PEACE Is The Reign Of The HOLY SPIRIT

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The Fruit of the HOLY SPIRIT

Podcast Episode: The Fruit of the HOLY SPIRIT – PEACE #5

“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS, AND SELF-CONTROL. There is no law against these things.” [Galatians 5:22-23 NLT]

We need to understand that love is the first characteristic of the fruit of the Holy Spirit. It is well placed at the head of the list, for it permeates all the rest of the attributes. Somehow, if we live a life of love, the other virtues will attend us all the days of our lives. Love is the key that unlocks the entire fruit basket of Galatians 5:22-23, as well as permeating 1 Corinthians 13.

The Faith of the Thessalonian Believers

In 1 Thessalonians 1:2-10 NLT says, “2 We always thank God for all of you and pray for you constantly. 3 As we pray to our God and Father about you, we think of your faithful work, your loving deeds, and the enduring hope you have because of our Lord Jesus Christ. 4 We know, dear brothers and sisters, that God loves you and has chosen you to be His own people. 5 For when we brought you the Good News, it was not only with words but also with power, for the Holy Spirit gave you full assurance that what we said was true. And you know of our concern for you from the way we lived when we were with you. 6 So you received the message with joy from the Holy Spirit in spite of the severe suffering it brought you. In this way, you imitated both us and the Lord. 7 As a result, you have become an example to all the believers in Greece – throughout both Macedonia and Achaia. 8 And now the word of the Lord is ringing out from you to people everywhere, even beyond Macedonia and Achaia, for wherever we go we find people telling us about your faith in God. We don’t need to tell them about it, 9 for they keep talking about the wonderful welcome you gave us and how you turned away from idols to serve the living and true God. 10 And they speak of how you are looking forward to the coming of God’s Son from heaven – Jesus, whom God raised from the dead. He is the one who has rescued us from the terrors of the coming judgment.”

Paul began this letter by introducing three men well known to the Thessalonian church. Paul was the head of this missionary team and key writer of this letter. Silas was a prophet (Acts 15:32) who was held in high esteem by the Jerusalem church. Silas accompanied Paul on his second missionary journey (Acts 15:36–17:15) and helped him establish the church in Thessalonica (Acts 17:1-9). The young Christian named Timothy joined Paul and Silas during Paul’s second missionary journey. The account in the book of Acts describes the preaching of Paul and Silas in Thessalonica (Acts 17:4). Envious and angry Jewish leaders watched many from their synagogue follow our Lord Jesus Christ. When a riot broke out, Paul and Silas had to leave under cover of darkness.

Paul wrote to the church in Thessalonica. The Greek word for church is ekklesia, meaning “assembly.” These people were part of the assembly in Thessalonica that belonged to God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. This set them apart from all the other “assemblies” that may have been meeting in Thessalonica.

Paul combined expressions from Jewish and Gentile customs. Jews wished each other peace (Greek eirene or Hebrew shalom); Gentiles wished each other grace (charis). When Christians used these words in greeting, the meaning was significant. Our Lord Jesus Christ offers grace to handle life’s difficulties; He offers peace that gives inner calm – no matter what the outward circumstances.

In many ancient letters, an introduction would be followed by a word of encouragement; Paul often followed this pattern. In most of his letters he would thank God for the believers. Paul told the Thessalonians, a young church facing persecution, that he and the other apostles always thanked God for all of them and prayed for them constantly. Paul was not depending on his great skills or his teaching to carry the young believers; instead, he was trusting in God to guide and protect them. Paul spent much time traveling and preaching, but apparently, he spent much time on his knees praying for the believers.

The Thessalonian believers had stood firm when persecuted (1 Thessalonians 1:6; 3:1-4, 7-8). Paul commended these young Christians for their faithful work, loving deeds, and continual anticipation of our Lord Jesus Christ’s return. Their work had been produced by faith. Paul made it clear that believers are saved by faith alone (Ephesians 2:9), but then faith should produce good works in the believers. The Thessalonians’ good deeds had been prompted by love. The believers were willing to give of themselves (even if it meant hardship) in service to others. Only God’s kind of love could prompt such willing labor. Their anticipation of the Lord’s return helped them to be strong in the face of opposition and difficulty because they know that God sees all and one day will make everything right.

Paul, Silas, and Timothy could resolutely say to the believers in Thessalonica that God chose them. That God “chooses” His people forms the basis of the doctrine of election – defined as God’s choice of an individual or group for a specific purpose or destiny. The doctrine of election teaches that believers are saved only because of God’s grace and mercy, not because of their own merit. God does not save anyone because that person deserves to be saved; rather, He graciously and freely gives salvation to whomever He chooses.

Paul knew that these believers had been chosen by God because his presentation of the Good News brought great results. Paul and his companions had brought the message to Thessalonica. There were no believers when they arrived; when they left, a strong church had been planted. This was not a source of pride for the apostles.

However, when Paul brought the message to people, he spoke with words, and God used those words to ignite the Thessalonians to understand and believe that message. God had used Paul’s words by enveloping them in divine power (see also 1 Corinthians 2:1-5; Ephesians 6:17). Paul’s words alone could not persuade anyone to believe or open a needy heart to hear the message. But his words – combined with the power of the Holy Spirit to convince, enlighten, and comfort the listeners – could help many to believe what Paul was saying and give their hearts and lives to our Lord Jesus Christ for salvation.

The last half of this 1 Thessalonians Chapter 1 Verse 5 points to Chapter 2 where Paul discusses his ministry with them. The Thessalonians could see that what Paul, Silas, and Timothy were preaching was true because these men lived it. They demonstrated their willingness to face opposition, travel under adverse conditions, and work without being paid while dealing with severe frustrations.

The message of salvation, though welcomed with great joy, brought the Thessalonian believers severe suffering because it led to persecution from both Jews and Gentiles (1 Thessalonians 3:2-4; Acts 17:5). By doing so, they imitated both the apostles (Acts 16:16-40; 2 Corinthians 11:16-33) and the Lord (John 15:18-19, 20, 21). The same Holy Spirit who empowered the Gospel message also opened hearts to receive the message and then gave joy to the hearers. The Holy Spirit works in those presenting the message and those hearing and accepting it. He gives “joy” (see Galatians 5:22).

The Gospel had come to them with power – power from the Holy Spirit. The message had come by the Holy Spirit, and the result was changed lives. The Holy Spirit with His nine gifts is a great blessings to have from heaven. What are the wonders of the Holy Spirit, and what is it that He does in our lives? Please read and meditate on the whole book of Romans Chapter 8.

In 1 Thessalonians 1:7-10 describe that the Thessalonians had followed the example of the apostles and of the Lord Himself (1 Thessalonians 1:6), and they, in turn, had become an example to all the Christians in Greece. Paul praised this church (no other church received this particular type of praise) because not only were they model believers to an unbelieving world, but they were also examples and/or models to other believers. These Thessalonian believers had a worldwide reputation and were an example to all the other churches. The message of these believers’ lives had an effect even beyond Greece – their faith was known everywhere.

So well-known was the Thessalonians’ faith that Paul did not need to talk about it – believers in other places brought it up first! Any believer from any church might be found talking about what was going on in Thessalonica. The other churches knew how some people in Thessalonica had turned away from idols to serve the true and living God. In fact, they were suffering severely for this change of faith and life (1 Thessalonians 1:6). The impact of this may slip past modern ears. The idols, the Greek “gods,” were considered to be extremely powerful. For these Thessalonians, living barely 50 miles from Mount Olympus where the Greek gods were said to live, to “turn from” their many false idols to the one true God had caused significant change in all areas of their lives. No wonder they faced persecution.

In addition to turning and serving, the Thessalonians were waiting. The Christian life doesn’t end at death. All believers await God’s Son from heaven. All believers look forward to the Second Coming when our Lord Jesus Christ will take His followers to be with Him, rescuing them from the terrors of the coming judgment. This refers to the time when God will display His anger toward a sinful world and destroy all evil (see 1 Thessalonians 5:9; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10). God’s wrath is a certainty, for He will not let sin continue unabated forever.

We as Born-Again Christian believers, however, can trust in our Savior who would rescue us who rescued Thessalonian believers. Paul emphasized our Lord Jesus Christ’s second coming throughout this book. Because the Thessalonian church was being persecuted, Paul encouraged them to look forward to the deliverance that our Lord Jesus Christ would bring.

Our hope is in the return of our Lord Jesus Christ, the great God and Savior (Titus 2:13). Just as surely as our Lord Jesus Christ was raised from the dead and ascended into heaven, He will return (Acts 1:11).

What is the grand legacy of all this fire and wind? Peace! Reconciliation with God is God’s aim in this stressed-out world. The answer is never to try to unstress things. Don’t go to different religions and evil spiritual rituals that deprave your mind. Not yoga meditating on something or someone else that we don’t know. But meditate on God’s words with the Holy Spirit guidance and comfort that will give us peace. The answer is to confess Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord of our lives, receive the Holy Spirit, and enjoy the peace. Amen!

The Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ

In Acts 1:6-11 NLT says, “6 So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking Him, “Lord, has the time come for You to free Israel and restore our kingdom?” 7 He replied, “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere – in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” 9 After saying this, He was taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see Him. 10 As they strained to see Him rising into heaven, two white-robed men suddenly stood among them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday He will return from heaven in the same way you saw Him go!”.

The average Jew of our Lord Jesus Christ’s day was looking forward with great anticipation to the literal coming of the Messiah’s earthly kingdom and with it the restoration of the fortunes and military might that the nation had enjoyed under King David. Our Lord Jesus Christ had certainly taught a great deal about His coming Kingdom in His ministry with the disciples.

During this forty-day instruction period, the disciples had questions about the promised Kingdom, for their anticipation had been heightened with their Master’s resurrection from the dead. Fully expecting our Lord Jesus Christ to bring in His Kingdom on earth at that moment, the apostles asked: “Are you going to free Israel now and restore our kingdom?”

The coming of the Kingdom was closely associated with the coming of the Holy Spirit (as implied in passages such as Isaiah 32:15-20; 44:3-5; Ezekiel 39:28-29; Joel 2:28–3:1; Zechariah 12:8-10). When our Lord Jesus Christ told the disciples of the imminent coming of the Holy Spirit, therefore, they were even more likely to assume the coming of the Kingdom would also be at hand. During the years of our Lord Jesus Christ’s ministry on earth, the disciples continually had wondered about the coming of the Kingdom and what their roles would be in it. In the traditional view, the Messiah would be an earthly conqueror who would free Israel from Rome. But the Kingdom about which our Lord Jesus Christ spoke was first of all a “spiritual” Kingdom established in the hearts and lives of believers (Luke 17:21); behind it was the earthly kingdom that our Lord Jesus Christ promised to institute at His return.

“Power is on the way!” said our Lord Jesus Christ. This power will enable us to change the world. Get ready for the power. The Holy Spirit will settle on us like a sweet, warm rain, > and our arid, dry, barren, dull, boring, infertile, uninteresting, unexciting, or uninspired lives will be productive once again.” Amen!

The Gospel – the Good News, like a pin stuck in the middle of a great map, is to be preached from the center outward. Jerusalem, says our Lord Jesus Christ, is where the Holy Spirit would arrive. From there the Good News would sweep outward, through Judea and Samaria, until it reaches the ends of the earth. The key is that the Gospel starts wherever we are. Amen!

“There is no use taking a lamp to Kenya and Tanzania where I went as volunteer with Engineering Ministries International or anywhere that won’t burn in America,” runs the saying. Lost people are no more lost because they live on the other side of an ocean. Nor are we likely to prove to God that we have any real concern about those who live so far away if we have not wept over our own relatives, loved ones, friends, and neighborhoods. I give all thanks and glory to God for giving me these opportunities: First, as the founding pastor of the Home Fellowship Churches (nonprofit organization, franchise corporation, and registered in the great State of Texas. Second, the part-time business of Busuego Consulting (Project and Construction Management Services). Third, but not the least, the Mobile Ministry (sharing the Gospel and praying for people). Amen!

Unity in the Body

In Ephesians 4:1-6 NLT says, “1 Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. 2 Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. 3 Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. 4 For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. 5 There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 and one God and Father, who is over all and in all and living through all.”

The word “therefore” connects this sentence to Paul’s words in the previous chapters – the great plan God has revealed. Paul was imprisoned in Rome for serving the Lord (that is, his imprisonment was a result of his preaching the Gospel, see Acts 21:27–22:22). Despite the chains that bound him physically and kept him from traveling, Paul continued to write, in this case urging the Ephesian believers to lead a life worthy of your calling and to remember that they had been called by God (Ephesians 1:4). Their “call” to salvation was accomplished through our Lord Jesus Christ’s humble act of dying on the Cross for our sin. It was also a “call” to service for God.

How can one live worthy of the calling? The Greek word for “worthy” refers to a balance, as on scales. Thus, believers are to live “in balance” with their calling. How they act should match what they believe. Remembering our Lord Jesus Christ’s sacrifice should cause us as Born-Again Christian believers to live for His glory in every area of our lives. The following verses describe how to do this.

This Ephesians Chapter 4 Verse 2 lists four characteristics of a person who is “worthy of the calling.” Believers make up the church, the body of Christ. Thus, believers, by privilege of their responsibility, must be together, serve together, and worship together. The following characteristics help create and maintain smooth relationships among people.

Both the Greek and Roman cultures considered humility and gentleness to be weak character traits showing a lack of self-respect. The Old Testament, however, paved the way for a positive connotation for humility because God “lives with” the humble (Isaiah 57:15). Our Lord Jesus Christ exalted humility as a virtue (John 13:13-15). Our Lord Jesus Christ expected His followers to be humble not only before God but toward one another – serving one another and not putting themselves “above” anyone else. Our Lord Jesus Christ is our example; thus, we must also be humble.

Born-Again Christian believers are also to be gentle. Humility is an attitude, and gentleness is the action derived from it. Gentle people do not attempt to grab for positions of importance or assert authority over others. Gentle people accept God’s dealings with them without arguing or resisting. Gentle people are considerate of others. If everyone in a church had the characteristics of humility and gentleness, conflicts would disappear and members would have strength and power in their service.

This will be our last Podcast of the fruit of the Holy Spirit: PEACE. Next week, we will start the first Podcast of the fruit of the Holy Spirit: PATIENCE.

Patience conveys the quality of being able to handle one another’s faults and failures and refusing to avenge wrongs. No one is ever going to be perfect here on earth, so Born-Again believers must be patient with each other despite their faults.

Making allowance for each other’s faults is the action side of patience, emphasizing the willingness to forgive. To show patience requires love, which ought to be the guiding principle for all of a believer’s actions, even when natural differences and clashes occur. Bearing with one another presupposes that, at times, loving others will be a burden. Born-Again Christian believers must be willing to carry the load without expecting reward, thanks, or return. Amen!

For Born-Again Christian believers to be united is only possible when the Holy Spirit acts in believers’ lives – the Holy Spirit originates and sustains oneness among believers. Love for each other, which the presence of the Holy Spirit causes, makes peace possible. To bind themselves together with peace includes the idea of uniting the members into one body. This “bond” holds people together, like string or twine. Peace functions as the “binding twine” of unity. God gives it to us, producing equality and understanding.

Paul knew that maintaining unity among believers would take hard work and continual diligence. Born-Again Christian believers face many attempts to tear apart their unity. False teachers would arise, even from within their ranks, attempting to divide the people; persecution would attempt to frighten the church and send it scattering. The believers in each of the churches in and around Ephesus would need to work diligently to maintain their unity. Churches and/or fellowships today need the same quality of diligence.

Born-Again Christian believers diligently maintain their unity (as described in Ephesians 4:3) because our Lord Jesus Christ desires it – there is only one body and all believers have the same Holy Spirit. The repetition of the word “one” in Verses 4-6 emphasizes this unity. Regardless of all that can divide the believers – racial background, social status, and gender, to name a few – Born-Again Christians belong to one body through one Holy Spirit (see also Ephesians 1:13-14; 2:11-22; 3:6). In a pagan culture, people can choose from any number of cults to join and gods to worship. For Born-Again Christians, however, there is only one body, unified by one Holy Spirit.

The unity in the body of Born-Again Christian believers occurs because one Holy Spirit indwells them. The Holy Spirit lives in all Born-Again Christians and gives to the church/fellowship its true oneness (Ephesians 2:18). Without the Holy Spirit, the body could not exist. Christianity is not a club to join, nor is it some mystical but unreal entity. Instead, true Christianity is a spiritual relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ as well as with other Born-Again Christian believers. Through the Holy Spirit, all believers are united in one universal body. The “one Spirit” guarantees that all Born-Again Christian believers have been called to the same glorious future – that is, to eternal life in God’s Kingdom. Amen!

This book of Ephesians Chapter 4 Verse 5 focuses on our Lord Jesus Christ. One Lord refers to Jesus Christ, whose lordship (headship) forms the basis of unity in the body. Born-Again Christians worship one Lord. There are not many real gods from which to choose; there is only one – the Lord Jesus Christ. Born-Again Christian believers are one body because of this one faith. This faith alone saves; this faith is the one and only “way” (John 14:6). This one faith binds all Born-Again Christian believers together.

The act of believing is manifested through the act of baptism, the symbol of being brought into the body. (Faith and baptism are similarly connected in Mark 16:16 and Colossians 2:12.) Paul’s inclusion of this one baptism reveals the great importance that baptism held for the early church. Baptism replaced circumcision as the initiation rite of the new order, the new covenant. “Baptism” refers here to baptism in water, as opposed to baptism by the Holy Spirit (Born-Again experience), because of the word’s placement in this verse. This expression of faith through baptism brings unity to believers.

This book of Ephesians Chapter 4 Verse 6 focuses on God the Father. There are not many gods, as in the pagan culture; there is only one God. As the only God, He alone deserves our worship and praise. Father of all means that He is the Creator. Adam and Eve were made in His image (Genesis 1:26). God’s image or likeness is TRINITY > Father God, Jesus Christ (The WORD – John 1:1-14). After their disobedience, sin came into this earth. All people who were born after the fall, their spirit died, so, they only exist in body and soul,

The sovereign God completely controls His creation. Born-Again Christians understand themselves as God’s creation and as God’s “called.” God is over us all – supreme, transcendent, the ruler over all of His creation. God is in us all – actively present and pervasive in every part of His creation. God is living through us all – He Himself lives within His people. Any view of God that violates either His transcendence, pervasiveness, or immanence does not paint a true picture of God. Paul did not teach pantheism (“God is in everything, so we can worship nature”) or universalism (“God is Father of all and will therefore save everyone”). Rather, he taught about the omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient God, ruling over creation and exercising His power through His followers on behalf of the church and/or fellowship.

We must be Born-Again as what our Lord Jesus Christ said according to the book of John 3:3-6 NLT in the New Testament of the Bible as stated below:

3 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” 4 “What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?” 5 Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. 6 Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life.”

Our Lord Jesus Christ’s words are unmistakable and to the point: “Unless you are born again, you can never see the Kingdom of God.” That a person must be born again speaks of spiritual birth, but Nicodemus understood our Lord Jesus Christ as referring to a physical rebirth.

What could our Lord Jesus Christ expect Nicodemus to know about the Kingdom? From the Scriptures he would know that the Kingdom would be ruled by God, it would eventually be restored on earth, and it would incorporate God’s people. Our Lord Jesus Christ revealed to this devout Pharisee that the Kingdom would come to the whole world (John 3:16), not just the Jews, and that Nicodemus wouldn’t be a part of it unless he was personally born again (John 3:5).

This was a revolutionary concept: the Kingdom is personal, not national or ethnic, and its entrance requirements are repentance and spiritual rebirth. Our Lord Jesus Christ later taught that God’s Kingdom has already begun in the hearts of believers (Luke 17:21). It will be fully realized when our Lord Jesus Christ returns again to judge the world and abolish evil forever (Revelation 21–22).

During our Lord Jesus Christ’s earthly ministry, the Kingdom of God was present with Him (Luke 17:21). To “see” the Kingdom of God means, in part, to have a special perception or insight concerning God’s absolute control. But a sense of belonging, or citizenship, is also included. The “seeing” is not simply for purposes of examination; it represents participation. To “see,” then, is to be a citizen without yet being able to exercise all the rights and privileges of that citizenship. Nicodemus was being taught that Israel was a chosen people to be a vehicle of God’s message to the world, not to be the only beneficiaries of that relationship.

Nicodemus either stopped listening after our Lord Jesus Christ’s opening phrase, or he chose to address the first curious statement he heard. These questions that focused solely on birth – whether spoken sincerely or sarcastically – show that Nicodemus did not perceive the spiritual intent of our Lord Jesus Christ’s words. He saw only the literal meaning and questioned its absurdity: “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?” But with all his learning he should have understood that God can and will give spiritual rebirth. The prophets had spoken about this spiritual regeneration (see Ezekiel 36:25-27; see also Jeremiah 31:31-34; Joel 2:28-32).

In John Chapter 3 Verse 5 Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit.” This statement has perplexed and divided commentators for many centuries. Some traditions have taught that the water denotes physical birth (referring to the “water” of amniotic fluid or even semen) and the Holy Spirit to spiritual birth – in which case our Lord Jesus Christ would be saying that a person has to have two births: one physical and the second, spiritual. This view builds upon the preceding context when Nicodemus referred to physical birth. It also points to the parallel our Lord Jesus Christ makes in Verse 6. According to this position, our Lord Jesus Christ would have been granting the Pharisee’s point in order to highlight the nature of the second birth as spiritual. Two strengths of this interpretation are that it avoids making the physical act of water baptism a necessity and that it avoids bringing almost a “third birth” idea into the discussion. If water doesn’t refer to natural birth, say its defenders, then our Lord Jesus Christ seems to be saying that a person must be born of their parents, born of water, and born of the Spirit.

Other traditions have taught that the water refers to baptism and the Spirit to spiritual regeneration – thus, our Lord Jesus Christ would have been saying that a person must both be baptized and receive the Holy Spirit in order to enter the Kingdom of God. This view is at times influenced by the belief that the sacrament of baptism is itself a requirement for salvation.
A parallel view makes water refer to baptism but places the emphasis on teaching two steps of baptism; one by water, the other by the Spirit.

For support, these views point to the larger context in John where John the Baptist and water baptism are mentioned just preceding the events in Cana and following this encounter with Nicodemus. They also rely on the tendency of previous generations of Christians to equate the mention of water with baptism. But in the first seven chapters of John, water appears in some way (naturally or symbolically) in each chapter. To associate water and baptism too closely makes baptism a higher priority than the Scriptures give it. Here, for instance, if our Lord Jesus Christ was speaking of two completely separate acts, two baptisms, it is odd that the rest of the discussion between our Lord Jesus Christ and Nicodemus never again refers to the subject but revolves entirely around the work of God’s Spirit.

Still other traditions have taught that our Lord Jesus Christ’s reference to water is not physical in either the sense of birth or baptism. The term water is simply another description of the Holy Spirit – or the Holy Spirit’s activity of cleansing and giving life (see John 7:37-39).

Humans can produce only more human beings; this answers Nicodemus’s question in Verse 4. Only God the Holy Spirit gives new life from heaven. At the same time God puts His Holy Spirit into us, we are given a new regenerated human spirit. It is God’s Spirit, not our effort, that makes us children of God (John 1:12). Our Lord Jesus Christ’s description corrects human hopes that we might somehow inherit goodness from parents or earn it by good behavior, church background, or correct associations. At some point we must be able to answer the question: Have I been born of the Holy Spirit?

It’s as simple of A.B, and C as indicated later on, and almost at the end of this Podcast. Please follow through. Amen!

Life in the Holy Spirit Vs Life In Sinful Nature

In Romans 8:5-8 NLT says, “5 Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. 6 So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. 7 For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will. 8 That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.”

In Verse 5 describes that we will struggle constantly with sin and its temptations until the resurrection. People who decide to follow their sinful nature will be dominated by it and think about sinful things. But Born-Again Christian believers do not need to live in sin because they can now live controlled by the Holy Spirit, so they can think about things that please the Holy Spirit. We must follow and obey our Lord Jesus Christ daily in every area of our life, in our choices and moral decisions. Will you follow your former sinful nature or the Holy Spirit’s leading?

In Verse 6 describes the mind that refers to our mind-set, our goals. Choosing to let the sinful nature be in control will result in death, both spiritual and physical. Choosing to let the Holy Spirit control our minds will bring us full life on earth, eternal life, and peace with God. Elsewhere in Scripture we find the characteristics of a mind under the Holy Spirit’s control. It will be a mind directed toward truth, aware of the Holy Spirit’s presence (John 14:17). It will be a mind seeking to please the Holy Spirit (Galatians 6:8). It will be a mind active in memorizing and meditating on the words of our Lord Jesus Christ (John 14:26). It will be a mind sensitive to sin (John 16:7-11). It will be a mind eager to follow the Holy Spirit’s guidance (Galatians 5:16-22). The control of the Holy Spirit begins with voluntary commitment and submission to our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen!

Why does the mind controlled by the Holy Spirit naturally result in peace? Because the Holy Spirit champions in our lives the things that promote peace. He sees the battles that cannot be won in human terms. He causes us to pace our lives so that when we get to those battles, we have already made peace with the outcome. Amen!

The New Heart and New Spirit

In Ezekiel 36:24-28 NLT says, “24 For I will gather you up from all the nations and bring you home again to your land. 25 “Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. Your filth will be washed away, and you will no longer worship idols. 26 And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations. 28 “And you will live in Israel, the land I gave your ancestors long ago. You will be my people, and I will be your God.”

This is fulfilled specifically in the restoration after the edict of Cyrus in 539 B.C. (Ezra 1:1-4). It would be through God’s grace to Israel that God’s holy name would be elevated to its revered place. The restoration promised was the second (Ezekiel 36:24; cf. Isaiah 11:11), or final, return to the land by the Jews after the Tribulation’s scattering. This return is based on the provisions of Deuteronomy 30:1-10. Ezekiel did not use the expression “new covenant” in this passage (Ezekiel 36:25-28), but the provisions are identical with those of the new covenant described in Jeremiah 31:31-34. The remnant of Israel will be gathered back to their land as a believing, redeemed people (Ezekiel 36:28; cf. Matthew 24:31).

The vision of the dry bones illustrated how the restoration of the nation (Ezekiel 36:24) will be accomplished. Ezekiel prophesied one of the greatest of all God’s promises: “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you” (v. 36:26).

The spiritual renewal needed to change Israel’s proclivity toward disobedience and idolatry required divine surgery, but Israel had to be willing to undergo it. We could have the same spiritual renewal as we are ready and willing to undergo it. Amen!

Peace is the result of this heart transplant. We cannot, by trying to reform, do enough to “re-moralize” our depravity. We must rely on God to give us a new heart. When we accept God’s renovation of our lives, we are ready to worship for the first time. God’s five-fold promise equips us to become His ambassadors of peace. Peace produces an inward calm, and we are truly ready to adore Him.

“I will give you a new heart.” By this God is saying. “I am going to transplant your value system and give you a new worldview.” With that transplant, we are given a God’s-eye-view of our world. “I will … put a new spirit in you.” We will have a new energy for desiring righteousness in our lives. We will no longer be left to manage life with a set of inferior appetites. The Holy Spirit will alter our desires until they are all God’s desires. “I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” A soft, teachable spirit is the automatic by-product of our heart transplant. God causes us to forsake callous rebellion in favor of tenderness toward Him, as well as toward the people around us. “I will … move you to follow my decrees.” With the renovation of one’s heart comes the desire for a relationship with God that has obedience as a main ingredient. In short, with this great renovation, not only will the peace of God occupy our lives, but also, we will be made ready to worship our Lord. Amen! Praise the Lord! Hallelujah!

Amen!

Prayer is the key that unlocks and reveals faith. Effective prayer needs both an attitude of complete dependence and the action of asking. Prayer demonstrates complete reliance on God. Thus, there is no substitute for prayer, especially in situations that seem impossible.

So, let our hearts and minds in tune with God, in the power of God, the Holy Spirit. Let’s continuously and persistently pray for God’s perfect will be done. We as Born-Again Christians have been tried and cleansed, we have moved freely into a relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ that is more powerful than it was before our trials. We are at home in the presence and fellowship of God, for we are heirs with our Lord Jesus Christ, more like Him that we could ever have dreamed possible. So, let’s continuously and persistently pray for God’s perfect will be done. Amen!

The principle is that no one has anything of value to bring to God in order to deserve salvation, mercy, justification, or even a second glance from God. The proud will be humbled, but the humble will be honored. Acceptance before God cannot be achieved by good deeds, piety, or any amount of self-proclaimed righteousness.

Let’s never get over the effect of God’s saving transformation on people’s lives. People who were lost in sin, filled with anger and bitterness, give up their hatred and become approachable as we have studied and learned last time. That is, of course, why we minister to others. Those of us who minister are not people to whom (fruit of the Holy Spirit) love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control comes naturally. We are people who have been remodeled by grace. We thankfully leave our old natures far behind as we embrace the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, the first of the list > agape love of God, and in our treatment of others. Amen!

Sunday by Sunday as we come to worship, let me encourage our brothers- and sisters-in-Christ, and I want my readers and listeners to be both strong in the faith and sensitive to others’ needs. Because all, we as Born-Again Christian believers are strong in certain areas and weak in others, we constantly need to monitor the effects of our behavior on others.

In these PEACE Series of Podcast, we learned the following PURPOSES of this fruit of the HOLY SPIRIT:

• A truce with God to end our alienation from Him
• Our Lord Jesus Christ is the Prince of Peace
• Knew and understood that in His presence we can have the evidence of confidence
• Learned to understood and accepted the higher will of God
• Learned to spend time alone with the companionship of Christ
• Knew and understood the reign of the Holy Spirit

On every Podcast, I always have three (3) questions we can answer from only these two (2) Sources: The Bible and Guidance of the Holy Spirit. The following are:

First is about our > Observation: What do these passages or Scriptures say to you?

Second is about our own > Interpretation: What do these passages or Scriptures mean to you?

Third is about how we can apply > Application: How do the meaning of these passages or Scriptures apply to you or to your situation?

If you are not sure that you are Born-Again Christian believer or you have relatives, loved ones, friends, neighbors, and people in your circle of influence, please take a look and/or guide them to one of our ministries, “An Invitation To Meet Our Lord Jesus Christ” at https://homefellowshipchurches.org/an-invitation-to-meet-our-lord-jesus-christ/

Let’s give an opportunity for the lost souls to experience on being Born-Again Christian as explained by our Lord Jesus Christ in the book of John 3:13 in the New Testament of the Bible.

It is as simple as A, B, & C > Admit, Believe, & Confess. All Born-Again Christian believers prayed this simple prayer we called “Sinner’s Prayer”

“Father God, I come to in the name of Jesus Christ. I acknowledge and admit that I am a sinner and I need a Savior. I believe and have faith in Jesus Christ who was born of Virgin Mary, died on the Cross for the penalty of my sins, and rose again that I may have the eternal life. I confess and declare Jesus Christ as my personal Savior and Lord of my life. Comfort, guide, and help me Holy Spirit to live and grow in my spiritual life according to Your Words, purpose, and perfect will of God, in my Lord Jesus Christ name, Amen!”

If you prayed this, “Sinner’s Prayer” sincerely in your heart, you are Born-Again Christian believer. However, you are a spiritual baby who needs to grow up. (See 1 Peter 2:2)

Now, let me pray for all of you:

Father God, we come into your presence in our Lord Jesus Christ name, and in the power of the Holy Spirit. Thank you Lord Jesus Christ for Your agape love and forgiveness you have done on the Cross of Calvary, and continue to intercede for us in prayer. Thank you Holy Spirit as our Helper and Comforter. Thank you for the wisdom, knowledge, understanding, courage and strength. We cling, yield, plug-in and tune-in to you Holy Spirit to help us understand God’s Words, obey them, receive Your divine revelation, know the Truth that sets us free, and apply them in our lives, in our Lord Jesus Christ name, Amen!”

Let’s praise and worship God in Spirit and in Truth. Give all thanks to God for all answered prayers.

Please send your > Praise Reports (answered prayers) and New Prayer Requests via email to: TrinityBlessings@homefellowshipchurches.org. God bless you all and our families!

A Call to Repentance and Be Blessed

In Malachi 3:7-15 AMPC says, “7 Ever since the days of your ancestors, you have scorned my decrees and failed to obey them. Now return to me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “But you ask, ‘How can we return when we have never gone away?’ 8 “Should people cheat God? Yet you have cheated me! “But you ask, ‘What do you mean? When did we ever cheat you?’ “You have cheated me of the tithes and offerings due to me. 9 You are under a curse, for your whole nation has been cheating me. 10 Bring all the tithes (the whole tenth of your income) into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and prove Me now by it”, says the Lord of hosts, “if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” [Malachi 2:2.] 11 “And I will rebuke the devourer (insects and plagues) for your sakes and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground, neither shall your vine drop its fruits before the time in the field,” says the Lord of hosts. 12 “And all nations shall call you happy and blessed, for you shall be a land of delight”, says the Lord of hosts.

If the people would obey God, giving as they should, God would flood His people with blessings. There would be an overabundance of God’s blessing if He was given what He requested.

Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse – See 2 Chronicles 31:11; cf. 1 Chronicles 26:20; Nehemiah 10:38; 13:5, 12. If the temple storehouses were empty, it was the people’s fault. God had already blessed them with enough to give a little back to Him.

Instead of destroying our crops (blessings), God would make them come in greater abundance than we had ever imagined possible (Amos 4:9; Haggai 2:19; Zechariah 8:12). The devourer – probably referring to locusts, though the word here is general in meaning (Baldwin). In the Near East, locust swarms are known for their ability to damage huge tracts of agricultural land (see note on Joel 1:4).

A delightsome land – All of the blessings promised to Jacob would come to pass if the people would obey God (Deuteronomy 33:29; Zechariah 8:13). Their land would be a delight to all who saw it (Daniel 8:9).

The problem in Malachi 3:7-12 was the people’s departure from God as reflected by their neglect of tithes and offerings. Two annual tithes were required according to Israelite law – one for the Levites (Leviticus 27:30; Numbers 18:21), and one to be used in worship at the annual feasts in Jerusalem (Deuteronomy 14:22). A tithe was required every three years to provide for the needs of the poor (Deuteronomy 14:28-29). There is debate as to whether this tithe for the poor was in addition to or served as a substitute for the tithe used in worship.

The New Testament pattern for tithing is proportionate giving – a person is to give “in relation to what you have earned” (1 Corinthians 16:2). Certainly a tithe should be given proportionate to one’s wealth, but not all proportionate giving is a tithe.

The anticipation of blessing for obedience to God’s command to tithe was based on the Mosaic covenant, which promised blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience (Malachi 3:10; cf. Deuteronomy 28:15-68). Generally, God will meet the needs of His own people (Psalm 34:9-10; Philippians 4:19), but that is not an unconditional guarantee. There certainly were and are exceptions. Yet, where God chooses not to provide physically, He gives sufficient grace to go without (2 Corinthians 12:9).

The problem in Malachi 3:14-15 was that the people were guilty of arrogant words against God. They were saying, “There is no prophet who is serving God,” and “God is not concerned about justice.” God responded by showing that He did distinguish between the wicked and the righteous. The righteous would be blessed, and the wicked would be judged.