Month: June 2017

The Holy Spirit and Humble Leadership

“But there is one thing that has power completely, and that is love.  Because when a man loves, he seeks no power, and therefore he has power…. I have one great fear in my heart, that one day when they are turned to loving, they will find we are turned to hating.” – Theophilus Msimangu, Cry, The Beloved Country

The Spirit of the Lord shall rest on him,

The spirit of wisdom and understanding,

The spirit of counsel and might,

The spirit of knowledge and fear of the Lord.

His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. – Isaiah 11:2-3

These verses are the hinge that Isaiah’s prophecy hangs – that which changes everything in Israel’s world of exploitation, greed and war. It’s the Spirit of the Lord that makes the difference.

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Everyone has a Story

This week’s lesson from 2 Chronicles 15: 1-7 seems especially obscure and challenging. Yet, I think we can find some nuggets to share with our class.So far this month, we’ve determined that:
  • God’s Spirit (God’s Ruach, his breath) is in everyone.  Not everyone is aware of God’s Spirit’s presence – a part of salvation is the awareness that God is in us.
  • God’s Spirit can speak into a community through leaders and community members alike, to help give direction and identity to the people of God.
  • God’s Spirit is absolutely necessary in hearing and responding to God’s call.

So, in today’s scripture from 2 Chronicles 15:1-7, we find the first and last mention of Azariah, son of Oded.  Azariah has a message for Asa, King of Judah, and the people of Judah.  Simply put, if you’re with God, then God will be with you.  If you’re not with God, God will not be found.  While God could be understood as temperamental or this message could be interpreted as an “earn your salvation” theology, we know there must be more to this. After all, if this was literally the way God behaved, what hope would anyone have?

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When the Spirit Pushes Us Out of Our Comfort Zone

Question:  When / How Does the Spirit Speak to the Community of HRBC?  Numbers 11

The scripture lesson for this week, taken alone, will be hard to discuss at any length and then to apply without some further context around the scene. Yet, with some work this scripture is applicable and exciting for us as individuals and as a congregation celebrating our 53rd Heritage Day on Sunday. Stick with me and you will see why:

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