Receiving the Spirit?

"O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes
Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?

"This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of
faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? ... 5 He
therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works
of the law, or by the hearing of faith?"

The Holy Spirit is the gift of Christ through faith in the Gospel. The power of God is the preaching of
Christ crucified, not human effort and duty. Human effort and duty must be preached, but as works of
thanksgiving, not works to obtain the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is given in fullness to Jesus Christ as the result of His perfect obedience and
atonement for sins. The Lord Jesus, from his eternal throne of David at the right hand of God,
dispenses the Holy Spirit and His gifts to whomever He pleases.

Ps 68:18 Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for
men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them.

Acts 2:33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the
promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. ... 38 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.

Romans 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you.
Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

Prayer for Every Day, from Isaiah 55:4-13

 Isaiah 55:4-13 Prayer February 15, 2015

O precious Father, we acknowledge this morning that our Lord Jesus Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, Your
only begotten Son, is our only leader and witness and commander. We would run and fly to Him, O
God, for He is the only One appointed for our salvation. He is our King and our God.

He has drawn near to us in the Gospel, and we may seek for him and find Him when our hearts are
tender and we are humbled before You. Teach us to forsake our way, for it is a stupid and foolish
way; teach us to turn from our own foolish thoughts and to seek You, O Lord, for You have promised
us mercy and pardon in abundance. Though our sins and many and manifold, yet Your pardon is
abundant and Your mercy is higher than the heavens.

Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, the things that You have prepared for those who love You, O Lord,
but You have revealed them by Your Spirit

Only the promises of Your Word can refresh our souls, dear Lord. It is like the rain and the dew and
the gentle snow from heaven. It falls upon our dry and broken hearts, dear Lord, and causes love and
peace and joy to spring up. The tender shoots of righteousness spring out of the hard heart, faith
instead of unbelief, thankfulness instead of bitterness, mercy instead of hardness and malice, joy
instead of sorrow. These are the fruits of the Spirit, and come from You dear Lord, in whom there is
no bitterness, but true gentleness and mercy.

So Your Word accomplishes all Your will, Dear Lord. We shall go out with joy, and be led forth with
peace: the mountains and the hills shall break borth before You into singing, and all the trees of the
field shall clap their hands. There shall be fruitful trees instead of the thorn and brier. You, O Lord,
shall receive all the glory and the fame, for Your work is eternal and we shall never perish nor be
brought to shame.
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4 Behold, I have given him [for] a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people. 5
Behold, thou shalt call a nation [that] thou knowest not, and nations [that] knew not thee shall run
unto thee because of the LORD thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee. 

6 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: 

7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the
LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. 

8 For my thoughts [are] not Your thoughts, neither [are] Your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 

9 For [as] the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than Your ways, and my
thoughts than Your thoughts. 

10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth
the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the
eater: 

11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall
accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper [in the thing] whereto I sent it.

12 For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break
forth before You into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap [their] hands. 

13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle
tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign [that] shall not be cut off.” (Isa
55:4-13 AV)

The Son of God. Really.

He came to the most religiously literate people, whose prophets for thousands of years had predicted 

His coming. He fulfilled those prophecies in the most minute detail. He said he was the Son of God. 

Those who knew Him best said He was the Son of God. Millions since then have confessed Him to 

be the Son of God. He rose from the dead, as He said he would. He sent the Holy Spirit as He said He 

would. The Gospel was and is preached to the whole world as the prophets and He said it would.

His enemies tried to kill Him because He said He was the Son of God, for they knew that meant He 

was equal to God. He affirmed His equality in knowledge, works, life, judgment and honor. [John 5]

If Jesus of Nazareth is the Son of God and sits on David's throne in Heaven as He and the apostles 

said, then the world is in a heap of trouble. YOU are in a heap of trouble if you do not believe and 

obey Him. He is very patient and has great rewards for His people, but there are horrid judgments 

awaiting His enemies. Will you argue with HIM?

You can follow your own thoughts and dream impossible dreams, but if you are wrong about this, 

nothing else matters. He said, "Joh 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that 

believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." Will you take a chance 

that He was lying?