Posts Tagged ‘Holy Spirit’

Scripture reading for December 8th: Jude 1-25

The short letter of Jude, a brother of James and half-brother of Jesus, is a call to spiritual battle against false teachers and deception.  Where the truth is taught, the enemy of God’s people will send opposition.  We are in a spiritual war and the battle is sometimes within the church!

“Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write to urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints.  For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you.  They are godless men, who change the grace of  our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.” (Jude 3-4)   Jude’s letter is a call to battle!  This battle is for the believer’s faith.  Satan has sent false men into the church to try and get the church to deny their faith in Christ and His word by seducing them with immorality!  This was warned of long ago!

God has judged immorality severely in the past.  Jude cites the Israelites who died in the desert because of God’s judgment on their idolatry and immorality.  (Jude 5-7)  He reminds them of the destruction by fire of Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns because of their perversion.  “They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.” Jude plainly warns the church of God’s wrath against sexual sin.  He is the Lord who does not change!

“But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold.  They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.”  These are men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and  do not have the Spirit.  But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in you most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.” (Jude 17-20)  A good way to counteract the false teachers is to stay close to the words of the apostles–the Holy Scriptures.  Along with this, praying in the Holy Spirit also builds up the spiritual man and keeps us in the faith and love of Jesus Christ.  Jude’s advice is a good word for us today!  We are reading God’s word, now let’s pray in the Spirit!

Scripture reading for May 25th: John 14:15-31

Jesus, knowing that a short time remained with the eleven remaining disciples, began to teach them about the Gift of the Father.  He told them He would ask the Father to give them another Counselor like Him who would be with them forever. (John 14:16-17)  This Counselor would be known as the Spirit of Truth who would live in them and those who would believe on account of their witness.  Those in the world would not have this Gift or understand anything about Him.

This Counselor was not just a vague spirit, but a true person.  This third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, was a special gift to Jesus’ disciples.  He would be sent by the Father at Jesus’ request.  He would help them by reminding them of everything that Jesus had taught them and then would teach them all things.  These things Jesus instructed the disciples about so that they would have peace through the coming storm of events.

Jesus was prophesied to be the “Prince of Peace”  and “Wonderful Counselor” by Isaiah.  (Isaiah 9:6)  Jesus’ teachings were marked by unusual wisdom and people everywhere marveled at His ability to speak like no one else.   When Jesus had asked these disciples if they wanted to leave Him, Peter had spoken up that Jesus had words of eternal life and there was no one else like Him. (John 6:68)

As Jesus prepared to leave these men, He granted them His peace.  This peace was beyond anything the world could offer.  It was a supernatural peace granted by the only One who can give sinful humans peace with God through forgiveness of sins.  “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you.  I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27)  He and they would soon face tremendous spiritual conflict with the ‘prince of this world’, Satan.  Jesus assured them that this prince had no hold on Him.  He was going to fully obey the Father and demonstrate that obedience to the world.

Do you live in this supernatural peace given by Jesus Christ?   It is available today to those who follow Him and put their trust in His word.  This peace comes with Jesus’ perfect love that drives out all fear and is revealed to us by the Holy Spirit!

Scripture reading for November 6th: Acts 1-4

I was saved as a young teenager in a little country Methodist Church in rural Iowa.  I gave my life to Jesus but did not know about the Holy Spirit or His work on my behalf.  I grew up, went to college, got married and began to build a family and farming business, still unaware of His presence and power.  I rededicated my life and my wife got saved in our late twenty’s and we began to hear about the Holy Spirit.  The people we were studying the Bible with were different.  They had power in their lives and were full of joy.  The talked about being filled with the Holy Spirit and we heard some of them praying in a different language.  When we visited their church, we heard a message in a different language and then an interpretation!  This was fascinating!  We even heard them singing in other languages and it sounded like heaven!

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8

This experience began with a promise and command from Jesus right before He ascended into heaven.  He ascended into heaven and two men dressed in white told the disciples that this same Jesus would come back in the same manner as He left them.  They were to wait for the promise of the father as Jesus had told them!  (Luke 24:49-53)  This power from on high was sent from the Father to bless the disciples and enable them to do the work of God.

We all know what happened on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2:1-4.  The disciples were all together in the upper room and suddenly, the wind began to blow inside their room!  Tongues of fire entered and rested on each one and they all began to speak with other tongues and glorify God.  They went out from that room speaking in other languages telling the wonderful works of God.  Peter stood up and preached and 3000 repented, were saved, baptized and told to receive this gift of the Father for power!  (Acts 2:38-41)  The church was born and powerful witnesses spread the Gospel throughout the world!

Let me encourage you to seek the Lord for this power.  Simply ask Him to fill you with the Holy Spirit.  (Luke 11:9-13)  The Holy Spirit is our “helper” sent from the Father to live in those who believe on Jesus Christ.  (John 16:7-15)  He takes the Word of God and reveals it to us.  He is our Counselor.  He convicts the world of sin, righteousness and judgment.  He is with us to strengthen us and enable to be a witness.  We receive Him when we repent and are born again.  We are filled with Him when we seek the Lord Jesus for that power.  May God fill you with His Holy Spirit!  (Ephesians 5:18)

Scripture reading for November 2nd: John 6-8

Thirst is a great motivator!  When we were farming in Iowa, during the hot summers we had some jobs that made us very thirsty.  Picking up hay bales on a humid afternoon with no breeze really worked up a thirst.  The ones working in the barn out of the breeze had a “thirsty” job as well.   Another job was cutting sunflowers out of the soybean fields with a machete.  We had one farm with half-mile rows.  It would be a mile up and back.  In the hot summer sun, I would be thirsty before I got to the far end of the field.  I knew that I would have to cut my way back to the water jug.  It was a good motivator for the whole crew to work faster and make it back!

“On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.  Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living waster will flow from within him.” “By this He meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were later to receive.  Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.” John 7:39-39

On this last day of the Feast of Tabernacles, the custom was to get two large jars of water from the pool of Siloam and pour it out as an offering before the Lord.  It was probably at this time that Jesus stood up and spoke to the crowd.  He invited those that were spiritually thirsty to come to Him.  He promised that if they would drink of His life, a life-giving stream of “living water” would flow from within them.  John interprets this prophetic word of Jesus as referring to the Holy Spirit being poured out after Jesus’ ascension.   The Holy Spirit would be a life-giving spring that would bring rivers of refreshing and life to those who would believe on Jesus and receive the Father’s blessing!

Are you “thirsty” from your hard work and labors in this sin-filled world?   Has keeping the Law of God worn you out?  Do you need a rest and refreshing?   Jesus calls for us to come to Him for the relief we need. He was glorified  as He ascended into heaven and was seated at God’s right hand.  He poured out the Spirit on the day of Pentecost!  He alone is the source of this spring of special “living water”.  This water is obtained by faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God!  There is no other means of obtaining it!  That should motivate you to work your way back to the source and take a long drink!  Living water: there’s no other drink quite like it!

Greetings in the Wonderful Name of Jesus Christ!  Today is Pentecost Sunday and a time to celebrate the precious gift of the Holy Spirit!  The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity and is the personal gift of the Father who was sent to dwell in followers of Jesus Christ. (Luke 24:49)  Jesus told His followers to wait for this promise and that they would receive power when the Holy Spirit came upon them. (Acts1:8)  This power would be a divine enablement to be witnesses for the Lord.  God’s command was for these believers to go into all the world and preach the Gospel message with signs that would follow! (Mark 16:15-20)

On the day of Pentecost, 120 believers were gathered in a room of the temple praying and waiting on the Lord when suddenly the room was filled with the sound of a rushing wind.  Visible tongues of fire descended on this company and they all began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.  (Acts 2:1-4) These believers went out into the temple area and caused quite a stir among those Jews gathered from around the world for the Feast of Pentecost.  Each one heard them glorifying God in their own language! (Acts 2:8-10)  What a miracle!  Peter preached that day and many came under conviction through the power of the Holy Spirit!  (Acts 2:37)  They were told to be baptized and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit!  (Acts 2:38-41)  Three thousand were baptized and added to the church that day!

Today, nearly 2000 years later, God is still empowering believers to be witnesses for Him.  He is still pouring out His Spirit on all flesh.  He is still sending His Church to be witnesses to the nations.  He is still baptizing people in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other tongues!  He is still confirming His Word with supernatural signs!  God shows no partiality and wants all to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth!  (1st Timothy 2:3-4)  If you are not filled with the Holy Spirit, why not pray and ask the Jesus to baptize you with power to be His witness?  You can become even more effective as a witness with power!  God bless you this Pentecost Sunday!  May you be filled with power again and again.  (Ephesians 5:18-21)

Pastor John

As we rest today and reflect on the reading of the past week, we can’t help but remember what a special day this is!  This day is a day that has forever changed history in a number of ways!  First, the calendar went from “BC” to “AD” marking a turning point for all mankind.  Secondly, Jesus Christ so loved us and all of mankind made in God’s image, that He willingly gave his life for us.  He took our sins in His own body on the cross and became a curse for us in order to remove from us the curse of sin (Galatians 3:13-14)  and it’s resulting penalty, death. (Revelation 1:17-18)  His last words, “it is finished”, (John 19:30) marked the end of all that was necessary for us to have the gift of the Father, the Holy Spirit. (John 14:25-26)  The Holy Spirit marks us with an invisible mark telling the Father that we are now His.  (Ephesians 1:13-14)

Christ was buried in a tomb and it was sealed over and guarded by tough Roman soldiers. (Matthew 27:65-66)  Early in the morning on the first day of the week, however, the stone was rolled away and the tomb was empty!  The women coming to embalm the body heard the glorious and puzzling angelic announcement:  “He’s not here; he has risen just as he said.  Come see the place where he lay.  Go quickly and tell his disciples:  He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you to Galilee.  There you will see him.  Now I have told you.” (Matthew 28:6-7)  Jesus was alive and showed himself to those who were close to him.  Eyewitnesses touched, handled, and examined his resurrected body.  Over 500 saw him at one time.  (1st Corinthians 15:3-6)

Jesus is alive today!  He is seated at God the Father’s right hand.  He is waiting for all his enemies to be made a footstool for his feet.  (Hebrews 10:12-13)  He is waiting for the command of the Father to come back again for those who are His!  All who are ready and watching for His return will be taken to be with Him forever!  (Matthew 24:42-44) Those who have died in faith will rise first and we who remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we will always be with the Lord!  Comfort one another with these words!  (1st Thessalonians 4:11-18)  Now that will be a “resurrection day” for us all to prepare for!  Jesus is alive and coming soon!

He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.”  Amen, Come, Lord Jesus. Revelation 22:20

Scripture reading for February 4th: Leviticus 8-10

Preacher’s kids are sometimes a mess! (Not mine of course!)  In today’s reading the sons of Aaron and nephews of Moses committed a “deadly” sin!  They had experienced the miraculous deliverance of the plagues and seen God act in power at the Red Sea when the Egyptian army was drowned.  They had witnessed the miraculous events of the journey, eaten the “manna” and heard God’s voice on the mountain.  They were dressed, instructed, and anointed for ministry along with their father and other brothers.  They were sprinkled with the blood of sacrifice.  (Leviticus 8)  You would think that they knew enough to take seriously God’s power and presence!  But sometimes, those in ministry or close to it, become complacent.  Worse yet, they behaved disrespectfully towards God in front of others who were looking to them for spiritual leadership!

Nadab and Abihu had witnessed Moses and Aaron going into the Tent of Meeting and the visible Glory of the Lord appearing to the people. (Leviticus 9:23-24.)  Fire came from the Lord and consumed the sacrifice.  All the people shouted for joy and fell face down.  Evidently, Nadab and Abihu were fascinated with the Tent of Meeting.  They decided to go in there themselves and experience God.  They took “strange” fire with them and God took their lives right on the spot.  Why, you ask?  Wasn’t this a sin of “unintentional” ignorance? What was this “strange” fire?

It appears that these boys might have been drunk.  In Leviticus 10:8-11, Aaron warns his other sons not to drink wine or any other fermented drink when they went into the Tent of Meeting!  Paul the Apostle also gives the same warning to believers: “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery, instead be filled with the Spirit.” (Ephesians 5:18) God is not mocked and holds those with more responsibility accountable for their conduct!  We must be wise and respectful in our handling of the “holy things” and when approaching God in worship!  We can bring judgment on ourselves! (1st Corinthians 11:27-34) In Corinth, some were sick and others died because of improper conduct during the Lord’s supper!

Alcohol is not for those in the church!   Alcohol has caused many to stumble and has destroyed many families and believer’s testimonies.  We have the Holy Spirit and He lives in us!  We are responsible to God for our witness and behavior before our family, believers and a lost world!  Please meditate on these Scriptures today and allow the Lord to lead you in your conduct and worship!  Confess and repent quickly!  God doesn’t want you to die! (2nd Peter 3:9)