Mike Paschall . com

As I watched another 150+ World Racers lift their hungry hearts and hands to receive a touch of the Spirit for empowerment, I had an ugly thought:  What are we (the church) doing to equip the saints for the work of service?  It was the first time for most of them to remotely consider the possibility that they needed more in hand than a few memorized Bible verses, a few gospel tracts and the Jesus film.  Nothing wrong with any of that, but if that is all you got, your opportunities and methodology has severe limitations.

Would a young man marry the woman of his dreams only to embrace her as friend and wife but ignore the “lover” side of her?  I’m around young men and that is an utterly ridiculous question.  They will not be denied any aspect of their queen… especially that one!  But, it appears to me that too much of the church does this to the Holy Spirit, on a regular basis.  Often we see the third person of the Trinity as just another option on the table, much like the orange jello at the end of a gigantic buffet.  Take it or leave it.  It makes no difference to the overall outcome of the dining experience.  I know, I know, it can’t be ALL Holy Spirit either!  Balance is good and best for the overall mission of the church.   If that is true, we have to have relationship with the person of the Holy Spirit.  It is not balance to count the gifts of the Spirit as taboo, excessive, dried up, for another time, or irrelevant to Christian living.  It feels blasphemous to me that we are so intentional in minimizing the works of the Holy Spirit.

Seeing again, what I saw yesterday, gives me hope!  Another batch of kids who acknowledge Jesus, declare the love of the Father, and ask for the power of the Spirit to bring heaven to earth!  I expect they will.  I know they will.

-MDP-