Scripture and the Holy Spirit

I saw a picture of a famous singer on the front of a magazine earlier tonight in the supermarket. When I first looked at it the thing that came to mind was, "Wow, they've really whored her out." The next thing that came to mind was that she knows nothing about the love of God, and so she is trying her best to fill up that empty spot inside with as many of this world's offerings as possible. The scripture tells us that "the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost," and Jesus said that all who believe on him would be filled with the same holy Ghost (Rom. 5:5; Jn. 7:38,39). There simply is nothing that this world can offer or give that can make the heart and soul complete, regardless of what you put in or how much of it you get. The empty spot that everyone feels, and tries to fill one way or another, is in fact the severed union with our maker that resulted from our common father's fall from grace in the garden of Eden (Rom. 5:12; I Cor. 15:22). The truth is, one only gets emptier if they continue to shovel the delusive dreams and ambitions of this world into their heart and into their life. Countless people who have 'made it big' have proven over time that no amount of anything that this dying world can give you can provide peace, or contentment, or any real happiness with it. You would think that people would see that and not be fooled by the grand illusion, but the truth is if our heart is not anchored in the love, and peace, and holiness of God; there's not much defense against falling for the empty lies of this world. No wonder the scriptures admonish us to "put on the whole armour of God, that [we] may be able to stand against the wiles [tricks] of the devil" (Eph. 6:11).

The devil is an absolute liar, and he wants people to believe that they can have security and joy in the things of this world. The scriptures say otherwise: "Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased; For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away: his glory shall not descend after him. Though while he lived he blessed his soul: and men will praise thee, when thou doest well to thyself. He shall go to the generation of his fathers; they shall never see light. Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish" (Psm. 49:16-20). If we are of the mindset that any amount of anything in this world can give us security and peace of mind, then surely we "understand not," and are "like the beasts that perish." Anyone who is falling for that trick is being persuaded by the chief trickster, because it is he who "savours not the things that be of God, but those that be of men" (Mat. 16:23). Our calling is to the contrary of what Satan would have us to believe about our lives in this world: "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God" (Col. 3:1,2). God wants us to have good things in this life and world, but he wants us to also have BETTER things in him! If we abide in his love and that is where we love to be, we will have enough spiritual sense to know how much of this world is enough. If we do not abide in his love then we will fall for the same old song and dance that this world falls for, one way or the other. I don't know about you, but I've tried and proven both sides of that coin, and I choose to cast my lot with Jesus. After all, he certainly cast his lot for and with us. Amen.