Monday, February 13, 2017

Exhortations For The Church: Vol. 3


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Vol. 3 ... #3
God has made us accepted in the beloved


God has given HIS people The Holy Spirit ...  This is a seal of God making us "accepted" among others who have The Holy Spirit.

We are sealed by God by The Holy Spirit after we believe.

Eph. 1:6 ... To the praise of the glory of HIS grace, wherein HE (God) hath made us accepted in the beloved.  

The Holy Spirit witnesses with our spirit that we are the children of God ... 

Romans 8:16 ...  The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 

In December 2016, a member of our little church group died.  During the previous years, I had spoken with her several times by phone.  (we did not live in same city)  Every time we spoke, I had witness of the Holy Spirit in this woman.  She never said much.  She had many physical problems.  Her house was falling down around her, lacking repairs.  But the Holy Spirit was in her.  I could tell.  It was "the Spirit bearing witness with my Spirit."

This is what makes us accepted in the beloved.

We have people in our little group who can barely write a complete sentence, but all that matters is the witness of the Holy Spirit ... I can tell the Holy Spirit is in them ...

If you have the Holy Spirit in you, you should be able to tell that I have the Holy Spirit in me.

God approves HIS people by putting HIS Spirit in them.

I knew my dad was saved before he died.  I could tell the Spirit of God was in him.  Same with my mother... and my aunt.

It has nothing at all to do with attending church.  I know several people attend church but do not have the Spirit of God in them.

Jude speaks of this:  But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; 18 How that they told you there should be mockers (imitators, copying those who seem godly to them) in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. 19 These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.

Some people are very good copies of real Christians.  But I find they are always just a little off, like a radio station that is not exactly in tune. 

I know people who should not be Christian but the Spirit of God in there in them.  (approved by God) 

This has nothing at all to do with speaking in tongues ... Some people avoid all mention of the Holy Spirit thinking it means tongues.

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Jesus Christ and that Spirit dwells in each child of God.

The Holy Spirit does the following in us:

- Teaches us all things (Jn. 14:26)
- Reminds us of everything Jesus has said  (Jn. 14:26)
- Guides us into all truth (Jn. 16:13)
- Shows us things to come (Jn. 16:13)

Many who have the Holy Spirit do not even realize they have the Holy Spirit but we can tell by witness of the Spirit.

Others who quote much scripture and seem right do not have the Holy Spirit. 

But when you have the Holy Spirit in you it is given by God and is God's approval making you accepted in the church with others who have the Holy Spirit.

Many  people in churches today put themselves into the church by "joining" and do not have the Spirit of God in them.  Jude v. 17