The Holy Spirit turns abstract ideas from the Bible into truth and reality. He teaches us and makes Bible doctrine into something that is real, something we know. Translates knowledge into truth held deeply in our hearts.
The Holy Spirit is a companion who provides us company where ever we go. He comforts us in our down times. He advises us in all matters of life. He empowers us to speak the truth. He distributes gifts and abilities with which we bless the Body of Christ and to reach out to the lost. He helps us to pray effectively. He guides us through life with holy nudges and peace.
We should listen to the counsel of those we trust and seriously consider the advice of Godly people but the Holy Spirit wants to speak to us personally.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Monday, September 14, 2009
A reservoir of faith
We are constantly on the stretch for more faith. We have to keep pouring it in the top of the reservoir because it keeps leaking out. The most damaging thing that can happen to it is lack of use. It is a lifelong avocation or pursuit. We can never let up on reading, thinking about and practicing the Word of God. The devil tries above all to diminish our faith or sidetrack us from this pursuit. As a preacher I must always be encouraging faith in my messages, no matter what subject I address.
You've heard the old saying, "Feed you faith and starve your doubts". Christ, being without sin never let doubt have any part of his life. Doubt couldn't grow in his spirit. He had a large reservoir of faith.
In the absence of enough food to feed 5000, he just used faith to produce food. In the absence of money to pay his taxes he pulled out faith and used it.
He and his disciples needed a nice big boat to navigate the Sea of Galilee in case a storm blew up. Their boat wasn't big enough so he used faith to stop the storm. He needed about a hundred soldiers to protect him from an angry mob. He had no body guards so he used faith to keep him safe. He used his faith to heal the sick, raise the dead, drive out demons, and to do all sorts of things that humans can't normally do. He was constantly pouring faith in his reservoir and it was always full.
You've heard the old saying, "Feed you faith and starve your doubts". Christ, being without sin never let doubt have any part of his life. Doubt couldn't grow in his spirit. He had a large reservoir of faith.
In the absence of enough food to feed 5000, he just used faith to produce food. In the absence of money to pay his taxes he pulled out faith and used it.
He and his disciples needed a nice big boat to navigate the Sea of Galilee in case a storm blew up. Their boat wasn't big enough so he used faith to stop the storm. He needed about a hundred soldiers to protect him from an angry mob. He had no body guards so he used faith to keep him safe. He used his faith to heal the sick, raise the dead, drive out demons, and to do all sorts of things that humans can't normally do. He was constantly pouring faith in his reservoir and it was always full.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Lady preacher in the Republic of Georgia
In my travels overseas I have encountered many heros of the faith. People who by their faith, perserverance, and love for Christ are an example for all of us. I want to tell their stories as best that I can remember them.
I met a lady preacher in the Republic of Georgia, in the capitol city of Tiblisi. (Stalin was from Georgia if you remember.)
This is remarkable in itself because the Pentecostal churches do not allow women to take part. Women in the oldline Pentecostal churches are not allowed to speak.
This lady's name is Marina. She had a son who had committed some crime and was in prison there in Tiblisi. Her son was not a believer. While in prison he turned to the Lord. Marina would often talk to him from the street up to the second story window of the prison. The other inmates started gathering around at the window and she would preach to them. Many of them surrendered to Christ and became born again. She began to preach the gospel to them on a regular basis.
I don't remember how many she had become born again as a result of her preaching and her son's testimony but it was a lot.
Word came to the bishop and some of the pastors about what she was doing.
They told her that she must stop preaching because women can't be preachers.
She asked them if they had someone who would come and preach to the inmates if she stopped. They told her "no". She told them "Then I will continue to preach to these inmates".
I met a lady preacher in the Republic of Georgia, in the capitol city of Tiblisi. (Stalin was from Georgia if you remember.)
This is remarkable in itself because the Pentecostal churches do not allow women to take part. Women in the oldline Pentecostal churches are not allowed to speak.
This lady's name is Marina. She had a son who had committed some crime and was in prison there in Tiblisi. Her son was not a believer. While in prison he turned to the Lord. Marina would often talk to him from the street up to the second story window of the prison. The other inmates started gathering around at the window and she would preach to them. Many of them surrendered to Christ and became born again. She began to preach the gospel to them on a regular basis.
I don't remember how many she had become born again as a result of her preaching and her son's testimony but it was a lot.
Word came to the bishop and some of the pastors about what she was doing.
They told her that she must stop preaching because women can't be preachers.
She asked them if they had someone who would come and preach to the inmates if she stopped. They told her "no". She told them "Then I will continue to preach to these inmates".
Friday, July 24, 2009
The devil has blood on his hands
The blood of Jesus Christ is documentation of Jesus' death for us which frees us from all obligation to the devil, erases all guilt, and pays all penalties. We have been made just or we have been justified. United with Christ we have been restored to the original position of sons of God. With Christ we have authority over the devil.
The devil knows all of this. He is fully aware of the significance of Christ's blood. He is responsible for it. He killed an innocent man. The blood is on his hands figuratively speaking. Satan was defeated by his own hand. Through Christ's death we have been all made alive in Christ. This all adds up to a great victory for those in Christ; abundant life for all who are in Christ.
This victory must be enforced. You'd think that after such a decisive victory by Jesus Christ that the devil would just concede and quit his activities. This victory must be enforced over and over again. The pressure is constantly on us to give up our resistance to unrighteousness and just revert to the old life of bondage to the world, the flesh and the devil.
When a great victory has been won, celebration is in order, like winning the super bowl or the world series. It is the most normal thing to do. We don't celebrate what we have done though but rather what Christ has done.
We need to understand the significance of the blood of Christ. It is this knowledge that enables us to enjoy the victory in Jesus. If this knowledge is cloudy or not there, all we have left are our feelings, and they change with the circumstances.
In John's Revelation chapter 12 we see a group of God's people living in the worst possible circumstances. The anti-christ rules the world, all freedoms are gone, Christians are a forbidden people. In all this God's people survived, no rather, they overcame, they were more than conquerors. They overcame the anti-christ, the devil, the world, their own human-ness and the terrible circumstances "by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony".
The devil knows all of this. He is fully aware of the significance of Christ's blood. He is responsible for it. He killed an innocent man. The blood is on his hands figuratively speaking. Satan was defeated by his own hand. Through Christ's death we have been all made alive in Christ. This all adds up to a great victory for those in Christ; abundant life for all who are in Christ.
This victory must be enforced. You'd think that after such a decisive victory by Jesus Christ that the devil would just concede and quit his activities. This victory must be enforced over and over again. The pressure is constantly on us to give up our resistance to unrighteousness and just revert to the old life of bondage to the world, the flesh and the devil.
When a great victory has been won, celebration is in order, like winning the super bowl or the world series. It is the most normal thing to do. We don't celebrate what we have done though but rather what Christ has done.
We need to understand the significance of the blood of Christ. It is this knowledge that enables us to enjoy the victory in Jesus. If this knowledge is cloudy or not there, all we have left are our feelings, and they change with the circumstances.
In John's Revelation chapter 12 we see a group of God's people living in the worst possible circumstances. The anti-christ rules the world, all freedoms are gone, Christians are a forbidden people. In all this God's people survived, no rather, they overcame, they were more than conquerors. They overcame the anti-christ, the devil, the world, their own human-ness and the terrible circumstances "by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony".
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Recent visit to the jail.
A few days ago I made a visit to the jail. I have been doing this for about 13 years. I taught on two aspects of the blood of Christ. I had about a dozen men in two groups.
1. First as documentation of Christ's death. It was necessary that Christ should die and then be raised from the dead, else we are still in our sins with no hope of forgiveness of sins and no hope of reconciliation to God. Because Christ died for us, if we believe on him, embrace him, surrender our lives to him, his death counts for us. Our debt or wages of sin has been paid. We are justified. All record has been erased from heaven's books. This is a wonderful thing to contemplate.
2. Another meaning of the blood of Christ is that it is the evidence that a covenant with God our Father has been made. We have entered into an agreement with God, that everything we are and everything we own; every perogative we have, now belongs to God. Conversely everything God has is at our disposal. I like what the prodigal son's father said to the elder brother, "Thou art ever with me and all I have is thine."
He had a wonderful life and was complaining about it. He had the fellowship
of the father and everything the father had was his.
1. First as documentation of Christ's death. It was necessary that Christ should die and then be raised from the dead, else we are still in our sins with no hope of forgiveness of sins and no hope of reconciliation to God. Because Christ died for us, if we believe on him, embrace him, surrender our lives to him, his death counts for us. Our debt or wages of sin has been paid. We are justified. All record has been erased from heaven's books. This is a wonderful thing to contemplate.
2. Another meaning of the blood of Christ is that it is the evidence that a covenant with God our Father has been made. We have entered into an agreement with God, that everything we are and everything we own; every perogative we have, now belongs to God. Conversely everything God has is at our disposal. I like what the prodigal son's father said to the elder brother, "Thou art ever with me and all I have is thine."
He had a wonderful life and was complaining about it. He had the fellowship
of the father and everything the father had was his.
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