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. Acts 2:38.
Christ has promised the gift of the Holy Spirit to His church, and the promise belongs to us as much as to the first disciples.
We should pray as earnestly for the descent of the Holy Spirit as the disciples prayed on the day of Pentecost. If they needed it at that time, we need it more today.
The measure of the Holy Spirit we receive will be proportioned to the measure of our desire and the faith exercised for it, and the use we shall make of the light and knowledge that shall be given to us.
There are many who believe and profess to claim the Lord’s promise; they talk about Christ and about the Holy Spirit, yet receive no benefit. They do not surrender the soul to be guided and controlled by the divine agencies. We cannot use the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is to use us. Through the Spirit God works in His people “to will and to do of his good pleasure.” Philippians 2:13. But many will not submit to this. They want to manage themselves. This is why they do not receive the heavenly gift. Only to those who wait humbly upon God, who watch for His guidance and grace, is the Spirit given. The power of God awaits their demand and reception. This promised blessing, claimed by faith, brings all other blessings in its train. It is given according to the riches of the grace of Christ, and He is ready to supply every soul according to the capacity to receive.
When the Holy Spirit is abiding in the heart, it will lead the human agent to see his own defects of character, to pity the weakness of others, to forgive as he wishes to be forgiven. He will be pitiful, courteous, Christlike.
The Holy Spirit imparts love, joy, peace, strength, and consolation; it is as a well of water springing up unto everlasting life. The blessing is free to all.
The Faith I Live By p. 53
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Prayer Requests
—–Please uplift a five year old boy B.. he was severely beaten by both of his parents .he was badly bruised and beaten . this morning. he was taken to the hospital with head injuries..etc. he is also epileptic. please keep the little guy in prayer not only for physical healing but for emotional healing as well. M
—–Please pray for Marty who lost her fiancé the day after Christmas. RJ
—–Keep my little friend Hannah in your prayers! She is in the hospital where they’re trying to figure out why she has a fever. DGM
—–Please pray for my grandson who is driving back to college and someone shot at him on the highway. I don’t have details but he seems to be ok. Diane
—–Please pray for Eileen’s and Esther’s health problems. Rose
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Friends,
There were only two children in my neighborhood when I was little. Janie lived with her grandmother too, so we played together a lot. Her grandmother resented having to care for a child and used to beat her hard. Often this poor little girl would have large purple bruises across her back and legs. I would bring her to my house for some sympathy. I sometimes wonder where Janie is now and what she is doing. Did she marry someone who treated her like her grandmother had? Did she treat her children severely like she had been treated?
Thinking about how Janie was treated makes us feel sorry for her. Yet how often do we treat our fellow Christians the same way. How often we beat each other with our words. Paul says, “But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.” Gal 5:15 How easy it is for us to wound someone with venomous words. James puts it this way, “If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us, and we turn about their whole body. Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth. Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature, and it is set on fire of hell. For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: But the tongue can no man tame, it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.” James 3:2-8 The wise man admonishes us, “Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.” Prov 31:9 “Hear, for I will speak of excellent things, and the opening of my lips shall be right things. For my mouth shall speak truth, and wickedness is an abomination to my lips. All the words of my mouth are in righteousness, there is nothing froward or perverse in them. They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge. 8:6-9
May we place a guard upon our lips that we may speak only right. May we ask our Loving Saviour to speak through us to those around us. May we pray as did David, “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.” Ps 19:14
Rose