And the Holy Spirit, Too

So many times I’ve wished I had more help in my life, to ditch a bad habit (I’ve had lots of those, and still have some) or just be happier. Although I hope your life is

Disaster Relief for the Saints

As we've all seen in the news, there are multiple natural disasters hitting our hemisphere, not counting those in other parts of the world. I hope you're praying about those, for relief and God's grace on those affected. This world is not yet done with its "bondage

The Holy Discomfort?

Jesus promised the Holy Spirit, starting in John 14, and I have taken a lot of comfort down through the years that he uses the term "The Comforter." There have been lots of times in my life I've needed someone to comfort me! (Could I hear an amen?) Well, that word is in the

Jesus: Expert Consultant

The Lovely Joanne, in her systems-auditing business, sometimes visits client companies that have very complex manufacturing processes.  Sometimes she hires
an expert consultant to come in and handle the more technical parts of the visit.  That consultant has a high standard of training and experience, and knows whether the client is performing the proper tasks, and whether they're doing them properly.

How about you and me?  At home, sometimes we have to call a trained plumber or electrician for repairs we can't do on our own.  But when we run into trouble with relationships, what can we do?  I'll admit it -- my first reaction as a human is to get tense, blame it all on the other person and keep finding more reasons he or she is at fault.  That doesn't work well in my marriage, nor in any other relationship I have.  I need help!  Likely, so do you.  (There are important times when we need to call on trained human counselors who can give us specific tools for understanding others and responding to them, but right now, let's focus on what God has given us in himself.)

Rather than giving you "Three Simple Keys to Better Relationships" let me point you to Jesus himself. Jesus is the "Expert Consultant on Relationships" whom we can call in for help.  Let's look at his credentials, in the book of Hebrews.  Jesus:

• Is "the champion who initiates and perfects our faith" (12:2)
• Is the high priest "who is able to empathize with our weaknesses; and was tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin" (4:15)
• Had to endure "hostility...from sinful people" (12:3)
• Is the One who could, once and for all, "remove sin by his own death as a sacrifice" (9:26)

Jesus is the only one who is fully God and fully man. He knows the heart of God for us, and he knows human weaknesses.  He is the only one who can help us through every mess we get ourselves into.  The Holy Spirit, the mind of Christ Jesus promised, "will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you."  What is the mind of Christ that the Holy Spirit teaches and reminds us of? It's love and forgiveness toward the other person, giving and forgiving -- even while enduring "hostility from sinful people" just as he did. 

As I said, my first reaction is to defend myself and blame the other person.  I have to stop and ask Jesus to help me see the other person from his viewpoint, not my own.  Jesus helps me see the person he loves, not the person I'm upset with.  Jesus gives me his compassion and forgiveness, and helps me learn how to give it away freely.  Jesus is my "Expert Consultant on Relationships" and I call him in a lot.  If you need that same help, I can highly recommend him.  Give him a call -- why not right now?

Parakletos: Helping Alongside

Most of us have helped someone pick up something bulky or heavy. And when life itself is too heavy or awkward for us to handle alone, it's a blessing to have someone come alongside and help.

Jesus had been walking with the disciples for three years or so. He had been their teacher, encourager, and leader. He had taught them about the Father, about his work on the cross for our salvation, and many other topics. But he was about to leave them, and so he promised, in John 14:16, "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you."

Here, to describe the Holy Spirit, Jesus uses the word 'parakletos'. That's a Greek word with no exact equivalent in English, but its usages in Greek literature include 'advocate,' such as in a court of law; 'counselor;' and 'comforter'. Some translations use the word "Encourager" or "Helper" to describe the concept Jesus was using, and those are okay too.

Jesus also used the word "another" here -- and the Greek word he used means "another of the same kind" not "another thing, something different." So even though he had to leave, he wasn't going to leave them alone; in fact in verse 18, he says "I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you."

Whenever the disciples got confused or afraid, they turned to Jesus for answers and help. Since he wasn't going to be with them bodily from then on, Jesus reassured them that the comfort, help and answers would still be with them. And as we read on in the New Testament, we see many times where the Holy Spirit spoke the mind of God to the church. We see the church gathering to pray and ask for assistance (Acts 1:14, 4:23-31, 12:12, 13:1-3, etc) and we see God answering their prayers by giving them understanding, instruction and encouragement by the Holy Spirit.

That same Holy Spirit lives in Christians today. We have Someone who will come alongside of us when life is too heavy, too bulky and too difficult for us (and that's pretty often, isn't it?). We are led, comforted, encouraged and instructed by His mind in us. We get to have the "mind of Christ" (2 Corinthians 2:16) so we can know "What would Jesus do?" and have the courage and faith to do it.

We don't have to travel the road alone, and we don't have to wonder if God will help us. He already has, and he always will: "...another Advocate, who will never leave you." Isn't that comforting, all by itself?