Have you ever had the thought?...

My good bloggin' buddy Kent Roberts is back this week guys, give him a read, he's got some great thoughts:

Have you ever had the thought, “I need to feel the Holy Spirit today?”  

Am I the only one?

With me, there have certainly been days where I need something tangible to let me know He is alive and in my life.  To somehow be overwhelmed by His presence.   Today.

Oh sure, I can look back over my life and see where He has been at work; to see that He has had sway and influence over things and events and circumstances.  But too often I don’t think about those times: I usually only think of today: The struggles I am in today that I shouldn’t have to struggle with; the doubts I face today concerning things I shouldn’t doubt; the questions I ask today of things I shouldn’t need to question.   Wondering when this sin, this temptation, this pain, this frustration . . . and this waiting, will end; or at least become tolerable.

Is this what God wants? It seems so counter to everything I read in the Bible, yet seems so real, so necessary.  Today.

Is it true?  Is it the world? 

Is it the enemy?   Is it reality?  

Is it time to move on?  To come back to the real world with all its faults, all its frustrations, and live a life of hope and faith without tangible proof of the One who created us, cares for us, and is the great provider of all our needs.

Oh Holy Spirit of the living God, where is Your hope, and faith, and patience, and peace, and joy, and self-control.  And your love. To live in constant struggle, doubt, questioning, and frustration is not the way a follower of Christ is supposed to live. Not in emptiness, in doubt, in fear.

But in praise.

And it is in praise, in those times where you really, really don’t feel like giving the glory to anyone, let alone God, that praise is exactly what you need; as hard as it is.  As counter as it seems to every fiber of your being—Praise Him. 

God, I give you praise for who you are.   You are the Creator of all things.   I will praise you in this storm.

It is the world that wants you to question.  It is the enemy that wants you to doubt.  It is your flesh that wants you to struggle.  Yet, it is through your flesh, through every fiber of your worldly being, that praise rings the loudest to God’s ears.  And, it is that very praise that He desires to answer.

“You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For you created all things, and they exist because you created what you pleased.” (Rev. 4:11)

 “You are among us, LORD, and we bear your name; do not forsake us!” (Jer. 14:9)

I am a creation of God. He does not leave or forsake me. In that I will rest my faith. 

So . . .

What happens when you ask to hear, need to hear, from the Holy Spirit . . . and he answers?

Well, in my case, and with those thoughts in mind, after doing some concerted Word—and soul—searching, this is where the Holy Spirit lead me:

John 8: ^28-29 So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man on the cross, then you will understand that I Am he. I do nothing on my own but say only what the Father taught me.  And the one who sent me is with me—he has not deserted me. For I always do what pleases him.”

Hebrews 11: ⁶ And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.

Psalm 37: ^3-7 Trust in the Lord and do good.
Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.
 Take delight in the Lord,
and he will give you your heart’s desires.

 Commit everything you do to the Lord.
Trust him, and he will help you.
 He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn,
and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun.

 Be still in the presence of the Lord,
and wait patiently for him to act.
Don’t worry about evil people who prosper
or fret about their wicked schemes.

Romans 8: ^35-37 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?  (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”)  No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

Philippians 4: ^11-20 . . . for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have.  I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little.  For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength . . . . .  At the moment I have all I need—and more! I am generously supplied with the gifts you sent me with Epaphroditus. They are a sweet-smelling sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God.  And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.   Now all glory to God our Father forever and ever! Amen.

And, over those same few days, this is what I heard:

The one who sent me is with me—he has not deserted me. For I do what pleases him. And, it is impossible to please God without faith. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires. Trust him, and he will help you. Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act. Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? No! For I learn how to be content with whatever I have. I can do everything through Christ,who gives me strength. At the moment I have all I need—and more! And this same God who takes care of me will [continue to] supply all [my] needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to [all of] us in Christ Jesus. Now all glory to God our Father forever and ever! Amen.

. . . and Amen! For my part, I simply remember that I have all I need for today, and today is all I need. Does, "he will give you your heart's desires" mean I place my faith in a prosperity-style gospel? By no means. What I believe--what I choose to believe--is that God knows my needs and he will continue to "supply" them in his own good time.

Not my wants, my needs.

Not my time, his time. 

I have all I need for today,

. . . and today is all I need.