Category: The Holy Ghost

Consider Your Ways, Saints! #3

Thursday, October 3, 2013

“I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies” (Psalm 119:59 KJV).

Oftentimes, the Christian is apathetic to JEHOVAH’S desire to build a temple… using him….

In what the Bible calls “time past,” God dealt with mankind on the basis of “circumcision” (Jew) and “uncircumcision” (Gentile). While God was forming the nation Israel to establish His temple in the earth, we Gentiles “were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world” (Ephesians 2:11,12).

When no one else in Israel’s program wanted to trust Jesus as Messiah, the ascended Lord Jesus paused Israel’s program, opened our Dispensation of Grace, reached down from heaven, and miraculously saved the person leading Israel’s rebellion against Him—Saul of Tarsus! Paul, divinely commissioned to be a new apostle, received directly from the glorified Lord Jesus Christ a ministry, a dispensation, and a gospel that were separate from Israel’s program. God would now form a new agency, the Church the Body of Christ, using Jews and Gentiles. This “one new man” (Ephesians 2:15) would be God’s temple, which He would use forever in the heavens.

The “but now,” the present-day operation of God, is described in Ephesians 2:13,19-22: “But now in Christ Jesus ye [Gentiles] who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: in whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.”

As people who have trusted the Lord Jesus Christ alone as our personal Saviour, we are “an habitation of God”—the Holy Ghost indwells us! If He is to accomplish His will in and through us, we must consider our ways in light of what the Holy Scriptures say (today’s Scripture) and by faith, apply that doctrine to life….

Consider Your Ways, Saints! #2

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

“I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies” (Psalm 119:59 KJV).

Oftentimes, the Christian is apathetic to JEHOVAH’S desire to build a temple… using him….

Today, in the Dispensation of Grace, the Apostle Paul affirmed: “God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands” (Acts 17:24). It is scripturally incorrect to call any church building “God’s house.” However, God the Holy Spirit has chosen a special place to manifest Himself.

Paul asked the Corinthian Christians in 1 Corinthians 3:16, “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” And again, “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you…?” (1 Corinthians 6:19). Like many professing Christians today, they evidently did not know where the Spirit of God lived! Paul affirmed in 2 Timothy 1:14, “the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.” Once more, “for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people” (2 Corinthians 6:16).

Man has access to the God of the Bible via two methods: he can study the Holy Bible for himself and believe it, or he can find a Christian (whom the Holy Ghost indwells). Note that the term “Christian” is not a reference to one who has a particular denominational membership, or who has participated in rites, rituals, ceremonies, et cetera. The Bible’s definition of the term “Christian” is one who “believes in Jesus” without works (Romans 3:26-28), one who trusts alone in the Gospel of the Grace of God, how that Christ died for our sins, He was buried, and He was raised again the third day, as sufficient payment for their sins (1 Corinthians 15:3,4; cf. Romans 4:24,25).

The Holy Ghost then comes to live inside that person, that Christian, thus making a temple for God Almighty to live in and manifest His life to the world….

Who Is a Sinner? #3

Sunday, August 18, 2013

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23 KJV).

Behold, God’s standard of righteousness, of which we all fall short!

When I asked a religious person where her soul would go when she died, she insisted her “Law keeping” would merit her heaven. I then reminded her of James 2:10: “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” I explained to her that by her breaking one commandment, she was guilty of breaking all of God’s laws. The Law demands absolute perfection. She replied, “I can only do so much.” Exactly—we cannot be perfect!

“For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written [Deuteronomy 27:26], Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith [Habakkuk 2:4]” (Galatians 3:10,11). God gave the Law so “all the world may become guilty before [him]. Therefore by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin” (Romans 3:19,20).

The prophet Habakkuk wrote of the LORD, “Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity…” (1:13). God is so holy, so “separate from sinners” (Hebrews 7:26), that He cannot even look upon our sin! Thus, when God the Father “made [Jesus Christ] to be sin for us” (2 Corinthians 5:21) on Calvary’s cross, He and God the Holy Spirit literally had to forsake Jesus Christ. Jesus cried out, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Psalm 22:1; Matthew 27:46).

Law-“keeping” only condemns: it saves no one! If we want God to deal with us on the basis of our performance—and much of the world admits in religion they want Him to do this—the Bible says that we are setting ourselves up for burdens, misery, uncertainty, frustration, and a curse….

Israel’s Permanent High Priest

Sunday, July 7, 2013

“And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: but this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood” (Hebrews 7:23,24 KJV).

Israel had myriads of priests who “came and went,” but this High Priest is permanent….

Remember, the context of Hebrews is “the world to come” (Hebrews 2:5). Its contents are not written to or about us Gentiles, for it is the book written to the Hebrews, and it involves a future time period. Specifically, Hebrews addresses Israel during the seven-year Tribulation (note they are looking for Jesus Christ’s Second Coming in Hebrews 10:25-31, which will conclude Daniel’s 70th week).

The book of Hebrews is to Israel what the book of Romans is to us, the Body of Christ. Romans discusses Jesus Christ’s finished crosswork and how God uses it to save us in this the Dispensation of Grace. Likewise, Hebrews teaches how God will utilize Jesus Christ’s finished crosswork to save Israel in her prophetic (kingdom) program.

“Better” appears 13 times within the book of Hebrews. God the Holy Spirit is urging Israel to leave behind the types and shadows and embrace their fulfillments which are “better”: animal sacrifices versus Jesus Christ’s sacrifice of Himself, the earthly tabernacle versus the heavenly tabernacle, the Levitical priesthood versus Christ’s Melchisedecian priesthood (today’s Scripture), the Old Covenant versus the New Covenant, et cetera.

Today’s Scripture demonstrates that Israel’s Old Testament Levitical (Aaronic) priesthood was faulty because its members died. Throughout those 1,500 years, Israel’s priests died and were replaced. Today’s Scripture continues: “but this man [Jesus Christ; verse 22] because he continueth [liveth] [for] ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.” The word “unchangeable” means “nontransferable;” to wit, unlike the Aaronic priests who died and relinquished their office, Jesus Christ’s priesthood will never be transferred to anyone else because He lives forever!

At His Second Coming, Jesus Christ will take God by the hand and Israel by the hand, and join them forever; Israel will then be saved. “Wherefore, he is able also save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them” (verse 25). What a wonderful hope Israel has!

For In This We Groan #4

Friday, May 31, 2013

“For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:” (2 Corinthians 5:2 KJV).

Having been stricken with a bacterial infection of the sinuses and eyes for the past week, I can give a hearty “Amen!” to today’s Scripture!

Physical death is actually a blessing for us Christians—it severs the final link we have to this fallen creation. (Can you imagine living in these bodies forever?) Once we leave these physical bodies, we are eternally, physically isolated from sin, and we go to be with the Lord Jesus Christ forever and ever!

In the context of today’s Scripture, the Apostle Paul writes that God the Father has given us “the earnest of the Spirit.” “Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord” (verses 5b-8). By giving us Christians the indwelling Holy Ghost, God has guaranteed that He will one day rescue our physical bodies from sin (just as He has already rescued our spiritual bodies from sin).

While we moan and groan during sickness, let us remember that this body is not meant to last forever anyway, for it would pollute heaven. Our suffering is simply a testament that the great God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ still has a mighty work to accomplish—the redemption of these mortal “vile” bodies and their transformation into immortal and perfect glorified bodies like Jesus Christ’s (Philippians 3:20,21).

Dear readers, take comfort. This limited body of flesh and blood is not our permanent abode. It is merely the vehicle that carries around our soul and our spirit in this time-space continuum we call the natural world. As today’s Scripture states, it is actually our soul that is groaning, the “real” us inside this weakly and sickly physical body. How we long for a change of clothes, some which will not turn to rags! Patiently waiting for the “wardrobe upgrade….” 🙂

For In This We Groan #2

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

“For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:” (2 Corinthians 5:2 KJV).

Having been stricken with a bacterial infection of the sinuses and eyes for the past week, I can give a hearty “Amen!” to today’s Scripture!

In this world where Satan and sin reign, sickness is a part of life as well. Our “groaning” in today’s Scripture is further explained in Romans 8:22-25: “For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.”

Paul writes in the context of today’s Scripture, “For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens” (2 Corinthians 5:1). This is the “redemption of our [physical] body” of Romans 8:23, when “the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ… shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body…” (Philippians 3:20,21).

When the apostle pens, “Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit” (2 Corinthians 5:5), what he meant was, “[Christ] 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 that holy Spirit of promise” (Ephesians 1:13). “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption” (Ephesians 4:30).

This sealing by and with the indwelling Holy Spirit is God’s promise that He will one day deliver our (ailing) physical bodies from sin just as He has already delivered our spiritual bodies from sin….

To Whom Are We to Pray?

Thursday, May 9, 2013

“Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17 KJV).

The Bible says we should be praying constantly, but to whom are we to pray?

Why not let God through the Holy Bible tell us how to pray?

“Giving thanks unto the Father” (Colossians 1:12). “I thank my God…” (Philippians 1:4). “Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:20). “For through him [Jesus Christ] we both [Jew and Gentile] have access by one Spirit unto the Father” (Ephesians 2:18). “For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ… that he would grant you…” (Ephesians 3:14).

Firstly, whom did the Apostle Paul address? He directly addressed Father God, not Mary or any other deceased saint, in prayer.

Secondly, how did Paul reach Father God? “In whom [Jesus Christ] we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him [Jesus Christ]” (Ephesians 3:12). “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5).

We approach God the Father through the merits of Jesus Christ’s finished crosswork. Jesus Christ has a perfect standing before God, and we have His righteousness because we are in Him (if we are members of the Church the Body of Christ). We cannot approach God on our own merits; thus, we must come through Jesus Christ. This is what it means to pray “in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:20). Interestingly, when we pray, we are actually praying with the help of the Holy Spirit who indwells us (Romans 8:26-27). The indwelling Holy Spirit links us to Father God in heaven, and when we pray, we are using the “mediatorship” of Jesus Christ.

So, we address God the Father in prayer, but we are using the merits of Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit helps us pray when we are “at a loss for words.”

For additional insight about prayer in the Dispensation of Grace, please study the four model Pauline prayers—Ephesians 1:15-23, Ephesians 3:14-21, Philippians 1:9-11, and Colossians 1:9-12.

You can also see our study “Praying with Paul.”

A Doxology of Doctrine During Distressing Days #6

Saturday, April 6, 2013

“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;” (2 Corinthians 4:17 KJV).

A brief, light annoyance—an everlasting, much heavier weight of praise and worship….

It is very difficult not to focus on our temporary suffering. After all, we see it. It is equally hard to focus on the far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. After all, we cannot see it… sort of. In reality, we can see it! The verse following today’s Scripture reads: “While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal” (verse 18).

How do we “look…at the things which are not seen?” Hebrews 11:1 tells us: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). When we place our faith in what God’s Word says about suffering in the Dispensation of Grace—which would be the contents of Paul’s epistles of Romans through Philemon—then we, by virtue of spiritual eyes, see what God sees. He is manifesting the very life of Jesus Christ in our mortal body (2 Corinthians 4:10,11). “…Though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day” (verse 16).

The spiritual fortitude and edifice of sound Bible doctrine that God the Holy Spirit is constructing within our inner man, is eternal, for the inner man (soul and spirit) is everlasting. Our physical body experiencing the present sufferings is temporary, for the physical body is temporary. Actually, the same word—“moment”—used to describe the duration of our present suffering (today’s Scripture), is equivalent to the split-second rapture that will one day catch us members of the Body of Christ up into heaven’s glory (1 Corinthians 15:52)!

By allowing the Holy Spirit to work in us as we believe this sound Bible doctrine, it brings God praise now… and forevermore….

A Doxology of Doctrine During Distressing Days #4

Thursday, April 4, 2013

“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;” (2 Corinthians 4:17 KJV).

A brief, light annoyance—an everlasting, much heavier weight of praise and worship….

In the context of today’s Scripture (4:1–6:18), the Apostle Paul discussed the ministry we have as “ambassadors for Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:20). He lists various afflictions that he and we Christians suffer, but concluded: “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us” (2 Corinthians 4:7).

The verse preceding today’s Scripture reads: “For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day” (verse 16). These physical bodies, these “earthen vessels,” these “outward men,” will eventually return to the dust from whence they came (Genesis 3:19). Thus, the issue is not the “vessels,” but rather the substance, the “treasure,” they contain. This treasure is the life of Jesus Christ present within us members of the Church the Body of Christ (2 Corinthians 4:10,11).

Our “outward man” is temporary, and thus our suffering while living within it is also temporal (today’s Scripture). Nevertheless, the “inward man,” soul and spirit, is being “renewed day by day” as we walk by faith in sound Pauline Bible doctrine. The Holy Spirit takes that doctrine, transforms our minds, and thus manifests the very life of Jesus Christ in and through us! This brings such praise and worship to God, for nothing is more pleasing to Him than the life of Jesus Christ.

“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:2). “And be renewed in the spirit of your mind” (Ephesians 4:23). “[We] have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him” (Colossians 3:10).

God manifests His power, love, and wisdom during our troubling circumstances… not by removing them, but by strengthening us to bear them….

The Spirit of God and the Word of God #8

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

“Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth, comparing spiritual things with spiritual” (1 Corinthians 2:13 KJV).

As today’s Scripture demonstrates, the Spirit of God never operates apart from the Word of God.

Acts 2:4 summarizes the Holy Spirit’s relation to God’s Word: “And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” The Holy Spirit guided the words of God’s holy apostles and prophets. He not only selected the words they spoke (cf. Matthew 10:19,20, which describes believing Jews in the future Tribulation), but that which they wrote (2 Timothy 3:16,17; 2 Peter 1:20,21).

Not only did the Holy Spirit speak God’s Word before it was written, He also caused it to be written (inspiration). He not only caused it to be written, but He also preserved those very words so we could read them today (preservation). Not only did He preserve them, He translated them into the world’s languages (translation). Not only did He translate them, He also gives us the ability to understand those words of God when we study them (illumination).

To the person who has not trusted Jesus Christ alone as his or her personal Saviour, the Bible is “foolishness” (1 Corinthians 2:14). If we want to understand the Holy Bible, we need its Author, the Holy Spirit, and He is present within us who have trusted Jesus Christ alone as our personal Saviour.

Without the Holy Spirit, we would neither have nor understand the Holy Bible. Before the written, completed Bible, the Holy Ghost worked via believers with spiritual gifts, to proclaim the Word of God. In due time, the Holy Ghost caused God’s apostles and prophets to write the 66 inspired books of the Bible, the completed revelation of God. Throughout the centuries, the Holy Spirit worked through believers to copy, collate, and translate that written Bible so we could have it today, nearly 2,000 years after its canon was completed.

Dear reader, for this cause, may you never take your King James Bible for granted again! 🙂

*These previous eight devotionals are adapted from two large Bible studies, The Pneuma Hagion, and The Holy Spirit – Person or Force? You are encouraged to read them.