Tag: HolySpirit

Psalm 138: Worship, Praise, Thanksgiving

I will praise thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto thee. I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name. In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul. All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O LORD, when they hear the words of thy mouth. Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the LORD: for great is the glory of the LORD. Though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off. Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me. The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands (KJV).

Several nights ago, I had a dream.  In the dream I needed four verses about seeking God to put on this blog.  In the same dream I saw the phrase “Psalm 138.”  So that’s why I selected verses about seeking God (five actually) for my last post and quoted Psalm 138 on this post.  Putting God first and giving Him praise and thanksgiving are essential for developing a relationship with Him.

Getting saved is just the beginning, not the end.  You must seek Him with all of your heart if you want to mature spiritually.  He wants all of you.  He wants all of me.  Allow Him to prune you.  Otherwise, you will not grow.

If we do not grow in our relationship with the Lord, we become stagnant.  We will attempt to serve God in the flesh rather than lean on the Holy Spirit for guidance.  I’m writing these words not only for the reader, but also for me.  We need to remember that Christ is the vine; we are the branches.  Without Him, we can do nothing.  (See John 15: 5.)

Are you ready to move up to the next level?  If you are comfortable in your relationship with the God of the universe, you are missing out. God wants to move us out of our comfort zones.

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Acts 9: 32-35: Peter and Aeneas

I’ve been reading the Bible on a daily basis, with few exceptions, for the past 33 years.  I wonder how many times I’ve read Acts 9: 32-35 with glazed eyes? Several days ago, I read this passage and it sprang to life.  Read it carefully from the KJV:

32 And it came to pass, as Peter passed through all quarters, he came down also to the saints which dwell at Lydda.

33 And there he found a certain man named Aeneas, which had kept his bed eight years, and was sick of the palsy.  (Some versions use the word “paralyzed.”)

34 And Peter said unto him, Aeneas, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole: arise, and make thy bed.  And he arose immediately.

35 And all that dwelt at Lydaa and Saron saw him, and turned to the Lord.

This is reminiscent of Jesus telling the sick man at the pool of Bethesda to “Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.”  Peter is emulating Christ.  Among the “sign gifts” listed in Mark 16: 17-18 that follow those who believe in Christ is “they shall lay hands on the sick and they will recover.”

When Aeneas was healed, all that saw him in  Lydaa and Saron “turned to the Lord.”  (What a revival!)  This suggests that the best way to evangelize the lost is to “demonstrate” the gospel.   Believers cannot do this in the flesh.  We must be plugged into the power source, the Holy Spirit, and follow His leading.

We are living in the last days.  It is time for those of us who are believers to step out of our comfort zones, seek God, and put His agenda first.  For He is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3: 9).

Jerusalem, Pool of Bethesda Français : La Pisc...
Jerusalem, Pool of Bethesda Français : La Piscine de Bethesda à Jérusalem. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
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Pentecost, Shavout, Mother’s Day

The Holy Spirit descending at Pentecost by Ant...
The Holy Spirit descending at Pentecost by Anthony van Dyck, circa 1618. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Shavout, a.k.a. Pentecost, begins May 14 (Tuesday at sundown).  Whether you acknowledged Pentecost last Sunday (as most churches did) or plan to acknowledge it on Tuesday, you can’t help but notice its proximity to Mother’s Day. I heard a sermon  last night that noted that Mary, the mother of Christ, was present along with her other sons at Pentecost. That means that she and her family spoke in tongues–languages unknown to them–when the Holy Spirit descended with tongues of fire. Rest assured, I’m not going to start a debate about tongues (although I believe that all of the gifts of the Holy Spirit are in effect until Christ returns and we see Him face to face–I Cor. 13: 12).

Instead, I’d like to highlight two mothers: Mary in the New Testament and Hannah in the Old Testament. The angel Gabriel told Mary that the Holy Spirit would overshadow her, and she would conceive the Son of God (Luke 1: 26). When Jesus was an infant, the Holy Spirit led a man named Simeon into the temple. He told Mary prophetic things about Christ’s ministry and ended with these words: “Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also, that the thought of many hearts may be revealed.” Mary watched Jesus grow up. She worried about His safely (Luke 2: 40-51). She prodded (or rather, pushed) Him into performing his first miracle (John 2: 1-11).  Three years later, she saw Him suffer and die on the cross (John 19: 25-27).  So it’s no surprise to find her with His disciples in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost.

Mary reminds me of Hannah in the Old Testament.  Hannah was barren and desperately wanted a child.  She went to the temple and prayed that if God would grant her a son, she would give her son to God.  God answered her prayer, and Hannah gave birth to Samuel.  After she weaned him, Hannah took Samuel to the house of God in Shiloh.  Samuel served God all of his life.  He was the last of the judges.  He anointed and counseled King Saul and King David.

Mary and Hannah obeyed God.  When the time came, they were willing to give up their sons for God’s glory.  Compare Mary’s prayer with Hannah’s.

According to Luke 1: 46-55 (KJV),  And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.  For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.  For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.  And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.  He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.  He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.  He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.  He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy; As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.

Hannah Giving Her Son Samuel to the Priest
Hannah Giving Her Son Samuel to the Priest (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

According to I Samuel 2: 1-10 (KJV), And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in he LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation.  There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God.  Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.  The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength.  They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she that hath many children is waxed feeble.  The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up.  The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up.  He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD’s, and he hath set the world upon them.  He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.  The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; out  of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the  LORD shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of  his anointed.

Happy Mother’s Day!

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A Simple Test

DISCERNING WHAT IS FROM GOD AND WHAT IS NOT

“Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.  Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as you were led.  Wherefore, I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost” (I Corinthians 12: 1-3 KJV).

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