As I read through the book of Acts, I am jealous of how great it seems the disciples were. I am jealous of their courage, of their perseverance, of their violent love. I am jealous for several reasons: 1. Because I wish to see these kind of great works done. 2. Because I want to know that God wishes to use me. The Former desire is partly a desire to further the kingdom of God, but it is also partly a desire to see a wondrous work that I feel would increase my faith. The Latter is a desire that I wish for chiefly because I don't only want to know Jesus, but I want Jesus to know me, that he may say on the last days "Well done my good and faithful servant." Oh, how I desire to hear those words echo in my ears, I believe there is no greater desire within my being than to hear my great creator utter those words to my face. The greatest fear is that he would say "Depart from me you who work lawlessness, I never knew you." Absolutely terrifying, those words make me cringe. I pray that we may not be deceived by a false faith, but always changing by a true faith that produces good fruit.
As I thought on these things, I believe the Holy Spirit reminded me that the apostles worked with Jesus for three years side-by-side before they finally developed the faith we see in the book of Acts. In fact, all throughout the three years they work with Jesus, they are told of their little faith. I wonder how many times in our walk with God, Christ has said to us "Oh, you of little faith". The radical change that the disciples experienced happened after three years of being closely and intimately mentored by their Lord. Is it not the same for us? I assume God does change some overnight, but this is a rare occasion that such a glorious work is done. And if such a person is changed overnight, they still do not have, nor could they have, full knowledge of the things of God. Is there not always room to improve? For we are never perfect, and there is always therefore room for betterment. Hence if God does such a wondrous work as to change us overnight, we will still not be made perfect and must continue striving for righteousness the rest of our days. This is one of the great battles the Christian faces.
Once the person of the Holy Spirit has entered us, He is now our mentor. In the times of Jesus of Nazareth, the disciples mentor was Christ, now our Mentor and Rabbi is the Holy Spirit. Do not be deceived though fellow brothers and sisters. The Holy Spirit is not a force to be grasped, or a power to be manifested. The Holy Spirit is a person who works with us, speaks to us, and shows us ways to improve who we are in Christ. Thankfully, the Holy Spirit is wise and does not tell us of all our wrongs right from the beginning, he does not reveal all mysteries the moment he enters us, for I doubt that such revelation could take place without the death of man. No, he works as Jesus did with his disciples, he teaches us daily. He tells us to take up our cross daily and minister and proclaim that gospel to others. He teaches us how to pray, how to love, how to teach, how to mourn, how to praise, and how to begin understanding an unfathomable God.
I ask you this day bluntly and with love, are you being mentored by the Holy Spirit daily? If you are, I commend you, and I praise God for the gracious work he is doing in you. If you aren't, than please examine yourself dear brother or sister! Do not take such a thing lightly. The Bible tells us to examine ourselves. Do so daily. Do not wait to change, do not tell yourself that tomorrow will be a new day where God can forgive you, but drop to your knees now and beg God for his grace and mercy. My prayers go out to those who have dropped to their knees in realization of their filth; my prayers go out to those who are being mentored by the Holy Spirit daily and I praise God for you, may you continue to love and grow in Christ Jesus. But woe to those who do neither of these; woe to you who believe yourself to be saved because you went on a missions trip once, or because you go to church regularly. Oh, how you have been deceived. I pray that God moves you to a point where you do nothing but bow in respect to the God who shows you how low you are, and by showing you how low you are, you understand the grace, greatness, and love of God. May all of us trust alone in the redemptive, changing power of God's love.
"Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing." - John 15:4-5
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