THERMOMETERS OR THERMOSTATS

THERMOMETERS
OR THERMOSTATS

We
all know the difference between a thermometer, which "records"
the temperature of the atmosphere around it, and a thermostat that
"controls" the temperature of the atmosphere around it,
instead of just adjusting to the existing temperature and simply
recording it. As followers of Jesus we can either act as one or the
other in the atmosphere in which we live! As followers of Jesus we
all live in a spiritual atmosphere that is completely surrounded by
the ungodly atmosphere of the world that is under the control of our
enemy Satan. Jesus said we are to be "in" the world, but
not "of" the world. He also said "You are the light of
the world--like a city on a hilltop that can't be hidden." (Matt
5:14) What do you think He meant by that statement?

I
believe Jesus meant that as His followers, we are to affect the world
around us by reflecting His light! (John 1:1-5) In this way our
lives should act as a thermostat that controls the spiritual
temperature of the atmosphere in the world we are called to live in!
How well do we function in that role? Sad to say, we often become
nothing more than a thermostat which simply records the existing
spiritual temperature of the world around us. "Do not be deceived evil
company corrupts good habits." (1 Cor 15:33) So we need
to be careful what type of people we hang out with. Are we affecting
them as a thermostat would, or are we just becoming a thermometer,
and simply registering the spiritual temperature of that particular
group?

Paul has some good advice for us in (Eph 5:6-14)! Then
he goes on in verses 15-21 to explain how we can receive the power to
live this sort of life. The key is his statement in verse 18 "Don't
be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be
filled with the Holy Spirit". The proper meaning in the Greek
for this expression is "be continually in the process of being
filled with the Holy Spirit"! Living a "Spirit filled life"
is not a once upon a time event, it requires a daily filling. Some
one once asked Dwight L  Moody why he was always talking about the need
of being filled with the Spirit, his reply was "because I leak"!
If we expect our lives to function in this world as thermostats, we
must realize our need of keeping ourselves full of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus told His disciples just before going to the cross, that He
would send the Holy Spirit to take His place on earth, when He went
back to heaven. You can read about this promise in the gospel of
John, chapters 14, 15, and 16. Then in (Acts 1:8, 2:1-4) we
see the fulfillment of this promise. Then in (Acts 2:38-39)
Peter tells us that this gift of the Holy Spirit is for us Gentiles,
as well as for the Jews he was speaking to that day. So let's
determine to be continually filled with the Holy Spirit, and become spiritual thermostats, and not just thermometers!

Sincerely
submitted.

Dave  Jamer