ISSUE: #53

MEM

Message

This title may seem a little misleading as it is about only one aspect of the Spirit of God; also called Holy Spirit in Scripture.

Every year we observe the Feast of weeks (Pentecost). Do we realize this feast is about the church? About the congregation, the called out ones of the Father; the head of which is Yeshua our Savior. About the life giving Spirit that empowers His chosen. No article could ever do justice to the topic of the Spirit so for now some basics.

John 3:5 Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

John 4:24 "God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."

John 6:63 "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life

Acts 2:38 Peter said to them, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 5:32 "And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him."

Romans 8:13 for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

Romans 8:14 For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

Galatians 5:25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.

The Spirit is the essential part of the new covenant, which is based on the writing of God’s law upon the tablets of a new heart: (See Jeremiah 31 and Hebrews 8)

Ezekiel 36:26-27 "Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. "I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.

The NAS translation has 591 references to the spirit; many of these relate to prophecy; let us look at some scriptures pertaining to the Spirit and prophecy.

Numbers 11:25 Then the LORD came down in the cloud and spoke to him; and He took of the Spirit who was upon him (Moses) and placed Him upon the seventy elders. And when the Spirit rested upon them, they prophesied…

Numbers 24:2 And Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel camping tribe by tribe; and the Spirit of God came upon him. He took up his discourse and said, "The oracle…

2Chronicles 24:20 Then the Spirit of God came on Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest; and he stood above the people and said to them, "Thus God has said, ‘Why do you transgress the commandments… "

Nehemiah 9:30 "However, You bore with them for many years, And admonished them by Your Spirit through Your prophets, Yet they would not give ear…

Ezekiel 11:5 Then the Spirit of the LORD fell upon me, and He said to me, "Say, ‘Thus says the LORD, "So you think, house of Israel, for I know your thoughts.

Luke 1:67 And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying:

Acts 11:28 One of them named Agabus stood up and began to indicate by the Spirit that there would certainly be a great famine all over the world. And this took place in the reign of Claudius.

Acts 19:6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, came on the Holy Spirit them, and they began … prophesying.

2Pe 1:21 for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

By these, as well as other Scriptures, we see one of the evidences of the Spirit’s presence is prophecy.

Paul tells us the primary purpose the gifts of the Spirit are given is to edify the church.

I Corinthians 12: 7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. Verse 25 so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.

I Corinthians 12 list many of the gifts of the Spirit and their function in the body of Messiah. In chapter 13 Paul admonishes that these gifts must be administered in love. Chapter 14 begins: 1 Pursue love, yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy…3 But one who prophesies speaks to men for edification and exhortation and consolation. 4 One who speaks in a tongue edifies himself; but one who prophesies edifies the church.

A confirmation of the purpose of this gift of prophecy is found in a true story, ‘Through the Fire Without Burning", by Dumitru Duduman, page 125.

"When I left the Embassy, I went to visit the family of some of our dearest friends. When I got there I didn’t stay long. They invited me to go with them to visit a Christian woman who was a prophetess. God had often used her spiritual gifts to strengthen believers."

On the day of Pentecost described in Acts 2 we find the disciples being empowered by the Holy Spirit. The audience questioned what was going; Peter responded with a prophecy from the book of Joel:

Acts 2: 16 but this is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel: 17 ‘AND IT SHALL BE IN THE LAST DAYS,’ God says, ‘THAT I WILL POUR FORTH OF MY SPIRIT ON ALL MANKIND; AND YOUR SONS AND YOUR DAUGHTERS SHALL PROPHESY, AND YOUR YOUNG MEN SHALL SEE VISIONS, AND YOUR OLD MEN SHALL DREAM DREAMS; 18 EVEN ON MY BONDSLAVES, BOTH MEN AND WOMEN, I WILL IN THOSE DAYS POUR FORTH OF MY SPIRIT And they shall prophesy. 19 ‘AND I WILL GRANT WONDERS IN THE SKY ABOVE AND SIGNS ON THE EARTH BELOW, BLOOD, AND FIRE, AND VAPOR OF SMOKE. 20 ‘THE SUN WILL BE TURNED INTO DARKNESS AND THE MOON INTO BLOOD, BEFORE THE GREAT AND GLORIOUS DAY OF THE LORD SHALL COME. 21 ‘AND IT SHALL BE THAT EVERYONE WHO CALLS ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.’

Because this prophecy has not yet been totally fulfilled I believe Acts 2 was only a foretaste of what is yet to take place in the near future. Look for a greater out pouring of the Holy Spirit; for great and wonderful prophecies again to be made. Be sure to study all the prophetic words of Scripture; for both the old and the new prophecies will be in accord.

1Peter 1:10-12 As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful searches and inquiries, seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven-things into which angels long to look.

To YHVH be all glory; blessed be His Name.

Proverb

Proverbs 1:23 Turn to my reproof, Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you.

Proverbs 20:27 The spirit of man is the lamp of the LORD, searching all the inward parts.

Saying (s)

"The starting point of all achievement is desire. Keep this constantly in mind. Weak desires bring weak results, just as a small amount of fire makes a small amount of heat"

When we seek to be lead by the Spirit of Yeshua we need to have a fervent desire. Let us not approach it in a weak or haphazard way but with our whole heart; through prayer, study and fasting.

The Father desires to give us the Spirit to enable us to be conformed to the likeness of His Son. It was His Son that gave all so we might be sons of God.

Blessed be YHVH.

Bible Quiz

1. In what form did the Holy Spirit descend on Yeshua?
2. Besides the temple, what places of worship did the Jews have in the New Testament?
3. From which mountain did Moses view the Promised Land?
4. The wages of sin is what?
5. How did God first appear to Moses?
6. Whose sin caused the Israelites’ defeat at Ai?
7. Who said, "I have food to eat that you know nothing about"?

Humility

In our pursuit of humility:

"Until a humility that rests in nothing less than the end and death of self, and which gives up all the honor of men as Jesus did to seek the honor that comes from God alone (which absolutely makes and counts itself nothing) that God may be all, that the Lord alone may be exalted-until such a humility is what we seek in Christ above our chief joy, and welcome at any price, there is very little hope of a faith that will conquer the world." Andrew Murray

I believe the key to overcoming the world (our self, and the flesh) is to seek nothing but the Spirit of Messiah. Paul re-enforces our quote from Andrew Murray:

Romans 8:9-11 However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

Zechariah gives us insight on how things get done right:

Zechariah 4:6 …‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the LORD of hosts.

Yeshua tells us what those of a humble spirit will inherit:

Matthew 5:3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Did you know:

1 How many legs does a butterfly have?

2 What is the largest artery in the human body?

3 What is a vixen?

4 What kind of ape has long red or orange hair?

5 What is a male elephant called?

6 What type of flower is an American beauty?

7 What is the tallest kind of tree?

8 How man feet does a snail have?

9 What insect carries the Rocky Mountain spotted fever?

10 What is the female seal called?

11 What is the top layer of the earth called?

12 What animal is sterile?

1 six

2 aorta

3 a female fox

4 orangutan

5 a bull

6 rose

7 the redwood

8 one

9 the wood tick

10 cow

11 the crust

12 Mule

Lighter Side

How to know when you are getting old:

The gleam in your eyes is the sun shining on your bifocals.

You feel like the morning after, but you haven’t been anywhere.

Your children begin to look middle-aged.

You join a health club but don’t go.

You have all the answers, but no one asks you the questions.

You look forward to a dull evening.

You need glasses to find your glasses.

You turn out the light for economy instead of romance.

Your knees buckle but you belt won’t.

Your back goes out more than you do.

You sink your teeth into a steak and they stay there.

The Garden Path

I was going to sit down at the kitchen table to do my Bible study homework in James when I glanced out my slider door. I noticed gusts of wind blowing around my plants on the deck. Being early spring, I had put out the cuttings that I over-wintered to harden up before planting them in my various containers.

Starting my reading, my attention was drawn to James 1:2 and 3. Regard it all as joy, my brothers, when you face various kinds of temptations; for you know that the testing of your trust produces perseverance. I looked back at my poor plants being blown about a bit and thought you are learning perseverance.

When I worked at a nursery, (plant nursery that is) we would have a fan to blow on the seedlings to "toughen" them up. When plants have it too easy, they are weak; it takes adversity to grow a strong plant. However, there is a fine line between toughing up a plant and killing a plant. My bougainvillea topiary kept falling over so I went and tied the pot up so it wouldn’t topple over.

YHVH does the same for me. I go through trials to strengthen me but YHVH will always make sure that I am tied up to prevent me from falling. Yahweh will not give me more than I can handle.

A Story

The year was 1898 when an unusual prophecy changed Bill Moore’s life. He was a hard working seventeen year old of a share-cropper family that lived in the Southwestern part of the United States. Their family could afford few luxuries. Yet they were better off than others because they had many hands to plant and harvest the crops. Bill was a fine looking teen and the oldest of eight siblings. The Moore family was very faithful in their Christian heritage; they were zealous in their Bible studies and prayer. They were also part of the mainstay of the local church.

Bill was considered a leader among the share-cropper children. Not only as a hard worker but he was always present at the community church building when events took place. For example; he would gather wood for the pot-bellied stove, keeping it burning when the weather turned chilly as well as any other chore that made it easier for the congregation. Bill learned to read with the help of his mother using only a family Bible which was their most treasured possession.

Mabel Kettering was thirteen in 1898; her parents were share-croppers as well. All their lives they worked the soil never making enough to pay debts or afford much more than the bare essentials like clothes. Their food was only what they could raise on a small plot next to their cabin. Her family was small compared to most share-croppers, only three children of which Mabel was the youngest. Because their family was not large enough to harvest large fields of cotton there was never enough to make ends meet. She never learned to read or write. When she turned ten a family at the community church gave her the first pair of shoes she ever owned, even though they were worn-out. Others tried to help her family as much as they could.

Because Mable was weak and frail she was unable to carry much and was often sick. She would stay behind at the cabin most of the time while the rest of the family worked the fields. Bill was often assigned the task of gathering offerings for Mable’s family and delivering them. He would take the items to her family late at night when he returned from the fields. His natural loving concern for others caused him to spend as much time with the Kettering family as possible; helping with various chores; when time permitted he would play games with Mabel’s brothers.

Bill never paid much attention to Mabel, other than helping her when he came to bring the care items from the community. Sunday was still the best day of the week for the overworked share-croppers; they would leave the fields, chores, and labors to "go to church". Why? Because there was singing, hell-fire preaching, food, visiting and no work. Most all of the day was spent there. People came from around the area, walking, riding on mules, or horse and wagon. Only a few owned a carriage; the preacher, a school teacher and the doctor. The wealthy land owners and most local officials were never a part of their humble congregation.

The Kettering family finally could not make their land share payments and decided to go North in hopes of finding factory work. Their concern for Mabel’s health and the burden for her care was a major factor in their future. A special prayer meeting was called for them one Sunday afternoon. A middle-aged man, not familiar to the community, stood up during the prayer meeting and spoke out boldly. His voice seemed to carry with authority as he raised his hands and bowed his head, saying, "Thus says the Lord. There is a young man here who is being called to a special mission for me. He is to take the young Kettering girl for his bride. I will show him what he is to do." With that he sat down. All prayer stopped. All eyes turned toward this man. There was silence for some time.

Who was this man? The group was familiar with prophecy but who was the young man in this prophecy? Marrying a girl of thirteen was not uncommon but she seemed quite un-able to be a fit bride/wife/mother. How would they ever be able to rent land and afford a life together?

The pastor finally broke the silence, "Does anyone else have a word of prophecy to enlighten us on this matter?" he asked. When there was no response they sang a song and dismissed with the request to continue praying for guidance.

It was now that many began to focus on Mabel. It was then they realized she was a girl of strong convictions, out-spoken, with an unusual wisdom for a girl her age. In a matter of weeks Bill heard the others speak of her fine qualities. So he began to take notice of her and talk with her in a different light. Others began to notice his attention toward her; so they began to ask, in prayer, if this was the young man in the prophecy. How would this all work out?

Next time: Following directions.

Quiz Answers

1. Like a dove Luke 3:22

2. Synagogues Luke 4:16

3. Nebo (Pisgah) Deuteronomy 34:1

4. Death Romans 6:23

5. In a Burning bush Exodus 3:2

6. Achan’s sin Joshua 7:4-3, 20-21

7. Yeshua (Jesus) John 4:32