Lessons I'm Learning
As I am writing this I am currently transitioning from pastoring a church in Valdosta, Georgia to pastoring a church in Boise, Idaho. I have been studying John 14 with my church here in Valdosta and reflecting on Jesus’ words of comfort and encouragement that He shared with His disciples. Even though I am sure that God is leading in this move, it has not been easy. I am tired and have often felt overwhelmed. But I keep turning to the words of Jesus recorded in John 14. I have also been reflecting on the big lessons I have learned in ministry and life so far.
Quick Review of John 14:19-31
Jesus’ life is connected to our hope of eternal life. Because Jesus lives we can secure in the assurance that we also will live.
Having and keeping the commandments and the word of Jesus is deeply connected to loving Jesus and witnessing His revelation.
The Father will send the Helper, the Holy Spirit to teach and remind Jesus’ followers what He taught them.
Jesus gives us His peace and we should not let our hearts be troubled or afraid.
Jesus tells us what is going to happen before it does so that when it does happen we may believe in Him.
Because Jesus loves the Father He obeys the commandments of the Father.
Takeaway
What I take away from John 14:19-31 is that Jesus never abandons His followers. When Jesus left He left us His word and his commandments (I believe these two are essentially the same) and the Father sent the Holy Spirit to teach and remind Jesus’ disciples of the things Jesus said. I believe the same promise holds true to us today.
I am convinced that the Holy Spirit is available to us today to teach us all things and to bring to our remembrance all thing things that Jesus said.
But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.
- John 14:26 NKJV
To me, it is clear that the secret to our spiritual success lies in receiving the Holy Spirit. Only then can we better understand Jesus and remember His words and keep his commandments. All the things we must do we can only do with the power of the Holy Spirit.
Studying this brought to mind what seem to be two essential lessons I am learning.
Lesson 1: Pray, especially for the Holy Spirit.
Never stop praying.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:17 New Living Translation
One lesson that I began to learn early in life is that prayer is important. This is the one lesson I keep re-learning in life, and I believe it is one of the most important things I do. If I am not careful, become discouraged because of my feelings of weakness and powerlessness. I often wish I had more money, I wish I had more knowledge, I wish I had more power, more strength, or whatever it is I need to be able to solve the problems of those around me. Then I remember that it is not my job to solve everyone’s problem. I can’t even solve my own problems.
I do not mean this as an excuse not to help those we are able to help. I say this to prevent you from burning out trying to accomplish something that’s not for you to accomplish. Jesus is the One who saves. God has all the power, not us. We are not Jr. Holy Spirit. We should pray, we should pray for people, we should pray with people, we should point them to Jesus. Jesus is the answer. We are His hand and feet (1 Corinthians 12 we are the body of Christ) and we should be a blessing in the lives of those around us, but we are also humans and have our limitations. Our limitations should not keep us from doing anything. We can all at least pray, and through prayer, we can do more than we could ever possibly hope to accomplish by our own strength.
Pray especially for the Holy Spirit
If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”
-Luke 11:13 NKJV
Jesus essentially tells us to ask for the Holy Spirit. Jesus tells us that the Father is willing to give the Holy Spirit to those who ask, so ask! Ask every day! Ask multiple times a day. I take this promise to heart and I pray this prayer often. I pray it because I feel a desperate need for more strength, for more wisdom and understanding, for more power to preach and teach and help and do all that I can to point others to Jesus and to reveal the character of Jesus in my own life.
I strongly believe that all the success I experienced with the Park Avenue Seventh-day Adventist Church in Valdosta, Georgia, is because of our prayer meetings and the prayers we have around the table with all the members of the church board every time we have a board meeting. I believe in prayer and we have a church board that believes in prayer.
I have enjoyed God’s blessings because I have a church and friends and family who continually pray for me and pray for God to fill me with the Holy Spirit. I don’t deserve it, but God does not bless us according to what we deserve, but rather according to His grace and His mercies and His power and His will.
It is not because of any restriction on the part of God that the riches of His grace do not flow earthward to men. If the fulfillment of the promise is not seen as it might be, it is because the promise is not appreciated as it should be. If all were willing, all would be filled with the Spirit.
- Acts of the Apostles p50
Pray for wisdom
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
- James 1:5 NKJV
Another promise that I claim regularly is this one. God tells us to pray for wisdom. We are told we will receive liberally, without reproach. Why not ask? I ask all the time.
Lesson 2: Persevere
The Bible has a lot to say about perseverance.
And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.
-Galatians 6:9 NKJV
Show Up!
One of the ways that I understand perseverance is simply showing up. So many seem to believe that change happens in a big flashy event. It has been my experience that the biggest changes happen gradually over time.
Spiritual growth, like many other things in life, does not take place overnight. Sure, the high events are a great blessing. Many times we experience it when we first give our hearts to Jesus or the day we are baptized. Other times it happens at the conclusion of revival meetings or a week or prayer or an evangelistic series. But life is not made up of high moments. Going to a concert of your favorite Christian musician is a great experience but it does not generate lasting change and growth by itself.
Lasting change, continual growth, comes from showing up daily. Show up for prayer. By this I mean when your eyes pop open in the morning, the first thing you should do is pray. Thank God for another day of life. Ask God to fill you with the Holy Spirit. Ask God for wisdom. Talk to God about your day, what are you excited about? What are you worried about? Tell God all about your day.
Show up for Bible study. You should be studying the Bible every day. You may call this your daily devotional. This is when you allow the word of God to challenge you, to fill your thoughts, to shape your decisions. Reading the Bible reminds you that you have bigger goals than worldly wealth and power. You have greater values than just physical pleasure. You remind yourself that you serve a mighty and powerful God, you remind yourself that eternal life is yours in Jesus. From there you go to live a life that reflects the character of the God you serve.
You show up for worship, to be spiritually fed, to be challenged, to serve, to teach, to bless. We come to church for all those reasons. In serving, in teaching, in helping, we grow. Also when we make God and worship a priority, we remind ourselves that this is important. We tell ourselves that we value God and His will for our lives when we stop everything and come together to worship and study. Christianity is meant to be experienced as a community. It is important to belong, to be involved, to contribute, to volunteer. Because that is how we grow.
Show up, be responsible, be reliable, have clear priorities, and make God your top priority. Now live like it. Determine in your heart to show up for God. Do it at church, but also at home, at school, and even in your downtime.
Show up for God regularly and you will grow spiritually.
Don not wait for a big opportunity to do something amazing, rather do your best each day with every small opportunity that presents itself to you.
The key is to yield ourselves daily to God, so that He may make us vessels fit for His use. Every day we should be improving the opportunities for service that lie within our reach. Daily we ought to be witnessing for the Master wherever we may be, whether in some humble sphere of influence in the home or in a public field of usefulness.
Don’t give up
in the hope rejoicing; in the tribulation enduring; in the prayer persevering;
- Romans 12:12 Literal Standard Version
I really appreciate the Literal Standard Verison of Romans 12:12. It is a simple reminder of how we ought to live our lives. We rejoice in our hope, we endure tribulations, and we pray continually.
Seek the LORD and His strength; Seek His face continually.
- 1 Chronicles 16:11 NASB
Don’t stop seeking God and His strength. We are not able to do it on our own. We are not meant to do it on our own. We are to seek God and His strength. He is the One who gives us the victories.
Finally, my favorite Bible passage that I often turn to and the one that keeps me from giving up.
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written:
“For Your sake we are killed all day long;
We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
- Romans 8:31-38 NKJV
This passage keeps me from giving up because it reminds me that nothing can separate me from the love of God. The way I see it, the only way I lose is if I give up. I know for sure that God won’t give up on me. So I just have to live one day at a time, take one step at a time, just keep showing up, because I know I can count on God to show up.
Life is simple.
