MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NA’S DESK:
September 4, 2024
The Third Person and the Godhead Series – Part 26
RECEIVING HIM AN ESSENTIAL AND PRECIOUS EXPERIENCE
See David’s “last words” with the Holy Spirit in him and speaking through him in 2 Samuel 23: 2-4. And was true of David centuries prior was also experienced by the first disciples and apostles of Jesus when they received the promised outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, and then in the final loud cry of the “fourth Angel” of Revelation 18.
Now this from the inspired pen (all emphasis mine):
“All things that the Father hath are Mine.’ “When He, the SPIRIT OF TRUTH is come, He will guide you into all truth. . . He shall receive of Mine, and shall show it unto you.’ John 16: 15, 13, 14, KJV.
“The disciples had seen Christ ASCEND from among them on the Mount of Olives. And as the heavens received Him, there had come back to them His PARTING PROMISE, ‘Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.’ Matt 28:20.
“They knew that His SYMPATHIES were with still. They knew that they had a Representative, an Advocate, at the throne of God. In the NAME OF JESUS they presented their petitions, repeating His promise, ‘Whatsoever ye ask the Father in My name, He will give it to you.’ John 16:23.
“Higher and higher they extended the HAND OF FAITH, with the mighty argument, ‘It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is RISEN again, who is even at the RIGHT HAND of God [the Father], who also maketh INTERCESSION for us.” Rom. 8:34. NOTE: ‘There is only one Intercessor and Mediator/Advocate/High Priest between God and man, Jesus Christ. 1 Tim. 2:5, etc.].
“Faithful to His promise, the Divine One, EXALTED IN THE HEAVENLY COURTS, IMPARTED HIS FULNESS to his followers on earth. [How and by what means?]. His enthronement in God’s right hand was SIGNALIZED BY THE OUTPOURING OF THE SPIRIT upon His disciples.
“By the work of Christ these disciples had been led to FEEL THEIR NEED OF THE SPIRIT; under the SPIRIT’S TEACHING they received their FINAL PREPARATION and went forth to their lifework.
“NO LONGER were they ignorant and uncultured. No longer were they a collection of independent units of a discordant and conflicting elements. No longer were their hopes set on worldly greatness [the great sin as part of covetousness, plaguing the world and corrupting the churches and religions in these last days of earth’s history].
“They were of ‘ONE ACCORD,’ of ONE MIND and ONE SOUL. CHRIST FILLED THEIR THOUGHTS. The advancement of His kingdom [of righteousness] was their aim. In MIND AND CHARACTER [the true ‘spirit’ of humans] they had become LIKE THEIR MASTER, and men ‘took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.’ Acts 4:13.
“Then there was such a REVELATION OF THE GLORY OF CHRIST as had never been witnessed by mortal man! Multitudes who had REVILED HiS NAME [as is happening today in the commingling of politics and religion; church and state, sacred and common] and despised His power, confesses themselves DISCIPLES of the Crucified.
“Through the co-operation of the DIVINE SPIRIT the labors of the HUMBLE men whom Christ had CHOSEN stirred the world. To every nation under heaven was the GOSPEL carried in a SINGLE GENERATION [after Pentecost].
“The SAME [Holy] SPIRIT that in HIS STEAD was sent to be the INSTRUCTOR of His first co-workers, Christ has commissioned to the Instructor of His co-workers TODAY. ‘Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the END of the world’ (Matt. 28:20) is His promise.” E. G. White, Education, p. 95.To be continued next MWM, God willing. Bless all, NMF.