Talk of JESUS .com

Tag: holy spirit

  • Is that all there is (of my life)?

    Is that all there is (of my life)?

    And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. – Hebrews 9:27-28 ESV

     

    What is the meaning of MY life?

    The paradox of purpose to a soul given our meaning by God:

    “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
    and before you were born I consecrated you;
    I appointed you … (to your purpose and your meaning), says the LORD.

    In Jeremiah 1:5 the LORD reveals His specific holy consecration and appointment of Jeremiah as “a prophet to the nations.”

    The LORD also knew you (as the LORD knows me). He has appointed you to HIS purpose. In HIM only will you find YOUR meaning.

    Why does the prodigal child ask a friend of the world and not the Father of all creation?

    “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise) – Ephesians 6:2

    Is that all there is wineWhy does the prodigal wife drown her meaninglessness in booze asking: ‘Is that all there is?’ rather than remembering the blood of Christ, whom she once called, “Lord?” Why does she betray her vow to her husband and to her ‘Lord?’

     1 Corinthians 11

     3 But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God.

    11 Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of woman; 12 for as woman was made from man, so man is now born of woman. And all things are from God.

    Here is your relationship of a man and his wife; the living and loving relationship of Christ Jesus and His family.

    Yet do you, dearly beloved, remember the significance of this “family relationship?”

    Ephesians 5:31 “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” 32 This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. 33 However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

    And remembering the three-strand relationship of husband and wife in Christ, we return to the symbolism of of this great mystery in which we share (returning to First Corinthians 11):

    23 For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said,

    “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

    25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying,

    “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

    26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
    27 Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.

    —

    When in our homes our children have seen and have lived in the instruction of holy scripture, which by our New Covenant in Christ Jesus sets us aside from the world for the glory of God; when in our christian homes our christian children have seen their christian fathers and their christian mothers live first in their meaning and purpose to the LORD; when husband and wife live as one to each other, forsaking ALL others (worldly work friends, worldly neighbors, the worldly influencers of unsaved family); when WE the prodigal children who claim Jesus as Lord do actually desire obedience first to HIS purpose and meaning in our lives: then our children, seeing Christ in us will no longer ask: “Is that all there is?”

    —

    John 12:26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

    John 13:34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.

    John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

    John 15:26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.

    John 18:37 Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king.
    For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”

    —

    • What is God’s purpose for you, beloved husband & father? 
    • What is the Lord’s purpose for you, devoted wife & mother?
    • What is the Father’s purpose for you, blessed child of God, honoring your Christ-like parents?

    Pray in the spirit and let the light of our Lord Jesus Christ shine into the caverns of your broken heart.

    1 Corinthians 2:

    9 But, as it is written,

    “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
    nor the heart of man imagined,
    what God has prepared for those who love him”—

    10 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.

    11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.

    12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.

    —

    Think about these things.

    Pray also for me.

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  • Stronger in the LORD

    Stronger in the LORD

    They will continue to grow stronger,
    and each of them will appear before God in Jerusalem.

    – Psalm 84:7 NLT

    What made weak followers of Jesus stronger after his resurrection and ascension?

    How is it that the faith of eleven remaining Disciples and a few former followers grew into a boldness in Christ that could not be silenced even by threat of death?

    Acts 2:

    40 And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” 41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

    42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers…

    Acts 3: Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour…

    Acts 4:4 But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand.

    5 On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem, 6 with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. 7 And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?” 

    [They are referring to a lame man present healed by a miracle of God.]

    13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.

    It is one thing to have been with Jesus. It is quite another to have the power of Jesus with you.

    And for you and me, even now, it is one thing to know about Jesus. It is quite another to have the boldness of the Spirit with you.

    These humble followers of Jesus, weak vessels of flesh who would even deny Jesus as they crucified Him, now seem fitted for the battle; and the battle is the LORD’s.

    “REPENT! and be baptized,” is the battle cry of the believer.

    Turn from your sinful ways and receive the permanent change of the Spirit of God. This is the invitation of the Lord to sinners everywhere and in every time… this mortal time of our sinful flesh and perishing souls.

    It would seem that these Disciples were now well suited in an armor even more threatening to a chosen nation of conquered men.

    A letter to the church at Ephesus from a soon-to-be converted Saul of Tarsus (the Apostle Paul):

    The Whole Armor of God

    Ephesians 6:10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.

    roman in armor14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.

    16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.

    To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, 19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

  • Fire of the Holy Spirit

    Fire of the Holy Spirit

    Acts 2: When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place.

    (It has been fifty days, nearly two months since the crucifixion and resurrection.)

    2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.

    The Apostles are in a room, worshiping, sharing in a feast to the Lord.  The sound of ‘a rushing mighty wind’ comes from heaven.

    Is it just a storm outside?

    It would be of little note if the wind beyond the windows were not a mighty rushing wind.

    Does your heart tremble in awe at the sound of a mighty rushing wind? … the gathering of clouds into a powerful storm?

    Not only is this mighty wind beyond the walls of the place where the Apostles are gathered; the rush of the mighty wind filled the entire house!

    A hurricane, a cyclone has filled the house; yet the walls have not crumbled and the house is not consumed.

    Would you not fear for your life?

    NOT the Apostles. These had worshiped the risen Lord who had been taken up into Heaven, even upon a cloud. No doubt, the Lord would speak to each Apostle.

    Would Jesus say, “Peace?” Would He say, “Do not fear?”

    3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them.

    4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

    The Mighty Breath of God passes through the house of worship and breathes the fire of God into those present!

    The Apostles had witnessed many times the intimacy of the relationship of God the Father with their friend and Lord, Christ Jesus.

    How had Jesus always been able to know the will of God the Father?

    Through prayer and the Holy Spirit, a conversation of intimacy with God.

    Now each Apostle was filled with the same Holy Spirit descended on Jesus when John baptized Him in the Jordan.

    The Apostles receive the baptism of the fire of the Holy Spirit!

    Now, each is equipped to take the Gospel into any part of the world. Soon after their encounter they speak to men in crowds who hear an Apostle speaking as if in their own language.

    How can ten men of ten different languages stand and hear one Apostle speaking, each in his own language?

    With God all things are possible.

    By the Holy Spirit and the gift of tongues – a miracle possible only through God – the intimacy of the Holy Spirit makes possible an intimacy with the risen Christ Jesus.

    Acts 2:5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And at this sound the multitude came together…

    Note that others outside the room where the Apostles were gathered heard this mighty sound and came to see what it was that caused such a mighty wind.

    … and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. 7 And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, 11 both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” 12 And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?”

    Besides the evidences of this day of Pentecost, the Apostles would demonstrate more miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit.

    The Apostles now taught with the Power and Authority of the Living God, through the free gift of salvation given through Christ Jesus, our risen LORD!