Holy Spirit – Kristi P. Powell

The 3 Questions – How to study the Bible

In college I had a semester long course dedicated to teaching how to study and interpret the Bible. It even had a fancy name: Hermeneutics. We were assigned difficult passages in the Old and New Testament to write papers on, explaining the text. I spent hours poring over commentaries in the eerily quiet library. I didn’t realize how privileged I was to benefit from hundreds of years of Christian teaching and tradition in those musty volumes.

Several years later, I found myself in a very different context. I lived in a country that didn’t even sell Bibles in bookstores. I couldn’t bring any of my books with me. Suddenly my Bible sat alone on the shelf. I’d relied so long on the plethora of spiritual resources that when they were taken away, I was faced with this all important question: how do I study the Bible? How do I dig in and mine the truths from the Word, understand it, treasure it, and apply it on a daily basis?

Dear friends taught me the Three Questions method of Bible study that can be done in a group or in personal study. It can be used by people who became believers this morning or those who’ve walked with Jesus for fifty years. It is simple, easy to remember, and effective.

Gold and Honey

First, take a moment to ask the Holy Spirit to reveal truth to you. Apart from the Spirit, we are dead to the Word of God (1 Cor. 2:12). Submit yourself to God and in humility ask for understanding.

Next, the text must be read. The law, testimony, and decrees of the Lord are to be more desired than fine gold, and it is sweeter than honey (Ps. 19:10). We may be in different seasons, able to devote more or less time to study, but no matter what’s going on, don’t forsake the Book. Read it. Treasure it. Meditate on it! Devotional books and apps are helpful, but Scripture must be the center of our study. Read it in your heart language, the language you think in. If the Bible hasn’t been translated into your heart language, read it in a language you understand, then write down a paraphrase of the verses you’re studying in your heart language.

It is helpful for me to write the scripture that I’m studying or meditating on. Writing helps me process the information better and it sticks with me longer. Do whatever helps you understand the Word. Read it, sing it, write it, listen to it. Abide!

3 Questions

Then we ask ourselves three questions about the text:

What does this teach us about God?
What does this teach us about Man?
How does this change me? (application)

We must always start with God. We learn about his character, attributes works, and commandments. Next, we look at Mankind, people, ourselves. The text gives us godly examples to follow, foolish examples to avoid, and truths about our innermost workings. Lastly, we apply what we learn. The Word of God should change us. We shouldn’t read, close the Bible and walk away the same as before.

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. James 1:22-25

This is a great source of accountability as well. You can share your answers to question 3 with your community group and ask them to help you grow and apply these changes in your life. It is also a great encouragement to go back and see the evidence that he has changed you by the power of his Word and Spirit!

Example

Here’s an example from one of my quiet times this week. I find it helpful to write it all down, not only to help me process, but so that I can go back and remember what God taught me.

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid” For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. Romans 11:33-36

What does this teach me about God?

He has innumerable riches, wisdom, and knowledge.
His judgements are without error and his ways are unquestioningly good.
No one can fully know and understand God’s mind.
He needs no advisors or counselors.
God doesn’t owe anybody anything.
Everything is from him, through him, and for him.
He deserves glory forever.

What does this teach me about Man?

Man’s wisdom, knowledge, and riches are finite and limited.
We shouldn’t second guess God’s plan for us. His ways are good and unsearchable.
We are not God’s counselor or advisor through prayer or otherwise.
God doesn’t owe Mankind anything but hellfire because of sin.
We must give glory to God because he is everything.

How does this change me?

I have a thankful heart.
I can rest in his wisdom and sovereignty.
I repent of my pride, that I think God owes me.
Glorify God!

I pray this is helpful for you as you walk with God! This is not the only or best way to study the Bible, but it is a method that may spur you on in your study and application of God’ s Word. My prayer for each of you reading is that God will bless you with rich, sweet times with him as you abide in him and feast on the beautiful word of God.

Guaranteed by Blood

Since I was fourteen, scribbling the first inklings of a story sparked by Tolkien’s magical tales, I dreamed of sharing my writing with the world. However the business world and publishing scared me. To this day I have no business savvy. I sent a couple chapters of a novel off to a literary agent when I was in high school and he was interested in working with me. I sent back a hasty refusal, afraid of misunderstanding the contract and getting duped.

As believers, we have the great blessing of knowing that we have a good God who is a faithful Father. We needn’t fear or worry about getting tricked or taken advantage of. He sets out his love and purpose clearly in Jesus Christ, giving us guarantees for life here and the eternity to come.

We only have these guarantees because of the life, death, and resurrection of his Son Jesus Christ. When Jesus became flesh and walked on earth, he lived a perfect life, not falling short of the glory of God like every other human being in history (Rom. 3:23). Jesus died the death we deserve and rose again to life, ascending to heaven and promising to return and usher his Kingdom in its fullness, bringing us into eternal life with him.

The Bible says that whoever believes in Jesus will not perish (John 3:16). We must confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord (surrendering our lives to him), and confess with our mouths that God raised him from the dead (Rom. 10:9). All who call upon the name of the Lord will be saved (Rom. 10:13). This is through grace and faith alone, not by works so that no one can boast (Eph. 2:8-9). This is good news for the world, the ultimate hope and joy for the believer!

Guaranteed

These guarantees are not exhaustive, nor in the order of importance. If you are a believer, read and take heart! Soak in these sweet and precious promises that were bought with the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

If you trust in Jesus, your sins are forgiven and you are saved. (John 3:16, Rom. 10:9, John 14:6, 1 John 1:9)

We are at peace with God. There is no more condemnation or shame because Jesus bore it all on the cross when he died. (Rom. 1:18, 8:1, Rom. 5:9 )

We have the Holy Spirit dwelling in us, the very Spirit of God. He will never leave us nor be taken away. (John 14:26, Eph. 1:13)

God gives us everything we need to live a godly life here on earth, though perfection will only be attained when we reach heaven. (2 Peter 1:3, 2 Timothy 2:16-17, Phil. 1:6)

God is always faithful to his people and promises. (Ps. 25:10, Deut. 32:4, Ps. 111, Is. 25:1, Lam. 3:22-23, 1 Cor. 1:9, 1 Thess. 5:24, 2 Thess. 3:3, Heb. 10:23)

After we die, we will have eternal life with God. (John 14:2-3, Rev. 7:9-17, 2 Cor. 5:1, Phil. 3:20, 1 Peter 1:4)

Amen! Glorious truths!

Not Guaranteed

Sometimes we allow our own ideas wiggle in. These are some things that we as believers may think are guaranteed, but are not, according to God’s inerrant Word.

Spouse and children – Though they are sweet and amazing gifts from God, we aren’t promised these things. God ordains, gifts, and uses single people, both in seasons and lifetimes, for his glory. He opens and closes wombs in his sovereignty and goodness.

Salvation of our family members/children – The Bible doesn’t guarantee that all of our family members will be saved, even if they are raised in a Christian home. Salvation belongs to God alone.

Safety and Security – “The safest place to be is in God’s will” is not in the Bible. God sometimes brings us to dangerous, unsafe places to display his glory to the world. A sweet sister from India told me once that her village would’ve never heard the Gospel unless Christians were obedient and went to her remote, difficult to reach region to share the good news with her people. A believer’s hope is not in security systems, safe neighborhoods, or packing heat in our holsters. Our hope is that even when things get scary, God is bigger and has a plan to use it for his glory. We shouldn’t rush into dangerous places unwittingly, but we cannot shirk obedience merely because we don’t feel safe.

Comfort – Ah, one of the devil’s most subtle, effective weapons. We are not promised comfort in this world. Fullness of joy, great hope and peace, but not comfort.

Wealth and Prosperity – Jesus said it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God (Mark 10:25). God owns all things in this world, but he isn’t in the business of lining our pockets. While wealth is a gift and blessing to use for Kingdom of God, it is not a guarantee nor proof of great faith.

Health and Healing– The Gospels are full of accounts of Jesus healing people. One of his main public ministries was healing the masses, so much so that he had to slip away to get rest! We live in a fallen world with flawed bodies that get sick and broken. God instructs us to pray for healing, but it is not guaranteed, nor is lack of healing a lack of faith. We can have all the faith in the world that God can heal us, yet he may allow the ailment to linger for his sovereign purposes. In these times we must trust him for sustaining grace and the final healing that will come when God resurrects our bodies and we are made perfect, like Christ.

Being well liked – This is a tough one for me. I love people thinking well of me. We are told to love one another like ourselves (Matt. 22:39) and to live at peace with one another as far as it depends on us (Rom. 12:18), but we are not promised to be respected and liked. In fact, Jesus warns us that we will be be hated and persecuted by the world if we follow him. (John 15:18-20).

Results from Spiritual Labor – If I mix butter, sugar, eggs, flour, baking soda, vanilla, and salt together, I get sugar cookies. Sweet, tangible results. Spiritual results are not so clear, nor are we guaranteed to see them this side of eternity. Yet God promises that he will reward the faithfulness of his people in heaven (Matt. 6:4,6,18, 10:42, Luke 6:35, Col. 3:23-24).

Thankful Hearts

I pray these guarantees (and the not guaranteed) lift your soul. We have busy lives, and its easy to skim over these sweet truths. I encourage you to read the verse references. Don’t take it from me! Bask in the beauty of God’s Word. May these guarantees fuel a heart of thankfulness for our Savior who died and rose again in order to secure them for us, for God’s great and marvelous glory!

The Pit of Despair – Part 2

When Stranger Things became somewhat of a cultural phenomenon, I broke my no horror rule and watched it. The first season was torture. Every little glimpse of the monster had me on the edge of my seat. I had nightmares a few times and stopped watching it before I went to bed. It was killing me that I didn’t know what the monster was. “Just tell me!” I begged my husband, who had already finished the season. “If I know what the monster is I can handle it!”

I felt the same way about anxiety. If I could see it, examine it, understand it, I could get over it. However the more I probed it, the greater my anxiety grew. I didn’t understand this monster and it terrified me. I’m not alone. Women seem to especially struggle with worry and anxiety. What does God have to say to women who are stalked by this beast?

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?” Matthew 6:25-27

However when I was gripped by anxiety, it seemed God was simply saying in these verses, “Don’t feel this way”. That is far from the truth! God doesn’t want us to be anxious and worried. He wants us to be dependent on him for all things and walk in joy, no matter our circumstances. Below are some nuts and bolts of leaning on God as we struggle with anxiety.

Lament and Turn

I loved the Psalms since I was a little girl, but anxiety caused me to mine from their depths deep, raw truths. David faced much pain in his life, and his psalms of lament are full of emotion, raw, and unfiltered.

How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? Psalms 13:2-3

I am weary with my moaning; every night I flood my bed with tears; I drench my couch with my weeping. My eye wastes away because of grief; it grows weak because of all my foes. Psalms 6:6-7

I could honestly pray these psalms word for word. I was right there with David in the pit. But his eyes were turned upwards. After confessing his pain, confusion, and suffering, the Psalmist reaffirms his faith in God’s character and deliverance.

But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me. Psalms 13:5-6

When we’re in the throes of anxiety, God doesn’t want us to pretend everything is ok. We can cry out to him and confess our weakness, frustration, and pleas for help. However, don’t camp out at lament. Turn to God and read his promises. His words may not feel true in that moment, but ask for faith to believe and trust that they are true.

Don’t follow your heart

Anxiety is physical. The heart racing, limb trembling, chest tightening, chill wracking beast can leap on you in the matter of second. As a woman who is wired to process things first by feeling, anxiety wrecked my baseline.

Looking back, I see God’s mercy. I relied on myself for far too long. Through anxiety, he taught me that we cannot make feelings the plumb line for our lives. Only God and his Word have that authority in the life of a believer! No matter what we feel, God’s Word is true. He’s always faithful. Read God’s promises. Memorize them. Sing them. Weep them. Plea with them. They may feel far off, but they are true. God is true to his Word and he never fails, even when we do (Psalms 73:26).

Flee to the Cross

In the end, allowing our thoughts dwell on worry and fear is a sin like any other. We are all fallen creatures, unable to attain the righteousness God requires. We’ve all fallen into the pit, stale dry bones, unable to raise ourselves out. Yet God does not leave us there. He comes down into the pit to bring us out. He breathes life into us, takes us in, mends us, restores us, and makes us his daughters. Oh, sweet, beautiful truth! We need not despair when we find ourselves wrestling with our darkest monsters. Our God is a warrior king! He sent Jesus Christ to destroy the serpent, the evil one who coaxed the rotting carcass of sin into this world. He crushes our sin through the power of his Spirit, and we are free to walk in newness of life! Amen!

In his presence

In the midst of a panic attack, my mom held me tight and rocked me like I was a child again. “You won’t feel this way forever.” She whispered. She was right, and God gives an even greater promise.

You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Psalms 16:11

Because we are daughters of God, we are given the Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:13). We are in the presence of God every moment because of this remarkable gift. In God’s presence there is fullness of joy. Does your heart swell like mine when you read that? We find fullness of joy in the midst of life’s most difficult circumstances because God is with us. Praise him!

Resources:

https://erlc.com/resource-library/articles/learning-to-lament-4-lessons-from-psalms https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/your-emotions-are-a-gauge-not-a-guide

Death Sentence

Sheep

I’d thought I was no stranger to death, but as they pinned a struggling, full grown sheep down on the tiles in the courtyard, my stomach turned. I’d barely finished my first week in North Africa when Eld Al Adha, the Holiday of Sacrifice came. Muslims around the country were killing and butchering sheep to commemorate the test of Abraham’s faith when he was commanded to sacrifice his son. I’d grown up on a hobby farm and learned early on that animals were a utility and not pets. We’d slaughtered chickens and turkeys, we sent our sheep to the butcher to meet their demise. But this…

The wooly creature let out a weak cry as the man of the house took small knife, deadly sharp, and uttered a blessing in Arabic. I still cringe as I remember the sound it made, slicing through the jugular vein, carotid artery and windpipe. The sheep struggled briefly, gave one last gurgling cry, then lay silent. Dead.

Death is ugly. It’s dark. You may have met death second hand as it took a loved one, or as it threatened you with disease or an accident. No matter where we find it, it’s abhorrent, and rightly so. Death came as a result of sin and the Fall. However Paul uses the analogy of death to help us understand what to do with our native, wretched flesh. Two words. Kill. It.

So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die, Romans 8:12

Have you ever been in debt (or are currently)? Remember making all the payments, shackled to the debt until it’s paid in full? Apart from Christ we are under the same slavery to our sin. But my sweet sisters take heart! We are no longer debtors to the flesh. God paid our debts and freed us from the shackles to sin. We are no longer are slaves, but beloved daughters of the King! Praise God!

If we live by the flesh…giving into our sinful thoughts, desires, and actions, we will die. But God doesn’t just give a death sentence. He gives us the means to overcome the flesh.

but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. Romans 8:13

What powerful, sweet words! God gives us the exact blueprint to we need to kill our sin.

“If” This is conditional. You have a choice, a part to play. It won’t happen by itself. It requires action!
“by the Spirit” What weapon does God put in our hands? The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Eph. 6:17)! We can’t kill our sin on our own. By the Spirit is the only way we can put to death our flesh. Trying harder and doing more won’t cut it.
“put to death the deeds of the body” There’s a reason Paul uses such vivid language. Execution is brutal. It’s fatal, and our flesh is fighting tooth and nail to stay alive. Go to radical lengths to kill your sin! Do whatever it takes to walk in the light.
“you will live” Ah! Sweet promise! Like a rush of fresh air amid the carnage of battle. You will live. Jesus said he came so that we’d have abundant life (John 10:10). As his Spirit works to put to death our flesh, he gives us abundant life to live right now, with freedom and joy as we run our race (Heb. 12:1).

Sister, are you harboring a secret sin? If you, through the power of the Spirit don’t kill it, it will kill you. Don’t listen to the lies of the tempter, the hiss of rationalization and pride. Don’t hide away your sin in the dark places of your heart. Shine the light of the gospel on it! Confess it, repent and turn from it, then seek out a sister for accountability. Don’t continue to live according to the flesh. Step into the light! Romans 8:1 is a beautiful promise for messed up people like us. “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Amen!

There is a delicate tension between the two ideas that we must actively strive to put our sin to death, and only the Holy Spirit has the power to actually kill our flesh. In Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan, a beautiful analogy is given.

CHRISTIAN: Here is a poor burdened sinner who comes from the City of Destruction. But more importantly, I am going to Mount Zion [the Celestial City], so that I may be delivered from the wrath to come. Therefore sir, since I have been informed that the way to my destination is through this Gate, I would like to know if you are willing to let me enter.

GOOD-WILL: I am willing with all my heart. (And at that he immediately opened the Gate.)

Now as Christian was stepping through the Gate, he was quite surprised when suddenly, Good-will pulled him through.

Christian, the pilgrim on his journey to the Celestial City, is passing through the narrow gate, the moment of his salvation. He steps through willingly, but he doesn’t come in on his own strength. He is pulled through by the gatekeeper, Good Will, portraying Jesus Christ. What a beautiful picture of the balance between God’s sovereign power and our own feeble work. We must desire and strive to kill our sin to attain holiness at any cost. Yet, it is only the power of God that pulls us through and accomplishes it. Only God gets the glory from such a transaction, which is precisely his aim in creating us!

Mind Wars

Are you kidding me? I stared down at the overflowing trash that had been full when I’d left the house the day before. One year into marriage and it finally happened…a garbage showdown. I huffed in frustration as I stuffed all the loose garbage inside and tied up the bag, hauling it to the dumpster downstairs. I have to do everything around here. Grumble grumble grumble.

Enter flesh. Writers in the Bible refer to flesh in two ways, firstly as the literal term, the physical substance of bodies, and secondly, in spiritual terms, as sinful impulses. Paul says in Galatians 5:19-21,

Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

You and I, like all mankind, are full of sin, fallen, unclean, and our desires are wicked and selfish. “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Rom. 3:23. Our biggest immediate and eternal problem is a sin problem. Paul laments in Rom. 7:24, “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?”

Thanks be to God! To him belongs salvation! God sent his Son Jesus to live a perfect life, die the death we deserve, and was raised again, defeating sin and death. By faith in his sacrifice alone our sins can be forgiven and we can be at peace with God. We can be new creations (2 Cor. 5:17). Our hearts of stone can be replaced with a heart of flesh (Ez. 36:26), dead to sin and alive to Christ (Rom. 6:11).

However, even as believers, we’re not completely free of our sin nature. Paul says in Romans 7:18,

For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.

I relate so well to this. I don’t want to keep returning to my sinful habits, but I do. Over and over. However God doesn’t want us stuck in our endless cycles of sin! Paul reveals two competing forces…our flesh and the Spirit of God.

For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. Romans 8:5-8.

The key action to living, either by the flesh or by the Spirit is “setting your mind”. Our minds are set on the flesh automatically. We don’t have to think about it, it’s where our preset it. Setting your mind on the Spirit, however, is foreign, literally unthinkable to the carnal flesh. It takes effort. It takes discipline.

What is your mind set on? Do a quick inventory of your daily thoughts. Did you start this morning by tapping your facebook or instagram app, or your Bible? Are you meditating on God’s Word, or the latest episode of your favorite TV show? In the hectic moments of the day do you bank on getting a break, or rest in the promises of God that he is enough? In the quiet moments of the day, do you reach for distraction instead of prayer? If you’re anything like me, you’ve allowed your mind to fall back on the flesh half a dozen times in the first half hour of the day! But take heart, sisters!

You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you. Romans 8:9-11

What good news! If you follow Jesus, you have the Holy Spirit. You are in the Spirit and the Spirit dwells in you. Let that sink in a moment. The Spirit of God lives in you! You can’t live in sin and darkness with the very Spirit of the One who raised Jesus from the dead in you. God gives us life through the Spirit and it is only through the power of the Spirit that our sin is put to death.

A word of caution, sisters. In our walk with the Lord, we mustn’t be disillusioned with aspirations of reaching perfection this side of eternity. Even Paul, an Apostle and author of the majority of the New Testament, admitted that he wasn’t there yet.

Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:12-14

We pursue holiness because Christ has given us his. We seek righteousness because Christ has clothed us in his. We don’t strive for holiness in order to obtain salvation, but because we are saved, we seek to become more like Christ, setting our minds on the Spirit and killing our sin by his power. And one day, on the last day, we will be presented spotless and without blemish as the Bride of Christ to our great God! To him be the glory!

Application:

Ask God to reveal sin in your life. Confess, repent, and seek accountability, a sister who will ask hard question and walk by the Spirit with you.
Take courage from the truth in Romans 8:1. “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Don’t let the guilt and shame of repented sin drag behind you. Walk in the knowledge that you are perfect and blameless in God’s sight if indeed you are his daughter.