Pam Padgett ... teacher
Recently in a message Joan wrote ("Keeping flesh under control" on April 16)
she spoke of how the flesh tells us how wonderful secular things are,
but they are really of no profit. Reading this I recalled how my flesh
did this very thing last week. I received an email telling how to sign
up to access a web site for people who have retired from the FedEx data
center as I had. Information about an upcoming celebration at the data
center could be found on this web site. My flesh was immediately
excited about this celebration, thoughts coming about how "fun" this event would be. Without any consideration, I submitted a request to access this web site.
But then I remembered to pray and ask God about going to this celebration, and started being reminded by the Holy Spirit of the reality of this upcoming
celebration. When I was working, I had
gone to some of these celebrations and they weren't fun for me. There
were usually speakers exalting FedEx, telling how wonderful the company
and its leaders are. There was a lot of time to "visit" with other
people, but I had little in common with them other than work projects. I
usually found myself trying to get back to my desk as soon as
possible. Several times over the next few days thoughts of how fun this celebration would be came to my mind. Each time I turned to God, I was reminded of the truth. Being reminded of these things helped me keep my flesh from
ruling over the situation, and I decided not to attend this
celebration.
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth, bringing us truth even in secular things such as this, helping us not get carried away with lusts of the flesh.
John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
Another example of being helped as the Holy Spirit brought truth in a secular matter ... when I first started working at FedEx (almost 25 years ago) my manager told me that FedEx had a "no lay-off" policy. He said that as long as I did a good job, my job was secure. As soon as he said this, however, the Holy Spirit spoke in a thought to me, telling me that if needed to financially survive, this company like others would lay-off employees. Whenever I heard of the no lay-off policy, I would be reminded of this again.
About 20 years later, a big downturn in the economy caused the company to lay off several people in the division I worked in. Many long-time employees were shocked and disturbed, questioning how lay-offs could happen when we had been told for so many years of the no lay-off policy. It was very comforting to me that the Holy Spirit had shown me the truth since the first time I was told of this policy.
Jesus told us the Holy Spirit is the Comforter. One way we are comforted (given assistance, support, help in time of need) is by being shown truth, allowing us to walk in that truth and avoid unnecessary trouble.
John 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.