Sons Are Led by the Spirit

(Heb. 2:10,11, Rom. 8:14, Gal. 5:16-18, Prov. 20:12)

Recently, I heard a message that resonated strongly.  One of the themes was our identity.  We are children of the living God.  Yes, we have all sinned.  We all miss the mark.  Only One, the Lord Jesus, the Christ, never missed.  He was led by the Spirit and followed perfectly.  Wait, you say, He was the Son of God.  He was and is but He had emptied Himself and humbled Himself so that He might fully identify with us.  He was a man filled with the Spirit, and was born without our sinful nature.  A mystery is over this man Jesus.  He was filled with the Spirit while in the womb.  Later, He was anointed for the greatest ministry the world has seen.  But we cannot use words to define who is.  He is a mystery and a marvel.  A greater marvel is that we are sons, being brought to glory.

In the greater “church” we can take the words from the pages and apply them without the Spirit.  How do we know?  The fruit does not match the truth.  It does not smell right, to our spirits.  We may see legalism or license.  Which church is perfect?  None.  But do many churches have truth?  Yes.  By truth, do we mean correct doctrine?  I ask, what is that?  A set of principles only, or life-giving words?  Do we see life and fruit?  Are we growing in the knowledge of the Lord?  Do we see disciples?  Are people knowing the effect of the cross and repentance and then become more spiritually alive?

Are we being led by the Spirit?  Do we know the One who inspired those to write those words that are compiled in the book?  Our brother, Frank Viola, wrote a book where he mentions the fact that Paul wrote other letters that we do not have.  It is clear that he wrote a letter to those in Laodicea that we do not have.  Why?  I don’t know.  If we asked the Lord would He shed some light on that?  Will we seek Him or do we debate among ourselves correct doctrines?  Those debates only reveal our limitations to understand what we cannot fully know.  Yet, some of the controversies among believers today are simply foolish and more about trying to preserve a framework, or denomination.  We ought to care more for the house not made with hands that the Lord is building.  It is composed of true disciples who are living stones. They are one with Him.  They are His bride.  His church has no other definition.

We say this life in God is about a relationship.  The written words we have compare it to a marriage.  I would say to you that in this life, which is a vapor, that relationship is the closest to entering the kingdom of God.  But that is because I am wired more like John than like Peter, or Paul.  Other pictures that we have of the kingdom are just as important.  I could say I am also wired a bit like some others in the household of faith.  See Hebrews 11.  Among them, who was perfect?  Faith in, and of, the One who is perfect, is our victory.  This is the victory which overcomes the world, even our faith.  I will not give the reference so that you search it out for yourself.

Each one of us is unique.  No two of us are alike.  Are you grateful, accepting of who God made you to be?  Are you accepting with thanks the life He wrote for you before the world was?  I continue to consider the words of Ps 139.  Allow the seasons where He holds you still in some areas.  In this life in the Spirit, His leading may have you wait for Him to prepare you and others for the next chapter.  Led to wait?  Yes, His ways are higher than ours and past finding out.  Submitting to the loving direction of your heavenly Father is always a good plan.  We are like soil that needs to be prepared to receive.  I am seeing that the gifts God brings us include people.  From a kingdom perspective, relationships are not about us but about Jesus.  This does not mean we do not enjoy one another’s company.  Our family members can be enjoyed and we can help each other to grow in Christ.  We are allowed to have fun.  But, can we have too much fun?  We know the answer.

He creates the hearing ear.  His sheep know His voice.  Let Him who has ears to hear, hear what the Spirit says.  We refer to that still small voice but do we believe it?  The hymn writer penned that He walks with me and He talks with me.  Yes, we have filters that can distort His voice.  Ultimately we must trust Him and not lean on our understanding.  This life with Him, this walk, is a walk led by the Spirit.  It is a righteous walk, free from sin which means when we sin, we repent quickly.  Lord, pour Your grace on us all.