Happy Christian Secrets

This weekend we’re celebrating the Most Holy Trinity.  This week Paul tells the Romans that we have reasons to boast.  Boasting is good when our pride is the result of our faith in God.

God the Father sent us his son Jesus to show us how to live and how to love.  He showed us that we love each other when we serve each other.  Jesus showed us that through the power of faith, people were healed on a daily basis. Through faith, Jesus was resurrected from the dead.  We learn over and over again about the healing power of faith.

 After Jesus spent time on earth loving us and before he went to heaven, he told us that he would never leave us alone  and that his Father would send an advocate to be with us always – the Holy Spirit.  God is with us every day through the power of the Holy Spirit. Our role is to invite God into every aspect of our lives.

In Paul’s Letter to the Romans (5:1-5), he talks about God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit. As usual, Paul is logical and upbeat as he tells us that we always have reasons to boast (to take pride in or be enhanced by the possession of) – in good times and in times of suffering or pain.

Paul reminds us that our faith leads us to peace with God through Jesus. This same faith gives us access to the gift of grace that is with us always. As Christians, our grace allows us to boast in hope of the glory of God.  We are enhanced by the possession of our faith, hope, love and trust in God.

Paul tells us to not only boast in hope, but to also boast of our afflictions.  Really? Why? 

 We know that we’re enhanced because we’re confident that:

• Our afflictions produce endurance
• Endurance builds and creates our character
• Proven character sustains our hope
• Hope does not disappoint

Why does hope not disappoint?  Because God’s love has filled our hearts through the power of the Holy Spirit who is with us always.

With each cell of our being filled with God’s love, there is no room for hatred, anxiety or fear.

Through prayer and conversation with God, we’re able to continually replenish and rejuvenate our faith.  Our communion with God provides us with a never ending supply of love and hope to sustain us  through every obstacle that is placed before us.

There is no problem that it so large that it can’t be solved by God as the result of our  faith.

Christians really do have reasons to boast!

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Pentecost Sunday marks the 50th day after the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles. It also marks the birth of the Christian Church by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Living in the year 2010, it takes grace  to live as a person of faith well over 2000 years after the death and resurrection of Jesus.  Thankfully, when Jesus left earth to go back to live with his Father in heaven, he promised his disciples that his Father would send us ‘The Advocate’  – the Holy Spirit.   Jesus said that the Holy Spirit “will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.” 

Maybe it makes sense to fully embrace the Holy Spirit and  call upon this power on a daily basis?

How’s that for a gift! We have God the Father in Heaven along with his son Jesus, we have the words of God as spoken by Jesus to comfort us each and every day AND we have the power of the Holy Spirit to assist us every second of our life on earth.  By calling upon and engaging the Holy Spirit we’re promised that we will never be alone.

Once the apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit, they were capable of speaking in tongues and enabled to proclaim the Good News. Regardless of what language the people around them spoke, they were able to understand God’s message as proclaimed by the apostles.  Through the power of the Holy Spirit, you and I are able to proclaim this universal message to all too.

We’ve been called to live the commandments and the first and  greatest commandment is that we love one another. The Holy Spirit gives us the power to do this every day.

What do you do when something great or exciting happens to you during the week?  Most of us are more than happy to tell everyone about whatever it was. “I got the job!.” “My daughter got into her college of choice!” “My friend has completely recovered from cancer!”

 Christians should be filled with the highest sense of Good News at all times. Why?

• God sent his son Jesus to tell us first hand of his love for us.
• Jesus spent time walking the earth and God’s Words spoken through Jesus have been written down for us to learn and use to live our lives in faith, hope and love.
• We have testimony from those who saw him after his resurrection and believe that Jesus rose from the dead by the power of God’s Spirit.
• Jesus told his disciples that he’d never leave us alone and that his Father was going to send us the Holy Spirit.
• “If the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, the one who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also, through his Spirit that dwells in you.”  You and I will be resurrected upon the death of our earthly bodies too and live forever with Jesus in heaven! How’s is that for the ultimate long-term goal?

If you and I believe these things, what do we have to be anxious about?  Nothing!

We are filled with the power of the Holy Spirit and have confidence in our heavenly future.

We’re filled with the peace and love of Jesus so it’s easy for us to share those gifts with others.

The Holy Spirit is with us always and Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit “will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.”

To say that we’re fortunate  for having  received and embraced this gift is a huge understatement.  We’ve been commissioned by Jesus to share this gift with others. 

 Have fun sharing!

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