Rightly Dividing the Word Truth, Plain Truth Ministry, 516 Loblolly Drive, Downtown Durham, NC (2026)

We believe and promote the teaching of One God manifested in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.

03/29/2023

Holiness in the Life of a Child of God
Bishop Rufus Taylor Jr., ©

Text: 1 Peter 1:16 - Because it is written, be ye holy; for I am holy.

Some will argue that Holiness is not important, but I submit that if it is in the Bible it is important. Holiness in the life of a child of God is not optional but is a command; we can see that from our scripture reading. Holiness it to the Child of God what the born again experience is to the sinner. The Bible also tells us this:

1Peter 1:15 - But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; [ASV] but like as he who called you is holy, be ye yourselves also holy in all manner of living;

2Peter 3:11- Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
[ASV] Seeing that these things are thus all to be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy living and godliness,

Hebrews 12:14 - Follow after peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no man will see the Lord, [CEV] Try to live at peace with everyone! Live a clean life. If you don't, you will never see the Lord.
(NIV) Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.

This is what holiness means: holiness means to imitate Christ, to be Christ like. The holy person will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature, but he will put on the personality and mind of Christ and will let Christ be formed in him, Romans 13:14 - But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill; the lusts thereof.

Galatians 4:19 - My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,

It means thinking as God thinks, loving what He loves, hating what He hates, and acting as Christ would act. It means having the mind of Christ

1 Corinthians 2:16 - For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
Philippians 2:5 - Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

Specifically, holiness consists of two components: (1) separation from sin and worldliness and (2) dedication to God and His will.

TO DO RIGHT [keep God's commandments)] and TO BE MADE RIGHT [be justified of one's sins]. In simple, plain terms, righteousness means from these words, to do what is right, lawful; obeying; God's commandments and their statutes, and to be made right; [The words righteous and righteousness] have been inspired to be written into God's Word over 500 times!

Why should we live holy? The first reason for holiness is to please God. We belong to God in a double sense: by creation and by redemption. Therefore, we have no right to live contrary to God’s will.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 - What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20 - For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

The second reason for holiness is to communicate Jesus Christ to others. People will be attracted to Christ Jesus only to the extent that they see Christ Jesus in us. They will believe our proclamation that Jesus saves from sin only if they can see the saving power of the gospel operative in our lives. People who are dissatisfied with their worldly life and who seek salvation will only be attracted to a church that is clearly different from the world.

The third reason for holiness is to benefit ourselves, both now and for eternity. From the spiritual point of view, living for God is the logical, reasonable, and expected thing to do.

Romans 12:1- I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

The life of holiness brings great benefits in this life; [physically, mentally, and spiritually]; and it leads to eternal life.

When we are born again; we have become holy by the grace and mercy of God.

1Peter 1:2 - Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

1Corinthians 1:30 - But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:

1Thessalonians 5:23 - And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 13:12 - Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify [set-apart] the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.

Since we have become born again now we have the responsibility to cleanse ourselves by the word of God

II Corinthians 6:17-7:1- “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing: and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God”

Romans 12:1-2 - “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but; “be” ye transformed by the renewing of your mind; that ye may prove; what is that good, and acceptable and perfect will of God”

The truth of Christ is

Ephesians 4:22-24- [NKJV] -“that ye put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in righteousness and true holiness”

It will affect our total being

2Corithians 5:17 - Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new. Let’s look now at holiness in a child of God.

Not to Lie
Ephesians 4:25 - Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another.
Not to be angry and sin.
Ephesians 4:26 - Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun; go down upon your wrath:

Not to steal and to watch what we say and do.
Ephesians 4:28 - Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

Watch what we say. Ephesians 4:29 - Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

Ephesians 4:31 - Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

Galatians 5:19 - Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

Galatians 5:20-21- Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21- envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

1Corithians 6:9 - Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,

1Corithians 6:10 - Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

Romans 12:17-21- Recompense to no man evil for evil.
Provide things honest in the sight of all men.18- If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. 19 - Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. 20 -Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. 21- Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

Ephesians 5:3-5 - But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; 4 - neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. 5 - For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

Colossians 3:5-9 - Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 - Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, 7 - in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them. 8 - But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. 9 - Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds,

1Corithians 6:9-10 - Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 - Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

Watch what we see and hear
Matthew 6:22 - The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.

Matthew 6:2- But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!

Be fair & just.
2Corithians 8:2 - Providing for honest things; not only in the sight; of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.
Leave the occult alone.
Leviticus 19:31 - Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God.

Act 15:20 - But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.

1Thessalonians 5:22 - Abstain from all appearance of evil.

2Timothy 2:22 - Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

Titus 3:3 - For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.

1John 2:15-17- Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man; love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 - For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 - And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.

Philippians 4:8 - Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

A Born again sanctified - set-apart - child of God can’t hold hands with the world and Jesus. He or she can’t walk in the darkness and light. Developed for training in righteousness and pure Holiness, © 7/15/2007rtjr©

03/08/2023

Save Yourself from This Perverse Generation

Dr. Rufus Taylor Jr., ©

Text: Acts 2:40, “...Save yourselves; from this untoward generation.”

Introduction: Acts 2:40, “...Save yourselves; from this untoward generation.” The word “untoward” in Acts 2:40 means “perverse, crooked”; and that is exactly what America has become today. The Bible says, SAVE YOURSELF; FROM THIS PERVERSE GENERATION. And then the next verse in Acts 2:41 tells us that 3,000 souls were saved that day and added to the Church. The answer is not rehabilitation, nor education, nor reformation, nor legislation; but rather, REGENERATION by the Gospel power of Jesus Christ, (Romans 1:16). Ye must be born again, (John 3:5). To be “born-again” means to have He; “Who” is the Beginning (Jesus Christ) born in you! That is the hope of the; “Grace of the Most High Savior; I come warning you sternly... SAVE YOURSELF FROM THIS INSANE, PERVERTED, AND CRAZY GENERATION; in which we live! Please don't go to Hell with all the other fools.

Save yourselves from this perverse and crooked, fornicating, abortion-loving, child-murdering, pleasure-seeking, and a totally-irresponsible generation!

Acts 2:40, “...Save yourselves; from this untoward generation.”

SAVE YOURSELF FROM THIS PERVERSE GENERATION of crooked Generation... come to Jesus Christ instead my friend, and be truly forgiven and saved. No un-generated person can forgive. Natural man cannot absolve your sins; he can only make matters worse and get you into even more trouble with the Lord than you already are. SAVE YOURSELF while you still can... run to Jesus!!! Get on the ark before the flood comes! The end is likely near. If nothing else, the end of your life could happen TODAY! Life is very short. Healthy people drop dead all the time, while deathly sick people endure for decades in the worst of circumstances. Go figure!

Proverbs 27- reminds us that anything can happen without notice, so don't boast about tomorrow... for it may never come for you on earth.

I thought it was very interesting that the Apostle Peter told everyone present at Pentecost (at least 16 different nations are mentioned, Acts 2:9-11) to save themselves from their perverse and crooked generation. Peter echoed these words again in Philippians 2:15, “That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of A CROOKED AND PERVERSE NATION, among whom ye shine as lights in the world.” In 2021- we undeniably live in a perverse and crooked world. The world has gone insane. Sometimes ago; There were some in India selling cow urine soft-drinks so followers of the Hindu religion can express their faith more. Tell me that the world hadn't gone insane?

Even today in our timeline; society is absolutely insane. We have gone whacko to***co in the world. We are living in loony-vile; today on planet earth. This world has deteriorated into one giant insane asylum. Someone please open the lion's and tiger's cage at the zoo; so we can live with them and be safe from people.

Save yourselves from this homos*xual, lesbian-lusting, gay-clergy, Sodomite generation that ignores the reality of the consequences of sin; (Romans 1:32), despises and changes the truth of God's Word into a lie; (Romans 1:25), and are the enemies of God (James 4:4)... whose god is their belly; (Philippians 3:18-19, “For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Jesus Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things”.

Please don't go to Hell with this wicked generation. We are enduring through wicked times. 2nd Timothy 2:3, “Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.” We are at spiritual war today; (Ephesians 6:12). Most people aren't on the Lord's side. Nearly everyone is bound for the Lake of Fire in their sins. I dare say that only 1 out of 100 people are truly saved. You are not saved unless you have been born-again by the Spirit of God, by the Seed of God's Word, (1st Peter 1:23). If you don't have the Holy Ghost; living inside you, then you are not saved, (Romans 8:9). I didn’t write it it’s in the word of the Lord, It’s that simple!

Have you been born-again? Have you acknowledged your guilt of sin before God, [in other words, your sinner-ship? And have you believed on the name of the only begotten Son of God, the Christ, Jesus, to forgive your sins? If so, then you are saved. We were the SINNER and Jesus is own SAVIOR! Salvation [Spiritual deliverance] is receiving, not giving. It is the free gift of God, paid for by Jesus' precious, literal, blood, (1st Peter 1:18, 19). Salvation [deliverance] is received, not achieved. You just take it, it's a gift.

Tragically, this untoward generation loves their sins so much that they won't come to Jesus to be saved, LEST HIS DEEDS SHOULD BE REPROVED the Bible says in John 3:20. Sin hinders people from getting saved. So many false ministers pervert the Gospel by teaching that a person cannot be saved unless they are willing to stop living in sin; but the Bible teaches that people who love their sins WON'T come to Christ to be saved. So the problem takes care of itself. What we need to do is leave the Gospel alone and teach the plain Biblical truth that the gift of God has absolutely NOTHING to do with one's desire to forsake their sins.

A man recently told me that he warned a bi-s*xual family member that God wouldn't allow any bis*xuals into Heaven. The man is sincere, but wrong. God will allows murderers like David and adulterers like Mary Magdalene into Heaven, and a good thing or else horrible sinners like you and I wouldn't be allowed in either. The gift of God has nothing to do with whether or not one has forsaken a particular sin in their life.

Albeit, the truth is that the bis*xual man in question has a better chance of winning a trip to the moon than of getting to Heaven one day; because of his love for sin that keeps him from coming to Christ to be saved. The Lord Jesus wants to save all men and everybody; but love for sin prevents them from coming to Christ Jesus to be saved. If we understand this Biblical truth, then we fully realize that the entire teaching of “Lordship Salvation,” is bogus, unnecessary, and unscriptural in every way.

I will always defend the purity of the Gospel message as Salvation [Divine Heavenly/Eternal redemption from sin] is a free gift without any works of self-righteousness, (Romans 4:5-6), and the vilest sinner may have eternal life without so much as a desire to give up one sin, (Ephesians 2:8-9). Albeit, the truth is that nearly all sinners WON'T come within 10-feet of the Gospel for fear of having their deeds exposed and reproved as being evil, sinful, and of the Devil.

I personal believe that most professed Saints today are as lost as the Devil, but it's not because they still have sins in their life; No, rather, it's because they've never truly been born-again to begin with and so there has been no changed life.

Acts 2:40, “...Save yourselves; from this untoward generation.”

What is the answer you ask?

How can I save myself from this perverse generation? The answer is to get saved. The solution is in Jesus Christ. Who came into this horrible world to pay for our sins, so that He could redeem us back to Himself; Jesus is the Christ, the Savior, that precious God of Creation. If we believe that Jesus died, was buried, and rose to pay for YOUR SINS, then we will be saved for trusting upon Him. This is the promise of John 20:31, “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, [God manifested in human flesh]; and that believing ye might have life through his name.”

The Bible is not telling us to give ourselves eternal life, for we CANNOT do that. The Bible is telling us to save ourselves by allowing Jesus to save us. By placing our faith in Jesus Christ to forgive our sins, we are escaping the wrath of God to come against the wicked, (Romans 5:9). Jesus is the ONLY way to eternal life. In Acts 2:40 the word for saved; means to “deliver or protect” one's self. In other words, the world is headed for utter doom and destruction in the Lake of Fire; but you DON'T have to join them. There is eternal life and forgiveness of sins available, but ONLY through the name of Jesus Christ; (John 14:6). Get on the lifeboat. Jesus is waiting!

I have come to the conclusion that most people are fools; who won't accept God's offer; (1st Corinthians 1:21). It will soon be too late. Just as it was too late once Lord closed the door on the ark, so will it be too late once you breathe your last breath or the Rapture happens and you're left behind. The Lord will send you strong delusion the Bible says, (2nd Thessalonians 2:9-10).The Lord will harden your wicked unbelieving heart, just as He did Pharaoh's stubborn heart in; Exodus. 2nd Thessalonians 2:10- Tells us that those who are blinded during the Tribulation will be done so because they RECEIVED NOT THE LOVE OF THE TRUTH when they had the chance to get saved. NOW IS THAT TIME WHOEVER YOU MAY BE! Today is the day of salvation!!!

The Bible is telling us in Acts 2:40- To escape the same doom that 99% of humanity is going to face; when they are all cast into the Lake of Fire to suffer the eternal vengeance of God's wrath in Hell; (2nd Thessalonians 1:8-9). SAVE YOURSELF while you still can. The choice is yours alone to make! No one can, nor will, force you to come to Jesus to be saved. Jesus said in John 5:40, “And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.” Notice that Jesus says YE WILL NOT, rather than YE CANNOT. People WILL NOT, of their own free sinful choice; come to the Lord to be saved. WHOSOEVER; will may be saved, (John 3:16). The Lord will forgive and save the vilest sinner who comes in the name of Jesus to be saved, (Isaiah 1:18; Acts 4:10-12).

Acts 2:40, “...Save yourselves; from this untoward generation.”

The Lord will abundantly pardon. Isaiah 55:7, “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” The Bible always associates a changed life with salvation; not because you have to change your life to be saved; but rather, because being saved changes your life. That's something that a lot of people confuse and misunderstand, and so they pervert and teach a false view of the Gospel, requiring men to forsake their sinful ways to be saved.

No, it doesn't work that way. When you come to Jesus to be forgiven of your sins, then God changes you over time. God makes the necessary changes AFTER a person is in Christ. 2nd Corinthians 5:17 says; “Therefore, if any man “BE; IN CHRIST, he is a new creature...” Notice that he is already “IN CHRIST,” [in other words], he is saved, and now there are changes happening in that person's life as the Holy Ghost deals with them on a daily basis (1st Peter 2:2). Changes take time, just as a new born babe must first learn to crawl, and then walk, before that person can run a marathon.

In Matthew 24:37-38 Jesus warned that the world in the Last Days would once again return to the apostasy of Noah's time, when people lived only to eat, drink, have s*x, and party; having no desire for THE TRUTH, nor concern for the things of Jesus Christ. Hosea 4:6, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: BECAUSE THOU HAST REJECTED KNOWLEDGE, I will also reject thee...” They deliberately rejected the truth, just as people today deliberately sit in front of their idolatrous TV; knowing that they're being lied to, but are too lazy; unspiritual; and wicked in their hearts to SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES, to seek out wisdom, (Proverb 18:1).
You have to want the truth or you won't get it. 2nd Thessalonians 2:10- The Apostle Paul says, “that the world's idiotic masses will follow; THE BEAST because they RECEIVED NOT THE LOVE OF THE TRUTH. If all you do is watch TV, then you DO NOT love the truth at all. You're brainwashed and indoctrinated and are a mess in your mind and opinions. You know nothing but lies, distortions, and misinformation. You are an educated fool. That's what television does to people.

Acts 2:40, “...Save yourselves; from this untoward generation.”

The Bible is telling us to save ourselves by allowing Jesus to save us. By placing our faith in Jesus Christ to forgive our sins, we are escaping the wrath of God to come, (Romans 5:9). 1st Corinthians 16:22, “If any man love; not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha.” Here again the Bible associates loving Jesus with salvation. We do live right to get saved; we live right because we are saved. Paul said if any man doesn't love Jesus, [in other words], is not saved, let him be cursed (anathema) for the Lord is coming; (Maranatha). The storm clouds are gathering my friend. The rains are beginning to fall. The ark door is still upon and the invitation to the world is still WHOSOEVER WILL MAY COME. Revelation 22:17, “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And WHOSOEVER WILL, let him take the water of life freely.”

What are you waiting for? SAVE YOURSELF FROM THIS PERVERSE GENERATION... get on the ark... trust Jesus Christ to forgive your sins!!! Don't wait another minute. Don't play with your eternal happiness. If you reject God's gift and goodness now, then you will have no one to blame later except yourself when you're burning and being tormented in the molten sulfur and flames of Hell forever and ever and ever. Revelation 14:11, “And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.”

Acts 2:40, “...Save yourselves; from this untoward generation.”
Developed for training in righteousness and pure Holiness© 8/16/2017rtjr©

01/02/2023

WE CAN EXPERIENCE THE TRUE BAPTISM IN THE HOLY GHOST
Dr. Rufus Taylor Jr., ©

Text: Acts 2:1-4

Introduction
1. Today many are confused about the baptism in the Holy Ghost.
2. We need a clear word on the experience.
3. Our text shows us three things about a true baptism in the Holy Ghost:

I. True Baptism in the Holy Ghost is closely associated with God’s Harvest, [verse 1].

A. Historically Pentecost was a Jewish harvest festival [Leviticus 23:11-16; Deuteronomy. 16:9-10]
1. God providentially chose to send the Holy Ghost during this harvest festival.
2. Pentecost thus symbolizes the beginning of God’s worldwide harvest of souls.

B. The power of Pentecost is to promote the growth of the church worldwide.
1. The baptism in the Holy Ghost is the chief reason for the worldwide growth of the Pentecostal movement.
2. When you are baptized in the Holy Ghost you should become more involved in God’s harvest

II. True Baptism in the Holy Ghost is for Born Again Believers: God’s New Temple, [verses 2-3].
In the Old Testament wind and fire symbolized The Lord Almighty presence.

True Baptism in the Holy Ghost
1. The sound of wind reminded those present that The Lord Almighty was about to do something.
2. The fire signified the Lord Almighty acceptance of the church as the Lord’s new temple, [2 Chronicles 7:1-3; 1 Corinthians 3:16; Ephesians 2:21-22].
3. The individual flames indicated that each believer was a temple of the Holy Ghost, [1 Corinthians 6:19].
4. Note that these two signs were “inauguration signs” and were not repeated in Acts.

B. As a living temple of the Holy Ghost, every true believer can be empowered by the Holy Ghost.
1. As a living temple of the Lord Almighty the life of every believer should be a place of faith, worship, sacrifice, forgiveness, thanksgiving, witness, and offering.
2. As a living temple of Lord every believer is ready to be baptized in and empowered by the Holy Ghost. 3. Just as a poet, an artist, or businessman can take a blank piece of paper and turn it into a thing of great value, even so, the Lord Almighty can take a sinful life, wash it in the blood of Jesus, and fill it with His Spirit and make it a blessing to the whole world.

III. True Baptism in the Holy Ghost Can Be Yours Today, [verse 4].
A. On the Day of Pentecost all 120 believers were baptized in the Holy Ghost.
1. Almighty God’s plan for believers today is for all to be filled.
B. Bible uses a number of terms to describe this experience.

True Baptism in the Holy Ghost
1. For example: filling, pouring out, falling on, receiving, baptizing.
2. These terms describe a relational experience with the Holy Ghost.
C. When we are filled with the Spirit we will speak in tongues as the Spirit enables.
1. At Pentecost they spoke as the Spirit gave the words, [Acts 2:4]
2. This is the only repeated sign of Spirit baptism in the book of Acts, [2:4; 10:45; 19:6].
3. The words will not come from our mind, but from our spirit, [1 Corinthians 14:2].
4. Many other results will follow, [such as powerful witness, closer relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, power over demons, spiritual gifts, etc.]

My Conclusion
1. We can experience the true baptism in the Holy Ghost today.
2. Just believe, ask, and receive by faith. Prepared and developed for training in Pure Holiness and Righteousness, © 3/14/1998rtjr©

12/10/2022

How does Jesus bring joy to the world?
DR. Rufus Taylor Jr., ©

Text: Luke 2:10-11

Jesus brings joy to the world. After He was born, an angel appeared to a group of shepherds near Bethlehem and proclaimed, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you; is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord" [Luke 2:10–11]. How does Jesus bring joy to the world?

God created us to be in relationship with Him. When sin entered the world we were separated from our Creator, leaving a void in our souls. Since that day every human being has searched for something to fill the space that only God can. God promised a Savior who would restore human relationship with Himself even as He described to Adam and Eve the devastating consequences of their sin, [Genesis 3]. Later God called Abraham out of his country and promised to him a land and numerous descendants. Most importantly, the Savior of the world would come from Abraham's line [Genesis 12:1–3]. Abraham's people became known as the Israelites. Through Moses, God gave the Israelites various laws about how to worship Him and how to be in relationship with Him. These were a foreshadowing of the full atonement He would provide in Jesus Christ.

Although God was present with the Israelites, even physically manifesting His presence in the tabernacle in the Israelites' camp, a huge veil separated the people from His presence. Later when Solomon built the temple, a veil still separated the people from God's presence. Only the high priest could enter through the veil into the innermost room, the Holy of Holies, and that only once a year on the Day of Atonement. The people continually had to sacrifice animals to atone for their sins and time and again they fell into their sinful habits. Eventually God fell silent.

When Jesus was born, the Jewish people had not heard from God in 400 years. They patiently awaited the promised Messiah who would deliver them from their enemies. Those who recognized Jesus as the Messiah were overcome with joy. Mary praised God for the child conceived in her of His Spirit, recognizing her need for salvation and God's provision through Jesus Christ, whom she was blessed to bear, [Luke 1:46–55]. After seeing the infant Jesus when He was brought to the temple to be presented to the Lord in accordance with the Mosaic law, Simeon was able to die in peace knowing God had brought salvation to the world, [Luke 2:22–35]. During the same visit the prophetess Anna began to prophesy about Jesus to all who were in the temple, [Luke 2:36–38]. Jesus brought joy. This joy was not only for Mary, Simeon, and Anna, but for the world. Jesus did not come to fight flesh and blood, but to rescue them, and all who would believe in Him, from the spiritual death of sin, [John 3:16–18]. This is joy to the world!

On a very practical level Jesus brought joy to the people He interacted with during His short life on earth. During His three years of public ministry He healed people everywhere He went. Jesus helped the blind see and the lame walk. He cleansed people of disease and resurrected some from the dead. He cast out demons and loved the outcasts of society, [Matthew 15:29–31]. In one such instance Jesus healed ten lepers who asked Him to have mercy on them. Leprosy is a contagious and degenerative disease; therefore, lepers had to leave their families and live outside of society, slowly wasting away. Imagine what incredible joy these lepers must have experienced being completely healed of their disease. One of the ten truly understood the great thing that had been done for him and praised God, falling at Jesus' feet and giving Him thanks, [Luke 17:11–19]. He indeed experienced the joy of the Lord. Jesus brought joy to the world in which He lived.

Jesus is the joy of the world. Peter explains, "Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls," [1 Peter 1:8–9]. When He died on the cross the veil in the temple was torn in two. The sin that had separated people from God had been overcome. Anyone who asks Jesus for forgiveness is cleansed of their sins. The gaping hole in their being is filled with the Holy Spirit and they are reconnected with God. They receive the gift of eternal salvation and heaven rejoices as another soul is saved, [John 3:16–18; Luke 15:7]. The good news of salvation in Jesus Christ, and the reality of that salvation, is great joy to the world.

We find joy in knowing Jesus and following His commands in this life, [John 15:1–11; Philippians 2:12–13]. Jesus also brings us joy in the hope of eternity with Him. During the Passover feast with His disciples Jesus promised to prepare a place for them in heaven and to return and bring them with Him, [John 14:2–3]. When we are in Jesus Christ, we can be joyful in the midst of the suffering of this world knowing that Jesus has already conquered death and will one day return again to bring us into His kingdom, [James 1:2&4; 1 Peter 1:3–9; Philippians 4; John 16:33)]. Joy, unlike happiness, is not dependent on our circumstances. Rather it is the evidence of a soul reunited with its Creator and confident in the promise that one day the suffering will cease. For just as Jesus endured the cross with His eyes set on the joy ahead of Him, so we can endure the hardships of this world because of the joy that lives inside of us, [Hebrews 12:2). "For the joy; of the LORD is your strength," [Nehemiah 8:10].

Jesus has brought joy to the world. As His followers we, too, can bring joy to the world by sharing the good news of salvation in Christ and by living in faithful and confident obedience to Him, knowing that the One in whom we have placed our hope is surely faithful, [Philippians 1:6; Ephesians 1:11–14; 2 Timothy 2:11–13; Hebrews 13:8]. Prepared by DR. Rufus Taylor Jr.,©12/7/2022rtjr©

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