Week 6: Living by the Guidance of the Holy Spirit

The reading plan for this week is as follows:

* Sunday (epistles): Romans 11-12
* Monday (the Law): Genesis 20-23
* Tuesday (history): Judges 1-6
* Wednesday (psalms): Psalms 15-17
* Thursday (poetry): Job 11-12
* Friday (prophecy): Isaiah 29-33
* Saturday (gospels): Matthew 14-16

To truly understand what Paul is saying in Romans 11 (and the preceding chapters 9 & 10 as well), we have to read Abraham's account in Genesis 21 (and Gen.15 & 17). Abraham was the founding father of the nation of Israel. God had promised Abraham the land of Israel, and descendents. We've seen the promise of receiving the land being fulfilled 400 years after Abraham, in the account of Joshua that we finished last week.

The promise of receiving descendents we see fulfilled in Genesis 20, where Isaac is born. Isaac became the father of Jacob (whom God gave the name 'Israel'), who became the father of 12 sons -- who became the 12 tribes of Israel. God always keeps his promises! And that's why in Romans 11 we read that He will keep his promise with Israel. He's not done with them yet. There will come a day when the nation of Israel will accept Jesus as their Messiah. They too will receive the Holy Spirit to guide them at that point.

In the book Judges -- which we start this week -- we see what happens when the spirit is not their to guide the people of Israel.

Scripture
Judges 2:10-11: "After that generation died, another generation grew up who did not acknowledge the LORD or remember the mighty things he had done for Israel. Then the Israelites did what was evil in the LORD's sight and worshipped the images of Baal."

Observation
The people of Israel obeyed God under the leadership of Joshua and the elders who had seen God's miracles when leading them out of Egypt and through the dessert for 40 years. When this generation passed away, the new generation did not stand up and take spiritual leadership. Instead, they reverted to their evil ways, disobeying the LORD, and worshipping the idols of the land.

Application
This passage is a great warning for me personally, but really for all of us. We need to let the Holy Spirit guide us in our daily lives. We can do that through the leadership of elders in our church and/or other mature Christians who deeply know and love the LORD. We can do that through reading of the scriptures. And we can do that through prayer. If we don't do this, we will become like the Israelites and revert back to our old nature, oftentimes worshipping the idols of our culture. Idols such as money, self-centeredness, comfort, addictions, entitlement, etc. If, on the other hand, we release control to God, and let His spirit guide us, we are focused on his will for our lives, and we're focused on others and building them up.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, please forgive us when we fall short by not letting your Holy Spirit guide and empower us. Please fill us with your spirit each day and each hour of each day, to live fruitful lives for you. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Read Romans 12 several times this week, to hear Paul's instruction of what it truly means to live a life guided by the Holy Spirit.

Have a great week.
In Him,

Dick