Monday, April 29, 2013

Fifth Commandment


A Jewish Perspective:

Respecting our parents seems to become more difficult as we get older. When we were small, we didn't really have much choice. We were totally dependent on them. Then we became adolescents. Not easy then to fulfill the Fifth Commandment. “Honor thy father and mother” is much easier said than done for a teenager for whom autonomy is the call of the hour.

But it seems to me that it gets even more complicated as we ourselves become mature adults. What happens when a parent is aging ungracefully? What if they are becoming irritable, cantankerous and just plain difficult? Becoming old and forgetful isn't pretty. And it can make a child’s responsibility quite a challenge.

Perhaps that is why the Torah (Bible) tells us: Ish imo ve-aviv tira’u “A man shall revere his mother and father.”  

Ish means “a man,” or an adult. In other words, the Torah is telling us clearly:

Even when you are an adult, you still have the moral obligation to show respect and reverence for your parents. It doesn't matter that you are the world’s busiest executive, or that your social calendar is filled with important events. You are still a child. That person helped bring you into this world, fed you, clothed you, changed your dirty diapers and educated you. Yours is a lifetime debt of gratitude.

The late Rabbi Yirmiye Aloy, of blessed memory, told an interesting story of when he was visiting the United States and looked up some old friends who were living in an old age home. He asked them whether their children visited them regularly. One old man’s answer was a quote from the Book of Psalms (68:20):Baruch Hashem yom yom—“Blessed is G‑d day after day.” Rabbi Aloy was most impressed. “Every single day your children come to visit you? That’s fantastic!” “No, Rabbi, you don't understand,” explained the old man. “Yom yom, two days a year—Mother’s Day and Father’s Day!”

There is no question that there are times when the best thing for older people is a caring, well-run institution.


The least we can do then is to visit regularly.


And the longer people can be independent, the better. But, without trying to lay guilt trips on anyone, let me share an example I myself experienced as a young boy growing up in Brooklyn, New York.

My grandmother passed away, and my grandfather, Rabbi Yochanan Gordon, of blessed memory, came to live with us. I had the privilege of being his roommate, on and off, for some twelve years. At times, I would help him with the accounting for the gemilut chesed fund that he operated from the house. This community free-loan fund was distributing over a million dollars in interest-free loans annually. I also remember helping him cut his toenails, which were difficult for him to reach.

But far more than I helped him, he helped me. He was a special role model for me. Though he wore a rabbinical hat and a long beard, he never preached. His presence and his personality were enough of a message to me as a confused adolescent searching for my way in life. Without his quiet inspiration, I would probably never have become a rabbi. He never even knew what a profound influence he had on my life.

So, while it may be true that older people can be difficult—I remember Zaideh being impatient and irritable at times too—the rewards far outweigh the sacrifices.

Oh, there’s one more thing: At the end of the day, the way we treat our parents is likely to be the way our children will treat us.

Excerpted from the book From Where I Stand by Rabbi Yossy Goldman. Available at leading Jewish booksellers.
Author: YOSSY GOLDMAN

Sunday, April 28, 2013

The Holy Spirit #03

"The Power of the Holy Spirit."
Believers are powerless and ineffective in their daily lives because they do not partake of the vast storehouse of power that is available to them in the person of the Holy Spirit. As a result, they depend upon personality traits and psychological manipulations rather than the power of God. They forget that God says in Zechariah 4:6: . . . Not by [human] might, nor by [human] power, but by my spirit . . . . Man, with all of his reliance on tricks, gimmicks, and manifold activities, could accomplish so much more if God, the Holy Spirit, originated, motivated, and activated the program. 

He alone supplies the power needed by powerless human beings.

He alone is the match to ignite the fire, the fuel to propel the motor.

A person cannot move without His assistance. Acts 1:8 states: . . . ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you . . . .

Do you have this power?

Or are you still serving God in the energy of the flesh?

Just as there is a difference in cultivating a field with a shovel or with a tractor, so there is a mighty difference in one's service when empowered by the all-powerful Holy Spirit. May I also say that there is no power shortage in God's Spirit because:

The Holy Spirit is Omnipotent
The Holy Spirit manifested this power on numerous occasions:

At creation, this blessed Spirit was active because the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters (Genesis 1:2). Job 26:13 states: By his spirit [God] hath garnished the heavens . . . . Again, Psalm 104:30 declares that mankind, animals, birds of the air, fish of the sea and all other created objects came because thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created....

At the conception and birth of Christ, the Holy Spirit again displayed His power. The Bible teaches that Christ was an unembodied spirit in eternity past, for He was in the form of God (Philippians 2:6), and God is a Spirit (John 4:24). However, one of the members of the Trinity had to become embodied because God had decreed in the councils of eternity that the blood . . . maketh an atonement for the soul (Leviticus 17:11). Animal blood was only an inadequate temporary covering looking toward the planned, prepared, permanent sacrifice (I Peter 1:20). This eternal offering also had to be a sacrifice of blood. 

Man's blood was already poisoned through Adam's transgression (Romans 5:12). 

Therefore, since animal blood was inadequate and man's blood was tainted, the only solution was that a member of the Godhead should take a body containing blood. However, if this One were to come into the world through natural generation, the seed of a man deposited into the womb of a woman, the tainted blood would then be passed on to the newborn Christ. 

Thus God planned and prepared a body for His Son (Hebrews 10:5), which the Holy Spirit miraculously placed in the womb of the virgin, and the result was the incarnation -God in the flesh, with sinless blood. That is why I Peter 1:19 declares that we are redeemed with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.

Perhaps this information may help some seeking soul see why the entire program of redemption and salvation stands or falls upon the foundation of the virgin birth.

The blessed, all-powerful Holy Spirit was the agent in carrying out this miracle of the ages. The story is unfolded in Luke chapter one. The angel appears to Mary and says: . . . thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. Mary, in her astonished frame of mind, replies: "How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?" The word know in Scripture often refers to the sex act. 

For instance, Genesis 4:1 says: And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived . . . . So Mary is actually saying, "How shall I have a child when I have never known a man intimately?" The angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God (verse 35). Oh, blessed be the wonder-working, omnipotent Holy Spirit who took the body and blood prepared by the Father and placed the Christ - the sent One - into the womb of the pure virgin.

Again, notice the power of the Holy Spirit in the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. First Peter 3:18 declares: 

For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened [made alive] by the Spirit. Romans 8:11 also states: But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

We have thus far witnessed the power of the Holy Spirit in the work of creation, incarnation, and resurrection. We have discussed the unlimited power of the Holy Spirit for one primary reason: to show every child of God that this power is available in each believer's life.

Holy Spirit Power for Believers

. . . ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you . . . (Acts 1:8). This power is released in a Christian as the indwelling Holy Spirit is allowed to take full control. 
Do not misunderstand - every saved person has this Holy Spirit indwelling him . . . [we] have been all made to drink into one Spirit (I Corinthians 12:13). All means ALL. In fact, it is correct to say that it is impossible to be a child of God if one does not have the Holy Spirit, for if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his (Romans 8:9). Romans 5:5 says: . . . the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. 

Who? 

A select few? 

No! 

. . . the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal (I Corinthians 12:7). One cannot have the manifestation of the Spirit without having Him, and this manifestation is given to every man who says: Jesus is the Lord (verse 3).

While it is true that every believer has the Holy Spirit (and has all of Him, for He does not enter in percentage portions), this does not guarantee that He has all of us. Therefore, subsequent to salvation, every believer needs the filling of the Spirit (also see Chapter 4). Ephesians 5:18,19 says:. . . be filled with the Spirit; speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord. One evidence of the filling, then, is a heart overflowing with spiritual songs.

Another evidence is Holy Spirit power for witnessing . . . ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: [the result:] and ye shall be witnesses unto me. . . (Acts 1:8). Seek the power the apostles had to witness as they bore ridicule, hatred, persecution, and death for the Lord Jesus Christ.

May I go one step further?

I care not what you call your experience with the Holy Spirit. 

However, do not pray for "the fulness of the Holy Ghost" unless you are willing to become hated and even slaughtered for the name of Jesus. This is where the power of the Holy Spirit usually leads the sold out, dedicated, Spirit-filled Christian. 

Let's look at the Book of Acts for a moment and see.

Peter, after being filled with the Holy Spirit in Acts 2:4 (not baptized, which takes place at salvation, but filled, which is subsequent to salvation), becomes a power-laden giant for God. Earlier in his life - in fact, only 7 weeks earlier - he sat by a fire denying the Lord (Matthew 26). At that point in his life, he was a powerless witness. After he allowed the Holy Spirit to take full control and possession of his body, he became a one-man army for the Saviour. 

Please notice that the texts to be quoted mention "boldness" and "power" as the results of the filling of the Spirit. These two attributes, which the indwelling Spirit generates in the believer when He is allowed to have control, cannot be easily duplicated "in the flesh." "Boldness" and "power" in the face of persecution and death can only be produced by the blessed Spirit of God.

The Boldness of Peter

First, let's consider the boldness of the Apostle Peter. Acts 4 states: Then Peter, filled [filled - not baptized, but filled] with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel . . . Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This [Christ] is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved (verses 8, 10-12). Verse 13 states that these people saw the BOLDNESS of Peter and John. Imagine the high priest and his relatives and a great multitude of those who had put Christ to death gathered together as Peter denounces their sin publicly and declares that this Christ they killed is the only way of salvation! It takes Holy Spirit boldness to be uncompromising.

Are you seeking the fulness of the Holy Ghost for the same reason or because it is the popular thing to do?

This same crowd hated Peter's message and threatened Peter and John in verses 18-20: And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. 

For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.

That is boldness, my brother!

Did they quit? No! 

Acts 4:33 states: . . . with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all. In Acts 5:40-42 they are beaten for the sweet name of Jesus and guess what?. . . they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.

Did it stop them?

And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ. The only thing that stopped these Spirit-filled warriors was death. Beloved, to be filled with the Spirit is to die daily (Luke 9:23).

The Power of Paul

In Acts 9:17, Paul, too, was filled with the Spirit - not baptized, but filled. He was baptized by the Spirit at salvation, as all believers are (I Corinthians 12:13), and then filled as all believers should be (Ephesians 5:18). This filling prepared him for the Lord's plan: . . . I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake (Acts 9:16). Has anyone ever suffered as much as Jesus or Paul? 

This battle-scarred apostle enumerates his sufferings in II Corinthians 11:23-27: . . . in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.

Why was he so hated?

Because. . . he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God (Acts 19:8); because his preaching caused an uproar in the city (Acts 20:1); and because he called sin and sinners by name. In Acts 13:9,10 we see Paul filled - get the exact word -filled with the Spirit, setting his eyes on Elymas the sorcerer and saying: . . . thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? 

A Holy Spirit-filled life denounces sin in an uncompromising way. 

It also often brings death because they beheaded Saint Paul. Stephen also experienced the same in Acts 7:55 when he, being full of the Holy Ghost, BOLDLY exposed sin PUBLICLY and was murdered.

Friend, do you want to be filled with the Spirit? 

Think twice before asking Him to take full control of your life. It may cost you everything you have. However, it will be worth it all when we see Jesus. 

He said in Matthew 5:10-12: Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

A MESSAGE OF HOPE FROM DR. JACK VAN IMPE

Monday, April 22, 2013

Source

Make God Your Source of Approval

An epidemic of insecurity is stealing the joy of life from many people in our society today and causing major problems in their relationships. I know the effect insecurity can have on lives because I experienced it myself. I know what it does to a person.

Those who are insecure, often seek the approval of others to try to overcome their feelings of rejection and low self-esteem. They are approval addicts.

When we struggle with insecurity, only one thing will set us free, and that is God's truth. The truth is that we don't need to struggle to get from man what God freely gives us: love, acceptance, approval, security, worth and value.

He is our Refuge, our High Tower, our Strength, our Stronghold in times of trouble and our Hiding Place (see Psalm 9:9; 31:4; 32:7; 37:39; 46:11). Our worth, value, acceptance and approval come from Him. As long as we have those, we have the most valuable things in the world.

As you look to Him, you will be lifted to new levels of freedom, becoming the confident, mature person you were created to be.

Prayer Starter: Lord, I look to You for security. I focus on the truth - You are my refuge and strength. You give me love and acceptance. In You alone I am completely confident.

By Joyce Meyer

Fourcm: Footnote

That Journey Rev Gary
As I read this my reflections of the journey to making God my Source flashed before me. 


Let me say with utter honesty this Journey is not and will not be an easy one; as God dismantles all the hidden props of our life and we find ourselves suspended in envelope of circumstances of which we have no controls and no abilities to alter rectify or influence in any manner or form. 

A place where such attempts fail without end till you prostrate yourself before God and Give Up. Discovering that without him you can do no one thing, to influence or motivate God to do what you want or what you perceive is needed. 

Being brought to this place you cast yourself before the absolute mercy and grace of God and WAIT. . . WAIT . . . WAIT . . . WAIT . . . WAIT . . . until the LORD ACTS.

No journey worth taking in God comes without the buffeting and bruises which God seems to allow "only for our good mind you" to shape us into that which we have been created for. 

When does the Enduring Journey End? you may ask.

Simply When you do. And He Takes over.

Sunday, April 21, 2013

'Thank You'


'For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do.' Hebrews 6:10

Are you thinking, 'I do so much for others; now I just want a little appreciation in return'?

But there doesn't seem to be any coming, so you feel unappreciated and taken for granted. Just two simple words, but oh how much they mean: 'Thank you!'

Has it been a long time since you heard them? 

If so, understand this: others may fail to thank you, but your Heavenly Father appreciates all that you do and all that you are. Your work may go uncelebrated, but it will not go unrewarded. God has put you exactly where He needs you. You are fulfilling His purpose every day. Once you accept that, you'll find joy and meaning in what you're doing. 




God is the reason - others are just the beneficiaries! Don't let someone else's response decide your level of joy. They may not notice, but God does. He observes every day and every detail of your life. 'God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for Him and how you have shown your love to Him by caring for other believers, as you still do.' Paul writes,


 'Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord...' (Colossians 3:17 ).

That's it - do it for Him!

Why don't you pray this prayer: 'Lord, all that I do, I do for You. I know that You appreciate me; look at the blessings You've given me! So I will praise and honour You throughout this day with my thoughts, my words and my deeds. In Christ's name. Amen.'

SoulFood: Gal 5:22, 2 Pet 3:3-15, Matt 5:39, 1 Sam 25:1-42 (Fruit of the Spirit: Patience)

Written by Bob & Debby Gass
Sunday, 21 April 2013
APPS available here

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

The Holy Spirit #02


In the previous newsletter we studied the divinity and the personality of the blessed third member of the Trinity. In this lesson I want to discuss the presence of the Holy Spirit.

HIS PRESENCE: In Old Testament times, the Holy Spirit made visitations to men on earth but did not abide in them. A most enlightening statement to this effect is found in John 7:37-39: In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

What does it mean; the Holy Spirit was not yet given?

Was not this Spirit seen brooding over the water in Genesis 1:2?

Did not He descend as a dove at the baptism of the Saviour?

The answer to all these queries is an unequivocal Yes!

However, these were only visitations upon men to empower them for service. He did not abide in or remain upon them for an entire lifetime. This He would do after the glorification of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Saviour predicted this in John 14:16: And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever. Then in the next verse, Christ states: . . . he dwelleth with you, and shall be [future tense] in you. The Lord again says in John 16:7: Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.

There can be no religious quibbling about statements such as these. The Holy Spirit was not on earth as an abiding indweller while Christ was on earth. He could only take up this ministry after Christ's ascension or glorification. When did the blessed Holy Spirit come into the world to live in believers? The answer is simply on the day of Pentecost.

Acts 2:1, 2 states: And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 

The result - (verse 4) . . . they were all filled with the Holy Ghost . . . .

Wind is often connoted with the Holy Spirit. For instance, Jesus said that a man must be born of the Spirit in John 3:5 and adds in verse 8: The wind bloweth where it listeth [wills], and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. So this wind which hit them with the force of a hurricane on the day of Pentecost was the fulfilled promise of the Christ who had sent the other Comforter to abide in believers.

From that point onward, the prayer of the psalmist in Psalm 51:11 was outdated. He said: . . . take not thy holy spirit from me. This could only happen when the Holy Spirit made visitations upon men but could never happen after He had come to abide and dwell in men. Amen and amen!

Please do not insult the Lord with erroneous prayers.

The same Holy Spirit which baptises every believer into the Body of Christ at the time of salvation (I Corinthians 12:13) also seals that one into the Body for all eternity (Ephesians 4:30).

Do not take my word for it but God's.

The Holy Spirit's Sealing

Ephesians 4:30 states: And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

What a thought! We are sealed by the Holy Spirit of God unto the day of redemption.

What day is that?

It is the day when our very bodies are resurrected and redeemed in the presence of God (Romans 8:23). First Thessalonians 4:16, 17 declares: For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. It is at this moment that the bodies of the dead and living in Christ are redeemed and - praise His Holy Name - the blessed Holy Spirit seals us to the very moment.

The sealing does not depend on man's perfection but upon Christ's completed work at Calvary and the Holy Spirit's keeping power. If you cannot accept this statement, look at Ephesians 4:30 again: And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. It does not say, If one grieves the Holy Spirit, the seal is broken. Instead, it declares that even the one grieving the Spirit remains sealed.

Now, the Holy Spirit may make the erring child miserable because when He, living in the believer, is grieved, the same believer automatically partakes of the grieved Spirit's feelings. And the Lord may give that child a good spiritual paddling (Hebrews 12:5) to bring him to holiness (verse 10), but the fact is that the one doing the grieving is still sealed for time and eternity. Paul again rejoices in this truth in II Corinthians 1:22 as he cries: [God] hath also sealed us, and given the earnest [or guarantee] of the Spirit in our hearts. And again: . . . in [Christ] also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise 

(Ephesians 1:13). Beloved, the Comforter has come to abide and live in believers forever. The genuinely saved need never pray, "Take not thy Holy Spirit from me," and the professors of religion certainly cannot pray it because they never had Him.

So dispensationally the prayer is obsolete. Why?

Because on the day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit came to dwell in believers for the entire Church Age. When the Church shall be evacuated at the Rapture, the Holy Spirit and those in whose heart He lives will be caught up and out in the twinkling of an eye, thus ending the Spirit's present program of abiding and dwelling in the bodies of believers. At the Rapture He goes back to the Old Testament method of coming upon individuals and then they will again pray: "Take not thy Holy Spirit from me.

The Holy Spirit's Omnipresence

All of the foregoing does not mean that the Holy Spirit is limited to a particular place. He is omnipresent or
everywhere at all times. He always was, is, and always shall be present in all places because He is God. The psalmist said in Psalm 139:7: . . . whither shall I flee from thy presence? He then enumerates places in heaven, earth, and hell proving that the Spirit is everywhere. Though He is God and everywhere present, still He chooses to work differently in various eras of time. This is what we have discussed to this point.

for the Holy Spirit's Presence
Let's consider further reasons for the Holy Spirit's presence among us:



A. The Holy Spirit Strives

Genesis 6:3 states that the Holy Spirit strives with sinners. This striving of the Spirit is closely related to His convicting work . . . when he [the Holy Spirit] is come, he will reprove [or convict] the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment (John 16:8). God gave His Son to die for sinners. Christ went through the atrocious agonies of Calvary in His quest for sinners. The Holy Spirit lovingly, tenderly, and compassionately strives, convicts, woos, and wins every sinner who turns to Jesus.

B. The Holy Spirit Restrains

He also restrains sin in this wicked, hell-bent world. This does not mean the discontinuance of all evil. He could do this by making men robots. However, His purpose is simply to check the evil so that there is still a semblance of sanity left upon the earth. But during the 7-year period of Tribulation when His restraining influence will have been removed, all hell will unleash itself upon this globe. Second Thessalonians 2:7, 8 states: For the mystery of iniquity [lawlessness] doth already work: only he [the Spirit] who now letteth [restraineth] will let [go on restraining], until he [the Restrainer] be takers out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed . . . . That will be hell on earth.

C. The Holy Spirit Regenerates

Another ministration of the Holy Spirit concerns regenerating souls. We touched briefly on this in the earlier part of the study. When one is born again of the Spirit (John 3:5), he receives a new nature - God's divine nature. As human generation begets a life after its kind, so divine regeneration means the impartation of life from God. This is what the Apostle Peter had in mind when he said: that...ye might be partakers of the divine nature . . . (II Peter 1:4). At salvation, regeneration - or the imparting of God's nature to the repentant sinner - takes place. Over 85 New Testament passages verify this truth. Church membership is not the answer. A woman cannot become a hen by sitting in a chicken coop. Neither can one become a saint with a divine nature by sitting in church. It is the work of the Holy Spirit.That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again (John 3:6, 7).

D. The Holy Spirit Illuminates

We again see that the Holy Spirit illuminates or enlightens a sinner. Some young people accept the put-downs of the Bible from conceited professors with Ph.D. degrees because they feel these educated nincompoops know everything there is to know about the Bible. Students, I have news for you. To understand the Holy Bible one must know the Author personally - the Holy Spirit of God. First Corinthians 2:11 declares: . . . the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Verse 12: Now we have received . . . the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.  Then He dogmatically states in verse 14: But the natural man [or unsaved man laden with all of his academic degrees] receiveth not [or understands not] the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. They do not know the Author who holds the key to unlocking the Book. We will have much to say about the anointing of and the filling with the Spirit in subsequent chapters.

E. The Holy Spirit's Comforting Ministry

Jesus said: I will not leave you comfortless . . . (John 14:18), so when He departed He promised to send the Comforter unto the disciples. The actual Greek word which Christ used was Paraclete, which means a helper or one called to another's side to aid the person. Oh, if we Christians could only realize that He is always there to aid and comfort us, we would not have to depend upon men. There is someone far greater than ministers, psychologists, or psychiatrists. He is the blessed Comforter - the Paraclete, who never leaves or forsakes a child of God.

An unsaved man sitting next to a Christian on a train began weeping. The Christian asked, "May I share your burden?" The stranger replied, "I have just lost my wife and our home is so empty. All I have now is her parakeet for company." The Christian answered, "I, too, have lost my loved one, but I have the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit, and He never leaves me." This testimony led to the man's conversion. Oh, child of God, how we miss the glorious truth of the Paraclete's comforting ministry This Holy Spirit not only abides with us throughout our earthly pilgrimage but stays with us - hovering over our graves - until the redemption of our bodies. 

You see, the body of the Christian is the temple of the Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 6:19). Since it is His temple, He watches over it.

Dr. J. Wilbur Chapman, preaching at Dayton, Ohio, to a group of ministers, said: "I was sitting in my home in the country, reading the account of an address delivered by Dr. Moorehead at a Bible conference. He said that when one became a son of God the Spirit of God came into that person to dwell, and would continue to dwell in that body until the resurrection." Dr. Chapman continued: "I started thinking about that and tears filled my eyes.

I told my man to hitch the horse to the carriage, and my wife and I rode out to the little grave where we had buried our firstborn son, and as we stood there that morning we said, `Thank You, Lord, for keeping watch.' Immediately peace filled our souls. Then years later I stood by the grave of my mother and again said, `Thank You, Holy Spirit, for staying with your temple and keeping watch."'

Unsaved reader, you do not know what you are missing by not knowing Jesus.

Get saved - receive Christ.

When Christ comes in, immediately the Holy Spirit also enters to abide with you forever. He will comfort you daily and stay with your corpse in the grave.

Then at the resurrection of the just, He will touch your body with n
ew life, reunite it with the soul, and sweep your triune person - body, soul, and spirit - into His presence.

A MESSAGE OF HOPE FROM DR. JACK VAN IMPE

Thursday, April 11, 2013

Spirits


THE HONEST TRIFLES OF DARKNESS 

Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God.” – Lev 19:31
Shakespeare’s Macbeth is famous for its witches. These three crones are not out producing butterflies and gum drop forests. They are cauldron-fillers who consult with evil spirits, who use baboon's blood, nose of Turk, and Tarta’s lips in their foul brews. In the end, their words deceive Macbeth and direct him on a path that eventually leads to him to murder his king, his friend Banquo and the wife and children of a man who had done him no harm. In the end, Macbeth’s wife commits suicide and Macbeth himself is slaughtered, losing all he had so bloodily gained.
People are fascinated with the occult, and young people think it is “scary” to visit graveyards and conjure spirits, to play with ouija boards and consult the dead. It’s vital we remember that these spooky pursuits may seem like harmless fun, but can open doors that allow in evils far more real than Macbeth’s witches.

The Exorcist

In 1973, The Exorcist terrified audiences by portraying a little girl possessed by demons and the efforts of two priests to cast out the spiritual forces and free her. William Blatty’s tale was inspired by a teenage boy from a Washington suburb in Maryland who was reportedly exorcised in 1949. The Washington Post offered one of many reports on the story August 20, 1949 in an article entitled, “Priest Frees Mt. Rainier Boy Reported Held in Devil’s Grip.” In it, Bill Brinkley writes:
“…In all except the last of these, the boy broke into a violent tantrum of screaming, cursing and voicing of Latin phrases—a language he had never studied—whenever the priest reached the climactic point of the ritual, ‘In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, I cast thee (the devil) out.’”
Despite the horrifying content, movie goers flocked to The Exorcist as well as to other movies like Poltergeist (1982) and The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005). Demon possession and the paranormal fascinate audiences.

The Evil Dead

A movie coming out later this month offers an attempt at producing the most in-your-face bloody horror flick of all time. When a group of young adults hide out in a cabin in the woods, one fellow foolishly unleashes a demon through a book of witchcraft. The film depicts sacrificed cats hanging from the ceiling and a demonic tree that strangles and rapes a young woman. From amputations and throat slitting to shooting each other with nail guns, the movie lets blood flow as it shows the obcene horrors that demon possessed human beings can commit against each other. As bloody and horrific as the movie is, movie-goers are expected to pack the theaters for the thrill of being terrified.
Even without focusing on complete gore, a second Insidious movie will come out later this year, glorifying the occult and the demonic haunting that already had victory over the Lambert family in the first movie. Another movie to be released this summer, The Conjuring, portrays the efforts of two paranormal investigators to help a family dealing with spirits haunting their New England home.

It is easy to get too interested in demonic activity. In the Bible, Jesus told demonic forces to be quiet before he cast them out (Luke 4:35). He did not engage them in conversations past finding out their names (Mark 5:7–13). The law repeatedly orders the children of Israel to stay away from occultic activities:

There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee.” (Deut 18:10–12).

Evil spirits are smart. Remember the shrewd serpent in the Garden (Gen 3:1). Just as Satan knew how to trick Eve, demonic forces know exactly how to get to us. It’s foolish to even talk to them, let alone ask them questions for the sake of knowing the answers.


Evil spirits can know unexpected amounts of information about us and our loved ones. About history. Which means they can pretend to be anybody. The girl possessed with the spirit of divination in Acts 16:16–18 was not putting on a show. When Paul and Silas cast the demon out, the girl’s masters were angry that their source of income had been ruined.

Evil spirits are amazing at deception. Satan is an expert liar and can appear as an angel of light (John 8:44, 2Cr 11:14).

Jesus and Satan are not equals. Jesus has all the power and authority of the universe and we can have authority over evil spirits in Jesus’ name (Luke 4:36, Luke 9:1; Phil 2:9–11). Satan is overcome by the blood of the Lamb (Rev 12:9–11).

Messing with spiritual forces we don’t understand is dangerous and completely foolish. We might be able to win a fight with demonic powers, but it doesn’t mean the wrestle won’t leave scars.
One of the most telling lines in Macbeth is spoken by Banquo shortly after he and Macbeth first encounter the witches. The witches correctly called Macbeth “Thane of Glamis” out on the heath, and Macbeth soon learns he’s been named Thane of Cawdor, just as the witches predicted. Certainly, he would therefore be king as they promised as well? Banquo recognizes the supernatural power at work, but he’s suspicious. He says, “And oftentimes, to win us to our harm, the instruments of darkness tell us truths, win us with honest trifles, to betray’s in deepest consequence.” Banquo’s distrust turns out to be well founded. Macbeth is tricked with honest trifles, which sends him on his way to the dragon’s mouth.
Macbeth is just a story, but the same tactic is found in the Bible. Satan tempted Jesus in the desert using the scriptures themselves, but Jesus quoted the scriptures right back. This is why it’s so vital we study the whole word of God and test the spirits as 1 John 4:1 describes.
As Christians, we do not have to fear demons. Jesus Christ has authority over all spirits. Yet, we should absolutely not allow ourselves or our children to treat spiritual things lightly, even if they are packaged as an innocent-looking cardboard game from Parker Brothers. As 17th century Dutch jurist Hugo De Groot once said, “Ignorance of certain subjects is a great part of wisdom.”

by Koinonia House Inc., P.O. Box D, Coeur d’Alene, ID 83816

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Wednesday, April 10, 2013

The Holy Spirit #01


Introduction:
Pneumatology the doctrine of the Person and work of the blessed Holy Spirit, has often been misunderstood and abused. This is particularly true in our 21st century. The basis for the present confusion is a lack of knowledge of the Word of God. This situation is totally unnecessary because hundreds of scriptural portions describe in detail the Person and work of this wonderful third Person of the Trinity. Our study will take into consideration scores of these verses. In discussing this blessed third member of the Trinity, let us consider 

(1) His divinity.
(2) His personality.

The Holy Spirit is divine - that is, He is God. He is as much God as the Father or the Son. The fifth chapter of Acts (fn01) makes this emphatically clear. Ananias and Sapphira plotted to cheat the Lord. As they were about to enact their hypocritical deed, Peter cried out in verse 3: Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost . . . ? Then in verse 4 Peter continued: . . . thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. The Holy Spirit of verse 3 is the God mentioned in verse 4.

This God is also called the spirit of the Lord in Isaiah 11:2, and His attributes are gloriously described in such terminology as: ". . . the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord." He is called the Spirit of God in Genesis 1:2 and the Spirit of Christ in Romans 8:9. We see then that the SPIRIT who is so closely identified with the Father and the Son is GOD, the third member of the Trinity He is also the Eternal Spirit (Hebrews 9:14). He always was, is, and shall be.

Genesis 1:1, 2 reads: In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. The word God in the clause In the beginning God created . . . is the Hebrew word Elohim, a plural noun, meaning more than one or simply a trinity.

We find this same plural in Ecclesiastes 12:1 which states in the original Hebrew Old Testament: Remember now thy Creators in the days of thy youth . . . This same Trinity creates man in Genesis 1:26, for God said: . . . Let us make man in our image.

Most people agree that God the Father created the world and mankind, but argue angrily when one suggests that Christ and the Holy Spirit were part of the plurals just mentioned. However, let's allow the Word of God to speak for itself. We know that Christ helped create the world and mankind because John 1:10 states: [Christ] was in the world, and the world was made by him . . . . And Colossians 1:16 adds: For by [Christ] were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth . . . . The Holy Spirit also was a partner in this creation, for Job 26:13 declares: By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens . . . . So we see the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as coequal laborers in the beginning. 

It is as plain as the nose on one's face. Because of their limited grasp of spiritual truths, men mock the doctrine of the Trinity. God says: But the natural [or unsaved] man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned (I Corinthians 2:14). True believers are enlightened by the Holy Spirit, who wrote in I Corinthians 2:12Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

The Holy Spirit Wrote the Bible

Continued evidence that the Holy Spirit is God is found in the fact that the Holy Spirit wrote the Holy Bible. Second Timothy 3:16 states: All scripture is given by inspiration of God . . . . Who is this God? Which member of the Trinity is given the credit for writing the Holy Book? Second Peter 1:21 answers this question: For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. Yes . . . God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God (I Corinthians 2:10).

Peter, in the great Pentecostal address, declares that David's prophecy concerning Judas came by the Holy Spirit. He says: Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus (Acts 1:16). There is no doubt about it - the Old and New Testaments were written by God and this God was and is the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit's Titles and Attributes

Further proof of the Holy Spirit's deity is found in His titles and attributes. He is called the Spirit of Grace, Holiness, Judgment, Knowledge, Life, Love, Might, Promise, Prophecy, Revelation, Supplication, Truth, Understanding, and Wisdom. He is described as omnipotent (all powerful) as to Christ's resurrection, because Christ was quickened (made alive) by the Spirit (I Peter 3:18). 

He is also omniscient (knowing all things) because I Corinthians 2:10, 11 states: . . . the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. He is also omnipresent (everywhere at all times). 

The psalmist cries out in Psalm 139:7-10Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. It is clear that the reference is directly pointing to the Holy Spirit in this contextual setting.

This same Spirit, like Christ, is Truth, for "the Spirit is truth" (I John 5:6) and also Holiness. His name the "Holy Spirit", certainly verifies this attribute. Because of this title, it is He who copes directly with the sin nature in the believer and is the only existing power by which that nature is ever controlled. This does not imply superior holiness over the Father and the Son. It is impossible for the inner character of one Person in the Godhead to be more holy than that of another; distinction must lie then within the sphere of that which is the official responsibility of the Spirit. 

This third Person undoubtedly has a special appointment to manifest, as well as defend, the infinite holiness of God. This holiness of each member of the Trinity is praised by God's angels in Isaiah 6:3 as they cry: Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. There is no doubt about it - all these, and other scriptures clearly define His divinity and His standing as God the Holy Spirit.

Second, let us consider the Person or personality of the Holy Spirit. He is definitely a person, distinct from the Father and the Son. He is not an energy or an influence but is distinctly personal, as are the Father and the Son. One of the reasons for not clearly understanding this truth is an unfortunate translation of the original Greek text into the English Bible. For instance, I refer to Romans 8:16, where we read: The Spirit ITSELF beareth witness with our spirit . . . (emphasis mine). 

Because the impersonal pronoun "it" is used instead of "he" many have regarded this blessed third Person as a mere influence. However, the majority of texts use the correct personal pronouns, as in John 16:13, 14Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you

In discussing His departure, Christ informed the world that He would send another to take His place upon the earth. One can readily see that Christ was not sending an influence but another Person. John 14:16,17: And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

The Attributes of a Person

This same Holy Spirit has all the attributes of a person, as you and I do. He can speak (Acts 13:2). He strives with sinners (Genesis 6:3) and can be resisted (Acts 7:51). He can be vexed (Isaiah 63:10) and tested (Acts 5:9). He has feelings because Ephesians 4:30 states: And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. It is abundantly clear, then, that He does what other persons do.

Many people still have a difficult time thinking of the Holy Spirit as a person because of the term "spirit." Religionists believe that the Father is a Person, as well as the Son, but reject this truth when it comes to the third member of the Trinity because of the label "spirit." If this has been your theological interpretation, listen to this. The Father was and is a Spirit (John 4:24). 

The Lord Jesus Christ was a spirit who became flesh to die for sinners. Philippians 2:5-8 states that He was in the form of God (spirit form) but took upon himself the form of flesh. So originally all three were in spirit form. Presently, the Father and Holy Spirit - along with innumerable angels - are still in spirit form. Are they [the angels] not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation? (Hebrews 1:14). 

On this basis, God the Father is not a person, Christ was not a person, and the Holy Spirit is not a person, nor are the myriads of angels personalities if "spirit" means a mere emanation from God. We now have only three emanations in eternity past and no source from which to emanate. 

Perish the thought! All three are persons. Just because human eyes cannot presently visualize the spirit world is no proof that the spirit world cannot be seen with spiritual eyes. We will possess these when the dead shall be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed (I Corinthians 15:52). There are three Persons presently in heaven - the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 

The Father and the Holy Spirit are still in spirit form. Only Christ is in the heavenlies with a human body. That is why Colossians 2:9 states: For in [Christ] dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. This does not mean that the other two are not as much a reality as Christ. It only means that one of the three was chosen to take a body containing blood in order to die for sinners because without shedding of blood is no remission [for sin] (Hebrews 9:22).

The Holy Spirit is God

In conclusion, I trust that you will realize that the Holy Spirit is God, that He is not a mere influence or emanation from the Father or the Son but a real person. When the Bible speaks about Him being the Spirit of God and of Christ, it means that He is the Spirit of the Father because He is sent of the Father. He is also the Spirit of Christ because He is sent by the Saviour. 

This blessed Holy Spirit is also received at the moment Christ is received. Listen to the Word of God. John 3:5 says: . . . Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. Romans 8:9 says: . . . if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. One receives the Holy Spirit when he believes - in fact, it is impossible to believe and be saved apart from the Holy Spirit. This is why I Corinthians 12:13 declares: For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body . . . . Every Bible scholar will tell you that the placing of an individual into Christ's body accompanies salvation. 

Notice that it is the Holy Spirit's baptism which produces the miracle. This baptism is not a second experience, but a transformation into Christ's body performed by the Holy Spirit at salvation. Call your experience by other descriptive titles if you so desire but do not call it the "baptism" because that is a once-for-all experience which the Holy Spirit administers at salvation.

The promise of the Saviour takes place at salvation. Jesus said: . . .I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever . . . he . . . shall be in you (John 14:16,17). Paul could say: . . . the Holy Ghost . . . is given. unto us (Romans 5:5). This text in context teaches that the Spirit is given alike to all who are saved. 

The word us is not a select group of believers, but all who have been washed in the blood. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God . . . (I Corinthians 2:12). No consideration could even be given for a moment to the assumption that the Spirit is intended only for a restricted company among the saved. No, we have all been made to drink into one Spirit (I Corinthians 12:13). If you have salvation you have the Spirit; if you have not the Spirit you have never been saved. . . if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his (Romans 8:9). 

Now, the Spirit can have more of us and that is called the filling of the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18) which we shall study in a later chapter. However, let's get one thought straight: If you are saved, you have the Spirit; if you are lost, you do not. If you receive Christ today, the Father and Spirit will also become a part of you, as you become a partaker of the divine nature (II Peter 1:4). 

Do it now let the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit into your life.

A MESSAGE OF HOPE FROM DR. JACK VAN IMPE