MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:
August 28, 2024
Third Person of the Godhead Series – Part 25
PRAY FOR, NOT TO THE HOLY SPIRIT!
“Ask ye of the Lord rain in the time of the latter rain; so the Lord will make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field.” Zech. 10: 1, NKJV. Compare to Luke 11: 1-13 again. The five symbols employed in the Bible to describe the Holy Spirit in His various specified roles and works in the plan of redemption/salvation are: the dove, fire, rain (water), and the wind. Although done in sincerity, not a few Christians seriously err when they pray TO, in addition to praying FOR the Holy Spirit! Such an act is not based on “It is written,” or “Thus saith the Lord.”
Jesus, in His adopted human nature with all its frailties and liabilities, was fully dependent on divine power. As mankind’s Example and as He taught by precept practice, He prayed constantly to the Father, never to the Holy Spirit.
What He did and is recorded in the Holy Scriptures, was to pray to the Father in heaven to send the Holy Spirit, in His name, to the prepared and waiting 120 disciples, including certain women, specifically “Mary the mother of Jesus.” See Acts chapters 1 and 2. Now this from the inspired pen (all emphasis and bracketed words mine):
“It is true that in the time of the end [rapidly approaching its stupendous climax], when God’s work on earth is closing, the EARNEST EFFORTS put forth by, CONSECRATED BELIEVERS under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, are to be accompanied by SPECIAL TOKENS of divine [not human] favor.
“Under the figure of the EARLY and LATTER RAIN, that falls in the Eastern lands at seed time and harvest, the Hebrew prophets foretold the bestowal of spiritual grace in EXTRAORDINARY MEASURE upon God’s church. The outpouring of the Spirit in the days of the apostles was the BEGINNING of the early, or former rain [of the Holy Spirit’s power], and GLORIOUS was the result. . . .
“But near the close of earth’s harvest, a special bestowal of spiritual grace is promised to PREPARE the church for the coming of the Son of man [The Word made flesh, John 1-3, 14]. This OUTPOURING OF THE SPIRIT is likened to the FALLING OF THE LATTER RAIN; and it is for this ADDED POWER THAT CHRISTIANS ARE TO SEND THEIR PETITIONS (by importunate prayer] TO THE LORD OF THE HARVEST [Jesus Christ, the Lord of the Sabbath] ‘in the time of the latter rain.’ [We, today, are living at this time!]. IN RESPONSE [Zech. 10:1; Joel 2: 23 quoted. Read them].
“But unless the members of God’s church to-day have a LIVING CONNECTION with the SOURCE OF ALL SPIRITUAL GROWTH [the Holy Sprit!], they will NOT BE READY FOR THE TIME OF REAPING. Unless they ‘keep their lamps trimmed and burning’ [constantly studying the Word of truth and being sanctified by it, [John 17:17], they will FAIL OF RECEIVING added grace in times of SPECIAL NEED.” -E.G. White, Acts of the Apostles, pp. 54, 55. Pacific Press Publishing Asso., 1911. Do you claim and profess to be a member of “God’s church” spoken of here, and believe that earth’s harvest of souls is at hand, then this soberingly solemn message is for you, as well as for me!
Remember:
“Character is the harvest of life.” So that “Christ in you is the hope of glory.” (Col. 1: 26, 27). This glorious hope, the greatest of them all, is the reproduction of Christ’s perfected human nature character (Heb. 5: 8, 9) in “a peculiar people,” those who “overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony”—His purified bride, “without spot or wrinkle or any such thing but is holy and without blemish,” clad in fine “white linen, which is the righteousness of the saints,” the righteousness of Christ the Bridegroom!
And thus: “Grieve not the Holy Spirit whereby ye are sealed in the day of redemption!”
To be continued next MWM, God willing. Bless all, NMF.