Saturday Song: The Hollies, "Pay You Back With Interest"

This song is about a man who must be away from the one he loves. And as the song goes, he'll pay that person back with love and with interest added.

Check out this great sixties song here:

Our Lord and Master is in this position. He left this world to receive honour and glory in heaven but he hasn't abandoned us. Instead, he gave us a companion to help us.

Jesus told his disciples, and us by extension, in John 16:13 (BBE), "However, when he, the Spirit of true knowledge, has come, he will be your guide into all true knowledge: for his words will not come from himself, but whatever has come to his hearing, that he will say: and he will make clear to you the things to come."

While we await our Master, we have the Holy Scriptures to guide us. As Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 3:16 (BBE) about them, "Every holy Writing which comes from God is of profit for teaching, for training, for guiding, for education in righteousness:"

We are also admonished to edify one another while we wait. Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 5:14 (BBE), "And our desire is that you will keep control over those whose lives are not well ordered, giving comfort to the feeble-hearted, supporting those with little strength, and putting up with much from all."

Jesus also likened himself as a bridegroom whose bride is his church. Luke 5:33 and 34 (BBE) tells us of an encounter with the scribes and Pharisees. "And they said to him, 'The disciples of John frequently go without food, and make prayers, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees; but your disciples take food and drink.' And Jesus said, 'Are you able to make the friends of the newly-married man go without food when he is with them?'"

A day will come when we are united with Christ. Revelation 22:1 and 2 (BBE) gives us a wonderful vision of this future consummation. "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were gone; and there was no more sea. And I saw the holy town, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, like a bride made beautiful for her husband."

On Monday, I hope to post about Christ's return and why he hasn't come yet. Of course if he does come, I won't be posting anything because I won't need to. ?

The Danger of Devotionals

Is it wrong to read a devotional each morning for one's quiet time? Certainly this is a popular activity for evangelical Christians. But I contend that devotional reading must never ever replace Bible Study.

One danger of devotionals is that people replace Bible study with them. It's far easier and more convenient to let somebody else do the hard work of studying. As far as I can tell, many of these readers are like the folks mentioned in Matthew 13:22 (BBE) who never produced spiritual fruit. "And that which was dropped among the thorns, this is he who has the word; and the cares of this life, and the deceits of wealth, put a stop to the growth of the word and it gives no fruit."

Many of the devotionals I've read are like pablum. They deal superficially with people's emotional problems without teaching the "meat" of the scriptures. Hebrews 6:1 and 2 (BBE) encourages us, "For this reason let us go on from the first things about Christ to full growth; not building again that on which it is based, that is, the turning of the heart from dead works, and faith in God, The teaching of baptisms, and of the putting on of hands, and of the future life of the dead, and of the judging on the last day."

Furthermore, God wants us to study his Word. Jesus even told the Pharisees in John 5:39 (BBE)that, "You make search in the holy Writings, in the belief that through them you get eternal life; and it is those Writings which give witness about me."

As we also read in 2 Timothy 3:14 and 15 (BBE) we realize what Bible study does for us. "But see that you keep to the teaching you have been given and the things of which you are certain, conscious of who has been your teacher; And that from the time when you were a child, you have had knowledge of the holy Writings, which are able to make you wise to salvation, through faith in Christ Jesus."

Many folks find the Bible intimidating because of its size. Even so, we need to know what God has said. Better still, the Holy Spirit will teach us what we need to know. Jesus said in John 16:13 (BBE) to his disciples, "However, when he, the Spirit of true knowledge, has come, he will be your guide into all true knowledge: for his words will not come from himself, but whatever has come to his hearing, that he will say: and he will make clear to you the things to come."

We also have the wisdom of the apostles and prophets who expounded on God's Word. As 1 Corinthians 2:13 (BBE) says, "And these are the things which we say, not in the language of man's wisdom, but in words given to us by the Spirit, judging the things of the spirit by the help of the Spirit."

So why depend on fallible human wisdom when we have all the answers in one book? Devotions can only do a little to give us understanding of the Bible. And as great Bible expositors have said down through the ages, the Bible interprets itself through the Holy Spirit's work.

I'll point out the value of Bible study in my next book called You Think You're Going to Heaven? God wants us all to learn our scriptures rather than depending on professional preachers and writers for our spiritual nourishment.

I'll be posting about our heavenly homeland on Saturday.

Saturday Song: Blues Image, "Ride Captain Ride"

This song expresses the longing of people to find a place where they can start anew. "The old country" tends to become corrupt and a miserable place to live. Therefore, people strive to find some unspoiled place where they can escape the bad conditions.

There was a time where a person could do that. The discovery of the Americas led many people to leave their homelands to seek freedom from tyranny. Little did they know that they brought their human natures along with them, causing the same bad results as in their old world.

A band called Blues Image captured that sense of adventure in their 1970 hit, "Ride Captain Ride." Those 73 sailors came off their ship but found an unresponsive audience. So they sailed away to find a new place where they couldlaugh their lives away and be free once more.

Listen to the song here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8lf7RLYIww

What the people of  this world don't understand is that sin makes this place miserable. We cary this spiritual virus wherever we go and it always ruins any new attempts to start new lives.

But we need not dispair. Jesus provides us a way of escape. We read in Acts 2:38 (KJV)how to be changed from our miserable old ways. "Then Peter said unto them, 'Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
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This is what Jesus told his disciples in John 16:13 (KJV) when he said, "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come."

So no matter how bad things might get around you, having this comforter and the new life Christ gives makes things so much more hopeful

I hope you enjoyed this song. It certainly brings back memories to me, that's for sure.

I'll be writing next time how people's misunderstanding of disabilities drove me away from God for nine years. Stay tuned for that.

Jehovah's Witnesses and the Holy Spirit

The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, which runs the lives of Jehovah's Witness members, also teaches incorrectly about the Holy Spirit. They claim that he's really an impersonal force emanating from Jehovah. Neither do they believe that the Holy Spirit is a member of the Godhead.

We can easily see from Scripture that the Holy Spirit is an individual by the use of personal pronouns. John 16:13 (KJV) records Jesus saying, "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come

Additionally, an impersonal force can't be grieved. Look at what the Apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:30 (KJV). "And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption."

And can an impersonal force talk? Check out what Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 4:1 (KJV). "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;"

We have solid proof that the Holy Spirit is part of the Godhead in Acts 5:4 (KJV). A man named Ananias and his wife said they sold their property and were giving ALL the money to the church. But they agreed beforehand to keep part of the amount for themselves. That's why Peter said to them, "Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God."

The Watchtower Society and all who follow their errors are in for dire chastisement, according to Hebrews 10:29 (KJV). "Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?"

Even so, we mustn't reject those individuals since they've been deceived. Instead, we must show them how wonderful salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ's atonement alone is. Cults keep their victims running on the treadmill of works and the fear that they won't do enough to be saved. They don't understand that Christ has done it all for us through his death and resurrection.

I'll be writing more about this treadmill of works in my next book called You Think You're Going to Heaven? Instead of trying to become righteous on our own, which won't please God, Christ gives his righteousness to cover us with.

Jehovah's Witnesses and the Trinity

What sets Jehovah's Witnesses apart from orthodox Christian  churches is their rejection of the Trinity. These deluded people are taught that the Trinity is a three-headed pagan god invented by Satan. The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, which governs all the cult's members, even retranslated the Bible to read the way they wanted it too.

But we can find all three members of the Trinity appearing in verses such as Luke 3:22 (KJV) which reads, "And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, 'Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.'"

As I pointed out previously, Jehovah's Witnesses assume that Jesus was the angel Michael before his incarnation and that he became Michael again when he was resurrected as a spirit being.

But we know that Jesus is God, not a god, from what Scripture says in Colossians 1:15 (KJV) which says, "Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist."

Witnesses also claim that Jesus is "a god" rather than one member of the Godhead. But if that's so, why does Exodus 20:3 (KJV) plainly command, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me."?

Additionally, why do Jehovah's Witnesses insist Christ shouldn't be worshipped when Matthew 2:11 plainly says, "And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh."?

Jehovah's Witnesses are taught that the Holy Spirit is a force emanating from God. But how can that be when Christ said in John 16:13 (KJV), "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come." Those personal pronouns show that the Holy Spirit is a distinct being, not a force.

Moreover, The Watchtower Society claims that only they possess the truth. But how can this be when Scripture says in 2 Peter 1:20 (KJV) that, "Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation." Neither were those who wrote them down writing their own thoughts.

But as Peter wrote a few verses later, "But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not."

Like Saint John, I have many more things to write. But unlike him,  I'll save those things for my next book called You Think You're Going to Heaven? Like receiving a password from a friend, only believers will access eternal life. And it's a system which can't be hacked.

Why Was Power Given to the Disciples?

Now that I've established that it's belief which separates disciple from willful doubter, I must explain why signs and wonders were done by Christ's disciples. It wasn't for show but to bring God glory and validate his message.

The job given to the apostles was to go into all the world and preach the gospel as well as baptizing and teaching disciples. John 15:26 (KJV) records Christ's explanation of the Spirit's work. "But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:"

Furthermore, the Spirit gave the apostles prophecies, both foretelling events and forth-telling the Word of God. Look at what Christ told them in John 16:13 (KJV), "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come."

Additionally, God sent the Holy Spirit to confront error and those who preached it. 1 John 4:6 (KJV) explains, "We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error."

As we read in Matthew 9:8 (KJV), after Christ healed a paralyzed man, the miracle was done for God's glory. "But when the multitude saw it, they marveled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men."

I was once a member of a church that was obsessed with signs and wonders. We all wanted my eyes to be healed but they weren't. I left after fifteen and a half years because congregants blamed me for not being healed. My How I Was Razed book chronicles those years and how the heavenly Father led me out of that cruelty and into his glorious truth.

What is the Holy Spirit's Job?

Now that I've explained the Holy Spirit's job, what does he do in us? I know that whole books could be written on that topic so I'll just sum up a few of his duties to the Father and Christ.

First and foremost, he's our teacher. As Jesus told his disciples in John 16:13 (KJV), "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come."

The Holy Spirit also comforts us by strengthening us. Jesus' disciples felt as if he was about to abandon them so he promised to send the Holy Spirit. As John 14:26 (KJV) states, "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." Both promises were fulfilled at Pentecost.

And if we must testify in front of officials for our faith, the Holy Spirit will put his words into our mouths. Look at what Mark 13:11 (KJV) says. "But 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 Ghost."

Additionally, the Holy Spirit emboldens believers. Christ's disciples were suffering horrendous persecution from the Pharisees soon after Pentecost. They wisely took the matter to the Lord in prayer. Look what Acts 4:31 (KJV) describes. "And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness."

I could list more verses which outline the Holy Spirit's job description but this post would be far too long. Instead, I'll save that information for my next book called You Think You're Going to Heaven? Far too many Christians know little or nothing at all about this neglected third person of the Trinity. I hope I can partially rectify this deficiency.

Who is the Holy Spirit?

This month, I want to concentrate on the third member of the Trinity. Many people either don't know who he is or have incorrect ideas about him. Some folks don't believe he's a person at all.

The Holy Spirit is the companion who Christ sent to his disciples and to all who repent and surrender their lives to Jesus. In John 15:26 (KJV) Jesus told his disciples, "But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:"

So the Holy Spirit is a comforter of believers but he's also a teacher. Christ said in John 16:13 (KJV), "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come."

Jesus was about to be arrested and sent to the cross so he told his shocked disciples about how he wouldn't leave them comfortless. The Holy Spirit would inhabit them and transform them. We saw an example of this when the day of Pentecost came. Peter, usually the one to stick his foot in his mouth, became a bold and powerful preacher of the gospel. Acts chapter two says that three-thousand people joined the disciples that day.

John also told his beloved believer friends how the Holy Spirit helps them to tell real Christians from phonies. In 1 John 4:6 (KJV)  he wrote, "We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error."

I'll be writing in greater detail about this third member of the Trinity in my next book called You Think You're Going to Heaven? Many Christians, deliberately or inadvertently, are blaspheming the Holy Spirit. I want everybody to know the truth about him, the Father, and the Son. For decades, bogus teachers misled me about the Trinity and their roles in our Christian walk. I don't want anybody making the same blasphemous and stupid mistakes which I once did.

What's the Holy Spirit's Job?

How sad that many Christians don't know who the Holy Spirit is or what he does. Some believe he's some sort of force which they can use to speak in tongues. Others think he doesn't matter much in the life of a Christian. On the contrary, he does matter and, as I've posted before, he's a person.

First of all, this third member of the Trinity is our teacher. As Jesus comforted his disciples before he ascended to heaven, he said in John 15:26( KJV), "But when the Comforter is come, whom I will  send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which  proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:"

Jesus also elaborated in John 16:13 (KJV), "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he  will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but  whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show  you things to come."

Furthermore, the Holy Spirit helps us discern true followers from false ones. Look at what scripture says in 1 John 4:6 (KJV), "We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us;  he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of  truth, and the spirit of error."

The Holy Spirit likewise reminds us of what Christ said. John 14:26 (KJV) states, "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost,  whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all  things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I  have said unto you."

The Holy Spirit also comforts us but not exclusively in the modern understanding of the word. He strengthens our faith and assures us of what is true. Acts 9:31 (KJV) states, "Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied."

This post is getting lengthy so suffice it to say that the Holy Spirit has much to do with genuine Christians. May he open your spiritual eyes to all the Lord's truth.