147,5148],{"type":24,"content":5127},[5128],{"text":5129,"type":30},"As much as John’s preaching in the fields and the organizing of awakened people into small groups was critical to the revival efforts, music played a significant role. It is obvious that hymns were sung in meetings of those awakened and growing in Christ and became a significant part of worship and training.",{"type":24,"content":5131},[5132],{"text":5133,"type":30},"It is also clear as one reads the journal of John Wesley and see the importance placed on hymns that are part of his (and many others) personal religious practices.  Wesley records that he spent time in study of Scripture and then read a hymn.",{"type":24,"content":5135},[5136],{"text":5137,"type":30},"Upon close observation it is clear that the hymns of Charles and John reveal the theology and practice of the people called Methodist.   This is why the Wesley’s published a collection of Psalms and Hymns that went through several editions. People were able to learn and sing their theology and practice.",{"type":24,"content":5139},[5140,5143],{"text":4638,"type":30,"marks":5141},[5142],{"type":388},{"text":5144,"type":30},": Have you given any thought about how the songs you sing at your church or small group are accurate distillations of your beliefs?  How would your singing be impacted if you give thought as to how your singing is declaring your theology and practice?",{"type":24},{"type":24},{"type":24},{"type":24},{"_uid":5150,"component":19,"textContent":5151},"1e244fc4-c6f3-4065-8ae0-ed41f82262b7",{"type":21,"content":5152},[5153],{"type":24},{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":5155},{},"Music and Ministry of The Wesley’s","A significant part of Methodism of the ministry of The Wesley’s was in their music","music-of-the-revival","blog\u002Fmusic-of-the-revival",-720,[],"879927ec-9243-4a44-86e1-1827c7bee4bf","2024-03-21T01:21:07.818Z",[],{"name":5166,"created_at":5167,"published_at":5168,"updated_at":5169,"id":5170,"uuid":5171,"content":5172,"slug":5198,"full_slug":5199,"sort_by_date":26,"position":5200,"tag_list":5201,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":5202,"first_published_at":5168,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":5203,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Never As A Replacement","2024-03-11T16:15:00.542Z","2024-03-11T16:28:06.002Z","2024-03-11T16:28:06.021Z",4580795,"36975031-8089-4f0a-b505-206d611214c6",{"_uid":5173,"body":5174,"image":5195,"title":5166,"excerpt":5197,"component":62},"3c326a6b-7d23-4d2b-a944-b0eb93c6c88b",[5175],{"_uid":5176,"component":19,"textContent":5177},"803f86c0-2e48-4bc0-98c3-068ad70d672e",{"type":21,"content":5178},[5179,5183,5187,5191],{"type":24,"content":5180},[5181],{"text":5182,"type":30},"John Wesley was many things but one thing he was not was someone trying to establish a new religion.  For all of John Wesley's life he believed in alliance and cooperation with The Anglican Church.",{"type":24,"content":5184},[5185],{"text":5186,"type":30},"The fact that the people called Methodist became a church in England and the world was not Wesley's design.  He organized people in Societies (like many did in England) and bands for mutual instruction, encouragement and engagement for the needs of others.  But Wesley was clear that these meetings were no substitute or replacement for attendance and cooperation with the ministry of one's local Anglican Church that seemed to not be providing these ministries.",{"type":24,"content":5188},[5189],{"text":5190,"type":30},"This cooperation with the Anglican Church was largely the result of Wesley's high view of The Lord's Supper and the priestly office.  Wesley believed that one should participate in The Lord's Supper as often as one can and this means of grace was limited to the local church and not the group meetings of the people called Methodist.  Wesley also held to a high view of people who had been ordained by Bishops as priests.",{"type":24,"content":5192},[5193],{"text":5194,"type":30},"Reflection:  How difficult is it to cooperate with a church or an organization that you think is not providing all that it could to others?  Can you \"find\" the same graciousness to do all you can while still cooperating with others?",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":5196},{},"Wesley's importance of remaining in the Anglican Church","never-as-a-replacement","blog\u002Fnever-as-a-replacement",-680,[],"2026dfc2-7b2c-4f12-93f5-c8cee0f6eee7",[],{"name":5205,"created_at":5206,"published_at":5207,"updated_at":5208,"id":5209,"uuid":5210,"content":5211,"slug":5242,"full_slug":5243,"sort_by_date":26,"position":5244,"tag_list":5245,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":5246,"first_published_at":5207,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":5247,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Small Groups","2024-02-27T18:20:39.213Z","2024-02-27T19:59:51.969Z","2024-02-27T19:59:51.988Z",4068231,"e9a21357-21b9-48ba-9db1-eb7669a6584d",{"_uid":5212,"body":5213,"image":5238,"title":5240,"excerpt":5241,"component":62},"18ac87d8-ead1-4cbb-88ae-c0cbffc381b5",[5214],{"_uid":5215,"component":19,"textContent":5216},"15b27728-5a4c-4b51-97f0-a43cd8e82f7b",{"type":21,"content":5217},[5218,5222,5226,5230,5234],{"type":24,"content":5219},[5220],{"text":5221,"type":30},"Spiritual Growth In Community",{"type":24,"content":5223},[5224],{"text":5225,"type":30},"As referenced last week Wesley understood the living out of the Christian Life in terms of community or a fellowship.  This fellowship of other believers took on the form of what might be called small groups.  ",{"type":24,"content":5227},[5228],{"text":5229,"type":30},"But one ought to give some attention to the kind of small groups that were organized \"out\" of the Society.  These small groups were designed to help people \"unburden\" their souls by confession and receive prayer from others.  A high level of sharing and care was understood as \"watching over one another in love.\"",{"type":24,"content":5231},[5232],{"text":5233,"type":30},"An insight into the life of bands was the confidentiality that people were to hold about what was shared in the group.  Older Methodist would at times use a phrase in conversation by saying \"this is in band.\"  In other words, something that is being shared is not to be shared with others.",{"type":24,"content":5235},[5236],{"text":5237,"type":30},"Reflection:  Do you have a group of trusted friends with whom you can unburden you soul?",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":5239},{},"Small Group Life","Spiritual Growth in Community","small-groups","blog\u002Fsmall-groups",-660,[],"80af6bfa-b85b-40ac-8a05-779ae4b26b11",[],{"name":5249,"created_at":5250,"published_at":5251,"updated_at":5252,"id":5253,"uuid":5254,"content":5255,"slug":5292,"full_slug":5293,"sort_by_date":26,"position":5294,"tag_list":5295,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":5296,"first_published_at":5297,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":5298,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Society and Bands","2024-02-19T14:55:26.425Z","2024-02-19T17:01:04.902Z","2024-02-19T17:01:04.921Z",3701989,"3f9013e0-92de-4a1c-9160-ab0f0104724e",{"_uid":5256,"body":5257,"image":5289,"title":5265,"excerpt":5291,"component":62},"b84ca109-b476-4379-9ced-ca4511437143",[5258],{"_uid":5259,"component":19,"textContent":5260},"1784d910-5c65-48d0-afec-21c8064c48a7",{"type":21,"content":5261},[5262,5266,5270,5274,5278,5282],{"type":24,"content":5263},[5264],{"text":5265,"type":30},"Social Holiness",{"type":24,"content":5267},[5268],{"text":5269,"type":30},"With The New Room constructed Wesley was intent on providing what is often consider social ministry that was listed in the last blog as well as means for personal spiritual growth among those experiencing conversion.",{"type":24,"content":5271},[5272],{"text":5273,"type":30},"Personal spiritual growth, for Wesley, was always understood as a communal in nature.  Wesley famously stated  'all holiness is social in nature (Preface of Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1739).'  So, any approach to spiritual grown would be communal in nature.  ",{"type":24,"content":5275},[5276],{"text":5277,"type":30},"As a consequence Wesley appropriated the formation of Societies as an already established method in England.  Societies were an organizing of groups of people who shared a common interest.  England had several Societies ranging from The Society for the Propagation of the Gospel to the Society for the Reformation of Manners.",{"type":24,"content":5279},[5280],{"text":5281,"type":30},"Wesley organizes a Society in Bristol of those interested in spiritual growth.  This approach incorporated the use of large meetings for instruction and small meetings for people to bear their specific concerns with others.",{"type":24,"content":5283},[5284,5287],{"text":4638,"type":30,"marks":5285},[5286],{"type":388},{"text":5288,"type":30},": How are you approaching growth in your spiritual life that is communal in nature? How can you begin to be a part of a community that has spiritual growth as its goal?",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":5290},{},"Societies ","society-and-bands","blog\u002Fsociety-and-bands",-640,[],"b0048e8f-5540-4687-ab32-175616ee6849","2024-02-19T16:56:33.580Z",[],{"name":5300,"created_at":5301,"published_at":5302,"updated_at":5303,"id":5304,"uuid":5305,"content":5306,"slug":5333,"full_slug":5334,"sort_by_date":26,"position":5335,"tag_list":5336,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":5337,"first_published_at":5302,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":5338,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Expanding Ministry Practices","2024-02-06T18:46:07.086Z","2024-02-06T19:13:42.271Z","2024-02-06T19:13:42.286Z",3109607,"6f863d7c-4d49-4fd1-a823-4be434306e93",{"_uid":5307,"body":5308,"image":5329,"title":5331,"excerpt":5332,"component":62},"b0274efc-b04d-4ad7-ba09-7f322ddbd9d0",[5309],{"_uid":5310,"component":19,"textContent":5311},"ddc3bef0-16f0-4dd8-b178-ad0282b2f122",{"type":21,"content":5312},[5313,5317,5321,5325],{"type":24,"content":5314},[5315],{"text":5316,"type":30},"Bristol and its environs was a center of Wesley's expansive ministry and the location of the 1st building for The People Called Methodist.  The 1st building was given the name: The New Room.  It was a place built to expand and conserve the results of field preaching by giving a place for the Wesley's and early Methodist preachers to live and conduct small group meetings as well as other ministries.",{"type":24,"content":5318},[5319],{"text":5320,"type":30},"Other ministries from this 1st building included a base for running a school for the poor, providing food and clothes to the needy, for offering free medical care to the sick. and helping those in the nearby prison.  The building was nothing more than a means to expand ministry (and it still stands to this day and is in use).",{"type":24,"content":5322},[5323],{"text":5324,"type":30},"Wesley clearly saw The Gospel as addressing religious practices (preaching, small groups, etc.) and practical needs of people.  His ministry expanded because he recognized the needs of people and his heart inflamed by the love of God caused him to act and organize action.",{"type":24,"content":5326},[5327],{"text":5328,"type":30},"Reflection:  Many of the ministries we see in churches today are direct descendants to Wesley's approach and organization.  How can you support with time or funds these activities at your church or other organization?",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":5330},{},"An Ever Expanding Ministry","Wesley's expansive efforts","expanding-ministry-practices","blog\u002Fexpanding-ministry-practices",-620,[],"069d0bd9-86b3-480d-9275-fb5bb0ae716a",[],{"name":5340,"created_at":5341,"published_at":5342,"updated_at":5343,"id":5344,"uuid":5345,"content":5346,"slug":5373,"full_slug":5374,"sort_by_date":26,"position":5375,"tag_list":5376,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":5377,"first_published_at":5378,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":5379,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Bristol","2024-01-29T16:24:27.772Z","2024-02-06T18:35:00.651Z","2024-02-06T18:35:00.666Z",2704263,"d4faa0b6-b7f8-4d18-a30b-35aec4e4d5a5",{"_uid":5347,"body":5348,"image":5369,"title":5371,"excerpt":5372,"component":62},"01356960-4fc4-4161-a29a-0a2e71e1bb74",[5349],{"_uid":5350,"component":19,"textContent":5351},"ee2c4282-5bb0-4fcc-9bbb-6a700c5a4a93",{"type":21,"content":5352},[5353,5357,5361,5365],{"type":24,"content":5354},[5355],{"text":5356,"type":30},"Bristol was a place for many ministry opportunities.  As already noted in earlier blogs Kingswood was within a few miles of Bristol where coal miners and brick makers were employed.  The standing of coal miners and the like was not considered of much interest by the Anglican Clergy so there were few if any who attempted to minister to this area and group of people outside of a church meeting.",{"type":24,"content":5358},[5359],{"text":5360,"type":30},"Wesley's preaching in the fields around Bristol began to reach thousands, much to the ire of the priests of the established church's (Anglican) parish system.  A system that resisted and at time forbid preaching or ministry by anyone outside of the sanctioned parish leadership. ",{"type":24,"content":5362},[5363],{"text":5364,"type":30},"Since Wesley would not relent in the work of preaching to the neglected masses one such priest, Josiah Tucker, attacked both Whitefield and Wesley in print about their theology and methods.  This attack in print prompted Wesley to make the assertion that since he was a fellow of a college (Oxford), his ordination was to no particular parish.  Wesley then makes this famous statement that typified his life and ministry:  \"I look upon all the world as my parish.\" ",{"type":24,"content":5366},[5367],{"text":5368,"type":30},"REFLECTION:                                                                       What forms of rigidity might we have that restrict God's work in our lives and others (thinking prayer must be practiced a certain way, thinking that one must read a certain amount of Scripture each day, thinking that my churches view on a subject is the only way, etc)             ",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":5370},{},"Bristol and Wesley's Ministry","Bristol as England's 2nd largest city offered many opportunities for ministry","bristol","blog\u002Fbristol",-600,[],"fa75b123-a7dd-4d7e-bab6-971f7bea181f","2024-01-29T18:23:14.349Z",[],{"name":5381,"created_at":5382,"published_at":5383,"updated_at":5384,"id":5385,"uuid":5386,"content":5387,"slug":5424,"full_slug":5425,"sort_by_date":26,"position":5426,"tag_list":5427,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":5428,"first_published_at":5429,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":5430,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Building with a Purpose","2024-01-22T22:00:13.023Z","2024-01-22T22:19:09.684Z","2024-01-22T22:19:09.700Z",2265166,"17541409-0524-4c07-889a-c2fae052f37c",{"_uid":5388,"body":5389,"image":5421,"title":5423,"excerpt":5423,"component":62},"a63ef820-35e0-4166-9aeb-943abb6de706",[5390],{"_uid":5391,"component":19,"textContent":5392},"4d8669ec-9498-462b-ac4f-8f4c2a164a8f",{"type":21,"content":5393},[5394,5398,5402,5416,5420],{"type":24,"content":5395},[5396],{"text":5397,"type":30},"In previous blogs, the work of preaching in the fields caused many people in Kingswood and Bristol to respond to a life transforming message of The Gospel.  And since George Whitefield was leaving for a new campaign of preaching in what was to be the United States he \"turned over\" the work to John Wesley.",{"type":24,"content":5399},[5400],{"text":5401,"type":30},"Wesley's method  of organizing and developing  awakened people into small groups for nurture and growth was simply a method he had experienced with the small group at Oxford (The Holy Club) and of which George Whitefield was a member.",{"type":24,"content":5403},[5404,5406,5414],{"text":5405,"type":30},"What is curious is that Whitefield continued to preach and reach thousands in America and The United Kingdom but he did not organize any method for nurture.  It is reported that he confessed that his work was a \"rope of sand.\" (",{"text":5407,"type":30,"marks":5408},"Seedbed.com",[5409],{"type":5410,"attrs":5411},"link",{"href":5412,"uuid":26,"anchor":26,"target":26,"linktype":5413},"http:\u002F\u002FSeedbed.com","url",{"text":5415,"type":30},"; July 28, 2023)",{"type":24,"content":5417},[5418],{"text":5419,"type":30},"Reflection                                                                         1--How important is organization and structure to your view of ministry?                                                    2--What ways could organizing your ministry prove more productive",{"type":24},{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":5422},{},"Rope of Sand","building-with-a-purpose","blog\u002Fbuilding-with-a-purpose",-580,[],"b2e46d80-aed4-45fd-b879-3e22ec9f6345","2024-01-22T22:18:07.111Z",[],{"name":5432,"created_at":5433,"published_at":5434,"updated_at":5435,"id":5436,"uuid":5437,"content":5438,"slug":5476,"full_slug":5477,"sort_by_date":26,"position":5478,"tag_list":5479,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":5480,"first_published_at":5434,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":5481,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Decision and Direction","2024-01-15T16:54:41.516Z","2024-01-15T19:34:06.200Z","2024-01-15T19:34:06.213Z",2051507,"88deb6ec-5578-4505-b751-b7d8ec61317d",{"_uid":5439,"body":5440,"image":5472,"title":5474,"excerpt":5475,"component":62},"e34fd919-ae46-4de2-92e8-945649966c35",[5441],{"_uid":5442,"component":19,"textContent":5443},"d0bc679f-1c12-4784-9831-6704e2bb1ded",{"type":21,"content":5444},[5445,5449,5453,5457,5461,5464,5468],{"type":24,"content":5446},[5447],{"text":5448,"type":30},"John Wesley and all other historic, orthodox Christians understand Salvation in 2 aspects.",{"type":24,"content":5450},[5451],{"text":5452,"type":30},"Salvation is surely a decision to believe the truth of The Gospel.  One does not just \"fall into\" salvation.  The decision to believe has to do with an understanding of a need to be forgiven of specific, personal rebellion against God.  This is a personal decision to be sure.",{"type":24,"content":5454},[5455],{"text":5456,"type":30},"But Salvation is also a Direction.  This Direction is that one has decided (decision) to follow Jesus.  This feature of Salvation as Direction seems to have less importance in some traditions. For instance, if one is asked if they are saved a usual response will be about a decision one made in the past and not about the direction of one's life to follow Jesus.",{"type":24,"content":5458},[5459],{"text":5460,"type":30},"The Decision and Direction view of Salvation is a critical truth that appears to warrant some personal attention for us all.",{"type":24,"content":5462},[5463],{"text":4638,"type":30},{"type":24,"content":5465},[5466],{"text":5467,"type":30},"1-How much of your\u002Fmy understanding of Salvation is limited to a Decision?",{"type":24,"content":5469},[5470],{"text":5471,"type":30},"2--What evidence is there of you\u002Fme following Jesus now?",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":5473},{},"Decision and Direction of Salvation","Wesley's understanding of the vital features of Salvation","decision-and-direction","blog\u002Fdecision-and-direction",-560,[],"be6fa116-31c1-4e0c-9f45-562b5275ef95",[],{"name":5483,"created_at":5484,"published_at":5485,"updated_at":5486,"id":5487,"uuid":5488,"content":5489,"slug":5531,"full_slug":5532,"sort_by_date":26,"position":5533,"tag_list":5534,"is_startpage":67,"parent_id":68,"meta_data":26,"group_id":5535,"first_published_at":5485,"release_id":26,"lang":71,"path":26,"alternates":5536,"default_full_slug":26,"translated_slugs":26},"Conserving the results","2024-01-08T15:03:58.765Z","2024-01-08T16:26:29.059Z","2024-01-08T16:26:29.074Z",1890226,"ac1c8c52-5594-4c92-8564-509c128dd254",{"_uid":5490,"body":5491,"image":5527,"title":5529,"excerpt":5530,"component":62},"0f67126c-5c9d-4069-a995-3f41f9633328",[5492],{"_uid":5493,"component":19,"textContent":5494},"82ae6b0d-1060-40bb-8d4a-9a2893acf473",{"type":21,"content":5495},[5496,5500,5504,5508,5512,5516,5519,5523],{"type":24,"content":5497},[5498],{"text":5499,"type":30},"In the  previous blog post (Dec 6, 2023) I asserted that one of the important features of Wesley's work in the revival that was sweeping The United Kingdom was his commitment to evangelism and discipleship.  The commitment to discipleship was an outgrowth of Wesley's view of salvation as more than simply forgiveness or an event.",{"type":24,"content":5501},[5502],{"text":5503,"type":30},"Wesley had a vibrant view of salvation as not only the forgiveness of sin but the renewal of the moral image of God in human beings.  This renewal involved both righteousness by faith and a life of righteousness fueled by love.",{"type":24,"content":5505},[5506],{"text":5507,"type":30},"The theological categories of this vibrant view of salvation has to do with the truths of imputed righteousness and imparted righteousness.  Wesley forcefully opposed any understanding of salvation that consisted of only imputed (put to our account by Christ's obedience) righteousness. Salvation also included the real-time experience of  imparted righteousness (the fruit of The Spirit) in one's actions. ",{"type":24,"content":5509},[5510],{"text":5511,"type":30},"Imputed righteousness is the righteousness that is granted to us by faith in the work of Jesus.  Imparted righteousness is the result of our being in right relationship with God living in the power of The Holy Spirit",{"type":24,"content":5513},[5514],{"text":5515,"type":30},"Vibrant Salvation includes both",{"type":24,"content":5517},[5518],{"text":4638,"type":30},{"type":24,"content":5520},[5521],{"text":5522,"type":30},"1--How does this affect your view of salvation ?",{"type":24,"content":5524},[5525],{"text":5526,"type":30},"2--What advantages or disadvantages do you see in emphasizing both?",{"id":26,"alt":26,"name":57,"focus":26,"title":26,"source":26,"filename":57,"copyright":26,"fieldtype":58,"meta_data":5528},{},"Vibrant View of Salvation","Wesley's Methods","conserving-the-results","blog\u002Fconserving-the-results",-540,[],"5ddac47f-8d87-43d6-b548-74b77f9f6171",[],1790786608,[],[],{"age":5541,"cache-control":5542,"connection":5543,"content-encoding":5544,"content-type":5545,"date":5546,"etag":5547,"per-page":5548,"referrer-policy":5549,"sb-be-version":5550,"server":5551,"strict-transport-security":5552,"total":5553,"transfer-encoding":5554,"vary":5555,"via":5556,"x-amz-cf-id":5557,"x-amz-cf-pop":5558,"x-cache":5559,"x-content-type-options":5560,"x-frame-options":5561,"x-permitted-cross-domain-policies":5562,"x-request-id":5563,"x-runtime":5564,"x-xss-protection":5565},"6805","max-age=0, public, s-maxage=604800, stale-if-error=3600","keep-alive","gzip","application\u002Fjson; charset=utf-8","Wed, 30 Sep 2026 16:43:28 GMT","W\u002F\"4041e6e4d2a606072c43f818d0fbad11\"","100","strict-origin-when-cross-origin","5.976.0","nginx\u002F1.29.1","max-age=31536000","116","chunked","Origin,Accept-Encoding, Origin","1.1 a6eabcce56b55417b8ac9fcb21e00bf6.cloudfront.net (CloudFront)","1SfA7XfWKUHghFpGLE2hLnJyIcVwFtOtRSNWspzD4WJJKuB0S4wM4Q==","CMH68-P3","Hit from cloudfront","nosniff","SAMEORIGIN","none","9754355f-d7df-4d49-a629-91add630a27e","0.097850","0",100,116,1790793413455]