"Outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day·so we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." (2 Corinthians 4:16, 18)

Things of the Spirit cannot be seen, but they can be witnessed.  They cannot be held in your hands, but they can be held in your heart.   You cannot taste them, but they are the "salt of the earth."  They cannot speak yet they "make a joyful noise unto the Lord."  You cannot smell them, yet they are the "fragrance of life."  

The word Spirit in the New Testament is translated from the Greek word pneuma , which means "breath" --the very essence of our being, our life force. Christ sent the Holy Spirit to reside with us for the purpose of keeping us connected to God, our life force, and to one another. The wonderful promise of the Holy Spirit is that we will be renewed day by day as we practice the Things of the Spirit. Won't you take a moment to clear your mind of all your distractions so that the Holy Spirit can truly speak to your heart?

This month's spiritual practice:  Discipleship

I don't know if any of you are familiar with Bill Bryson, but he has written a couple of books, which I've read.  I find him to be hilarious at times, sometimes crude, but always honest and enlightening.  In his book The Lost Continent:  Travels in Small Town America he tells of traveling to Hannibal, Missouri to visit the boyhood home of the noted Mark Twain. 

He said that the house, which is owned by the city of Hannibal, attracts some 135,000 visitors a year,  but Bryson was disappointed that he was not able to actually go inside the house.  "You look  through the windows," he says.  "At each window there is a recorded message telling about each room."

As he proceeded from window to window, he met another tourist who seemed to know a lot about the house.  Bryson asked him:  "What do you think of it?" The friendly stranger replied:  "Oh, I think it's great.  I always come here when I'm in Hannibal.two or three times a year.  Sometimes I go out of my way to come here."

Bill was fascinated, "Really!" he replied.  "O yes," the man said.  "I must have been here twenty or thirty times by now.  This is a real shrine you know."

As the two of them continued walking and touring together, Bill said to the man, "You must be a real fan  and follower of Mark Twain.  Would you say the house is just like Mark Twain described it?"

"O, I don't know," said the tourist ".wouldn't have the foggiest notion.  I've never read any of his books!"

Visiting his shrine, but ignoring his books! Sadly, that is how many people approach their faith.  We come to church, but we don't open our bibles.  We know that God is an awesome, powerful God, but we don't truly experience Him personally.  We trust Christ for our salvation, but we don't trust him to help us in our daily lives. 

Are you simply an "admirer" of Jesus or are you a "disciple" of Jesus?  Simply put, a disciple is anyone who is learning from another person.  Discipleship is simple, but it is not easy.  A disciple of Christ is one who says, "The Lord can have all there is of me," and is ready and willing to live that way.  It requires humility, commitment, and servanthood.  It means putting Christ first in all things!

Jesus said "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.  By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples."

• How many times in a day does God come to mind?  Do you think you are "abiding" in Christ?
• In what ways are you an "admirer" of Christ rather than a "disciple"?
•  Some scriptures for further exploration: Deuteronomy 6:5; Matthew 6:33, 16:24; Mark 10:28; John 15:8; Galatians 5:24; Colossians 3:1-3; 2 Timothy 2:15; Revelation 3:19.