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"Distributing the Good Gospel Materials of the Pioneer Tract Society"
=20
PO Box 2392 Daly City, CA 94017-2392 Phone: 1-650-757-5752 =
Fax: 1-650-757-5750
Webpage: http://www.isaiah58.com E-Mail:
=20
The Messenger of the Covenant
"...and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, =
even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in." (Malachi 3:1)
"Now the Lord is that Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, =
there is liberty." (2 Cor.3:17)
Nahash, king of Ammon, was one of those few who had shown young =
David mercy when he fled from the mad King Saul. Nahash helped David =
escape death, and now David himself was King in Israel. When King David =
heard that Nahash had died and that his son Hanun reigned in his stead =
in Ammon, David said to his advisors, "I will show mercy to Hanun the =
son of Nahash as his father showed kindness unto me." Faithful to his =
promise, David sent ambassadors to Hanun to comfort him concerning his =
father's death. It was expected, of course, that Hanun would show =
gratitude for David's open demonstration of good will. Hanun's reaction, =
though, was anything but friendly, for "the princes of Ammon said unto =
Hanun their lord, Thinkest thou that David doth honor thy father, that =
he hath sent comforters unto thee? Hath not David rather sent his =
servants unto thee to search the city, and to spy it out, and to =
overthrow it? Wherefore Hanun took David's servants, and shaved off the =
one half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle, even =
to their buttocks, and sent them away" (2Sam.10:1-5).
This humiliation of David's ambassadors was a clear challenge, a =
personal affront, a display of open contempt for the king, and a bloody =
war between Israel and Ammon ensued. It was a war that cost the =
Ammonites dearly.=20
Throughout the history of human diplomatic relations, it has held =
true that mistreatment of a ruler's ambassadors is tantamount to a =
declaration of war. Such conduct is a clear, open challenge to the one =
who sends the ambassadors. This principle holds true in a spiritual =
sense as well. Jesus was sent from God, and just as David was insulted =
when his messengers were treated badly, so God was insulted when Jesus =
was rejected and abused. Jesus said, "He that honoreth not the Son =
honoreth not the Father which hath sent him" (Jn.5:23).
One's response to Jesus reveals his sincere attitude toward God. =
Everyone who truly loves God, also loves Jesus (Jn.8:42), and everyone =
who rejects Jesus is rejecting the One who sent him (Mt.10:40). Many =
leaders in ancient Israel who appeared to be godly were exposed as =
ungodly by their hatred toward Christ, while many who were shunned by =
those seemingly holy men were revealed to be children of God by their =
obedience to Jesus' words. To the haughty religious leaders who, through =
envy and covetous ness refused to hear him, Jesus said, "Ye are they who =
justify yourselves before men, but God knoweth your hearts. For that =
which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God" =
(Lk.16:15). On the other hand, to the simple, and at times, downtrodden =
souls who followed him, the Master encouraged their hearts with these =
words, "Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to =
give you the kingdom" (Lk.12:32).
"The kingdom of God", wrote Paul, "is...righteousness, peace, and =
joy in the Holy Ghost" (Rom.14:17). So, we see that when Jesus spoke of =
the kingdom his Father would give, he was saying that the Holy Ghost =
would be sent. This promise he kept, for just a few days after his =
ascension, when his disciples " were all with one accord in one =
place...there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and =
it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto =
them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And =
they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other =
tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance" (Acts 2:1-4).
Receiving the Messenger
Jesus ascended to the Father, yet he did not "leave us =
comfortless". He sent his personal representative, the Holy Spirit, the =
"messenger of the covenant" which "suddenly came to his temple" when =
Jesus was baptized by John in the Jordan River, and which "suddenly came =
from heaven" to baptize the disciples in the upper room on Pentecost =
morning. There, on that momentous occasion, the Vicar of Christ arrived, =
and our response to Him is a sure indication of our heart's real =
attitude toward God.
Regardless of any man's lofty position or title, if he is not =
submissive to the power of the Holy Ghost, he is not of Christ. If a man =
rejects the Holy Ghost baptism and the truth the Holy Ghost teaches, he =
is a liar, regardless of what he says about God. Where speaking in =
tongues and other manifestations of the Spirit are not welcome, Jesus =
himself is not welcome, even if those who reject the Spirit speak well =
of him. Remember, those who hated Jesus spoke very reverentially of the =
Father who had sent him, but they were liars and deceivers. Their fair =
words are just for show. Watch them! They are enemies of God's =
righteousness, even as they extol it, professional religionists who =
poison hearts against the very One whom they claim to love and serve. =
The Father said of them, "This people draweth nigh unto me with their =
mouth, and honoreth me with their lips, but their heart is far from =
me...." Flattering Jesus means nothing. Only they who walk in the power =
of the Spirit do truly honor him.
No man can hide his heart in the presence of the power of the Holy =
Ghost. Those who love God love His power. Does it make you nervous or =
uncomfortable, my friend, for the saints to shout and praise God around =
you? Do you avoid the places where people dance under the unction of the =
Spirit? Are you embarrassed at the power of God being demonstrated on =
the bodies of the worshippers? If so, ask God to rid your heart of its =
filthiness and pride, so that you can rejoice in the light. If you are =
ashamed of the Holy Ghost, you are, in fact, ashamed of Jesus, and in =
the end he will be ashamed of you.
It is only to the extent that the Spirit of God leads the church =
that it is rightly lead. Only to the extent that He governs is the =
church governed well. Only to the extent that the Holy Ghost gives =
wisdom is there sound judgment in the church. And only to the extent =
that He anoints is there true ministry. To love God is to love what the =
Holy Ghost does to people and for people. There are many who claim to =
love God when, in fact, what they really love is a god of their own =
imagination. It is a person's response to the Holy Ghost - the real Holy =
Ghost - which exposes their real attitude toward Jesus. And we can be =
certain that both Jesus and the Father take it personally when the =
Spirit which Jesus died to make available to men is rejected as =
outmoded, or even, as some with more audacity than wisdom say, of the =
devil. May God have mercy on their souls.
It is the Spirit that guides us into all truth (Jn.16:13). If a =
man knows any truth, if anyone understands anything rightly concerning =
God, that knowledge came only from the Holy Spirit. Said Paul, "...the =
things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God" (1Cor.2:11). What =
little uprightness exists in the world today exists only by virtue of =
the influence of God's Spirit on man. It is the Spirit that both =
convicts men of wrong doing and convinces them of right (Eph.4:30; =
Jn.16:8). It is the Spirit that cleanses from sin (1Cor.6:9-11), and it =
is only by the indwelling of the Spirit that any man has a hope of being =
raised from the dead (Rom.8:11). One of the Spirit's titles is, "the =
Spirit of Grace" (Heb.10:29), and despite the claims of many deceived =
souls, one is being "saved by grace" only if he is filled with the =
Spirit, for it is only by the Spirit that the grace of God is ministered =
to the soul. Furthermore, no man can have the love of God within him =
without receiving the Holy Ghost, for "the love of God is shed abroad in =
our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given to us" (Rom. 5:5). If Christ =
Jesus and his Father dwell in anyone, it is only by the Spirit that they =
do so! Jesus himself is inside of no one. He is in heaven with his =
Father. We either have the Holy Ghost within us or we have nothing holy =
in us at all. Oh, how we should reverence this heavenly Ambassador! How =
we should welcome his intervention in our lives and give him the seat of =
honor in our assemblies! How we should listen to his voice, and receive =
his instruction. He alone is able to teach us of that distant heavenly =
kingdom and to bring us into the covenant of fellowship with the King of =
kings.
"If any man have not the Spirit of Christ," Paul taught, "He is =
none of his" (Rom.8:9). That is just how serious it is, my friend. If =
you reject the Holy Ghost that the Father sent in Jesus' name, you have =
rejected Christ and have no part in the kingdom of God. The only way =
into the church is the baptism of the Holy Ghost (1Cor.12:13). The only =
life anyone has in Christ is the life which the Spirit of God brings =
when it enters in. "It is the Spirit that gives life", said Jesus =
(Jn.6:63). This is true because the Spirit itself is life (Rom.8:10).
If you have believed the gospel concerning Jesus, yet have not =
received the gift of the Holy Ghost, let me encourage you to continue in =
the word of God until the Spirit comes and makes you free. Some may have =
told you that you are free already, that you must "take it by faith", or =
that you must "confess the word", but you know in your heart that those =
gimmicks have not made you free. We encourage you to remember the words =
of Jesus, who told his beloved disciples, "If ye continue in my word, =
then are ye my disciples indeed. And ye shall know the truth, and the =
truth shall make you free" (Jn.8:31-32).=20
Questions? Log onto the Internet, Click Here,
and you can E-mail them to: GSAVELLI@aol.com=20
=20
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<BODY background=3D"">
<DIV> </DIV>
<P>
<P>
<CENTER><FONT face=3Darial size=3D3><B>"Distributing the Good Gospel =
Materials of=20
the Pioneer Tract Society"</B></FONT></CENTER>
<CENTER>
<TABLE width=3D550 border=3D0>
<TBODY>
<TR height=3D35>
<TD width=3D550 bgColor=3D#000000 height=3D35><IMG height=3D35=20
src=3D"file:///C:/Program Files/Common Files/Microsoft =
Shared/Stationery/bartop.gif"=20
width=3D550 border=3D0></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></CENTER>
<CENTER><FONT face=3Dverdana size=3D1>PO Box 2392 Daly =
City, CA=20
94017-2392 Phone: 1-650-757-5752 Fax:=20
1-650-757-5750<BR>Webpage: http://www.isaiah58.com =
=20
E-Mail: </CENTER></FONT>
<P>
<CENTER>
<TABLE width=3D600 border=3D0>
<TBODY>
<TR>
<TD><IMG height=3D241 hspace=3D10=20
src=3D"file:///C:/Program Files/Common Files/Microsoft =
Shared/Stationery/reli58.gif"=20
width=3D150 align=3Dleft vspace=3D5 border=3D1> <!-- ******** END =
OF HEADER *************** --><A name=3Dtop></A><FONT=20
size=3D4>
<CENTER>
<H1><FONT color=3Dpurple>The Messe
ger of the =
Covenant</FONT></H1></CENTER>
<P>
<CENTER><B><I>"...and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come =
to his=20
temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in." =
(Malachi=20
3:1)</B></I></CENTER>
<P>
<CENTER><B><I>"Now the Lord is that Spirit, and where the Spirit =
of the=20
Lord is, there is liberty." (2 Cor.3:17)</B></I></CENTER>
<P>Nahash, king of Ammon, was one of those few who had shown young =
David=20
mercy when he fled from the mad King Saul. Nahash helped David =
escape=20
death, and now David himself was King in Israel. When King David =
heard=20
that Nahash had died and that his son Hanun reigned in his stead =
in Ammon,=20
David said to his advisors, <B><I>"I will show mercy to Hanun the =
son of=20
Nahash as his father showed kindness unto me."</B></I> Faithful to =
his=20
promise, David sent ambassadors to Hanun to comfort him concerning =
his=20
father's death. It was expected, of course, that Hanun would show=20
gratitude for David's open demonstration of good will. Hanun's =
reaction,=20
though, was anything but friendly, for <B><I>"the princes of Ammon =
said=20
unto Hanun their lord, Thinkest thou that David doth honor thy =
father,=20
that he hath sent comforters unto thee? Hath not David rather sent =
his=20
servants unto thee to search the city, and to spy it out, and to =
overthrow=20
it? Wherefore Hanun took David's servants, and shaved off the one =
half of=20
their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to =
their=20
buttocks, and sent them away" (2Sam.10:1-5).</B></I>
<P>This humiliation of David's ambassadors was a clear challenge, =
a=20
personal affront, a display of open contempt for the king, and a =
bloody=20
war between Israel and Ammon ensued. It was a war that cost the =
Ammonites=20
dearly.=20
<P>Throughout the history of human diplomatic relations, it has =
held true=20
that mistreatment of a ruler's ambassadors is tantamount to a =
declaration=20
of war. Such conduct is a clear, open challenge to the one who =
sends the=20
ambassadors. This principle holds true in a spiritual sense as =
well. Jesus=20
was sent from God, and just as David was insulted when his =
messengers were=20
treated badly, so God was insulted when Jesus was rejected and =
abused.=20
Jesus said, <B><I>"He that honoreth not the Son honoreth not the =
Father=20
which hath sent him" (Jn.5:23).</B></I>
<P>One's response to Jesus reveals his sincere attitude toward =
God.=20
Everyone who truly loves God, also loves Jesus (Jn.8:42), and =
everyone who=20
rejects Jesus is rejecting the One who sent him (Mt.10:40). Many =
leaders=20
in ancient Israel who appeared to be godly were exposed as ungodly =
by=20
their hatred toward Christ, while many who were shunned by those =
seemingly=20
holy men were revealed to be children of God by their obedience to =
Jesus'=20
words. To the haughty religious leaders who, through envy and =
covetous=20
ness refused to hear him, Jesus said, <B><I>"Ye are they who =
justify=20
yourselves before men, but God knoweth your hearts. For that which =
is=20
highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God" =
(Lk.16:15).=20
</B></I>On the other hand, to the simple, and at times, =
downtrodden souls=20
who followed him, the Master encouraged their hearts with these=20
words,<B><I> "Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good =
pleasure to give you the kingdom" (Lk.12:32).</B></I>
<P><B><I>"The kingdom of God"</B></I>, wrote Paul,<B><I>=20
"is...righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost"=20
(Rom.14:17).</B></I> So, we see that when Jesus spoke of the =
kingdom his=20
Father would give, he was saying that the Holy Ghost would be =
sent. This=20
promise he kept, for just a few days after his ascension, when his =
disciples <B><I>" were all with one accord in one place...there =
came a=20
sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all =
the house=20
where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven =
tongues like=20
as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled =
with=20
the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the =
Spirit gave=20
them utterance" (Acts 2:1-4).</B></I>
<P>
<CENTER>
<H2><FONT color=3Dblue>Receiving the =
Messenger</FONT></H2></CENTER>
<P>Jesus ascended to the Father, yet he did not <B><I>"leave us=20
comfortless"</B></I>. He sent his personal representative, the =
Holy=20
Spirit, the<B><I> "messenger of the covenant"</B></I> which=20
<B><I>"suddenly came to his temple"</B></I> when Jesus was =
baptized by=20
John in the Jordan River, and which <B><I>"suddenly came from=20
heaven"</B></I> to baptize the disciples in the upper room on =
Pentecost=20
morning. There, on that momentous occasion, the Vicar of Christ =
arrived,=20
and our response to Him is a sure indication of our heart's real =
attitude=20
toward God.
<P>Regardless of any man's lofty position or title, if he is not=20
submissive to the power of the Holy Ghost, he is not of Christ. If =
a man=20
rejects the Holy Ghost baptism and the truth the Holy Ghost =
teaches, he is=20
a liar, regardless of what he says about God. Where speaking in =
tongues=20
and other manifestations of the Spirit are not welcome, Jesus =
himself is=20
not welcome, even if those who reject the Spirit speak well of =
him.=20
Remember, those who hated Jesus spoke very reverentially of the =
Father who=20
had sent him, but they were liars and deceivers. Their fair words =
are just=20
for show. Watch them! They are enemies of God's righteousness, =
even as=20
they extol it, professional religionists who poison hearts against =
the=20
very One whom they claim to love and serve. The Father said of =
them,=20
<B><I>"This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and =
honoreth me=20
with their lips, but their heart is far from me...."</B></I> =
Flattering=20
Jesus means nothing. Only they who walk in the power of the Spirit =
do=20
truly honor him.
<P>No man can hide his heart in the presence of the power of the =
Holy=20
Ghost. Those who love God love His power. Does it make you nervous =
or=20
uncomfortable, my friend, for the saints to shout and praise God =
around=20
you? Do you avoid the places where people dance under the unction =
of the=20
Spirit? Are you embarrassed at the power of God being demonstrated =
on the=20
bodies of the worshippers? If so, ask God to rid your heart of its =
filthiness and pride, so that you can rejoice in the light. If you =
are=20
ashamed of the Holy Ghost, you are, in fact, ashamed of Jesus, and =
in the=20
end he will be ashamed of you.
<P>It is only to the extent that the Spirit of God leads the =
church that=20
it is rightly lead. Only to the extent that He governs is the =
church=20
governed well. Only to the extent that the Holy Ghost gives wisdom =
is=20
there sound judgment in the church. And only to the extent that He =
anoints=20
is there true ministry. To love God is to love what the Holy Ghost =
does to=20
people and for people. There are many who claim to love God when, =
in fact,=20
what they really love is a god of their own imagination. It is a =
person's=20
response to the Holy Ghost - the real Holy Ghost - which exposes =
their=20
real attitude toward Jesus. And we can be certain that both Jesus =
and the=20
Father take it personally when the Spirit which Jesus died to make =
available to men is rejected as outmoded, or even, as some with =
more=20
audacity than wisdom say, of the devil. May God have mercy on =
their souls.
<P>It is the Spirit that guides us into all truth (Jn.16:13). If a =
man=20
knows any truth, if anyone understands anything rightly concerning =
God,=20
that knowledge came only from the Holy Spirit. Said Paul,<B><I> =
"...the=20
things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God" =
(1Cor.2:11)</B></I>.=20
What little uprightness exists in the world today exists only by =
virtue of=20
the influence of God's Spirit on man. It is the Spirit that both =
convicts=20
men of wrong doing and convinces them of right (Eph.4:30; =
Jn.16:8). It is=20
the Spirit that cleanses from sin (1Cor.6:9-11), and it is only by =
the=20
indwelling of the Spirit that any man has a hope of being raised =
from the=20
dead (Rom.8:11). One of the Spirit's titles is,<B><I> "the Spirit =
of=20
Grace" (Heb.10:29)</B></I>, and despite the claims of many =
deceived souls,=20
one is being "saved by grace" only if he is filled with the =
Spirit, for it=20
is only by the Spirit that the grace of God is ministered to the =
soul.=20
Furthermore, no man can have the love of God within him without =
receiving=20
the Holy Ghost, for <B><I>"the love of God is shed abroad in our =
hearts by=20
the Holy Ghost which is given to us" (Rom. 5:5)</B></I>. If Christ =
Jesus=20
and his Father dwell in anyone, it is only by the Spirit that they =
do so!=20
Jesus himself is inside of no one. He is in heaven with his =
Father. We=20
either have the Holy Ghost within us or we have nothing holy in us =
at all.=20
Oh, how we should reverence this heavenly Ambassador! How we =
should=20
welcome his intervention in our lives and give him the seat of =
honor in=20
our assemblies! How we should listen to his voice, and receive his =
instruction. He alone is able to teach us of that distant heavenly =
kingdom=20
and to bring us into the covenant of fellowship with the King of =
kings.
<P><B><I>"If any man have not the Spirit of Christ,"</B></I> Paul =
taught,=20
<B><I>"He is none of his" (Rom.8:9).</B></I> That is just how =
serious it=20
is, my friend. If you reject the Holy Ghost that the Father sent =
in Jesus'=20
name, you have rejected Christ and have no part in the kingdom of =
God. The=20
only way into the church is the baptism of the Holy Ghost =
(1Cor.12:13).=20
The only life anyone has in Christ is the life which the Spirit of =
God=20
brings when it enters in. <B><I>"It is the Spirit that gives=20
life"</B></I>, said Jesus (Jn.6:63). This is true because the =
Spirit=20
itself is life (Rom.8:10).
<P>If you have believed the gospel concerning Jesus, yet have not =
received=20
the gift of the Holy Ghost, let me encourage you to continue in =
the word=20
of God until the Spirit comes and makes you free. Some may have =
told you=20
that you are free already, that you must "take it by faith", or =
that you=20
must "confess the word", but you know in your heart that those =
gimmicks=20
have not made you free. We encourage you to remember the words of =
Jesus,=20
who told his beloved disciples,<B><I> "If ye continue in my word, =
then are=20
ye my disciples indeed. And ye shall know the truth, and the truth =
shall=20
make you free" (Jn.8:31-32).</B></I>=20
<P><! -- ************ BOTTOM HEADER *********** -->
<P><FONT face=3Dverdana size=3D2><I><A=20
href=3D"mailto:GSAVELLI@aol.com">Questions? Log onto the Internet, =
Click=20
Here,<BR>and you can E-mail them to: =
GSAVELLI@aol.com</A></I></FONT>=20
</P></FONT></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></CENTER>
<P>
<HR>
<P>
<CENTER>
<H3><I><A=20
href=3D"file:///C:/Program Files/Common Files/Microsoft =
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anti-virus system (<A=20
href=3D"http://www.grisoft.com">http://www.grisoft.com</A>).<BR>Version: =
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