I agree with Selwyn this is one of the more interesting verses in the New Testament; John 20:22, ‘And with that he (Jesus) breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”‘ I think He was given the disciples a foretaste of what was going to happen at Pentecost. They were frightened after the death [...]
Today, Selwyn completes his discussion on the water emblem of the Holy Spirit. What’s your answer to Selwyn’s question? Â ”If, through the Saviour’s sacrifice on Calvary, we have access to rivers of living water, why do we so often fail to drink?” I agree that especially in western cultures – ‘we are not willing to [...]
Selwyn writes about the story in 2 Kings 3:9-20; when the Kings of Israel, Judah and Edom where on thier way to fight the King of Moab and they had run out of water. Then they sought God’s help through His prophet Elisha. Elisha would not normally have had anything to do with the evil [...]
I’m not too sure about the parallel which Selwyn draws upon in regard to the upper and lower springs of water and the conscious and unconscious aspects of our mind. However, like Selwyn, I’m convinced that the Holy Spirit does work with things that are buried in our unconscious – hidden memories, traumas and hurts; [...]
Selwyn talks about the journey of the Israelites from bondage in Egypt through the desert wilderness to the promised land. The quote he uses from Deuteronomy 11: 10-11, captures the difference between the two places: ‘In Egypt, said the Almighty, “you planted your seed and irrigated it by foot …But the land, you are crossing the [...]
Selwyn continues to look at water as an emblem of the Holy Spirit. His conclusion is good: “The bottle of past experiences will run dry but a well provides a constant supply and is unfailing. Many drink from the bottle of church ordinances, recollections of spiritual happenings in the past and so on, but these [...]
Breathe in – breathe out
Selwyn continues to consider how ‘breath’ is figurative of the Holy Spirit. I like the verse fron Job 33:4; ‘The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life.‘ It brings home to me that my existence is due to the work of God, my parents were just interested bystanders; [...]
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