MAY 5
Theme: River of delight
Psalm 36:5-8
Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens,
your faithfulness to the skies.
6 Your righteousness is like the highest mountains,
your justice like the great deep.
You, Lord, preserve both people and animals.
7 How priceless is your unfailing love, O God!
People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
8 They feast on the abundance of your house;
you give them drink from your river of delights.
delights - [Eden] =- pleasure
Let me ask you! DO YOU HAVE A RIVER? OR DO YOU HAVE A TRICKLE?
Topic: Out from our innermost being
John 7:37-39
37 On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. 38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” 39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
THOSE WHO BELIEVE
What is belief? To have faith in, to know something to be true.
Faith Without Works is dead & Even the demons believe and tremble. James 2:14-26 NKJV14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does itprofit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. 24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.
25 Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?
26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
Whats the difference? Hebrews 11:1Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
The Holy Spirit is for those who OBEY /// Faith in action Acts 5:32 "And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.”
The Evidence of the Holy Spirit.
In the Bible, there are only 5 examples where we are given an account of people receiving the promise of the Father, the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Of these 5, 1 declares it happens, but shares no manifestation, 4 give evidence of what happened when the baptism occurred. 3/4 explicitly state the evidence that they were baptized in the Hoty Spirit was tongues. The last which doesn’t is Paul, and we know from other scriptures he certainly spoke in tongues. So, in ever single case where we know what happened when the person was baptized in the Holy Spirit, they spoke in tongues. There is one case where they were baptized but we don’t know what manifested, and lastly, there are ZERO cases where someone was baptized in the Holy Spirit and tongues did not manifest, at most there is a case where it’s a maybe.
Acts 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.[Tongues is the evidence]
Acts 8:14-1714 Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, 15 who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. 16 For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.[No statement as to what manifested]
Acts 9:17 [We know Paul speaks in tongues]17 And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized.
Acts 10:44 [Tongues is the evidence] 44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. 45 And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. 46 For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God.
Acts 19:5-6 [Tongues is the evidence] 5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.
YOU ONLY NEED TO WORRY ABOUT HOW TO USE THE GIFT, ONCE YOU HAVE THE GIFT.
Different Gifts.
1 Corinthians 12: 7-11 “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: 8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 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. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.
Can’t have one without the other
1 Corinthians 12:15-21 “If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? 18 But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. 19 And if they were all one member, where would the body be?
20 But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”
—— Those who prophesy cannot say to the Tongue speaker, “I don’t need you!” Those who speak in tongues cannot say to the healer “I don’t need you!”
The Roles // Earnestly Desire the best gifts!!
1 Corinthians 12:27-31 “27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. 28 And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.”
Paul has at least 5 of them
1 Corinthians 13 1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.
1 Corinthians 14
Tongues is speaking Mysteries to God 2 For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries.
Tongues is for self edification 4 He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church.
Paul wishes that EVERYONE would speak in tongues. I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification.- Faithful with the small, you’ll be given much. I find this true here, the more I speak in tongues, the more prophecy and other gifts flow.
V2025 10 There are so many kinds of languages in the world, and none of them is without significance.
The Conclusion? Do BOTH 13 Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. 15 What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding.
Tongues is thanksgiving 17 For you indeed give thanks well, but the other is not edified.
Paul Spoke a LOT of tongues 18 I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all;
BEING ORDERLY
1 Corinthians 14- 26 How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. 27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret. 28 But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God.
Is this a guideline or a hard and fast rule?
34 Let your women keep silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak; but they are to be submissive, as the law also says. 35 And if they want to learn something, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is shameful for women to speak in church.—— If you’re OK with women speaking, why soft on that but hard on no tongues?
There is a case that the above is a quotation of the Corinthian church’s policy, and Paul is questioning it. Also, Paul’s writings are the commandments of God 36 Or did the word of God come originally from you? Or was it you only that it reached? 37 If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord.
DO NOT forbid to speak in tongues 39 Therefore, brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak with tongues.
The Fruits
Galatians 5:22-2322 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
BID
LET’S COMMIT TO EXERCISING, TO OBEYING, TO BEING THE BODY.
Ephesians 5:19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord,
Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
1 Timothy 4:88 For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.