Welcoming the Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:20)

It's been a busy week preparing for our "Christmas in the Real World" program this Sunday, so I've been late posting the sermon.
Living by the Spirit everyday as God's church ought to be the "norm" in Christian life, but sadly, we--both as individuals and as local churches--often operate in the dark by our own power.
How can we learn to hear and obey the Spirit?  It begins with believing that God still speaks...

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Let the Fire Burn (1 Thessalonians 5:19)

I think most people would like a close relationship with God.  It's just that they are not sure how to get there or even if they are really invited.  Most of us who would say we have a relationship with God are not really sure how to hear when he speaks to us.

The missing element here is to understand God's gift of the Holy Spirit.  The reason Jesus came, died, rose, and ascended was to reconcile us to God and to give us this relationship we can enjoy through the Spirit.  How do we take hold of this gift?  Paul writes, "Don't put out the Spirit's fire" (or "Do not quench the Spirit.")  This week, we talked about three "fires" to protect if we want the Spirit burning brightly in our lives.

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