ASPIRATION

I Was Just Thinking About – ASPIRATION.

There are two possibilities for Aspiration. First is: “a strong desire, longing, or aim; ambition.” Second is” “the act of aspirating or breathing in.” Almost sixty years ago, a friend, who saw something in me that I did not see in myself, gave me a book for encouragement. The Title: “Come, O Breath” – Awakening Messages by James A. Stewart (an Evangelist in and from Scotland). The idea is to be yielded to the Holy Spirit’s control and to be guided throughout our lives by Him. I’ve read and re-read this book several times over the years and underlined some of his thoughts. He wrote: “The majority of Christians are living a sub-normal Christian life. The New Testament  characteristics of power invincible, joy unspeakable, glory immeasurable, and peace incomprehensible are strangely lacking in their lives.” In a Chapter about Ezekiel and the valley of dry bones, he wrote: “Our eyes must be always upon the God of the miraculous…Ezekiel saw death – he preached life; he saw ruin – he preached remedy.”

This concept of Come, O Breath was captured by Bill Bright of Campus Crusade for Christ (now CRU) in an emphasis upon Spiritual Breathing. He wrote: “By faith you can continue to experience God's love and forgiveness. If you become aware of an area of your life (an attitude or an action) that is displeasing to the Lord, even though you are walking with Him and sincerely desiring to serve Him, simply thank God that He has forgiven your sins - past, present and future - on the basis of Christ's death on the cross. Claim His love and forgiveness by faith and continue to have fellowship with Him. If you retake the throne of your life through sin – a definite act of disobedience – breathe spiritually. Spiritual breathing (exhaling the impure and inhaling the pure) is an exercise in faith that enables you to continue to experience God's love and forgiveness. 

Exhale – confess your sin – agree with God concerning your sin and thank Him for His forgiveness of it, according to 1 John 1:9 and Hebrews 10:1-25. Confession involves repentance – a change in attitude and action. 

Inhale – surrender the control of your life to Christ, and appropriate (receive) the fullness of the Holy Spirit by faith. Trust that He now directs and empowers you; according to the command of Ephesians 5:18, and the promise of 1 John 5:14, 15.

What if this became the aspiration of each of us who claim to be a Biblical Christians applied these basic principles – can you believe and imagine the impact that would have in your life and through you within a decadent culture? What hinders you/us from doing so? What is your spiritual aspiration for this year and the remainder of your life?

Prayerfully – consider these things with me.