Live in The Spirit

To do the will of God

I delight to live in the Spirit. It is the life knowing that God is great and that Jesus as Lord. Christians live in the Spirit when they fulfill the strong desires that the Spirit produces in them to do God’s will, through faith in Jesus. It is a joy to do the things that we were made to do for God’s glory! Only God knows how each one of us fits in the body to accomplish His plans where we are at this time. Even a desire from the Spirit to explore a trail in the mountains is not insignificant.

Adventure in the Spirit

I felt this calling to go into the mountains and looked for the right time. On Tuesday, February 26th, I got up and Lida said, are you going to the mountains? Not certain. I got dressed and went outside to feed the chickens. It was a very foggy morning and the sight of a couple of beautiful eggs from the chickens was a gift. Thank you Jesus.

A person that lives in the Spirit, is led by the Spirit and keeps in step (walks) with the Spirit.

“If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.”

Galatians 5:25

I remembered seeing the night before that it was expected to be sunny in the mountains until about 2 PM. I looked to see what the weather was like in Winter Park and the forecast looked good. Praying for wisdom, I gathered a variety of equipment, not knowing what to expect: cross-country ski equipment, hiking boots, snow boots, snow shoes, fig bars, water, and beet juice. I had a whole-food breakfast, appreciating what God created in His wisdom (heated up steel-cut oatmeal made with turban squash, tumeric, and pumpkin spice, chopped prunes and added homemade matcha-vanilla soymilk). Then I finished writing thank you cards that I wanted to get in the mail, and headed out.

Remembered a previous visit on the Jim Creek Trail

The trip through the fog went well and as soon as I headed up highway 70 into the mountains, all was bright and sunny. Praise God for His goodness. I headed for the Jim Creek trail near Winter Park. What is it like in the Winter? I remembered meeting a man on the trail previously that said he skied the trail in the winter. The dirt road was plowed up to the trail and no one else was there. I decided to use my skis and carry my hiking boats in my backpack. The skis worked well on the steadily up-hill climb through the forest. Unexpectedly, I did not hear any birds – total silence.

What do you want me to see God?

Jesus asked the Father to give the Spirit of truth as another Helper to those that love Jesus.

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.”

John 14:15-17

The Spirit comes along side believers and brings truth (Word, sword of the Spirit) to their mind to guide their decisions. A person that lives in the Spirit does not resist the Spirit (Acts 7:51) or grieve the Spirit (Ephesians 4:30). To live in the Spirit is to live in the light, awake and sober to do God’s will.

“For you are all children of light, children of the day. … Let us keep awake and be sober.”

1 Thessalonian 5:5-6

Gift of knowledge

The Spirit is the source of gifts including knowledge. Every time I walked on this trail the Spirit gave me eyes to see different things, a bird, and butterfly, a rock, a person. This time I noticed lichen hanging from the trees with interest. I learned later it is called Usnea or Beard Lichen a medicinal herb, with some caution concerning internal use. The lichen is sensitive to pollution, especially sulfur dioxide. So it may have use as a bio-monitor of air quality. Later in the day on another trail, I noticed yellow-green and orange lichen on rock. The synergy of a chemical in the lichen and photosynthetic algae enables lichen to grow at high elevations where there is little moisture (on rocks).

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Gift of wisdom

The fungi of lichen provide structure to capture water and the algae produce nutrients from sunlight. Together they can accomplish what neither can do on their own.

Dear God, Thank you for making remarkable lichens. The vivid colors proclaim your glory. The symbiosis that enables life in a harsh environment is inspiring. It is a reminder of our life in you that enables us to overcome sin and death. Amen.

“For if, because of one man’s [Adam] trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.”

Romans 5:17

Saved by Grace

There was several feet of snow covering the ground. Only my skis and the broad-feet of rabbits, enable travel on top of the snow off the main trail. One of my ski-boots separated from the sole. I carefully pushed forward back up the hill to the main trail and switched to my hiking boots. Thank you God for the foresight of the Spirit to bring my boots in my backpack! It is a reminder that it is by your grace, I am saved.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

Ephesians 2:8-10

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After returning to the beginning of the trail, I was taken by the shapes and shadows in the deep snow. God was with me and blessed me with His love.

Rooted in Jesus

On the way out, the Spirit helped me to notice the massive group aspen trees on the hillside. They illustrated the to me the potential to multiply by sprouting from the root. Jesus is our root, we are built up in Him.

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“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”

Revelation 22:16

Dear God, thank you for blessing me with the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Help me to proclaim the reality of the freedom to live for you in Jesus. Your grace illustrates your love. May my lips always give you praise and glory. In Jesus name, Amen.

The adventure of the day in the Spirit will continue in the next post.