The Way Into The Holiest

 Hello everyone.  Praise the Lord!

Here is an article that was first published in 1906 in the Azusa Street Newsletter, written by William J. Seymour, published by the Apostolic Faith Mission in Los Angeles, California.

A sinner comes to the Lord all wrapped up in sin and darkness.  He cannot make consecration because he is dead.  The life has to be put into us before we can present any life to the Lord.  He must get justified by faith.

There is a Lamb, without spot and blemish slain before God, for him, And when he repents toward God for his sins, the Lord has mercy on him for Christ's sake, and puts eternal life in his soul, pardoning him of his sins, washing away his guilty pollutions, and he stands before God justified as if he had never sinned.

Then there remains that old original sin in him, for which he is not responsible, till he has the light.  He hears that, "Jesus, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered without the gate,"  and he comes to be sanctified.

There is Jesus, the Lamb without blemish, on the altar.  Jesus takes that soul that has eternal life in it and presents it to God for thorough purging and cleansing from all original and Adamic sin. And Jesus, the Son of God, cleanses him from all sin, and he is made every whit whole, sanctified and holy.

Now he is on the altar ready for the fire of God to fall, which is the baptism of the Holy Ghost.  It is a free gift upon the sanctified, cleansed heart.  The fire remains there continually burning in the holiness of God. 

 Why?  Because he is sanctified and holy and on the altar continually.  He stays there and the great Shekina of glory is continually burning and filling with heavenly light.

William James Roop

Roop-Crappell Ministries

Hospice Care and Dying

The Trucking Tango

Holy Spirit Fire

Hello everyone.  Praise the Lord!

How is the Holy Spirit like fire?

The Bible describes God as a "burning fire" (Hebrews 12:29), so it is not surprising that fire is often presented as a symbol of God's presence.  Examples include the burning bush (Exodus 3: 2), the pillars of the cloud (Exodus 14: 19), the clouds over the tabernacle of martyrdom (Numbers 9: 15-16) and the attitude of Ezekiel (Ezekiel 1: 4).  Often fire is the instrument of God's judgment (Numbers 11: 1 and 3; 2 Kings 1: 10 and 12) and is a sign of His power (Judges 13:20; 1 Kings 18:38).

For these obvious reasons fire was very important for Old Testament sacrifices.  The fire on the altar of burnt offering was a divine gift that was primarily illuminated by God Himself (Leviticus 9:24).  God commanded the priests to keep the fire which God had kindled always burning (Leviticus 6:13) and made it clear to them that fire taken by any other means would be unacceptable (Leviticus 10: 1-2 verses).  

The altar can illustrate our commitment to the Lord Jesus in the New Testament.  As followers of Jesus Christ, we are required to offer our bodies as "living and pure" (Romans 12: 1) sacrifices that are entirely dedicated to the divine gift, the unquenchable fire of the Holy Spirit.  ۔  At the very beginning of the New Testament, the Holy Spirit was attached to the fire.  John the Baptist prophesies that Jesus Himself will "baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire" (Matthew 3:11).  When the Holy Spirit began His ministry in the early church, He chose to dwell on every believer in the form of tongues "bursting like a flame of fire."  And on this occasion "they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with tongues, as the Spirit gave them power to speak" (Acts 2: 3-4).

Fire is an amazing picture of the work of the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit is like fire in at least three ways;  It brings God's presence, God's passion and God's holiness.  The Holy Spirit is an expression of God's presence because it resides in the heart of the believer (Romans 8: 9).  In the Old Testament, God revealed His presence to the Israelites through the appearance of the cloud at the tabernacle.  The presence of fire provided light and guidance (Numbers 9: 17-23).  In the New Testament, God guides and comforts His people through the Holy Spirit, who dwells in our bodies - in the "tabernacle" and in the "Holy of Holies" (2 Corinthians 5: 1; 6:16).

The Holy Spirit creates God's passion in our hearts.  Two disciples who traveled on the road to Emmaus after Jesus' resurrection talk to Jesus and later say,  Weren't you? "  (Luke 24:32).  After receiving the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, the apostles developed a zeal that lasted a lifetime and gave them the strength to speak God's word with boldness (Acts 4:31).

The Holy Spirit creates God's holiness in our lives.  God's original purpose is to cleanse us (Titus 2:14) and in this regard the Holy Spirit serves to sanctify us (1 Corinthians 6:11; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Peter 1:12).  In the same way our God uses the Holy Spirit to take away our sins (Psalm 10:10; Proverbs 17: 3).  His fire cleanses and purifies us.

I received this story from a friend, and the original author is unknown.  If you have and comments or any additional information, you can tell me in the comments section.  If you enjoyed this story you can click on the follow button to catch them all.

William James Roop, M.A.B.S.

Roop-Crappell Ministries

Hospice Care and Dying

The Trucking Tango

Apostolic Theological Seminary

One Church

Hello everyone.  Praise the Lord!

This story was originally published in the Azusa Street Mission newsletter, In 1906, by William J. Seymour.

At a recent church trial, hey brother made the remark that he little thought when he was seeking more of God it would mean for him to be turned out of the Holiness church. This brings to mind the old lady who was turned out of the church, And as she walked down the hill, she said: "Yonder is the meeting house, here goes the church."

They may turn you out of the church houses and organizations of men, but not out of the one church. Thank God, that church book is kept in heaven. Jesus said: "Rejoice that your names are written in heaven."

One of the Holiness leaders said that the church had always taught sanctification as the baptism with the Holy Ghost, And they could not afford to give it up.  Besides he would have to burn his books and sermons.  Brother, on that great day of judgment, how much will those books and sermons weigh as compared to God's word?

At first the Holiness leaders approved of the work at the mission, but after camp meeting, They decided against the Pentecostal baptism as distinct from sanctification, And also the speaking in tongues.  These were rule out and not to be mentioned on the camp ground.  What might not that meeting have been, if they had left the Holy Ghost have right away? Eternity alone will reveal the great loss to souls through leaders who would not let the hungry sheep enter into this blessed life of power and the Holy Ghost.

William James Roop, M.A.B.S.

 Roop-Crappell Ministries 

 Hospice Volunteer Stories 

 The Trucking Tango 

 Apostolic Theological Seminary