Yahweh is one and Holy Spirit is humble

When I read this verse a few days ago, I asked Holy Spirit why He wasn't mentioned, too:

1 John 1:3 NIV

We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.

I think He is teaching me something about the unity of the Holy Trinity.  I often think of Yahweh as "Them", but mysteriously, perhaps it is more like "He-Them".  And perhaps in some passages, the emphasis is more on the "He" aspect.

I think Holy Spirit showed me yesterday that He is there implicitly in the "fellowship".  He makes fellowship possible, and this is probably a heretical thought, but maybe in some ways, He is fellowship.

I think Holy Spirit is also implicitly present in the anointing in 1 John 2:

1 John 2:20‭, ‬27 NIV

But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. ... As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him.

Yahweh, I praise you.  You are mysterious and beyond my comprehension.  Holy Spirit, I know that you are present everywhere, even when I don't see you.  I praise you for your humility.  I love you.

When God gives you success, don't let the enemy give you entitlement

David was anointed as the king of Israel by the prophet Samuel (while Saul was still king):

1 Samuel 16:13 NIV

So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon David. ...

David served King Saul for a while, but eventually Saul's fear and jealousy made him crazy, and David escaped.  David demonstrated amazing faith, humility, and patience those years that he was on the run in the wilderness, waiting on Yahweh's timing to fulfill His promise of promotion.

Eventually, King Saul died (1 Sam 31), and David was anointed king of Judah (2 Sam 2) and eventually King over all of Israel (2 Sam 5).  Yahweh granted King David military victories over the Philistines (2 Sam 8) and the Ammonites and Arameans (2 Sam 10).  

When God grants you success, be careful to guard your heart against a mindset of entitlement.  I think you can see entitlement starting to creep in when David had sons from six different women (2 Sam 3), which was explicitly forbidden by Moses in Deuteronomy 17:17.  Then he forced Saul's daughter Michal, to return to him (2 Sam 3:14-15), even though she had been given as wife to another man.  Then David took even more wives and concubines (2 Sam 5:13).  

So, when David probably should have been with his army (2 Sam 11:1), or at least he should have been asleep (v. 2), and he sees a woman bathing, his previous pattern of entitlement made a slippery slope, and he didn't stop himself from several successive failures in a short amount of time. First, he took time to enjoy her beauty (v. 2b). He should have looked away immediately, but I speculate that even if he wasn't consciously aware of it, he felt entitled to survey "his" kingdom from his palace rooftop. A mindset of humility would have had a different train of thought. Second, he allowed his mind to wonder who she was, but he should have taken his thoughts captive. Third, he acted on his curiosity by sending someone to inquire about her (v. 3).  Curiosity killed the cat (and eventually Uriah and a baby). The mind set on the flesh (even fleshly curiosity) is death (Rom 8:6a). Fourth, even though he knew that Bathsheba was the wife of one of his thirty-seven most trusted bodyguards (2 Sam 23:39), he sent messengers to have her brought to him (v. 4), and it wasn't to ask how Uriah was doing.  Fifth, David got Uriah drunk to try to cover up Bathsheba's pregnancy (v. 6-13), but Uriah was an honorable man (v. 11). Sixth, David resorted to premeditated murder (v. 14-15).  I speculate that this last step was still enabled by David's sense of entitlement; pawns are sometimes sacrificed in chess (v. 25).

I don't think the David in the wilderness would have done any of that because he was still humble at that season of his life.

So, how do I stay humble in the midst of God giving me advancement, promotion, and success?

Father, thank you for this warning against a mindset of entitlement.  Jesus, thank you for your example of a completely humble mindset and lifestyle.  Holy Spirit, thank you for your presence.  I want to be humble and focus on hosting your presence.  I love you.

Even greater things (whatever, anything)

This is one of the most amazing passages in Scripture:

John 14:9‭-‬14 NIV
9 Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? 10 Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. 12 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

First, Jesus was simply staying in unity with the Father, and the Father was demonstrating His work through Jesus (v. 10).

Second, like Jesus, the supernatural works that the Father does through us are evidence of our unity with Him (v. 11).  The greatest treasure in all of this is unity with the Father, the Son, and the Spirit.

Third, Jesus said that we would do even greater things than him (v. 12).  Jesus said it.  That is simply mind-boggling.  Jesus demonstrated the floor, not the ceiling.

Fourth, Jesus will do whatever we ask, for the sake of the Father being glorified in the Son (v. 13).  Anything (v. 14).  He must have known that we would struggle with believing that, because he said it a third time (John 15:7).  And a fourth time (John 15:16).  How many more times does He have to say it before I believe it and actualize it?

If I really understood how deeply the Father loves me, and if I could grasp with my hands the intensity of the joy set before Christ as He endured the cross, and if I could trust the Spirit enough to open my sails and let His unlimited power carry me on unbridled, well then I think I'd be on a good path towards unity with the Holy Trinity.

Father, my current understanding of your love for me is minuscule.  Many orders of magnitude away from being relevant. Father, please help me see past all of the illusions and distractions of this world to accurately behold you.  I want to find you.  And stay with you.  I want to be in unity with you like Jesus demonstrated.  Holy Spirit, please lead me the next step closer.  I love you.