Welcome to another day the Lord has made that we should rejoice and be glad in. (Psalms 118:24)

Let’s close our week of appreciation by grasping the comprehensive help of the Triune God.

Today’s scripture, Psalms 115:11 (NLT) encourages…
[11] All you who fear the LORD, trust the LORD! He is your helper and your shield.

Consider…
In 1972 Bill Withers released a song with the following lyrics…

Sometimes in our lives
We all have pain
We all have sorrow
But if we are wise
We know that there’s always tomorrow

Lean on me
When you’re not strong
And I’ll be your friend
I’ll help you carry on…
For it won’t be long
Till I’m gonna need somebody to lean on

Please swallow your pride
If I have things you need to borrow
For no one can fill
Those of your needs that you won’t let show

You just call on me brother when you need a hand
We all need somebody to lean on
I just might have a problem that you’ll understand
We all need somebody to lean on

Lean on me
When you’re not strong
And I’ll be your friend
I’ll help you carry on…
For it won’t be long
Till I’m gonna need somebody to lean on

Mr. Withers lyrics remind me of Solomon’s words in Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (NLT) which say…
[9] Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. [10] If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble.

The fact is we all do need somebody to lean on. However, I would add the caveat, which somebody matters.

Psalms 1:1-2 (NLT) exhorts…
[1] Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. [2] But they delight in the law of the LORD, meditating on it day and night.

It is my humble opinion that the downfall of many individuals is they leaned on the wrong people. It’s the idiom of the “The blind leading the blind”, which is used to describe a situation where a person ignorant of a given subject is getting advice and help from another person who is just as ignorant of the subject.

Spiritually speaking, the reason we need to know God for ourselves and study His word, is because fellow sinners cannot fully comprehend and appreciate the Holy Triune God! I say that based on 1 Corinthians 2:11-12 (NLT), which explains…
[11] No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. [12] And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.

So what’s my point? Don’t blindly rely on the opinions and interpretations of others. Instead, do as today’s scripture exhorts, trust the LORD!

This reminds me of Job, who’s wife told him to curse God and die. And who’s friends told him everything that happened to him was his fault. But Job paid no attention to all of the people trying to help him, rather he focused on his Redeemer. Let’s read Job’s response to his not helpful friends. He said in Job 19:25-29 (NLT)…
[25] “But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and he will stand upon the earth at last. [26] And after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God! [27] I will see him for myself. Yes, I will see him with my own eyes. I am overwhelmed at the thought! [28] “How dare you go on persecuting me, saying, ‘It’s his own fault’? [29] You should fear punishment yourselves, for your attitude deserves punishment. Then you will know that there is indeed a judgment.”

I love Job’s resolve in his relationship with God and rebuff of a well meaning but ignorant friend. This let’s us know that we should be careful to not let ungodly advice influence our faith in, and relationship with, God.

Again the Holy Spirit emphasizes, know God for yourself!

When you know God intimately, in difficult moments you can declare with Psalms 46:1 (NIV)…
[1] God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

When you have a relationship with God, regardless of what haters say or do, you can proclaim Hebrews 13:6 (NLT)…
[6] So we can say with confidence, “The LORD is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?”

I admit, when I set out to write today’s post, I thought it would be exclusively about the Holy Spirit that Jesus promised in John 15:26-27 (ERV)…
[26] “I will send you the Helper from the Father. The Helper is the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father. When he comes, he will tell about me. [27] And you will tell people about me too, because you have been with me from the beginning.

But then I was reminded of Genesis 1:2 (NLT), which says…
[2] The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.

You see the Spirit of God has always been present. And I believe He has always been God’s Helper.

For example, recall Matthew 1:20 (NLT) shares…
[20] As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit.

Jesus became flesh and dwelt among us with Help of the Holy Spirit!

And Romans 8:11-12 (NLT)
testifies…
[11] The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you. [12] Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do.

The same Spirit of God that helped with creation, and helped Christ make us a new creation, now lives in us and helps us overcome sin’s obligation.

You see when we didn’t know better we couldn’t do better. But because of the Holy Spirit that we can lean on, we can know and do better.

The Holy Spirit is giving me the picture of a hiking guide, who helps people navigate through the dangerous jungles or wildernesses. They know where the danger lurks, and the path that can get others safely to the other side. That’s what the Holy Spirit does for us in the world of sin we’re living in.

Colossians 3:5-9 (NLT) admonishes us…
[5] So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. [6] Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming. [7] You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world. [8] But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. [9] Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds.

Notice Paul said sinful earthly things are lurking in us. That means, the Holy Spirit must lead us from within. I believe this is why he also wrote Galatians 5:16-17 (NLT), which encourages…
[16] So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. [17] The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.

Today, the Holy Spirit, God’s Helper, is saying lean on me!

Being able to lean on God’s Help is something we should never take for granted. Instead we should greatly appreciate the Helper that Jesus sent, and the Father placed inside of us.

Also, appreciate The Triune God is working together to help us become what our Heavenly Father wants us to be, which is His beloved obedient children.

As I wrote that the Holy Spirit helped me remember Romans 8:34 (NIV), which points out…
[34] Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.

And Romans 8:26-27 (NIV), which says…
[26] In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. [27] And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.

The Holy Spirit is emphasizing, that He and Jesus both are helping us with our Heavenly Father.

He continues, that one of the most important things He helps us understand is our new identity. Romans 8:12-16 (NIV) explains…
[12] Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. [13] For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. [14] For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. [15] The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” [16] The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.

The Holy Spirit helps us know and act like we are God’s adopted children. He also wanted me to be clear that God the Father has our back too. 1 Corinthians 1:7-9 (NLT) explains…
[7] Now you have every spiritual gift you need as you eagerly wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. [8] He will keep you strong to the end so that you will be free from all blame on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns. [9] God will do this, for he is faithful to do what he says, and he has invited you into partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

With help from the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, we have no excuse to fail, but it requires us to depend on God!

Appreciate the Triune God will help bring you through this world of sin, to bring you to everlasting life with Him!

Today’s Song is…
I Can Depend On God

Blessings 4HG (1 Corinthians 10:31)