Faith

"Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will will be yours" (Mark 11:24)

The seventh and last step, in some respect the simplest of all and yet to many the most difficult, is faith. God's most positive and unqualified promises must be appropriated by faith. "But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord" (James 1:6-7). Unless we believe the promise and confidently expect God to do what He has so definitely promised to do, our prayer will bring no result. Here is where countless seekers fail: they do not confidently expect the blessing.

But there is a faith that goes beyond expectation, a faith that just puts out its hand and takes the very thing it asks of God - "believe that you have received it." "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according  to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us - whatever we ask - we know that we have what we ask - we know that w have what we asked of him" (1 John 5:14). In our definite prayer for the Holy Spirit, there is no question as to whether it is the will of God, and therefore we know that He hears our request. Therefore, I know that I have the baptism with the Holy Spirit based upon my simple faith in the Word of God.

Deal with yourself in this matter of the baptism of the Holy Spirit just as you deal with the matter of an assurance of salvation. Based on the Word of God that if we believe in Jesus Christ we have eternal life, whether we feel it or not, so the Holy Spirit. Be sure you have met the conditions, and then simply ask,claim, and act. Whether or not any experience follows, rest assured that there will be some manifestation of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:7), but every manifestation of the baptism with the Holy Spirit in the New Testament was in new power in service for God, not in power for feelings.

Holy Spirit, so much of this comes back to grasping for feelings and hoping for a certain type of experience. I release all that and stand before You with nothing but Your promise. It is Your will to fill me with the Spirit, and I have received Him as a gift by faith. I await the way You desire to manifest it in my life, but I anticipate my service to You. Amen

~R. A. Torrey~

What Are You, O MIghty Mountain?

"What are you, O mighty mountain?
 Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground!" Zechariah 4:7


What difficulties the divine Builder encounters! He has to shape me, and depraved men like me, into His spiritual Temple. I am far from God--and He must bring me near. "The soul that sins, it shall surely die!"the Judge has said; and He has to alter that which has gone forth from the Judge's lips, and to do it without impeaching His faithfulness or wounding His glory. Does it not seem to be a huge, impassable mountain?

Moreover, He has to fit me, and ten thousand wayward souls, for adorning His Temple. It gleams with the light of precious stones--diamonds and sapphires and emeralds! But I am all defiled, loving sin and cleaving to it as if it were my life! He must prevail over the depraved bias of my nature, and the power of my sinful passions. Alps piled on Alps would be easier to uproot!

And then, He has to finish His Temple of regenerated men among the most unfriendly conditions. He does not carry forward the enterprise in a quiet Heaven, where angels rejoice in it and hasten to help Him. It is amid the sinful confusions of earth, that He toils and perseveres. Where the force of the enemy is strongest, where his deceit permeates the very air--Christ works with a love that never tires, as well as an arm that never droops.He will humble these towering mountains to the dust! And with what ease and completeness the divine Builder will surmount His difficulties!

We see here His power and wisdom, and of the insignificance in His sight of every hindrance that is opposed to Him. Nothing will turn Him aside in His triumphant work. It is not that He halts in perplexity before the great mountain. It is not that He climbs the steep ascent slowly and painfully. Nay, to Him all mountains of difficulty are a level plain. Without an effort, with composure, as though the world aided instead of resisted Him, as though the malignant principalities of evil were nonexistent--He begins andcontinues and ends His sovereign undertaking!

Let me rejoice that One Who is mighty to save has espoused my depraved, shameful and hopeless cause!

~Alexander Smellie~

Believing Prayer

"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" (Luke 11:13)

The sixth step toward the baptism with the Holy Spirit is to simply ask God for it. Ask God definitely for the definite blessing. With the first five steps behind you, believing prayer is to be offered for the gift of the Holy Spirit.

It is sincerely contended by some that we should not pray for the Holy Spirit. The line of reasoning is that the Holy Spirit was given to the church at Pentecost as an abiding gift, so why pray for what you have already received? While it is true that the Holy Spirit was given to the church as a whole at Pentecost, each individual sill appropriate the gift for himself, and God's way of appropriation is prayer.

But it is argued still further that every believer has the Holy Spirit, and this is certainly true. "And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ" (Romans 8:9). But as we have already seen it is quite possible to have some of the Spirit's presence and work in the heart and yet come short of that special fullness and work known in the Bible as the baptism or filling with the Holy Spirit. Besides, we have the plain, unquestionable utterance of Jesus Christ that we are to ask Him for the Holy Spirit (Luke 11:13). We also have the accounts of Acts 4:31 and 8:14-17, where those who prayed for the Holy Spirit did indeed receive the Holy Spirit.

Against all inferences is this clear teaching of the Word of God, by precept and example, that the Holy Spirit is given in answer to prayer. It was so at Pentecost, it has been so since. Those whom I have met who give most evidence of the Spirit's presence and power in their lives and work believe in praying for the Holy Spirit. It has been the author's unspeakable privilege to pray with many ministers and Christian workers for this great blessing, and later to learn from them of the new power that had come into their service, none other than the power of the Holy Spirit.

Heavenly Father, in the simplest expression of my heart that I know possible, I ask You to baptize me with the Holy Spirit. I bring nothing but my request to You and my faith that You will indeed work in me. Amen

~R. A. Torrey~

Strengthening Your Faith

Romans  10:17 is the verse I would like for you to read today. It says,

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.   

To fully understand this verse, you need to know that if you are saved, faith has already been deposited in your heart.  It is part of your spiritual DNA. Romans 12:3 says that, God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.  Faith is something He has already given.

It is up to you to develop that faith. It is up to you to do something with it. How do you develop it? You develop it first by hearing the Word of God.

The Bible—God's Word—is the food.  As you feed upon it, your faith will be strengthened.

You know those body builders, men and women who are constantly pumping weights? Well, if you talk to any serious body builder, one of the first things they will refer to is diet. You have to eat the right kind of diet if you are going to build muscle mass.  Usually, their diet is protein-rich.

They faithfully drink their protein shakes and eat their tuna fish sandwiches, which, when they are consumed and digested, become the raw materials that build muscle mass.

As you feed upon and digest God's Word, that truth becomes the raw material that will build faith.  It is faith food.

Most people who struggle with their faith are feeding on the wrong things. Faith comes unconsciously when you feed upon God's Word. 

So today, if you feel like you are struggling in your faith, then change your diet. Start feeding more on God's Word! 

~Bayless Conley~

Thirsty?

"Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive" (John 7:37-39)

Here again we have the first step toward the baptism with the Spirit, namely, faith in Jesus Christ: "whoever believes in me." But we have also a fifth step in the word "thirst," "if anyone is thirsty." Our Lord Jesus evidently had Isaiah 44:3, in mind when He uttered those words. "For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants." Note carefully the words, "if anyone is thirsty."

Were you ever really thirsty? I was among the sixty thousand troops at Chickamauga Park during the Spanish-American War, and where there was no rain for many days. The air was full of dust thirty feet high day and night, but we ate dust and drank dust and slept dust, and no water was fit to drink. I know what it means to be thirsty. When a man really thirsts, it seems as if every pore in his body has just one cry: "Water! Water! Water! And when a man thirsts spiritually, his whole being has just one cry: "The Holy Spirit! The Holy Spirit! The Holy Spirit! O God, give me the Holy Spirit!" Then it is that God pours floods upon the dry ground, pours His Spirit upon us.

Within us there must be an intense desire that arises out of our utter need of power to do effective service for God, that longs for it at any cost. And it may cost you a good deal. It may take you out of a nice home here in America to China or to India or the heart of Africa. And your intense desire must spring for the glory of God and not for your own glory. Acts 8:18-22 records the solemn case of Simon the magician who desired the Holy Spirit out of his unholy desire. Be careful at this point. Get alone with God and ask Him to show you whether you desire the Holy Spirit that you may glorify God as you should.

Spirit of God, I thirst for You in a dry and thirsty land where that is no water. I am as dry as dust apart from You. Purify my heart that my only motive is to glorify God, to serve my King in a manner that is worthy of His great rule. Amen

~R. A. Torrey~

We Know Not What to Pray For

We know not what we should pray for as we ought (Rom. 8:26).

Much that perplexes us in our Christian experience is but the answer to our prayers. We pray for patience, and our Father sends those who tax us to the utmost; for "tribulation worketh patience."

We pray for submission, and God sends sufferings; for "we learn obedience by the things we suffer."

We pray for unselfishness, and God gives us opportunities to sacrifice ourselves by thinking on the things of others, and by laying down our lives for the brethren.

We pray for strength and humility, and some messenger of Satan torments us until we lie in the dust crying for its removal.

We pray, "Lord, increase our faith," and money takes wings; or the children are alarmingly ill; or a servant comes who is careless, extravagant, untidy or slow, or some hitherto unknown trial calls for an increase of faith along a line where we have not needed to exercise much faith before.

We pray for the Lamb-life, and are given a portion of lowly service, or we are injured and must seek no redress; for "he was led as a lamb to the slaughter and… opened not his mouth."

We pray for gentleness, and there comes a perfect storm of temptation to harshness and irritability. We pray for quietness, and every nerve is strung to the utmost tension, so that looking to Him we may learn that when He giveth quietness, no one can make trouble.

We pray for love, and God sends peculiar suffering and puts us with apparently unlovely people, and lets them say things which rasp the nerves and lacerate the heart; for love suffereth long and is kind, love is not impolite, love is not provoked. LOVE BEARETH ALL THINGS, believeth, hopeth and endureth, love never faileth. We pray for likeness to Jesus, and the answer is, "I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction." "Can thine heart endure, or can thine hands be strong?" "Are ye able?"

The way to peace and victory is to accept every circumstance, every trial, straight from the hand of a loving Father; and to live up in the heavenly places, above the clouds, in the very presence of the Throne, and to look down from the Glory upon our environment as lovingly and divinely appointed.
--Selected

I prayed for strength, and then I lost awhile

All sense of nearness, human and divine;

The love I leaned on failed and pierced my heart,

The hands I clung to loosed themselves from mine;

But while I swayed, weak, trembling, and alone,

The everlasting arms upheld my own.

I prayed for light; the sun went down in clouds,

The moon was darkened by a misty doubt,

The stars of heaven were dimmed by earthly fears,

And all my little candle flames burned out;

But while I sat in shadow, wrapped in night,

The face of Christ made all the darkness bright.

I prayed for peace, and dreamed of restful ease,

A slumber drugged from pain, a hushed repose;

Above my head the skies were black with storm,

And fiercer grew the onslaught of my foes;

But while the battle raged, and wild winds blew,

I heard His voice and Perfect peace I knew.

I thank Thee, Lord, Thou wert too wise to heed

My feeble prayers, and answer as I sought,

Since these rich gifts Thy bounty has bestowed

Have brought me more than all I asked or thought;

Giver of good, so answer each request

With Thine own giving, better than my best.

--Annie Johnson Flint

~L. B. Cowman~

Full Surrender

"He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all - how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things" (Romans 8:32)

More people miss the baptism with the Holy Spirit at the point of an unconditional surrender of the will to God, and more people enter into it at this point, than at almost any other. There are many who go a long ways in the matter of sacrificing for Christ, going even so far as to become foreign missionaries, who still stop short of full surrender to God and so stop short of the blessing. There is absolutely no use of your praying for the baptism with the Spirit if you will not surrender your will to God, holding absolutely nothing back.

In the Old Testament days, it was when the burnt offering - whole, no part held back - was lain on the altar that "fire came out from the presence of the Lord" (Lev. 9:24) and accepted the gift. And it was when we bring ourselves, a whole offering, to the Lord and lay ourselves thus upon the altar that fire comes and God accepts the gift.

Many are afraid to make a full surrender to God because they fear God's will. They are afraid God's will may be something dreadful, some hard thing. Remember who God is: He is infinite love, and absolute surrender to God is simply absolute surrender to infinite love. Is there anything dreaded in that? And God is our Father. God's love is not only wiser than that of any earthly father, but more tender than than any earthly mother. "No good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless" (Psalm 84:11). There is nothing to be feared in God's will. God's will will always prove in the final outcome the best and sweetest thing in all God's universe. Lay your will down and look to you Father to baptize you with the Holy Spirit.

Loving Father, how can we look at the Cross of Jesus and still hold a reservation of fear in our heart about Your will for our lives? I would kneel at the foot of His Cross until all the reservations melt away. Holy Spirit, meet me at the Cross today. Amen

~R. A. Torrey~

Who Inhabiteth Eternity? His Name is Holy

Behold, if the leprosy have covered all his flesh, he shall pronounce him clean. - Leviticus 13:13

At first sight this seems a very extraordinary provision. When the leprosy was beginning to show itself, and whilst the marks were hardly distinguishable, the poor patient was treated as unclean; but, when it was fully developed, from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot, the priest pronounced the leper clean.

As long as we palliate and excuse our sins, and ,dream that there is much in us which is noble and lovely, we are not fit subjects for God's saving grace. But when we take our place as helpless and undone, without one plea or one redeeming trait, we are in the position in which the free grace of God can have its blessed way with us.

We must come to an end of ourselves, and fall prostrate, in the very helplessness of our despair, in the very dust at our Saviour's feet; we must confess that from the crown of our head to the sole of our foot we are full of need and sin - then we are nearest Christ, and in a fit condition to be richly blest, and made the channel of blessing to others.

Would you rise? then you must humble yourself before God. God's thrones are approached, not by steps up to them, but by steps down to them. It is the publican who beats his breast, saying, "God be merciful to me the sinner," that goes clown justified to his house. It is when sin abounds, that grace much more abounds. He that humbleth himself shall be exalted. "For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones" (Isa 57:15).  

~F. B. Meyer~

Confession and Obedience

"Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38)

It was immediately after Jesus' baptism that the Holy Spirit descended upon Him (Luke 3:21-22). In Jesus' baptism, though himself sinless, He humbled Himself to take the sinner's place, and then God highly exalted Him by giving the Holy Spirit and by the audible testimony: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased" (vs. 22). So we must humble ourselves to make an open confession before the world of our enunciation of sin and of our acceptance of Jesus Christ, by baptism. This is the third step toward the baptism with the Spirit. Of course, the baptism with the Spirit may precede water baptism as in the case of the household of Cornelius (Acts 10:44-47). But this was evidently an exceptional case and water baptism immediately followed. I have little doubt that there have been believers who did not believe in or practice water baptism - for example, the Quakers - who received the fullness of the Spirit, but the passage before us certainly presents the normal order.

The fourth step is clearly implied in Acts 2:38, but it is brought out more explicitly in Acts 5:32: "We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him." The fourth step is obedience.

What does "obedience" mean? It is not merely doing one or two things that God commands, or even doing most of the things, but doing everything He commands. The heart of obedience is the will. The whole essence of obedience is the total surrender of the will to God. It means that I come to God and say, "Heavenly Father, here I am and all I have. You have bought me with a price and I acknowledge You absolute ownership. Take me and all I have, and do with me whatever You will. Send me where You will; use me as You desire. I surrender myself and all I possess absolutely, unconditionally, forever to Your control and use." [Amen]

I say yes to this, Father in heaven. I am willing to confess my allegiance to Jesus Christ in whatever way You desire from me. And I gladly enter into this surrender of my will to You. I am bought with the sacrifice of Jesus, and I delight to obey You as my Father. Amen

~R. A. Torrey~

Faint Not

I had fainted unless… (Ps. 27:13).

"FAINT NOT!"

How great is the temptation at this point! How the soul sinks, the heart grows sick, and the faith staggers under the keen trials and testings which come into our lives in times of special bereavement and suffering. "I cannot bear up any longer, I am fainting under this providence. What shall I do? God tells me not to faint. But what can one do when he is fainting?"

What do you do when you are about to faint physically? You cannot do anything. You cease from your own doings. In your faintness, you fall upon the shoulder of some strong loved one. You lean hard. You rest. You lie still and trust.

It is so when we are tempted to faint under affliction. God's message to us is not, "Be strong and of good courage," for He knows our strength and courage have fled away. But it is that sweet word, "Be still, and know that I am God."

Hudson Taylor was so feeble in the closing months of his life that he wrote a dear friend: "I am so weak I cannot write; I cannot read my Bible; I cannot even pray. I can only lie still in God's arms like a little child, and trust." This wondrous man of God with all his spiritual power came to a place of physical suffering and weakness where he could only lie still and trust.

And that is all God asks of you, His dear child, when you grow faint in the fierce fires of affliction. Do not try to be strong. Just be still and know that He is God, and will sustain you, and bring you through.

"God keeps His choicest cordials for our deepest faintings."

"Stay firm and let thine heart take courage" (Psa. 27:14)

Stay firm, He has not failed thee

In all the past,

And will He go and leave thee

To sink at last?

Nay, He said He will hide thee

Beneath His wing;

And sweetly there in safety

Thou mayest sing.

~L. B. Cowman~

Repentance

"Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38)

The second step is also found in the word "repent," a change of mind from that attitude that loves sin and indulges in sin, to that attitude that renounces sin. This is the second step toward the baptism with the Holy Spirit: "renounce all sin." Here we touch upon one of the most vital obstacles to receiving the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the "Holy" Spirit, and we must make a clean-cut choice between the Holy Spirit and "unholy" sin. We cannot have both. It is at this point that many people fail of the blessing. They hold on to something in their inmost hearts that they more or less know is not pleasing to God.

If we are to receive the Holy Spirit, there must be a very honest and thorough heart searching. We cannot do satisfactory searching ourselves; God must do it. If we wish to receive the Holy Spirit, we should go alone to God and ask Him to search us thoroughly and bring to light anything that displeases Him (Psalm 139:23-24). Then we should wait for Him to do it. Oftentimes it is what we are  pleased to call "a small sin" that shuts us out of the baptism with the Holy Spirit. In reality there are no small sins. There are sins about small things, but every sin is an act of rebellion against God, no matter how small it seems.

If there is anything that always comes up when you get nearest to God, that is the thing that should be put away at once. Many of us do things that we have persuaded ourselves are perfectly right, but that every time when we get nearest to God, these things come up to trouble our conscience. These must be dealt with in the light of God.

If, after patient and honest waiting, nothing is brought to light, we may conclude there is nothing of this kind in the way, and proceed to the next steps. But we should not conclude this too quickly. The sin that hinders often appears very small and insignificant.

Spirit of God, You search the depths of God and You search my heart as well. I ask You to bring to light anything in my life than hinders Your fullness, no matter how small it may seem to me. I will stay before the throne of God and listen for Your voice. Amen

~R. A. Torrey~

It's No Small Think to be on Terms of Friendship with God

Abraham stood yet before the Lord (Gen. 18:22).

The friend of God can plead with Him for others. Perhaps Abraham's height of faith and friendship seems beyond our little possibilities. Do not be discouraged, Abraham grew; so may we. He went step by step, not by great leaps.

The man whose faith has been deeply tested and who has come off victorious, is the man to whom supreme tests must come. The finest jewels are most carefully cut and polished; the hottest fires try the most precious metal. Abraham would never have been called the Father of the Faithful if he had not been proved to the uttermost.

Read Genesis, twenty-second chapter: "Take thy son, thine only son, whom thou lovest." See him going with a chastened, wistful, yet humbly obedient heart up Moriah's height, with the idol of his heart beside him about to be sacrificed at the command of God whom he had faithfully loved and served!

What a rebuke to our questionings of God's dealings with us! Away with all doubting explanations of this stupendous scene! It was an object lesson for the ages. Angels were looking. Shall this man's faith stand forever for the strength and help of all God's people? Shall it be known through him that unfaltering faith will always prove the faithfulness of God?

Yes; and when faith has borne victoriously its uttermost test, the angel of the Lord--who? The Lord Jesus, Jehovah, He in whom "all the promises of God are yea and amen"--spoke to him, saying, "Now I know that thou fearest God." Thou hast trusted me to the uttermost. I will also trust thee; thou shalt ever be My friend, and I will bless thee, and make thee a blessing.

It is always so, and always will be. "They that are of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham."
--Selected

It is no small thing to be on terms of friendship with God.

~L. B. Cowman~

Where to Begin

"Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38)

The practical question confronts us: how can we obtain the baptism with the Holy Spirit? The Word of God answers this question very explicitly. There is a clear biblical path consisting of seven simple steps, which anyone who will can take. Whoever takes these seven steps will, with absolute certainty, enter into this blessing. This statement may seem very positive, but the Word of God is equally positive regarding its outcome.

The first three steps are brought out with special distinctness in Acts 2:38. The others which are clearly  implied in the verse are brought out more clearly by other passages to which we shall refer later.

The first two steps are found in the word "repent." What does repentance mean? It means to "change your mind." But a change of mind about what? As determined by the context in this case, the change of mind was primarily about Jesus Christ. Peter brought against his hearers the awful charge that they had crucified Him whom God had made both Lord and Christ. These words were spoken in the power of the Spirit and "cut to the heart." Peter told them that it was time for them to change their minds about Christ. Change from a Christ-crucifying attitude to a Christ-accepting attitude. Accept Jesus as Christ and Lord - this is the first step toward the baptism with the Holy Spirit.

Have you accepted Jesus as Saviour? By that I mean, are you trusting completely in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the Cross of Calvary, upon His atoning death for us, as the only ground of your acceptance before God? There cannot be a trace of works righteousness in it, as Paul reminds the Galatians of their experience with the Holy Spirit: "Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard?" (Galatians 3:2). The first step toward receiving the baptism with the Holy Spirit is to rest entirely and absolutely upon what Jesus Christ has already done, not on anything we do.

Lord, Jesus, I do indeed trust in You completely for my salvation. I denounce trusting in anything I have done or ever will do that might give the appearance of meriting the Father's love. You are my only Saviour, and in You alone do I trust. Amen

~R. A. Torrey~

Mom Wants What's Best

Now then, my son, do what I say: Flee at once to my brother Laban in Harran. Stay with him for a while until your brother’s fury subsides. Genesis 27:43-44


Moms are uncanny at knowing what’s best for their child. It can be as small as diagnosing a fake stomachache or as big as helping siblings to forgive one another. The Lord gives moms a built in sensitivity to the needs of their little ones. They are able to recognize the meaning of the smallest whimper or the loudest cry. I witnessed this recently on a family vacation when our two grandsons (ages 2 and 4) became whiny at mid afternoon. Our oldest daughter simply gave them a goldfish snack and they were content. Moms anticipate needs before they become needs.

Rebekah experienced a more complicated dynamic between her sons Esau and Jacob. She expected her dying husband Isaac to bless the oldest Esau, but she remembered what God said about the older serving the younger (Genesis 25:23). So, Rebekah shrewdly presented Jacob to her husband as Esau and Isaac blessed him, not knowing the sons were switched. Esau was livid to the point of wanting to kill his brother. Rebekah intervened again, sending Jacob away until Esau’s anger subsided. Moms want what’s best in settling sibling rivalries. They try to trust God.

“No, please!” said Jacob. “If I have found favor in your [Esau’s] eyes, accept this gift from me. For to see your face is like seeing the face of God, now that you have received me favorably” (Genesis 33:10).

As a mom you invariably want what’s best for your child. You want what’s best in their walk with the Lord—for them to love and follow Christ all the days of their life. You want what’s best in their friendships—for them to enjoy the company of the wise and not be led astray by fools. You want what’s best in their education—for them to have academic opportunities that lead to a successful career. You want what’s best in their marriage—for them to spend a fulfilling life of purpose with a spouse who loves God, who is romantically attractive and who is their best friend.

Most of all, moms who want what’s best for their child, first pray for God’s best. God’s best may not be the easiest or smoothest route for your child. Mature faith is not developed in a life of comfort, ease and security—but in discomfort, challenges and uncertainty. Pray for your child to be needy for the Lord—not you. Total abandonment and dependence on Jesus is the place you hope those you love will want to abide. Mom, pray for God’s best and trust Him with the rest.

“It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy” (Romans 9:16).

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I pray Your best for my child. I pray they will be desperate for You.

~Wisdom Hunters Devotional~

Who Can Have the Baptism with the Holy Spirit?

"And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off - for all whom the Lord our God will call" (Acts 2:38-39)

The 'promise" that Peter refers to is unquestionably the baptism with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:33). But whom is this gift for? "For you and your children," says Peter to the Jews whom he was immediately addressing and the generations who would follow them. Then looking down all the coming ages of the church's history to Gentile as well as Jew: "and for all who are far off - for all whom the Lord our God will call." The baptism with the Holy Spirit is for every child of God in every age of the church's history. If it is not ours in experiential possession, it is because we have not taken what God has provided for us in our exalted Saviour.

What a thrilling thought that God desires each of us to be clothed with power from on high! But that unspeakably joyous thought has its solemn side. If I may be baptized with the Holy Spirit, I MUST be. If I am baptized with the Holy Spirit, then souls will be saved through my instrumentality who would not be saved if I were not so baptized. If then I am not willing to pay the price of this baptism, I am responsible before God for all the souls who might have been saved but were not saved through me.

We may have a very clear call to service, it may be as clear as the apostles had - but the charge is laid upon us, as upon them, that before we begin that service we must be clothed with power from on high. Anyone who is in Christian work of any type who has not received the baptism with the Holy Spirit should stop his work right where he is and not go on with it until he is. Recall that when the power came upon the disciples they accomplished more in one day than they would have accomplished in years if the had gone on in presumptuous disobedience to Christ's charge The same be true for us.

Almighty God and Father, it is thrilling to know that You desire to clothe me with Your power, but it is indeed a solemn thought as well. I come to You that I might be equipped to serve You and to be a witness to those whom You want to reach through me. Amen

~R. A. Torrey~

Old and New Testament

He said to them, "This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms." Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. Luke 24:44-45

Jesus is speaking to His disciples about the things that were written about Him before He came to earth. These writings are prophecies we find in the Old Testament. Many Christians tend to focus on the New Testament more than the Old Testament. They think that the Old Testament is not necessary or as applicable to our lives today. Of course, as Christians, we love to read the gospels and the teachings of Jesus as well as the prophecies of end time events. And the New Testament gives us clear instruction for today’s concerns and issues. But we will miss so much if we only stay in the New Testament. The New Testament gives us instruction while the Old Testament gives us illustrations for daily application.

The Old Testament lays the foundation for the New Testament. It is in the Old Testament that prophecies were recorded of Who and what was to come in the future. The Old Testament included the Law of Moses, the Prophets and Psalms—all of which contain specific stories, descriptions and events that point to Jesus. These were written so that the people would recognize Jesus when He appeared. The Old Testament also chronicles the history of God’s people as His plan of redemption for all mankind is laid out book by book. By studying the past, we can better appreciate God’s plans and purposes for us today as we gain a clearer vision of the work of God in their lives.

It has been well said that Jesus is concealed in the Old Testament but revealed in the New Testament. Everything written about Jesus in both Testaments will be fulfilled. That is why Jesus instructed His disciples in the Scriptures while He was with them during His earthly life and after His resurrection. They needed to understand the significance of the past. Jesus did not come to abolish the Old Testament but to fulfill it. We too need to embrace the whole Bible. He opens our minds to understand all Scriptures so that we will know Him better as we learn to apply His Word to our lives every day. The Old and New Testaments are one story by one Author—Jesus, the Living Word. Ask the Holy Spirit to open your mind and to give you a desire to read and apply the Bible to your life today. Try a reading plan that incorporates a little of both, the Old and New Testament every day. You will be amazed at what you learn. God’s Word is truly awesome.

~Daily Disciples Devotional~

Who Needs the Baptism With the Holy Spirit?

"I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high" (Luke 24:49)

Shortly before Christ was received up into heaven He gave a definitive command that His disciples should not undertake the work to which He had called them to do until they had received the all-necessary baptism with the Holy Spirit. These men had already received very thorough preparation for the work at hand. They had taken more than a three-year course in the best theological seminary that ever existed upon earth, and in which, out Lord was the sole but all-sufficient Teacher. They had been eyewitnesses of His miracles, His death, His resurrection from the dead, and they were about to be eyewitnesses of His ascension. The work before them was simply to go and tell a perishing world what their own eyes had seen and what their own ears had heard from the lips of the Son of God.

Were they not fully prepared? It would seem so to us. But Christ said, "No, you are so utterly unprepared you must sit down until you are clothed with power from on high for that service. When you receive the baptism with the Holy Spirit - and not until then - you will be prepared for this work"! If Christ did not permit these men, who had received a definite and clear calling - if they were withheld from this work without receiving the Spirit, what is it for us to undertake the work to which He has called us until we have received the same?

But this is not all. In Acts 10:38 we read "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." When we look into the Gospels for an explanation of these words, we find in Luke 3:21 - 4:21 that Jesus' entire ministry was filled with the Holy Spirit. If Jesus Christ, who was divine, very God of very God and yet truly man, did not venture upon the ministry for which the Father had sent Him until thus baptized with the Holy Spirit, what is it for us to dare to do it?!

Lord Jesus, if You needed the fullness of the Holy Spirit in Your life, how much more do I? If the disciples were not prepared for the work to which You had called them, how much less am I? I humbly bow to You with an open heart for serving You. Amen

~R. A. Torrey~

The Qualities of Love

For the last number of devotionals, we have focused our attention on how love is such a vital quality to the Christian life.  We have seen that unless we love, any of the spiritual gifts are meaningless.

We have also seen that God has deposited His love in us already, and as a result, it is our responsibility to choose to express that love.  It is not something we can put on God's shoulders.  We must take on that obligation. 

So what do those qualities of love really look like?  I want to share with you 1 Corinthians 13 from the Amplified Bible, but I want to do it with a twist.  I want to make it personal and show how, if we choose to love as God has asked us to love, it will look.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 from the Amplified Bible…personalized (read it out loud),

I endure long, and I am patient and kind.  I am never envious or boil over with jealousy.  I am not boastful or vainglorious.  I do not display myself haughtily.  I am not conceited, arrogant, or inflated with pride.  I am not rude or unmannerly.  I do not act unbecomingly.  God's love in me does not insist on its own rights or its own way for I am not self-seeking.  I am not touchy or fretful or resentful.  I take no account of the evil done to me.  I do not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but I rejoice when right and truth prevail.  I bear up under anything and everything that comes, and I am ever ready to believe the best of every person.  My hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and I endure everything without weakening.  God's love in me never fails.

I challenge you to read this out loud to yourself every day for a month, and see if it does not change your life! 

~Bayless Conley~

A Mistaken Notion

"There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men" (1 Corinthians 12:4-6)

The mistaken notion that I see is so prevalent, that everyone who is baptized with the Holy Spirit will have power as an evangelist, leads to three great evils.

First, it leads to the evil of disappointment, and sometimes even to despair. Many believers seek the baptism of the Spirit, meet the conditions of that baptism, and really do receive it. But God has not called them to an evangelist's work, and therefore He does not empower them with the evangelist's gift. The person ends up perplexed and bewildered, wondering whether they have received the baptism, and some will end up in despair.

The second evil is graver than the first: the error of presumption. Many believers whom God has not called to the work of evangelism or pastor rush into it because he has received, or thinks he has received, the baptism with the Holy Spirit. It is presumed that "all I need to become a pastor is to receive the baptism with the Holy Spirit." This is very far from the truth. He first needs a call from God to that specific work, then he needs such a knowledge of the Word of God that he has something to preach that is worth listening to, and the baptism of the Spirit as well.

The third evil is the worst of all: the mischief of indifference. Thee are many who know they are not called to the of preaching. If they think that the baptism with the Spirit simply imparts power to preach, it is a matter of no personal concern to them. We must come to see the truth that while the Spirit imparts power, the way in which that power will be manifested depends upon the work to which God has called us, and no efficient work can be done without it.

We have the right to "desire the greater gifts" (1 Corinthians 12:31), but the Holy Spirit is sovereign, and He must determine the final issue. It is ours to put ourselves unreservedly at His disposal for both the gift and the power for serving Him.

Holy Spirit, You are sovereign God in every way, and I place myself before You to do Your will. I open my heart and say that I am willing for whatever You desire for my life and service. I give up all preconceived notions of what that must look like. Amen

~R. A. Torrey~

Seek an Answer

It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them, who told these things to the apostles. And their words seemed to them like idle tales, and they did not believe them. Luke 24: 10-11

I was listening to a very prominent and respected pastor speak on the subject of the woman’s role in the church. He emphatically stated that women are not to teach or ever be considered as an authority figure (pastor, deaconess, etc.) in any church setting. He used several verses as references to make his point that women have no real position in the church except to support their husbands, and of course, to take care of their children. Even though his words seemed quite chauvinistic, I knew I needed to hear from the Lord on what He wanted me to think about this sermon.

I prayed about this issue for several hours. The next morning, the Lord led me to Luke 24. As I read the first eleven verses, I clearly saw the role of the women as messengers bringing the Good News of Jesus’ resurrection to others. In this case, the women came to the tomb and received from the angels the message of the Lord. They returned to tell the men. The men chose to not believe them. What was the Lord trying to tell me? I kept praying and seeking His will on this. As I was sharing this story with my ministry partner, she told me that Anne Graham Lotz was given these same verses when she began to speak and teach the Bible in different forums. The Lord confirmed to her that He would give her His message to give to the people. I knew at that moment why the Lord had directed me to these verses, and that He was confirming to me the same message.

My point in this devotional is not to focus on the woman’s role in the church, but to focus on how the Lord will speak to our hearts concerning the topics on them. The Holy Spirit led me to answers in God’s Word and then confirmed them through my friend. Though the topic itself is one of controversy, the main point is that we are Spirit-led in applying His ways to our lives. Regardless of how we have been trained or taught, our final authority must always be the Lord, His Holy Spirit, and His Word.

~Daily Disciples Devotional~

Diversity of Gifts

"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 1:8)

The baptism which the Holy Spirit is always connected with and is primarily for the purpose of testimony and service. Indeed, there is not one single passage in the Bible where this experience is spoken of where it is not connected with power for service.

The baptism with the Spirit is not primarily for the purpose of making us holy, although apart from the work of the Spirit we can know nothing of holiness. Nor is the Spirit given to make us happy, although there is great joy in the Holy Spirit. He is primarily given to make us useful to God. While some connect endless ecstasies with the Holy Spirit, in a world where men, women and children are being swept on unsaved to a hopeless eternity, I would rather go my entire life without one single touch of ecstasy or rapture, and have power to do my part to stem this awful tide and save at least some. The baptism of the Holy Spirit makes us useful for God in the salvation of souls.

This power for service will not manifest itself in precisely the same way in each individual. This is developed in length in 1 Corinthians 12, which speaks of the diversity of the gifts, administrations, and workings of the Holy Spirit. The striking point here is that while there is one baptism of the Holy Spirit, there is a wide variety  of manifestations of gifts that are given to individuals by the Holy Spirit, according to the line of service to which the person is called. It is a great mistake to think that everyone who is baptized with the Holy Spirit must speak in tongues; or that everyone receives power as an evangelist or a preacher of the Word and in a manner similar to Wesley or Finney or Moody. This is unscriptural thinking and contrary to the diversity of gifts given. The Holy Spirit for His own wise reason imparts to every person a special gift for the special service to which he is called.

Heavenly Father, I need to hear this over and over. You know how often I compare what I hear the Holy Spirit has done in someone else's life to what He has done in mine. Show me what it is that You are calling me to do, and empower me accordingly. Amen

~R. A. Torrey~

Releasing God's Love

We have been talking about pursuing love in the last couple of devotionals.  Today I want to go to a passage where Scripture gives us a snapshot of what God's love looks like.  1 Corinthians 13:4-8,

Love suffers long and is kind (a lot of people suffer long, but they are not very kind while they do it); love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own; is not provoked (it is not touchy or fretful or resentful); thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  Love never fails.

What you just read about the love of God is already inside of you if you are a Christian.  It is not something outside of you that you need to seek.  It is something that is in you that needs to be released.

Romans 5:5 tells us,

Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

God's love has already been poured into your heart!  The ability to do everything in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 is already in you.  You have the ability to not be touchy, or fretful, or resentful, or seek your own or insist on your own rights; to suffer long and to be kind; to believe the best of every person.

The Bible is not talking about pursuing love as though it is something that is vacant from your life.  Rather, you are to pursue the expression of that love purposely and let it work its way into your words and actions. 

~Bayless Conley~

Distinct Works of the Holy Spirit

"Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" (Acts 19:2)

The baptism with the Holy Spirit is a work of the Holy Spirit distinct from his regenerating work. To be born again of the Spirit is one thing, to be baptized with the Holy Spirit is something different, something additional. This is evident from Acts 1:5: "In a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit." The disciples were not as yet baptized with the Spirit, but they were born again. In John 15:3, Jesus had said to these men, "You are already clean because of the word I have spoke to you." It is clear from James 1:18 and 1 Peter 1:23 that to be made "clean" means to be "born again" through the Word of God. Of the disciples, Jesus noted that all had been made clean except for Judas Iscariot (John 13:10-11). But they were not yet baptized with the Holy Spirit.

The same situation was evident in Acts 8:12-16. Here we find a large company of baptized believers, but the record informs us that when Peter and John visited them, "they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them" (vv. 15-16). In as clear and undeniable language as possible, Scripture shows the baptism with the Holy Spirit to be distinct and something additional to being born again. Let us bow to the teaching of the Word of God even if it does not agree with our preconceived theories.

But I should add that one may be baptized with the Holy Spirit at the very moment he is born again. Such was the case of the household of Cornelius (Acts 10:44), and I believe this was meant to be the norm for the Church. The Holy Spirit is every believer's privilege and birthright through the crucified, risen, and ascended Saviour, and He has poured out this marvelous gift (Acts 2:33). But in a manner similar go the believers at Ephesus (Acts 19), many believers today have not claimed what is rightfully theirs.

Spirit of God, I see the questions I have about Your work are not new ones, but the New Testament believers did get their answers. I ask You to answer mine as well. Make Your Word absolutely clear to my mind and heart that I may take it in. Amen

~R. A. Torrey~

Aaron Held His Peace

Aaron held his peace. - Leviticus 10:3

His heart must have been rent with paroxysms of grief, as he beheld the bodies of his beloved sons on the floor of the Tabernacle, stretched out in death. He repressed the cry, choked back the sob, staunched the flowing tear, and continued to perform the holy duties with which he was charged. He was no stoic, and tears are not wrong for our dead; but his relationship to God was so overmastering as to still the expressions of nature.

He saw the wrong from God's standpoint. - It was of great importance that the Divine regulations and enactments should be maintained, and that the ministering priests should always prefer God's work and service above their own ideas. Aaron was able to appreciate that position, and saw the sin of which his children were guilty. They had forgotten the voice which said, Sanctify thou Me. Obedience is the foundation of reverence, honor, and service; and if it were relaxed with the priests, how for the people! How careful they should be who bear the vessels of the Lord I With what fear and trembling must they work, who work with God!

He acquiesced in the Divine dealings. - To take the yoke, and meekly bear it; to put the hand on the mouth, and bow in the dust - this is rest and peace. In this way we drink Christ's cup and become partakers of His sufferings.

He felt that his work as priest must take precedence. - It was a solemn and awful thing to be God's anointed priest, and the office must come first, even to the denial of the dues of nature, if that were necessary: so always with us, there must be the subordination of everything to our service and work for God.

~F. B. Meyer~

The Baptism With the Holy Spirit

"Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit" (Acts 1:4-5)

While a great deal is said today concerning the baptism with the Holy Spirit, it is to be feared that there are many who talk about it and pray for it who have no clear and definite idea of what it is. But the Bible gives a perfectly clear view of this wonderful blessing.

The Bible gives us a number of designations for this one experience. Besides the above verse, we read Acts 2:4, where the promise was fulfilled: "All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit." By the comparison of Acts 10:44-47 with Acts 11:15-16, we find the expressions "the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message" and "gift of the Holy Spirit" and "received the Holy Spirit" are all equivalents to "be baptized with the Holy Spirit."

We also find that the baptism with the Holy Spirit is a definite experience that one may know whether he has received or not. This is clear from our Lord's command to the apostles: "stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high" (Luke 24:49). If this clothing with power, this baptism with the Holy Spirit, were not an experience so definite that one could now whether he had received it or not, how could the disciples possibly know when the days of waiting were over and the days to begin their ministry had begun?

The same thing is clear from Paul's definite question to the disciples in Ephesus: "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" (Acts 19:2). Paul evidently expected a definite yes or now for an answer. How else could these disciples answer Paul's question except in a definite manner? In point of fact he got a definite no. These disciples were completely in the dark about the Holy Spirit, but with Paul's instruction they immediately responded and were baptized with the Spirit on the spot. The Bible is absolutely clear about the definiteness of the baptism with the Holy Spirit.

Lord Jesus, Your words were unmistakably clear to Your disciples, but have been abused and confused in our day. I ask You to make them clear to my understanding, so that I may discern the truth and embrace it with faith. Amen

~R. A. Torrey~

Pursue Love!

In yesterday's devotional, we talked about how love is "the more excellent way."  We are to pursue love, especially in how we practice the gifts of the Spirit.

In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul presses home the point of just how important love really is.  Let's start with verse 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.

Paul does not say the gift of tongues isn't legitimate or genuine.  But if there is not a heart of love behind it, it is just noise.  You see, the water picks up the taste of the pipe that it flows through.  If the pipe isn't clean, the water can pick up a pretty nasty taste, even though it is still genuinely water.

So also the gift can be genuine, but it is more noise than anything else to the hearts of the people who hear it if it is not accentuated by love.

Let's move to verse 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.

Notice he did not say the gifts are nothing.  The gifts are genuine.  He says you are nothing.  From heaven's point of view, you are defined by your character, not by your accomplishments.  The world tends to define people by their accomplishments.  In heaven's books, however, you are defined by your character.

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 (verse 2).

It does not say the poor won't profit, but you won't profit.  You lose your reward if your heart is not right.

Pursue love! 

~Bayless Conley~

Joy In the Holy Spirit

"For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit" (Romans 14:17)

It is a great thing to have your source of joy within your own heart; to have a fountain of joy within, not in your surroundings or circumstances or possessions. A joy based in our surroundings or possessions cannot possibly make us always happy. When our possessions and surroundings are intact, we are happy, but when they are gone we are miserable. We are happy when we are rich, but miserable when poor. We are happy when we are well, but miserable when sick. Happy only when others speak well of us and our friends surround us, but plunged into the depths of despair when something changes.

But if our source of joy is in our own hearts, a fountain springing up within us, then we are entirely independent of our surroundings and circumstances, our possessions or lack of possessions. We are equally joyful when rich or poor, when things go just right or "dead wrong," when well or sick, when friends are with us or when they depart us through death. Indeed, the joy of the indwelling Spirit of God even wells up within us in the moments of deepest bereavement. In that dark hour that comes, we look into the face of some dearly loved one lying cold and still in death, what possible comfort is there in anything that this world can give? But from this fountain within us, which the indwelling Spirit has become, gushes up at such a time as that "inexpressible and glorious joy" (1 Peter 1:8).

Joy in the Holy Spirit, springing up, always springing up, three hundred and sixty-five days in every year, springs up under all circumstances into everlasting life, a fountain that you can take with you wherever you go. If you have this pure crystal spring of the Holy Spirit in your heart, it will make it impossible for you to seek to satisfy your thirst at the green, slimy pools of this world's pleasures. You can know this wondrous joy today. The Lord Jesus stands before you, all unseen, but nevertheless present, holding out the golden goblet that contains the living water, and says, "Drink deeply." Will you?

Our Father in heaven, my desire is to have this fountain of joy welling up in my soul through the Holy Spirit. I confess I am far too dependent upon the world for my happiness. I come to You to drink and be filled. Amen


~R. A. Torrey~

Doubt Paralyzes

Moses answered, “What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you?’”  Exodus 4:1


Moses experienced the “what if” trap. “What if they do not believe me or listen to me?” Several thousand years later we still struggle with the same doubts. What if they reject me? What if they say no? What if they say yes? What if I fail? What if I am hurt? What if they don’t understand? If God has led us thus far and if His track record is one of faithfulness, aren’t we really saying “What if God does not do what He said He will do?” Doubt detaches us from trusting the character of Christ.

If we are not careful, our beliefs and behavior can reflect this kind of irrational thinking about God. We really struggle at times (right before we take that step of faith) and wonder if God is really true to His Word and if He will come through for us. Yet we know that God has never failed us. His timing may have been different than we expected, but He has not failed us, and He will not fail us. Knowing this, we still struggle with doubt. Why is this?

“Then he [Jesus] said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe’” (John 20:27).

Doubt is a normal part of the trust process. We go through doubt on the way to trust in the Lord. Even the most faithful followers of Jesus deal with doubt (see Matthew 11:2). However, the danger of doubt is remaining in doubt. Extended striving over doubt can paralyze you. It can paralyze your relationships, finances, career advancement, and worst of all, your obedience to God. He is either trustworthy or He is not.

Lastly, the greatest difficulty is when we are in the middle of tremendous adversity or uncertainty. God’s posture is one of continual compassion and sincere love. He is there to walk with you. He is leading you, and will provide the needed skills, finances, health, and relationships for you to accomplish His will. Let Him use this time of trials to once again, show that He is God.

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory” (Ephesians 3:20–21).

~Wisdom Hunters Devotional~