Tag: Holy Spirit

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Devotionals

WE PARTAKE OF THE DIVINE NATURE IMPARTED THRU THE DIVINE POWER OF CHRIST’S HUMAN NATURE AS GOD IN THE FLESH

October 2, 2020

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

WE PARTAKE OF THE DIVINE NATURE IMPARTED THRU THE DIVINE POWER OF CHRIST’S HUMAN NATURE AS GOD IN THE FLESH

“To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our GOD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST. Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord, as His DIVINE POWER has given to us all things that PERTAIN to LIFE and GODLINESS, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us EXCEEDINGLY GREAT AND PRECIOUS PROMISES, that through these you may be PARTAKERS OF THE DIVINE NATURE, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust [unholy, worldly, carnal desires and the lust of the eye and the flesh’].”

2 Pet. 1:1-4, NKJV.

The Incarnation: “Layon aside His royal robe and kingly crown, Christ clothes His divinity with humanity, that human beings might be RAISED from their degradation [caused by sin], and placed on vantage ground.

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Devotionals

OUR YOUTH AND THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT

September 25, 2020

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

OUR YOUTH AND THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT

“And [take] the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

Eph. 6:17

Jesus was particularly emphatic regarding the treatment of, welfare, and salvation of the tender, receptive and yes, vulnerability of the children and youth during His three and half year ministry on earth. He declared some of His  strongest words of rebuke and warnings ever against those in authority who would mislead and/or become stumbling blocks to the youngest members of His spiritual kingdom in earth! They are both literally and spiritually the helpless lambs of His flock!

“God’s holy, educating Spirit is in His Word! A light, a new and precious light, shines forth from every page. Truth is there revealed, and words and sentences are made bright and appropriate for the occasion, as the VOICE OF GOD speaking to the soul [the whole, living, rational person].

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Devotionals

CHRIST’S HUMAN NATURE

September 14, 2020
FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

CHRIST’S HUMAN NATURE

Please find time to prayerfully and unhurriedly read verses 1-18 of Hebrews chapter 2. Here are the first 4 verses(emphasis mine):

“Therefore we must give the MOST EARNEST HEED, to the things we have heard, LEST WE DRIFT AWAY. For if the word spoken through angels, proved steadfast, and every TRANSGRESSION AND DISOBEDIENCE received a just reward, HOW SHALL WE ESCAPE IF WE NEGLECT so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, God AlSO bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?”

Heb. 2:1-4, NKJV.

SYNOPSIS OF CHAPTER: “This chapter opens with a warning against INDIFFERENCE. It is the first of many admonition scattered throughout the book, which evince the author’s [apostle Paul] anxiety for the SPIRITUAL WELFARE of his readers. From the nature of the exhortations we learn that, unlike the Corinthians, the DANGERS threatening them were NOT MORAL DELINQUENCY but a GRADUAL DRIFTING AWAY from the things they had heard, COUPLED WITH a lack of desire to apply themselves to a SERIOUS study of the Word.

“The larger part of the chapter is devoted to a discussion of the HUMANITY of Christ. In the first chapter the author brought indisputable proof of the DEITY of Christ. In the second chapter he shows that it is NEEDFUL for Christ to BECOME A MAN IF He is to be a merciful and faithful High Priest.

“How else could He deal gently with the weak and erring? He MUST be TEMPTED IN ALL POINTS LIKE AS WE ARE for it is only by passing through the EXPERIENCE to which [all] men are subject that He can succor [save, deliver, empower] those who are weak!

“This section contains a warning against the SUBTLE SINS of apathy and carelessness. Paul was greatly concerned about the SPIRITUAL condition of the people. There were TROUBLOUS TIMES AHEAD for the church. Persecution would soon break out anew; in a very few years the Roman armies would take the city, the Temple would be destroyed, and the Christians would be compelled to flee for their lives.

“Despite this, THE CHURCH WAS NOT FULLY AWAKE. They were ADRIFT with no anchor. Their condition was critical, and MOST SERIOUS OF ALL, they did not sense their danger!” (Andreasen, The Book of Hebrews, 79, 80).

This is same condition we are facing today! The very signs taking place right now in America and the world are already announcing, in trumpet tones, that we entering the prophesied early time of trouble! Are we adrift or are our hearts and minds firmly anchored in the Rock, Christ Jesus and His Word—“It is Written,” “unto the law and the prophets,” “to the law and the testimony.”  Bless all, NMF 

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Devotionals

THE ‘ARMOR’ WE ARE ‘WEARING’ NOW DETERMINES WHAT SIDE OF THE COMING FINAL CONFLICT WE WILL TAKE

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

THE ‘ARMOR’ WE ARE ‘WEARING’ NOW DETERMINES WHAT SIDE OF THE COMING FINAL CONFLICT WE WILL TAKE

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. [How?]. Put on the WHOLE armor of God, that ye may be ABLE to stand against the WILES of the devil. For we wrestle NOT against flesh and blood, but AGAINST principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this WORLD, against SPIRITUAL wickedness in high places. (Continue to verses 13-18). Now this:

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Devotionals

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ‘PURGING’ AND ‘PURIFICATION’

August 7, 2020

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ‘PURGING’ AND ‘PURIFICATION’

“When He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in high.”

Heb. 1: 3., NKJV.

“Christ by Himself purged our sins.’ These words introduce Christ as High Priest. The word ‘our’ is not found in the best manuscripts, and is to be omitted. The reading therefore is that Christ ‘by Himself purged sins,’ or better ‘made purification of sins. It is true that Christ purged ‘our’ sins, but the author [Paul] takes a more INCLUSIVE view, though later he will fully discuss ‘our’ sins.”

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Devotionals

CHRIST’S CROWNING AND GREATEST GIFT TO MANKIND

July 20, 2020

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

CHRIST’S CROWNING AND GREATEST GIFT TO MANKIND

“And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He May abide with you for ever.”

John 14:16, A.V.

“Christ declared that, after His ascension, that He would send to His church, as His crowning gift, the Comforter, who was to take His place. This Comforter is the HOLY SPIRIT—THE SOUL OF HIS LIFE, the efficacy of His church, THE LIGHT AND THE LIFE of the world. With His Spirit, Christ sends a reconciling influence and a power to take away sins.”

“God has instructed me to tell you and all His people to be VERY CAREFUL not to resist the working of the Holy Spirit—the Comforter that Christ sends. FEAR TO TAKE THE FIRST PRESUMPTUOUS STEP OF RESISTANCE.”

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Devotionals

CHRIST PROMISED THE HOLY SPIRIT: WHAT FOR?

July 15, 2020

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

CHRIST PROMISED THE HOLY SPIRIT: WHAT FOR?

“I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever: even the Spirit of truth.”

John 14: 16,17, A.V.

“Before offering Himself as the sacrificial victim, Christ sought for the MOST ESSENTIAL AND COMPLETE GIFT to bestow upon His followers, a gift that would bring within their reach THE BOUNDLESS RESOURCES OF GRACE.[John 14:16-18 quoted].

“Before this the Spirit had been in the world; from the very beginning of the work of redemption He has been moving upon men’s hearts. But while Christ [the incarnated Creator] was in earth, the disciples desired no other Helper. Not until they were deprived of His presence would they feel their need of the Spirit, and then He would come.

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Devotionals

FROM CONFORMED TO TRANSFORMED

July 13, 2020

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

FROM CONFORMED TO TRANSFORMED

“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.”

Romans 12:2, Authorized Version (KJV)

“God’s promise is, ‘Ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when you shall search for Me with ALL your heart.’ Jer. 29:13. The whole heart must be YIELDED to God, or the CHANGE (or transformation) can never be wrought in us by which we are to be RESTORED to His likeness (image).

“By nature we are alienated from God. The Holy Spirit describes our condition in such words as these: ‘Dead In trespasses and suns;’ ‘the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint;’ ‘no soundness in it.’ We are held fast in the snare of Satan, ‘taken captive by him at his will.’” Eph. 2:1; Isa. 1:5, 6; 2 Tim. 2:26.

“God desires to heal us, to set us free. But since this requires an ENTIRE TRANSFORMATION, A RENEWING OF OUR WHOLE NATURE, we must yield ourselves WHOLLY to Him.

“The warfare against self is the greatest battle that was ever fought. [As Paul said, ‘I die daily.’ Selfish, self-centered, self-pleasing self must die].
He calls the unconverted heart as “the old man,” and the truly converted in heart and mind as “the new man in Christ Jesus.”

“The government of God is not, as Satan.would make it appear, founded upon a blind submission, an unreasoning control. Rather, it appeals to the intellect and to the conscience. ‘Come now, and let us reason together’ is the Creator’s invitation to the beings He has made.”  Isaiah 1:18.

“God does not force the will of His creatures. He cannot accept an homage (acts of worship) that is not willingly and intelligently given. A mere forced submission would prevent all REAL DEVELOPMENT OF MIND OR CHARACTER; it would make man a mere automaton (robot).

“Such is not the purpose of the Creator. He desires that man, the crowning work of His creative power (created on the 6th day of creation), shall reach the HIGHEST POSSIBLE DEVELOPMENT. He sets before us the height of blessing to which He desires to BRING US THROUGH HIS GRACE.

“He invites us to give ourselves to Him, that He May work His will in us. It remains for us to CHOOSE whether we will be set free from the BONDAGE OF SIN, to share the GLORIOUS LIBERTY of the sons of God!” SC 43, 44. 

May the Holy Spirit guide, enlighten, convict, convince and empower you to do God’s will!   NMF