Tag Archives: Advocate

Confidence

Living in the Spirit
                               August 10, 2014Jesus walking on water

 Scripture Reading: Matthew 14:22-33 

Peter answered him, ‘Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.’ He said, ‘Come.’ So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came towards Jesus. But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, ‘You of little faith, why did you doubt?’ When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshipped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God.’ — Matthew 14:28-33

At first, the disciples thought they were seeing things. Peter in all of his bravado challenges the apparition, “Prove yourself!” and Jesus did. Even then Peter’s fear got the better of him.

 

When listening to sportscasters talking about rookies, they will often say, “He is an amazing athlete, has a great work ethic, but lacks the confidence to trust himself to use his talents and his training.” Peter lacked the confidence to take the winning shot and thus he passed the ball back to Jesus. The problem with that is there might not be enough seconds left in the game for the star to take the shot.

 

Jesus was preparing his disciples for life after his death. They needed to be able to sail through wind and waves, if the good news he was asking them to spread to the ends of the earth reached its destination. He was transitioning them from being dependent on his physical presence and preparing them for the coming of the Holy Spirit as their guide, comforter, and advocate.

 

We now live in the age of this Advocate as we face the winds and waves of the world beating against the way that Jesus taught and lived. Our confidence rest in our relationship with God through Jesus Christ as manifested in the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is saying “I’ve got your back, take the shot.”

Prayer: Holy Spirit breathe on me
Till I am all Thine own
Until my will is lost in Thine
To live for Thee alone.* Amen.

From Hymn: Holy Spirit breathe on me by Edwin Hatch and B.B. McKinney
All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Guard My Tongue

Living in the Spirit
July 3, 2014

 Scripture Reading: Romans 7:15-25a 

I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree that the law is good. But in fact it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. — Romans 7:15-18

What is maddening to me is that I know that making the response that pops into my mind will not help the situation at all and will most likely make it worse. I know that, but the comment that has irritated me seems to develop a life of its own. I must volley my bullets of words back at it to what—Make me feel better, give me the upper hand, make me whole? It never works. I always feel worse afterward. God provides a scripture lesson for this experience it is in the first chapter of James chapter 1 verse 26: If any think they are religious, and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless.

We must work every day at staying in synch with God. Whether we spend time in prayer, meditation, study, worship, or solitude, we must make sure that our source of wholeness is God not the lesser gods of self-righteousness or self-control. Paul uses the analogy of an athlete to describe our life in Christ. Athletes work out on a planned schedule, intensively practice their sport, eat food that supports their bodies, and get appropriate rest. They do these things so that when on the field of play their bodies and their minds are so well tuned that their instinctive responses are most often right. Actually some highly skilled athletes mess up the most when they do not have faith in their preparation.

We do have a Savior and an Advocate who run the race with us every step of the way. We just have to get out of ourselves enough to notice that he is there.

Prayer: Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
              be acceptable to you,
             O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.(Psalm 19:14) Amen

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.