better than Jesus...

“It is better for you that I go away! You will be sad now, but your sadness will turn to joy. If I don’t go away you will be unable to receive my spirit. Don’t cling to me..." - Jesus

so there is 2 sides to this statement made by Jesus, prior to him leaving the earth.  if you had been following him around for the past 3 years or so, you are frustrated with him because he just spent all your time together talking about how he was "the way, the truth, and the life" and how we should all "cling" to him.  and "come follow him" etc...  and now he is saying, peace out...I gotta go...don't cling to me....?  and the other side of you is kind of curious to see what happens if he does leave.  this thought had to be in the mind of the disciples, "so Jesus, if you leave, it is better for me?  there is something in it for me?  ok - see ya later, you gotta go..."

according to scripture, Jesus was referring to the Holy Spirit.  I won't go to deep into this.  I believe in a "three in one" God.  I love God the Father, God the Son, & God the Holy Spirit.  but I am not going to try to explain the Holy Spirit....yet I want to compel us each to be open to the Holy Spirit moving in our lives.  i think many of us may have a "bad view" of the Holy Spirit, because our understanding of the Holy Spirit has been distorted by our experiences.  maybe we were a part of a church that used "the Spirit of God" as a way to control or manipulate people.  or maybe you were hurt by a spiritual leader who claimed to be "full of the Holy Ghost?"  Maybe you have seen too many main stream "moves of God" destroyed by broken marriages, sin, and deception?  whatever it is - we, myself included, shut down anything that may involve the Holy Spirit.  if that is so, I am wrong.  we are wrong.  we all in this day and age claim to be lovers of Jesus - but he said, "it is better if you don't cling to me" but rather allow my Holy Spirit to work in your life....

so where do we start?  I am not really sure, but Galatians 5 seems like a great place.  the writer refers to something called the "Fruit of the Spirit."  the idea that if God's Spirit is working in me fully - these things will be evident, "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfullnes, gentleness, and self control." 

the Bible says that when we give our lives to Christ, we are given his Spirit as a seal to keep us.  so if you follow Jesus, the Spirit of God is already living inside you.  i just encourage you to not hold anything back;  but to rather surrender yourself fully to the Holy Spirit, so that you can fully reflect the character and nature of God...