Papa Mateos

It never fails, as soon as I walk out of my gate I hear the little voices calling, “Papa Mateos!” My heart stirs with love for each of the lives represented, as I scan the scene to find my little friends. As they come running, I open my arms ready to pick them up for a hug. With smiles on their faces, they ask me how I’m doing in Portuguese, and I respond the best I can. Then with broken English they communicate with me the best they know how, but there is no mistaking love. I have made quite a few buddies since I have been here, and ill have to admit, it’s going to be hard to leave them.

Its plain and simple, we are friends. We enjoy each other’s company, when we see each other we smile, we talk, and we spend time together. There is actually anticipation, in my heart, for the next time we will meet. I am always expecting to see my little friends at every turn, and I know that they are looking for me as well. This reminds me of another relationship that is very important to me: my relationship with the Holy Spirit. Some may think that the Holy Spirit isn’t that personal to us, but I beg to differ. In John 16:7, Jesus prepared the disciples for His ascension into Heaven as He said, “It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.”

In no way would I think that it was a good idea that Jesus left the earth, but according to this Scripture I have to put my faith in Jesus’ advice. According to Jesus, it was and is to our advantage that He is no longer on earth. In John 14:17-18 Jesus prophesied, “But you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I WILL NOT leave you orphans; I will come to you.” I declare to you, Jesus is with us, we are not orphans; we have the Spirit of the living God inside of us.

As the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit is here to help us, comfort us, teach us, empower us to minister to others, etc. Just like I enjoy spending time with, talking with, and just hanging out with the kids, I am learning to embrace my relationship with the Holy Spirit. The more real this relationship becomes, the more fruit my life will bear. Jesus was clear about this in John 15:5 when He said, “He who abides in Me, and I in him, BEARS MUCH FRUIT; for without Me you can do nothing.” The Holy Spirit is God in us, and this is the way that He has chosen to communicate to us. Unfortunately, He is the one, from the Godhead, that usually gets left out.

Scripture is clear that just like we get feel grief, the Holy Spirit can too. (Ephesians 4:30) What do you think He feels like when He is constantly ignored, mistaken, left out, or quenched? I sure know that I have been very guilty of this in my past and still can be. But as I truly repent, I want to turn away from this mindset and set my mind on cultivating a deep relationship with Him, thus doing the opposite of the previous. Therefore, I want to be led by the Spirit in every aspect of my day and allow His leadership to be what dictates how I lead. This means including Him in every aspect of my life. Expecting, desiring, and waiting on His leadership will drastically change the way we live. When you think about it, this seems very basic. I think its time we get back to the basics and get connected with the power that is going to change the world. Your thoughts?

Thank you for your continued prayer and support. Email me if you need need anything!