by Sharon O | Oct 18, 2015 | Uncategorized
Our Pastor has been doing a series on the Holy Spirit and it has been really good.
I am sure it is stretching him, as he shares from his heart and with great intention for us to understand.
So often people say, “yes I believe in God, and in Jesus.”
But what do they do with the Holy Spirit the third part of the trinity?
Dictionary.com says the word trinity is: the union of three persons (father, son and holy spirit) in one God head, or threefold personality of the Divine being. A group of three.
The Bible says a few things about the Holy Spirit. It is mentioned 111 times. That to me is no accident.
It is in both Old and New testament because the trinity was present in both ‘times’.
Psalm 51:11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
Isaiah 63:10 (Old Testament) But they rebelled, and grieved his Holy Spirit.
Mary was told in Luke 1:35
“The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the most high shall overshadow you.”
In Luke again 1:41 and then 1:67 Elizabeth and her husband Zecharias were both filled with the Holy Spirit when they realized the truth about Jesus and in fact, the baby Elizabeth was carrying jumped upon hearing ‘of Mary’s visit’ to them.
Luke 1:41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, her baby moved within her (some versions said the baby jumped). The Holy Spirit came upon Elizabeth.
During the duration of Jesus ministry, he often would mention the Holy Spirit for he knew; their ministry would be different.
When he was explaining the news that the time was nearing for him to leave the followers, he didn’t leave them with out hope.
Jesus said in John 14:26-27 the message version.
“I am telling you these things while I am still living with you.
The friend, the Holy Spirit, whom the father will send at my request, will make everything plain to you.
He will remind you of all the things I have told you. I am leaving you well and whole.
That is my parting gift to you. Peace.
I don’t leave you the way you are used to being left, feeling abandoned, bereft.
So don’t be upset and don’t be distraught.
It is very clear to me that the Holy Spirit is part of the package the believer receives upon receiving Jesus.
The Holy Spirit is a helper. He is comfort. There are so many references for us to look up.
Romans 15: 13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope, in the power of the Holy Spirit.
It was very common to make reference to the Holy Spirit, because it is a very important part of the ‘three in one’ trinity concept.
Often times in a salutation or beginning of a ‘talk’ it would begin like this.
2 Corinthians 13:14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.
It was an opening sentence. A line very similar to what our Pastor would say in the beginning of his message.
Then in the final close of the talk as it was written in Jude 1:20 almost the last book of the Bible
Dear friends, keep building on the foundation of your holy faith, as the Holy Spirit helps you pray.
It is encouragement. It is exhortation to do good. To keep walking and trusting in the process.
Do you get the importance yet? God wanted us to know the Holy Spirit is our help, 111 times.
He didn’t want us to miss the encouragement given to us through the Holy Spirit.
A very important part of the trinity. Three in One. Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Do you believe in the power of the Holy Spirit’s impact on you?
I challenge you to look the versus up and think on these things.
by Sharon O | Oct 15, 2015 | Uncategorized
As I was browsing emails and face book the new word challenge appeared.
I looked at it and said, “yes I can write about that one.”
The word chosen is: laugh
The bible shows this word is used in 38 different ways, that seems pretty significant to me.
After this last month with losing our dear friends unexpectedly the word laugh or laughter seems not so fitting.
But it actually is, because when a sadness happens one can only begin to go up, as the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes says;
“a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance.”
It Is so important to know that our deep joy is constant and our ability to laugh is a sign of trust.
One cannot laugh and be fearful at the same time.
In Proverbs 31:25 The verse says;
“She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can only laugh at the days to come.”
Faith is not fearful, it is trusting and walking and believing that all will be fine.
Even in the midst of uncertain days ahead, or I would even add through the days of questions of asking why and not understanding when there is no answer to those questions.
We will not ever know the reason why, they had to leave us so soon and so unexpected.
But we have to trust in a God who knows and has the plan for a bigger picture.
At the service for David and Tara they were sharing some of the Dave-ism’s he used to say.
Those who knew him and loved him, laughed because they could remember him saying those funny words.
To laugh is to be healthy. It is not denial of hurt or pain or sorrow or sadness.
I believe even Jesus laughed as he placed a young child on his lap and listened to the heart of a child.
To laugh is to free our souls for just a moment or two… like a bird fluttering in the sky.
Why do you think we all love a good comedian? because laughter makes us feel good.
The Most wasted of all days is one without laughter. E.E. Cummings
In the New Testament book of 1 Peter the living translation says this:
“You never saw him, yet you love him. You still don’t see him, yet you trust him, with laughter and with singing.
Because you kept believing, you get what you’re looking forward to – total salvation.”
I think this is something to think about.
by Sharon O | Oct 13, 2015 | Uncategorized
There is a challenge out in the blog world to write for 31 days on certain word topics.
I am not choosing to write that often but I will pick and choose which words fit for the season we are in.
Todays’ challenge was the word Patience.
Yeah not so easy of a concept especially when one is in the middle of major decisions.
We are planning my husbands retirement in the next six months.
We are planning on selling the current house and finding a new one that we both will enjoy.
We are planning on purchasing a motor home for traveling in and even perhaps a few other new purchases.
In the meantime we must be patient.
Patience: dictionary.com says: patience – ability to suppress restlessness or annoyance when confronted with delay. Quiet, steady perseverance; even – tempered care; diligence.
It’s really hard sometimes to be patient and wait for something to take place.
We can make lot’s of plans but without all the details filled in and all the ‘funds’ distributed.
We cannot do anything.
We must remain patient and be willing to wait for the right time for all things to fall into place.
In the new testament book of Colossians 1:11 it says: being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience.
Then it says in the same book of Colossians 3:12: Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
It seems the theme for us right now is to wait with patience and see what wonderful things take place.
In the book of Jeremiah this verse has always been a favorite of mine and right now, I hold it close.
“For I know the plans I have for you, ” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
by Sharon O | Oct 12, 2015 | Uncategorized
This is the beginning of a new week and it is also the beginning of the changing of seasons.
Fall looks so fresh and colorful.
Leaves dropping one by one landing to the ground in a pile of color.
Trees standing with yellows and oranges and reds and browns, letting go of the old and entering in to a space of empty.
I love this time of year.
Perhaps that is why we got married in this ‘season’ of cool and color and rain and wind.
It is refreshing.
It is the ending of hot summer and the beginning of cool brisk fall day sand of planning for the holidays. It is walking in the cool, listening to the Canadian geese in the sky heading on their yearly path for the winter.
It is finding your old coats or sweaters and dragging out your boots and umbrellas.
It is hot tea and a book and a comfy blanket or two.
It is the change of everyday that makes this season so wonderful.
One doesn’t know if rain is staying or sun is coming.
Storms are good too if you are not out in the middle of them.
I love this season of fall.
The changing of seasons are meant for us to enjoy.
Let us put on our excitement as we prepare for the coming months.
Oh the joy of fall fires in the fireplace and warm conversations with those we love.
This is the beginning, let us make it a good one.
by Sharon O | Oct 9, 2015 | Uncategorized
Today’s word prompt is something I struggle with in a lot of areas of my life.
TRUST
When you come from a home that often was broken you learn that trust is not high on your list.
It reflects a lot of areas in your life as young person and then later as a older mature person.
Trust does not come easy for me.
In marriage one has to learn to trust each other and to allow each other to grow and stretch and make decisions for the goal of your dreams together.
That is not an easy process for we were married young and I entered into the context of marriage with many years of broken words.
Learning to trust was a process only God could do deep into my heart.
Yes we had times when trust was broken and I learned ‘the message’ in my head was counterproductive to the ‘healing’ God wanted me to have in this new relationship.
We are heading into our 42nd year of marriage and trust has to be part of that process.
Many times those who were supposed to stand up for me and be my advocate failed to do that.
In marriage, we stand up for each other and we are the voice of encouragement, faith and hope when the world around us often does not share that thought.
Dictionary.com says trust is: reliance on the integrity, strength, ability, surety of a person. Confidence – confident expectation of something, hope.
A person of whom one relies on – God is my trust.
Obligation or responsibility imposed on a person in whom confidence is placed.
Trust… such a serious, relational word.
I would love to hear some of your thoughts on this ‘very challenging’ topic.
