All posts by Larry

Memory

Psalm 77:6 I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search.

Memory is an illusionary gift. It seems that the further and further I get away in time from the things I remember, the more my emotions color the memory. Here the Psalmist attaches memory to the heart, emotions. While the mind is busy trying to sort out the emotional attachments, the spirit is busy search for the truth in that matter. Who will win out?

If I will be honest with myself, I have to give way to the spirit, because my emotions cannot be trusted. Old memories tend to ignore information not related to the emotion. What formed those emotions at the time probably had nothing to do with the even itself. It tends to paint the picture from a single source and ignores everything else.

My sister helped me let go of the past a few years ago. I had been troubled by my memories of my mother and she said, “But that isn’t how it was at all.” She was older and more experienced in the family dynamic. I troubled myself with memories that weren’t even accurate. She helped me let go of them.

Ever since that day, I have looked at my memories from a new perspective. I try and let the spirit have its say on the matter and do not hold so tightly to my memories as being true, but for what they are, emotional. The events I thought that shaped me, good and bad no longer have a hold on me. They do not shape who I am and who I will be.

John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

I trust only the memories brought to me by the Holy Spirit. Him I trust.

Counterfeit

Matthew 24:23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.

This is the last of the series on fake fruits of the spirit. If you had not noticed I never spoke once of what fake fruit looked like. That comes from an understanding of spotting counterfeits. Tellers are never shown counterfeit bills. There are too many varieties to identify all the flaws to look for. What they do is show the tellers the real deal over and over and over again. Once they know what the real thing looks like it is obvious when a counterfeit is place in front of them.

The same thing can be said of fruits of the spirit. Knowing Christ and knowing the Holy Spirit, you will know the real deal when you see it. There are many anti-christs out there. Too many to tell you of all the flaws. But to know Christ and have a close personal relationship with Him, do you think you will need someone to point Him out to you at His coming?

Philippians 3:20-21 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

His faith, His work, His fruit, His grace, His salvation, all is His and we are nothing more than the object of His affection, His bride, His friend, His helpmate. Know Him.