For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.

• 1 Corinthians 12:13

My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.

• John 17:20-21

“’For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body.’· The baptism with the Holy Spirit is not only a personal experience, it is an experience that makes individual Christians one in the Lord. The only way saints can meet together as one is through the baptism of the Holy Spirit, not through external organizations. The end of all divisions in work for God is when He changes fever into white-heated fervor. Oh, the foolish fever there is these days! Organizing this, organizing that-a fever of intense activity for God. What is wanted is the baptism with the Holy Spirit that will mean our Lord’s prayer in John 17 is answered: ‘that they all may be one, as you, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also maybe one in Us’ (verse 21).”

• Oswald Chambers, He Shall Glorify Me

Boilerplate

In this mini-series, we will look at Oswald Chambers’ book He Shall Glorify Me.  The first several chapters are about the Holy Spirit.

At one time, the YMCA stood for Young Men’s Christian Association.  It was a combination of a youth hostel lodging and Christian outreach.  Few YMCA have any overnight boarding allowed anymore.  The Village People hit song YMCA was the “fun staying at the YMCA.”  Note: Corrie ten Boom stayed at the YWCA whenever possible during her years of evangelism.

But these days, membership in the YMCA is all about exercise, a pool, or more than one pool, and exercise classes.  Cheaper than most gym memberships.

Oswald Chambers spent the last two years of his life training YMCA missionaries in Egypt.  Most of his books were published by his wife after his death.  She used his teaching notes and some sermons to create My Utmost for His Highest and Daily Thoughts for Disciples.  The latter is compiled from the various books published under the name of Oswald Chambers.  The chosen book is one of those used in the compilation.

Discussion

This is the second of three weeks on the work of the Holy Spirit, in broad strokes to some extent, since there is so much there.

Oswald Chambers spends some time in discussing his thoughts on Christian mysticism.  I do not follow his line of thinking very well.  Even in the paragraph that I quoted, he speaks of the only way to meet another believer is through the baptism of the Holy Spirit, not through an organization.  That is a bold statement to make when he was a missionary with the YMCA.

But there is a difference in meeting someone physically and meeting someone who is filled with the Spirit.  You are drawn toward that person like a magnet.  It is not a romantic attraction, but you want to know more about them.  You want to know what makes them tick.

Of course, you know what makes them tick, but if you are not at that stage in your journey of faith, you want to know how to get there.

I wrote into the Sunday school lesson this morning about whether it was a sin to covet self-control.  The question did not get answered, hoping people would ponder that thought.  But let’s change the verb.  It is not a sin to desire the things of God.  In fact, God delights when we get rid of worldly desires in favor of heavenly desires.

And we often desire heavenly things when we are around people that are much farther along in their Christian walk.

But we should never rely on those Christian saints that we contact on our journey as much as we rely on God.

I had a friend who would do just about anything for you with no thought of you giving back anything.  He always had a smile on his face.  Every day seemed to be the greatest day to take another breath, but then I would make a basic statement about the Christian faith, like you cannot lose your salvation.  Jesus holds tightly to those that are His.  And this fellow, who was a member in the Presbyterian church, would come back a week later with a type-written list of verses in the Bible that hint that I was wrong.  His heart was right with God, but some of his theology was off a little.  Then again, I have written before about when we each get to heaven we will be saying, “Well, I got that wrong…”  We are saved by a life-giving relationship with Jesus, not perfect theology.

I was friends with the Presbyterian wife of a Methodist minister.  Methodists believe in falling from Grace.  She asked me what I thought about someone who fell from grace after a decade of helping the poor and visiting the sick in hospitals, showing everyone that he practiced what he believed, and now suddenly he no longer believed.  My response was that the person had the head knowledge but never really had Jesus in his heart.  The outside looked good, but there was still that emptiness within.  She smiled and laughed.  “You and I know that, but my husband…  He has a good heart…”

So, while we can feel warm when around some strong believer, they may not have all the answers.  And if their answers are against Scripture, they may be a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

So, enjoy those people of like hearts.  Bask in the glow of their presence.  And desire more of Jesus so that you can be that type of person for someone else.  A beacon of light that leads to Jesus Christ.

Closing Prayer

Father, guide me.  You are within me.  You guide me all the time.  I do not listen all the time.  I have met several of your saints along my journey of faith.  I have learned from them.  I have met some charlatans along the way.  Thank You for guiding me away from them.  Their story felt compelling, but something was wrong with it.  Thank You, Holy Spirit, for giving me wisdom when needed.  There are many saints out there.  Some saints we can learn a lot from.  Other saints want to learn from us.  Help me be a better example for others.
In Thy Name I pray.
Amen

Soli Deo Gloria. Only to God be the Glory.