“He replied, ‘The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know.’ ” Acts 7:8 NLT I struggle with having patience. I open the microwave before it dings, I coax along the red traffic light, and I hate being late. I feel like I am always in a state of busyness, rushing from one task to the next and never setting aside the time needed to listen and rest. The Message translation puts the above scripture like this “He told them, ‘You don’t get to know the time. Timing is…
“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 This week we have been considering the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. I trust that it has been a blessing to each of you and that it has given you a greater desire to draw closer to the Lord. I was just talking to a friend who lives alone like I do. We were discussing how wonderful it is to be able to talk to the Lord when we are facing situations in our lives that we don’t know just what to do. When we do not have anyone else to talk to, we can call on the Name of Jesus, knowing that He hears and understands. His Holy Spirit whispers peace to our hearts. I cannot imagine how people who do not know the Lord cope with life’s problems. I am so glad for the promise that Jesus gave His disciples, that He would not leave them alone, but would send them a Comforter, and that the promise was not just to them but…
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” Galatians 5:22-25 It would be wonderful if when we accepted Jesus as our Saviour, we were suddenly transformed into the vessel He desired us to be. But this is not the way it happens. We are human and will make many mistakes. As we let the Holy Spirit work in our lives, we begin to change our thoughts and our attitudes towards the Lord and others. Jesus repeatedly taught His disciples that the greatest commandment was to love God, and the second was to love one another. Is it any wonder that the first fruit mentioned is love? As we grow in our love for the Lord, we begin to show love to others. This results in joy and peace as we live in harmony with those around us. The more we love the Lord, the more patient and long-suffering we are with people. We become gentle and kind in everything we do.…
“Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” Romans 8:26-27 We have been talking this week about the Holy Spirit which Jesus promised to His disciples and which was initially outpoured on the Day of Pentecost. I am so thankful that we can receive the same experience today,…
“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 Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” Acts 1:8 These were the final words that Jesus gave His disciples before He ascended into the heavens. He told them to go to Jerusalem and wait for the promised Holy Spirit. He did not tell them how long they would have to wait. They spent their time in prayer and expectation and finally, the day arrived. We read the account in Acts 2. In celebration of the Feast of Pentecost, the priests were in the temple offering the first loaves of the new harvest, but in the upper room, the Holy Spirit came as the first fruits of our inheritance. The place was filled with the sound of a rushing, mighty wind, tongues of fire sat on each head, and they began to speak in heavenly language. What a change in the hearts and lives of the disciples. Those men who had fled from the garden in fear the night that Jesus was arrested, were suddenly filled with boldness, as they…
“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.” John 14:26 For three and a half years the disciples had listened to Jesus as He taught about His kingdom. Now as the time was coming when He would leave them, He promised that when the Comforter came, He would stir up their memories. For some of them, it would mean He would direct them to record their experiences in what we know now as the Gospels. No doubt they had not written down anything while Jesus was with them, but by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit they would be able to share Jesus’ life for all the world to know. II Timothy 3:16 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:” Just as the Holy Spirit illuminated the minds of the disciples, so He works today in our hearts, bringing to remembrance the truths we have read in the Scriptures, and the preaching and teaching we have received. That is…