Go for it!

NORSK
The charge ‘Go for it!’ can be heard in many contexts. You can hear it in a ‘timeout’ on a sports-arena when a couch is encouraging the team to do the little extra to win a match. It is used on boards when decisions are made, and a ‘Go!’ is always fitting for the body of Christ in general and for The Salvation Army in particular.

The Greek word Paul uses when he encourages us to ‘eagerly desire the gifts of the Spirit’ (1) is the same word that gave name to the ‘fourth’ of the Jewish religious parties – the Zealots. One of the disciples of Jesus, Simon (not Peter), is believed to have come from this group (2), and some scholars even believe that Paul was associated with them (3). The Zealots were very passionate in what they believed and fought for. Paul encourages us to have the same kind of passion.

Last week a friend of mine responded on this way to what I had written:

I wish that many more would burn in the Spirit and search the gifts of the Spirit. As I see it, to be on fire is a choice every individual must make, the fire starts when one chooses to be a disciple and spend time in prayer.

I very much agree and responded in this way:

This is very important. The disciples received The holy spirit and the gifts because they were desperate in their searching and longing for the Spirit. I have to take the initiative so that The holy spirit can use his initiative in me ... This is because The holy spirit is God, and the attribute of God is love. God does never force himself on any human being.

Therefore, to “Go for it!” is actually to “go for Him”. That means to give more and more of myself to him, because Jesus has already given his all to me – including the Spirit. John the Baptist had seen this even before Jesus had sacrificed all, and expressed it like this:

He must increase and I must decrease.
John 3:30

So simple, and yet many times so hard.

‘Manna’ for today:

To go for Him means losing myself to be found in Him.

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(1) 1 Cor 14:1 – see also: Which are the ‘greater gifts’?
(2) Matt 10:4, Acts 1:13
(3) Firstly - when Paul refers to the group in his writings, he does it respectfully.

Secondly – he was militant in his persecution of the first followers of Jesus.

Where do you belong? – 5

The last country I will visit this year is the “pointers’ land” (1). It was part of my upbringing to hear the warning: “It is rude to point”. And I admit that it can be an uncomfortable experience to be singled out when someone is pointing at me. However, it can also be a great help and a blessing. 

I believe the apostles felt good when Jesus singled out the twelve (2). The mission they received was to preach. 

It is easy to see the similarities between preaching, pointing and appointing. John the Baptist’s mission was to “point”. Through his ministry it was his aim to prepare the way for and point to Jesus:

“Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world … he is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit. I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.”
John 1:29-34

It is good to end a year with the reminder that I am appointed to point, and I will carry the reminder  with me into the New Year. 

I will also take this opportunity to thank you for reading this blog during the past year. The blog has been visited 150,000 times in 2016, and to receive messages that it has contributed to people returning to faith and life in Christ, is a great blessing. It means that there are more people joining the “pointers” in God's kingdom.

‘Manna’ for today:

In God’s kingdom we point to Jesus!

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(1) The most important Christmas song
(2) He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach.
Mark 3:14

It is about being the Captain of your soul

NORSK
I have always expressed my admiration for Nelson Mandela and I regard him as one of my great role models (1). Even though I belong to those who really need to motivate themselves to watch a movie, I have seen “Invictus” several times, and I will watch it again. The title of the movie is taken from a poem by the same name. It is written by William Ernest Henley, and it helped Nelson Mandela to keep spirit and mind safe and sound when he was a prisoner on Robin Island. I am convinced that the key was that he kept control and made sure that he was the “Captain of his soul”.

The poem (2) is neutral with regard to religious orientation, but in a brilliant way it describes the last quality of the fruit of the Spirit as it is found on Paul’s list:

“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”
Gal 5:22-23a

If I am not the ‘Captain of my soul’, I am not free to surrender the governance to the Holy Spirit. But – I have my free will, and I am every day free to decide that the Holy Spirit shall lead me through the day. Then the self-control becomes the fruit of my relationship with the Spirit, and not a result of my own effort. My only effort is to make the right choice, and I can testify with Paul that: I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day. (3)

John the Baptist is another person who was ‘Captain of his soul’ and who showed great self-insight and self-control:

“He must become greater; I must become less.”
John 3:30

‘Manna’ for today:

Holiness is about being the Captain of your soul

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(1) Reflections with reference to: Nelson Mandela  (NB in Norwegian only available i google translate)
(2) English version
(3) 2 Tim 1:12