“The Spirit is the dove of peace who calms us, the gift giver who equips us, the river of living water who flows out of us to refresh the world.” Max Lucado – “Help Is Here”

Fifteen minutes into my conversation with New York best-selling author and pastor Max Lucado, I was surprised by how much I did not know about the beloved author. For starters, I was unaware that he had lived in my country, Brazil, for five years and speaks Portuguese with unlikely fluency for someone who has not practiced the language in over three decades.

Up to that point, our conversation felt like coffee with an old friend — lighthearted and patched with Portuguese sentences and references to the Brazilian culture, making it one of my favorite podcast interviews.

But it wasn’t until we started talking about Lucado’s spiritual journey that I realized our stories hold more than cultural and geographical commonalities. Like me, Lucado was raised in the church but did not experience a life-changing conversion until his 20s. Like me, Lucado faced times of broad spiritual and physical depletion after being in ministry for many years. Like me, he tried to carry a heavy load on his own, doing too much with little rest for far too long.

Lucado’s new book, “Help Is Here – Finding Fresh Strength and Purpose in the Power of the Holy Spirit,” is the author’s first book on a subject that is often as mysterious as it is misconstrued. Conversely, the Bible contains more than 100 references to the Holy Spirit. Jesus spoke more about the Holy Spirit than he did about marriage, church, finances and the future. However, many believers do not grasp the relevance and, more importantly, ample availability of the Holy Spirit to help them live victorious lives, regardless of their circumstances.

Max Lucado’s new book, 'Help Is Here – Finding Fresh Strength and Purpose in the Power of the Holy Spirit,' is the author’s first book on a subject that is often as mysterious as it is misconstrued. @AJC @MaxLucado #HelpIsHere…
Click To Tweet

Scriptures refer to the Holy Spirit in over a dozen ways. These metaphors convey the different aspects of the help given to believers when the Holy Spirit descended from heaven at Pentecost. He is called the Teacher, Wind of God, Counselor, Intercessor, Helper and Guide, to name a few. And yet, because there is often much misunderstanding, taboo, or simply neglect of teaching the subject, many believers live defeated, not realizing the boundless help available to them.

Because there is often much misunderstanding, taboo, or simply neglect of teaching on the Holy Spirit, many believers live defeated, not realizing the boundless help available to them. @AJC @MaxLucado #HelpIsHere #TheHolySpirit…
Click To Tweet

But the truth is, when Jesus said he would not leave His followers alone, He meant what He said. It is a truth tested and proven by believers through the centuries: the very Power that made the universe is available to all believers who dare to ask for help, guidance and peace.

“It was not a Damascus Road experience for me,” Lucado recounted. He says that during a profound personal crisis, Lucado would get up during sleepless nights to pray. Nothing happened overnight, but slowly, burdens were lifted, miracles started happening, peace silenced fear, and clarity took over the stress. He realized the change was not happenstance. The promised Helper had intervened, bringing the serenity and strength he could not find anywhere else. The experience changed his life, and he wishes to share the concept with the world.

The very power that made the universe is available to all believers who dare to ask for help, guidance and peace. @AJC @MaxLucado #HelpIsHere #TheHolySpirit #HelpIsHereBook #MaxLucado
Click To Tweet

“The Holy Spirit comes with power. Power to make good choices, keep promises, and silence the inner voices of fear and failure,” he said. “Power to get out of bed, get on with life, get busy about the right things in the right way. Power to face the unexpected, unwanted passages of time. Power. This is what Jesus promised then, and this is what Jesus promises still.”

In a world filled with uncertainty and at a time when many feel burdened with stress and fear, “Help Is Here” offers fresh, practical guidance into a subject that was never meant to be mysterious but, rather, heaven’s tool for an abundant, purpose-filled life.

In a world filled with uncertainty and at a time when many feel burdened with stress and fear, Max Lucado's new book, 'Help Is Here' offers fresh, practical guidance into a subject that was never meant to be mysterious but, rather,…
Click To Tweet

This article was initially published in Patricia’s column for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Saturday, September 10, 2022. Click HERE To find it on the AJC’s website.

Share this article on Social media, tag Patricia Holbrook, and enter for a chance to win a copy of HELP IS HERE

• Twitter
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Pinterest
• LinkedIn

Click on the graphic below to listen to Patricia’s interview with MAX LUCADO on the God-Sized stories podcast.

Click Below to watch the interview on Patricia’s YouTube channel:

The post ‘Help Is Here’ – Max Lucado’s New Book (Interview & Column for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution) appeared first on Soaring With Him Ministries.

There hardly is anything more challenging for human beings than committing to change. Whether it is changing how we think or act; overcoming weaknesses or implementing new habits, the old maxim “you cannot teach an old dog new tricks” is indeed, to many of us, as true as it is sad.

I thought about that as I talked to someone this past week. Once again, this person reacted to a situation in a way that only brings pain to herself. Impulsivity got the best of her, and, before she knew it, hurtful words poured out of her mouth, pushing someone away.

Sigh.

“How much does one have to lose before they change?” I thought to myself.

Truth be told, we all struggle with that, in one way of another. As Tolstoy’s quote from his political manuscript “Three Methods of Reform” states, we have ideas about changing others, but hardly recognize how much we ourselves must change.

This is true concerning all aspects of life. We plant our feet on social or personal behaviors that may have worked in the past, but do not work anymore. We say things that we shouldn’t… and repeat them once more. Bad habits remain unchanged. Sins continue to master over our lives. We settle in our ways and refuse to move. In the process, some of us collect a long list of losses, heartbreaks and even enemies. All because we refuse to look within ourselves and, not only acknowledge our flaws, but take steps toward change.

During one of his missionary journeys across the Roman empire, the apostle Paul established the church of Ephesus, located in Asia Minor (present-day Turkey), where he spent three years. Later, while in house arrest in Rome, the apostle wrote the letter to the Ephesian church, which is believed to have been written as a circular letter, to be sent to all the churches in the area. In that epistle, Paul does not confront the church with any particular issue. Rather, the apostle used it to instruct believers on key elements of the Christian faith, as well as affirm the nature of the church — believers were to understand that they are showered with God’s kindness, brought near to God, chosen for greatness, and empowered to overcome all weaknesses.

Believers must understand that they are showered with God’s kindness, brought near to God, chosen for greatness, and empowered to overcome all weaknesses.
Click To Tweet

On the fifth chapter of the epistle, these sober words jump off the page: “See that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise.” Or, in other words, “Don’t just aimlessly, carelessly walk through life. Live carefully, act with purpose.”

The word “circumspectly” here is the translation of a Greek work used in accounting terms referring to precision, careful counting.

It means we are to live with precise, deliberate and calculated movements. It means we make a decision to change our ways before we are confronted with the next challenge. It means we bite our tongue when tempted to lash out, or leave the room when feeling our blood pressure rise. It means we avoid situations where things that tempt us are freely offered, and intentionally walk past places we should not enter. It means we pray before acting … and do not move until we have peace to do so.

It means we commit to change. Not others, but ourselves first.

“That’s the way I am” is simply not the great excuse some people believe it to be.

As I think about my own life, I realize how much my relationships changed after I understood that God freely gives us the power to overcome our weaknesses, whatever they are. For many years, I lived by Frank Sinatra’s motto and “did it my way.” The results were nothing to brag about. It was not until I surrendered my weaknesses to God and started doing things His way, that I was able to change my record (no pun intended).

Today, when tempted to impose change upon others, I confront myself first. If everyone did the same, we might not be able to change humanity as Tolstoy envisioned, but we can certainly change our families. Perhaps (wild thought) … even our country.

This article was originally published on Patricia’s column for The Atlanta Journal Constitution on Saturday – November 9, 2018.

When tempted to impose change upon others, I confront myself first. If everyone did the same, we might not be able to change humanity but we can certainly change our families. Perhaps even our country.
Click To Tweet

Commit to change. Not others, but ourselves first. “That’s the way I am” is simply not the great excuse some people believe it to be. #changeYourLife #MondayMotivation #MondayMorning @AJC
Click To Tweet

The post Want to Change Others? It May Be Simpler than You Thought {The Atlanta Journal Constitution} appeared first on Soaring With Him Ministries.