This month the theme is about the Holy Spirit and letting him lead us in truth and knowledge.  This is what Jesus promised to us, through the disciples as he spoke to them just before he was crucified.  Those words of Jesus are one of my favorite portion of scripture.  It is a most encouraging text.  It is in  n from about the 13th chapter to the end of the book.  If you want to be encouraged, read it. 

Jesus promised that after he left he would send the comforter.  He knew what it was like to be human and he for sure knew we humans would need the comforter to be with us. 

Recently I have been viewing some dramatic videos of the history of the church.  It is both inspiring and somewhat convicting.  These videos go through the Dark Ages, the Inquisition and to these modern days.  When I saw what many Christians have gone through merely because of their Faith in the Word of God, I am convicted that we, in this 21st Century are wimps.  At times we fuss over the smallest insignificant issues

Jesus gave us the big picture.  He said he would send the Holy Spirit who would lead us in all truth and understanding.  He knew we would need help. 

The problem is we don't call on God for the help he has offered us. 

The bible states that we do not have because we do not ask. 

We also do not hear because we do not listen.  God says the world can not hear the Holy Spirit but we can.  The difficulty and problem is, are we listening?  Do we have ears to hear? 

As a believer, God does want us to hear.  If he wants it, then where is the problem.  You guessed it.  The problem is with us. 

We can get so focused on our problems we are not looking to the one who has ALL the answers.  Jesus! 

Often times I have given the example of Peter when he got out  of the boat.  When was he able to walk on water?  When he had his eyes on Jesus.  When did he begin to sink?  When he began looking at his circumstances. 

Satan want us to look at our circumstances because that is getting our eyes off of Jesus.  When we keep our eyes on HIM we will not be relying on circumstances. 

Recently I completed my BS degree in Management.  I did this while working full time 45-50 hours a week as well as other family issues and responsibilities.  I lost track of how many times I was tempted to give up.  The thoughts that this was not worth the effort was a thought always ready to take up residence for a while.  The fact that I saw others quitting also showed me there was an attack.  I can be very determined when I know I want something and it is in the Lord's will.  This was the case here.  He gave me the strength to continue and also to make straight As.  I put forth the effort and received the reward.

It is still unclear to me how the Lord will use this degree in my life but I am expecting this to happen.  Sometimes we do not  see the outcome but we can walk in faith knowing he has a plan.  That is the faith part.  If he told us the plan it would not take faith. 

One day recently I remember asking God, OK, so it looks like you are shutting that door and now there is another door open, which I am walking through and I am not sure that is the one your have for me. So, why Lord?  Why can't you just show me the ONE door that is the correct one and let all of that fall into place.  He spoke to my spirit and said, That would not increase your faith. 

Ahhhh, I see it now.  It's all about faith.  It's about us walking the walk and talking the talk through everything and being happy through it all because we know HE had a plan.  We trust him and know that HE is in control.  We are in good hands when HE is at the reins. 

Recently I saw a T-Shirt which read      I know I am not  (and on the back it said   ) But I know I am.  It took me a minute to get it.  But then it made sense.  We know the one called "I am" and therefore we know we are not, we are not the I AM, we are not GOD.  But the good news is we know HIM. 

Awesome truth!

God loves us so much he has given us so much and most importantly, first our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, but then also he has given us his word, the Holy Bible.  Let's all continue in our commitment to read the bible each day.  Even if we only read one or two verses it is more than nothing.  We need to be in the WORD so the WORD can be in us. 

 John 14 - King James Version

Jesus is speaking   

  1 Let not your heart be troubled    ye believe in God, believe also in me.
  2 In my Father's house are many mansions    if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
  3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
  4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
  5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?
  6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life    no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
  7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also    and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.
  8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.
  9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?
  10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself    but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
  11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me    or else believe me for the very works' sake.
  12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
  13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
  14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
  15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
  16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
    Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him    but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
  18 I will not leave you comfortless    I will come to you.
  19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me    because I live, ye shall live also.
  20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
  21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me    and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
  22 Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?
  23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words    and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
  24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings    and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.
  25 These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.
  26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
  27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you    not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
  28 Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father    for my Father is greater than I.
  29 And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe.
  30 Hereafter I will not talk much with you    for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.
  31 But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence.
 

 John 15

    1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
    2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away    and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
    3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
    4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
    5 I am the vine, ye are the branches    He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit    for without me ye can do nothing.
    6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
    7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
    8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
    9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you    continue ye in my love.
    10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
    11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
    12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
    13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
    14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
    15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth    but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
    16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain    that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
      These things I command you, that ye love one another.
    18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
    19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own    but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
    20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
    21 But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me.
    22 If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin    but now they have no cloak for their sin.
    23 He that hateth me hateth my Father also.
    24 If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin    but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father.
    25 But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.
    26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me  
    27 And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.
 

 John  16

   1 These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.
   2 They shall put you out of the synagogues    yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.
   3 And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.
   4 But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.
   5 But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou?
   6 But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart.
   7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
   8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment  
   9 Of sin, because they believe not on me;
   10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;
   11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
   12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.
   13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth  for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak and he will shew you things to come.
   14 He shall glorify me for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
   15 All things that the Father hath are mine therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
   16 A little while, and ye shall not see me  and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father.
     Then said some of his disciples among themselves, What is this that he saith unto us, A little while, and ye shall not see me and again, a little while, and ye shall see me and, Because I go to the Father?
   18 They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A little while? we cannot tell what he saith.
   19 Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him, and said unto them, Do ye enquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while, and ye shall not see me    and again, a little while, and ye shall see me?
   20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.
   21 A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world.
   22 And ye now therefore have sorrow    but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.
   23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.
   24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name    ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.
   25 These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs    but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father.
   26 At that day ye shall ask in my name    and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you  
   27 For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.
   28 I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world    again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.
   29 His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb.
   30 Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee by this we believe that thou camest forth from God.
   31 Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe?
   32 Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.
   33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
 

John 17 

      1 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee  
      2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.
      3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
      4 I have glorified thee on the earth    I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
      5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
      6 I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world    thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.
      7 Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee.
      8 For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.
      9 I pray for them    I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.
      10 And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.
      11 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.
      12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name    those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.
      13 And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.
      14 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
      15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
      16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
        Sanctify them through thy truth    thy word is truth.
      18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.
      19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.
      20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
      21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us  that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
      22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one  
      23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
      24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me    for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
      25 O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee    but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me.
      26 And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it    that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.

After Jesus prayed for them, they went out from this Passover meal to the garden.  Then Jesus was betrayed by Judas and taken away to be crucified.  

Father in Heaven,

Thank you for sending Jesus to this earth to live a sinless life and die on the cross for all of our sins. 

Thank you for giving us your word to show us the way and giving us fellow believers to share hope and truth.

We give you praise for all that you have done for us to show us the right path and

how to live in the kind of victory that Jesus wants us to live. 

Thank you that we have your promise and we know healing and restoration are ours

because of who we are in Christ. 

Thank You Jesus for everything!!!

Come Holy Spirit come and teach us truth

as you witness about Jesus and the things to come.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

 

Need a speaker for your meeting?
Call
Ro Lashua - toll free at  
866- 827- 9823
For a listing of topics go to  
www.RoLashua.com