Grieve Not

Eph. 4:30
And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
Distressing, or causing  the Holy Spirit to be sad happens when we do something or say something that is contrary to the nature of God. Our renewed vessel was made to bring honor to His Name. When we say things that hurt or demean others, we grieve the Holy Spirit. When we allow bitterness, anger, and evil speaking to dwell in our vessel of clay, the Holy Spirit will not abide. He will depart from us if we don’t take action. It is true that a vessel that is fully consecrated and sanctified to God will be sensitive to the checks of the Holy Spirit, and will guard against things that will grieve Him. But Satan is out to destroy what God has made new, and will bring temptations that will play with our emotions and humanity. We are still human, and subject to the temptations of the flesh. We are admonished to put off any behavior or actions that would cause the Holy Spirit to depart. God will never leave us or forsake us, but His Spirit cannot abide where sin abides. He will continue to deal with us and call us back to Him.

The Tomb is Sealed

Matt. 61:66 So they went, and made the sepulcher sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.

All day Saturday after Jesus was taken off the cross, He laid in the tomb. He was pronounce dead on the cross when the spear pierces His side. Now behind the sealed sepulcher laid the Son of God, His heart no longer beating, but His Spirit descended the depth of hell to retrieved the keys of life and death. In the hearts of those that followed Him, all hope was gone. He who they thought would be their Savior, and deliver them from the bondage of Rome wept with sorrow. They heard Him say that in 3 days He would rise from the dead, but they believed not. We are not much different. When things go wrong and hope fades away we despair for the day and tomorrow will just bring more sorrow. The tomb has been sealed and God is gone. Where is He when life is hard and there seems to be no where to turn. He might as well be sealed away in the sepulcher. It’s Saturday, and Sunday seems so far away.