Warm hellos friends, brethren, co-workers, spiritual family, and scattered children of God, from our offices here on the Gulf Coast. My wife and I pray and hope this finds you all doing well, and that again your week too has been blessed.

We have recently celebrated the annual Sabbath termed the “Feast of First fruits” or the “Feast of Weeks”. It is rich in meaning and there are a number of lessons and truths we can gain from understanding its meaning.

Over the years, if we are not careful, we can simply check off another Holy Day and move forward. Each Feast day of the Lord holds profound truth and teaching for us to meditate on, digest, and reflect upon, and not forgetting how it fits into the plan of God.

In recent sermon messages I’ve been reviewing the role of the Holy Spirit. That’s a logical topic because the Holy Spirit was poured out on the apostles and the others assembled there on what is termed “the birthday of the church”. I frequently discuss aspects or functions of the Holy Spirit. We cannot be a true disciple of Christ and a child of God unless we have been given the Holy Spirit.

The comments by the apostle Paul in Romans 8 are direct to us all. “But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.” (v.9) “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.” (v.14)

How do we receive that Spirit? There are theories all over the map in the world today on how that happens. Are there conditions for receiving it? Who sends it – the Father or the Son?

The apostle Peter addressed that very subject on that special day of Pentecost. “Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:38) One must come to understand that there is a God who is supreme and reveals laws and commandments that He expects those who want to be prepared for His kingdom to own and live by. This past Tuesday in our weekly Bible Basics online interactive study we discussed this very thing.

Each of us must acknowledge that he or she has sinned and is in need of forgiveness and redemption. One must come to understand that Jesus came from the God realm to become a man, live and confront temptation perfectly without sin, and then have His blood shed, being killed as a sacrifice for the sins of mankind.

So, where does the Holy Spirit come from and who actually gives it and sends it? Is the Holy Spirit a separate person who acts independently and decides to whom He will come?

Jesus told the apostles, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you.” (Acts 1:8) The apostle Paul said that his speech and preaching were “in demonstration of the Spirit and of power.” (1 Corinthians 2:4) He stated that “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7) The Holy Spirit is the power that God sends to those He is working with. The apostle Peter said that the Holy Spirit was poured out on the day of Pentecost. (Acts 2:33) The Holy Spirit can be quenched. (Thessalonians 5:19) These above comments are not describing a separate person or being, but a power and a force that is truly the very essence of God.

Does the Holy Spirit come from only God the Father? Jesus stated, “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.” (John 15:26)

During His discourse with the disciples Jesus also stated, “Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.” (John 16:7) The pronoun “Him” is used because it refers back to the masculine noun parakletos, not because it is a person. There is revealed here a collaborative decision or working of the Father and Christ in the sending of the Holy Spirit to the human believer. It is the same spirit that is available to and available from both the Father and the Son.

It seems that the Father plays the dominant role in initiating the sending of the Holy Spirit. Through the one Holy Spirit they both work within the believer. “Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.” (John 14:23)

Notice that the apostle Paul emphasizes the role of the Father in sending the Spirit which dwells in us following baptism. “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” (Romans 8:11) Notice another statement made by Paul. “And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” (Galatians 4:6) You and I are described as “sons of God” meaning sons of the Father. (Romans 8:14-15, 19) The apostle John links being a son with the Father. “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God” (1 John 3:1 KJV)

This discussion demonstrates the unity that the Father and His Son have. They are perfectly united in purpose and judgment and discernment. Jesus stated, “I and My Father are one.” (John 10:30) In His moving prayer on the night He was betrayed, Jesus prayed for unity of the disciples and referred to the unity that He and His Father experience. In His prayer He asked “that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us” (John 17:21).

When God sends His Holy Spirit, both the Father and the son are in agreement about that decision. Once they have decided to begin this process, they are committed to complete it, culminating with our resurrection at the return of Christ. “Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6)

These are very encouraging words for you and me! This encourages us to positively anticipate being made ready for the events at the sounding of that trumpet when Christ returns to send His angels to gather His elect. Thank God for His Holy Spirit, and Christ living in us. May God speed the day of His return!

Arms up friends! Our prayers and thoughts are with you daily. Please do pray for us as well.