“That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets. No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us. When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths. But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means. Those who are spiritual can evaluate all things, but they themselves cannot be evaluated by others. For, “Who can know the Lord’s thoughts? Who knows enough to teach him?” But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ.”
1 Corinthians 2:9-16 NLT For many years I have heard verse 9 (the first verse of today's selected text) quoted or referred to as about heaven. However, after reading the scripture one day I saw the context of this verse. This is not a reference to heaven. The reference is in the context of understanding things that can be known in the spiritual realm. The natural (carnal, fleshly, sinful man) cannot discern the things that God wants to reveal to us. Only by the Holy Spirit will God reveal things to those who are His children. Verse 10 declares that God reveals the deep and secret things to us by His Spirit. The lost man cannot see things that the Spirit filled believer can see. The lost man cannot hear things that the Spirit filled believer can hear. The lost man cannot know the unction of the Holy Spirit within. There are so many things that God wants us to know about Himself and His creation. Only when we submit ourselves to Him in salvation, allow Him to grow us in His Word, and walk in submission to the Holy Spirit will we begin to understand life as it is intended. The natural logic, reasoning, and intellectual analysis of the world cannot grasp the meaning of life, its origin, it's absolute dignity and sanctity, or anything else in it's God given context. Without a transformation that comes from the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of a yielded believer a man remains nothing more than an intellectual barbarian. The Spirit filled believer is the one who can live life to the fullest. The reason is simple. The Holy Spirit reveals, inspires, and illuminates things to us that we cannot know or understand in the natural. I want to live a Sprit filled life. I want to see things like God sees them, hear things like God hears them, think things like God thinks, speak things as God would speak, and live like God would live. Simply put: I want to live like Jesus! He is the absolute epitome of the Spirit filled life. I am not Jesus, nor will I ever be. He is Lord!!! However, I am His ambassador! I want to represent Him well in this dark world in which we sojourn. I don't want to simply exist, I want to live my life as a born again, blood washed, Spirit filled, scripture instructed disciple!! Nothing less is satisfying to my soul! “Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.” 1 John 2:6 NLT Prayer for today: Father, in the name of Your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, baptize me in Your Holy Spirit! Live through me as a vessel of honor to Your Great Name! May I see, hear, understand, and live the way You would! Curtis R. Norris
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March 2020
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