The Word

"The law of your mouth is to me more precious than thousands of gold and silver pieces."

"(Psalm 119: 72).

How do we know for certain that God's word is more precious than silver and gold? God's word transforms ordinary humans into extraordinary beings. There are abundant proofs from the lives of many people. Their heroic lives had been recognized and many of them canonized as saints. The proof also come from the lives of dedicated Christians living among us. These individuals have the courage to test the life-changing principles in the Bible and confirm that they work. Their highly successful lives and achievements bear testimony to the power of God's word. God's word contains many promises each of which may be worth more than silver and gold, depending on our needs.

To discover the gold and silver in the word of God, read it as a personal letter. Read the word in order to act on its principles and so obtain what it promises.

How Apply the Word of God to your Problem:

• Define the problem.
  
• State two or more key words that are contained in your problem.
  
• Get a Bible Concordance and list all the references to your keywords.
  
• Take your Bible and write out all the references that bear directly on the problem.
  
• Focus on a number of texts that apply directly to you.
  
• Ask the Holy Spirit to show you how to apply the scripture.
  

The last step is critical: Understand what the scripture is saying to your actual situation. If you are not satisfied with the answer that you are getting, keep working on it until you are enlightened.

Believe the Bible text that God has revealed as answer to your problem. Belief may not come automatically. Like Peter, you can say again and again: "Lord I believe; increase my faith."

When you get a clear idea on concrete steps to take to solve your problem, act without hesitation. If you are not sure, wait until you get this clear signal. This is the most important step. "Faith that is firm is also patient." (Isaiah 28:16)

The Spirit of Truth

"The Spirit of truth will testify to me, says the Lord, and you also will testify." (John 15: 26, 27)

"I have chosen you from the world to go and bear fruit that will last." (John 15: 16, 19)

"I will bear a witness to you in the world, O Lord. I will spread the knowledge of your name among my brothers, alleluia!" (Psalm 17: 50; 21: 23)

Are you confident?

"God indeed is my savior; I am confident and unafraid. My strength and my courage is the Lord, and he has been my savior." (Isaiah 12:2)

What makes the word of God so potent in transforming our weakness into strength? One good reason for me is the person behind that word or promise. We know that God cannot fail. We also know that God cannot lie. The Holy Spirit writes in Isaiah 12:2 "God indeed is my savior; I am confident and unafraid. My strength and my courage is the Lord, and he has been my savior." When we receive words like these with an open and trusting heart, incredible strength and courage is born within us. And we feel that we can do anything because of Him who gives us strength.

The Bible again and again urges us to have courage and not to be afraid. We need trust and courage as sons and daughters of God in order to claim our inheritance. Every father realizes this truth. Our Father in heaven knows that we cannot claim our rights as His children without trust and courage. If we believe that God is indeed our Savior and ever present help, then we should be confident and not be afraid. The life of love, praise and worship of our creator which is the very essence of the Christian life demands courage.

Abundant Life

"I have come that they may have life and have it to the full" (John 10:10)

We all desire to live abundantly, to achieve our potentials in life. The aim of education is to develop our talents to live to the full. Christ promises that He came that we may have abundant life. Experience shows us that this present life does not satisfy all our needs and does not last forever. Jesus must mean some other form of life in his promise of abundant life. He is talking of spiritual life, eternal life. A life that begins here and continues forever. Jesus achieved this life for us through His teaching, death and resurrection.

In another passage, Jesus says: "And this is eternal life, that they know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent" [John 17:3.4]. What then is eternal life? Why do we need it? Who gives eternal life and how is it obtained? When and where is eternal life given?

Man, created in the image and likeness of God has a spiritual nature. Eternal life is the life of the spirit that enables man to live as a son of God. Jesus Christ gives the life through His word and the Eucharist, that is, the gift of His Body and Blood. To obtain this life, we ask for it in faith and Jesus gives us through His Holy Spirit. If man lives to the full when he lives spiritually, it means that people without God cannot live to the full. To live to the full we need Jesus.

See:
Navarre Bible: St John

Spirit and Prayer

"So I say to you: Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, everyone who searches finds; everyone who knocks will have the door opened. What father among you, if his son asked for a fish, would hand him a snake? Or if he asked for an egg, hand him a scorpion? If you then, evil as you are, know how to give your children what is good, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him." (Luke 11: 9 – 13)

Condition for receiving the Holy Spirit: desire and prayer – "Ask and you shall receive."

"Jesus Christ himself is the "Amen." He is the definitive "Amen" of the Father's love for us. He takes up and completes our "Amen" to the Father: "For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why we utter the Amen through him, to the glory of God." (Catechism of the Catholic Church # 1065)

When we ask God with faith for the Holy Spirit, we receive Him. St. Augustine writes: "May your Creed be for you as a mirror. Look at yourself in it, to see if you believe everything you say you believe. And rejoice in your faith each day."

Spirit and Joy

"Just at this time, filled with joy by the Holy Spirit, he said, 'I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to little children." (Luke 10: 21)

• Spirit and joy
  
• Spirit and revelation
  
• Spirit and simplicity
  

Joyfulness, cheerfulness is a characteristic of a spirit-filled soul. The Spirit of Jesus delights to reveal the secrets of the kingdom to simple souls.

Spirit and Mission

"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, for he has anointed me to bring the good news to the afflicted. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives, sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim a year of favor from the Lord." (Luke 4: 18)

"The Spirit of the Lord is one" – Indwelling

"For he has anointed me…" - Qualifies, equips

The Spirit anoints, qualifies for a mission:

• To bring good news to the afflicted
  
• To proclaim liberty to captives
  
• To proclaim sight to the blind
  
• To let the oppressed go free
  
• To proclaim a year of favor from the Lord
  

 

Baptism of the Holy Spirit

"I tell you most solemnly, unless a man is born through water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God" (John 3:5).

The kingdom of God here and now is something we cannot experience without the Holy Spirit. An old Chinese proverb says: 'When the student is ready, the teacher appears.' The Holy Spirit is the Teacher and Friend who is standing by waiting for us to be ready and invite Him into our lives. Jesus says that we must be born through water and the Holy Spirit. Full acceptance of Jesus Christ ushers the Holy Spirit into our lives. This experience marks our entrance into the kingdom of God which starts here and now. We experience the kingdom of God when we practice justice, truth, love and self-control.

Jesus says that we need the Holy Spirit to succeed as Christians. We respond to this message of our Lord and Savior by seeking everyday, a fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit to help us to overcome sin and give us the power to proclaim Jesus Christ with boldness.

Thank you Jesus for your promise to give the Holy Spirit to whoever asks for it. Give us the Holy Spirit, Lord.

See:
Navarre Bible: St John

Jesus and the Spirit

"Jesus, with the power of the Holy Spirit in him, returned to Galilee; and his reputation spread throughout the countryside. He taught in their synagogues and everyone glorified him." (Luke 4: 14 - 15)

It amazing and it is true that even Jesus worked with the power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the greatest promise of God to man. It is a gift beyond compare. Christ, the God-man is endowed with the very best gift of God. He taught us to aspire to this gift. He promised that this gift will be ours without fail. God is waiting for the asking to fulfill it immediately.

When the Spirit comes and dwells in us, He will teach us all things we need to fulfill God's unique purpose for us. He will give us the power to fulfill this purpose.

The Spirit and Simeon

"Now in Jerusalem there was a man named Simeon. He was an upright and devout man; he looked forward to the restoration of Israel and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death until he has set eyes on the Christ of the Lord. Promoted by the Spirit he came to the Temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the law required, he took him into his arms and blessed God." (Luke 2: 25 – 27)

The Spirit and Simeon

• Habitat of the Spirit: devout and upright man; man of hope; man of expectation
  
• The Holy Spirit rested on him: Spirit indwelling
  
• The Holy Spirit revealed to him: Spirit and revelation; Spirit and knowledge
  
• Prompted by the Spirit: Spirit and inspiration; Spirit and guidance.

Christ Walk

A Story

WALKING WITH CHRIST

"And I am sure that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ"(Phillipians 1:6)

My heart beat a little faster as I read Ken's four-page letter about his worsening situation. To the admiration of his friends and collegues, he climbed the career ladder two steps at a time and after some years earned a promotion as a sales supervisor. After three years of long hours and overtime, Ken thought he deserved a raise. Instead, he received a pink slip when the company restructured. He resolved not to seek employment but started his own consulting firm. But success as a consultant proved elusive. Bills piled up. Desperation settled over his spirit like a thick blanket, nearly smothering him.

His Christian friends assured him that embracing Jesus was the solution to his growing list of problems. They motivated him by Jesus' promise of abundant life: "I have come so that they may have life and have it abundantly"? (John 10:10). Ken desired abundant life and prosperity.

Ken enjoyed Christian fellowship and met useful professional contacts. His business grew. Then tragedy struck. He became ill with gastric ulcers and could not work. He depleted his savings to pay off his mortgage. Suddenly without a financial safety-net, things tumbled from bad to worse. He totaled his uninsured car. A power surge fried his computer. His health continued to sour. Ken's second crisis stretched his friend's resources and some even abandoned him over his persistent problems. "Where was the promise of an abundant life"? He wondered aloud.

Ken's trials almost overwhelmed him. Ken's dilemma reminded me of Job's. He too lost everything -- but despite his loss learned that God can be trusted. Why do we seem to have more problems when we commit our lives to Christ?

Adversity can be a blessing in disguise: "My son, do not think lightly of the Lord's discipline, or be discouraged when he corrects you, for whom the Lord loves he disciplines; he chastises every son whom he acknowledges" (Hebrew 12: 5-6). Our trials are not the catastrophe we paint them to be. When we learn to trust God as Job did, even tribulations can bring their own reward.

An experienced Christian quoted St. Paul and explained that Ken's experience is normal. At the beginning of our walk with Jesus, we are spiritually fed with milk instead of solid food. Solid Christian doctrine helps us relish the joys and sorrows of following Jesus. We know that we can master all conditions by the power of Christ who gives us the strength.

God takes the initiative in calling us to Himself. He will complete the good work he has started in us. It is easy to walk with Christ for a week or a month, but walking with Jesus for the rest of your life requires the power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is our help and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. St. Paul told a persecuted Church that God is the source of patience and encouragement. If we walk steadfast with Christ, then our tests become testimonies and our crosses become crowns.

Holy Spirit the Teacher

"But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you." (John 14: 26, RSV)

This promise is all inclusive. The Holy Spirit will teach me "all things" that I need for my labor of love. What He does not teach me, I do not need to know. The Holy Spirit will also remind me all that Jesus has said to me. This includes everything that Jesus said to me from my childhood to now. I remember one particular thing Jesus said to me as a young man which I call to mind every day:

"I promise to be your strength in proportion to the trust you place on me."

My response to this has always been: "Lord, you know that I want to place 100% trust in you so that I can enjoy your full strength in my life. Help me Lord to trust you completely in everything today."

Holy Spirit the Helper

"I will give them a new heart and put a new spirit within them; I will remove the stony heart from their bodies, and replace it with natural heart, so that they will live according to my statutes, and observe and carry out my ordinances; thus they shall be my people and I will be their God." (Ezekiel 11: 19 – 20)

Many years ago, I read a moving commentary on the above scripture from Catherine Marshall's book, The Helper. I hope she would not mind my sharing it here.

"The prophet Ezekiel foretold the two steps that must always take place before anyone of us can have the ability to cope with the evil in our world and to possess power for service:

First step is readying and cleansing process.

'A new spirit will I put within you.'

That is, God will, through the Spirit, renew and refresh our attitudes, convict us of sin, begin to teach us about obedience, change the thrust and climate of our inner beings. Thus he will be readying us for the crown and glory of his plan.

The second necessary step was clearly foretold by Ezekiel:

"And I will put my Spirit with you."

(The Helper, Catherine Marshall)

Catherine was the wife of Peter Marshall. Below is what Peter wrote on divine guidance:

"If God is to use us as His hands and feet and voice, it is just as necessary for Him to guide us geographically as in any other way. It does matter to God where we are at any given time."

Hungry for Jesus

"Happy are you who are hungry row; you will be filled!" (Luke 6:21)

• Hungry for the knowledge of Jesus
  
• Hungry for love of Jesus
  
• Hungry to serve Jesus
  
• Hungry for the friendship and companionship of Jesus
  
• Hungry to be fully supported by Jesus
  
• Hungry to have Jesus as security and doctor
  
• The promise: be patient. You will be filled.

Filled with the Holy Spirit

"Now it happened that as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the child leapt in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit." (Luke 1: 41)

Those who were filled with the Holy Spirit in the Infancy Narrative of the Gospel:

Jesus, John the Baptist, Mary, Elizabeth, Simeon

What is the significance of being filled with the Holy Spirit? "Filled with the Holy Spirit" means controlled by the Holy Spirit, inspired and empowered by the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is the greatest promise of God to man. "All you need is the Holy Spirit."

When I am afraid 2

When I am afraid

 

"Master, do you not care? We are going down! And he woke up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, 'Quiet now! Be calm!' And the wind dropped, and all was calm again. Then he said to them, 'Why are you so frightened? How is it that you have no faith?" (Mark 4: 39 – 40)

 

"When I am afraid, I put my trust in you,

In God, whose word I praise,

In God I put my trust and have no fear,

What power has human strength over me?" (Psalm 56: 3 -4)

 

"God is our refuge and strength,

A very present help in trouble.

Therefore we will not fear, though the earth

Should change,

Though the mountains shake in the heart of the

Sea;

Though its waters roar and foam,

Though the mountains tremble with its tumult." (Psalm 46: 1 – 3)

 

"Therefore let all who are faithful

Offer prayer to you;

At a time of distress, the rush of mighty waters

Shall not reach them.

You are a hiding place for me;

You preserve me from trouble;

You surround me with glad cries of deliverance." (Psalm 32: 6 – 7)

 

"The Lord is my light and my salvation;

Whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the stronghold of my life;

Of whom shall I be afraid?

When evildoers assail me

To devour my flesh –

My adversaries and foes –

They shall stumble and fall.

Though an army encamps against me,

My heart shall not fear;

Though war rise up against me,

Yet I will be confident." (Psalm 27: 1 – 3)

When I am afraid

"Then my enemies will turn back.

On the day when I call

This I know that God is on my side,

In God whose word I praise,

In Yahweh whose word I praise,

In God I put my trust and have no fear;

What can mortal man to me?

(Psalm 56: 9 – 11 – NJB)

 

When I am afraid,

I will say the Lord's Prayer.

The prayer which Christ taught us;

The Prayer which the Church teaches us to pray with confidence;

I will say the Lord's Prayer and I shall not be afraid.

What can mortal man do to me?

Holy Spirit the cause of fruitfulness

"The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will cover you with its shadow." (Luke 1: 35)

These are the words of the Archangel Gabriel to a young virgin, Mary of Nazareth. The Holy Spirit did indeed cover Mary with its shadow and Mary became the Mother of Jesus the Christ. What difference does this make? The significance is that we like Mary can become immensely fruitful when we let in the Holy Spirit.

Come O Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of the faithful. Come and kindle in us the fire of your divine love.

Filled with the Holy Spirit from the womb

"He will be your joy and delight and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord: he must drink no wine, no strong drink; even from his mother's womb he will be filled with the Holy Spirit." (Luke 1: 15)

The above scripture is about St. John the Baptist. A number of striking predictions are made about him before his birth:

• He will be great in the sight of the Lord.
  
• He must drink no wine, no strong drink.
  
• From his mother's womb he will be filled with the Holy Spirit.
  

No wonder Jesus praised St. John the Baptist as the greatest man ever born of woman. No wonder the Church honors him with a number of feasts. All the signs of an eminent individual and career were predicted about John before his birth. It is wonderful to note that he lived and died as expected. Eminently great!

Baptism of the Holy Spirit

"John baptized with water but, not many days from now, you are going to be baptized with the Holy Spirit." (Acts 1: 5)

The Holy Spirit unleashes His gifts on us in proportion to our desire and welcome. The effects of the Sacrament of Confirmation are many:

The effects of Confirmation: May 19, 2009 CONFIRMATION / GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT 9

1. Confirmation brings an increase and deepening of baptismal grace:
   
2. It roots us more deeply in the divine filiation which makes us cry, "Abba! Father!"
   
3. It unites us more firmly to Christ.
   
4. It increases the gifts of the Holy Spirit in us.
   
5. It renders our bond with the Church more perfect.
   

   
    

   􀂾It gives us a special strength of the Holy Spirit to spread and defend the faith by word and action as true witnesses of Christ, to confess the name of Christ boldly, and never to be ashamed of the Cross."