Jesus Commands: Receive the Spirit

 

Jesus clearly promises that he will send the Holy Spirit and commanded us to receive Him. Yet this clear instruction is left off many lists of Jesus commands. Perhaps it is ommitted because we cannot fill ourselves Holy Spirit. Yet if we have been paying attention throughout this series so far we will have seen that  by ourselves we cannot obey most of the commands of Jesus.

In the verses below we see that the Holy Spirit is sent by the Father and the Son, but must be received by us. Think of him as a house guest that is sent to us. Will we receive him warmly? Will we welcome him into the very centre of our lives? Or will we grudgingly allow him to camp outside near our house? Will we speak with him? Will we enjoy his company? Will we become friends with him?

Jesus Commands us to Receive the Holy Spirit

The rest: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/adrianwarnock/2018/07/jesus-commands-receive-the-spirit/

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What Makes A Family?

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Bethel School Of Spiritual Drunkenness

By Rick Becker

The doctrines and practices emanating from Bethel are as far removed from biblical Christianity as the east is from the west.  Leaders at BSSM channel their students into the dark world of mysticism, vain imaginations, and the demonic.  It takes little discernment to realize that what the BSSM promotes is evil.  The fact that they cannot see this indicates they have rejected truth; they have been given over to a delusion.  Our task is to contend for the faith by warning and praying for those caught up in this deception.

Read more: http://fitl.co.za/2018/07/25/bethel-school-of-spiritual-drunkenness/

What Is Atonement?

https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/bible-study/what-is-atonement-and-why-is-it-necessary.html

Podcast – “Ministry Fire: The Role that the Holy Spirit Plays in Ministry” (Acts 19:1-22)

https://bellatorchristi.com/2018/07/05/podcast-7-5-18-message-ministry-fire-the-role-that-the-holy-spirit-plays-in-ministry-acts-191-22/

Fat Airplane

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” Hebrews 12:1 (NIV)

I remember reading about an airplane used by missionaries that gained two-hundred extra pounds in weight since it was manufactured sixteen years previously. Nobody knows where the extra weight came from.

“We’ve been joking about the only plane in Weight Watchers,” said the pilot. “But it’s really a serious matter. Unless we can shed the extra weight, the plane’s utility is seriously limited. We just can’t carry an extra two-hundred pounds and have space for the cargo we need to deliver.”

Many of us, like the missionaries’ airplane, are carrying extra weight that can stop us from being fully functional and fully alive. For some, the extra weight may be physical, which can lead to ill health. For others, it may be unresolved emotional or spiritual issues. For example, if I am carrying an overload of guilt, fear, grief, hurt, anger, or resentment, or have some unconfessed sin or unresolved addiction in my life. Any of these can keep me bogged down and hinder my being fully productive.

God is not out to clobber us because of these things, but he wants us—with his help and that of supportive friends—to resolve and overcome our issues so that we can get rid of the weight that holds us back and thereby free us to “run with patience the race set before us” and win!

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please help me to find and trim the “fat” in my life—those things that so easily beset me and keep me from becoming and doing all that you have envisioned for me to be and do. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

Comment: http://www.actsweb.org/daily.php?id=748

Peter’s First Address

Acts 2:14-21

Actually Peter’s remarks continue all the way through verse 41, but I want to be respectful of your time, so I’m breaking them into multiple parts for our discussion.

Peter begins by speaking to the silly notion that they are all drunk, reminding the crowd that it was still only nine in the morning. By tradition, the ninth hour was the time for morning prayer after which the first meal of the day would be eaten; silly notion indeed. Then Peter gives an explanation of what was going on that morning, by telling the people that “‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. (2:17a). The prophet Joel, who is being quoted here (see Joel 2:28-32) spoke in a time of trial when the people were feeling the weight of their sin during a time of plague, when God had spoken of a future when Messiah would bring about the fulfillment of God’s purpose with His people, pouring out His Spirit upon all people. This was the longed for age of the Messiah for which they had been yearning such a long time now. In addition to Joel, Isaiah, Hosea and Micah had called this time “the last days”, as would New Testaments writers such as Peter himself, John and the author of Hebrews. Those in the crowd that day would have had no difficulty in understanding the reference, since it was a rich part of their heritage.

Joel made it quite clear that these wonders of God would be for all of the people. Notice that he said things like “all people”, “sons and daughters”, and “both men and women” that mark a great contrast with the restricted activity of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament. Now, the Holy Spirit was to be “poured out” on all who believed; God was expecting universal acceptance. In 2:19-20 we see a number of apocalyptic elements that add to this the sense that God is doing a work of staggering proportion, and finally in verse 21 we see that what is coming about is a new age of salvation for all of those who will accept it:

And everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord will be saved

Read more: https://lifereference.wordpress.com/2018/01/13/peters-first-address-3/