The Spirit can make life. Sheer muscle and willpower don’t make anything happen. Every word I’ve spoken to you is a Spirit-word, and so it is life-making. – Jesus, John 6:63 (MSG)
What are the things that make our lives? Recently, I spent some time in the mountains with a group of teenagers and we talked about what the loudest voices in our lives were. In this we looked at what things took our time, energy and attention. Those are the things that are shaping and forming our lives. They are life-making. And what kind of lives we end up living is dependent on the voices to which we are listening.
As we explored this, it came to light that many of these students were listening to voices that were from their parents, friends, social media, television and other sources. What are the voices in your life? The coworkers at your job? Your spouse or family? Your friends or neighbors? The things you see and consume in the media? A dependence or addiction? Our lives are determined by the voices that are the loudest in our lives.
Currently we are in a series called I AM JESUS, where we are exploring who Jesus said he was through the seven I AM statements. In John 6, Jesus is revealing to his disciples not only who he is, but who he wants to be in our lives. He tells his disciples, “Every word I’ve spoken to you is a Spirit-word, and so it is life-making.”
He wants to be the loudest voice in our lives. He wants to be the one determining what kind of lives we end up living. So my question to you today is this: are you letting Jesus speak Spirit-words to you? In order for Jesus to become the loudest voice in our lives we have to listen to his words. They are life-making and life-giving. The more we fill our minds with words from him through Scripture, prayer, teaching, worship and community, the more we will find our lives being made like his. Don’t waste another moment letting anything but Spirit-words determine your life.
See you Sunday!
Lis