Holy Spirit...
Dear Friend,
I have been thinking about the Holy Spirit a lot. There is something about this divine helper that I am attracted to. It is crazy to me that the Holy Spirit is the only member of the trinity that lives inside me, and yet often I think that I barely know him. I mean I’m pretty sure that I have felt the Holy Spirit before. But then again it could have just been some bad take-out from Flo’s (it has happened). I know that I don’t speak in tongues and that isn’t to say that I don’t believe in it. I just never have. I always have wanted to though. It seems like it would be interesting. Or at least that is what my friends say.
But I have a question for you. Do you think that the Holy Spirit has a role with this next generation? If so, I am wondering how big?
I know it is strange, but I think about the role of the Holy Spirit in this next generation. . . or whatever you may call it: the emerging culture, younger evangelical, postmodern, or perhaps post-western would be the best description for this particular topic. Nevertheless, I think the Holy Spirit is going to have a special place.
It just seems like there has been a loss or disconnect with the Western way of finding truth and absolutes, and, in its place, there has been this rise or even this celebration of discovery that seems to have its roots in a more Eastern way of finding purpose and meaning. And I think that as a Christian this leads us to a point of change. I think that the power to this change for the Christian heart.soul.mind will be the Holy Spirit.
It is interesting because when one looks at the members of the trinity, we have God the Father, the Son in Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit…the helper. Each member being God (equally) and serving each other in fellowship through different ways, making themselves very independent but yet still one (please know that as I allow my mind to be vulnerable, I am not trying to say that any of the members of trinity are less or not as important). So we have God the Father, who seems to be the Father for a few different religions . . . Jews, Christians, and Muslims. And, thus, for conversational purposes (some call this evangelism), it seems that this may or has been in the past a confusing piece for many people who are looking for and trying to discover who this God really is. In some awkward way, this gives us a little light to the idea that all roads lead to heaven . . . but this is kind of like all roads lead to God if you are a Jew, Christian, or Muslim. I could see where this would be confusing.
Then what about Jesus? For quite some time now he has been picked apart and dissected with the hope to find some disease or fallacy in his make up as the Son of God. While he may not have been attractive in appearance (Is 53) and so our hope for him to marry a supermodel might be out of the question (unless you are a believer in Dan Brown’s book about the idea that Mary Magdalene and Jesus were wed . . . and you saw The Passion of Christ by Mel Gibson . . . both of which suggested that Mary was indeed a supermodel!). But for this past generation . . . the Josh McDowell generation if you will . . . has picked apart all the reasons why he (Jesus) is the Son of God. And this process has been systematically proven with much evidence. Because of this, we have lost a lot of this postmcdowell generation with all these answers. It gets tricky because this postmcdowell generation believes that there are no absolutes or that you cannot be absolutely sure there are any absolutes (even though absolutes may exist, they choose not to believe it). And I think that because of all this evidence and extensive research (even though some of it may be true), this postmcdowell generation has in some ways chosen to turn away from Jesus because in their minds too many Christians have all the right answers and are claiming too many absolutes regarding Jesus. This has given us the ability to not have to say, “I don’t know,” something that many Christians don’t like to say. And many people who aren’t Christians want to hear if we can say it.
But what about the Holy Spirit?
I like spiritual things. I like spiritual people. I like them because I know we are on the same journey. We both know that there is something bigger than us. I see this excitement about a lot of spiritual things and spiritual people . . . like Buddhist, Kabbalah, Yoga, witchcraft, etc. But it doesn’t seem like there is much excitement about Christianity. Why??? It does not make sense to me because I feel like Christianity has so many of the same elements as Buddhist, Kabbalah, or Yoga or even witchcraft for that matter. But what makes Christians different is that in our recent past, we have adopted a much more Western approach to life . . . to truth, whereas these spiritual ways that I have just mentioned are much more Eastern in their approach to life . . . to truth. I think this excitement is due in large because of the mystery that comes with Kabbalah, Buddhist, Yoga, and Witchcraft (to name a few). With these spiritual people there is a sense that in one’s life, you may never know it all or have it all figured out, but you will try. You will search your soul to discover peace…people like peace. They don’t have to give you all the right answers. They are in a sense kindred spirits with other people who are on the same journey. And so when they encounter a Christian who has it all figured out, who knows all the right answers, and can prove to you without a reasonable doubt that Jesus raised from the dead or that he was born of a virgin (to name a few), it rubs these spiritual people the wrong way because they know just as well as anyone else that we (Christians) can’t possibly know everything. And so they write us off and that means that they have written Jesus off...
So what about the Holy Spirit?
What if the Holy Spirit is the key to this next generation of spiritual creatures? What if the mystery of Christianity is hidden in the Holy Spirit? What if this mystery was to our advantage to show people that Christianity doesn’t have nor have to have all the answers -- that there is so much mysticism about us? That we chase down and pursue peace with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our mind, and we do this with all our strength. Doesn’t that just sound like Christianity??? It does to me…or maybe this is just the Christianity that I want to be a part of.
I think all this means that Christians have to have a better understanding of who the Holy Spirit is in our lives. What the Holy Spirit does in our lives. Christians need to be able to hear the Holy Spirit’s voice when he speaks to us. Christians need to be able to feel comfortable praying to the Holy Spirit. Christians need to be able to identify when the Holy Spirit moves (and know that it isn't just bad take-out). For most Christians (including myself), the Holy Spirit is probably the member of the trinity that Christians know the least about. This point beckons the fact that Satan is behind that somehow . . . which then makes me think that if Satan is behind it, there has to be a reason for it -- he is up to something.
But then I also think this means that we need to be able to bring the Holy Spirit to people -- to talk about things and experiences that we know and that we have had, to share the mystery that God has in our looking to find him in new ways, and to show the mysticism of our faith as we are in relationship with God. And with that will come times where we need to celebrate our relationship with God and be able to say, “I don’t know.”
I am on this journey and wanted to know if you wanted to come along?
heart.soul.mind.
kyle diroberts
p.s. sorry for the length.
I have been thinking about the Holy Spirit a lot. There is something about this divine helper that I am attracted to. It is crazy to me that the Holy Spirit is the only member of the trinity that lives inside me, and yet often I think that I barely know him. I mean I’m pretty sure that I have felt the Holy Spirit before. But then again it could have just been some bad take-out from Flo’s (it has happened). I know that I don’t speak in tongues and that isn’t to say that I don’t believe in it. I just never have. I always have wanted to though. It seems like it would be interesting. Or at least that is what my friends say.
But I have a question for you. Do you think that the Holy Spirit has a role with this next generation? If so, I am wondering how big?
I know it is strange, but I think about the role of the Holy Spirit in this next generation. . . or whatever you may call it: the emerging culture, younger evangelical, postmodern, or perhaps post-western would be the best description for this particular topic. Nevertheless, I think the Holy Spirit is going to have a special place.
It just seems like there has been a loss or disconnect with the Western way of finding truth and absolutes, and, in its place, there has been this rise or even this celebration of discovery that seems to have its roots in a more Eastern way of finding purpose and meaning. And I think that as a Christian this leads us to a point of change. I think that the power to this change for the Christian heart.soul.mind will be the Holy Spirit.
It is interesting because when one looks at the members of the trinity, we have God the Father, the Son in Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit…the helper. Each member being God (equally) and serving each other in fellowship through different ways, making themselves very independent but yet still one (please know that as I allow my mind to be vulnerable, I am not trying to say that any of the members of trinity are less or not as important). So we have God the Father, who seems to be the Father for a few different religions . . . Jews, Christians, and Muslims. And, thus, for conversational purposes (some call this evangelism), it seems that this may or has been in the past a confusing piece for many people who are looking for and trying to discover who this God really is. In some awkward way, this gives us a little light to the idea that all roads lead to heaven . . . but this is kind of like all roads lead to God if you are a Jew, Christian, or Muslim. I could see where this would be confusing.
Then what about Jesus? For quite some time now he has been picked apart and dissected with the hope to find some disease or fallacy in his make up as the Son of God. While he may not have been attractive in appearance (Is 53) and so our hope for him to marry a supermodel might be out of the question (unless you are a believer in Dan Brown’s book about the idea that Mary Magdalene and Jesus were wed . . . and you saw The Passion of Christ by Mel Gibson . . . both of which suggested that Mary was indeed a supermodel!). But for this past generation . . . the Josh McDowell generation if you will . . . has picked apart all the reasons why he (Jesus) is the Son of God. And this process has been systematically proven with much evidence. Because of this, we have lost a lot of this postmcdowell generation with all these answers. It gets tricky because this postmcdowell generation believes that there are no absolutes or that you cannot be absolutely sure there are any absolutes (even though absolutes may exist, they choose not to believe it). And I think that because of all this evidence and extensive research (even though some of it may be true), this postmcdowell generation has in some ways chosen to turn away from Jesus because in their minds too many Christians have all the right answers and are claiming too many absolutes regarding Jesus. This has given us the ability to not have to say, “I don’t know,” something that many Christians don’t like to say. And many people who aren’t Christians want to hear if we can say it.
But what about the Holy Spirit?
I like spiritual things. I like spiritual people. I like them because I know we are on the same journey. We both know that there is something bigger than us. I see this excitement about a lot of spiritual things and spiritual people . . . like Buddhist, Kabbalah, Yoga, witchcraft, etc. But it doesn’t seem like there is much excitement about Christianity. Why??? It does not make sense to me because I feel like Christianity has so many of the same elements as Buddhist, Kabbalah, or Yoga or even witchcraft for that matter. But what makes Christians different is that in our recent past, we have adopted a much more Western approach to life . . . to truth, whereas these spiritual ways that I have just mentioned are much more Eastern in their approach to life . . . to truth. I think this excitement is due in large because of the mystery that comes with Kabbalah, Buddhist, Yoga, and Witchcraft (to name a few). With these spiritual people there is a sense that in one’s life, you may never know it all or have it all figured out, but you will try. You will search your soul to discover peace…people like peace. They don’t have to give you all the right answers. They are in a sense kindred spirits with other people who are on the same journey. And so when they encounter a Christian who has it all figured out, who knows all the right answers, and can prove to you without a reasonable doubt that Jesus raised from the dead or that he was born of a virgin (to name a few), it rubs these spiritual people the wrong way because they know just as well as anyone else that we (Christians) can’t possibly know everything. And so they write us off and that means that they have written Jesus off...
So what about the Holy Spirit?
What if the Holy Spirit is the key to this next generation of spiritual creatures? What if the mystery of Christianity is hidden in the Holy Spirit? What if this mystery was to our advantage to show people that Christianity doesn’t have nor have to have all the answers -- that there is so much mysticism about us? That we chase down and pursue peace with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our mind, and we do this with all our strength. Doesn’t that just sound like Christianity??? It does to me…or maybe this is just the Christianity that I want to be a part of.
I think all this means that Christians have to have a better understanding of who the Holy Spirit is in our lives. What the Holy Spirit does in our lives. Christians need to be able to hear the Holy Spirit’s voice when he speaks to us. Christians need to be able to feel comfortable praying to the Holy Spirit. Christians need to be able to identify when the Holy Spirit moves (and know that it isn't just bad take-out). For most Christians (including myself), the Holy Spirit is probably the member of the trinity that Christians know the least about. This point beckons the fact that Satan is behind that somehow . . . which then makes me think that if Satan is behind it, there has to be a reason for it -- he is up to something.
But then I also think this means that we need to be able to bring the Holy Spirit to people -- to talk about things and experiences that we know and that we have had, to share the mystery that God has in our looking to find him in new ways, and to show the mysticism of our faith as we are in relationship with God. And with that will come times where we need to celebrate our relationship with God and be able to say, “I don’t know.”
I am on this journey and wanted to know if you wanted to come along?
heart.soul.mind.
kyle diroberts
p.s. sorry for the length.
posted by Kyle DiRoberts at 1:26 PM
4 Comments:
K - I am so with you! - C
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Yeah really! How do you pronounce Holy Spirit?? (i deleted this exact post because i was going to copy and paste it so that i could bold Spirit, but i never did find out how to bold...h@ppy 2 be me posed the question if we should pronounce Holy Spirit as Holy SPIRIT (bold typed) or Holy Spirit. See his comment above and it should make sense)
I think that if I had to choose I would go with Holy Spirit. I would go with this because he is just as much God as the other members of the Trinity and so this term Holy I guess could be applied to the Father and the Son. Doesn’t sound as good though huh? Holy Father…Holy Jesus…actually Holy Jesus sounds like I just missed hitting some kid riding their bike in the street…or getting word that the Phoenix Suns just traded Steve Nash!
Prayer is such a tricky thing to start off with…but then you have the Father…Son…Spirit…well which one should I pray to?? This only makes prayer more confusing!
I think that we are supposed to pray to the Spirit though. Something tells me that to forget praying to the Spirit is forgetting a really big peace of prayer (to say the least). But does that then make me charismatic?? I don’t know. I do know that Paul (the apostle) speaks about the Spirit in ways that would intrigue me to want to communicate with the Spirit. Paul says, FOR THE SPIRIT SEARCHES EVERYTHING, EVEN THE DEPTHS OF GOD (I Corinthians 2:10). That is an intense statement. I mean all those times that we are wondering what God is thinking…or what we should do…the Spirit knows…not only knows but also searches.
I don’t know what I think about speaking in tongues…I really don’t. I do know that I have always wanted to speak in tongues…I honestly just think it would be fun! I did get really mad inside (okay, and outside to!) when someone once asked me if I spoke in tongues. And when I said no, they told me I wasn’t going to heaven. But with that said, I have a lot of friends that speak in tongues. A lot. And they don’t ever make me feel spiritually immature or inadequate. I am open to this gift…but the funny thing is that it isn’t even considered the most prestigious of all the gifts…It is Paul again I think in I Corinthians 14:5 that says NOW I WANT YOU ALL TO SPEAK IN TONGUES, BUT EVEN MORE TO PROPHESY. THE ONE WHO PROPHESIES IS GREATER THAN THE ONE WHO SPEAKS IN TONGUES… And for the record prophecy is a gift given by the Spirit.
kyle
In my comment above…in the second paragraph…I want to correct myself. I meant to say Holy Spirit (Bold typed) not Holy Spirit as a first and last name.
kyle
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