We can know

Continuing our study on the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, all by the grace of God!

1Jn 3:23  And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
1Jn 3:24  And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

Joh_4:23  But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
Joh_4:24  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
Joh_6:63  It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

Joh 14:14  If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
Joh 14:15  If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Joh 14:16  And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
Joh 14:17  Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
Joh 14:18  I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

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 'The Comforter- The Holy Spirit.'  By William Grotheer

' As we continue our study of the revelation of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament, we turn first to the prison epistles - Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians. The primary references are found in the letter to the church at Ephesus. There Paul sets forth the Holy Spirit as the builder of the Church. (Eph. 2:22) Then he specifically warned the church - "Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption." (4:30)

In Hebrews, the Holy Spirit is portrayed as One who speaks. "The Holy Spirit saith" (3:7); and "The Holy Spirit . . . had said before" (10:15). The first quote is from the 95th Psalm, while the second is taken from Jeremiah. (31:33) The early church recognized that the Holy Spirit spake "by the mouth of David." (Acts 1:16) However, Jeremiah clearly says that what he wrote was a "Thus saith the Lord." (31:31) There is a relationship between the "Lord" of the Old Testament, and the Holy Spirit of the New. As noted in Part I, Paul declared - "Now the Lord is that Spirit." (II Cor. 3:17) We also noted the same picture in the epistles of Peter. Peter wrote that "holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit." (II Peter 1:21) Yet these men - prophets - searched "what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify." (I Peter 1:10-11) Peter also adds that this "Spirit" was "sent down from heaven" as a co-laborer with the Apostles as they preached the gospel. (I Peter 1:12)

The final writings of the New Testament - those of the beloved John - give a full revelation of the Holy Spirit which completes the picture and solves for us the problems intimated in the rest of the New Testament, occasioned by the Incarnation. In fact, the test by which we can know we are confronted by the true Holy Spirit, and that the Spirit is indeed guiding a professed messenger of the gospel involves the doctrine of the Incarnation. John wrote - "Hereby know ye the Spirit of God." And how do we know? "Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God." (I John 4:2)

There is in the first Epistle of John an interpolation which John did not write, but which those who hold to papal trinitarianism grasp as evidence of the Trinity. In I John 5:7-8, the words beginning with "in heaven" in verse 7, and ending with "in earth" in verse 8 appear in NO Greek manuscript of the New Testament prior to the 11th Century. These words were first found in a Latin treatise of the 4th Century, and inserted into the Sacred Scriptures during the noonday of the Papacy. The verses should read:       "For there are three that bare record, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one."

The book of Revelation while using symbolic language adds much to our understanding of the Holy Spirit. When the door was opened in heaven, and John was asked to enter, he saw a throne on which sat the Eternal One - He "which is, and which was, and which is to come." Before the throne were seven lamps of fire which are stated to be "the seven Spirits of God." (4:5) Then John beheld "a Lamb as it had been slain" with seven horns and seven eyes. These horns and eyes are declared to be the same "seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth." (5:6) With the fulness of omnipotence, and the completeness of omnipresence, the Holy Spirit is sent forth into "all the earth." But the symbolism indicates that when the "Lamb" as the sacrifice appeared, the Spirit of God was so closely identified with the "Lamb" so as to be even as the horns and eyes are to an animal.

This Spirit speaks to the seven churches. (Rev. 2:7, 17) Yet the messages are declared to be coming from Christ to the same seven churches. (Rev. 2:1, 8, etc.) There is one voice. The voice of the Spirit is also heard speaking of those who have heeded the Three Angels' Messages. (Rev. 14:13) First John hears "a voice from heaven" pronouncing a blessing; then comes the voice of the Spirit which was sent forth into all the earth - the same area to be covered by the angel messages. (Rev. 14:6) The same Person who directed the Church in its beginning as revealed in the Book of Acts also directs the giving of the final messages of God to earth's inhabitants. In fact, the New Testament presents the Holy Spirit as the new commander of the "ministering spirits" in the warfare between good and evil till earth's last hour, when Jesus himself shall return as Lord of lords and King of kings.

There is one final picture in the book of Revelation: - "The Spirit and the bride say, "Come." (Rev. 22:17) Even as Revelation pictures Jesus and the Spirit speaking as one voice so also does the bride of Christ and the Spirit speak ultimately as one voice. A question:  Is this symbolism suggesting that even as the Holy Spirit consummated the Incarnation so that He might be one flesh with us, so also the same Spirit effects the "bride" of Christ so that she might be one spirit with Him?

We turn now to the final revelation in the New Testament concerning the Holy Spirit - the Gospel of John. Here Jesus is recorded as promising to give "another Comforter" to His followers on earth. (John 14:16) In speaking of this "Comforter" in relationship to Himself, He chose the word, allos, rather than heteros. Both words mean, another, in the Greek, but with a difference in the comparison. Thayer in his Greek Lexicon remarks "Every heteros is an allos, but every allos is not a heteros." (p. 29T To see this difference, we have only to note how these words are used in other New Testament references:  Romans 7:23 - "But I see another (heteros) law in my members, warring against the law of my mind."

Acts 7:18 - "Till another (heteros) king arose, which knew not Joseph."

Galatians 1:6-7 - "I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another (heteros) gospel: which is not another (allos); but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ."

From these illustrations, it can be seen that allos distinguishes between two of the same kind, and which are on an equal level, while heteros denotes two of a different kind not on the same level. In other words, Jesus was saying that the Holy Spirit was of the same kind as He, but a distinct Being from Him. This is further illustrated in the fact that Jesus called the Holy Spirit, the "Comforter" (paracletos). In his first Epistle, John speaks of Jesus as "an Advocate" (paracletos) I John 2:1.

As Jesus continued the conversation in the upper room, He comforted the disciples with the assurance that He would not leave them orphans, but stated - "I will come to you." (John 14:18, margin) Though He had stated that the Holy Spirit was a distinct Person from Himself, He indicated that in the coming of the Spirit, He would be coming to them. The only way that I have found to express this relationship is to use the term - Alter-Ego. Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit as a result of the Incarnation are in an Alter-Ego relationship.

John as he further reports that upper room conversation notes Jesus as referring to the Holy Spirit as "He" - "That One" (ekeinos). The text reads - "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, He (ekeinos) shall teach ,you all things." (John 14:26) This same designation is used again by Jesus in John 16:7-8, 13-14. The Gospel of John clearly presents the Holy Spirit - the Spirit of truth, the paracletos - a distinct Being, the Allos of Jesus Christ even to the coming "in (His) name."

There is a final revelation we dare not overlook. It was the Holy Spirit who overshadowed Mary. The result:  - Jesus - a new distinct Being - the God-man. In the final hour, there will be earth-people who, when demanded to testify for their faith, will open their mouths to speak. But they will not speak themselves, for being so fully possessed of the Spirit, it will be the Holy Spirit which will speak. (Mark 13:11) Then when all things are made new, the Revelation indicates that "the Tabernacle of God", even Jesus, (John 1:14, Gr.) will dwell with man, and "God Himself shall be with them, and be their God." (Rev. 22:3) Again Two as revealed in the Old Testament. But the same revelation in the same context declares the Holy Spirit speaking as one voice with "the bride." (Rev. 22:17) Is not this the same experience as recorded in Mark 13:11, which describes earth's final witnesses? Then could it not be suggested that "the bride" of Christ becomes in consort with the Lamb, the "third" in the picture as a result of the Incarnation, and the wonder of the Plan of Redemption? Even as the "how" of the Incarnation remains a mystery to angels as well as to man, so also "how" this ultimate plan of God will be accomplished remains mysterious. We only read, and wonder, and in faith say as did Abraham - "Amen." (Gen 15:6)

The word translated, "believed" in Gen. 15:6 is the Hebrew word, amin. In the Greek it is amen (verily in John 3:3). In English, we say - Amen (So be it).

Some idea of "the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began" but is made manifest in the revelation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ can be perceived when one recognizes that "human beings were a new and distinct order." (R&H, Feb. 11, 1902) Man made "in the image of God" was "designed to be a counterpart of God." (R&H, June 18, 1895)

The significance of what this "counterpart" design of God is to be can be perceived in part by a comparison of Scripture. When Christ returns the second time, there will be two groups of the redeemed:   1)  The "corruptible" - those who have died. These put on " incorruption."   2 )   The "mortal" - those who are alive on the earth - put on " immortality." Here is a significant word use in the Greek. The word translated, "immortality", here in I Cor. 15:53-54 is athanasia, and is used in only one other place in the New Testament also in Paul's writings. This other use in I Timothy 6:16 is in reference to God - "Who only hath immortality."

Truly Christ became one flesh with us that we might become one spirit with Him. In a special sense in the revelation which God gave to Him to show to His servants (Rev. 1:1), this applies to the group which that revelation designates as "the remnant of her seed,"  "the bride" of Christ - the 144,000.

This experience can only be ours in this final generation as we permit the mind of Jesus to be our mind. That mind calls for a complete emptying of self, the ekenosen of Philippians 2:7, which in the KJV reads He "made Himself of no reputation." The Greek reads - "But Himself, He emptied." 

End.'

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Joh 14:14  If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
Joh 14:15  If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Joh 14:16  And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
Joh 14:17  Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
Joh 14:18  I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

If ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it…   and people cry out that it's a lie! They ask and ask and ask and nothing is done. They ask in in our SAVIOR'S name but they do NOT have the Savior in them through the Holy Spirit. They are asking 'amiss'. They are asking expecting the answers to be their answers not God's. They might ask for money and God in His wisdom might know that if He allowed them the money they desire then they would only grow further from Him, not closer. We don't know why God answers our petitions as He does, and if we DARE to truly believe that God is NOT giving us ALL we need to live in HIM, to live FOR HIM, then He is not living in us because WE LACK the FAITH to believe in HIS LOVE, HIS REAL LOVE!

HE tell us that IF we LOVE HIM, we will KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS.

Do we LOVE HIM?
Are we keeping His commandments?

If we LOVE HIM HE WILL pray to the FATHER- and the FATHER will give us ANOTHER COMFORTER that will ABIDE WITH US FOREVER.

Amazing! Do we believe it?!  What kind of proof are we after? Do we want a 'Paul's conversion experience?' Are we after a 'burning bush' event? What exactly does it mean to HAVE the COMFORTER ABIDING with us? It means FAITH we know that, it means BELIEVING without SEEING.

The SPIRIT of TRUTH.
The WORLD will NOT receive the SPIRIT of TRUTH.
The WORLD does not SEE the SPIRIT of TRUTH.
The WORLD does not KNOW the SPIRIT of TRUTH.

WE can KNOW the SPIRIT of TRUTH.
The SPIRIT of TRUTH dwells with US.
The SPIRIT of TRUTH shall be IN US.

We will NOT be left comfortless!
Our SAVIOR through the HOLY SPIRIT comes to us, bringing to us everything we need to LOVE.

Do you have TRUTH?
Is the SPIRIT of TRUTH with you?
Is the SPIRIT of TRUTH in you?

How do we know ?

1Jn 5:11  And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
1Jn 5:12  He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
1Jn 5:13  These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may KNOW that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

We must BELIEVE in God and God is LOVE. We MUST BELIEVE in the LOVE that is GOD, a love that is completely SELFLESS!

Please LORD, help us to understand, help us to LOVE as we need to LOVE all by YOU and YOUR GRACE and MERCY, YOUR FORGIVENESS, YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS!  By YOUR SPIRIT with us, and in us!

All in YOU!

The SPIRIT of TRUTH- dwelleth with you- shall be in you.

1Jn 3:23  And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
1Jn 3:24  And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

Joh_4:23  But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
Joh_4:24  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
Joh_6:63  It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

Joh 14:14  If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
Joh 14:15  If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Joh 14:16  And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
Joh 14:17  Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
Joh 14:18  I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

His commandment-

BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST- GOD'S SON.

His commandment-

LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

To LOVE one another we must have GOD in our lives because GOD is LOVE, He is the LOVE we LOVE with.  The thing we call 'our' love often ends up being very hurtful- you know that old saying and song- 'Love Hurts.'  Our love hurts so much because it's not God's love but some made up idea of love that Satan has concocted to pass off as love. 

He that keeps God's commandments DWELLS IN GOD, and GOD IN HIM.  It can't be any other way because GOD IS LOVE and LOVE is the commandment!  Believe in the ultimate proof of all love- Jesus Christ, and love one another. 

We KNOW GOD abides in US by the SPIRIT which HE gives to us!

If we believe, if we LOVE our Savior comprehending that it is by HIS love that we love at all, then we will keep all the SAVIOR'S commandments.  We will do this because our SAVIOR will ask HIS FATHER to give us a COMFORTER that will abide with us FOR EVER.

That COMFORTER is the SPIRIT of TRUTH.
The SPIRIT of TRUTH will dwell WITH US and shall be IN US.

We will NOT be left without comfort and what comforts us- the HOPE of the END of our FAITH - SALVATION through JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD, all in HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS.

The HOLY SPIRIT, the COMFORTER is a REAL BEING, not a figment of people's imagination. The COMFORTER is given to us, to BE WITH us and IN us.

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I want to include a bit from  a study I'm reading on 'The Comforter- The Holy Spirit.'  By William Grotheer


'After having read every text in the New Testament where the word, "spirit" or "Holy Spirit" is found, we determined that "spirit" is applied to different beings and forces at work in the world,and within man. Angels are designated as "ministering spirits." (Heb. 1:14) Demons are noted as "unclean spirits." (Rev. 16:13-14) A deep human emotion is based in what is termed, "spirit." (Mark 8:12) The perception of one's  presence, though the person is not present, is noted as being present in "spirit." (I Cor. 5:4)

This study was approached with one vital presupposition:     The "form of God" in which Jesus existed prior to Bethlehem was SPIRIT for God is Spirit. (John 4:24) This SPIRIT exceeds that of angels for they are only "ministering spirits." (Heb. 1:14) This SPIRIT is immortal, eternal, and indestructible.

*

'We asked ourselves why so little is known of the "nature" of the Holy Spirit? Then we asked ourselves why so little was perceived as to whom Jesus was until after the coming of the Holy Spirit? The answer to the second question helped us to perceive the answer to the first. Jesus came not to do His own will, but the will of God. (John 6:38) He came to glorify the Father. (John 17:4) He did not even come in His own name. (John 5:43) His was a life of selfless projection of the Father's glory - grace and truth. (John 1:14) Likewise the ministry of the Holy Spirit - He would not speak of Himself. He would glorify Jesus and the work which Jesus accomplished. (John 16:13-14)


The very first New Testament reference written in regard to the Holy Spirit clearly declares the Holy Spirit as distinct from a "power," per se. It reads:   -   For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit. (I Thess. 1:5)

This same distinction is also seen in I Cor. 2:4.

[We shall use the word "Spirit" in place of "Ghost" in all quotes from the Bible.]

Many references in the New Testament which mention the Holy Spirit speak of His work in making effective for the believer the salvation provided alone in Jesus Christ. Examples of this can be found in II Thess. 2:13; I Cor. 6:11 and Titus 3:5. Further the Holy Spirit is set forth as a Teacher who searches the deep things of God. (I Cor. 2:10, 13) He bestows "gifts" as "He wills." (I Cor. 12:4, 11) He is the builder of the Church. (Eph. 2:22) He speaks. (I Tim. 4:1) He can be grieved. (Eph. 4:30) He can be insulted. (Heb. 10:29) He can be lied to. (Act, 5:3) All of these statements in regard to the Holy Spirit indicate not a power, nor a mere influence, but rather a Person.

The fourth book written of the New Testament canon (Chronologically) closes with a three-fold benediction - "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all." (II Cor. 13:14) Language cannot be clearer that the Holy Spirit is as much a Person as are either God or the Lord Jesus Christ. Yet in this same letter, Paul emphatically declares - "The Lord is that Spirit." (II Cor. 3:17) In this third chapter, Paul is contrasting the ministration of the letter under Moses, and the ministration of the Spirit under Christ. While declaring that the Lord is that Spirit, Paul differentiates between Lords in verse 18. Note it carefully using the margin which gives the literal Greek rendering. It thus reads:     But we all, with open face beholding as in a  glass the glory of the Lord [Jesus] , are changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Lord the Spirit. (3:18)

The close identification between "the Lord Jesus Christ" and "the Lord the Spirit" is seen elsewhere in the New Testament. Paul declares that Isaac was born "after the Spirit." (Gal. 4:29) Yet in noting the Old Testament account, the "Lord" who appeared to Abraham in the plains of Mamre said - "I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son." (Gen. 18:10) It was repeated a second time by the same "Lord." (18:14) In Hebrews, it reads - "The Holy Spirit saith" (3:7) - "the Holy Spirit . . . said before." (10:15) - yet both quotes are from the Old Testament. Gabriel told Daniel that the only One who held with him in "the scripture of truth" was "Michael your prince." (10:21) This is further illuminated in the Epistles of Peter. There we are told that "holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit." (II Peter 1:21) But in his first letter, Peter indicates that these holy men - prophets - "searched diligently ... what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify." (I Peter 1: 10-11) Thus the New Testament closely identifies the Holy Spirit - the Lord the Spirit - with Michael the "Lord" of the Old Testament.

Paul tells us that God sent forth TWO into the world. "God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law." "God [also] hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son" that we might understand Him as "Father." (Gal. 4:4, 6) This same duality and relationship appears in the symbolism of the book of Revelation. When the door was opened in heaven, John beheld the Throne of God, and before the Throne were "seven lamps of fire" which are declared to be "the seven Spirits of God." (4:5) Yet when the Lamb "as it had been slain" is introduced from "the midst of the Throne" with "seven horns (fullness of power) and seven eyes (complete omnipresence)", - these are declared to be "the Seven Spirits sent forth into all the earth."(5:6)

In the book of Romans, the setting forth of the Holy Spirit is concentrated in Chapter 8. The message there has been largely ignored. We have contrasted this chapter with Romans 7, and ended the contrast with 8:16, as if an entirely different subject began. While the first part of Romans 8 speaks of "the sons of God" resultant from the leading of "the Spirit of God" (8:14), there is yet another "manifestation of the sons of God." (8: 19) In this the Spirit has an important part to play. Though we have "the first fruits of the Spirit" (8:23), we still have the fallen sinful nature. This, the Spirit helps - our "infirmities." This is the same word as found in Matthew 8:17, designating what Christ took in taking upon Himself our humanity. It is also the same word as found in Hebrews 4:15 which tells the why of the compassion of the great High Priest, Jesus Christ. It is the Spirit that is to make intercession for the saints according to the will of God. Until "the redemption of the body" at the second coming of Jesus Christ, the saints can know they will have an intercessor at the Throne of God - the Lord the Spirit. While the Man Christ Jesus steps aside (Compare I Tim. 2:5 & Rev. 15:8), the Holy Spirit continues His ministry until the living saints are translated.

In the synoptic Gospels - Matthew, Mark and Luke - the Holy Spirit is pictured in direct relationship to Jesus Christ in two experiences - His birth and baptism. The conception is spoken of as "out of the Spirit." (Matt. 1:18, 20b: "of" is the translation of the Greek preposition, ek, literally, "out of.") Luke records the announcement to Mary by Gabriel of God in "flesh appearing." Gabriel stated:      The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy [spirit] which shall be born of thee shall be called the God. (Luke 1:35)

The word, "thing" is supplied in the KJV because the adjective "holy" is in the neuter gender. But this adjective is the same as the adjective describing "Spirit" in the same verse, and thus the missing word to be modified could likewise be the word, "spirit. " This concept is well stated in the Writings: "He (Christ) united humanity with divinity: a divine spirit dwelt in a temple of flesh." (4BC:1147) That "divine spirit" dwelling in a temple of flesh was called "the Son of God."

In Mark, there is a key reference to the Holy Spirit in relationship to the final witness. In Jesus' prophetic discourse, He stated:      When they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Spirit. (Mark 13:11)

So fully will God's witnesses be in-filled with the Holy Spirit at that hour, that when they speak, the voice which comes forth will be the Holy Spirit. It will be the "manifestation of the sons of God" as foretold in Romans 8:19. And Jesus gives the time when this shall occur - "the gospel must first be published among all nations." (Mark 13:10) He also tells us where this witness will be given - in councils, in churches, and before rulers and kings. (13:9)

The book of Acts could well be called the Acts of the Holy Spirit. In this book, the Holy Spirit is presented as One in full command of the Church, and its spokesmen, and as One functioning as the Vicegerent of the Lord Jesus Christ. The very introduction sets forth the role of the Spirit as the Vicegerent. After Jesus was taken up into heaven, "He through the Spirit" continued to give "commandments unto the apostles." (Acts 1:2) These apostles and others as "spokesmen" were "full of the Holy Spirit." (Acts 2:4; 4:8, 31; 7:55; 11:24; 13:9)

The Book of Acts presents the Spirit as in full command of the Church and its spokesmen. He speaks to Philip - "Go near and join thyself to this chariot." (Acts 8:29) Philip obeys, and another witness is born into the kingdom of God, the Ethiopian eunuch. Then the Spirit transports Philip to another place. (8:39) To Peter, as he meditated on the unusual vision he had received, the Spirit said, "Behold three men seek thee . . . I have sent them." (10:19-20) To the leaders of the church in Antioch, the same Holy Spirit said - "Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them." (13:2) And Paul on his second missionary tour desired to go to certain areas to preach the gospel, but was "forbidden of the Holy Spirit." (16:6-7) Thus, the Spirit is pictured as functioning in His own right, as a Person directing the Church of the Living God.

The Book of Acts also reveals an experience which sets forth the Holy Spirit as God. When two members sought to deceive the Apostles, Peter said they lied "to the Holy Spirit. " Then he explains the extent of that deception - "Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God." (5:3-4) The Holy Spirit is
not of the order of the created - men nor angels - but of the Uncreated - God.      {To Be Continued.}

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This is a very intense study, please, please take your time and study it thoroughly. Get your Bible - either  electronic Bible or one you can actually hold in your hand it doesn't matter- but get your Bible and take the time to look up the verses and study, really, truly study this!  We need to know more, we need to comprehend more of the Holy Spirit.

The HOLY SPIRIT, the COMFORTER is a REAL BEING, not a figment of people's imagination. The COMFORTER is given to us, to BE WITH us and IN us.

We NEED to know more!

All by the GRACE and MERCY of our LOVING GOD!

In HIM ALWAYS!

You can't truly love others without keeping the commandments of God.

1Jn 3:17  But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
1Jn 3:18  My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
1Jn 3:19  And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.
1Jn 3:20  For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
1Jn 3:21  Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.
1Jn 3:22  And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
1Jn 3:23  And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
1Jn 3:24  And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

Why is it people try to convince others that commandment keepers are different than those who do away with the commandments and focus on loving others?

You can't truly love others without keeping the commandments of God.

Love is the focal point of every commandment.

First is LOVE, because GOD IS LOVE.

All the commandments stem from LOVE.  But people don't want to see that, they'd much rather toss away the commandments that to them are restrictive.

Our Savior's commandment is to LOVE.

You cannot LOVE without truly recognizing the LOVE of God.

Some people say the moral commandments have been done away with, and they refuse to recognize the LOVE of GOD in them.

God knows, our Savior knows that if we keep HIS commandments we are LOVING as He would have us LOVE.

Can you keep the commandments and not love?  NOT if you are keeping them as GOD would have you keep them.  You can PRETEND to keep them just as you can pretend to LOVE God. You can deceive yourself into believing you are keeping them when you aren't keeping them at all.

Remember this-

1Co 13:1  Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
1Co 13:2  And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
1Co 13:3  And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
1Co 13:4  Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
1Co 13:5  Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
1Co 13:6  Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
1Co 13:7  Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
1Co 13:8  Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
1Co 13:9  For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
1Co 13:10  But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
1Co 13:11  When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
1Co 13:12  For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
1Co 13:13  And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

1Jn 4:8  He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

The same word- Charity and Love.

GOD is LOVE,  LOVE IS THE GREATEST OF ALL THINGS BECAUSE - GOD IS LOVE!

We have to have GOD. We have to be submitted to GOD. We have to be committed to GOD. IF we do NOT have GOD then all we do means NOTHING!

God suffers long- He's proven that throughout all history.
God is kind.
God envies not.
God does not vaunt Himself.
God is not puffed up.
God does not behave Himself unseemly.
God does not seek His own.
God is not easily provoked.
God thinks NO evil.
God bears all things.
God believes all things.
God hopes all things.
God endures all things.
God never fails.

1Jn 3:23  And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
1Jn 3:24  And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

Joh_4:23  But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
Joh_4:24  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
Joh_6:63  It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

Joh 14:14  If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
Joh 14:15  If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Joh 14:16  And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
Joh 14:17  Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
Joh 14:18  I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

The Spirit makes it all possible through our SAVIOR.

More on this tomorrow by the GRACE of our LORD JESUS CHRIST.

All in HIS LOVE.

You transgress God's moral law every time you sin

1Jn 3:4  Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
1Jn 3:5  And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.
1Jn 3:6  Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.

Rom_3:23  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God

There is NO getting around it, not even a little bit- sin IS a transgression of the law.

To say that there is no law for us to follow any more, is to say there is no sinning any longer.

How can people sin if there is no law to follow?

If ALL have sinned then that means there is STILL a law in existence.

We don't get to create our own laws in regards to sin. We don't get to say I'll make this a law- Law #1- No jumping up and down.   And then have the person who breaks that law by jumping up and down called a sinner. 

Sinners break GOD'S laws, the MORAL LAWS of GOD's MAKING.

The first sin was the breaking of the first moral law-

Exo 20:3  Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

Eve chose to listen to the serpent, Eve chose to listen to the serpent as if what HE said was more important and trustworthy than what God said. Eve put the serpent before GOD. Eve put HERSELF before God. Remember what the serpent said to her?

Gen 3:4  And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
Gen 3:5  For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

'Ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.'

He told her SHE would be as a god!

She heard those words and did she right then and there recoil from the mere thought of placing herself, a creature on the same level as the Creator? No.

Her curiosity was peaked and she was tempted by the idea of knowing good and evil as a god would know. She wanted to be as a god.  She WAS putting herself before God. She SINNED.  It wasn't just a matter of eating of the tree that God commanded her not to, it was much more than that. The sin was horrific. It wasn't like a child taking a treat they've been told not to touch. The child isn't imagining that they will take that treat and eat of it and suddenly know all the things their parent knows.  But Eve was TOLD by Satan that if she ate of that fruit she would be as a god.  That PLAYED a huge part in her decision to eat the fruit, it was the REASON behind her eating the fruit. She wasn't disobeying God's command not to touch the fruit without a reason, in her mind a VERY good reason. She disobeyed with the incentive to become something other than the creature that God had created her to be. She wanted to be like the Most High God.  What's the Bible tell us about wanting to be like the Most High?

Isa 14:12  How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
Isa 14:13  For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
Isa 14:14  I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.

SATAN wanted to be like the Most High and HE wanted Eve to desire the exact same thing, and she did, if only for a fleeting moment, but it was long enough for her to take that fruit and bite into it.

Sinning doesn't take long. Some of our WORST sins can happen in mere moments.

1Jn 3:4  Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
1Jn 3:5  And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.
1Jn 3:6  Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.

Sinning IS and will always be known as the TRANSGRESSION OF THE LAW, God's moral law!

Like I wrote earlier we cannot sin if we are NOT transgressing God's law.  Every single sin means you are transgressing God's law. 

We need to confess our sins- we need to comprehend that we are transgressing the law of God when we do sin, and confess that transgression, confess HOW we've disobeyed God in sinning, confess our wrong, understand the wrong and REPENT.  Confess, repent, seeking forgiveness from our SAVIOR.

God knows that we are WEAK, so very, very weak. But we need to comprehend that in our creature weakness we have been given the power of the Holy Spirit through Jesus Christ our Lord to understand what sin is and to KEEP from sinning through HIM and HIS power. We don't keep from sinning through our OWN power.  We need to BELIEVE, we need to have FAITH that we will be able through our SAVIOR to believe in HIM and HIS POWER to forgive us and keep us in HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS.

Please LORD, help us! Love us! Keep us in YOU ALWAYS!!!!!!!

BY YOUR AMAZING, AMAZING GRACE and MERCY!

IN YOU LORD, IN YOU!

You are a liar if you do not keep our Savior's commandments.

1Jn_2:4  He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

Remember this from yesterday--

Mar 12:29  And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
Mar 12:30  And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
Mar 12:31  And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

We HAVE to listen to our SAVIOR and He was NOT instructing us to do away with His commandments. Why would He even say those word- the first of ALL the commandment, the second is like- why would He say that if He really just wanted us to do away with His moral ten commandments and just say we know what it means to love? 

How arrogant we are! How presumptuous we are! We dare to imagine that WE know what it means to love! We dare to believe that we do NOT need the moral ten commandments from our Savior!  We dare to question His commandments the very commandments HE LIVED when HE walked the earth!

Why would He tell us this…

Joh 14:15  If ye love me, keep my commandments.

If we have decided that to be a Christian simply means living right, not hurting anyone are we following our Savior's commandments? If we put our own commandments in place of His, are we following HIS commandments? IF WE CHANGE the commandments to suit ourselves we are not listening to our Savior. Yet so many want to change them. They won't admit it, they refuse to admit that they are going against our Savior's words, so they talk themselves out of believing they are by throwing up that the only thing that matters is love and nothing else. And they toss in, God knows my heart.

It is true LOVE is everything.
It is true God knows our hearts.

But when we REFUSE to believe that the moral commandments were given from the SOURCE OF ALL LOVE, and are LOVE, then we aren't loving at all. We've thrown up our own idea of love believing we know better than God.

JESUS SAID- IF YE LOVE ME KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS.

1Jn_2:4  He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

Do you know JESUS?
Do you keep HIS COMMANDMENTS?

You CANNOT know Jesus if you do NOT keep HIS commandments!

Make up your own religion if you want to, but that will mean making up your own Jesus, and that means you won't know Jesus at all.

He will tell people this--

Mat 7:22  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity

He will tell them He never knew them, and it'll be the truth because they haven't worshipped Him at all but rather a Lord of their own devising.

By the GRACE of God may we through the power of the Holy Spirit keep HIS COMMANDMENTS and NOT the commandments of our own making. May we KNOW our LORD and may HE KNOW US!

All in HIS LOVE!
By HIS MERCY!

LORD JESUS- Be the END of our FAITH- OUR SALVATION

1Pe 1:9  Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

'The word te???, (Transliteration: Telos)  end, is often used so as to imply the issue or reward of any labor or action.'  - Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible.

The reward of your faith.

The reward that comes at the culmination of our faith.

Salvation!

Saved from sin!

Reunited with God, no longer separated from Him by sin.

Saved!

Mat 24:13  But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

SAVED!
SALVATION!

To be saved-

(Strong's Dictionary)
--to save, that is, deliver or protect (literally or figuratively): - heal, preserve, save (self), do well, be (make) whole.

Delivered.
Healed.
Preserved.
Made whole.

Joh 4:42  And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.

The Savior of the world!
The Deliverer!
The Redeemer!

If we ENDURE to the END we will be SAVED.
The END of our FAITH is our SALVATION.

For one moment I want you to think about something- WHAT HARM COMES FROM HAVING FAITH IN OUR SAVIOR?

Seriously… believing in Jesus Christ as your Savior causes what harm?

The harm comes in when people THINK they are believing in Jesus Christ and then set about trying to force their beliefs on others.  I emphasized THINK they are believing because they are deceived into believing they follow the true Savior when the truth is the true Savior would NEVER force anyone to believe in HIM, NEVER. They may call their Savior by the same name as the true Savior, but underneath that name they've created a god of their own devising.

The truth of our SAVIOR is love, pure love without any force.

Yes, our Savior OUT of His love desires obedience from His Creatures and that obedience He desires is pure love. The commandments, the moral commandments He's given us are commandments of the PUREST LOVE.

No where in any of the commandments does it read … thou shalt force others to believe in me. 

We are commanded as INDIVIDUALS to obey the LORD and His commands, and those commands are love realized, love actualized.

Remember this--

Mar 12:29  And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
Mar 12:30  And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
Mar 12:31  And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

LOVE.
LOVE GOD.
LOVE OTHERS.

The first four moral commands focus on our LOVE of GOD.
The last six moral commands focus on our LOVE of OTHERS.

Having FAITH, believing in Our God, our Savior, One who is pure love and longs to give us this same pure love, HARMS NO ONE! Why is it silly, stupid, horrible to believe in LOVE that way? That LOVE threatens EVIL, it's DESTROYED EVIL'S ultimate desire. And EVIL HATES that LOVE and wants it completely destroyed.  That EVIL will do all it can to make having FAITH in GOD seem EVIL, to seem wrong, to be stupid, unenlightened, prejudice, and so on. That EVIL has successfully corrupted the minds of millions and millions and millions to outright think that GOD'S LOVE through HIS SON JESUS CHRIST is evil. That EVIL has successfully corrupted millions and millions and millions into believing in their OWN idea of the God of LOVE, and therefore believing in a false god.  That EVIL will have the majority of people on its side when our SAVIOR returns.

PLEASE LORD LET US BE ON YOUR SIDE! LET US LOVE AND BE LOVED BY YOU! LET US KNOW AND BE KNOWN BY YOU! ALL THROUGH YOUR MERCY, YOUR GRACE, YOUR LOVE, YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS! ALL THROUGH ALL THAT IS YOU- the GOD WHO IS LOVE!

IN YOU!

Be the END of our FAITH- OUR SALVATION.

Our faith will make us whole

1Pe 1:9  Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

The end of something, we know that the end of something is very important. If you're working towards something you expect an end, a finish, the finale.  All of us can probably remember various aspects of our lives that consist of beginnings and endings. We can recall them with fondness or sadness, but we can recall them.  When a test was finally over and you passed. When a journey was begun and then over. When a life became part of your life and then that life was over.  We experience so much and the sum of our experience is our life. At the end of our lives people have funerals and almost always speak of the life of the person whose life is now over. People often try to remember the very best of the people that have passed even as they know their lives were just as their own- filled with ups and downs, good and bad things.  Life is filled with so many ups and downs and that is for everyone- no exemptions at all.

Life's ups and downs. People write books on life's ups and downs. Daily we hear about life's ups and downs- just pick up a newspaper and you'll very likely find good stories and sad/bad stories. Constantly in magazines, in tabloids, on television shows,  the radio, and online we are reading, listening, watching the ups and downs of peoples lives.  If there are big group ups they can go down in history, if there are big groups downs they too are written in our history record and told for many, many years to come.

These are life's trials.

Yes, I said these are life's trials, including the good, including those ups to our lives.  Because though a lot of people do not tend to consider anything good a trial it is.  How we live our lives when we receive the good tells so much about us. The glory belongs to God in all things.

Read this-

Luk 17:13  And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.
Luk 17:14  And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.
Luk 17:15  And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,
Luk 17:16  And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.
Luk 17:17  And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?
Luk 17:18  There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.
Luk 17:19  And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.

He was healed- A GOOD thing!
He was cured- he was having an 'UP' day, not a down day.
And he glorified God with a LOUD voice!
His FAITH made Him whole!

Were the others cured? Yes, but they didn't hear these words of Christ-  'Arise, go thy way; they faith hath made thee whole.' 

The others were cleansed.  'And it came to pass that as thy went they were cleansed.' 

But were they 'made whole'?

Think about it.  Their leprosy was gone but that doesn't mean that they were truly made whole- spiritually, physically, mentally. They did not glorify God. They were Jews, not Samaritans and they did not glorify God upon receiving a cure for this horrendous disease.

We DO have a trial of our FAITH in good things, make no mistake about it.

'Thy faith hath made thee whole.' 

The Samaritan's faith made Him whole.

Our faith can make us whole.  Our faith in God can make us whole.

The END of our FAITH is our being made perfectly whole in CHRIST.

By the grace of our God more tomorrow!  All in HIS LOVE may we have faith that will make us whole in our Savior!

Please LORD, save us!