On the Record
The Impact of the Spirit
Embracing and Trusting God’s Holy Spirit I’ll have to admit that here have been times I have worried over some person or situation that I have little-to-no control over.
It’s easy for me to slip into the worry pattern. I become aware of a situation and I begin thinking of possible ways to resolve the issues or possible outcomes if I do a certain thing or another. When I think of the time I have wasted or see a scenario play out, I always wish I would have just trusted God more. Have you ever felt that way? It’s always refreshing to know that we have a heavenly Father who loves us and cares for us and wants us to simply trust Him. I found myself at a big crisis moment in my ministry once. It was so serious, I even thought about dropping out. Yes, it was really bad. After I worried for a while, I could see that worry wasn’t helping the situation. So, I decided to let God take care of the details. You know what happened? He made everything plain and cleared up the situation without my help. I was shocked to see Him work. I learned a lot from that experience. Trust is better than worry. God’s promise in Isaiah 41:10 is to help us to fear not. He will strengthen and bless us. Let’s go to God first. Skip the worry. God has a better way.
Larry Moore | President
Prior to Christ’s sacrifice on Calvary, we were promised another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever.
The Holy Spirit is the Comforter promised in John 14:16 as the gift of the Father through the Son. His presence makes effectual in us what Jesus did for humanity. He (Spirit) became our connecting link to the Godhead when Christ went back to heaven. Christ said, “I tell you the truth; it is expedient for you for that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you,” (John 16:7). The presence of the Holy Spirit involves the presence of Jesus and the Father. Leroy Froom, in his book The Coming of the Comforter, states, “Thus the Holy Spirit is, as it were, Jesus’ other self.” The Holy Spirit in our lives is vital and undisputable for those desirous of being saved in God’s kingdom. Paul counsels us to “be filled with the Spirit,” (Ephesians 5:18). This is a command of God, and therefore as obligatory as any other. For God’s remnant people, this signals revival of soul and spirit. Weakness and fear are superseded by courage and power. The people of God who are Spirit-filled will give witness, by word and lifestyle, of the love of Christ and His desire to save all of mankind.
John Page | Treasurer
Buford Griffith, Jr. Executive Secretary
Moses had an audible, overwhelming, undeniable invitation to follow God. Most people don’t have that kind of experience where God calls them audibly or presents a burning bush to prove His presence. Recently, the Vice-President of the United States, Mike Pence, said that he talks to God and hears God talk to him. Some people ridiculed those statements. However, as Christians we know that God wants to communicate to His people and we need to have our heart ready to listen. When I was in college, I remember praying for God to lead me into the profession where He wanted me to go. He took me in a direction I was not expecting when I began to work for Chisholm Trail Academy. But He then led me to the Texas Conference and now the Southwestern Union, and through it all I have been very blessed by following God’s call. God may not call you audibly, but if you pray and spend time in the Bible, God will lead you in ways you can’t even imagine. There is no doubt that God chose Moses to lead His people. There is also no doubt that God wants to lead us today. We need to be like Moses and go when God calls us into new opportunities. It might be uncomfortable but we never grow if we stay in our comfort zone. Let the words of Isaiah 6:8 set the tone for a willing heart… “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’”
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