Holy Spirit Study 6

This study in the Holy Spirit will encompass four verses. Ponder them well and please study the verses before and after to grasp the full meaning and context. I would love to hear your comments. 

Philippians 1:19- Philippians 1:19, American Standard Version (ASV), American Standard Version, Copyright © 1901 by Public Domain

¹⁹ For I know that this shall turn out to my salvation, through your supplication and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,

The Spirit of Jesus Christ brings salvation because Jesus the Man has been raised to the right hand of the Father where He Jesus sends forth the Holy Spirit.

Acts 2:32-33, (ASV)

³² This Jesus did God raise up, whereof we all are witnesses.

³³ Being therefore by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he hath poured forth this, which ye see and hear.

More affirmation of Jesus being raised up and sending forth the Holy Ghost on His followers as promised. And He sends Him to us as well if we are followers of Jesus the Christ the Son of God and believe He was crucified for our sin, died and was raised up on the third day and sits at the right hand of the Father.

Acts 16:6-7, (ASV)

⁶ And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden of the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia;

⁷ and when they were come over against Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia; and the Spirit of Jesus suffered them not;

This shows the relationship of Jesus the man as the Spirit of Jesus being the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost.

Galatians 4:4-6, (ASV)

⁴ but when the fulness of the time came, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law,

⁵ that he might redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

⁶ And because ye are sons, God sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

The Spirit of His Son testifies to the sonship of the believer so we can cry Abba Father. It becomes a joyous union where we are joined to the Father through the Son by the Holy Spirit. No longer are we in bondage to the world or our sin nature. We have been liberated and this liberty gives us joy. We can trust God to always be with us even when it may appear to the world that He has abandoned us when we go through challenges and difficulties yet we have the spirit of adoption because we are filled with the Holy Spirit who works in us to help us become more like Jesus.

Abba Father, there is so much for us to learn in Your Word about You, Your Son, and the Holy Spirit. Open our hearts and our minds and fill us with Your understanding and knowledge so we may worship You more and rejoice in all Your wonders and the blessings You have bestowed and are bestowing on us. We praise You Father for loving us so much You sent Your Son to be the propitiation for our sin. We praise You for sending forth Your Holy Spirit to teach, enlighten and grow understanding in us as He changes us to be more like Jesus. My heart is filled with joy knowing You are always with me to go with me through all the trials and tribulations of this world. I know we, in studying You Word, will be enriched and gain insights unimaginable if we trust You and persevere in the study of Your Word with the help of the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ. Thank You Father, Son and Holy Spirit for this study and help us through it. In Jesus name. Amen.

Rebishka

Holy Spirit study 5

John 20:22, American Standard Version (ASV)

²² And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Spirit

John 15:26-14, American Standard Version (ASV)

²⁶ 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 bear witness of me:

⁷ Nevertheless I tell you the truth: It is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I go, I will send him unto you.

⁸ And he, when he is come, will convict the world in respect of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

⁹ of sin, because they believe not on me;

¹⁰ of righteousness, because I go to the Father, and ye behold me no more;

¹¹ of judgment, because the prince of this world hath been judged.

¹² I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.

¹³ Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he shall guide you into all the truth: for he shall not speak from himself; but what things soever he shall hear, these shall he speak: and he shall declare unto you the things that are to come.

¹⁴ He shall glorify me: for he shall take of mine, and shall declare it unto you.

John 4:10, American Standard Version (ASV)

¹⁰ Jesus answered and said unto unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.

John 7:37-39, American Standard Version (ASV)

³⁷ Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink.

³⁸ He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, from within him shall flow rivers of living water.

³⁹ But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believed on him were to receive: for the Spirit was not yet given; because Jesus was not yet glorified.

Romans 8:9, American Standard Version (ASV)

⁹ But ye are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you. But if any man hath not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

Ephesians 3:16/17, American Standard Version (ASV)

¹⁶ that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, that ye may be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inward man; ¹⁷ that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; to the end that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,

Acts 2:33, American Standard Version (ASV)

³³ Being therefore by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he hath poured forth this, which ye see and hear.

My comments: I am doing a wonderful study on the Holy Spirit who has many names and is little talked about or understood. He is the third person of the Holy Trinity. He is the Spirit of God, The Spirit of Jesus Christ, the Holy Wind, The Spirit, the Living Water. He has many names and always seeks to bring people to understand and glorify Jesus the Son of the Living God. Jesus mentions Him and He is talked about and referred to through out the Old and New Testaments. I will attempt to share with you some of the verses in the book my study group is using called, “The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit” by R.A, Torrey who originally published it in 1910 and again in 1974 through Zondervan. I encourage you to obtain a copy if possible as I will not be able to present all he has presented in his book.

I also, encourage you to read through not only the Scriptures I post but reread your Bible with a view to finding the Spirit of God in the Word. As when I first learned of Jesus being presented throughout the Bible and started reading the Word and finding Him in the pages of the Bible, I now find The Holy Wind through out the Word from the very beginning of the Bible.

The Living Water of Jesus will fill all who ask to be filled and He will grow Christ in each person who accepts Jesus as their Savior. He teaches, edifies, strengthens and dwells in those who are Christ Jesus’.  He helps us to know the Father and the Son in a fuller way. He keeps our feet from stumbling and holds us up when we are faint hearted. He fills us with hope and faith. We live because He has come into the world and into the Children of Jesus and Children of Abba Father. He is that very presence that comforts and guides us on the path of righteousness.

Abba Father, open our hearts to Your truths and have us remain tender in our hearts towards Your Holy Spirit. King Jesus, the Apostles and Disciples could not understand why you had to leave them until Your Spirit of Truth fell upon them and filled them with gifts they could never imagine. Then they knew with understanding what Your words meant when You said The Spirit would come only when You left and You would come again. He came and now dwells in Your family bringing You into us and filling us with Your knowledge and wisdom. We praise You Father, Son and Holy Spirit in Jesus name. Amen

Rebishka

The Good fight of faith

1 Timothy 6:12, New King James Version (NKJV)

The Holy Bible, New King James Version Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.

"Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses."

Romans 1:17(NKJV)

17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”[a]

Romans 3:28 (NKJV)

28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.

1 Thessalonians 1:3 (NKJV)

3 remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father,

James 2:18(NKJV)

18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your[a] works, and I will show you my faith by my[b] works.

Habakkuk 2:4(NKJV)

4 “Behold the proud, His soul is not upright in him; But the just shall live by his faith.

My Comments: Many times in my life I was called to give an account of what I believed. I did it with the knowledge I had at the time. I remember one young man who was a Unitarian who was on the Rifle Team with me in High School. We rode the bus together to the military base where we were taught to handle rifles by the Military Personal. He and I would have many discussions about faith. Even with all the suffering in the world I could see God's everlasting love. He wanted to know how I could see love in suffering. I told him that out of suffering good can come. In the midst of suffering it seems like no good will ever happen again and sometimes feels like we are abandoned. Yet I knew from my short life many miseries and the good that came out of them.

I was in my late teens and had lived my life with an alcoholic parent, had polio, got my sister and I away from an abductor, been molested by babysitters (mostly female) and relatives, raped by friends of the family and of myself, gone to court against one rapist, lost my Grandparents (all), moved 50 times changing schools and friends often, and yet through all of these and more the Lord was with me and as I leaned on Him, He brought me through the ordeals and gave me His strength to grow from the pain. This is the wisdom and strength I met my friends questions with.

Every week on the bus he would come up with a different world tragedy. Children starving was one of his favorite to bring up. Yes, it is hard to see good in children suffering yet many are moved to compassionate acts during these times. Many come to know and love and especially know and love God during these trying times of intense pain. Mother Teresa was a wonderful example of this kind of person. She put her life on the line often for others in pain and suffering and helped to bring many out of misery.

My High School friend would ask, "Why would a loving God allow such a thing?" That is hard to answer as you see He never caused them but had to allow man his own free will. Sometimes He did step in when it would accomplish the goal of bringing ones to Christ and salvation. I did observe His doing this in my life and the lives of ones I loved and I also observed Him not doing it and trusted He knew the best to do even if it brought me and my loved ones great pain. I choose daily to follow Him and trust Him and I know He loves me and the whole world but He is only Abba Father to those who accept His Gospel and the salvation of His Son Jesus.

When we come to accept Jesus as Savior, give Him our hearts and our lives we have a responsibility to bring His Gospel to those He places in our lives. It is a difficult thing for a shy person to do (like me). To step out of our comfort zones is difficult. We want God to do it all Himself yet we, having become His children, have a responsibility to let others know of Him so they too may become a part of His family and the know the joy of Salvation.

Abba Father open eyes and hearts to Your truths and fill all with Your love as they come to know and trust in You the Creator of the Universe and all that exists. Fill our hearts with Your love for others and show us where You want us to join You in sharing Your Gospel as You save souls. In Jesus Name I pray in union with the Holy Spirit. Amen
Rebishka

We who were created and given much.

Romans 12:3, American Standard Version (ASV)
³ For I say, through the grace that was given me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think as to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to each man a measure of faith.

Romans 12:3,The Holy Bible, New King James Version Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. (NKJV)

3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.

1 Corinthians 4:7, (ASV)
⁷ For who maketh thee to differ? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? but if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it?

1 Corinthians 4:7, (NKJV)

7 For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?

Ephesians 2:10, (NKJV)

10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

1 Corinthians 7:7, (NKJV)

7 For I wish that all men were even as I myself. But each one has his own gift from God, one in this manner and another in that.

1 Corinthians 13:2, (NKJV)

2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

1 Corinthians 12:4, (NKJV)

4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.

1 Corinthians 14:1, (NKJV)

14 Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.

2 Corinthians 5:17, (NKJV)

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

John 1:3, (NKJV)

3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.

Isaiah 66:2New King James Version (NKJV)

2 For all those things My hand has made, and all those things exist,”
Says the Lord. “But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word.

I recommend you read these these verses in several versions to get a fuller understanding of what the Holy Spirit is conveying in the Word. The ASV is Public Domain as are some others. There are many sites on the web that have Bible translations. The one I use is https://www.biblegateway.com . Most Bible translators are prudent and knowledgeable yet Greek and Hebrew do not have the same way of looking at sentence structure or punctuation as the English language or even other languages and there are also different manuscripts that are used for translation and some are older than others. When all is said and done there are very little differences. If fact the Iliad and Shakespear and those type manuscripts had more discrepancies so I would say the people who copied the manuscripts that became our Holy Bible did an amazing job of copying.

My Comments: We are all bestowed with special gifts, some we have before we come to have a walk with the Lord Jesus, others are bestowed on us at our indwelling of the Holy Spirit and some come and go as the Lord needs for us to have them. No one should compare their gifts or talents to another person. A gift is given and the gifts we are given are given especially for each of us and not because of us but because of what God the Father is doing in, through and with us for others and always for His glory.

When a child is given a gift at Christmas and looks at another persons gift and says, “I wanted that gift.” How do we feel if we are the one who gave the gift? Our Abba Father feels the same. He knows what gift we need to accomplish His will. We only think we do. We do not! Sometimes we act as spoiled children who receive too many gifts on Christmas.

When I was a little girl growing up in Kodiak I do not remember getting many gifts and only one said from Santa (that was the one from my parents) and as I became a teen I remember getting a couple more and those were from my parents. I remember many presents were not even wrapped. We found them under the tree unwrapped and ready to enjoy. Our gifts from our Heavenly Father are like this. Unwrapped and ready to use.

When born into this world we were unwrapped and ready to use. We are a gift from the Heavenly Father to our earthly parents. We are not responsible how they took care of the gift given them they are. But the talents and gifts God gives us we are responsible for how we use. We must be honest in look at ourselves and evaluate how we are using the gifts and talents He has placed in us to use for His glory. We may have worked hard to overcome weaknesses in our selves as Moses did with his fear of speaking in public. Yet God gave the gift to develop though sometimes the gift is ready to use and does not have to be developed.

When I first started to do as the Lord prompted me to do and evangelize, it was when I was taking lessons at the YMCA in Grays Harbor. I called it my Hot Tub Ministry. Anyone who the Lord sent into the Hot Tub I was prompted to speak a word about Almighty God and His Son Jesus the Christ. I was very nervous for many reasons. I was (am) overweight, older (even more now, lol), unknowledgeable and have a memory problem so I had (and stiHisdo) a hard time remembering whole texts or the book or verse of where they could be found. So I could not understand why God would want me to even talk to people about His Son and Salvation. I still can not yet I allow Him to use me or better yet I make available to Him the gifts He has given me.

Shy though I am, I have been given the gift of loving people. I love to talk to them, listen to what they believe and about them. I have been given an awesome smile and a sense of humor and a huge laugh. Yet more than these I have been given the gift of caring for the souls of all people. It pains me to think of people perishing in Hell for eternity because I did not offer His free gift of Salvation. I am still timid when approaching people yet gain strength from Him when I know He desires for the person to hear His Word and Gospel. That is one of the reasons I started this blog, in order to reach more people so more would receive the free gift of salvation. That was His prompting and another person helped me set up the site. That was Abba Father, working out what He wanted done. What is your gift or gifts, your talents? Ask the Lord.

I did not know my smile was a gift. Yours could be in many areas yet none have all gifts and all have the gifts that the Lord needs them to use for His glory and praise. When ever someone compliments you on your gift or talents give all the praise and glory to Him who gave it to you. Use it and do not deny it. Know that He will help you use it. His Spirit will give you understanding and knowledge as well as wisdom in how and when to use it if you leave yourself open to His leading. The shepherds were told not to fear and to go to the babe. They went and we should as well. Many took gifts to Him and He gave each gifts as well and still does today.

Remember not gift or talent is better than anothers. It is not for us so we can brag about how many gifts or talents we have or how good we can use them. And they are not to be hidden as the servant who hid the talent because he was afraid to increase it. Abba Father increases what is used for His purposes and will take away gifts or talents that are not used for His glory or are hidden and not used at all. It would be like a child who is given something and we wait and wait for them to use it and enjoy it and they hide it in a closet or under the bed or throw it away. It would break our hearts and it breaks Abba Fathers hearts when we do not use and enjoy for His glory, the gifts He has given.

His gifts are given to bring Him glory by bringing more to Him through His Son Jesus. I use this blog for His glory. I write for His glory. I paint Scripture art for His glory. I smile for His glory. I am thankful for His gifts and seek to use them so He is glorified. I pray for the gift of prophecy as it is a gift I have had very little of yet I am thankful for the gifts and talents He has given me. Your gifts and talents are there. Ask Him what they are and do not compare them to others but use them with humility knowing they are not for you. they are to bring people to the knowledge and understanding of the Lord Jesus Christ and through Him they will become Children of God and that is the greatest gift in my opinion.

Abba Father, thank You for all the gifts and talents You bestow on all of us. Help us not to compare ours to others and to use them to the fullest to honor and glorify Your Holy Name. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit so we will use our gifts and talents to the fullest for Your will. We praise and glorify You Father in all we say and do. Thank You for the best gift of all, Your Son Jesus and thank You Jesus for Your greatest gift of Salvation through Your body and blood shed on the Cross for us. Thank You Holy Spirit for filling us with what we need to work for the Kingdom of Jesus/ In Jesus name in union with the Holy Spirit I pray, Amen.

Rebishka

Suffering

2 Corinthians 7:42 Corinthians 7:4

American Standard Version (ASV) Copyright © 1901 by Public Domain

⁴ Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying on your behalf: I am filled with comfort, I overflow with joy in all our affliction.

My Comments: Many is the affliction we have all endured yet as I mature more on my walk with our Lord Jesus, I understand that these pains and hurts have helped me to grow, to be the person I am now.

Most who have read my earlier blog posts know some of my story. I grew up in an alcoholic home, was molested and raped in my life (often), beat many times and nearly murdered by ones who said they loved me and have lost many of my loved ones as they passed on. All my parents and step-parents, parent-in-laws, sister-in-laws, two children, one Grandson, Aunts, Uncles, cousins and my dear husband. I have had children who physically assaulted me, drank, took drugs, were promiscuous, ran away, rejected me and my husband, struggled with a learning disability and handi-challenges, had four miscarriages, children in jail and prison and lost good friends yet through it all and more I have gained a closer walk with Jesus. I have been comforted by my Heavenly Father. I have a greater understanding of myself and what I believe based on the word of God.

That is one of the biggest things that happened to me in everything I have gone through in my life, even before I knew the Lord Jesus as my Savior and began my relationship with my Abba Father. First I learned how much of a sinner I was and that I was a lover of myself. It amazes me that my Abba loved me and wanted me to be in His family. Yet with all the suffering I have been allowed to touch others lives and glory on their behalf that they now walk in relationship with God the Father.

A seed has to be subjected to many things before it can sprout, take root and grow to the light. I was a seed and God watered me with trials, He tended me so I would sprout and take root. He watered me with His word and put many in my life to help strengthen me as I grew to the light of His shinning glory. I am filled with joy and am comforted by Him who loved me so much He came into the world to go through the most horrible of sufferings that I and the world might have life everlasting. Out of His pain and suffering came the Living Waters that we all might live with Him forever.

Abba Father, thank you for all the pain and suffering You allowed to come into my life. Thank You for loving me so much that You never left me alone even in my darkest moments. Thank You for Jesus.

King Jesus, thank You for Your suffering and sacrifice for us. Thank You for caring for us so much You went willingly to the Cross and died for us. I praise Abba You said, “Thy will be done.” I pray I will always say the same.

Holy Spirit, thank You for Your comfort during all my trials. The ones allowed to fall on me and the ones I brought on myself, I thank You for always being there to hold me and guide me through them. Fill our hearts, minds and souls with Your everlasting light and help us to always be there when others need to know about Salvation so they will know the strength that comes through suffering and trials.

In Jesus name I pray, Amen
Rebishka

Love is action

Galatians 2:20, American Standard Version (ASV)
²⁰ I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me: and that life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me.

American Standard Version (ASV)

Copyright © 1901 by Public Domain

Genesis 22:2

New King James Version (NKJV)

The Holy Bible, New King James Version Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.(all the following verses)

Then He said, “Take now your son, your only sonIsaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”

Genesis 29:20

So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed only a few days to him because of the lovehe had for her.

Leviticus 19:18

You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shalllove your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.

Leviticus 19:34

The stranger who dwells among you shall be to you as one born among you, and you shall love him as yourself; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.

Deuteronomy 6:5

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.

Psalm 31:23

Oh, love the Lord, all you His saints! For the Lordpreserves the faithful, And fully repays the proud person.

Matthew 5:44

But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,

Matthew 10:37

He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.

Matthew 22:37

Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’

Matthew 22:39

And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 

Matthew 24:12

And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.

My Comments: When we become Christ’s and the Children of God we put off our own selves of wanting everything for ourselves. We have put on Christ Jesus and He is in us and we now can love unselfishly and completely with His love. We no longer desire to walk our own way. We desire to fulfill the will of He who created and sacrificed everything for us. His was the greatest love and He showed us how to love without thinking of us first or even at all.

Many a marriage, family and even business association, is broken because two or more people refuse to follow the command of God to love. It is not a feeling it is a command to action. The action of love requires one to put others first; our spouses, family, church body, community. Now do not get me wrong I am not saying one becomes a door mat to others. We can and often must say, “No” when asked to do for others, yet we pray first and ask the Lord to guide us. The Lord often went off by Himself to renew His connection to the Father. This is love as well. He and we can not do for others well without taking care of our needs as well. You will notice I said needs, not, wants or desires. If one is married this is the progression: God always first (I am not talking about go to church but God is first), then your spouse and you (you need to be one in all things), children (you do not bow to their wants but raise them up to know God and respect parents and love all peoples), then others. But love is action.

Love is what we should have when others are not loveable. When the guy pushes his shopping cart in front of you in line smile and be love. When the driver on the freeway nearly or even hits you then love. When your spouse says mean things you are to love them anyway. We do not love because we think we should be first, special, comforted instead, complimented, forgiven by others, given a break, treated with respect…. You name it we are about ourselves in the very depths of our souls.

That is why we need a Savior who loved us so much He gave up everything; He left His Fathers side in Heaven to be born in a lowly, smelly stable. Then had to run from where He was as a child to another country so He would not be slaughtered before His time. He grew up and was rejected, whipped, crowned with thorns, mocked, spit on by the very people who He came to save and was hung on a cross the most lowly of deaths and died for our sins. All because He loves us so much He did not want any to perish. All any have to do is confess with their mouth that Jesus is Lord and died and rose on the third day for them and they will know His complete love and be able to love others as He loves them. This is His command to us. He did not tell us to "feel" love to others, He commanded us to Love others.

Abba Father, it amazes us Father that You have given us Your Son, Jesus. His sacrifices and gracious love towards all brings me to tears often. I am so thankful You love us so much that You O Lord would send Your only Son to shed His Body and  Blood that we might live.

Lord Jesus, help us to be always aware of all You have done to bring us to redemption and to show Your love to all. To our loved ones, family, friends, enemies, co-workers, employers, government officials, the person who spills coffee in our lap, the person who is grouchy or mean spirited, the child who picks our favorite flowers, the neighbor whose dog annoys us, the mechanic who cheated us, everyone we come in contact with in anyway. Help us to be more like You Lord God, daily in all we think, say and do.

Holy Spirit fill us with the Love of God so we will always let Him pour through us to a hurting world. Use us to show the love of God for all. May Your Spirit, shine through us showering all with the perfect love of God. In Jesus’ blessed and Holy name I pray. Amen

Rebishka

The Gift

And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy good in all his labor, is the gift of God.
Ecclesiastes 3:12-14 (in Context) Ecclesiastes 3 (Whole Chapter)

American Standard Version (ASV)
Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labor-this is the gift of God.
Ecclesiastes 5:18-20 (in Context) Ecclesiastes 5 (Whole Chapter)

ASV
Jesus answered and said unto unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.
John 4:9-11 (in Context) John 4 (Whole Chapter)

ASV
And Peter said unto them, Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2:37-39 (in Context) Acts 2 (Whole Chapter)

ASV

But Peter said unto him, Thy silver perish with thee, because thou hast thought to obtain the gift of God with money.
Acts 8:19-21 (in Context) Acts 8 (Whole Chapter)

ASV
And they of the circumcision that believed were amazed, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 10:44-46 (in Context) Acts 10 (Whole Chapter)

ASV
If then God gave unto them the like gift as he did also unto us, when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I, that I could withstand God?
Acts 11:16-18 (in Context) Acts 11 (Whole Chapter)

ASV
But not as the trespass, so also is the free gift. For if by the trespass of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God, and the gift by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abound unto the many.
Romans 5:14-16 (in Context) Romans 5 (Whole Chapter)

ASV
And not as through one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment came of one unto condemnation, but the free gift came of many trespasses unto justification.
Romans 5:15-17 (in Context) Romans 5 (Whole Chapter)

ASV
For if, by the trespass of the one, death reigned through the one; much more shall they that receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one, even Jesus Christ.
Romans 5:16-18 (in Context) Romans 5 (Whole Chapter)

ASV
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, neither shadow that is cast by turning.
James 1:16-18 (in Context) James 1 (Whole Chapter)

ASV
For the wages of sin is death; but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6:22-23 (in Context) Romans 6 (Whole Chapter)

ASV
for by grace have ye been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;
Ephesians 2:7-9 (in Context) Ephesians 2 (Whole Chapter)

American Standard Version
Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift.
2 Corinthians 9:14-15 (in Context) 2 Corinthians 9 (Whole Chapter)

My Comments: The dictionary has definitions for “gift.” Yet the best definition I have heard is: Giving something freely without asking or accepting payment in return.  When we receive a birthday gift we do not give a gift in return and we do not ask the person, "How much will this cost me?" When someone says they want to take us out to dinner or to the movies it is insulting to try to pay them for the gift. When someone gives us a compliment we say, "Thank you" not "How much do I owe you?" The same is true of the Gift of God.

When Jesus was given to us from Heaven as a tiny babe to grow up and give the gift of His Sacrifice (there are two gifts here, God the Father giving His Son to us and Jesus Christ the Son of God sacrificing Himself freely) on the Cross, it was so we may have the free gift of redemption and be filled with the free gift of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit of God. Now that is the living water, the gift of life and it is free yet as amazing and indescribable as the free gift of salvation is; the “gift” of the child Jesus just can not be described.

Oh, we can say He was born of a virgin, in a manger and Joseph was His Step-Dad yet we can not describe the totality of what He did when He came down from beside His Father to be born of a women in order to be completely man. It is just not something we can or ever will totally understand nor can or will we be able to totally describe it. Books have and will be written on it yet none totally scratch the surface of what it is or means. Yet we can describe what that gift means to us.

It means we are filled with living water and will live forever as God’s Children and one day we will no longer have to sojourn here and we will be joined with our Savior in our true home, Heaven. The gift of life, The gift of living water (The Holy Spirit living within us), the gift of Salvation, The gift of Forgiveness of sin, the gift of being Born Again are given freely to us from our Abba Father, His Son Jesus and The Holy Spirit so we may live forever in Heaven and the New Earth. Every other gift pales in comparison. We are in awe that He would do so much to ensure we receive His free gift of life eternal. And all we have to do is repent (turn away from sin) and accept His free gift which was freely given for us.

Abba Father, we praise and glorify You, Your Son Jesus and Your Holy Spirit for loving us so much and showing us how to love completely without strings, without the need for repayment, without reservation. Help us to live our lives to reflect the gift You have given us through the birth, death and resurrection of our Lord and King, Jesus. May Your Living Waters freely flow through us to a dead and dying world. May the world come to know and love You through us, through Your word and mostly through the Sacrifice of You and Your Son. In Jesus name we thank You and praise You and glorify You, Amen.

Rebishka

Love God, Love your neighbor

Galatians 5:13-14, American Standard Version (ASV)
¹³ For ye, brethren, were called for freedom; only use not your freedom for an occasion to the flesh, but through love be servants one to another.
¹⁴ For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

My Comments: One cannot love another or even ones self unless one loves God. I am not talking about lusting or the vanity type love or any other type that is not true love. I am referring to Love that completes, fulfills and creates. That is what the Love of God does. When one has the Love of God, one can then love other. Ones neighbors are the person or persons we live with, the people in our communities, the people in the world.

Our neighbor is everyone else besides ourselves. Mind boggling to be sure yet it is none the less true. God’s love in us allows us to love all others no matter who they are or what they have done. It is not the same as liking someone. It is loving inspite of what they are or have done as God loves us. If we love God with all our heart, soul, mind and body then He pours His love into us and we have it to give to others, our neighbors. If we love with Him then we are free yet not free to sin and give into our sinful natures. We are free to love unconditionally as Christ Jesus did when he took our punishment on Himself on the Cross. What greater love have we than we give our lives for another. This is true and complete love.

I have had a love this complete given to me from my late husband who loved the Lord above all and served Him even as he suffered in the body. He rejoiced because He Loved the Lord his God with a true and complete Love. He served me with that same love. He served others with that same love and I know when he stood before our Lord he heard, “Well done good and faithful servant.” When we accept the Lord Jesus as our Savior we become His representatives and in essence Him. When we represent Him we do so with His love showing through us. Our sin natures will fight to stop this yet God will overcome our sin natures. He that is in us is stronger than the world and stronger than our sin natures. Love God, Love your neighbor and you will have your reward in Heaven.

Abba, we come before You, the creator of the Universe and our Redemption, pour Your Love into our hearts for others and give us Your eyes to see the lost and hurting so we can minister to them with Your Loving Heart and Words. Show us how to help and when to help others. Let us never put ourselves first and as You, may we always serve others first. Jesus, thank You for showing us the way to serve and Love others before ourselves. Thank You for sending us Your Holy Spirit to teach us and fill us with Your compassion and to help us overcome our weaknesses of the flesh. Touch our hearts and send us out to do Your will. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Rebishka