Branding

-

 

 The other day our pastor emeritus preached on Jon 16:1-14 I realized that in my attempts to grow my relationship with God that I had become unbalanced. God exists as a trinity and though all three parts are God each has it own unique role. 

God the Father is the creator the Alpha and the Omega the beginning and the End. He is,,,,,

  • Creator and Sustainer: As the source of all life, He created the universe through the Son and by the power of the Spirit.
  • Initiator of Salvation: He planned, purposed, and sent Jesus Christ into the world to redeem humanity.
  • Sovereign Ruler: He is the ultimate authority, with all things existing from, through, and to Him.
  • Loving Parent: He is portrayed as a caring, affectionate father who adopts believers as his children, providing for, protecting, and disciplining them.
  • Goal of Worship: While Jesus is the mediator, the Father is the ultimate recipient of worship and glory

Jesus is His son and our salvation His roles are

  • Savior and Redeemer: Through his crucifixion and resurrection, he atoned for sins, overcoming spiritual and physical death to offer forgiveness and eternal life.
  • Mediator and Advocate: He serves as the bridge between God and humanity, enabling believers to be reconciled with God.
  • The Teacher and Example: During his ministry, he taught the gospel, healed, and demonstrated perfect love, humility, and obedience, serving as the example for believers.
  • Creator and Lord: Identified as the Jehovah of the Old Testament and the agent of creation for the world under the Father.
  • Judge of the World: He is prophesied to return in glory to judge the living and the dead.
  • Good Shepherd: He guides, protects, and cares for his followers, leading them toward safety and eternal life

The role of the Holy Spirit is...

  • Indwelling and Empowering Believers: The Holy Spirit resides within Christians, providing strength, wisdom, and guidance, acting as a personal, active helper.
  • Conviction and Regeneration: The Spirit convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, leading people to repentance and facilitating the "new birth" (regeneration)
    .
  • Guiding into Truth: The Spirit illuminates Scripture, helping believers understand and interpret God's Word, and reveals the truth about Jesus.
  • Sanctification and Fruit: The Spirit works to make believers more Christ-like, helping them overcome the flesh and producing "fruit" (character traits like love, joy, peace).
  • Spiritual Gifts and Service: The Spirit distributes diverse gifts to believers to serve the church, build up the body of Christ, and advance the gospel.
  • Intercession in Prayer: The Spirit helps in prayer, interceding on behalf of believers according to God's will.
  • Assurance and Sealing: Presence in the believer as an assurance of their eternal salvation.

In Isa 11: 2 it describes gifts of the Holy Spirit

  • Wisdom: The ability to judge and direct human affairs according to divine truth and to relish the things of God.
  • Understanding: A penetrating insight into the heart of things, especially truths necessary for salvation.
  • Counsel
    :
    Allows individuals to be directed by God, helping to make good decisions, particularly in complex situations
    .
  • Fortitude: The strength and courage to follow God’s will, even in difficult circumstances.
  • Knowledge: The capacity to understand the true value of creation and its relationship to God.
  • Piety: A deep, loving devotion to God, fostering a filial relationship rather than just fearful obedience.
  • Fear of the Lord: A sense of awe and reverence before God, acknowledging His greatness and loving Him, which leads to avoiding sin.

The part that woke me up in the middle of the night is the assurance and sealing of the Holy Spirit.  For some reason I related it to extrinsic proteins. Every cell in your body has an extrinsic protein sticking out of the membrane that identifies as your cell. In autoimmune diseases these cells are attacked when the cells in the blood cannot recognize these markers. Think about it just like every cell has an extrinsic marker, ever cell has a Holy Spirit seal that says all of me belongs to the God of the universe. Brands are permanent, legally registered and unique  identifying marks. Attributes and qualities are attributed to livestock based upon the name on the brand. The Holy Spirit brands us. What does that brand indicate about you?

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Community and connection

-
Image
 "Belonging is the innate desire to be part of something larger than us."  Brene Brown Imperfect We are made in the image of a Triune God. God exists in community the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. When He first created man He saw that it was not good for man to be alone and He made Eve. This desire for connection goes down to our smallest level - the cell. A cell is the smallest living organism. The Types of Cells Human cells number in the trillions and are fundamental building blocks that form tissues, organs, and organ systems that work together to sustain life. Each cell type in the human body is specialized for distinct functions, from stem cells capable of becoming other cell types to nerve cells that transmit signals. Cells like osteocytes maintain bone structure, blood cells transport oxygen and fight infections, and adipocytes store energy and regulate various bodily functions. All the types of cells have to work together for a healthy human . When cells becom...
Read more

The Power of Touch

-
Image
  Touch is one of the first senses that develops in humans. Long before children can talk and understand language, their parents cradle them to make them feel better when they are stressed. The stress-relieving power of consensual touch persists throughout life but I find myself with an incredible ache in this area. The power of touch positively impacts physical and mental health by reducing stress, anxiety and depression while improving immune function and pain management.  This is due to physiological changes, such as increased oxytocin (the "love hormone") and serotonin, and decreased cortisol (the "stress hormone"). Touch interventions, from a hug to massage, also enhance social bonds and are crucial for infant development, with studies showing benefits for newborns in weight gain, respiratory control, and overall development.   When I taught school however, I was told on more than one occasion NEVER touch the kids you'll get sued or fired. In today...
Read more

Photosynthesis

-
Image
As someone who is convinced that I have worlds to learn about love I thought I would take the lessons of the hydrologic cycle a little further and consider photosynthesis.   Photosynthesis is, at its core, an  energy conversion process . Input Energy:  Light energy (photons) from the sun. Output Energy:  Chemical potential energy stored in the covalent bonds of organic molecules, primarily glucose (C₆H₁₂O₆). This transformation occurs when organisms produce  carbon compounds  (like glucose) using light as the energy source. The key words here being conversion and transformation. It’s an  anabolic  process, meaning it b uilds complex molecules from simpler ones, requiring energy input. Reactants: Six molecules of carbon dioxide (CO₂) and six molecules of water (H₂O). Energy Source: Light energy. Products: One molecule of glucose (C₆H₁₂O₆) and six molecules of oxygen (O₂). Key components: Carbon Dioxide (CO₂): Absorbed from t...
Read more