“Know ye that the LORD (Jehovah, Yehuwah) He Is God (Elohim): it is He that hath made us, and not we ourselves; for we are the His people, and the sheep of His pasture . . . .
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with Praise! be thankful (full of thanks) unto Him, and bless (praise) His name . . . . For the LORD God (Yehuwah Elohim) is a Sun and a Shield: the LORD will give Grace and glory:
And no good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly (in integrity and Truth) !” Psalm 100:3-4 & Psalm 84:11
For “Thy Word is a Lamp unto my feet and a Light unto my path !” Psalm 119:105
“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of Grace, that we may obtain mercy (compassion), and find Grace (the Divine Influence upon the heart, and It’s reflection as seen in the life) to help in time of need !”
Hebrews 4:16
It seems so sad that we praise God so little. Gratitude, praise, and thanksgiving need now to be searched for and cultivated as lost arts. They are more precious to the Lord Jesus than all the treasures of gold and silver which the earth contains. Every human being should appreciate the kindness and love wherewith God has loved us. When we were yet enemies Christ gave His Life that we might be saved. How much have we
appreciated this Gift?
In His instruction to His disciples Christ dwelt upon the great Gift of the Spirit, declaring that nothing was too great to be expected from the coming of the Divine Spirit. He longed to quicken and enlarge the conception of His disciples by communicating to them His Own complete appreciation of God’s love, that they might be able to comprehend the value of the Gift of all gifts, given by God with the giving of His beloved Son, — the gift of
the Holy Spirit.
On all who love and serve God this Gift has been bestowed. Christ has made provision for all to receive His Spirit; for He desires to see human nature released from the bondage of sin, and, by the power which God gives, renewed, restored, raised to a holy rivalry with the angels.
“But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the Old Testament (Covenant); which vail is done away in Christ ! . . . Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord (Adoni – Sovereign King) is, there is Liberty (freedom, as a citizen, and not as a slave, freeborn, exempt from liability) !” II Corinthians 3:14-17 and ref: Hebrews 10:14-20.
For “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed !” John 8:36
To the woman at the well Christ said, “If thou knewest the gift of God, and Who it is that saith to thee, Give Me to drink, thou wouldst have asked of Him, and He would have given thee Living Water. . . . Whosoever drinketh of the Water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the Water that I shall give him shall be
in him a Well of Water, springing up into everlasting Life.” John 4:10-14.
“It is the Spirit that quickeneth (renews Life), the flesh profiteth nothing: The Words that I speak unto you, they are Spirit and they are Life !” John 6:63
Yes; in giving the Holy Spirit, it was impossible for God to give more. To this Gift nothing could be added. By It all needs are supplied ! . . . For my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus(The Anointing of Yehuwah’s Salvation) ! . . . The Holy Spirit is the vital Presence of God . . . Christ in you, the Hope of Glory ! . . . and if appreciated will call forth praise and thanksgiving, and will ever be springing up unto everlasting Life. ref: Philippians 4:19 & Colossians 1:27.
The restoration of the Spirit is the Covenant of Grace. Yet how few appreciate this great Gift, so costly, yet so free to all who will accept It! When faith takes hold of the Blessing, there comes rich, spiritual good. But too often the Blessing is not appreciated. We need an enlarged conception in order to comprehend It’s value.
“Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the Law . . . for cursed is every one who continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them . . . . being made a curse for us . . . . That the Blessing of Abraham might come on (generate, bring into being, cause to be) the Gentiles through Jesus Christ (Yehushua ha Moshiac); and that we might receive the Promise of the Spirit through faith !”
Galatians 3:13-14, ref: Deuteronomy 27:26 and Galatians 3:10
“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us ! by the washing (baptism) of the regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Spirit !” Titus 3:5
Christ declared, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone?
Or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye, then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him?” Luke 11:13.
Oh what amazing love and condescension! The Lord Jesus encourages His believing ones to ask for the Holy Spirit. By presenting the parental tenderness of God, He seeks to encourage faith in the reception of the Gift. The Heavenly Parent is more willing to give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him than earthly parents are to give
good gifts to their children.
What greater thing could be promised? What more is necessary to awaken a response in every soul, to inspire us with a longing for the great Gift? Shall not our half-hearted supplications be turned into petitions of intense desire for this great Blessing?
We do not ask for enough of the good things God has Promised. If we would reach up higher and expect more, our petitions would reveal the quickening influence that comes to every soul who asks with the full expectation of being heard and answered.
“For he that cometh to GOD, must believe that He Is, and that He Is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek Him !” Hebrews 11:6
The Lord is not glorified by the tame supplications which show that nothing is expected. He desires every one who believes to approach the throne of grace with earnestness and assurance. Do we realize the magnitude of the work in which we are engaged? If we did, there would be more fervency in our prayers !
Our entreaties would rise before God with convincing earnestness. We would plead for power as a hungry child pleads for bread. If we realized the greatness of the Gift, if we desired the attainment of the Blessing, our petitions would ascend with earnestness, importunity, urgency. It would be as if we were at the gate of heaven, soliciting entrance.
We should ask with an earnestness that will not be denied. The Lord has an intense desire that every one should take advanced steps in absolute certainty, relying upon God. He is the Light and Life of all who seek Him. The measure which we receive of the Holy Influence of His Spirit is proportionate to the measure of our desire to receive, of our faith to grasp, and of our capacity to enjoy the great goodness of the Blessing and to impart It to others.
Mrs. E. G. White.
Bible Echo, August 5, 1901