I don't know if Lion wants me to post this yet or not, but if he doesn't he can just delete it if he likes.
Again I would like to say thanks to everyone who participated - this lesson was made with all of you in mind.
Here goes.
Jesus more than a Lord; a friend.
Jesus is much, much more than our Lord; he is our good friend. And, like a good friend, will always be strong for us and will help us when we are struggling. Of course, we must understand some struggles are just a test of faith, and so we must be sure to pass them! We also must understand that some of the struggles we will face in life are simply to teach us endurance, and we must turn them into positive elements and not let them get us down – be strong and humble and do not get upset at life’s challenges. The reason I say that Jesus is a great friend and Lord to us is because he gives us the attention and concern a friend can offer, and has the authority of a Lord over his own land.
A Spiritual friendship
Next I would like to talk about the spiritual relationships you have amongst your friends, and Jesus Christ. You see, some of you will have special friendships with people that go beyond our physical bodies. I believe that our spirits also communicate and have friendships with each other. I believe this is why you get along better with some people than others and also why you naturally like people you haven’t even met yet or don’t really know, but rather someone you just saw at the bank, the store, across the street, or doing a familiar hobby that you like doing such as riding bikes, paint-balling, …or playing Warcraft. I think that the reason someone waved at you earlier this week during school, church, whenever and wherever is because their spiritual self likes you - and so you should take joy in that, and wave back! Some of you have grown to be my good friends, and I do believe that we have a certain relationship that I can only describe as phenomenal and spiritual.
Spirits – Who has them, what are they, and how do they work?
Thirdly, I would like to discuss who has spirits, what they are, and how they impact our lives and more importantly those around us. The bible says to test the spirits of men to see whether they are good or evil. A good spirit, in this verse, I believe, does not necessarily mean a man is Christian, but instead that he has a natural inclination to do good to others. Have you ever met a friend who is not an evil person, but who is not a Christian either? I believe that friend has a “good” spirit. Of course, no good spirit should be condemned or forgotten, so urge and lead them to follow Christ. We must be “a light to the world” (Matt 5:14) so let your friends look at you and see that light, and then bring out the light and good in them. Now for my second question - what are our spirits? I believe that everyone is born with a spirit, whether they are holy, wicked, or otherwise unknowing of the teachings of Christ. These spirits reflect our attitudes and personalities; our character (in fact, if you look up any of these words in a thesaurus it should list a spirit as a synonym). Our spirit is the very essence of who we are, and is usually the purist example of us. And now for the final question, how do spirits work? Firstly we must understand that the Spirit of God is always at work in our lives and in those around us. When we become a Christian (and I believe even before then) the Holy Spirit becomes interwoven in our lives so that we are now part of a larger ‘community’ of friends and loved ones. One of the coolest things I find in a spiritual relationship is the ability to fellowship with those friends; a spiritual friendship is the strongest bond you can have between yourself and another. And, of course, our spirit does not come without strengths and benefits: I feel that one advantage believers have over non-believers is that of understanding, and in fact Job 32:8 says this: “But it is the spirit in a man, the breath of the Almighty, that gives him (that’s us!) understanding.” A fruitful spirit will exhibit “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22). Galatians 5:24 and 25 goes on to say that “those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”
Again I would like to say thanks to everyone who participated - this lesson was made with all of you in mind.
Here goes.
Jesus more than a Lord; a friend.
Jesus is much, much more than our Lord; he is our good friend. And, like a good friend, will always be strong for us and will help us when we are struggling. Of course, we must understand some struggles are just a test of faith, and so we must be sure to pass them! We also must understand that some of the struggles we will face in life are simply to teach us endurance, and we must turn them into positive elements and not let them get us down – be strong and humble and do not get upset at life’s challenges. The reason I say that Jesus is a great friend and Lord to us is because he gives us the attention and concern a friend can offer, and has the authority of a Lord over his own land.
A Spiritual friendship
Next I would like to talk about the spiritual relationships you have amongst your friends, and Jesus Christ. You see, some of you will have special friendships with people that go beyond our physical bodies. I believe that our spirits also communicate and have friendships with each other. I believe this is why you get along better with some people than others and also why you naturally like people you haven’t even met yet or don’t really know, but rather someone you just saw at the bank, the store, across the street, or doing a familiar hobby that you like doing such as riding bikes, paint-balling, …or playing Warcraft. I think that the reason someone waved at you earlier this week during school, church, whenever and wherever is because their spiritual self likes you - and so you should take joy in that, and wave back! Some of you have grown to be my good friends, and I do believe that we have a certain relationship that I can only describe as phenomenal and spiritual.
Spirits – Who has them, what are they, and how do they work?
Thirdly, I would like to discuss who has spirits, what they are, and how they impact our lives and more importantly those around us. The bible says to test the spirits of men to see whether they are good or evil. A good spirit, in this verse, I believe, does not necessarily mean a man is Christian, but instead that he has a natural inclination to do good to others. Have you ever met a friend who is not an evil person, but who is not a Christian either? I believe that friend has a “good” spirit. Of course, no good spirit should be condemned or forgotten, so urge and lead them to follow Christ. We must be “a light to the world” (Matt 5:14) so let your friends look at you and see that light, and then bring out the light and good in them. Now for my second question - what are our spirits? I believe that everyone is born with a spirit, whether they are holy, wicked, or otherwise unknowing of the teachings of Christ. These spirits reflect our attitudes and personalities; our character (in fact, if you look up any of these words in a thesaurus it should list a spirit as a synonym). Our spirit is the very essence of who we are, and is usually the purist example of us. And now for the final question, how do spirits work? Firstly we must understand that the Spirit of God is always at work in our lives and in those around us. When we become a Christian (and I believe even before then) the Holy Spirit becomes interwoven in our lives so that we are now part of a larger ‘community’ of friends and loved ones. One of the coolest things I find in a spiritual relationship is the ability to fellowship with those friends; a spiritual friendship is the strongest bond you can have between yourself and another. And, of course, our spirit does not come without strengths and benefits: I feel that one advantage believers have over non-believers is that of understanding, and in fact Job 32:8 says this: “But it is the spirit in a man, the breath of the Almighty, that gives him (that’s us!) understanding.” A fruitful spirit will exhibit “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22). Galatians 5:24 and 25 goes on to say that “those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”
