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How Do I Get The Holy Spirit?

6/5/2013

In yesterday’s blog I compared the power of the Holy Spirit to power steering on a car. Driving takes more effort without power steering; without the Holy Spirit it takes more effort to go through life. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit from the Father to give us power for living. The Holy Spirit is a free gift, yet most Christians misunderstand how a person receives the Holy Spirit.

Nickey Gumbel in the Alpha Course says, “Every Christian has the Holy Spirit, but not every Christian is filled with the Holy Spirit.” The Holy Spirit is active and present when a person becomes a Christian. It is like a pilot light on a furnace or stove. Being filled with the Holy Spirit is like turning the switch on and the pilot turns the burners on to full.

The Bible says we receive the Holy Spirit by eagerly desiring, asking God, and believing.
1 Corinthians 14:1
Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy.
Luke 11:9-13
“So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
11 “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”

Perhaps you have experienced being in a room with a person, but not being acknowledged or received because the person you had an appointment with was busy on the phone or with something else. Once their conversation ended they looked you in the eye, shook your hand, welcomed and received you. The Holy Spirit is in the room at salvation, but not received, much like a gift that is unopened.

The Bible describes people receiving the Holy Spirit during the preaching of the Word, by having hands placed on them in prayer, some received after water baptism, others before water baptism, but always after salvation. If you desire the full burners of the Holy Spirit on in your life, ask and believe today and be completely immersed and baptized with Him.

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no power steering

6/4/2013

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There are not too many circumstances when you would be driving without power steering in your car. It would happen if you were to drive a vintage car manufactured before power steering was available or a standard option. The more likely occurrence is when the power steering pump in your car dies. You realize how hard it is to turn and it is especially difficult parking. Driving without power steering in a car really is a lot of work.

If a person had a car without power steering and they had the option to acquire that feature for free, it would be foolish for them to turn the offer down. The Holy Spirit gives the believer in Jesus Christ power for living.

Acts 1:8
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Acts 10:38
how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how He went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with Him.
Romans 15:13
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:19
by the power of signs and wonders, through the power of the Spirit of God. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ.
1 Corinthians 2:4
My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power,
Ephesians 3:16
I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,
1 Thessalonians 1:5
because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake.
2 Timothy 1:7
For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.

The Holy Spirit is a free gift, yet most Christians do not realize this is an option to acquire or they turn it down. Most Christians are not using this power and are still trying to drive through life on their own effort instead the strength of the Holy Spirit. Tomorrow’s blog will look at the great misunderstanding of how a person gets the power of the Holy Spirit.

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Why Did Jesus Do That?

11/30/2012

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Do you ever read the Bible and come away with more questions than answers? I am puzzled by a certain action that Jesus did to His disciples that I do not have a good answer for this question.

The gospel of John records Jesus telling His disciples about the Holy Spirit in chapters 14-16. Jesus explains that He will go to the Father and send the Holy Spirit. Jesus is crucified, risen from the dead and meets with his disciples and tells them to receive the Holy Spirit before He goes to the Father.

John 20:22 And with that He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”

It appears they did not receive the Holy Spirit on that day because 40 days later Jesus tells them to stay in Jerusalem and wait for the Holy Spirit.

Acts 1:4-5
On one occasion, while He was eating with them, He gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.

Why did Jesus breath on His disciples and tell them to receive the Holy Spirit before He ascended to the right hand of the Father?

I am not convinced by those who say the disciples did receive the Spirit when He breathed on them. I am not convinced Jesus breathed on them to prepare them to receive the Holy Spirit fifty days later. I am still wondering, “Why did Jesus so that?”

Any thoughts?

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Why is Water Baptism a Big Deal?

8/13/2012

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This past Sunday we had a water baptism for eight people in a lake near our church. Water baptisms are very impacting for the person getting baptized and for those observing the baptism. In the transformational journey of a person following Jesus Christ, there are significant events that stand out. When a person commits their entire life to Jesus Christ, accepting His work on the cross for their sins and making Jesus their Lord it is a big deal. When a person invites the Holy Spirit to be more than an agent of their salvation, but asking the Holy Spirit to be their moment by moment guide, counselor, and teacher of their life it is a big deal. So what is the big deal about getting immersed in water as an outward symbol of something that has already happened inwardly?

Chris Shinnock, the Connections pastor at Manna Church in Fayetteville, North Carolina, says it is a big deal and uses the acronym of DEAL to tell us why.

Demonstration – it is a beautiful demonstration of the gospel; believe and be baptized.
Expectation – it is an obvious expectation of the gospel. Two ordinances the church is commanded to carry out is Communion and Water Baptism. It is expected that every Christian is to be water baptized.
Amplification – it is a radical amplification of the gospel. It signals loud and proud an identification with Jesus Christ.
Liberation – it is a liberation by the gospel. Sin habits and fears can be left in the waters of baptism.

Water baptism is a big deal and was evidenced by the moving experience we had Sunday as a church family celebrating what Jesus has done in the lives of eight individuals. Tears, cheers and prayers gave thanks and glory to Jesus Christ who has changed us by His love.

Matthew 28:18-20
18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

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Leave the Water Running!

6/27/2012

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Our church, my household and I have made steps towards “going green”. River of Life has reduced its paper usage by more than 50%. A major reduction was posting the church calendar, events and our bulletin (for those who missed a service) on our web site www.riveroflifehome.com. Most of the church’s communication is by email or texting. At home we recycle, carpool to work, set the thermostat to use less energy and reduce waste as much as we can. God has given humankind the responsibility to care for the earth.

Going green includes conserving water, even in this land of 10,000 lakes. I was disappointed this morning when I heard the water running and realized I had left the sprinkler going overnight. I usually set the oven timer to remind me to shut it off, but I moved the sprinkler to a new spot and was only running it a brief time before I went to bed.

I was watering a portion of our yard that was reseeded and the overnight soaking will actually be better for it than just the hour I had planned to water that spot. There is a spiritual metaphor in this. There are times it is good to leave the water running.

The Holy Spirit is described as wind, fire, and water. The apostle Paul writes about the Holy Spirit and uses terms like poured, filled, and over flow. Just like lawns that are parched and brown because of the lack of water, our lives get parched and dry. We need to be soaked and filled by the Holy Spirit. Our prayer each day should be, “Lord, fill me with Your Holy Spirit this day and keep the water running.”
Romans 5:5
And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.
Romans 15:13
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

How do you stay filled by the Holy Spirit?

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Mark's World and God's World

5/22/2012

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God’s world is so much different than my world. The way He chooses to do things is so much better than the way I do things.

In my world, if expectations are not met the consequences are negative. When our children were growing up, an unpleasant summertime activity was weeding the garden. There was a greater success if there was a specific reward when the weeding was complete. If the garden was weeded in the morning I would take them swimming, or some reward for their success.

If they breached the unwritten contract there would be a new contract without a reward and perhaps a punishment. Because they did not finish weeding, they were not going swimming and they had to clean their rooms instead.

God operates much differently.

Jeremiah 33:31-32
“The time is coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.
32 It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand
to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them,”
declares the Lord.

Right now I would be holding my breath wondering what harder task is ahead because of failing to do what God wanted us to do in the first written contract or covenant. But God’s new covenant is BETTER than the old covenant. God begins to explain that the sacrifices will end because Jesus will be the perfect sacrifice for our sins on the cross. Jesus will be our High Priest whom we can have a relationship with God through, not just the priests in the temple. The Holy Spirit will be God’s guide in our minds and hearts.

Jeremiah 31:33-34
“This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord.
“I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.
34 No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the Lord.
“For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”

Instead of a more restrictive or punishing covenant, God gave us a SUPERIOR covenant. I am glad God is in charge and not me, because I need to operate more like God in my life.

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Gifts of Power & Grace

4/20/2012

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I am writing this blog from the TrueBridge Conference held at City Hill Fellowship in Eden Prairie, Mn. The conference began last night and runs through Saturday noon. The theme is, Equipping the Church Through gifts of Power and Grace.” Rich Kao, pastor of Five Stones Church in Vancouver is the main speaker.
Highlights from last night:
>Prophetic word during worship: the Holy Spirit is leading the church into a new place with new steps, different from how He has moved in the past
>Rich challenged us to have a robust theology of the Holy Spirit.
>The book of Acts contains 21 acts of power and 46 acts of grace
>Do not let the book of Acts become the book of Drats
    -Drats, we could have shared the gospel if we had waited on the Holy Spirit.
    -Drats: we could have healed the lame man if we had waited on the Holy Spirit
    -Drats, we could have been generous if we had waited on the Holy Spirit.
    -Acts instead of Drats.
>"Is the Holy Spirit baked in the cake or sprinkled on top for decoration?" Rich Kao
Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Three Things Found in Acts 1:8
1.    Third Person of the Trinity – the Holy Spirit
2.    Global Mission
3.    Personal Engagement

Four Tips to Grow in Gifts of Power and Grace
1.Saturate your heart with the Gospel.
2.Get practical. ie Helping your neighbors/neighborhood.
3. Have a bias towards action.
4. Prove your consistency of love and grace.

How to live in the gifts of Power and Grace
>All of us have a capacity for the Holy Spirit.
>Find your gift - your strength zone.
>Get mentoring in your strength zone.
>Understand how the annointing works.
>Practice, practice, practice.

What helps you live each day under the anointing influence of the Holy Spirit?
Comment here:

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Who is Here?

3/28/2012

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The approaching Easter celebration has caused me to ask some questions about which ones of the Trinity are here n earth. Is it correct to say that the Holy Spirit is the only person of the Trinity that is present on the earth today?

Where is God the Father?
Psalm 47:8
God reigns over the nations; God is seated on His holy throne.

Where is Jesus?
Acts 1:11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

Where is the Holy Spirit?
John 6:7-13
7 But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. 8 When He comes, He will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; 10 in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 11 and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.
12 “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13 But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; He will speak only what He hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come.

The Holy Spirit is active in our world among believers and unbelievers.
What about God being omnipresent, everywhere at the same time?
What about Jesus saying the when two or three come together in His Name, Jesus is with them?
Both true.

How do you resolve this conflict?
Is the Holy Spirit the only person of the Trinity here on earth or is the Father and the Son still here even though the Bible says they are seated together in heaven?

Comment me with your biblical solutions.

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Hot Water Heater and the Holy Spirit

1/13/2012

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An electrical surge melted the disconnect box leading to our hot water heater. My wife and I noticed a burnt smell Sunday, as we were getting ready to leave the house for three days. The smell led us to the disconnect box which had blobs of melted plastic and burnt wires. I made a quick fix that upon returning home, Grandma told us she ran out of hot water the previous day.

I finished with repair #2 at midnight last night. Hoping it worked was turned to joy when hot water came out of the faucets the next morning!

The incident made me think of the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity. The Holy Spirit is eternal, immortal, and much like a power surge, He cannot be contained. Some of my experiences and encounters with the Holy Spirit have shorted my circuits. The Bible describes the Spirit as wind, water, breath, a dove, and fire. Fire.

Fire purifies. It is used to bring a hardening to a blade. The Holy Spirit can burn off the useless things in our lives and refine us to a purer, stronger person.

I am willing and wanting the Holy Spirit do a purifying, strengthening work in my life this year.
How?
By asking Him to come as a power surge in my life and burn off my character flaws and to bring tensile strength out of my weak areas.

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How Do I Get The Holy Spirit?

no power steering

Why Did Jesus Do That?

Why is Water Baptism a Big Deal?

Leave the Water Running!

Mark's World and God's World

Gifts of Power & Grace

Who is Here?

Hot Water Heater and the Holy Spirit

Mark Radeke

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