CHANGE IS IN THE AIR!

I believe changes are on the horizon in our ministry.  God has been laying some groundwork over the course of the past year, part of which includes this blog.  He has opened some doors, closed some doors and has put some things in my spirit to do.  Some of these things we are doing now, others will come later this year.  

I took some time a while back and began to make a list of all the things God has done as He has laid the ground work for this change.  After seeing everything written on a list it was exciting to see God's hand displayed.  One thing I've learned through the years is God certainly knows what He is doing!  Good things happen when we submit ourselves to Him and follow His leading.

The changes that are to come all involve ministry.  Some are different facets of ministry than the norm.  I believe God is fed up with what passes for "normal" or "average" Churchianity.  He's looking for people who will stand for Him and be led by Him outside the walls of the organized church.  

Rest assured, whatever area God moves us to pursue will involve Edifying, Exhorting and Encouraging God's people where ever they are and however they gather.  Needless to say, I'm excited and thrilled at the possibilities!

More to come...

Until next time...enjoy the journey!

Ray

CHARACTER AND INTEGRITY

Sadly, I see a serious lack of character and integrity among professing Christians today.  Many don't seem to think it matters what they say or the actions they take as long as it benefits them or sometimes they put a religions spin on it and believe their words or actions are justified if they benefit the "church".  I beg to differ with that in a big way!

I like the way J.C. Watts put it, "Character is doing the right thing when nobody's looking. There are too many people who think that the only thing that's right is to get by, and the only thing that's wrong is to get caught."

Some professing believers have the sentiment that if they can get by with it, they come out ahead. They even try to justify their actions by pulling the "church" in to it.  These things are almost always clothed in robes of righteous rationalization.

I find this behavior to be despicable in the life of a Christian.  The truth is, there is more integrity in many non-believers than we find in the institutional church today.

We have always emphasized character and integrity in the life of the believer.  After all, we are going to stand before God and give account of our actions.  

Others look at us.  We are the only Bible some people will ever read until they come to Jesus.  If they see us as a people lacking character and integrity why should they want to be a Christian?  Why would they want what we profess to have if our lives are no different than theirs?  In fact, their blood may be required at our hands!

Let me emphasize, CHARACTER COUNTS!  INTEGRITY MEANS SOMETHING!  God sees, even if no one else does.  You cannot pull the wool over God's eyes.  

I encourage you to be a person of character and integrity.  You won't be sorry.

Until next time...enjoy the journey!

Ray  

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SHAKE OFF THE VIPERS!

Scripture reading: Acts 28:1-6

Paul was in route to Rome. He was determined to get to Rome one way or another. He was going as a prisoner. Many trials awaited him in Rome. Paul had been on a ship that encountered a fierce storm and was shipwrecked. Paul was comforted by an angel in the storm (Acts 27:22-25). They were shipwrecked and stranded on an island – but they were all alive. They were met by the natives of the island. These natives welcomed them with open arms – they were very hospitable. A nice warm fire awaited them as well as trouble ahead.

Paul was assisting in gathering wood for the fire. A viper (snake) coming out of the fire attacks Paul. Vipers often appear out of the fires of life. Times of trouble make us vulnerable. God has a promise for the fiery times:

Isaiah 43:2 “And when thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee”

Going through rivers of difficulty will either cause you to drown or force you to grow stronger. If you you go in your own strength, you are more likely to drown. If, however, you invite God to go with you, He will protect you. Paul shook off the viper when attacked and so should we. Let's take a look at the three vipers most all of us face on our journey.

The first viper we should shake off is the viper of discouragement (Vs 3). According to the Scripture, Paul was attacked while helping – while doing good. He was gathering a bundle of sticks for the fire. Vipers often appear when we're doing right – doing good.

If you're not doing anything for God why would Satan bother you? Paul could have allowed this attack to make him doubt. He could have asked himself, “Am I doing the right thing?” “Maybe I've missed God somewhere along the way” “Maybe God's done with me here” Instead, he shook off the viper, remembering God's promise of safety (Mark 16:18). Let God's promises deliver you – shake off discouragement!

The second viper we should shake off is the viper of criticism (Vs 4). Look at the reaction of the critics - “No doubt this man is a murderer”. They thought the worst of Paul. Many are quick to judge and falsely accuse. Have you ever been wrongly judged or falsely accused? Rest assured you are not the first to endure this trial.  Jesus was constantly criticized. He was called a blasphemer (Matthew 9:3). He was accused of being in league with Satan (Matthew 9:34). Remember how Jesus responded to His critics?

1 Peter 2:23 “Who, when He was reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered, He threatened not; but committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously”

AMPLIFIED BIBLE “When He was reviled and insulted, he did not revile or offer insult in return; [when] He was abused and suffered, He made no threats [of vengeance]' but He trusted [Himself and everything] to Him who judges fairly”

This is not always the easy thing to do, but it's the right thing to do. Shake off the viper of criticism by looking to Jesus (Hebrews 12:1-2).

Then we need to shake off the viper of low expectations (Vs 6). The natives expected Paul to swell up and die. See how we are, when once we have an opinion of someone, to think that God must necessarily confirm the sentence we think the person deserves.

Some have low expectations of you as a Christian. They don't think you're going to make it. They expect you to stumble and fall. They're waiting for you to backslide. Shake off the faithless conclusions of others. Prove them wrong by being faithful to Jesus.

Jesus came to give us abundant life – both here and in eternity. We can have daily victory in spite of the oppositions. The Holy Spirit has equipped you to win. Walk in the victory God has for you! Shake off those vipers and experience the joy of the Lord!

Until next time...enjoy the journey!

Ray

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THE HOLY SPIRIT - THE SPIRIT-FILLED PERSON

This is the last in a series of blog posts on the Holy Spirit.  These are messages I have shared with the local assembly God has placed us in.  I pray they were a blessing to you.

Scripture Reading: Ephesians 5:18-6:9

In my last blog post I wrote about how to be filled with the Spirit. We discussed how we should stop grieving the Holy Spirit, stop quenching the Holy Spirit and start walking in the Spirit. But what about the changes this makes in daily life? How can we recognize a Spirit-Filled person? What areas of life are affected by walking in the Spirit? That's what I want to address in this blog post.

Let's look, first of all, at the Spirit-Filled person and his/her worship (Vs 18-21). Look at the comparison – Be not drunk with wine. Paul contrasts being drunk with wine, which produces a temporary “high” to being filled with the Spirit, which produces lasting joy. Think about it, a person who is drunk is not under their own control. He staggers, he slurs his speech, his judgment is impaired. What Paul is saying is Be under the control of the Holy Spirit.

Being under the control of the Holy Spirit makes all of life an experience in worship.  Worship in the heart creates an attitude of praise. People worship in different ways. Some are more expressive in their worship. They lift their hands. They verbally praise and sing praises to God. Some worship in a more quiet way. There may be tears flowing down their face. They worship from the heart and are not as outwardly expressive in their worship style. Some prefer the old hymns while others prefer praise and worship music.

I want to emphasize there is no right way or wrong way to worship. The important thing is to worship. Worship should be free. In true worship, desire for God to have His way is evident. Thanksgiving and praise are dominant.

Now let's take a look at the Spirit-Filled person and his/her spouse (Vs 22-23). The Spirit-Filled life is most evident at home. It's been said, “The perfecting of the home is the masterpiece of the Gospel”. We tend to dislike that word “submit” because there's been so much wrong teaching about it. It doesn't mean becoming a doormat. It means putting the interests of others ahead of our own. Submission cannot be required by one person of another. Submission is given on the basis of love and trust. Wives are to submit to their husbands as to the Lord. Let me clarify – the wife who is submitted to her husband is not a robot. Neither does she discard all her natural abilities and talents.  One of her greatest joys, however, is in ministering to her husband. His happiness is important to her. Husbands are to love their wives as Jesus loved the church. This is a sacrificial love – an enduring love. It's a love that is shown and expressed often. One of his greatest joys is in ministering to his wife. Her happiness is important to him.

These are two powerful principles that can revolutionize your home. These two things affect the entire family. Submission is rarely a problem in homes where both spouses are in a strong relationship with Jesus and where each is concerned for the happiness of the other.

Lastly, let's look at the Spirit-Filled person and his work (Vs 6:5-9). The Spirit-Filled worker does his work with all diligence. He overcomes laziness and boredom. He does his work as to the Lord, not to men. He should do his job as if Jesus was his supervisor. You should be trusted in any job you do to do your best whether or not the boss is around.

The Spirit-Filled employer treats employees as he would want to be treated. Treat them fairly and with respect. Treat them as you would want the Lord to treat you. Let Jesus be exalted in the work place by both employers and employees.

The Spirit-Filled life is all inclusive. Like the old chorus says, He's all I need! The Holy Spirit provides everything you need. In daily living, this demands full surrender. We need to submit daily to His leading and draw on His power.

I pray this series of blog posts on the Holy Spirit has been a blessing to you as well as an encouragement to you on your journey with Jesus.

Until next time...enjoy the journey!

Ray

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THE HOLY SPIRIT - BE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT

My next few blog posts will be thoughts and messages on the Holy Spirit that  I have shared with the local assembly God has placed us in.  I pray they will be a blessing to you.

Scripture Reading: Ephesians 5:15-21

What is the filling of the Holy Spirit? To be filled with the Spirit is to be controlled by the Spirit. The Holy Spirit comes into a believer when we are born again. When one is filled with the Spirit, he gives the Holy Spirit complete control of his life.

What happens when one is filled with the Spirit? Our church life as well as our family life are affected (Ephesians 5). The Fruit of the Spirit is evident in our lives (Galatians 5:21-22). We become bold in witnessing to others as demonstrated by the following Scripture:

Acts 1:8 “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth”

Acts 4:31 “And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the Word of God with boldness”

Acts 4:33 “And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all”

We will show great generosity toward those in need (Acts 4:32, 34-35).

Let's talk about how to be filled with the Holy Spirit

First of all, if we want to be filled with the Holy Spirit we must not grieve Him. Paul wrote that the Holy Spirit can, indeed, be grieved in Ephesians 4:30 “And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption”. We MUST stop grieving the Holy Spirit.

It's important for us to realize that God can be grieved. Moses wrote that God was grieved with man's sin before the flood (Genesis 6:6). David wrote that God was grieved with grumbling Israelites (Psalm 95:10). Isaiah prophesied that Jesus would be acquainted with grief (Isaiah 53:3). Jesus wept over wayward Jerusalem and at the grave of Lazarus (Luke 19:41; John 11:35).

It's been said, “Don't go anywhere you can't take the Lord along with you”. This advise is just plain wrong. You see, as Christians we cannot leave our Lord behind!. But we can, in fact, grieve Him...break His heart.

What is it that grieves the heart of God? That's a good starting point. Let's look a what Paul wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit: Ephesians 4:31 “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice”. Now let's break this down a bit. You cannot be filled with bitterness and be filled with the Spirit. You cannot be filled with anger and be filled with the Spirit. You cannot be filled with malice and be filled with the Spirit. You cannot be filled with hatred and be filled with the Spirit. If you are having problems with these things, confess these sins and forsake them! Grieve not the Holy Spirit!

The second thing we must be mindful of is that we quench not the Holy Spirit. Paul in writing to the church in Thessalonica wrote, “Quench not the Spirit” (I Thessalonians 5:19). We must stop quenching the Spirit. To quench the Spirit is to stifle or suppress His work in us and among us. To quench the Spirit is to halt His work in our heart. To quench the Spirit is to resist Him. To quench the Spirit is to exalt our will above the will of God. To quench the Spirit is to tune Him out. Maybe we are tuning in to the worry channel. Perhaps we've tuned in to the fear channel. Then there's the entertainment channel some people prefer. Let's not forget the greed channel and the selfish channel.

When we stop quenching the Spirit, wonderful things will happen. Doors will open. We will find peace of mind. We will then experience the work of the Comforter

The third thing we must do is walk in the Spirit. Paul addresses this when writing to the the Church of Galatia in Galatians 5:16-17, “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would”.

We must start walking in the Spirit – this is a lifestyle...a way of life. “Walking” speaks of faith. The lame man arose and walked. Peter walked on the water. To walk in the Spirit is to take by faith that God has granted His filling and proceed accordingly.

If we find we are grieving or quenching the Holy Spirit in our lives, we must confess this and repent of it. One thing we need to take by faith is HIS filling of us with His Holy Spirit. This is something very personal...something that only we can settle in our lives. No one can do it for you. YOU must do it yourself. What matters most is not how much of the Holy Spirit we have, but how much of us the Holy Spirit has.

Until next time...enjoy the journey!

Ray

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THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE CHURCH

My next few blog posts will be thoughts and messages on the Holy Spirit that  I have shared with the local assembly God has placed us in.  I pray they will be a blessing to you.

Scripture reading: Acts 4:31-33

Let's consider some sad thoughts about Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Jesus was in the world and the world was made by Him yet the world knew Him not. The Holy Spirit was in the church and the church was made by Him yet the church knew Him not

What about the Holy Spirit and the Church? What if individual members were filled with the Holy Spirit? What does the Holy Spirit want to do for us and in us?

In the church the Holy Spirit makes witnesses out of weakings. Jesus said in Acts 1:8, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth”.

The death and the resurrection of Jesus had taken place. Ascension day was here and with it were some questions (Vs. 6). “Will the Kingdom be restored today?” “Shall we start carrying out the Great Commission today?” Jesus told them they would be witnesses after the Holy Spirit comes. This witnessing was to be done in divine power. The word then was wait, then witness. Now it is witness immediately in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus promised the disciples that they would receive power for witnessing. Notice the progression: They would receive the Holy Spirit; He would give them power; They would witness with extraordinary results.

We often try to reverse the order and witness on our own power and authority. Witnessing is not showing what we can do for God, but showing and telling what God has done for us! 

Let's consider the weakness of the disciples. Peter had recently denied even knowing Jesus. Philip showed his weak faithfulness. Thomas and his inability to believe in the resurrection. This same group turned the world upside down!

In the church, the Holy Spirit brings fellowship instead of factions (Acts 4:32). Consider, if you will, the possibilities of divisions among the disciples. There was Peter's denials and Thomas and his lack of belief. They all forsook the Lord and fled at the crucifixion.

Note now that they are of one heart and one mind – complete unity! Their bond is more important than their possessions. Too many churches where the Holy Spirit is named are divided. It is always the work of the Holy Spirit to bring unity among members in the local church so that outreach is unhindered. Division will hinder the effectiveness of the local church. We must stand together united for the cause of Jesus Christ!

In the church, the Holy Spirit produces growth without gimmicks (Acts 4:33). Every instance of the Holy Spirit's power at work in the church brought growth. Acts 2:41 brought 3000 converts! Acts 4:4 brought 5000 converts! In Acts 5:14 we see multitudes of converts! In Acts 6:7 we see the numbers multiplied! There are ways to increase numbers with gifts and gimmicks.  These gimmicks are used often in churches today. These gimmicks are used often to bring in money to t.v. or radio preachers. The use of gimmicks shows the lack of power.  Aren't you tired of gimmicks? Let's depend upon the Holy Spirit to grow God's church!

Ask yourself this question: Will we be a Holy Spirit filled church? Let's rely upon God to build His church! (Matthew 16:13-19). Look at the exchange between Jesus and His disciples:

Jesus: “Whom do men say that I am?”

Response: “John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah or one of the prophets”

Jesus: “Whom say ye that I am?” - “Who am I to YOU?”

Peter: “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God”

Jesus: “Upon this rock (statement/reality) I will build My church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it”.

Will you do your part? Will you allow the Holy Spirit access into your life, your will and your thoughts? If we will all do our part and allow the Holy Spirit to do His work in us, there will be no limit to what God will do...right where you meet!!!!!

Until next time...enjoy the journey!

Ray

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THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE CHRISTIAN LIFE

My next few blog posts will be thoughts and messages on the Holy Spirit that  I have shared with the local assembly God has placed us in.  I pray they will be a blessing to you.

Scripture reading: Gal 3:1-9; 5:16-23

We have learned in this series of blog posts that the Holy Spirit is a person having intellect, emotion and a will, the Holy Spirit is at work in our conversion experience, He regenerates the believer and brings new life. Paul wrote in Titus 3:5, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost”.

All persons of the godhead participate in the work of salvation. Based upon the redemptive work of His Son, the Father sends the Holy Spirit to wash away our sins and continually renew us. He takes up His residence in the believer. Paul confirmed this in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, “What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's”

The Holy Spirit seals the believer. God's Word tells us this in Ephesians 4:30 , “And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby, ye are sealed unto the day of redemption”

He baptizes the believer into the Body of Christ. 1 Corinthians 12:13 “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit” All believers are baptized by the Holy Spirit into one body of believers, the church. We don't lose our individual identities, but we have an overriding oneness in Jesus! We learned that each of us has received the same Holy Spirit who completely fills our innermost beings. The question we want to pursue today is “How can I know whether or not the Holy Spirit is within me?”

The presence of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer produces faith (Galatians 3:1-9). The Christian life begins with faith. Paul had been to Galatia and many had believed

There had been evidence of their new life in Christ. The Holy Spirit will draw you to faith in Jesus. Now these converts had concluded that keeping the law was necessary as well.

This is the mistake of many cults. The law is fulfilled in Christ Jesus! The Holy Spirit comes in response to faith, and He matures our faith. He increases our faith through the written Word. He was at work in revelation - in revealing (2 Peter 1:21). He was at work in inspiration (2 Timothy 3:16). He is at work in illumination. Look at the words of Jesus in John 14:26, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you”

He increases our faith by revealing Jesus, the Living Word. This is the promise of Jesus. John 16:13-14 “Howbeit, 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”. The more we know about Jesus, the stronger our faith becomes

The presence of the Holy Spirit produces a fight (Galatians 5:17). We will have peace at the moment of conversion. Spiritual life has come. Fellowship with God becomes a reality!
But soon we learn we are in a war. Paul instructed Timothy in 1 Timothy 6:12 “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses”
Paul, toward the end of his life said, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith” (2 Tim 4:7).  We are at war with the devil (Ephesians 6:11-12). We are at war with the flesh. Paul said in 1 Cor 9:27, “I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection”

What is the point of this conflict? The Holy Spirit verses the sin nature (Galatians 5:17-21). Paul shared some insight into this struggle (Romans 7:15-25). How do we stay victorious in this battle? By feeding the new nature on the Word of God and by yielding to the Holy Spirit.

The presence of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer produces fruit (Gal 5:22-23). We're talking about the fruit of the Spirit. The fruit we bear will show us if we are winning the battle. These are the things the Holy Spirit wants to produce in you

Notice the natural divisions in this list. First, in relation to God...love, joy, peace. Second ,in relation to our fellow man...longsuffering, gentleness, goodness. Third, in relation to ourselves...faith, meekness, self control

What is the Holy Spirit producing in you? Are you allowing Him to work in your life and produce the fruit He desires to produce? By yielding to the Holy Spirit, we become fruitful.

Until next time...enjoy the journey!

Ray

Thanks for taking your time to read and share this blog. If you know of someone who would be encouraged by this blog, please feel free to forward a link or use the icons below to repost this blog.

THE HOLY SPIRIT - YOUR BODY, HIS TEMPLE

My next few blog posts will be thoughts and messages on the Holy Spirit that  I have shared with the local assembly God has placed us in.  I pray they will be a blessing to you.

Scripture reading: 1 Cor. 6:19-20

We are living in a “body-conscious” world. There are many products to clean up, paint up, prop up and fix up our bodies. There is great concern about physical shape today. Diets abound! Fitness and exercise clubs are all around us.

The Christian has another dimension to this attitude. The day you became a Christian, something happened to your body. This is what this blog post is about.

Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit! Vs 19 What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost? Your body as a Christian is the personal dwelling place of the Holy Spirit!  How awesome is that?

This reminds us of the temple in the Old Testament. What great care was given to it's design. What immense wealth was placed into it's construction. The people were to know that God dwelt there! Note the day of dedication of Solomon's temple (2 Chron 7:1-3, 12-15)

There is no such place in the age of grace! God no longer dwells in temples made with hands. The buildings we see used for church meetings are not God's temple. Those buildings are not even a church, it's just a place the church meets.

Your body is God's temple. Be careful where it goes. Be careful what it does. Be careful what it ponders. Be careful how it reacts.

The Holy Spirit lives within it's temple. Vs 19 “...which is in you?” How can that be? It's something like the creation of man. It's yet another proof of the mystery of God.

Let's see how clearly the Bible bears out this truth. Jesus makes the promise, But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, He shall testify of Me (John 15:26 ). The Book of Acts describes it in Acts 2:1-4 “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all in 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. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance”

Acts 4:31 “And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the Word of God with boldness”

The epistles explain it

Romans 8:9-11 “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 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.”

Galatians 5:25 “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit”

The result of all this is that the Holy Spirit is with you wherever you go! His power is available when you need it. Every word you speak and every deed you do is in His view. He is grieved at our inconsistencies.

The purpose of the Holy Spirit is to glorify God in His temple. The purpose of the creation of man is to glorify God. Stephen glorified God in giving his life. Paul glorified God in beatings and stonings. John, on the isle of Patmos, glorified God by suffering for his Lord. God can and should receive glory through your body and spirit – which are His!

Surrender your body to the Lord. Paul in writing to the Romans said in Romans 12:1 “...present your bodies a living sacrifice...”. Be mindful of where you go, what you do, what you say and how you behave. If you are a child of God, the Holy Spirit is with you – always! You are not your own! “...glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's”

Until next time...enjoy the journey!

Ray

Thanks for taking your time to read and share this blog. If you know of someone who would be encouraged by this blog, please feel free to forward a link or use the icons below to repost this blog.

THE HOLY SPIRIT AND CONVERSION

My next few blog posts will be thoughts and messages on the Holy Spirit that  I have shared with the local assembly God has placed us in.  I pray they will be a blessing to you.

Scripture reading: John 16:8-14

The Holy Spirit is alive and well and He's working in the world today. According to our Scripture there are specific works of the Holy Spirit in the world . These include convicting of sin, righteousness and judgment, teaching people about Jesus and glorifying Jesus and, of course, bringing people to conversion (a saving knowledge of Jesus). In this blog I want to look at what the Holy Spirit does at the moment of saving faith.

The Holy Spirit brings new life to the believer. Paul wrote in Titus 3:5, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost. We're all spiritually dead because of sin (Eph 2:1-9). A good example of this is Nicodemus (John 3). Nicodemus was religious, but lost. He needed a spiritual birth. Apart from the new birth he would not have been saved .

Regeneration means new birth. Most people at one point or another in their life wish they could start life over again. In the sight of God, you can do just that!

When one is saved, the Holy Spirit takes up residence in the individual. Paul, writing to the church of Corinth in 1 Cor 6:19-20 stated What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which in in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's

The Holy Spirit takes up permanent residence in us when we accept Jesus! Jesus promised this to His disciples (John 14:16-23). When the Holy Spirit comes in, there is evidence of His occupancy in the believer's life. The Bible becomes a new book – it comes alive. The Fruit of the Spirit start showing up in the believer's life. Power to overcome sin becomes a daily experience. A new longing for holy living becomes part of the believer's life.

The Holy Spirit seals the believer until Jesus returns. Ephesians 4:30 tells us And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby we are sealed unto the day of redemption.  Note this exciting progression: Regeneration, Residence and now Sealing!

Sealing speaks of ownership. Perhaps you've heard the expression You've “sealed the deal”. The presence of the Holy Spirit within the believer is like a down payment (Ephesians 1:13-14). Vs 13 of our Scripture reading tells us In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the Word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. To guarantee this sealing, we have the witness of the Spirit (Rom 8:14-16). The sealing of the Spirit guarantees that what God has begun He will continue to completion! (Phil 1:6).

The Holy Spirit baptizes the believer. 1 Corinthians 12:13 tells us For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit . It's important to note that this takes place at conversion. The baptism by one Spirit refers neither to water baptism nor to the baptism of the believer in the Holy Spirit, such as occurred on the Day of Pentecost. Rather, it refers to the Holy Spirit's baptizing the believer into Christ's body, uniting him to the Body of Christ and making him spiritually one with other believers.

It's a supernatural transformation that takes place at conversion and puts the believer in Christ. This is the basis for unity within our diversity. God's church is composed of many types of people from a variety of backgrounds with a variety of gifts. If we're not careful, these gifts – gifts that God meant for good – will divide us. Despite the differences, all believers have one thing in common – faith in Jesus!

To drink into one Spirit means that each of us has received the same Holy Spirit who completely fills our innermost beings. We are united by the Holy Spirit into one spiritual body.

Think about it – a new life, indwelt, sealed, baptized all at conversion! This is the Holy Spirit at work in the believer. In view of these benefits in Christ, let's walk in the Spirit

We are equipped to win!

Until next time...enjoy the journey!

Ray

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