Partial Update 11/01/2011.
About Prayer and your personal walk with Our Lord. A fine starting point, in your "prayer closet" of choice.
Many a Christian (and non-Christian) have penned untold volumes of words, great tomes of endless variety and small pamphlets some bound in legacy leather or be they paperback throwaways, fodder or yet shelf decoration for many a fancy bookshelf, relegated to the closet of "maybe I'll read" materials stacked one-upon-the-other, a dust mites dream, a silverfish delight. Within this medium we variously call the Internet, the World-Wide-Web or the "information highway" hundreds of millions of words are ensconced on millions of pages and evermore being typed out by fast-fingered "bloggers" filling a never-ending data-base. Countless others have produced "audio bytes" be they pro and con since recording devices were considered a viable means to state their opinion. Again, other peoples in this age of inexpensive video/audio digital recording/storage, nay, streaming "canned" or live via all above mentioned media their thoughts concerning personal or en-masse prayer.
My personal hope (by His Grace) in joining the myriad other writers of "prayerful discourse" (be they children of God well intentioned or otherwise) is that of helping to simplify this, the most personal communing with our Master. Writing about Prayer concerns each individuals personal walk with Him, there pathway to our Master, there heart alone speaking to His Heart, soul layed-bare, truth unveiled, nothing hidden. In this same vein my desire is to help those who wish to understand the meanings and attributes of the different names He, (the Father, the Son and The Holy Spirit) is known by, (when one speaks to him), remember, Christ referred to the Holy Spirit as He! Most of the verbiage within these writings concern the Holy Spirit, how He was/is addressed, His being within the triune and how He "reacts" with all men.
I will do my best to help those who wish to understand the Holy Spirit (Ghost-old English, also proper) and how a Christian may grieve Him as well as committing the "great sin" against The Holy Spirit our Lord and Master makes known His admonitions about this unspeakable, blasphemous undoing of man with great warning unto all.
By HIS will and favor I pray these most humble thoughts I come to type will be enlightening to others as theyto shall be enlightening unto me. My prayer, our LORD will minister these coming words unto my care so I may write unto all with an open heart with the intent of edifying Him in all His Glory. May all that is spoken be of Him, by Him and for Him, to edify Him in all ways, I hold nothing but a pen (if you will, a keyboard), let no man mistake me nor my hand for the author of these pages whether thou agree with these thoughts or be thy in opposition to there character and therefore there meaning. As a man who professes love of and for the Lord, credit not I will take, this is offensive unto me for anyone who reads of these words may easily lay upon them a discernment of "eye" or yet an 'ear". Both hearing and seeing His teachings verses the unequal use of my wording when trying to acquire or teach an understanding to another.
Praise His name, JA / JEHOVAH.
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To be Continued in the next few days, Lord Willing! More teachings / thoughts coming soon by His grace.
Part II.
"The Holy Spirit"
In the next months I am going to attempt to write upon these pages how the Holy Spirit has come to effect every moment of my Life, from saving me from life ending/altering situations to protecting my personal self from trials and tribulations where the word scared or afraid have little nor any substance beyond my comprehension. Please know these are my words, poorly laid out yet honest. Thank you. In His name, by His grace, serve Him Well.
Rev. David Lee thompson
(1) The HOLY SPIRIT Within.
Within the last century alone (not abiding the previous Nineteen-Hundred plus years) there has been many an “exhaustive” or yet a “simple example” comparison article penned concerning the Holy Spirit and how He “relates” to the Triune! Moderately worded explanatory treatise’s, exemplary, deeply enriching tome’s if not entire volumes of works written about The Holy Spirit, the third within the whole “body” of that we entreat one another as “the Triune”, The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit all most assuredly having “descended upon” and unto the writer as a “gift”, this being “fruits” of the self-same Holy Spirit.
Within this ever-growing body of works there seems to be a proclivity or yet a “leaning” toward the “science” of explanatory “semi- explanations” of what the Holy Spirit imparts unto men, more to the point, what He does or does not due being as an equal, “most sacred” “part of the Triune and how He indeed reacts with, within or unto men.
On a personal note; I have “felt” His touch, the “sublime” unexplainable “Sunrise” of feeling the “Comforter” imparts unto man, un-writeable feelings of His descent, nay, “gift” upon my entire being of self.
Indeed, you may say, “How does one go about describing the touch of The Holy Spirit?” or as it were bearing the gift of the “Fruit (s) of the Spirit” for that moment in what we children of Jehovah call “time”? The humble words penned or spoken I have at my disposal at a given moment, (other than being able to speak one-on-one to the Father who knows my heart) are sorely inadequate at best and woefully lacking in verbiage of the unexplainable (the plausibly impossible) bestowing of sublime joy of that moment at the very least. Once “touched”, the woefully inadequate word “craving” for another moment of unutterable joy whilst tears flow and limbs tremble pervades all you are, have been, strive to be.
I pray the Father will guide my heart in this endeavor and all I should write or espouse shall be “of good measure” thus pleasing unto Him. My praise is unto The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit for the blessings bestowed upon thy servant in this Love filled, peaceful and most joyful endeavor. For the many or few who read these words may your “cup” be filled with The Fruit of the Holy Spirit for thy cup shall never be full to overflowing? Your “measure” of “the Fruit of the Spirit” nor “Gifts of the Spirit” shall never be filled-up until the day of His coming reign. Thusly by His Nature, fulfillment of His prophetic words and by His Grace may all benefit through this small work exceedingly, serve Him well.
In The Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen & Amen
He, being host at different moments in time to a few studiously gifted penmen that entreated Him in a prayerful manner therein bestowing an insight or yet a glimpse of His "manner" concerning the Loving ways He interacts with men. In this same vein "equality" of knowledge abiding within the Holy Spirit and that of the "Gifts of the Spirit," accordingly the "Fruits of the Spirit" most assuredly were laid-bare upon many less formally educated men for a "season" of enrichment of all men, not just the churchman of name but the layman of the uneducated, meek and that of a mild disposition.
He, being the "Spirit" known by many names, "the summing-up" within the whole "body" or completeness of the Triune of The Father, the Son and The Holy Spirit where all comes to fruition. Remember, our Master "set" the days from nights, the firmament and time.
There are many journeys you shall be called upon to do "in His Name", when this "season" comes, rest with Joy
Partial update 11/07/2011
The Holy Spirit not Yet "come" unto man.
John 7:37-39, emphasis on John 7:39
37. In the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst let him come unto Me, and drink.
38. He that believeth on Me, as the scripture hath said, out of His belly shall flow rivers off living water."
39. (But this spake He of the °Spirit, Which they that believe on Him should receive: for the (1)Holy Ghost was not yet (2)given; because Jesus was not yet (3) glorified.)
(1) GR.pneuma hagion - (2) this spake He of the Spirit not yet given.(a gift given by the giver and to be received by the believer, as promised in Acts 1.5 fulfilled in Acts 2.4- (3) ascended. (“E.W.Bullingers Companion Bible- AV 1611)
The verse below, (#39a) study comparison verse from; Dickson New Analytical Study Bible and Dictionary of the Bible, "With the addition in many instances, within brackets, of the more correct renderings “Topical Reference Bible, Complete Analytical Study Edition, Crudens Concordance Dictionary" from Jubilee Publishing. If possible, always have 1 or 2 good study Bibles of a "like nature" to do meaningful verse comparison. More on Study Bibles in a later posting.
39a. (But this spake He of the Spirit, which they that believe on Him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet °³glorified.)
(vs. 28-29, relevancy thy Father and the Holy Spirit to be fulfilled).
The manifesting of the "Holy Spirit" came to great light in Christian works and the spoken word (oral translation) being handed down in the role of teacher-to-student, likewise from father-to-son in the "telling" of great and trying" temptation of The Christ (occurring AFTER His baptism). The strength and mightiness’ thereafter the "Spirit" being addressed in many forms: "The Spirit driveth him," "led by the Spirit," "He was full of the Spirit," and one of the most pronounced, "God gave his Son the Spirit "not by measure" as in Mark 1:12; John 3:34; Luke 4:14; and Matthew 4:1.
To quote a Herbert Lockyer writing, "Jesus could speak of himself as "him whom the Father has sealed," and as it is by the Spirit of God we are sealed (Ephesians 4:30; John 6:27,) we are taken back to the forecast of John the Baptist, that Jesus would come as a baptizer in the Holy Spirit. The Spirit’s ascent upon Jesus attested or sealed the Father’s approval of His Son, giving great value to His teaching, not only about the Spirit, but about every other topic."
There is much He teaches in His own time.
Musings from the Lagoon of Joy, in my Father’s house.
I came to see the morning wake; the Holy Spirit “He” has shown me Grace.
He touched me, the sense of a glorious morning upon me, soul and physical self so far beyond comprehending the gift beheld in my eyes, the unfolding has begun. Whispers, awareness of the calming shush of tides drifting in my ears. Earthy perfumes of dawn gently coming out of slumber wafting promises of scents yet to come awash in the misty river air. Salty damp river banks of craggy coquina shell, sea-grass and gnarled great Water oaks looming like protective giants draped with ghost-gray moss. All these sights looming from the pockets of mist among the Silver-Green Mangroves, rusty spiked palmettos now aglow with golden pollen of life and so very much more. Morning dew and river mists entwining in unseen currents like lovers lost in twilights first kiss lightly touches my skin. A heart skip of breathlessness, the embrace of colour swathed clouds, exquisite floating Silver reaching tenderly for swirling opalescent Magenta as pearl turns to liquid blue, crimson blooming with cloud-white eagerness coming forth, a rehearsal of awareness waking before me, the gift of dawns first sigh, daybreak comes.
Once again I am in awe, wonderstruck by that which is unfolding before my often veiled eyes like being taken for granted as easy as breath comes to a body. The tide pools I sit among exposed by low tide, sugar-sand twinkling like wet diamonds starkly different from the still drying rough shoreline, the small Lagoon facing east, the ocean mere moments away. Even at this hour silence is almost deafening.
One slowly becomes aware of all that plays-out before an almost startling sense of “presence” surrounding this small inner island of calm a hairsbreadth standing still of time just as the world around becomes frantic with silver-gold twitches of lightening running before a storm. Soft murmurings of waves now become louder, instant from the ocean less than a mile away curling in-shore; soothing peacefulness abides a moment before “the show”. I come early as my health allows to hopefully glimpse the water-birds or Raptors who come-calling with the sunrise, some to fish for food, some to dine on another fowl, tis the way of things. Why so early, twilight mornings are best for myself as well as seemingly the most opportune time to photograph some new flying marvel that uses the river or lagoon at their pleasure. In this sense I may well have the pleasure of a slow smile smoothing my wrinkled face upon seeing all these wonders while yet in the wild as well as the coloures which display warmly, snuggling-up with dawn as your comforter, the “magnificent might” of the light show moving off to the South.
I sit in quiet joy, delightful wordless joy, joy of an older man who like a child seeing for the first time the face of his earthly Mother or Father, understanding the who of what he or she is seeing, delighting only as a child does in that first and only the first moment of understanding, it happens but once. Unlike a child I see the breathlessness of His work in all I behold within my little patch of unspoiled river, “my” lagoon, banks filled with Palms, Mangrove stands and water plants. How does one describe let alone photograph this display of promise yet to come, this I know not. I come here daily to be a part of what is before me, to get away from “the box” of bad-to-worse-news, to watch a new dawn, may I be a part of it, please.
Sublimely the unfolding has begun, rehearsed untold times in generations gone by yet no two “pallets” of colure alike, there are no words now, just impressions, photographs of the mind.
We men and women of a "certain age” recall with clarity our childhood on the river of innocent reality, times now changed, never-more to be as it was. I fear for our children’s children, I wonder when they are older if they will see and feel why some of us old folks of two generations back recoiled in horror at “general things” shown on television in our time, the age of innocence lost. I write to keep a small journal for my youngest to have when he becomes older. This was supposed to be “light” reading, just a few thoughts and maybe a tip-or-two, alas this has turned into, “Son, I want you to see how it was” in my time, picture this! I realize I am able to photograph what I see, the cameras will do the work, why, to keep and enjoy or share, yet sometimes I wonder. Plainly spoken, “how do you explain, nay describe the wonderment of His sunrise, coloures of the moment-in-time to one who may not be sighted. What I have been blessed with at this moment of my life, irreplaceable memories in my eyes, of coloures yet seen, with fortune those not yet seen; now, "by His Grace", I need the language to set them free.