Archive for the Holy Spirit Category

The Convicting Spirit

Posted in Holy Spirit with tags on December 29, 2011 by Harry

Thou blessed Spirit, Author of all grace, and comfort,
Come, work repentance in my soul;
Represent sin to me in its odious colors that I may hate it; Melt my heart by the majesty and mercy of God; Show me my ruined self and the help there is in him; Teach me to behold my creator,

his ability to save,
his arms outstretched,
his heart big for me.

May I confide in his power and love,
commit my soul to him without reserve,
bear his linage, observe his laws, pursue his service, and be through time and eternitv,
a monument to the efficacy of his grace, a trophy of his victory.

Make me willing to be saved in his way,
perceiving nothing in myself, but all in Jesus:

Help me not only to receive him but
to walk in him,
depend upon him,
commune with him,
be conformed to him,
follow him,
imperfect, but still pressing forward,
not complaining of labor, but valuing rest,
not murmuring under trials, but thankful, for my state.

Give me that faith which is the means of salvation,
and the principle and medium of all godliness;

May I be saved by grace through faith,
live by faith,
feel the joy of faith,
do the work of faith.

Perceiving nothing in myself, may I find in Christ wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, redemption.

  • From “The Valley of Vision, A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions”

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Christ the Cornerstone from Tabletalk Magazine

Posted in * Favorites, Bible, Holy Spirit on June 14, 2011 by Harry

Ephesians 2:20 “Built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone.”

No longer strangers and aliens on account of the perfect work of Christ, Gentiles who entrust themselves to Jesus are reckoned as fellow citizens with faithful Israelites. Therefore, they are full members of the household of God (Eph. 2:19). Like every edifice, this spiritual temple has a foundation that grounds and supports the building’s structure, and in today’s passage the apostle Paul describes the foundation that was once laid.

According to the apostle, Christ Jesus Himself is the cornerstone of this household (v. 20). Today, laying the cornerstone of a building is often a symbolic act, and this cornerstone may play only a small role in the overall structure. This was not true in the first century, however. The cornerstone was always the first stone laid during construction, and every other stone in the building was measured by the standard of the cornerstone to ensure a proper fit. In calling Jesus the cornerstone, Paul explains that those who want to form the stones in the household of God must be conformed to the image of Christ. In other words, we must be disciples who are daily becoming more like the Savior. Of course, perfect conformity to Christ’s image is impossible before we are glorified (1 John 1:8-9); nevertheless, all of those who are in Jesus will have a basic desire to turn from sin and follow Him in a life of obedient discipleship.

Our Savior is the cornerstone of the household of God, but His apostles and prophets make up the rest of the foundation. This is not to say that these individuals are, in themselves, worthy of the same honor as Christ. Instead, the apostles and prophets serve as the foundation insofar as they speak the very words of our Lord. The Holy Spirit inspired the apostles to write down the teachings of Jesus delivered before His incarnation (through the Old Testament prophets), during His earthly ministry, and after He ascended to the Father’s right hand, thereby giving the church a sure record (John 14:26; 16:12-15; 2 Tim. 3:16-17). The words of the biblical authors are the words of Christ Himself, even if He did not physically pick up the pen. Thus, we must always submit to Scripture as the final, infallible authority, and any failure to do so is really a refusal to bow the knee to Jesus. +

Without the Word of God, we do not have access to the teaching of the Savior, and so Christians must always be known as people of the Book: men and women who believe and proclaim the teachings of the old and New Testaments. Understanding this teaching is a lifelong process of reading Scripture, hearing it preached, encouraging other believers, and more. Are you doing all that you can to learn the Word of God?

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A Better Age by R.C. Sproul

Posted in Holy Spirit on October 29, 2010 by Harry

JOEL 2:28-32 “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions” (v. 28).

April 18, 1906, marked the beginning of the Pentecostal/charismatic movement when a woman claimed to speak in tongues during the Azusa Street “revival” in Los Angeles. Since that time, some Pentecostal theologians have claimed that the outpouring of the Holy Spirit that supposedly happened there was a sign of the last days. After all, Joel 2:28-32, as cited in Acts 2:17-21, promises that the Lord will pour out His Spirit in the “last days.”

Our purpose here is not to debate what happened on Azusa Street, even though we do have grave concerns about Pentecostal theology, and we deny that infallible revelatory gifts (such as prophecy) are in operation today. Instead, we want to point out that to believe we are in the last days now in a way that the early church was not is to make a serious interpretive error. On Pentecost, Peter explicitly identified the era in which he lived as the “last days.” He tells us that the “last days” is a long period of time extending from the ministry of Jesus until His return to consummate His kingdom. We are now living in the eschatological age of the Spirit, and the church of Jesus Christ receives the plentiful outpouring of the Holy Spirit to do its work throughout this age.

The prophesy of Joel and its fulfillment in the new covenant show us once again that what we enjoy now is far better than what believers had under-the old covenant. There is a generous effusion of the Spirit on all people — unlike under the old covenant, when the power of the Holy Spirit was largely limited to kings and prophets (Num. 11:26-29). All of God’s people now enjoy a large measure of His Spirit, who is working within all His children even when we do not sense His presence. John Calvin writes, “God did not pour out his Holy Spirit so abundantly and so largely under the law, as after the manifestation of Christ.”

Joel also looked forward to a period when special revelation would flourish once more, for he said the Spirit would cause many to have prophecies, dreams, and visions (Joel 2:28-29). This revelation has been written down in the form of the New Testament, and we do not expect any more special revelation until the return of Christ (Heb. 1:1-4). And what we have confirms what Joel foresaw, namely, that all who call on the Lord, trusting in His promises, join the company of the redeemed.

+To call upon the Lord, one commentator has noted, is to trust in Him alone for salvation, evidencing that faith through a commitment to His will and way, not our own. Under the plentiful outpouring of the Spirit, we are enabled to love and serve God, and we are also given the power to do so. None of us should think that we cannot serve the Lord even in difficult areas, for if we know Him, we have His spirit to empower us for service.

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An Age of Lesser Glory by R.C. Sproul

Posted in Holy Spirit, Uncategorized on October 28, 2010 by Harry

NUMBERS 27:12-23 “So the LORD said to Moses, ‘Take Joshuathe son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit,and lay your hand on him”‘ (v. 18).

Theologians sometimes refer to the new covenant as the age of the Spirit, and rightly so, for the Holy Spirit has been poured out abundantly on the people of God in this administration of the Lord’s covenant of grace (Acts 2:1-41). That we live in the age of the Spirit, however, does not mean that the third person of the Trinity did not work among the people of God under the old covenant. Indeed, He was active, though not in precisely the same way as He is today.

Clearly, the Holy Spirit has always been the agent who regenerates people. Jesus expected Nicodemus to understand this truth, as he was a teacher of old covenant Israel (John 3:1-15). God’s Spirit gave old covenant believers the faith they needed to trust in His promises, just as He gives new covenant believers faith today to entrust themselves to the fulfillment of these promises in Christ Jesus (Eph. 2:8).

At the same time, even though all old covenant believers experienced the Spirit’s work of regeneration, it also appears that not all old covenant believers enjoyed the same kind of gifting and power evident in the new covenant. In today’s passage, for example, Joshua is said to be a man “in whom is the Spirit” (Num. 27:18). This designation is given to a select few in the Old Testament, usually the leaders of Israel (see, for example, Gen. 41:38; 1 Sam. 16:13). But now, on the other hand, even believers without a leadership role in the church have the Spirit in His fullness (Rom. 5:5). Messiah Jesus baptizes all of His people “with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Matt. 3:11).

It is difficult to describe precisely how our richer experience of the Spirit today compares to how old covenant believers enjoyed Him, especially since we all get discouraged and sometimes feel as if the Holy Spirit is far from us. Still, there is plenty of evidence that shows the Spirit is working more powerfully in the present age than He did during the old covenant. Perhaps the greatest proof for this is the ingathering of the Gentile nations. For all the problems the church has faced throughout the ages and even now endures, it is indeed serving as a light to the nations in a way that old covenant Israel never did. By the drawing of the Spirit through the witness of the church, even the non-Israelite nations are coming to faith in the God of Israel (Acts 15:1-11).

+The church of Jesus Christ is not without its blemishes, and there is much for which we all need to be in repentance. Yet it is also plain that God has granted to the new covenant church a measure of the Spirit that the old covenant church never enjoyed, for the church is being filled with people from every background. Let us thank the Lord for this work of His Spirit and pray that He would use us to extend His kingdom.

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R.C. Sproul on the Tower of Babel

Posted in Genesis, Holy Spirit on October 27, 2010 by Harry

GENESIS 11:1-9 “Come, let us go down and there confuse theirlanguage, so that they may not understandone another’s speech” (v. 7).

Studying how God has related to His people from the time of the Old Testament through to the New could not be complete without contemplating what Scripture says regarding the person and work of the Holy Spirit. Today’s passage is the first one we will consider in examining the biblical teaching on the Spirit; however, we need to do some brief theological reflection on the role of the Holy Spirit before we dive into Genesis 11:1-9.

We could say much about the work of the Holy Spirit in bringing about the new birth, honoring Christ, and other aspects of His ministry, but it is His role as the bringer of unity that is pertinent to Genesis 11. Ephesians 4:1-16 is one of the clearest passages on the Spirit’s role of uniting the people of God, and the focus of that text is on Christ’s distribution, through the Spirit, of gifts “for building up the body of Christ,” which moves us to “attain to the unity of the faith” (vv. 9-16). Indeed, the entire text encourages us to see the Spirit of God as the one who brings about true unity between Christians, for there is but “one body and one Spirit.” One of the chief goals of the Holy Spirit, Sinclair B. Ferguson reminds us, is to create a community that is “united by the Spirit” (The Holy Spirit, p. 60).

Yet contrary to the understanding of many leaders in mainline Protestantism today, the unity that the Spirit seeks to create is not a superficial structural unity that papers over many contradictory views of the’ will of God. Instead, the Spirit builds unity in the truth first, and visible unity is an eventual fruit of shared submission to the Word of God (1 Peter 1:22-24).

If the Spirit works to bring those who believe the Lord’s truth into union, then He also works to create disunity among those who will not receive His truth. That is one of the points of Genesis 11:1-9. At that time, the only thing that people could be united in was sin, namely, the idolatrous desire to make a name for themselves and challenge God through the construction of monuments. But the Lord put up a roadblock, leaving them in their sins but confusing the languages of mankind so that the whole earth might not again put up a completely united front against His Word and His children (vv. 7-9). We who serve Him should be grateful for this act of grace.

+The Spirit of God seeks to bring unity to His people, and one of the ways He does this is to cause confusion among His foes. Though these enemies might remain united in their common refusal to bow the knee to the Lord, different languages and beliefs make it hard for them to agree with each other and work together against the church. We should be grateful that the Lord is able to stir up disunity among outsiders for the good of His people.

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Spurgeon on Jesus

Posted in Dependence, Evil, Holy Spirit, Total Depravity, Trust on June 28, 2009 by Harry

spurgeonLOOKING TO JESUS. – HEBREWS 12:2

It is always the Holy Spirit’s work to turn our eyes away from self to Jesus. But Satan’s work is just the opposite; he is constantly trying to make us look at ourselves instead of Christ. He insinuates, “Your sins are too great for pardon; you have no faith; you do not repent enough; you will never be able to continue to the end; you do not have the joy of His children; you have such a wavering hold on Jesus.” All these are thoughts about self, and we will never find comfort or assurance by looking within. But the Holy Spirit turns our eyes entirely away from self: He tells us that we are nothing, but that Christ is everything. Remember, therefore, it is not your bold of Christ that saves you—it is Christ; it is not your joy in Christ that saves you—it is Christ; it is not even faith in Christ, although that is the instrument—it is Christ’s blood and merits. Therefore, do not look so much to your hand with which you are grasping Christ as to Christ; do not look to your hope but to Jesus, the source of your hope; do not look to your faith, but to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of your faith. We will never find happiness by looking at our prayers, our deeds, or our feelings; it is what Jesus is, not what we are, that gives rest to the soul. If we are to overcome Satan and have peace with God, it must be by “looking to Jesus.” Keep your eye simply on Him; let His death, His sufferings, His merits, His glories, His intercession be fresh upon your mind. When you waken in the morning look to Him; when you lie down at night look to Him. Do not let your hopes or fears come between you and Jesus; follow hard after Him, and He will never fail you.

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness:
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.

- Morning and Evening June 28th a.m.

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Tongues

Posted in Holy Spirit on March 9, 2009 by Harry

The gift of tongues was a divinely
bestowed supernatural ability to speak in a
human language that had not been learned by
the one speaking. According to the Apostle
Paul, when believers exercised the gift of
tongues in church, they were to speak one at a
time, and only two or three were to speak in a
given service (1 Cor. 14:27). Furthermore,
when tongues were spoken in the church, they
were to be interpreted by someone with the gift
of interpretation so that the others might be
edified by the God-given message (1 Cor. 14:5,
13, 27). In this way, tongues did not serve as a
private prayer language, but rather—like all
spiritual gifts—as a means by which one might
serve and edify the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:7;
1 Pet. 4:10).
Tongues “Will Cease”

Read more »

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Laying on of Hands 2

Posted in Holy Spirit on February 9, 2009 by Harry

From ESV reference note to Acts 6:6: “6 These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them.”
The apostles confirmed the congregational election when they prayed and laid their hands on them. Laying on of hands is done in connection with several things in Acts:
healing (9:17)
the gift of the Spirit (8:18; 9:17; 19:6)
commissioning to a ministry (both here and at 13:3)

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TFL:”Believing” ***

Posted in Holy Spirit, Salvation, Sin with tags , on January 12, 2008 by Harry
  • Christian Basics
    • Become
    • Believe
    • Behave
    • Belong
  • Intellect is not the key to learning Christian doctrine, obedience is the key to learning Christian doctrine
  • Left off at 29:11

Foundations Of Being A Christian:

  • Doctrine of the Trinity
  • Sovereignty of God in creation, revelation, redemption, and final judgment
  • Divine inspiration of scripture, its infallibility as originally given
  • Scripture’s sole authority and complete sufficiency in all matters of faith and conduct
  • Universal sinfulness and guilt of human nature since the fall rendering men and women subject to God’s wrath and condemnation
  • Redemption from the guilt, penalty, and power of sin only through the sacrificial death as our representative substitute of Jesus Christ, the incarnate son of God
    • Doctrine of substitutionary atonement
    • He died in our place
    • He bears in himself all that we deserve
  • Resurrection of Jesus from the dead
    • Not a resurrection in the minds of people
    • Not a resurrection in the spirits of His apostles
    • But a literal, physical resurrection from the dead
  • The necessity of the work of the Holy Spirit to make the death of Jesus effective to the individual sinner granting him repentance towards God and faith in Jesus Christ
  • The indwelling work of the Holy Spirit in the believer
  • One holy universal church which is the body of Christ and to which all true believers belong
  • Expectation of the personal return of the Lord Jesus Christ in power and in glory

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TFL: “Becoming A Christian” ***

Posted in Holy Spirit, Salvation, Sin with tags on January 6, 2008 by Harry
  • Christian Basics
    • Become
    • Believe
    • Behave
    • Belong

  • Leprosy is used in both the NT and OT as an allegory of man’s sinful nature
  • The predicament is that we are all sinners
  • We suffer from leprosy of sin which spoils our souls
  • We are all sinners
    • Filled with resentment, pride, disappointment, regret, etc.

  • Becoming a Christian in trusting that what Jesus did on the cross is the only way to salvation will involve 3 elements
    1. Acknowledging we are helpless and cannot rely on our own righteousness
    Basically 2 religious systems in the world
    Find your own righteousness
    We have no righteousness
    2. Believing Jesus has died and provided this gift of righteousness
    3. We must cast ourselves upon His mercy
  • Because we are by nature unrighteous and sinful and wanting to trust in God it is going to take a miracle
  • The voice of God comes knocking at the heart; it may be a preacher, friend, etc, and then the Holy Spirit unlocks our hearts

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2 Cor 3:17

Posted in Holy Spirit on November 20, 2007 by Harry

17Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom (liberty).

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Spurgeon on the Holy Spirit

Posted in Holy Spirit on September 27, 2007 by Harry

“No good thing can come out of you in holy thought, devout worship, or gracious act apart from the sanctifying operation of the Holy Spirit.”

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