Monday, November 08, 2004

Experiencing a Void in Your Life? Experiencing a Void in Your Life? Last night as I was watching a local program on atheism, I was struck by the atheist hosts' comments that we as Christians assume there is a "void" (something missing) in peoples' lives that can only be filled with The Christ - a "void" that they (the hosts) were not experiencing.   From a background perspective, these hosts are incredibly knowledgeable about religion and very articulate in discussing and debating - so I was very intrigued with their comment and was challenged to be able to understand myself "why someone - Non-Christian or Christian - would not be aware of this "void"?   In thinking this question through, I might suggest the following as some reasons why one might not be aware of this void:  The void is there - but an individual just is not willing to acknowledge the void and characterizes that void as something that is just part of our existence. (Proverbs 14:12) The void is there - but an individual is not aware of this void because the individual may never have truly seen the hope of Christ in someone else.  (Seeing the hope of Christ may lead them to question what they might be missing in their life because they do not have the same hope).  (1 Corinthians 11:1) (2 Corinthians 5:20) The void is there - but an individual is not allowing time to truly "Be Still" and know God (Psalms 46:10).   This stillness is often prevented in the lives of both Christians and Non-Christians because of the pursuit of things we consider good (religion, family, service, work) at the expense of experiencing something great (truly knowing God).   This is not to say the "good" is wrong - but it is to say that "good" can sometimes unknowingly mask a void that can only be filled by The Christ. (Matthew 7:22) The void is not there - and it may not ever be there as not all are called to become "sons of God". (John 6:65) (Romans 8:29) The void is not there - because an individual has truly believed in Jesus Christ and is in a right relationship with God. (John 10:10)   As one who has experienced that "void" (Why should I follow Christ?) as both a Non-Christian without Christ and as a Christian not in a right relationship with Christ, I think it important that we carefully consider these aforementioned reasons of "why one might not be aware of this void" and seek to ensure that if we are not aware of this void - it is because we are truly in a right relationship with God. 9:25:43 PM    comment []

The Spirit Prays For And With Us? The Unrivalled Power Of Prayer We know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Romans 8:26 We realize that we are energized by the Holy Spirit for prayer; we know what it is to pray in the Spirit; but we do not so often realize that the Holy Spirit Himself prays in us prayers which we cannot utter. When we are born again of God and are indwelt by the Spirit of God, He expresses for us the unutterable. "He," the Spirit in you, "maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God," and God searches your heart not to know what your conscious prayers are, but to find out what is the prayer of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God needs the nature of the believer as a shrine in which to offer His intercession. "Your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost." When Jesus Christ cleansed the temple, He "would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple." The Spirit of God will not allow you to use your body for your own convenience. Jesus ruthlessly cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and said - "My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves." Have we recognized that our body is the temple of the Holy Ghost? If so, we must be careful to keep it undefiled for Him. We have to remember that our conscious life, though it is only a tiny bit of our personality, is to be regarded by us as a shrine of the Holy Ghost. He will look after the unconscious part that we know nothing of; but we must see that we guard the conscious part for which we are responsible. Taken From My Utmost For His Highest 4:26:52 PM    comment []