the acts of the apostles-第7章

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prophecy　was　fulfilled；　〃He　that　is　feeble。　。　。　shall　be　as　David；　and　the
house　of　David　。　。　。　as　the　angel　of　the　Lord。〃　Zechariah　12：8。　Every
Christian　saw　in　his　brother　a　revelation　of　divine　love　and　benevolence。
One　interest　prevailed；　one　subject　of　emulation　swallowed　up　all　others。
The　ambition　of　the　believers　was　to　reveal　the　likeness　of　Christ's
character　and　to　labor　for　the　enlargement　of　His　kingdom。

〃With　great　power　gave　the　apostles　witness　of　the　resurrection　of　the　Lord
Jesus：　and　great　grace　was　upon　them　all。〃　Acts　4：33。　Under　their　labors
were　added　to　the　church　chosen　men；　who；　receiving　the　word　of　truth；
consecrated　their　lives　to　the　work　of　giving　to　others　the　hope　that　filled
their　hearts　with　peace　and　joy。　They　could　not　be　restrained　or　intimidated
by　threatenings。　The　Lord　spoke　through　them；　and　as　they　went　from　place　to
place；　the　poor　had　the　gospel　preached　to　them；　and　miracles　of　divine
grace　were　wrought。

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So　mightily　can　God　work　when　men　give　themselves　up　to　the　control　of　His
Spirit。

The　promise　of　the　Holy　Spirit　is　not　limited　to　any　age　or　to　any　race。
Christ　declared　that　the　divine　influence　of　His　Spirit　was　to　be　with　His
followers　unto　the　end。　From　the　Day　of　Pentecost　to　the　present　time；　the
Comforter　has　been　sent　to　all　who　have　yielded　themselves　fully　to　the　Lord
and　to　His　service。　To　all　who　have　accepted　Christ　as　a　personal　Saviour；
the　Holy　Spirit　has　come　as　a　counselor；　sanctifier；　guide；　and　witness。　The
more　closely　believers　have　walked　with　God；　the　more　clearly　and　powerfully
have　they　testified　of　their　Redeemer's　love　and　of　His　saving　grace。　The
men　and　women　who　through　the　long　centuries　of　persecution　and　trial
enjoyed　a　large　measure　of　the　presence　of　the　Spirit　in　their　lives；　have
stood　as　signs　and　wonders　in　the　world。　Before　angels　and　men　they　have
revealed　the　transforming　power　of　redeeming　love。

Those　who　at　Pentecost　were　endued　with　power　from　on　high；　were　not　thereby
freed　from　further　temptation　and　trial。　As　they　witnessed　for　truth　and
righteousness　they　were　repeatedly　assailed　by　the　enemy　of　all　truth；　who
sought　to　rob　them　of　their　Christian　experience。　They　were　compelled　to
strive　with　all　their　God…given　powers　to　reach　the　measure　of　the　stature
of　men　and　women　in　Christ　Jesus。　Daily　they　prayed　for　fresh　supplies　of
grace；　that　they　might　reach　higher　and　still　higher　toward　perfection。
Under　the　Holy　Spirit's　working　even　the　weakest；

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by　exercising　faith　in　God；　learned　to　improve　their　entrusted　powers　and　to
become　sanctified；　refined；　and　ennobled。　As　in　humility　they　submitted　to
the　molding　influence　of　the　Holy　Spirit；　they　received　of　the　fullness　of
the　Godhead　and　were　fashioned　in　the　likeness　of　the　divine。

The　lapse　of　time　has　wrought　no　change　in　Christ's　parting　promise　to　send
the　Holy　Spirit　as　His　representative。　It　is　not　because　of　any　restriction
on　the　part　of　God　that　the　riches　of　His　grace　do　not　flow　earthward　to
men。　If　the　fulfillment　of　the　promise　is　not　seen　as　it　might　be；　it　is
because　the　promise　is　not　appreciated　as　it　should　be。　If　all　were　willing；
all　would　be　filled　with　the　Spirit。　Wherever　the　need　of　the　Holy　Spirit　is
a　matter　little　thought　of；　there　is　seen　spiritual　drought；　spiritual
darkness；　spiritual　declension　and　death。　Whenever　minor　matters　occupy　the
attention；　the　divine　power　which　is　necessary　for　the　growth　and　prosperity
of　the　church；　and　which　would　bring　all　other　blessings　in　its　train；　is
lacking；　though　offered　in　infinite　plenitude。

Since　this　is　the　means　by　which　we　are　to　receive　power；　why　do　we　not
hunger　and　thirst　for　the　gift　of　the　Spirit？　Why　do　we　not　talk　of　it；　pray
for　it；　and　preach　concerning　it？　The　Lord　is　more　willing　to　give　the　Holy
Spirit　to　those　who　serve　Him　than　parents　are　to　give　good　gifts　to　their
children。　For　the　daily　baptism　of　the　Spirit　every　worker　should　offer　his
petition　to　God。　Companies　of　Christian　workers　should　gather　to　ask　for
special　help；　for　heavenly　wisdom；　that　they　may　know　how　to　plan　and
execute　wisely。　Especially　should　they　pray　that　God　will　baptize

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His　chosen　ambassadors　in　mission　fields　with　a　rich　measure　of　His　Spirit。
The　presence　of　the　Spirit　with　God's　workers　will　give　the　proclamation　of
truth　a　power　that　not　all　the　honor　or　glory　of　the　world　could　give。

With　the　consecrated　worker　for　God；　in　whatever　place　he　may　be；　the　Holy
Spirit　abides。　The　words　spoken　to　the　disciples　are　spoken　also　to　us。　The
Comforter　is　ours　as　well　as　theirs。　The　Spirit　furnishes　the　strength　that
sustains　striving；　wrestling　souls　in　every　emergency；　amidst　the　hatred　of
the　world；　and　the　realization　of　their　own　failures　and　mistakes。　In　sorrow
and　affliction；　when　the　outlook　seems　dark　and　the　future　perplexing；　and
we　feel　helpless　and　alone；these　are　the　times　when；　in　answer　to　the
prayer　of　faith；　the　Holy　Spirit　brings　comfort　to　the　heart。

It　is　not　a　conclusive　evidence　that　a　man　is　a　Christian　because　he
manifests　spiritual　ecstasy　under　extraordinary　circumstances。　Holiness　is
not　rapture：　it　is　an　entire　surrender　of　the　will　to　God；　it　is　living　by
every　word　that　proceeds　from　the　mouth　of　God；　it　is　doing　the　will　of　our
heavenly　Father；　it　is　trusting　God　in　trial；　in　darkness　as　well　as　in　the
light；　it　is　walking　by　faith　and　not　by　sight；　it　is　relying　on　God　with
unquestioning　confidence；　and　resting　in　His　love。

It　is　not　essential　for　us　to　be　able　to　define　just　what　the　Holy　Spirit
is。　Christ　tells　us　that　the　Spirit　is　the　Comforter；　〃the　Spirit　of　truth；
which　proceedeth　from　the　Father。〃　It　is　plainly　declared　regarding　the　Holy
Spirit　that；　in　His　work　of　guiding　men　into　all　truth；　〃He　shall　not　speak
of　Himself。〃　John　15：26；　16：13。

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The　nature　of　the　Holy　Spirit　is　a　mystery。　Men　cannot　explain　it；　because
the　Lord　has　not　revealed　it　to　them。　Men　having　fanciful　views　may　bring
together　passages　of　Scripture　and　put　a　human　construction　on　them；　but　the
acceptance　of　these　views　will　not　strengthen　the　church。　Regarding　such
mysteries；　which　are　too　deep　for　human　understanding；　silence　is　golden。

The　office　of　the　Holy　Spirit　is　distinctly　specified　in　the　words　of
Christ：　〃When　He　is　come；　He　will　reprove　the　world　of　sin；　and　of
righteousness；　and　of　judgment。〃　John　16：8。　It　is　the　Holy　Spirit　that
convicts　of　sin。　If　the　sinner　responds　to　the　quickening　influence　of　the
Spirit；　he　will　be　brought　to　repentance　and　aroused　to　the　importance　of
obeying　the　divine　requirements。

To　the　repentant　sinner；　hungering　and　thirsting　for　righteousness；　the　Holy
Spirit　reveals　the　Lamb　of　God　that　taketh　away　the　sin　of　the　world。　〃He
shall　receive　of　Mine；　and　shall　show　it　unto　you；〃　Christ　said。　〃He　shall
teach　you　all　things；　and　bring　all　things　to　your　remembrance；　whatsoever　I
have　said　unto　you。〃　John　16：14；　14：26。

The　Spirit　is　given　as　a　regenerating　agency；　to　make　effectual　the
salvation　wrought　by　the　death　of　our　Redeemer。　The　Spirit　is　constantly
seeking　to　draw　the　attention　of　men　to　the　great　offering　that　was　made　on
the　cross　of　Calvary；　to　unfold　to　the　world　the　love　of　God；　and　to　open　to
the　convicted　soul　the　precious　things　of　the　Scriptures。

Having　brought　conviction　of　sin；　and　presented　before　the　mind　the　standard
of　righteousness；　the　Holy　Spirit

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withdraws　the　affections　from　the　things　of　this　earth　and　fills　the　soul
with　a　desire　for　holiness。　〃He　will　guide　you　into　all　truth〃　（John　16：13）；
the　Saviour　declared。　If　men　are　willing　to　be　molded；　there　will　be　brought
about　a　sanctification　of　the　whole　being。　The　Spirit　will　take　the　things
of　God　and　stamp　them　on　the　soul。　By　His　power　the　way　of　life　will　be　made
so　plain　that　none　need　err　therein。

From　the　beginning；　God　has　been　working　by　His　Holy　Spirit　through　human
instrumentalities　for　the　accomplishment　of　His　purpose　in　behalf　of　the
fallen　race。　This　was　manifest　in　the　lives　of　the　patriarchs。　To　the　church
in　the　wilderness　also；　in　the　time　of　Moses；　God　gave　His　〃good　Spirit　to
instruct　them。〃　Nehemiah　9：20。　And　in　the　days　of　the　apostles　He　wrought
mightily　for　His　church　through　the　agency　of　the　Holy　Spirit。　The　same
power　that　sustained　the　patriarchs；　that　gave　Caleb　and　Joshua　faith　and
courage；　and　that　made　the　work　of　the　apostolic　church　effective；　has
upheld　God's　faithful　children　in　every　succeeding　age。　It　was　through　the
power　of　the　Holy　Spirit　that　during　the　Dark　Ages　the　Waldensian　Christians
helped　to　prepare　the　way　for　the　Reformation。　It　was　the　same　power　that
made　successful　the　efforts　of　the　noble　men　and　women　who　pioneered　the　way
for　the　establishment　of　modern　missions　and　for　the　translation　of　the
Bible　into　the　languages　and　dialects　of　all　nations　and　peoples。

And　today　God　is　still　using　His　church　to　make　known　His　purpose　in　the
earth。　Today　the　heralds　of　the　cross　are　going　from　city　to　city；　and　from
land　to　land；　preparing

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the　way　for　the　second　advent　of　Christ。　The　standard　of　God's　law　is　being
exalted。　The　Spirit　of　the　Almighty　is　moving　upon　men's　hearts；　and　those
who　respond　to　its　influence　become　witnesses　for　God　and　His　truth。　In　many
places　consecrated　men　and　women　may　be　seen　communicating　to　others　the
light　that　has　made　plain　to　them　the　way　of　salvation　through　Christ。　And
as　they　continue　to　let　their　light　shine；　as　did　those　who　were　baptized
with　the　Spirit　on　the　Day　of　Pentecost；　they　receive　more　and　still　more　of
the　Spirit's　power。　Thus　the　earth　is　to　be　lightened　with　the　glory　of　God。

On　the　other　hand；　there　are　some　who；　instead　of　wisely　improving　present
opportunities；　are　idly　waiting　for　some　special　season　of　spiritual
refreshing　by　which　their　ability　to　enlighten　others　will　be　greatly
increased。　They　neglect　present　duties　and　privileges；　and　allow　their　light
to　burn　dim；　while　they　look　forward　to　a　time　when；　without　any　effort　on
their　part；　they　will　be　made　the　recipients　of　special　blessing；　by　which
they　will　be　transformed　and　fitted　for　service。

It　is　true　that　in　the　time　of　the　end；　when　God's　work　in　the　earth　is
closing；　the　earnest　efforts　put　forth　by　consecrated　believers　under　the
guidance　of　the　Holy　Spirit　are　to　be　accompanied　by　special　tokens　of
divine　favor。　Under　the　figure　of　the　early　and　the　latter　rain；　that　falls
in　Eastern　lands　at　seedtime　and　harvest；　the　Hebrew　prophets　foretold　the
bestowal　of　spiritual　grace　in　extraordinary　measure　upon　God's　church。　The
outpouring　of　the　Spirit　in　the　days　of　the　apostles　was　the　beginning　of
the　early；　or

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former；　rain；　and　glorious　was　the　result。　To　the　end　of　time　the　presence
of　the　Spirit　is　to　abide　with　the　true　church。

But　near　the　close　of　earth's　harvest；　a　special　bestowal　of　spiritual　grace
is　promised　to　prepa