March 6
Num 6:1-7:89 | PS 49:1-20 | Prov 10:27-28 | Mark 12:38-13:13
R.A. Torrey said, "If we think of the Holy Spirit only as an impersonal power or influence, then our thought will constantly be, how can I get hold of and use the Holy Spirit; but if we think of Him in the biblical way as a divine Person, infinitely wise, infinitely holy, infinitely tender, then our thought will constantly be, 'How can the Holy Spirit get hold of and use me?'" Once you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you have become God's priest, as we read in 1 Peter 2:9, "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;". It is this tremendous realization which could make one seek more power from the Holy Spirit as we represent Him to a world that largely remains ignorant about Him. But that is when we get it wrong, as R.A Torrey mentions above. We all too often forget 1 Corinthians 6:19, "Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?" He, the Holy Spirit, the living God, perfect in every way already resides within you. We don't need to seek more of Him, He has already given Himself to us. If we are to function as His priests, we need to get out of the way, and allow Him to get hold of us and to work through us, His chosen vessels.
We read the Aaronic, or priestly, blessing in Numbers 6:23-27, "“Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, ‘This is the way you shall bless the children of Israel. Say to them: “The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.” ’ “So they shall put My name on the children of Israel, and I will bless them.”" So simple, and yet so beautiful at the same time. Realize the priest has a dual responsibility: to represent the people before God, and to represent God before the people. Therefore we, as priests, intercede on behalf of others as we bring them before God in prayer. Likewise, people need to be able to see God through us: how we talk, how we act, how we react. In this blessing we let others know that God is a God of blessing, a God of love, a God who gives, a God who will keep His people, and a God of peace. Jesus, our perfect Priest, revealed what this does not look like in His description in Mark 12:38-40, "Then He said to them in His teaching, “Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.”"
If you feel inadequate in your role as priest, then set your eyes on Jesus, our Great, High Priest, as we read in Hebrews 4:14-15, "Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin." We read how Jesus lived this out while on earth in Philippians 2:5-7, "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men." You might be thinking that you will not know what to say, you are inadequate to adequately represent your perfect God, to which Jesus reminded His followers in Mark 13:11, "But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit." So, if we want to represent God, we need to be more like our Great High Priest, Jesus. To do that we need to be continually filled with the Holy Spirit, again as R.A. Torrey said, "How can the Holy Spirit get hold of and use me?"
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: