Bible Studies

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GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT & SPIRITUAL GIFTS: LESSON I
THE FATHER, SON, AND HOLY SPIRIT

Getting to know the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost (aka Holy Spirit)

The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are not three separate persons, gods, or entities.
Rather, they are representative of three aspects of God’s personality it is crucial we know in depth. We will no doubt experience the full measure of who God is when we are joined with him in heaven, but we can not possibly grasp the entirety of who He is as mere mortals.


FATHER - God’s attributes as a father, not as the creator or omnipotent "The Great I AM". Although, he is certainly all of that and more!

In this context, God wants us to know and trust him intimately as the Father. Note: When we are baptized, we are not baptized in the name of God, the Son and the Holy Spirit, It is in the name of The Father, the Son and Holy Spirit. Mat. 28:19 "Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit:"

Read the following scriptures then complete the exercises below.

1 John 3:1-3 Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God; and such we are. For this cause the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we children of God, and it is not yet made manifest what we shall be. We know that, if he shall be manifested, we shall be like him; for we shall see him even as he is. And every one that hath this hope set on him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

Ephesians 1:3-14 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ: even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blemish before him in love: having foreordained us unto adoption as sons through Jesus Christ unto himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, which he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved: in whom we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, making known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he purposed in him unto a dispensation of the fullness of the times, to sum up all things in Christ, the things in the heavens, and the things upon the earth; in him, I say, in whom also we were made a heritage, having been foreordained according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his will; to the end that we should be unto the praise of his glory, we who had before hoped in Christ: in whom ye also, having heard the word of the truth, the gospel of your salvation,— in whom, having also believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, which is an earnest of our inheritance, unto the redemption of God’s own possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Rev. 21:3-7 And I heard a great voice out of the throne saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he shall dwell with them, and they shall be his peoples, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God: and he shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death shall be no more; neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more: the first things are passed away. And he that sitteth on the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he saith, Write: for these words are faithful and true. And he said unto me, They are come to pass. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit these things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
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EXERCISE
* Write a few thoughts on who you are to God. Compare that to how you see yourself, or how you think others see you.
* What are your benefits as a member of the Royal Family? What benefits are yet to come?
* How does God the Father compare to your earthly parent?


SON - The Son is the representation of God’s love for his children. Us. The Son is the means by which he made himself accessible, understandable, and by which he provided for all of humanity to become his chosen people. Before Christ, people didn’t have access to a personal relationship with God as we have now.
Jesus is obviously the Son, but I think the Son in this context represents far more than just the man. The Son is God himself come in the flesh to dwell among us and to teach mankind what we are ready to know about him. The Son is represented many ways in the Bible, each representing a different aspect of God as he relates to man. The Son is all of these in one. One of the most revealing for me is the Word. John 1:1-5 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him; and without him was not anything made that hath been made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in the darkness; and the darkness apprehended it not."

Read the following scriptures then complete the exercises below.
John 1:14-18 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father), full of grace and truth. John beareth witness of him, and crieth, saying, This was he of whom I said, He that cometh after me is become before me: for he was before me. For of his fullness we all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

John 14:1-6 Jesus said, I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no one cometh unto the Father, but by me.

John 17:20-26 Neither for these only do I pray, but for them also that believe on me through their word; that they may all be one; even as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be in us: that the world may believe that thou didst send me. And the glory which thou hast given me I have given unto them; that they may be one, even as we are one; I in them, and thou in me, that they may be perfected into one; that the world may know that thou didst send me, and lovedst them, even as thou lovedst me. Father, I desire that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me:for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, the world knew thee not, but I knew thee; and these knew that thou didst send me; and I made known unto them thy name, and will make it known; that the love wherewith thou lovedst me may be in them, and I in them.
The Holy Spirit - Throughout the course of this study, we will explore the many aspects of the Holy Spirit. Basically though, the Spirit is our direct link through the Son to the Father! This is how we achieve the “oneness” that Jesus pray we experience. It is our 911, our emergency escape route and our great comforter. When we are depressed, our spirits are actually pulled up into God’s bosom by our connection through the Holy Spirit. We can do much with a little of it. We can do all with all of it.

EXERCISE
* What is the Son's relationship to the Father?
* What is your relationship to the Son?
* In what ways does the Son help you in your daily relationship with the Father?


HOLY SPIRIT
God's Holy Spirit is not just a New Testament concept. In Fact, God's Spirit was present during creation. Genesis 1:1-5 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 And the earth was waste and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep:and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters 3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. 4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. 5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day. His Spirit moved upon the face of the waters, while his word was spoken. God's Sprit is the essence of how he interacts and relates to this world he created. It may be helpful to understand the Spirit as his emotions and thoughts wherein the power resides to act on them. In this context; however, and for the purpose of this study, we will focus and the aspects of God's Spirit he makes available to us through our salvation. Acts 2:38,39 And Peter said unto them, "Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For to you is the promise, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call unto him." Combined, The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all the tools we need to lead a successful and fruitful life here on earth, and the means by which we will find ourselves reunited with our heavenly Father. The Great I Am, omnipotent and glorified forever and ever.

Read the following scriptures then complete the exercises below.

Romans 5:1-5 Being therefore justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ; through whom also we have had our access by faith into this grace wherein we stand; and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we also rejoice in our tribulations: knowing that tribulation worketh stedfastness; and stedfastness, approvedness; and approvedness, hope: and hope putteth not to shame; because the love of God hath been shed abroad in our hearts through the Holy Spirit which was given unto us.

1 Corinthians 2:10-12 But unto us God revealed them through the Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For who among men knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of the man, which is in him? even so the things of God none knoweth, save the Spirit of God. But we received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is from God; that we might know the things that were freely given to us of God.

John 14:16-18 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may be with you for ever, even the Spirit of truth: whom the world cannot receive; for it beholdeth him not, neither knoweth him: ye know him; for he abideth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you desolate: I come unto you.

EXERCISE
* What are four aspects of the Holy Spirit represented in these scriptures?
* How have each one of those worked in your Christian life?
* How would they be of benefit to your Christian walk?

SUMMARY

Friends, I believe that we all have access to the complete package of God's Holy Spirit the moment we, for ourselves confess Christ and receive salvation.
Romans 10:9,10 "If you confess that Jesus is Lord and believe that God raised him from death, you will be saved. For it is by our faith that we are put right with God; it is by our confession that we are saved." The Apostle Paul (Good News Translation)
Most who are Christened at birth go through a period of confirmation as teens. They will make that confession and receive God's gifts for themselves.
Those who are baptized as teens or adults receive the gifts as a result of baptism, and some receive the gifts when they first accept Christ in their hearts as their Savior and make a vocal confession of him before witnesses.

It is a long way from receiving this wonderful package of gifts from God, to recognizing them and utilizing them to our full benefit.

It is much like using the computer. At first we simply learn how to turn it on and off correctly. As we increase in knowledge, we begin to perform rudimentary tasks such as surfing the Internet and using email. As our knowledge and expertise grows, we are able to increasingly perform more complicated tasks, thereby increasing the benefit of the entire potential that exists in the computer to begin with. As you use your computer, your computer in turn learns to accommodate itself to your specific patterns, or unique way of using the tool.

Three Hindrances to the Holy Spirit: Can you find yourself in the descriptions below?

1. Some people call themselves Christians and expect God to provide all his knowledge, wisdom and gifts like fast food. They expect and desire to immediately be filled and be fully prepared to live their lives as victorious Christians. Why, that is as crazy as thinking that calling yourself a doctor makes you one without the appropriate education required to serve as one! And everyone knows that most fast food is not very nutritious.

2. There are others who having first received the milk of the word, or rudimentary precepts of the Bible, refuse to challenge themselves on to new depths of faith, and to acquire new wisdom through daily Bible study. Christians are responsible to show themselves approved by God by studying and applying the scriptures to their daily lives. Just the opposite are those who are impatient and not satisfied by the milk or God's word. They rush to the table to be filled with the meat of the word. As babes in Christ, our spirits just aren't prepared to digest the meat yet. The result is spiritual indigestion, and failure to acquire any true benefit at all.

3. There are those who seek a God of justification rather than restoration. They diligently seek the scriptures for bits and pieces they may use to justify their actions or beliefs that are truly contrary to God's word.

When we seek God's wisdom, we must be prepared to accept what he reveals to us, and to adjust our lives accordingly. When God gives wisdom, we are responsible to use it to His glory. If not, the blood of Christ is wasted on us, and God's gifts will become as so much trash piled in the closet of our souls.

May the peace of Christ be with you. Amen

Brother Brady

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