Notice on a slight format change:

Except for July 2012, these are mostly a collection of current devotional notes.

July 2012 is a re-write of old quiet times. My second child was born Nov 11, 1987 with multiple birth defects. I've been re-reading my QT notes from that time in my life, and have included them here. They cover the time before the birth and the few years immediately after the birth. They are tagged "historical." I added new insights and labeled them: ((TODAY, dd mmm yy)).

Thursday, January 5, 2012

QT 5 Jan 12, The gift of the Spirit shows different evidences


Num 11:24-30 (NIV) So Moses went out and told the people what the Lord had said. He brought together seventy of their elders and had them stand around the Tent. 25 Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke with him, and he took of the Spirit that was on him and put the Spirit on the seventy elders. When the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied, but they did not do so again.

26 However, two men, whose names were Eldad and Medad, had remained in the camp. They were listed among the elders, but did not go out to the Tent. Yet the Spirit also rested on them, and they prophesied in the camp. 27 A young man ran and told Moses, "Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp."

28 Joshua son of Nun, who had been Moses' aide since youth, spoke up and said, "Moses, my lord, stop them!"

29 But Moses replied, "Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the Lord's people were prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!" 30 Then Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp.

NOTE: This is OT and not NT.  Also, this is historical and not didactic.  Having said that, there are some important observations about the Spirit descending upon a person which can be useful to note.

One, they prophesied when the spirit came upon them.  Yet there is no mention of Moses prophesying.  They did not speak in tongues, there was no need.  The twelve disciples spoke in tongues, they did not prophesy. 

Two, they prophesied only once and never again, although the Spirit never left them.

Three, two of the individuals were not present at the "ceremony," yet they prophesied as well.

Four, 70 were chosen to be leaders and elders.  They did not asked for the Spirit, but it was given to them as part of the position that they took.

Fifth, there was controversy and opposition. Joshua was opposed to others receiving the Spirit, but Moses welcomed it.

I do not believing there is a second anointing.  I believe a man is baptized into the family of God upon believing.  At that point, he is sealed with the Spirit and adopted into the family of God.  He should make many decisions to seek God more deeply throughout his life.  He should seek to be "filled" with the Spirit by allowing the word of Christ to dwell in him richly.  He may or may not speak in tongues, but he will have one spiritual gift given at the moment he believes in Christ.

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