Transform old grumpy?This is a true story. A woman had Snow White and the Seven dwarfs in her yard as lawn ornaments. One morning she found that Grumpy was missing. The thorough search of the neighborhood and many inquiries were fruitless. Grumpy had vanished. Weeks later he suddenly appeared again in his usual spot, the same grump's expression on his painted-plaster face. But attached to him with duct tape was a photo album. One picture showed Grumpy in front of London's Big Ben. Another showed him grumping in front of the Eiffel Tower. Picture after picture documented his trek around the world. Perhaps the pranksters hoped a free world tour would cheer up the little fellow. But it did no good whatsoever. He returned as sour as when he left. Isn't it amazing that God is so patient with us? He invests a great deal I'm not talking about subjective "leading" which is hardly more than blindly stumbling after impulses and impressions. I mean the BIG stuff: developing spiritual discernment between right and wrong and spiritual muscle to be like Jesus even in a hostile environment. The Spirit's purpose is to conform us to the character and the life-style of Jesus Christ. As we continue on God's world-tour of life, let's soften up and de-grumpify. God wants us to make it to the end, not just unbroken, but transformed by the journey. |
| —Steve Singleton DeeperStudy.com |
Want to go deeper?The Greek verb agō ("to lead") occurs more than 60 times in the New Testament. In Luke 4:1 the Third Evangelist reports how Jesus "was led by the Spirit in the desert" in order to face the Tempter. The parallel passage in Mark uses a stronger verb: ballō, which usually means "to cast, to throw." Is this what being led by the Spirit means? I hesitate to answer yes because in order to be our Savior, Jesus must willingly face and overcome the Devil. He was not forced into that confrontation. The Spirit did not compell Him against His will, did He? The forcefulness of the verb must indicate the urgency the Spirit felt in getting Jesus' mission going. First things first: Jesus must establish His beachhead if He is to carry out a successful invasion against the "Prince of this world." Neither does the Spirit lead us today by overoming our free will, though His mission for us is also urgent. Scripture indicates that the leading of the Spirit has to do with the moral choices we make, to turn away from temptation and sin and to embrace righteousness and holiness. We learn this from the context of such passages as Rom. 8:14 and Gal. 5:18. He longs to bear His fruit (Gal. 5:21-22) in our lives, and when we resist Him, we grieve Him (Eph. 4:30), for the church as well as the bodies of individual Christians are His temple (1 Cor. 3:16; 6:19).
Garry Friesen & Robin Maxson. Decision Making and the Will of God (revised ed., 2004). Does God have a perfect will for each Christian? Can you be absolutely sure you've found God's individual will for your life? Garry Friesen examines the traditional view of God's will, then sets forth a different view that more accurately reflects biblical teaching. Practical issues such as choosing a mate, picking a career, giving of one's resources, and areas of disagreement between Christians are explored in depth, giving you a new approach to knowing the will of God. Taking into account the critiques and questions raised since this book was first published in 1980, this revised edition further clarifies Friesen's position, offers additional biblical support, and answers the most frequently asked questions. Recommended for online reading: Benjamin B. Warfield "The Leading of the Spirit," chapter 6, 151-179, in his The Power of God Unto Salvation (1903). |
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in us, shows us His wonders, educates us in His ways. Through all of this do we remain unchanged, unaffected, untouched? What does it mean to walk by the Spirit and to be led by the Spirit (Gal. 5:16,18)? Doesn't it mean a submission to what God wants to do with us and in us? Doesn't it involve at least a willingness on our part to do what we can to cooperate?