In 2018 Passover and Easter are very close together. These are past post on the topics.
Holy Week– Palm Sunday
God said, “Let there be Light.” The Light was good.
Prophets said, “The Light is coming.”
Mary said, “Let Your Light shine in me.”
Jesus said, “Let them be light.” Then bleed for us.
Holy Spirit said, “Time for the Light to shine.” Little flames appeared, and the Church was born.
Church said, “Let the Light spread.” The Gospel glowed; the world saw Believers.
Believers said, “Let me be the light so they can see Jesus in all I do.”
Paul, as the Apostle to the Gentiles, is responsible for many of the Books of the New Testament. Because of all of the different Churches, his circumstances, and the various needs of the people, he addresses many topics. He likes to list things in his writings, and we love to form our beliefs around those lists. But he does vary those lists according to the Churches/people he is writing too. In this post I want to explore two topics he lists and how they are related. The topics are: 1. “Armor” 2. “Faith, Hope, Love”. I have previously written post on these topics, so if you want to see them they are: Faith, Hope, and Love; Putting On.
I think it would be safe to say that Paul’s habit of listing things has its foundations in the Old Testament. One that he expounds on for this study is Isaiah 59: 17. Isaiah is stating that the Lord was displeased because no one intervened for the sake of justice, so He clothed Himself with righteousness, salvation, vengeance, and zeal. We love to use Ephesians 6: 14 as the Armor of God that we are to put on, but Paul uses the idea of armor and “putting on” in other Letters. I think we focus on this one because it is a more complete list, and who does not want to be dressed up in armor!
1 Corinthians 13: 13 is our favorite verse for faith, hope, and love. This in part is due to the beautiful explanation of love, and maybe because he uses the word “greatest.”
In 1 Thessalonians 5: 8 Paul brings these two themes together; faith and love are the breastplate with hope of salvation as the helmet. In 1 Thessalonians 1:3 faith is paired with works; love prompts labor; and endurance is from hope in Jesus.
He weaves faith, hope, and love together in Colossians 1:4+5 with what is stored for us in heaven. Changing ideas slightly, Colossians 3:12 uses the idea of “clothe yourself” with a list that sounds like the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5: 22.
To keep this mix going, in Romans 13:11 – 14 Paul tells us to “put on the armor of light” and “clothe yourself” with Jesus in order to “put off” deeds of darkness, which are listed.
Trying to “split hairs” over these lists is not in the spirit of Paul’s writings, and it would be better to combine all of these various thoughts to get the big picture/message. One “big picture” I saw in doing this post is from 1 Thessalonians 5: 8 faith and love covers your heart, and hope covers your mind.
Hypoventilation can be a serious organic problem in some people, it however is NOT respiratory arrest, when you stop breathing. Hypoventilation is when you are not breathing enough, and it causes an increase in carbon dioxide levels in your blood. Very simply put your gas exchange is out of balance.
There can be several causes:
So, with respect to the people who have an organic problem, I will still attempt to show spiritual hypoventilation. In spiritual hypoventilation you may have had your nervous system compromised. You could have been betrayed and hurt so you withhold what Jesus has called you to give to the world. I will compare “drugs” to wrong teaching or your misunderstanding the finished work of Jesus on the cross. If you have trained yourself to not “give out”, please stop and at least go voluntary somewhere so your light may shine for Jesus.
To compare Hypoventilation and Hyperventilation both center around carbon dioxide. It is something that we need to give back to the world. In a spiritual context both of these are correctable, but you will need to examine your actions.
Thought for the Day
Take in more of the Holy Spirit, and then give it out again.
Acts 8:5 Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ. (See Acts 6:5) NIV
Hyperventilation is when you are breathing in more than you are exhaling, throwing your blood gases out of balance. This can be serious, but in non-chronic cases it is treatable. The problem here is that you have more oxygen than carbon dioxide. Yes, you need oxygen to live. Yes, carbon dioxide is a “waste product” and too much is a problem. But you are designed to have a balance – the “in” has to be in harmony with the “out.”
If I may view this in a spiritual sense. Oxygen is the Holy Spirit. Carbon dioxide is what we give back to the world (it is needed for plants to grow). If Christians are only taking in the things of God, and never giving back what we receive to the world it is a problem.
You are depriving the world of something it needs, but the bigger problem is it will make you sick! Webmd.com list some of the physical problems as being lightheaded (faint), heartbeat with be incorrect, short of breath, and numbness. Personally, I do not want the spiritual counterparts of any of those.
Our remedy for this is found in Matthew 10:8 – Jesus tells us here to give freely because it was freely given to you. And a bonus about giving (yourself, your knowledge and love of Jesus, time, money, etc.) is in Proverbs 11:24; the more you give, you will receive more back.
Staying healthy spiritual and not hyperventilating requires a balance between getting and giving. Philip is an example of this, he was full of faith and the Holy Spirit and he went to Samaria and gave.
∞ Jesus, thanks for being our example in “giving.” Help us to not hyperventilate so we can give out what you have given us. Amen.
Thought for the Day
To be a healthy Christian give the things you have been given.
https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/tc/hyperventilation-topic-overview#1
