The Generosity of God


and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God 
has been poured out within our hearts 
through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. 
(Romans 5:5 NASB)

For God, who said, "Light shall shine out of darkness," 
is the One who has shone in our hearts 
to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. 
(2 Corinthians 4:6 NASB)

As I grow older and learn more about the depths of the work of Christ in the Gospel, I believe that I will be spending the rest of my life, and into eternity, coming to grips with the incredible generosity of God.  I believe perhaps the greatest act of generosity which impacts believers day to day is the presence of the Holy Spirit, God literally dwelling within and filling the believer in Jesus.

I've been spending a lot of time this year in Ephesians 1, unfolding the depths of salvation, what God has done for believers through Christ.  Notice what He says about the Holy Spirit in Ephesians 1:13-14:

In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation--having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory. 

I anticipate learning much about my salvation, and in particular the work of the Holy Spirit this year.  For now let me leave you with the words of Puritan Stephen Charnock as He reflects on this great truth:

'Perhaps you will not be so ready of yourselves to imagine so great a liberality; but take it upon my word, it is true, and so you will find it. And his bounty travels, as it were, in birth, to give the greatest blessings, upon our asking, rather than the smallest : " your heavenly Father shall give his Holy Spirit to them that ask him" (Luke 11:13): which in Matthew 7:11, is called, " good things." Of all the good and rich things Divine goodness hath in his treasury, he delights to give the best upon asking, because God doth act so as to manifest the greatness of his bounty and magnificence to men; and, therefore, is delighted when men, by their petitioning him, own such a liberal disposition in him, and put him upon the manifesting it. He would rather you should ask the greatest things heaven can afford, than the trifles of this world; because his bounty is not discovered in meaner gifts : he loves to have an opportunity to manifest his affection above the liberality and tenderness of worldly fathers.'
 - The Works of Stephen Charnock, Volume 2, p. 304, emphasis mine

May God revive and fill you with His Spirit today.

In His Grip,

Mark


Comments

  1. MelMay 9, 2012 at 7:18 AM

    Having the Holy Spirit indwelling us is amazing. I have wondered how it could be that we will no longer sin when we are in the eternal kingdom. Of course we will no longer have our sinful natures. But the other piece of it seems to me to be the Holy Spirit indwelling us. Adam and Eve did not start with a sinful nature but were led into sin by Satan. Going back further, Satan apparently sinned without being tempted from "outside." So how can we have millions of believers living together for eternity and not sinning? God in us!
    I really look forward to not sinning any more when we get to glory!

    ReplyDelete

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