Sunday May 3, Daily Inspiration

SUNDAY

MAY 3, 2020

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RUSSELL SANDERS

5-3-2020

TONGUES AS THE EVIDENCE/SIGN

Some naysayers might try to say that the “upper room” experience was a one-time experience to usher in the “church age.” However, this scenario was repeated regularly in the early church and it still continues to this day. Let’s take a look at scripture to confirm it.

We obviously saw it in acts 2. Also, in acts 4:31 we see that as they prayed together, “the place was shaken where they assembled together, and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost.” It is clearly the same type of outpouring as happened previously.

We see it again in Acts 8:5-25 with “Simon the sorcerer” as a witness. The evangelist Philip went to Samaria to preach the gospel. Many Samaritans believed on Jesus. They got saved and were baptized in water. When word got back to Jerusalem, Peter and John were sent to confirm the work. Peter and John laid hands on these new converts and they were baptized in the Holy Ghost. This had to have been a spectacular outpouring because Simon (the sorcerer) wanted the power to also do this “Holy Ghost” thing and offered to purchase that power from the apostles. It is obvious that “speaking in tongues” was the sign he witnessed. The apostles rebuked him as he was not a believer, but a sorcerer seeking the power for profit.

Another example is in Acts 19 relating to Saul’s conversion (a/k/a Paul) on the road to Damascus. Being blinded, Saul went into Damascus and fasted for three days. Ananias was sent to minister to him. Saul received his sight and was “filled with the Holy Ghost.” (Acts 9:17)

Another remarkable account is given in Acts 10:44-48 when God sent Peter to Caesarea to the house of the Roman Centurion Cornelius. Cornelius had called together all of his relatives and close friends to hear Peter’s message. While Peter was still preaching, the Holy Ghost fell upon all of them and they spoke in tongues, (v. 46) and afterward were also water baptized. Peter reported back to those at Jerusalem (acts 11:15-18) how these gentiles had been baptized with the Holy Ghost (v. 16). He told them (v. 15), “as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning.”

We see it again in Acts 19:10-7, this time at Ephesus with Paul who encountered certain disciples (a dozen) who already were baptized believers but did not know of the Holy Spirit’s outpouring. Verse 6 says “and when Paul had laid hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them, and they spake with tongues and prophesied.”

There surely were too many accounts to record them all. It is clear from other scriptures (which we shall see next time) that this was a frequent and very normal experience for the early Church. Tomorrow we shall delve into the deeper teachings of tongues from Paul’s writings. Stay tuned.

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HELEN SANDERS

5-3-2020

THE THREE PARTS OF MAN

In I Thessalonians 5:23 it states, “and the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ”.

We are made up of spirit, soul, and body . Discipline is necessary for all of “ the us ” to become the very best in each of these three parts of who we are.

First of all, we deal with the spirit of man/woman. How do you discipline your spirit ? The first step is for your spirit to be born again. Then, your spirit is disciplined by following the Spirit of God. Jesus said in John 14 “and I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth….” The Holy Spirit guides us into all truth. So, how do you know what truth is? You know truth by reading and studying the Word. Jesus wants us to crucify the flesh daily and be led by our spirit. When our spirits are in control, led by the Holy Spirit, we cannot fail. We do this by opening the ears of our spirit to listen to the guiding of Holy Spirit, who guides us into all truth. Sounds simple, right? Well, it isn’t that simple, because we have to deal with the rest of “us”.

The second part is our body . Our body likes to tell us what to do. It tells us where to go, what to eat, what to wear, and what to do with our senses—taste, touch, and feel. Our body, also, must come under control of the Holy Spirit if it is to be set apart, or disciplined by Jesus. We are to deny our body (flesh) the things that are not good for it, and the temptations that will always be there. How do we do that? Once again, we do it by studying the Word and realizing what is good for us.

Then we have to deal with the rest of “us”, the soul . That one is the hardest, because it is made up of the mind, the will, and the emotions. The mind always wants to figure things out, the will wants to do things its way, and the emotions get upset when things don’t go its way. How do we control the soul? The same way as the body and the spirit. We have to put it under the discipline of the Holy Spirit in order to walk the right way. This takes discipline, which is not a bad word. It is a word that is necessary to become the person led by the Holy Spirit and controlled by God’s leading.

Easy? No, but it is possible, or Jesus would not have said to do it. Any child that is not disciplined becomes out of control, and any disciple of God’s that does not discipline themselves (in spirit, soul, and body) is also out of control. Learn discipline, and you learn how to live the victorious life of being Spirit-led and not self-led. Read some scripture daily and get a bible with a concordance so you can look up topics that you struggle with. Take time to meditate on the scriptures and let them feed your spirit. This will help you make the right choices when necessary. One step leads to another, and soon you are walking in total victory in spirit, soul and body.

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