...and THEN the Lord speaks.

Last week - Tuesday to be exact, I blogged.
I was angry.
 Righteous anger?   Maybe....
I blogged because  I was so upset,  angry,  and just disheartened by the behavior of some.  But I prayed and wrote out my frustrations and sought forgiveness.  Since then....life has happened.  The week PRIOR to Spring Break happened and I lost my cool a few times with my students and counted the hours until Spring Break.

Relief!

Yesterday at church during my worship time with the Father and then while I was searching the scriptures while my Pastor preached -- I happened upon something....  the Work of the Holy Spirit in chapter 16 of John.  My Pastor lead us to John 16.33 -- But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth.  He will not speak on his own: he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 

Vs. 14.  He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you.  

Vs. 15.  All that belongs to the Father is mine.  That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.  

And then, I hear God remind me - "Chell you must show love.... you won't catch them with anger or telling them of WHAT could happen in hell...".  

I reminded God that I did know that -- and asked for His forgiveness as I am human and is it not funny how we can forget something VERY simple???      ---- cause we get too busy or get too caught up, or we allow that anger to spill over a little too much ---

It was a very surreal moment.  I knew that I knew - He was speaking to me.
God was.  HS was making it known!

Vs. 16.8 says, When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgement; 

It is the job of the Holy Spirit - not Michelle.

The Holy Spirit will expose sin and unbelief in order to awaken in an individual a consciousness of guilt and a need for forgiveness.  

 The Holy Spirit will expose sin and unbelief in order to awaken in an individual a consciousness of guilt and a need for forgiveness.  

The Holy Spirit will expose sin and unbelief in order to awaken in an individual a consciousness of guilt and a need for forgiveness.  


Conviction also makes clear the tragic results of rejecting Christ and persisting in sin.

  Which means I DON'T have to -- such peace and relief.   So often we feel it is our responsibility.  I am going to have to relearn this over and over until I truly believe it -- I am praying THIS was the LAST time I have to learn this the 'hard' way.  

 Then that person must make a choice about Christ.  The hope is that this leads to true repentance and a turning to Jesus as Savior and Lord!!  

The Holy Spirit also works in Righteousness.    The Spirit convinces the spirit of a person that Jesus is the Son of God who came and showed the right way to God.  He reveals that a right relationship with God does not depend on our own good works or efforts, but on Christ's death on the cross for our sins.

 If we accept his forgiveness and turn over the rule of our lives to him, his Spirit will empower us to do what is right by God's standards and to overcome the ungodly ways and temptations of the world.  ( Acts 3: 12-16; Acts 7: 51-60 and 1 Peter 3:18)

And the Holy Spirit comes for Judgement.  The HS convinces people of Satan's defeat, which Christ secured and guaranteed by his death on the cross for our sin.  The HS also makes people aware of God's present judgement of the entire human race, including each individual's personal accountability to God.   ( Matthew 16.27; Acts 17: 31; Acts 24: 25; Romans 14:10; 1 Co 6.2; 2 Co 5:10; and Jude 1:14)

The Holy Spirit's work is not only directed at those who do not know Jesus, but to us as well - who do!  He will help us develop Christ Like behavior!

Again, it is the Holy Spirit's job - not mine.  

I felt an immediate release and felt 'better' the moment I posted last week's blog, but Sunday was a greater peace and a BETTER better -- when truly the actions of another is NOT the responsibility  of the prayer warrior!   It has been released again!  And I have not taken it back - I will pray and intercede - always, but I won't try and intercede hoping that the one I am angry with will cross my path so "I can set him or her straight".

It is like Natalie Grant's song.."when did forget that you've always been THE King of the World?"  A very good song to sing and pray -- "when did I forget that you've always been THE King of the World...? " 

And then....the Lord gives me another illustration.  

I was packing this weekend, getting ready to move again.  And last night I went through a tub of cards, pictures, addresses just STUFF I had saved for the past 29 years.  I had copies of Christmas letters from 2001 - back to 1995.  Those I saved - going to read again later, but my 40th birthday cards and my 50th birthday cards and the ones in-between ( unless there was a really sweet note in it) went to File 13 as my Mom would call it -- the GARBAGE.  It was so sweet to see how many of my nieces and nephews have grown in those Christmas Cards but also the friends and neighbors and then I happened upon a copy of a letter/card I sent to a person.  Why did I make a copy of it?  Cause it included a story about a very young Hunter...our son.  It was after prayer time and he was questioning hell and heaven.  This was after 911, but indeed he must of been 6 or 7.  It referenced some family but his concern for one particular  person had him troubled.  So, I sent this person that card and told the story.  Reading it now -- I was appalled at the arrogance of me -- -

This was prior to my own awakening with Jesus and the Religious Spirit in me was alive and well - and even thought I "felt" I was doing the RIGHT thing -- I was not showing love ...I was judging.

Ouch.  I am SO thankful that this person and I are in a very good place.  But, when I see this person again, I am just going to ask him/her once more -- "please forgive me" -- and know, that indeed -- LOVE is what we lead first with.

Again, in my defense.....I know my heart at the time  -- REALLY felt like I was doing the right thing, but Praise God -- God extended me grace and mercy -- as I now realize it -- I SO desperately needed it as well!!     Praise God - He knows the beginning and the end........



So today is Monday -- 

My prayers are different today, gone is that anger and hopelessness but refreshed is the belief that indeed the Lord is at work .

Lord,  You will Win!

I am going to wrap this up with John 17: 20-26.  The prayers Jesus stated in Chapter 17 of John are pretty awesome -- and then Chapter 18 speaks about His arrest.   Timing.   Jesus is praying for ALL Believers:


Father....
20 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. 24 Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. 25 O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. 26 I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.” Amen...

So, Lord -- I will believe that You will win.  
I pray Lord, this blog post was "just" not for me -- that one will read this and glimmer hope but also they may release a loved one or estranged husband who they have been desperately in prayer for and thinking it was THEIR job to convict  -- Lead them Lord, Guide, them.... hear their hearts cry.   Lord, Your Son Prayed that we would be ONE....that all those I have judged in the past - be one with You.  And Lord, that I don't allow that religious spirit back -- in Jesus name. - Amen.