July 27th 2014
Next week the VOW will be a continuation of this commentary, but heading in a different direction, as it will attempt to deal with why Jesus’ came to this earth as a member of mankind!
Do You Believe The Holy Spirit Is Not Only Available To You, But That This Spirit Indwells Your Soul?
Romans 1:16 (NIV)
I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.
Do you feel as Paul did about the Bible? Do you truly believe it is the Word of God, and thus, it is all true, and you can depend upon it to be accurate and complete? Or are you like the church leaders of Jesus time on this earth, and actually do not know if you agree with what it says. Or even worse, you are a part of the 80 percent of practicing Christians who have never read the Bible cover-to-cover, and therefore, you do not know the history it lays out.
Are you ashamed of the Bible, because you do not believe it is accurate or complete in some areas, such as, when it comes to the Creation accounts, and/or the written accounts of the Flood of Noah? Did God reveal to Moses what to write, or do you believe man’s discoveries have made these stories, just that, stories? When Jesus walked on this earth as a man, He asked some tough questions about what His people the Jews believed. Such as, “If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?” (John 5:46-47)
Jesus walked on this earth and preached the truth, but He was only here a short time, and eventually He returned to His Father in heaven. But before He left, He promised to send His followers a guide, who would be available to us forever. If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you for ever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. (John 14:15-17)
Do you know “the Spirit of truth” that Jesus sent? Notice there is a provision placed on receiving this Spirit, which is, “If you love me, you will obey what I command.” Do you love Jesus enough to obey what He commands? Do you know what Jesus commands? If you want to live your life and handle your problems as Jesus would, then it is absolutely essential for you to know what Jesus did while He lived on this earth. The only way to find this is to read the Bible, no actually, it is more than that, you must study the Bible.
When Jesus was preparing His disciples for the fact He was going to leave them behind on the earth, He said to them the following. All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. (John 14:25-26) This promise Jesus made was not just to those people He had lived with, it was being made to all of the people who would choose to follow Him, forever. Well, anyway forever on this present earth. This promise was made to all mortal mankind.
Do you believe this Holy Spirit is not only available to you, but that this Spirit indwells your soul? If you do, how can you tell? Does the knowledge of this Spirit’s presence actually positively affect your life? Could you tell someone who does not believe in such a Spirit how having it has affected your life? If not, is it because you are ashamed to admit you believe it? Do you know that having this Spirit in your life allows you, through grace, to tap into the power of God?
I’m going to let Paul close out this commentary with his comments to Timothy in 2 Timothy 1:7-10. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, who has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
Do You Believe The Holy Spirit Is Not Only Available To You, But That This Spirit Indwells Your Soul?
Romans 1:16 (NIV)
I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.
Do you feel as Paul did about the Bible? Do you truly believe it is the Word of God, and thus, it is all true, and you can depend upon it to be accurate and complete? Or are you like the church leaders of Jesus time on this earth, and actually do not know if you agree with what it says. Or even worse, you are a part of the 80 percent of practicing Christians who have never read the Bible cover-to-cover, and therefore, you do not know the history it lays out.
Are you ashamed of the Bible, because you do not believe it is accurate or complete in some areas, such as, when it comes to the Creation accounts, and/or the written accounts of the Flood of Noah? Did God reveal to Moses what to write, or do you believe man’s discoveries have made these stories, just that, stories? When Jesus walked on this earth as a man, He asked some tough questions about what His people the Jews believed. Such as, “If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?” (John 5:46-47)
Jesus walked on this earth and preached the truth, but He was only here a short time, and eventually He returned to His Father in heaven. But before He left, He promised to send His followers a guide, who would be available to us forever. If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you for ever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. (John 14:15-17)
Do you know “the Spirit of truth” that Jesus sent? Notice there is a provision placed on receiving this Spirit, which is, “If you love me, you will obey what I command.” Do you love Jesus enough to obey what He commands? Do you know what Jesus commands? If you want to live your life and handle your problems as Jesus would, then it is absolutely essential for you to know what Jesus did while He lived on this earth. The only way to find this is to read the Bible, no actually, it is more than that, you must study the Bible.
When Jesus was preparing His disciples for the fact He was going to leave them behind on the earth, He said to them the following. All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. (John 14:25-26) This promise Jesus made was not just to those people He had lived with, it was being made to all of the people who would choose to follow Him, forever. Well, anyway forever on this present earth. This promise was made to all mortal mankind.
Do you believe this Holy Spirit is not only available to you, but that this Spirit indwells your soul? If you do, how can you tell? Does the knowledge of this Spirit’s presence actually positively affect your life? Could you tell someone who does not believe in such a Spirit how having it has affected your life? If not, is it because you are ashamed to admit you believe it? Do you know that having this Spirit in your life allows you, through grace, to tap into the power of God?
I’m going to let Paul close out this commentary with his comments to Timothy in 2 Timothy 1:7-10. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, who has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
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