Reflections. “When we, deliberately or inadvertently, behave in a way that is inimical to our spiritual improvement it grieves the Holy Spirit; in the same way that a loving parent is grieved when his or her child behaves in a self-destructive manner,” says The Rev'd Charlie Lacey. The Rev'd Charlie Lacey.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me.
Finding God in grief allows you to freely grieve while holding onto hope and a promise that is bigger than any loss you are experiencing. When you experience grief, God's presence comforts you regardless of what you have lost. Finding God in grief is possible after the death of a loved one.
Spiritual mourning follows naturally from becoming poor in spirit. Swinging on the first ring of being poor in spirit will lead you to this blessed mourning. When you see you do not have what it takes, you will mourn over your sins, and you will mourn over your lack of righteousness.
The Hebrew root for "grieve, " nhm [;j"n], communicates a mixture of divine indignation against sin and a heartfelt anguish concerning the plight of his creation. Thus, in grief, God responds in judgment against sin, yet bestows saving grace and mercy on Noah and his family ( Gen 6:7-8 ).
Grief can break into our lives unexpectedly
Proverbs 14:13 says, “Even in laughter the heart may ache, and joy may end in grief.” One such example that also comes from the Bible is the death of Rachel in childbirth (Genesis 35:16-20).
The fact that mankind can grieve God is clearly taught in scripture. Our text reads, 'And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved Him at His heart. ' Wonder of wonders that the created would be so rebellious to the God who created us!
Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is not a careless act committed only once in a moment of rage or rebellion, but a calloused attitude over time; a persistent defiance that hardens and calcifies the heart. The Pharisees had been present when Jesus healed the sick. They saw him perform miracles up close and personal.
Jesus Christ called the Holy Spirit "Spirit of Truth" (John 14:17; 15:26; John 16:13) and warned us, "All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men; but the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit shall not be forgiven unto men" (Matthew 12:31).
In Mark 3:29 Jesus says that “whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; they are guilty of an eternal sin.” Matthew's account adds that even blasphemy against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but not blasphemy against the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:31–32).
Grieving God's way requires us to trust that He will lead us through the darkness, heal our pain, take away our weariness, and fill our hearts with hope, peace, and new purpose.
"The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit." The Good News: Even if you feel alone, God is with you always. In the moments you may not think he's near, he's still watching over you.
He tells us in Isaiah 41:10 that He will never forsake those who are suffering, "Do not fear for I am with you; do not be dismayed for I am your God." And in Psalm 147:3 He gives comfort by saying, “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds." These passages show us that even though life might seem too hard ...
I believe that God can forgive all sins provided the sinner is truly contrite and has repented for his or her offenses. Here's my list of unforgivable sins: ÇMurder, torture and abuse of any human being, but particularly the murder, torture and abuse of children and animals.
10:29 – outraging the Spirit of grace, persistent sinning with full knowledge and no desire to repent); Blaspheming the Spirit (Mat. 12:31-32 – ascribing the work of the Holy Spirit to the Devil, rejecting the testimony of the Holy Spirit. It also connotes speaking evil of the Holy Spirit and misusing his name.
Mark 3:28-30: “Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin” – for they were saying, 'He has an unclean spirit. '”
The sin that cannot be forgiven is the sin of continuing to reject Jesus Christ and his work. Why is it called “blasphemy against the Holy Spirit?” Because the Spirit came upon Jesus at his baptism, and from that moment on, the ministry of the Holy Spirit is the ministry of Jesus.
When the Holy Spirit is not in your life, or when you've not obeyed the voice of the Holy Spirit, you're good for nothing, for you bear no fruits and you lose sense of productivity and you become unworthy than before.
Spitting on a cross, drawing pictures in the Qur'an, tripping a rabbi — all of these are rude in general, but because they combine a sacred religious person or thing with rude behavior, they're also blasphemous.
Israel's rebellion in the wilderness and the Promised Land is what caused His Holy Spirit to grieve (Psa. 95:10; 78:40-42; Isaiah 63:7-10). “Jerusalem's” rejection of the Lord and His Messiah and its subsequent destruction in 70 AD caused Jesus to grieve (Matt. 23:37-39).
As Psalm 34:18 promises: "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed." This is the essence of When God & Grief Meet: a book that will give comfort for your present and courage for your future.
1 Thessalonians 4:13 says, “Do not grieve as those who have no hope.” Last week a child in our church tragically died. This is the second sermon I preached to encourage the family. Here is Part I: Let the Little Children Come to Me and Do not Hinder Them.
Psalm 34:18 “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” Psalm 73:26 “My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever.” Matthew 5:4 “Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.”
When grieving, you may experience intense emotions, find yourselves disoriented and unable to concentrate, or see that you are not behaving as you usually do. You may feel physically ill, experiencing a variety of aches and pains. And grief can also can affect your sense of spirituality.