Leading of the Spirit in two dimensions

Here's what I know:

The Spirit is always leading us in two dimension simultaneously (or should be).

He is always leading us into a deeper walk with Him.

The desire of the Holy Spirit is to make us more spiritual, more godly, more like Jesus.  I really believe that as we mature in our faith, God is more concerned about the fruit of the spirit than he is the gifts of the Spirit in our lives.

The deeper things of God are not about spooky spirituality or being smarter or holier than the next person.  But to create change in our lives.

We all can grow deeper in God.  In fact, the moment we stop growing it the moment we start plateauing and the moment we start plateauing is the moment we start going backwards in our faith.

But there is a second dimension as well. 

At the same time that we are maturing in our faith as the Spirit leads us deeper into Him, the Holy Spirit leads us out into the world because God loves the world. 

That wonderful, classic verse found in John 3:16 is so true, "for God so loved the world that he sent His only Son....."

Jesus tells us to go into the world as well, but he also instructs us to not go into the world until the Spirit comes upon us.  Acts 1:4 tells us to wait until the Spirit "comes upon us," and then we will be empowered.

One of my favorite songs from the past is, "Turn your eyes upon Jesus."

The words go something like this:  "Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face.  And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of his glory and grace."

In one sense that is completely true.  As we turn toward Jesus, the garbage of this world has less of an attraction for us.  But there is another side to this.

As we turn toward Jesus, and grow deeper in His Spirit, the world becomes MORE prominent to us - and the reality that we have a responsibility to reach the world with the good news.

A true moving of the Holy Spirit is not just what happens around the "altars" on a Sunday morning or Wednesday evening, but what happens in a pagan world as we share our faith in Jesus Christ.

Just a thought for a Wednesday.