Acts
17:27
“That
they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him,
though he be not far from every one of us:”
**God is known in his creation,
and he is close to every one of us. But he is not trapped in his creation---he
is transcendent. God is the creator, not the creation. This means that God is
sovereign and in control while at the same time he is close and personal. Let
the creator of the universe rule your life. **
--Example:--
Mary was a chosen vessel to carry
the Messiah, Jesus Christ of the Holy Ghost. She was very obedient and faithful
towards God, and God had given her favor. She was a virgin with Child of the
Holy Ghost.
The Word in my life:
What blessing do I
need most from God? How can I feel the favor of God in my life? The Holy Ghost
is God’s approval, acceptance, and blessing on our life. The Holy Ghost is the
very real presence of God that we can feel. When we receive the Holy Ghost, we
become part of God’s family; we belong, we matter, we are accepted. We are no
longer outcasts or second-class citizens; we are part of His family.
*How do I prepare myself to feel
the favor of God?*
Favor can be interpreted as
suprising grace. If we want to feel the grace of God as Mary did, we must
possess the same Qualities-Faith, Humility, and Obedience.
1.
Faith-
Believe the Word of God
Hebrews
11:6
“But
without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must
believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek
him.”
The first step toward feeling the
favor of God is to believe what the bible teaches.
Romans
3:23
“For all have sinned, and come
short of the glory of God;”
Humanity had lost favor with God
because of sin, but through Jesus Christ we can be reconnected to God.
Romans
5:8
“But God commendeth his love
toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
-What
did Jesus Christ do to make it possible for me to feel God’s favor?
-Why
do I need Faith to feel the favor of God?
2. Humility/Obedience-Repent of
My Sins
2 Peter 3:9
“The Lord is not
slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering
to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to
repentance.”
The Second step toward feeling
the favor of God is repentance. We know that there is a step beyond simply
believing. Paul told the believers he met in Ephesus that they also needed to
be baptized and to receive the Holy Ghost.
Acts 19:1-6
“And it came to pass, that, while
Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to
Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, he said unto them, Have ye received the
Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, we have not so much as
heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. And he said unto them, Unto what then
were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism. Then said Paul, John
verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that
they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ
Jesus. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and
they spake with tongues, and prophesied. And all the men were about twelve.”
*Mark 1:8*
“I indeed have baptized you with
water: but he shall baptize your with the Holy Ghost.”
*Why isn’t belief in Jesus enough
to bring the favor of God into my life?*
1 John 1:5-7
“This then is the message which
we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no
darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in
darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: but if we walk in the light, as he is
in the light, we have fellowship on with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ
his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”
What is repentance?
1. Deep sorrow, communion, or
contrition for past sins, wrong doing.
2. Regret for any past action.
Why do I need to be baptized by
immersion in the name of Jesus to feel the favor of God?
John 14:6
“Jesus saith unto him, I am the
way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
1 John 1:7
“But if we walk in the light, as
he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus
Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”
What are the three
steps I need to take to prepare myself to receive the favor of God in my life?
-Faith
-Humility
-Obedience
*After you have repented and are
obedient to God’s word regarding water baptism in the name of Jesus, you’re
ready for the confirmation of God’s favor on your life—the Holy Spirit.*
Ephesians 1:13
“In whom ye also trusted, after
that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also
after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise,”
The Bible is God’s message to
humanity. God speaks to us through His written word.
2 Timothy 2:15
“Study to shew
thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly
dividing the word of truth.”
Romans 10:14
“How then shall
they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in
him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?”
*The bible tells us
in (John 4:24) that God is a spirit and often refers to God using the terms of
Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit. An individual can actually feel the power of God
dwelling inside. The Holy Ghost will give you the power to live a new life. It
is the guarantee of your inheritance of eternal life—feeling the favor of God
for endless ages!*
John 4:24
“God is a spirit :
and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”
What
is the Holy Ghost?
John 14:15-17
“If ye love me,
keep my commandments. 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; whom
the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye
know him; for he dwelleth in you, and shall be in you.”
How
do I know that the Holy Spirit/Holy Ghost is necessary for salvation?
John 3:4-6
“Nicodemus saith unto him, How
can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his
mother’s womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, Verily, I say unto thee,
except a man be born of water of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom
of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the
spirit is spirit.”
Romans 8:9-11
“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. And if Christ be in your, the
body is dead because of sin; but the spirit is life because of righteousness.
But if the spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he
that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by
his spirit that dwelleth in you.”
Praise- A fitting response to the Holy
Spirit in your life is praise. To understand God’s love for you and to feel His
favor in your life brings spontaneous, eruptive praise to the One who offers
unconditional acceptance!
Witness- Your life will be filled with
Joy that will overflow to others. Just like Mary, feeling the favor of God
involves bearing Jesus. We must take Jesus to others who have not yet
experienced His gracious acceptance.
Did God hear the
prayers of Cornelius? Did Cornelius receive the gift of the Holy Ghost? Was he
baptized in Jesus’ name? (From Acts 10)
Cornelius was a God fearing Man
strongly attracted to the Jewish teaching of monotheism (the belief in one
God), as opposed to pagan idolatry and immorality, and to the concern expressed
in the law of Moses concerning the helping the poor and needy. He is introduced
in the book of Acts as a representative of thousands in the Gentile world who
were weary of paganism and who were hungry for the coming of the Messiah-the
Christ who would deliver them from their sins and lead them into an abundant,
Spirit filled life. God sent a heavenly vision both to Cornelius and to Simon
Peter. Obeying his vision, Cornelius sent some of his men to Joppa, to find
peter. Peter, in turn, obeyed his vision (which he interpreted to mean that
Gentiles were to be included in Christ’s message ) and went to Cornelius. While
Peter was still preaching to Cornelius and his household, the Holy Spirit fell
upon all those who heard the word. And peter commanded them to be baptized in
the name of the Lord.
**Apply this to your life: By now
you know that God is your loving Father who hears and answers your prayers.
Your Heavenly Father wants only the best for your life, and He is no respect of
persons. Continue to seek Him daily. As you pray repent of any wrongdoing; then
ask your Father for His gift of the Holy Ghost. If you ask Him, he will give it to you. When you receive
the gift of the Holy Ghost, you will speak in an unknown tongue, as God’s
spirit gives you the ability.
By Dinah Ramos
No comments:
Post a Comment