while peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. [acts 10:44]
the fullness of God’s presence—for jew and gentile
for the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. for who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? so also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God….”for who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” but we have the mind of Christ.
[1 corinthians 2:10b-11, 16]
Jesus Christ, our Immanuel, God with us, came down in the flesh, lived, served, taught, healed, and voluntarily died a sinner’s death, so that we might be restored to the father and have the Holy Spirit put in us—the very person of God who searches his innermost being. God knows every thing about us, and he placed himself in us so that we may begin to learn every thing about him as well. the very mind of Christ is ours, our inheritance from our perfect older brother. do you see the significance of this??
i came that they might have life and have it abundantly. (John 10:10)
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 go, i will send him to you. (john 16:7)
truly, truly, i say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that i do; and greater works than these will he do, because i am going to the father. (john 14:12)
the life, power, and presence of God are given to us through the promised Holy Spirit, we gentiles who previously were counted as unclean! not only are we now accepted, but by the blood of Christ we can be called beloved! what a God we serve!
~ stephen hall