Confirmation and Ms. "Elizabeth"
Last week I dedicated a blog to my Pastoral staff and to a youth whom I ghost named “Elizabeth”.
Young “Elizabeth” mentioned Joyce Meyer in our meeting. I cannot tell you how strange it was for me to hear such a young person mention this Christian speaker. I had heard snippets and read quotes here and there but never really paid full attention to Joyce Meyer. Then this morning after my bible study, I scrolled through Facebook and saw a post from Joyce Meyer Ministries titled “Can the Holy Spirit be fun?”. I confess I liked her page after hearing “Elizabeth” talk about her, but seeing this title I had to click and listen to the talk.
Thank you Lord for confirmation. Since posting several things about believing that God has a sense of humor, I had a few quick doubts creep in. I prayed and they vanished, but I was concerned that maybe I missed something. Joyce Meyer in the segment I listened to is talking about how the Holy Spirit is a “person” living inside of us. He, not it, has all the traits of personality. Yes, has a mind, knowledge, feeling, power, presence and will. She points to 1 Corinthians 2:11 to validate her point. (This is all from The Importance of the Holy Spirit Series – Part I; I’ll watch more later today). She mentions that the Holy Spirit speaks in a still small voice, but it is usually our voice with extra oomph on it. (This is all paraphrased from part 1 of her series.) The point is, everything I have been saying about God having a sense of humor or speaking through me, to me, as me…has not been just me singing a happy tune.
I am going to add something here on the idea of the Holy Spirit being a Him instead of an It. I have given birth to two children. As my children grew inside of me they took nourishment from me to grow strong. As I grow spiritually, I take spiritual nourishment from the Holy Spirit. Just like I had conversations with my children in utero, the Holy Spirit speaks to me. We have a relationship where I am completely dependent upon Him spiritually, without him I wither. Just like without me, my children would not have survived until it was time for them to be born.
I have, and continue, to seek to be an instrument of God. Joyce mentions in this segment that she is great at communication so she talks…a lot. I can write, I love to do it…so I too will be writing…a lot. God will use it; the Holy Spirit will guide me. I yield myself to that guidance and pray that each time I post God is able to move in someone’s heart and life.
I am preparing to make my next step out in faith. (Soon as I figure out the how.) I am upgrading my blog. More bells and whistles, an investment. It will allow me to be more visible and start approaching it as more of a business – no that doesn’t feel right, more of a ministry, than just a hobby. Calling it ministry is a little scary too, but where I feel this going, where I feel God is leading is not just business and feels wrong to refer to it as such. With God on my side, I am certain I can figure out the technological stuff.
Let me tell you. God puts people in your path for a reason and you had better not dismiss them because they look like a child, a drug addict, a homeless person, a criminal or any other label you might dismiss. As probation officer I learned a lot about the human condition by listening to people and meeting them where they were. You cannot bring people up to where you want them. Our courts and correctional system try that every day and it is an epic failure. You have to meet them at their level and walk up the path with them. Think about it, it is what God does for us. He meets us wherever we are, saves us and we pick up and go from there under grace and mercy.
If “Elizabeth” had not mentioned Joyce Meyer, I do not know how long it would have taken me to check her out. The fact is the segment spoke to me deeply and I am anxious to listen to more. It confirmed what the Spirit had already been ministering to me. What a great way to start my day. (Especially now that I cancelled cable and have no news filling up my morning.) I grew up and matured in the era when Jimmy Swaggart, Jim Baker and PTL had their public falls from grace. The idea of watching any Christian anything on TV did not bode well with me. However, we live in an age with Podcasts, Livestream and a wealth of other tools utilized by great speakers and evangelists. In my personal growth, I realize those personalities “fall from grace” came from losing their sight being focused on God. I suppose the other lesson to be learned here is not to be so stuck in your ways you get yourself lost. Ms. “Elizabeth” shared just a little and made a huge impact. Imagine what you could do with the Holy Spirit in you.
Young “Elizabeth” mentioned Joyce Meyer in our meeting. I cannot tell you how strange it was for me to hear such a young person mention this Christian speaker. I had heard snippets and read quotes here and there but never really paid full attention to Joyce Meyer. Then this morning after my bible study, I scrolled through Facebook and saw a post from Joyce Meyer Ministries titled “Can the Holy Spirit be fun?”. I confess I liked her page after hearing “Elizabeth” talk about her, but seeing this title I had to click and listen to the talk.
Thank you Lord for confirmation. Since posting several things about believing that God has a sense of humor, I had a few quick doubts creep in. I prayed and they vanished, but I was concerned that maybe I missed something. Joyce Meyer in the segment I listened to is talking about how the Holy Spirit is a “person” living inside of us. He, not it, has all the traits of personality. Yes, has a mind, knowledge, feeling, power, presence and will. She points to 1 Corinthians 2:11 to validate her point. (This is all from The Importance of the Holy Spirit Series – Part I; I’ll watch more later today). She mentions that the Holy Spirit speaks in a still small voice, but it is usually our voice with extra oomph on it. (This is all paraphrased from part 1 of her series.) The point is, everything I have been saying about God having a sense of humor or speaking through me, to me, as me…has not been just me singing a happy tune.
I am going to add something here on the idea of the Holy Spirit being a Him instead of an It. I have given birth to two children. As my children grew inside of me they took nourishment from me to grow strong. As I grow spiritually, I take spiritual nourishment from the Holy Spirit. Just like I had conversations with my children in utero, the Holy Spirit speaks to me. We have a relationship where I am completely dependent upon Him spiritually, without him I wither. Just like without me, my children would not have survived until it was time for them to be born.
I have, and continue, to seek to be an instrument of God. Joyce mentions in this segment that she is great at communication so she talks…a lot. I can write, I love to do it…so I too will be writing…a lot. God will use it; the Holy Spirit will guide me. I yield myself to that guidance and pray that each time I post God is able to move in someone’s heart and life.
I am preparing to make my next step out in faith. (Soon as I figure out the how.) I am upgrading my blog. More bells and whistles, an investment. It will allow me to be more visible and start approaching it as more of a business – no that doesn’t feel right, more of a ministry, than just a hobby. Calling it ministry is a little scary too, but where I feel this going, where I feel God is leading is not just business and feels wrong to refer to it as such. With God on my side, I am certain I can figure out the technological stuff.
Let me tell you. God puts people in your path for a reason and you had better not dismiss them because they look like a child, a drug addict, a homeless person, a criminal or any other label you might dismiss. As probation officer I learned a lot about the human condition by listening to people and meeting them where they were. You cannot bring people up to where you want them. Our courts and correctional system try that every day and it is an epic failure. You have to meet them at their level and walk up the path with them. Think about it, it is what God does for us. He meets us wherever we are, saves us and we pick up and go from there under grace and mercy.
If “Elizabeth” had not mentioned Joyce Meyer, I do not know how long it would have taken me to check her out. The fact is the segment spoke to me deeply and I am anxious to listen to more. It confirmed what the Spirit had already been ministering to me. What a great way to start my day. (Especially now that I cancelled cable and have no news filling up my morning.) I grew up and matured in the era when Jimmy Swaggart, Jim Baker and PTL had their public falls from grace. The idea of watching any Christian anything on TV did not bode well with me. However, we live in an age with Podcasts, Livestream and a wealth of other tools utilized by great speakers and evangelists. In my personal growth, I realize those personalities “fall from grace” came from losing their sight being focused on God. I suppose the other lesson to be learned here is not to be so stuck in your ways you get yourself lost. Ms. “Elizabeth” shared just a little and made a huge impact. Imagine what you could do with the Holy Spirit in you.
“Don’t Let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in you love, your faith and your purity.” I Timothy 4:12
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