Wonderful Jesus!

Isaiah 50:4- “The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary…”
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    • America! Divided We Fall!

      Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on January 8, 2021

      Matthew 12:25 – “But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.” NKJV

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      I know it’s on your mind! It’s on the minds of people all over the world, so I interrupt my blog to say, “America! Don’t you understand that divided we fall?”

      I’ve blogged before about how all of this tension could lead to civil war. This is scary, because it makes it seem even more real than my imagination.

      I’ve read fiction and non-fiction books about the Civil War. I’ve seen documentaries and movies about the Civil War! And can I just remind us all that it was a terrible time in our history!! We don’t want to repeat it!

      Jesus said that a kingdom divided against itself would not stand but fall to desolation. Not us, fellow citizens! Please, not us!

      We need to find a place of common ground as citizens and begin to make every effort to reunite as a nation. We need to put a stop to this type of behavior swiftly and decisively. And we need our politicians to stop thinking about their parties and their power and to begin to think about the safety of America! It’s why we voted them in!

      But as Christians, we are not without fault. God gave us our marching orders in the Old Testament:

      If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14 – NKJV

      Christians, we have some repenting to do! And again in the New Testament:

      I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought. 1 Corinthians 1:10

      As a body, we are in error. The division in the United States is really sad, and it’s wrong. The division in the Church is heartbreaking. Democrats, Republicans, and Independents alike, it’s time to pray for unity! It’s time to walk in unity! It’s time to show the world Jesus!

      I end with this! I saw a legislator praying her heart out during the chaos! That is the picture of the church the world needs to see! I commend her and join her in prayer for our nation, and for each other!

      Lord, how I love America! With all of its faults, it’s still my country of birth and my country of choice. I don’t want to see us fighting amongst one another. I understand that we have a lot of serious issues in our country that need to be addressed, but I pray that You will help us find the solutions. Help us to not take matters in our own hands. Help us to recognize truth and shun deception. Help us to forgive and to heal. God, there’s no accomplishing anything good without You. Help us to remember what we have obviously forgotten: how families fought against one another in the Civil War and was forever torn apart. God, help us! How friends fought against one another, even being responsible for one another’s death, because no one wanted to work things out. Oh God, not again! Not in my America! Please forgive us for leaving You out of the equation, or for thinking that you were a part of what You were never a part of! Jesus, we need divine intervention and protection in our land. Lord, Lord, Lord, we call out to You this day! Do what only You can do in the manner in which only You can accomplish! And Lord, help our leaders to make wise decisions that will bless and benefit our nation more than themselves. And before I forget, thank you for protecting them on yesterday. In Jesus’ Name! Amen! Wonderful Jesus!

      Posted in Christian, Deliverance, Jesus, Social Justice | 1 Comment | Tagged America at odds, chaos in the Capitol, Christian legislators, civil unrest, Democrats, division in the Church, division in the nation, healing for the land, Holy Spirit, Independents, Jesus, leaders, Prayer, Republicans
    • The Gift of God!

      Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on December 23, 2020
      Matthew 1:21 – “And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” NKJV

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      My heart is overflowing at this moment with joy, amazement, and excitement. Jesus is so good to me and my family, on purpose! When God sent Jesus, He sent us the very heart of His love for us. Who wouldn’t want to serve a God like this? Once I was watching a Christian program as an Arab believer shared of his faith in the Lord Jesus. He said words like this: All my life I was taught that I would have to die for my god. Then I met Jesus and realized that my God died for me! Glory Hallelujah!

      Today’s blog is called the gift of God. Six times in the word of God we will find this phrase, and I thought that it would be the perfect ending to the gifts we receive from the Lord. It’s not the end, or the complete list, just the way I am choosing to end this series of blogs.

      In John, chapter 4, we find this phrase:

      John 4:10 -Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” NKJV

      In Bethlehem, over 2,000 years ago, God gave us a gift- Jesus! He is the gift of God that just keeps giving and giving and giving. He told the woman at the well, that if she knew the gift of God, she would have asked Him for living water and He would have given it to her! When we know the “the gift of God” He continuously supply us with life giving water. He is the gift above all other gifts and should treasured everyday of our lives.

      In Romans and Ephesians we also find this phrase:

      Romans 6:23 – “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” NKJV
      Not only is Jesus, the gift of God, but also through Him we receive another precious gift. The gift of salvation! Remember He is the gift that keeps on giving! What do I value in life more than my salvation? Only my relationship with the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. When we are born again, it is the gift of God.
      Ephesians 2:8 – “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, NKJV
      In the book of Acts:
      Acts 8:20 – “But Peter said to him, “Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money!” NKJV

      Simon was a sorcerer in Samaria when Philip went there to minister to the people. As the message went forth, Simon believed. Then Peter and John went to see all the things that were going on in Samaria and prayed for the believers to receive the Holy Spirit. When the people were filled with God’s Spirit, Simon was so excited that he wanted to pay for that power. Then Peter told him, “your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money.” The Holy Spirit is the gift of God as much as Jesus is. He is to be treasured, not shunned. We should all desire His being poured into us as much as we desire salvation. He is from God, He is the gift of God!

      Lastly, in the book of Ecclesiastes we have this verse twice:

      Ecclesiastes 3:13 – “And also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor—it is the gift of God. NKJV

      Do you enjoy the benefits of your labor: bills paid, food on your table, roof over your head? It is the gift of God! You thought it was the result of your labors, but it is the gift of God that you have a house and you get to enjoy it! It is the gift of God that you bought a car, and you get to enjoy it! It is the gift of God that you can retire, and you get to enjoy it, and not someone else! You!

      Ecclesiastes 5:19 – As for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, and given him power to eat of it, to receive his heritage and rejoice in his labor—this is the gift of God. NKJV

      People complain about prosperity preachers. But did you know that having riches and wealth, and the ability to enjoy those things are the gift of God? Well, you know it now. Some might feel embarrassed to be wealthy, or even well off, but don’t be. God gave you this gift. Receive your heritage and rejoice in your labor. It is the gift of God!

      We serve such an awesome God. He shares so much of Himself with us. He wants us to be prosperous, to enjoy life, to experience Him and His salvation. It’s all available to us, as a gift. He won’t make us take any of it, but He has made it all available to us.

      This holiday season is unusual already with the COVID-19 restrictions in place. Let’s just go ahead and make it really unusual by opening our hearts to receive all the gifts that He has provided us with. On this Christmas Day when your natural gifts may be limited, know that your spiritual gifts are yours for the asking! I truly pray that you and your family will stay safe, celebrate responsibly, and enjoy each other in the Lord! Wonderful Jesus!

      Posted in Christmas, Gifts, God, Holiday Celebrations, Jesus | 3 Comments | Tagged Believer, Christian, Gifts, Holy Spirit, Jesus, love, miraculous, Peter and John, prosperity, Salvation, Simon the sorcerer, testimony, the gift of God, wealth
    • Inspiration Gifts!

      Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on December 21, 2020

      Luke 1:67-68 – “Now his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying: “Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited and redeemed His people…NKJV

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      This week is the Christmas week. Schools have dismissed for the holidays, and stores are having their “biggest sale of the year” to make as much money as they can before Christmas Day! All month, I have used a verse from the account of the birth of Jesus as we have approached this exciting holiday. Whatever we feel about it, He is still the reason for the season for most of us!

      Today, I will conclude my look at the manifestation gifts, or the charisma gifts of the Spirit. We have already gone over the power gifts, and the revelation gifts. The gifts that remain are the inspiration gifts, the gifts that say something. Just a reminder that all of the gifts are supernatural in their administration, and should not be used for any purpose other than what He intended, to benefit the Body of Christ.

      1 Corinthians 12:10 – “to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.” NKJV

      The inspiration gifts: prophecy, different kinds of tongues, and interpretation of tongues, are the most controversial gifts of the mix. Why? I don’t know for a fact! But I believe it is because tongues is so misunderstood in the church, and having a gift that includes tongues, for some, may be a little much. Anyway, I am a staunch believer in the “whole” counsel of the word, so I believe in all of the gifts, and have seen them operate under the anointing enough to know they are real.

      The gift of prophecy. In our key text, Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost and he prophesied. This is how the gift works. In his case, it could have been a once in a lifetime manifestation, but the gift of prophesy is activated by the Holy Spirit, as are the other eight gifts. Zacharias suddenly began to speak what was placed in his spirit, or his heart, as the Holy Ghost moved upon him, and he prophesied. Throughout the Bible there are many such instances where individuals prophesied. These people were not considered prophets, but the Spirit moved upon them and gave them a word to “speak” to the people. As such, they prophesied. In order for this to be a gift, and not just a response to the overwhelming presence of God, it must occur frequently in the life of the believer.

      I want to veer for a moment and point out that Zacharias didn’t get everybody’s attention by saying, “Thus says the Lord!” Or by saying, “The Lord is saying to me…”. I’m not mocking people who do start out like this, I’m just pointing out that the gift is not to bring attention to the individual, but always, always, to God. This gift has been released in the body to bring edification, exhortation, and comfort to men (1 Corinthians 14:3).

      The gift of tongues. I have already written about the baptism of the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in tongues. That isn’t this gift. It looks the same, yet it is different. Another thing about tongues, is that it’s one of two gifts that is only seen in the Church age, because the baptism of the Holy Spirit happened after Jesus’ resurrection. The other one is the interpretation of tongues. Maybe this is another reason is it not widely accepted as genuine, because we only learn about it from the early Church.

      A person who has been given the gift of tongues, will receive a message from God in a tongue. That tongue is not known by the individual, and thus it is supernatural. However, during the Azusa Street Revival, people who received the gift of tongues was said to have miraculously gained the ability to speak and understand a new language they had never learned. These individuals would then go to that country and become a missionary. On a more “normal” understanding of the gift of tongues, a person would receive an unusual language, or a known language, that would have a prophetic message within it.

      This brings us to the interpretation of tongues. Whenever the gift of tongues is in operation, someone with the gift of interpretation of tongues must be present to let the people know what is being said. The same person can have both gifts and can speak in the tongue and interpret it. These gifts operating together equals the gift of prophecy. Again, they are for the edification, comfort, and exhortation of the hearers.

      One man shared this testimony: He was invited to church by a friend. He didn’t realize it was a Pentecostal service, but when he did realize it, he didn’t want to be there. Suddenly someone began to speak in tongues. As the tongue went forth, it was his native language. The message that was given really ministered to him. After service he went to the person and began to speak to him in his language thinking the man knew his language. But he did not. He realized then that God had set it up for him to receive that message, resulting in his salvation and in him receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit. I have heard this type of testimony on many occasions.

      When a tongue is interpreted, it is not word for word. The tongue could be long, the interpretation could be short. And vice verse. But the message, from God, will encourage and bless those who hear it. It could even be a direct message for a particular person, like in my example.

      After I was baptized in the Holy Spirit, I was given a message both in tongues and in English. We were in Bible study, and the Spirit of the Lord moved on me to speak in tongues. After I finished speaking in tongues, I heard a clear word in my spirit and just said what I heard. When our pastor got up to teach his lesson, it was on the very thing that I had spoken or interpreted from the tongue. The Spirit confirmed his teaching for the evening. It shocked me. I knew I hadn’t made it up at that point, and I knew I didn’t have prior knowledge of the message, so the Holy Spirit encouraged me to trust Him when He moved on me. That night, the church was eager to hear what the pastor had to share and we had a move of the Spirit during the service.

      These gifts of inspiration, or utterance, are designed to encourage the Body of Christ. People leave refreshed, comforted, and strengthened after these gifts are in operation. They can be abused, but again, that doesn’t give us the right to throw them out.

      As I come to a close on these gifts, I want to remind you that I know I have not shared all there is to know about the gifts. I also know that I have been very general in what I have been sharing. Again, my intent was just to think about Christmas, not only as gift giving time, but as a time to receive and enjoy the gifts that Jesus has given to us through His Spirit.

      When we were growing up we used to say, what you don’t know can’t hurt you. But that is so not true. If you don’t hear that a flood is coming to your area, and it comes, you most definitely can get hurt. If we don’t have the information we need to be successful in our walk with the Lord, it most definitely can hurt us. It can also stunt our growth, or keep us in bondage to fears of the unknown. I’ve never experienced the pleasure of skiing down a mountain, but I know for many it is a wondrous experience. When I think of sliding down a mountain on two skis at a slow pace, it feels me with dread. Therefore, I would avoid this experience at all cost. But the people who experience it, anticipate it and highly recommend it. Just because we have not experienced something, like the gifts in our life, or we have not even had a positive experience with them, doesn’t negate them, or the blessing that they are in the lives of others. And can be in yours!

      This Christmas, let’s open our hearts to all of who Jesus is and to all that He has for us. Praying you and your family will have a very safe and happy holiday celebration! Wonderful Jesus!

      Posted in Christmas, Gifts, Holiday Celebrations, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Spiritual Gifts | 0 Comments | Tagged gift giving, gift of interpretation of tongues, gift of prophecy, gift of tongues, gifts of inspiration, Holy Spirit, Jesus, miraculous, speaking in tongues, supernatural, testimony
    • Revelation Gifts!

      Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on December 18, 2020

      Luke 2:25-26,34-35 -And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ…Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” NKJV

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      Sticking with the theme of Jesus’ birth, today’s key text is actually not long after His birth. Luke informs us that according to the Law, every male that opened the womb was holy to the Lord. Since Jesus was Mary’s firstborn, He was presented at the temple with the appropriate sacrificial offering. However, on that day, the Lord impressed upon Simeon to go into the temple, and there he saw the Messiah!

      The gifts I will briefly mention today are called the “revelation gifts”, they reveal something to someone. The power gifts are action gifts that causes things to happen, but the revelation gifts reveal something, unknown, to an individual. Let’s take a look at these important gifts.

      In our key text, Simeon came into the temple and beheld Jesus. Then he shared some things by the Spirit. These revelation gifts can be prophetic, but when they manifest, they are gifts unto themselves. Simeon revealed by the Spirit:

      • Jesus was a light for revelation to the Gentiles
      • Jesus was the Glory of the people of Israel
      • Jesus was destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel
      • Jesus was a sign that would be spoken against so that the thoughts of many hearts would be revealed
      • And a sword will pierce Mary’s soul.

      True to the word spoken to Mary that day was the very fulfillment of all that he said.

      The revelation gifts are found in 1 Corinthians 12 and are: the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, and the discerning of spirits. I believe Simeon gave Mary a word of wisdom. Let’s look at what each gift reveal.

      While there are differing opinions on how each of these gifts may or may not operate, I am just sharing from what I have studied through the years. This is not intended to be an in-depth study, just a “wet your appetite” to hope you will want to learn more about the gifts.

      I just want to say, if I have failed to say it already, that all of these gifts are supernatural. They are not operated in the flesh, and if they are, they have become polluted. However, when the Spirit of God manifests these gifts through an individual, they are amazing.

      The gift of word of wisdom. It is important to note that this is a word, meaning the person with this gift isn’t some “ole wise one” that everyone seeks for wisdom. And this wisdom is not to be equated with the wisdom that comes from reading and studying the word, or even age and life’s experience. This wisdom is best described as a word from God, a divine revelation that shares the purpose and plans of God. Some say this is the gift that helps us to know what to do with the word of knowledge, but if I am going off of my key text, as a word of wisdom, I would say it reveals the future.

      This word of wisdom can come in a number of ways. Generally speaking, someone operating as a prophet would be given a word of wisdom for the Church, the Body, or even an individual. But God can, and will use someone who is not considered a prophet.

      In the New Testament, Ananias was given a word about Saul. God revealed to Ananias that He had a work for Saul to do, that Saul was a chosen vessel to Him, and that Saul would bear His name before the Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. And lastly, the Spirit revealed that Saul would suffer much for His Name! Why did God tell Ananias all of this? Well, mainly because He wanted Ananias to go to see Saul and to lay hands on him; but Ananias was concerned about Saul’s background as a persecutor of the believers. Giving Ananias this information caused him to risk it all, so to speak, to do the will of God.

      Then there is the word of knowledge. This gift operates in revealing information about an individual or event. It can also be seen in this same situation with Saul and Ananias. God told Ananias that Saul was praying. He told Ananias that Saul was at Judas’ house on the street called Straight. He told Ananias that Saul had a vision of a man named Ananias coming in and laying hands on him that he might receive his sight. All of this information, God gave to Ananias, that he didn’t have prior knowledge of, so that he confidently go and do God’s bidding.

      The gift of discerning of spirits. This is not occult or New Age stuff. God really does give certain individuals, in the body, the ability to see into the spirit realm. The spirits that you can be allowed to see, by the will of the Spirit, are angelic beings and demonic beings. The discerning of spirits also involve being able to hear in the spirit realm, so your spiritual eyes and ears are open to the spirit realm.

      This is not the gift of discernment. There is no such gift. People say this when they feel they have a “good” read on people personalities or character. Witchcraft or psychological insight that tries to delve into a person’s spirit is forbidden by the Father. That’s not this gift. This is about being able to determine when the demonic realm is really in operation, or when angelic beings are really around, and why they are present.

      Remember in Acts 16 when Paul was followed by a young woman who kept saying that they were servants of the most high God? But then Paul turned around and rebuked the spirit that was talking through her. That was Paul discerning the evil spirit using her. The problem wasn’t with what she was saying, the problem was with who was saying it. As a fortune teller, Paul knew that evil spirit was trying to make it seem as if it was validating Paul and the others, thus, invalidating them. Sometimes the wrong person can say the right thing about you and it will work against you, because of that person. That is what was happening.

      These revelation gifts, as I have mentioned, can come through a prophet. But God can also manifest these gifts in other ways, like dreams and visions. Throughout the New Testament, and even in the Old Testament there are examples of Jesus, and His disciples, and many others, receiving information, supernaturally, about something or someone. These gifts are designed to build our faith, and to assist us in our walk with the Lord.

      I’ve decided not to share personal experiences or the experiences of others for these gifts. I know they have and can be abused. More so than the power gifts. But as I mentioned before, I just wanted to remind you that He has given us revelation gifts. They operate at the will of the Spirit and not of man. They can be amazing, but they are not for entertainment or showmanship. Anyone operating in these gifts, and receiving money to do so, pollutes the gift and brings reproach to the Holy Spirit. Yet, anyone operating in these gifts according to the Spirit of God, glorifies the Father, draw people to Jesus, and allow the Holy Spirit to use them for His Glory! Wonderful Jesus!

      Posted in Christmas, Gifts, God, Holiday Celebrations, Holy Spirit, Jesus | 0 Comments | Tagged Ananias, discerning of spirits, Gifts, God, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Paul, Prayer, revelation gifts, Saul, supernatural, word of knowledge, word of wisdom
    • Power Gifts!

      Posted at 6:40 pm by wonderfuljesus8, on December 16, 2020

      Luke 1:35 -And the angel answered and said to her, “ The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. NKJV

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      I know this isn’t traditional Christmas blogging, but I’m not traditional! Christmas is special, but it is nothing without the reality of who Jesus the Christ is today!

      The emblems of Christmas, all represent baby Jesus, but when I celebrate my birthday, or when you celebrate your birthday, we don’t go and find baby pictures and focus on the day we were born! The one thing that I do want to point out in regards to His birth is that “the power of the Highest” overshadowed Mary to bring about His birth! That very same power was evident in His life and ministry and is available to every believer today!

      I’ve been meditating on this title, “Power Gifts” for a few days now. I’m excited to share what the Holy Spirit has been sharing with me. First, let’s check out a few of those scriptures that talk about the power associated with Him:

      • Matthew 9:8- the people marveled and glorified God, who had given such power to men.
      • Mark 5:30- The woman with the issue of blood touched Him, and He perceived power had left Him
      • Luke 8:46- the multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all!
      • John 10:18- He had the power to lay down His life and to pick it up again!

      These scriptures just reference the truth of the power, but when you take a shallow look at His life, reading about all of the miracles that followed Him, you get a real solid picture of the truth, He walked in power!

      The beautiful truth about Jesus is that He was not stingy with that power. As a matter of fact, when He called the twelve disciples, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and disease (Matthew 10:1). When He returned to heaven He sent the Holy Spirit to earth, and again, He gave us access to power.

      Acts 1:8 – But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; …” NKJV

      In 1 Corinthians 12, the power gifts are mentioned: faith, gifts of healings, and the working of miracles (vv. 9-10). They are taken from the list of gifts that are also referred to as the manifestations of the Holy Spirit. These “charisma” gifts are gifts bestowed upon mankind because of the grace of God. In this chapter in Corinthians, we learn that He gives them as He desires, but everyone is given at least one of them.

      The doctrine of cessation states that while God can still perform miracles, He no longer uses individuals to do so. I don’t agree with this view for a couple of reasons: there is no scriptural proof that these gifts have ceased, and yet scripture does state that He has given them to us! Also, I have read many wonderful testimonies over the years of these gifts operating in the lives of individuals. But let me just say this, if I had never seen one single miracle performed in my life, I would still believe that He is the same today, that He was yesterday, and will be forevermore. Therefore, I really believe that the doctrine of cessation came from people who never saw a miracle, and this is how they explained that they had a relationship with God, yet had not experienced Him!

      If you don’t have electricity, and you have never experienced it, does that nullify the fact that I use it all day everyday? If you have never seen a great marriage, and have not experienced it, does that nullify the truth that I have a great marriage? No, and again I say no! A lack of experience with something doesn’t become a validation for if it is real. It just says that you haven’t experienced it! I’m just saying!

      Each of these manifestations of the Holy Spirit can happen in an individual’s life without another person being involved. However, the Holy Spirit has chosen to use people, to manifest His power through, and so that’s where I stand! With the word! Can it be abused? Yes! But the internet is abused, and yet I still use it. Doctors abuse their positions, teachers abuse their positions, even parents abuse their positions, but we don’t avoid these people in life or declare all of them as being rotten; because we understand that the abusers don’t represent the whole! So those who abuse the gifts of the Holy Spirit don’t get to represent those who do not!

      The gift of faith! Operating in faith, does not equate to having the gift of faith. The gift of faith turns the invisible into the visible; the intangible to the tangible, the impossible into the possible, on a regular basis! I think of Smith Wigglesworth when I think of this gift. Actually, all of the power gifts were evident in his life. Here’s a testimony I will never forget:

      A man came to one of Wigglesworth’s meeting and he had no feet. Wigglesworth didn’t pray for him, didn’t lay hands on him, but said that the man should go buy a pair of shoes. He went to the store, bought some shoes, and as he placed his limb in it, his feet grew! You don’t believe it? Not my issue to make you believe it! I’m just sharing! That’s how I understand the gift to operate. It’s like God speaking into your situation and it can be no other way but as it is said.

      Gifts of healings. I probably heard this somewhere and I’m just repeating it: All divine healings are miracles, but not all miracles are healings! All of these gifts are controversial. It takes faith to operate in them and faith to be a recipient of them. In other words, had the man with no feet not believed Smith Wigglesworth, and had not gone to get shoes, would he have gotten feet? Probably not! Does that make Wigglesworth a false prophet? Not at all.

      Matthew 13:58- Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief!

      If unbelief hindered Jesus, it will most certainly hinder us!

      Back to gifts of healings. This gift needs no explanation. People understand that this gifts of healings means that people who operate in this gift, get people healed on a regular basis. John Lake operated masterfully in this gift. Even the newspapers in Spokane, Washington wrote about the healings that took place in his healing schools. You’ll just have to look him up to hear some amazing testimonies of healings!

      This gifts of healings is plural for a reason. It is believed that no one individual has the power over all sickness and diseases, so the Spirit gave gifts of healings, instead of the gift of healing. It is taught that one person can have the gift to heal cancer, and another person can have the gift to heal diabetes, and so forth and so on. My belief on that take isn’t solidified!

      Lastly, the gift of miracles. These miracles are not limited to healings, but include all types of miracles. I like Heidi Baker for this category. As I have followed their ministry over the years, I hear of the dead being raised, food being multiplied, blind eyes seeing. All three of these individuals truly can be accredited with operating in all of these power gifts. Sometimes they operate simultaneously. Heidi spoke of a time when she had only enough food to feed her immediate family, but she had an orphanage of children who were hungry. They prayed over the food and began to serve it, and didn’t run out of food. That’s miraculous! Do they eat like that at every meal? No! Iris Ministries relies on donations like all other ministries. But they have seen God step in when man wasn’t available.

      These power gifts were given to the Church as an extension of the work and ministry of Jesus, through His Spirit. I’m not interested in looking for that which is phony, but I am hungry for that which is God! He did it before, He’s doing it now, and He will continue to do it until He comes back to get us. Faith accesses the power of God! It always has and it always will. This holiday season, let’s begin to open our heart to the power gifts He has made available to us! Wonderful Jesus!

      Posted in Christmas, Gifts, Holiday Celebrations, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Spiritual Gifts | 2 Comments | Tagged cessation, Christmas, Faith, healings, Holy Spirit, Jesus, miracles, power, power gifts, Spiritual Gifts, testimony
    • The Spirit of Love!

      Posted at 10:23 am by wonderfuljesus8, on December 11, 2020

      Luke 2:11-12 -For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” NKJV

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      In two weeks people all over the world will be celebrating the birth of Jesus. I know there are many who like to think of this time as just a fun holiday, celebrated with gifts, family, food and good times. They want to X Jesus right out of the season. They are more excited about teaching their children about a fairy tale man who will come down the chimney and leave them a bunch of toys. They don’t want to “lie” to their children about a Savior being born, but they will lie about Santa Claus coming to town! The logic of some!

      I remember when I first told my mom that I didn’t believe in Santa Claus. She seemed surprised that not only did I not believe in him, but that I didn’t have any desire to participate in the lie of a non-existent man bringing me toys. It hurt her more than it hurt me. He’s my least favorite part of Christmas! But that’s my personal bias!

      What makes this season so special, is the Spirit of love! Everything about the birth of Jesus was centered in the love of God for mankind.

      John 3:16-17 -For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. NKJV

      Right here, in this most familiar verse, is the truth of what the Spirit of love is all about. God wrapped Himself in His love, placed His Seed into Mary, and birthed Him into this earth, that He might save mankind. I love verse 17 as much as verse 16! God didn’t send His Son to condemn the world, but that the world through Him, might be saved! Spectacular! Love so freely released and so abundant, it was capable of being extended to the entire world, for ages to come.

      Here’s another power packed duo of verses about God’s love for us:

      In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 1 John 4:9-10

      On that day, when our Savior was born, the Spirit of Love was made manifest! God would now be able to tangibly touch His people with love in a way that He had not been able to touch them before. No more do we need to have a fearful, we can’t say His name because it’s too holy, outlook on the God of the universe! He is now touchable, relatable, and visible. No more standing afar off from Him because He came to be up close and personal. No more wondering what He meant, or if He could really love us, because He came to assure us of this truth! We are loved by God and He wants us to know it!

      Paul wrote in Ephesians chapter 3, that his heart was that we would know the love of God which passes all understanding. That love brought Jesus from heaven to earth! That agape love, that is unconditional, not based on us, but on Him, was released in a profound way, on the day Jesus was born!

      Jesus was a wonderful example of love when He walked this earth. He demonstrated daily a new kind of love. When the woman was caught in adultery, Jesus didn’t say, “I love you” with His words. But His actions spoke loud and clear of His love. When the widow of Nain was headed to the burial sight with her own son, Jesus didn’t say, “I love you” with His words, but His actions expressed His love with no problem. The way He cared for people, the way He embraced men, women, and children, the way He reached out to the “commoners” and the “sinners” without judgment; all demonstrated His love.

      Looking at Jesus’ life, He taught us how to love:

      • He said that anyone could love a friend, but when we loved our enemies, that was a real demonstration of love.
      • He said that there is no greater love, than the love of a friend, who will give His life for you. Then He died for us!
      • He said that we are not to just love our neighbors as ourselves, but love as He loved us. His love was without strings attached!
      • He taught us that forgiveness is steeped in love. That’s why He is so willing to forgive us.
      • He taught us that love will cause us to serve and obey Him, as it caused Him to serve and obey the Father.
      • He taught us that serving one another was an expression of love, and He washed His disciples feet!
      • And He said that if we want others to really believe that we are His, then we would show love to one another.

      Can I just say that in this climate, in which we find ourselves in America, with the political unrest, we need love sweet love. We have allowed our allegiance to political parties and individuals to override our love for one another. In the past weeks I have heard several different messages, from different ministers, reminding us of the words of Jesus: “By this all will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another!” John 13:5

      I believe God is speaking! I know He is speaking to my heart. I believe He is speaking to the hearts of His people. What we need right now in America is a move of the Spirit of Love, upon the church, then upon the land. We need to stop and think about how we look to Jesus, who taught us the true meaning of love, and how we look to the world, who don’t believe our God is real anyway.

      This holiday is full of the Spirit of love. Love for family and friends, and love for the Savior, who came to this earth for us. But if we aren’t loving one another, than are we truly loving Him? Steven Curtis Chapman wrote a song, “Love Take Me Over,” asking God to allow His love to take him over. Here is part of the chorus:

      Love, take these words that I’m speaking
      Love, take these thoughts that I’m thinking,
      Love, take me over.

      Today, ask the Spirit of love to overtake our hearts, His church, and our land like never before. The very last thing we want to see is our nation is another civil war. The very last thing we want to see is a greater divide in the Church. Spirit of Love begin to flow like never before! Wonderful Jesus!

      Posted in Christmas, God, Holiday Celebrations, Jesus, love of God | 0 Comments | Tagged civil war, encouragement, Forgiveness, God, God’s Spirit, Holy Spirit, Jesus, love, love of God, obedience, Salvation, Spirit of love
    • The Spirit of Praise!

      Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on December 9, 2020

      Luke 2:13-14 – “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” NKJV

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      I’ve been listening to Christmas music already! I am not a fan of the commercialization of Christmas, but I have to admit that I love the music of Christmas! There are a lot of anointed singers out there, but can I just say that I really enjoy listening to Mariah Carey’s “O Holy Night”? Don’t shoot me, if you don’t agree with my choice, but it is a beautiful song.

      Long ago, shepherds were watching their flocks at night. (I read a book recently of shepherds in Jerusalem in biblical times. It was a historical fiction, and I mention it because I never really thought much about this scene). In the book, the shepherds would bring the sheep in closer to their living space at night, and then someone would guard the sheep at night from predators.

      Imagine that it has been a long day, they have had dinner, and they are resting from their long day and preparing their minds for their long evening, when suddenly someone is standing before them. And not only has someone appeared before them out of nowhere, a stranger, but he is also surrounded by light. The Bible lets us know that the men were terrified. These men, who are out with a staff, walking the perimeter of their sheep pen all night to keep them safe, and they are suddenly terrified. This was no simple visitation of an angel!

      The angel speaks and says to the shepherds:

      “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” Luke 2:10-12 – NKJV

      Don’t be afraid! Are you kidding me? You popped up out of nowhere, with a light shining around you, and you say don’t fear? I’m pretty sure that those words, didn’t calm the hearts of the shepherds. And if those words did, then the next thing that happened sent them right back into panic mode:

      Luke 2:13-14 – “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” NKJV

      Think about this for a minute. Was the praise team invited to this announcement? Maybe! God orchestrates well! But what I believe really happened was that at the announcement of the birth of the Son of God, they couldn’t contain their joy and their praise was so glorious, God pulled back the curtains of heaven and allowed the shepherds to see and hear what was happening. It was a day of glorious high praise! The song, “Angels We Have Heard on High” pales in comparison to the song the angels sung.

      Now, my focus isn’t on Christmas per se! It’s on Jesus! I believe that this time of the year is filled with so many songs, special to the occasion, sacred and secular, because it’s a time of high praise! When we stop and think about Jesus coming into this world, all that He did, and all that He is still doing, it ought to cause our hearts to spring forth in praise, just as it did with the angels!

      Many times throughout Jesus’ time on the earth, people had the same reaction to Him. Let’s look at a few:

      Bartimaeus was blind. Because he was blind, he had to sit on the side of the road and beg for a handout. But one day Jesus passed by and changed his life!

      Then Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he received his sight, and followed Him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God. Luke 18:42-43 -NKJV

      You don’t need your imagination to understand the overwhelming sense of praise that came upon Bartimaeus that day. Not only did he receive his sight, he also had an amazing encounter with Jesus, and he didn’t have to beg for bread anymore! That’ll get you up and shouting! I want to shout for him and his victory even now! Glory!!

      At another time, Jesus began ministering to the multitudes:

      Then great multitudes came to Him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others; and they laid them down at Jesus’ feet, and He healed them. So the multitude marveled when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel. Matthew 15:30-31 – NKJV

      This word “glorified” comes from the same root word that “praise” in our key text comes from, doxa. A spirit of praise overcame them as they watched God’s marvelous works happen right before their eyes.

      Recently, a friend called me and asked me to pray for her daughter who had a severe allergic reaction to something. They had already been to the hospital to have it checked out, but her daughter was still in great discomfort, and was actually the one who wanted me to pray. So I did! Not only did God relieve the itchy skin, but the very next day, her skin was completely cleared up. She texted me not long ago to tell me that she was still clear! I want you to know that I danced all day when I got the praise report! When God shows up, it’s time to praise!

      I just have to share one more, because Jesus is just so wonderful to me and I believe you’ll like this point:

      Then, as He was now drawing near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen, saying: “ ‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!’ Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” Luke 19:37-38 – NKJV

      Even on his way to the cross, the people couldn’t help but give Him praise. As He entered Jerusalem, a spirit of praise swept through the crowd and they shouted with a loud voice the same message that the angels shouted at His birth! A praise of glory to the Highest, and peace this time in heaven!! They took up the cry of the angels without realizing it. It was so loud, that it made the Pharisees angry to think that a man could receive that much praise! First peace came to earth and now peace was returning to heaven! This is pretty awesome!!

      Of course, I couldn’t mention all of my examples in this one blog. It would be much longer than what I generally like to do. However, as I wrote about one example, another would come to mind. Not just biblical examples, but personal examples, of friends and family members, and church family members, and the body of Christ! He has done great things for us, and when we stop to think about Him in all of His goodness, the Spirit of praise is going to come upon you!

      I know some of us are having a tough time right now, but this blog was written with that in mind. Isaiah wrote, in a scripture that speaks of Jesus, that we are to put on the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. I won’t see my extended family this holiday season either, but I won’t let that get me down. I miss engaging with friends and family in person. I may never use zoom again when this is over, but today I am truly grateful for it! I can’t change anything about this holiday season except my attitude and outlook about it. And the same is true for you!

      Let’s embrace the spirit of praise that flows throughout this season. Sing your songs louder and longer. Dance around your bedroom or your home. Give Him glory for all that you can think of in your life and the lives of others, and soon the spirit of praise will be flowing through you! Wonderful Jesus!

      Posted in Christmas, God, Holiday Celebrations, Holy Spirit, Jesus | 0 Comments | Tagged Attitude, encouragement, God, hard times, Holy Spirit, Jesus, miraculous, praise, Prayer, spirit of praise, testimony
    • The Spirit of Christmas!

      Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on December 7, 2020

      Matthew 1:18 – “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.” NKJV

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      As we approach the Christmas season, I decided not to focus just on the birth of Jesus, but rather, on Jesus Himself. Whether you are a participant of the holiday season or a spectator, you have to admit that there is something exciting about this time of year. As much as we look forward to Thanksgiving Day, we immediately begin thinking that the holiday season has begun, meaning the time between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day.

      People begin decorating their homes and businesses, radio stations begin playing Christmas music all day long, and everyone begins vying for our money to become their money. Even with all that, we have the attitude of B. B. King, in his hit song, “Christmastime Comes But Once a Year!” This time of the year is so different from the rest of the year, that we have even heard much talk about the Spirit of Christmas. Today, I want to talk about the true Spirit of Christmas.

      In our text for today, Matthew summarizes the birth of Jesus in a few short verses. He writes that after the betrothal of Mary and Joseph, and before the wedding night, Mary is found with child of the Holy Spirit. He doesn’t elaborate on what happened, he just tells us that it happened.

      Luke on the other hand goes into more detail. He lets us in on the visitation of the angel Gabriel to both Zachariah and Mary. Both visits are life altering for the individuals involved, but only one visit would impact the world for all eternity! The angel told Mary that she was about to become pregnant and give birth to a Son. Not just any son, but the Son of the Highest. His name was to be Jesus, He was going to be great, and He would be given the throne of His father David! Wow! That’s a lot for someone take in at one time. But Mary did it!

      Here’s where things get really interesting. Mary is single but not quite. She is an upright young woman and getting ready to finalize her betrothal to Joseph with culmination of the wedding night. God interrupts their plans and their lives to bring Jesus into the natural realm. This had to be pretty unsettling. Yet, all Mary wanted to know was how would it happen? The angel said,

      “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God! Luke 1:35

      The Holy Spirit overshadowed Mary, causing the Seed to be implanted in her womb, that she would bring forth the Son of God, in the flesh. The true Spirit of Christmas is not in the music, not in the decorations, nor in the excitement that permeates the atmosphere; it is in the Spirit of the Living God who gave life to Jesus, God’s Holy Spirit! Most men would have been outraged with the turn of these events, and Joseph was no exception! When Joseph did find out, he wanted out. But the Spirit of God was the Conductor of all that was transpiring. He knew He could trust these two young people with a difficult, never have ever happened, and never will ever happen again, event! Remember our key text, “she was found with child”. Joseph knew it wasn’t his child, and he had difficulty believing that she was pregnant by a means other than the natural channel. So much so, that he sought a private annulment of the marriage. But God spoke to Joseph in a dream and told him what the Holy Spirit had done to bring this baby about, and Joseph surrendered his will and his pride to the will of the Father. That had to be tough on these two, they knew people would talk, but Joseph took Mary immediately into his home and six months later, Jesus was born. You guys know we are forever doing the math! They were worst in Joseph’s and Mary’s day! The Spirit had a hard time keeping everything a secret. He was excited about Jesus coming into the earth. He told two of His faithful followers about this exciting birth! Simeon was one of them.
      Luke 2:26 – And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. NKJV

      So on the day that Mary and Joseph presented Jesus in the temple, the Spirit caused Simeon to go to the temple at that exact moment. He not only saw Jesus, but he took Jesus in his arms and blessed God for letting him see Jesus before he departed the earth. Then Anna came in, at just the right moment, to witness the reality of the Messiah, her Savior. He had come to set His people free! Glorious day!

      Let’s go back to Jesus. He’s all grown up now, and has had at least 30 birthdays. He is getting ready to be released into ministry to accomplish the task God has set before Him.

      In John chapter 1, John the Baptist makes this declaration:

      John 1:32 – “And John bore witness, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him.” NKJV

      The Spirit of Christmas, God’s Holy Spirit, wasn’t just available to Jesus at His birth. He was available to Jesus throughout His life. After all, the Spirit of God, the Spirit of the Father, was Jesus’ true Father. Therefore, before Jesus began His public ministry, His Father, once again, sends His Spirit to Him. This time, the Spirit doesn’t give Him life, but He releases an anointing upon Him to fulfill His assignment. Luke writes about it in Acts:

      Acts 10:38 – “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. NKJV

      All that Jesus accomplished in His physical body, He accomplished because of the Spirit of God that gave Him life, and anointed Him for ministry. His Spirit is just as active today, in His Bride, and in His Church.

      Too often when we think of Christmas, we forget or miss what God was really doing in bringing Jesus in the form of man. It was even more exciting at that time, then it is today. When Jesus was born, the angels were so excited they had to step into the earthly realm and shout,

      And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” Luke 2:13-14 – NKJV

      The angels were excited about that first “Christmas” experience. They were excited about the greatest gift ever given, the gift of God, Jesus! They were excited from heaven’s perspective of all that He would accomplish for the Father. They were excited!

      I believe that even though Christmas has become so commercialized in our day, there is still excitement surrounding the commemoration of the birth of our Lord. It’s not His actual birth day, but it is when the Christian community and thus the world, remember it.

      As you celebrate Christmas this year, things will look different for most of us. Some of us will do what we want irrespective to what is happening with the virus. But most of us will comply, thereby, having a different kind of Christmas. The Spirit of Christmas, God’s Holy Spirit, is available to make this Christmas, one of the best, if not the best, you can imagine! Invite Him to you celebration and watch Him breathe life into your celebration! Wonderful Jesus!

      Posted in Christmas, Holiday Celebrations, Holy Spirit, Jesus | 4 Comments | Tagged Believer, birth of Jesus, Christian, coronavirus, Elizabeth, God, Holy Spirit, Jesus, John the Baptist, Mary and Joseph, miraculous, Salvation, the Spirit of Christmas, Zachariah
    • So Much More!

      Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on October 23, 2020

      Romans 14:17 – “for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. NKJV

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      There is so much more to the Holy Spirit, that I can’t even begin to exhaust the subject of Him. As I have mentioned before, there are some really great books out there. One of my personal favorites was written by John Bevere. I encourage you to study the word, to find out His role in your life, but it wouldn’t hurt to read a book, either! Thanks for hanging in there with me, as I’ve tried to share a few truths I’ve learned about the Holy Spirit.

      I believe passionately in the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. I’m sure I’ll come back to Him again and again! I also feel strongly about the baptism of the Holy Spirit. But today, I want to talk about Him from this perspective: there is so much more!

      Our text for today states that the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking. This is a perfect chapter to demonstrate an important aspect of the Holy Spirit, for in it, Paul is admonishing the body of Christ. He tells us that we are not to get carried away in what we eat or don’t eat because this is not what the kingdom of God is about. Understanding that at that time, they were coming together as a body of believers, made of Jews and Gentiles, and had concerns over the issue of what to eat and not to eat.

      They were also concerned over holy days and holidays. Again, Paul stressed the relative unimportance of these days, in relationship to the overall goal of being one in Christ. Much as many of us are still arguing over things like: to be immersed, or to sprinkle; to baptize in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, or just in the Name of Jesus. Should we be allowed to wear pants, or in today’s fashion world-leggings- or jogging suits to church? So many little issues that clog up the overall goal of advancing the kingdom of God. Should sin be allowed to infect the Body? Certainly not! But those things that are irrelevant in the whole scheme of salvation, should not be allowed to separate us!

      The kingdom of God is God’s rule and way of doing things. Jesus came preaching the kingdom, and commissioned us to go and do likewise. There’s much in the kingdom, and it will be my topic, soon, but for today’s post, I’m more focused on the end of the verse. The kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost!

      The kingdom of God is righteousness. Righteousness is being in right standing with God. This is accomplished by coming into a relationship with God through Jesus Christ! In the Strong’s the rendition is “the state of him who is such as he ought to be; the condition of being acceptable to God.” That’s what Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross made available to all who believe, that we would be acceptable to God. In a state of sin, we are unacceptable, but as believers, we are made the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus! (2 Corinthians 5:21)

      If we keep this verse in context, it also deals with our right relationship with others. It’s important to remember that God requires of us all to do the right thing in regards to others. Judging people on what they eat or don’t eat, the color of their skin, their economic state in life, isn’t right, and it isn’t godly. The Holy Spirit helps us to get this right in our relationships with others. Especially the household of faith!

      The kingdom of God is peace. Peace is a place of security, safety, prosperity; the state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ. In Ephesians, the Holy Spirit is mentioned as the guarantee of our redemption! Have you ever purchased a home and had to give a deposit to guarantee the seller that your interest was sincere? The Holy Spirit guarantees your salvation, He is your assurance policy. He also is there providing security, safety, and prosperity to those in the kingdom.

      In relationship to the context in which it is written, being at peace with one another is important. Arguing and being in constant dispute over things that bring division and discord, like food and drink, and what days to worship, and how to worship, is pure foolishness and doesn’t lead to peace. In the kingdom of God, peace that flows from the Holy Spirit should be flowing through us to others. Not a facade of peace, but the real deal that demonstrates our connection with the Spirit of God. We are to be people who want safety, security, and prosperity in our lives, and in the lives of those around us.

      The kingdom of God is joy! Cheerful, calm delight, and gladness is the kingdom. Joy isn’t based on what is happening around us, it is based on what is happening in us. Joy goes deeper than happiness, for it is rooted in our inner being. Happiness is external and subject to change. When there is joy in our lives, we are better equipped to spread joy to others. The Holy Spirit causes that joy to stay fresh, enabling us to radiate it, even when we are not thinking about it, or we don’t appear to have a reason for it. Everyone loves being around a joy filled individual. They look at life and see hope, and all that is good around them.

      In light of this verse, we are to bring joy, not pain and chaos into the lives of others. Hurting others, because of our need to feel superior, is not radiating from the Holy Spirit. Joy is meant to be spread to others, just as love is. When we purpose to allow joy to shine from us, in the midst of troubling times, it’s magnetic. People are drawn to it! People are drawn to the kingdom.

      Paul is writing to believers, and He is letting us know that in the Holy Ghost, we have access to righteousness, peace, and joy. That’s the kingdom! And as kingdom citizens, we should display righteousness, peace, and joy to others! I leave you with this thought:

      Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13 – NKJV

      He’s so much more than we ever thought, or could imagine! Taking time to get to know Him better, and allowing Him to have a place of importance in our lives will benefit us more than it will benefit Him. He’s just waiting for you, for us, to give Him a chance to show us so much more! Wonderful Jesus!

      Posted in Holy Spirit, joy, Kingdom of God, Peace, righteousness | 2 Comments | Tagged Holy Spirit, joy, Kingdom of God, Peace, relationships, righteousness, the Blood of Jesus, word of God
    • The Acts of the Holy Spirit!

      Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on October 21, 2020

      Acts 4:33 – And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all. NKJV

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      Traditionally, the book of Acts has been called the Acts of the Apostles. I’m not trying to rewrite biblical theology, but I am suggesting that this book, is more than the Acts of the Apostles, but it reveals the Acts of the Holy Spirit!

      From His great entrance in Acts 2, throughout the remainder of Luke’s writing, we see many scriptures filled with examples about what the Holy Spirit came to the earth for. It’s not surprising that we feel the apostles were the ones with power, who went about doing these greats things, because they did. However, the Holy Spirit had filled them full of Himself, distributing His power through gifts, to accomplish His will in the earth!

      Peter explained to Cornelius and his family how Jesus was able to do the wonderful miracles He did:

      Acts 10:38 – “how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.” NKJV

      This is the same method that the Holy Spirit used in the book of Acts. He was with the the disciples, allowing the power of God to flow through them, that they may be used by God to expand the kingdom of God, and He is doing the same thing for us! Let’s look at some things the Holy Spirit enabled some of the people in Acts to accomplish:

      • Peter’s first message, after receiving the baptism in the Holy Spirit resulted in a great conviction coming upon the people and three thousand souls were added to the church. (Acts 2:41)
      • Peter and John went to the temple and a man who was lame from birth was miraculously healed when He looked upon Peter. Yes, the glory goes to the power of the Name of Jesus, but it was the Spirit of God who did the healing through the disciples. (Acts 3)
      • Peter gives another powerful message (because he was filled with the Holy Spirit) and was noted as having great boldness. (Acts 4) Remember, this is the same Peter who denied Jesus three times, and then went fishing after the resurrection. Now he’s boldly proclaiming His name, being that witness with power!
      • The disciples gather, after Peter and John’s arrest, and pray for boldness and that miracles will happen when He stretch out His hand. How? By the power of the Spirit through them. And He filled them again! (Acts 4:31)
      • Ananias and Sapphira lied to Peter about how much they sold their property for, and Peter said that they had lied to Holy Ghost. They dropped dead at that proclamation! (Acts 5)
      • These disciples were walking in so much power of the Holy Spirit that people brought the sick into the streets that Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them so they might be healed. (Acts 5)
      • Stephen, full of the Holy Ghost, was full of faith and power and did great wonders and signs among the people! (Acts 6)
      • Philip was used by the Holy Spirit to do many miracles, including casting out demons and seeing the lame walk. (Acts 8)
      • The Holy Spirit told Philip to overtake the chariot that the eunuch of Ethiopia was in. After he completed his assignment, the Holy Spirit translated him to Azotus. (Acts 8). The commentators don’t agree on the distance, claiming it to be anywhere from 34 miles to 400, but however far apart they were, he was miraculously translated from one place to a different location.
      • Paul was miraculously converted and commissioned by Jesus to take the message to the Gentiles, but not before he was filled with the Holy Spirit. And Paul received a miraculous removal of the scales falling off his eyes.
      • Aeneas was healed of paralysis after being sick in bed for eight years. (Acts 9)
      • Peter was used to raise Dorcas from the dead. (Acts 9)
      • Handkerchiefs from Paul’s body were sent to others and they were healed, and evil spirits left them. (Acts 19:12)
      • Prison doors were opened, crippled people were able to walk, the dead was raised, demons were cast out, and a host of other things happened through the apostles, but by the work of the Holy Spirit!

      The point of the matter is this: that the disciples, after being baptized in the Holy Spirit became bolder in their life for Christ; and began to do the same things He did as the Holy Spirit moved upon them. This Holy Spirit is still alive and available to the Church today!

      I have personally seen the Holy Spirit do miraculous things. I have heard powerful testimonies of so much more. God is real! Jesus is real! The Holy Spirit is real!

      The whole reason for my blogs on the baptism of the Holy Spirit was to remind us that He is the same today, yesterday, and forever. What He required of the apostles and prophets in the Early Church, He is requiring of us in the last days Church. That we be filled with the power from on high! We can deny this is truth, but can we deny our continual inability to see a miracle because we don’t believe this? We can deny the tongue, but can we deny the supernatural testimonies of those who speak in tongues?What I suggest is this, let’s join Him in what He wants to do in these last days and believe for a great outpouring of His power upon all flesh! It’s time to see miracles! Wonderful Jesus!

      Posted in Holy Spirit, miracle, speaking in tongues, supernatural | 2 Comments | Tagged God, Healing, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Kingdom of God, miraculous, Salvation, speaking in tongues, supernatural, testimony
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