March 2023

Holiness is not some theological or doctrinal “add on”, but the inevitability of a life lived in Christ. - APG

Where the river of the Spirit flows, there is life and fruit. Ezekiel 47:1-12 - John 4:14 - John 7:37-39 - Revelation 22:1-2. - APG

For the Lord, whose house we are, to involve us in some small way with it's building, is a tremendous privilege and honour. - APG

The greatest gift of all is given gratuitously.  Revelation 22:19. - APG

If we are in Christ we sit in heavenly places...

Have we come into that awareness? Are we living in it?

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Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ... Ephesians 1:3

Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places... Ephesians 1:20

And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus... Ephesians 2:6

To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God... Ephesians 3:10

“If you can’t speak from knowledge, don’t advance a theory… Jesus spoke what He knew” - G.W. North

“He poured* out His soul unto death” Isaiah 53:12

*To pour out, to empty.

In Phil. 2:3 “He emptied Himself” in order to become the Saviour of mankind. Then He emptied Himself on the Cross by “pouring out His soul unto death”. And having emptied Himself at Calvary He ascend up on high and “poured forth the Holy Ghost”.

The God Who Empties Himself,

who holds nothing back, gives Himself fully, completely. “They were all FILLED with the Holy Ghost” - the house was filled. There was this rushing might wind - it wasn’t a breeze, it was a mighty wind; a wind that filled “ALL”. Because He poured out ALL. All that He is was poured forth, the very life of God, just as Jesus had poured forth His life on the Cross, emptying Himself of thirty-three years of all He had become and all that He was at that moment. Literally emptying His life (His soul). He emptied out His life as the sacrificial lamb had poured out it’s blood, the blood in which dwelt it’s very life.

Jesus’ blood contained His life. A life conceived by the Holy Ghost, a life lived in obedience and holiness. He poured it all out as a sacrifice for sin - for our sin. There was nothing more to pour out. He gave all. That was preparatory to Him receiving the “Promise of the Father” - the Holy Ghost. Because He poured forth His soul unto death, the man Christ Jesus, now resurrected and ascended, was given the right to pour forth the life of God, the Divine Nature, God the Spirit, upon all who believed in Him and obeyed Him.

When we receive the Holy Ghost the Spirit of God begins to empty us. You see, He has come to make us like Jesus Christ. It is God’s very nature to empty Himself, to pour Himself out - just look at creation, the earth and the fullness thereof, the infinite universe. The rivers which empty themselves into the ocean, the clouds which empty themselves onto the earth beneath, in order that all may live. The plant bearing seed which empties itself and is filled again anew. The womb that empties itself then is filled again. God fills and empties - that's His nature. Empties and fills. And so it is with all His saints - “Let this mind be in you… who emptied Himself”. “Be filled* with the Spirit…” God's saints pour out their lives and are are filled... "*Be, being filled..."

A.P.G.

In a full revival, two qualities are always manifest:

A burning concern about holiness; and,

A passionate confession of sin.

There are two great principles on which God works. The first is this:

“Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing,

but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.”

– Amos 3:7 –

And here is the other principle:

­“…I will yet for this be enquired… to do it for them…”

– Ezekiel 36:37 –

The first principle is about God speaking to us through His servants, the prophets. But the second principle has to with the priests. Now, I’m not talking about Episcopal priests in vestments. No, we’re speaking of His people who are priests; these will ask for it. Surely the Lord God does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets. And “…I will yet for this be enquired… to do it for them…” God reveals what He is going to do (i.e., His sovereign will) through His prophets; then “the priests” (i.e., those who pray) ask God to fulfill His revealed will.

Before every revival, you will find there comes a reformation, a certain desire of people to put things straight, an interest in coming together. And then prayer meetings are formed, where people will pray, often in spiritual agony, to God to send the Holy Spirit. All that is a part of the revival.

Percy Gutteridge