2025-10-03
Good morning, Dear Ones,
Last week, I was writing about the fresh start that is open to everyone who commits to the teaching of Jesus Christ. God is that invisible Source of wisdom and righteousness that “has no darkness in Him” [1 JN 1: 5]. His second personality, Jesus Christ, took the form of a visible Man, and is “the Firstborn of all creation” [COL 1: 15b], is given the responsibility of redemption of sinful but believing mankind. It is He Who died on the cross after much suffering for us. It is He Whose blood shed is a “once for all” propitiation for our sins [JN 3: 16; 1 COR 11: 23-26; HE 10: 10]. (The citation in the middle is said when Communion is given and is worth memorizing). The third personality of our God is the One Who does the work of renewal of our minds and hearts; He is the Holy Spirit. Understanding this Godhead or Trinitarian nature of our God is essential to the renewal of one’s mind.
A promise was made long ago in EZK 36: 26-27 [God speaking], “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit in you and move you to follow My decrees and be careful to keep My laws.” This wasn’t a new idea of God’s; it was just a new way of saying it. That’s because the people didn’t make sense of God’s will right from the beginning. It also must be understood that the members of the Trinity are three personalities of One Divine Being. We can know this from DT 6: 4-5, “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One. Love the Lord your God with all you heart and with all your soul and with all your might.”
Still the problem of sinfulness persisted, and the lock, step, system of laws (especially all those that ballooned from 10 to 613 at the pens of the OT Jews) wasn’t effectively dealing with it. It was by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit that the New Covenant was made known and the distinction was made between serving the law and serving the Spirit. RO 7: 6, “But now were released from the laws, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.” A good prayer for making this distinction is found in PS 143: 10, “Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God; Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground.” IS 48: 16, “From the first announcement, I have not spoken in secret; at the time it happens, I am there. And now the Lord God has sent Me, endowed with His Spirit.”
In previous devotions, I have been directed to write about the events of the last week of Christ’s earthly life (those of His first advent) from LK 22-24. The Holy Spirit directs Christ just as He can us, if we allow it. That’s how Christ knows the Father’s will and we can too. But we must open our hearts through prayer and listening to the Father, just as Jesus does. I love that familiar question, “What would Jesus do,” that can be asked at any juncture of our lives. This is particularly important when bad behavior is afoot, when either on our part or that of others around us. Of course, time spent beforehand studying the Scriptures is critical to answering it in a God-pleasing time and way. It’s the reason why I have chosen to spend the last almost 60 years in this pursuit. No human, even devoutly believing ones like me, is perfect. Only Christ is perfect. That demands recognition that humility is essential before God and others. Our omniscient God knows the condition of our spiritual hearts [HE 4: 12-13].
PRAYER: O Lord, the citations above deal with the power of God’s Holy Spirit to renew our minds and spiritual hearts to righteousness. You have modeled love for us that is genuine and holy in a way that is so faithful to the Father and superior to that of ordinary humans. Jesus made us a precious promise which He has kept, in JN 14: 15-17a, “If you love Me, keep My commands. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor [Advocate] to help you and be with you forever—The Spirit of truth.” This Counselor has the power to guide us to righteous thoughts, decisions, and actions, if we obey it. He renews our minds and hearts in a wonderful way, changing our lives for the better and leading us to eternal life. We thank You, pledge You our loyalty, and offer You our love, praise, and devotion, in the holy/mighty name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
NEXT WEEK: I am commanded by the Holy Spirit to write next week about receiving Him and about the power the Father uses to bring Him into our lives. We should not get the idea that the Holy Spirit and Jesus Christ weren’t on the scene of human history right from the beginning of creation. God was Triune and imbued with the power He has the whole time. OT heroes like Moses, Joshua, Deborah, Samuel, David, Ezra, Esther, Ruth, Isaiah, Daniel, Zechariah, and others were all imbued with the Holy Spirit. Even though Jesus’ name wasn’t used in the OT, He was there, nevertheless. RO 8: 14, “For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons (and daughters) of God.” There is nothing like the love that our God has for His believing human creation! Praise and thanksgiving be to Him!
Grace be with You Always,
Lynn, JS 24: 15
© Lynn Johnson 2025. All Right Reserved.
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