THE PERSONALITY AND WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

 Who is the Holy Spirit? 

Jesus promise that when He ascends into heaven, He would send the Comforter and Helper, the Holy Spirit, to come and dwell with His children. He would give His children power to be His witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria, even to the uttermost part of the world. (Acts 1:8) Without the Holy Spirit dwelling in the Christian, you cannot have a successful walk with Him. I pray that you would allow the Holy Spirit to perform His work in your life so that you can please the Lord in all areas of your life. 

Personality of the Holy Spirit

1. He is a person. Why? He has emotions. He can be grieved. (Ephesians 4:30)

2. He is God. He is not an impersonal God.

3. He is our Comforter.

4. The Holy Spirit reveals the deeper things of God to us. (1 Corinthians 2:10-14)

5. The Holy Spirit possesses intellect. He speaks to us like a friend. (Acts 8:29)

6. The Holy Spirit is omniscient (all-knowing).(Acts 5:1-4)

7. The Holy Spirit was part of the creation. Most importantly, in our new creation, the Holy Spirit hoovered over our spirit until it became regenerated.

Works of the Holy Spirit

1. Regenerates our dead spirits. (John 16:7-9)

2. Baptizes us into the body of Christ. (1 Corinthians 12:13)

3. Teaches us and leads us to all truth. (John 16:13)

4. The Holy Spirit empowers us to bear fruit.

5. The Holy Spirit is the seal. He guarantees our promise in Christ Jesus. (2 Corinthians 1:21-22; Ephesians 1:13)

WHY WORRY? YOU HAVE A FRIEND IN JESUS.

 1.  What a friend we have in Jesus,

     all our sins and griefs to bear!

      What a privilege to carry

     everything to God in prayer!

      O what peace we often forfeit,

       O what needless pain we bear,

       all because we do not carry

       everything to God in prayer!

2.  Have we trials and temptations?

     Is there trouble anywhere?

     We should never be discouraged;

    take it to the Lord in prayer!

    Can we find a friend so faithful

    who will all our sorrows share?

    Jesus knows our every weakness;

    take it to the Lord in prayer!

3.  Are we weak and heavy laden,

     cumbered with a load of care?

    Precious Savior, still our refuge--

    take it to the Lord in prayer!

    Do your friends despise, forsake you?

    Take it to the Lord in prayer!

   In his arms he'll take and shield you;

   you will find a solace there.

Historical Background 
The above poem, which was later turned into a hymn, was written by Joseph M. Scriven who was born in  Ireland in 1819. He was an Irish immigrant to Canada who wrote this text near Port Hope, Ontario, in 1855. Because his life was filled with grief and trials, Scriven often needed the solace of the Lord as described in his famous hymn.

He was educated at Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland, after which he enrolled in a military college to prepare for an army career. However, he was unable to fulfil his ambition because of poor health. Following this setback, his fiancée died in a drowning accident on the eve of their wedding in 1844.  About ten years later, he decided to remarry. However, His plans for marriage were dashed again when his new bride-to-be died after a short illness in 1855. Following this calamity Scriven seldom had a regular income, and he was forced to live in the homes of others. He was member of the Plymouth Brethren and  he tried to live according to the Sermon on the Mount as literally as possible. He lead his life by giving and sharing all he had and often doing menial tasks for the poor and physically disabled. He later died by drowning in Rice Lake but because he suffered from depression, no one knew if his death by drowning was suicide or an accident.

Commentary

As long as we live in this fleshly bodies, we will encounter many adversities and challenges. These challenges can shake our faith in the providence and protection in the Lord. In the midst of this uncertainty, we must make every effort to remember that the good Lord is still with us in our good and bad times. He has promised never to forsake us but to bring us to an expected end. He has good plans for us if we never give up our trust in Him. He has promised to be with us whether we pass through the fires or waters - these would not consume us. 

We can weather the storms if we come to the same realization as Paul and be persuaded that "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:35-39 (King James Version).

I pray that the Lord will help you to deal with any situation that is tormenting your life today and come out of it victoriously in Jesus's name. You were created to be victorious. Make Jesus your friend today by inviting Him into your life and trusting in Him daily.

IMPORTANCE OF THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST ON HIS DISCIPLES

In this article, I will discuss the importance on the major developments about the disciples after the resurrection of Christ as recorded in John 21.

When Jesus resurrected, He initially gave instructions for the disciples to meet Him in Galilee (Matthew 28:5-10). After appearing to groups of disciples at least on two occasions, He eventually appeared to about seven men including Peter and John at the shore of the sea of Tiberius (John 21). John 21 is a key chapter that cannot be overlooked since the encounter recorded here formed the foundation for the establishment of the church of God. The appearance of Jesus and His encounter with the disciples erased all the doubts about His resurrection which is the core belief of the Christian faith. Christ is risen and He lives forevermore!

 Most of the disciples were fishermen, so it is just natural that they would go back to fishing since their master had been crucified. It is not clear if they had given up completely on the mission of been “fishers of men” or they were just passing away the time until they meet with Jesus as promised. The first major development in John 21 is the night of fishing during which no fish was caught. When they returned at dawn, they encountered Jesus at the shore who said to them, “Children, have you caught anything to eat?” When they answered no, He told them to try again, this time casting the net over the right side of the boat and they would find something. They obeyed and caught a great number of fish far more than their net could hold. In Luke 5:5-11, Jesus used a miraculous provision of fish to draw Peter away from his boat to become a "fisher of men". This was, therefore, a familiar situation for the disciples. However, they initially they did not recognize that it was Jesus standing on the shore, but when their nets were instantly filled, Peter and John fully realized who was on the shore, and Peter dived overboard to swim to the beach (John 21:4–8). The main lesson that Jesus wanted to illustrate here was that we can do nothing without Him, but if we cooperate with Him, He can do wonders through us. The disciples were called and trained to be fishers of men, but they cannot do it by their own strength. It is through Jesus that they would be able to draw more men from the kingdom of darkness into His marvelous light. As Christians, if we obey the Lord and cast our nets at His command, we would make a great catch as He has promised. We have been commissioned to make disciples of all nations.

 

The second major development was the interaction between Jesus and Peter. In Mark 14:29, Peter declared that “Even if all fall away, I will not.” He boasted of His loyalty even when the other disciples failed, but Jesus responded with a dire prediction (John 13:36–38) that Peter would deny him three times. This was fulfilled in the hours before Christ was crucified (John 18:25–27). In John 21:15, Jesus seems to remind Peter of his earlier boast, asking if his love for Him was greater than the love held by the other disciples. Jesus asks Peter three times if he loved him in other to give him the chance to repent for the three times denial of him during His crucifixion. After restoring this relationship, Jesus then tells Peter to take care of His sheep. He tells Peter that he would be led “where you do not want to go.” He then asked Peter to “Follow me.” This is an indirect reference to Peter’s crucifixion as a martyr for his faith according to church tradition (John 21:18–19). This prophecy also confirms that Peter's faith will never again fail. He will be loyal to Christ, even to the point of death, just as he once bragged (John 13:37). This is the first time that Jesus appoints and confirms Peter as the initial leader of His flock, which is the church. The significance of this encounter is that Jesus continually showers His mercy on us and forgives us of our sins. He always gives us a second chance to show our love for Him. This encounter also specifies the unpleasant part of ministry, being led where one does not want to go - following as the Spirit directs. It calls for total self-denial and reliance on the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit came upon Peter on the Day of Pentecost, he became very bold and did the work of God without any fear. He proclaimed Christ with all boldness.

 

In the next encounter, Peter asked Jesus about the status of John, saying “What about him?” Jesus replied, “What if I want him to remain until I come: what concern is it of yours? You follow me.” Jesus was signifying to Peter that he should focus on the assignment given to him and not to be worried about others. As Christians, we should focus all our attention on Jesus and Him alone and avoid been side-tracked by the affairs of men. Every Christian has been assigned a specific role to play and we must be diligent to do the assigned work. We are endowed with different gifts and talents that we must use to build the church of God individually. We are called separately, but we must work collectively to build the church of God. At times, we may wish we had other people’s talents or gifts, assigned another person’s role, or even get jealous of someone’s perceived stronger connection to God than our own or feel, without realizing that we have been given unique duties to perform in God’s kingdom. In response to all this, Jesus said, it is none of our business or concern. We must fulfill our own role to the best of our ability to build up the kingdom of God.

 

Indeed, the Book of John, Chapter 21, establishes our Christian faith to be true, and Peter, as the rock on which the church was founded with Christ as the chief cornerstone.

Our Help Comes From The Lord

Psalm 121 

I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber.
Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.

We live in challenging times and many people are losing hope because the future seems uncertain. The scenes of life keep changing uncontrollably and it seems like the end of the world is near. Many are living in fear because of the many wars and conflicts that are going on around the world. Like David the writer of the Psalms, you may be asking, "From where does my help come from? I want to assure you that there is a God, the creator of the universe who is forever able to protect and deliver you from all harm and danger. God would not let you stumble and fall during difficult times if you trust in His provision and providence. He is indeed our keeper and He would put a hedge of fire around you to consume all your enemies. In your most difficult times, just lift up your head and eyes unto the Lord. He is a strong tower that the righteous run into and they are saved. May this beautiful Psalms be your prayer of protection daily. As you walk through the valley of the shadow of death, do not fear anyevil because He that is in you is greater and mightier than he that is in the world. I pray for God's peace, knowledge, and understanding upon your life. Be strong and courageous. Be blessed!

APOLOGY OF THE BIBLE

 “All scripture is inspired or breathed-out by God (2 Timothy 3:16)” 

This means that God worked through the instrumentality of human personality, but directed them so that they wrote what He wanted written. In spite of different writers with different styles, the Bible is very coherent and shares a common theme. An apology of the Bible begins with Jesus’ perception of the Bible. Jesus, the widely acknowledged Messiah, referenced and quoted from the scriptures on multiple occasions. He used phrases like “It is written” (Mat. 4:1-4), “The Word of God cannot be broken” (Jn. 10:35), and “He is the fulfillment of scripture” (Mt. 26:52-56). This means that Jesus acknowledged the scriptures as the final authority of God. 

Other evidences supporting the apology include:

1.       The fulfillment of Prophecy: The coming of the Messiah (birth, death, missionary work) was predicted by the prophets in the Old Testament and fulfilled (Isaiah 52:13—53; Micah 5:2; Luke 24:25-27). Specific historical events like the destruction of Tyre was predicted (Ezekiel 26) and fulfilled by the decree of Nebuchadnezzer’s attack and onslaught by Alexander the Great. The Jewish dispersion was predicted by Moses and Hosea (Deut. 28;25; Hosea 9:17; Jer. 24:9). The restoration of Israel was predicted (Jer. 31) and fulfilled in 1948 when Israel was restored as a nation.

2.       Science can be used to authenticate the Bible. The Bible describes the circle of the earth and that it is hanging (Isaiah 40:22; Job 26:7). This is a scientific proof of the geophysical aspect of the earth.

3.       The calendar system originated from the Bible: The AD and BC system of dating originated from the Bible after Christ birth.

4.       Acts and Culture support the Bible: The Bill of Rights, Shakespeare’s writings, sayings of the father’s of the United States and many others like Winston Churchill and Daniel Webster, all reflect their believe in the scriptures.

5.       Textual accuracy: When the different translations are compared there is concordance and very insignificance differences in terms of grammar that do not alter the intended meanings.

6.       Archeology: There are archeological findings of various original texts such as the “Lost Scrolls” that have been discovered. Despite different places and time of writing, they all point to the authenticity, accuracy, and inerrancy of the Bible.

SURVEY OF THE BOOK OF JOSHUA

The theme of the Book of Joshua is that of conquest with the setting in Canaan, the promised land. Chapters 1-5: Preparing to conquer the Lord – Joshua and the Israelites prepare to face a powerful enemy who live in heavily fortified cities but they must first cross the River Jordan. Yet God will give Israel the land by conquest to fulfill the promise made to Abraham and his descendants. Chapters 6-12: Conquering the land – Israel’s first test was to trust God to provide victory at the city of Jericho. They were successful but they were forced to defend the lying Gibeonites based on an oath to protect them. This made them to disobey God’s command to eliminate them. Chapter 13-22: Dividing of the land – Seven years later after the conquest is completed, God tells Joshua to divide the land among the 12 tribes, who then completed the final conquests in their assigned areas. Chapter 23-24: Joshua’s last words – Joshua entreats the leaders the keep the law and the people to serve God.

Typology: Jericho, a city fortified with high walls stands in the way of the Israelites inheritance just the city of sinful Babylon stands in the way of inheritance of God’s people (Rev. 18:5). Jericho must be destroyed just as Babylon city must be destroyed for Christ and his people to inherit paradise (Rev. 21:1–5). The two spies who were sent to Jericho were threatened by the king (Joshua 2:1, 14) but they were delivered by Rahab. In Revelations 11:3-12 we see two witnesses sent by God to testify to the coming judgment. The wicked city sought to kill them but they were delivered from death. In Joshua 5:14–15; 6:2, Joshua encounters a divine man, the commander of the Lord’s army, with a sword in his hand. Joshua typifies Christ, who is the commander in chief, described in priestly glory with a sword in his mouth (Rev. 1:16). Joshua’s call to circumcise the male Israelites is a kin to Jesus calling His church to purify themselves as they prepare for the holy war (Rev. 2:1–3:22). The seven circles of Joshua’s warfare (Joshua 6) strategy can be compared to that of Jesus’ cycle of seven, where He opened seven seals (Rev. 5:1) and the judgment commenced with seven trumpets and seven plagues. Jericho was defeated at the sound of seven trumpets just as victory was declared in the heavenly kingdom (Rev. 11:15). Just as the walls of Jericho fell at once, the remnant put to the sword, and the city burned with fire, so was the wicked city described in Rev. 18:2. The salvation of Rahab, a type of church, illustrates the salvation Church, a prostitute made Christ’s Bride by His blood represented by the scarlet cord that was hung on the window.

SURVEY OF THE BOOK OF JEREMIAH

The 52 chapters of the Book of Jeremiah can be organized into four major areas. 

The first section (chapter 1) is the calling of young Jeremiah to be the mouth piece of God.

The second section: Jeremiah's prophecies (God’s judgment) concerning Judah (Jeremiah 2-45). In chapters 2-29, Jeremiah communicates through a variety of stories and object lessons towards Judah. These includes: Judah, Yahweh's unfaithful wife (chapters 2-6); Judah, the hypocrite (chapters 7-10); Judah, breaker of the covenant (chapters 11-12); Five parables of judgment (chapters 13-20). Chapters 21-39 record the later prophecies that will occur under Jehoiakim and Zedekiah. Chapters 21-29 predict the captivity in Babylon. However, in chapters 30-33, Jeremiah predicts a positive future for the people of Judah through a new covenant but judgment must first come upon Judah (Jeremiah 34-45).

The third section addresses God’s judgment on the other nations (chapters 46-51). He speaks against nine different nations that would also face God’s judgment.
The final section (Jeremiah 52) provides the account of the fall of Jerusalem. The city is destroyed and the survivors are taken into captivity in Babylon.

Theological contributions: Jeremiah 23:5-6 presents a prophecy of the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ, as a Branch from the house of David.

God’s wrath is a strong feature in the book of Jeremiah. God’s anger is “provoked” by sin, but in His wrath, He offers a path to salvation for all those that repent. Jeremiah offers three main insights that

1. God’s people have sinned grievously against the Lord. Indeed, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Rom. 3:23)
2. The Lord will judge his people for their sin, in this case through the onslaught of the Babylonians. “For the wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23a)
3. Yet God is both unfailingly faithful and bountifully merciful and will bring restoration and salvation. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)