Jerusalem church was significant at the time of the New Testament. We are now 2000 yrs later, we are plantings from that time. The same power that was given to them has been given to us. The same power given to Paul is what has been given to us. 2Ti 1:7  for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. A prophecy of the church in the end time. There is coming a time that this is what the church will become. Mat 25:1  "Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Virgins are referred to as firstfruits, spiritually pure, those who have received His spirit. Oil is used as a symbol of God's spirit. This is what the lamp burns. All ten of the virgin's were of the church, first fruits - 5 of them wise and 5 - unwise. 5 wise were full of oil, God's Holy Spirit. People have a tendency to loose sight. It is not just the 5 foolish, it is all of them. The church looses it's enthusiasm. God's power is not in our lives like it should be. I am not prepared, I am not ready. Mat 25:8  And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' The light in my life isn't what it should be. Mat 25:9  But the wise answered, saying, 'Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.' We can't give you our oil. You need to get it from the dealer. Mat 25:10  And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. Mat 25:11  Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, lord, open to us.' We had better be right with God all of the time. It has to be an ongoing relationship. The oil and the lamp are our interaction with God. Seek first the kingdom of God. We need to be sure not to sleep.   How do we respond to God's spirit? God's spirit does not possess us and force us to obey Him. His spirit begins to interact with us. Satan wants everyone to worship him through force. Do away with our corrupt human nature.   Part of the work of the Holy Spirit is to change in a way that we should go.   What do we do through the holy scripture. He gives us a guaranteed of eternal link.   Guaranteed - guar·an·tee ˌgarənˈtē  noun noun guarantee plural noun guarantees noun guaranty plural noun guaranties a formal promise or assurance (typically in writing) that certain conditions will be fulfilled, especially that a product will be repaired or replaced if not of a specified quality and durability. something that gives a certainty of outcome. warranty promise assurance word (of honor) pledge vow oath bond commitment covenant a formal pledge to pay another person's debt or to perform another person's obligation in the case of default. a thing serving as security for a formal pledge to pay another person's debt. collateral security surety a guaranty earnest less common term for guarantor. verb verb guarantee 3rd person present guarantees past tense guaranteed past participle guaranteed gerund or present participle guaranteeing provide a formal assurance or promise, especially that certain conditions shall be fulfilled relating to a product, service, or transaction. provide a formal assurance regarding (something, especially a product). provide financial security for; underwrite. underwrite put up collateral for promise with certainty. promise swear swear to the fact pledge vow undertake give one's word give an assurance give an undertaking take an oath   They Holy Spirit impregnates us with the divine nature. The Holy Spirit is what give s us the power to change. Jesus was a perfect God dwelling in the human form. There is no way to change the This statement is either true or not true God will be giving us everything for life and godliness., Many do not want to submit, because children have gotten older. The more we submit to the holy spirit, the more we change. Gal 3:26  For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. Gal 3:27  For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Gal 3:28  There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Gal 3:29  And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.   Through the holy spirit, we begin to change. Gal 4:1  Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all, Gal 4:2  but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father. Gal 4:3  Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world. Gal 4:4  But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, Gal 4:5  to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. Gal 4:6  And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father!" Gal 4:7  Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.   The holy spirit helps us get through our human weaknesses to communicate with God when there are times that we can't. Rom 8:26  Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. As we get closer to the end of the age, it will get worse, crazier, there will be a tendency for us to get crazier as well. We need to submit to God's Spirit. If we are not close to God, we will go crazy. The sound mindedness only comes from God. This is a gift from God. It is necessary.  Christ tells me how hard it is.   It is through God's spirit that we can learn spiritual truth that we can not learn otherwise. 1Co 2:9  But as it is written: "EYE HAS NOT SEEN, NOR EAR HEARD, NOR HAVE ENTERED INTO THE HEART OF MAN THE THINGS WHICH GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM." I realize my spiritual life is in jeopardy, do not take Your spirit from me. 1Co 2:10  But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. 1Co 2:11  For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. 1Co 2:12  Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. 1Co 2:13  These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 1Co 2:14  But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. We begin to live His way, because we love Him, His Son and His life.  We begin to have AGAPE love   God gives us the power to endure even when we think we cannot endure anymore. There are things that we cannot do on our own. 2Co 4:6  For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2Co 4:7  But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. 2Co 4:8  We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 2Co 4:9  persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— 2Co 4:10  always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. 2Co 4:11  For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 2Co 4:12  So then death is working in us, but life in you. 2Co 4:13  And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, "I BELIEVED AND THEREFORE I SPOKE," we also believe and therefore speak, W have to have the same spirit of faith, just as Christ had, We need to do it because we want to. 2Co 4:14  knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you. 2Co 4:15  For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God. 2Co 4:16  Therefore we do not lose heart.   The holy spirit brings us into unity with others in the body of Eph 4:1  I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, Christ. Not here because of the unity of friendship. If it was that, the church wouldn't last. We are submitting to what God is doing. Eph 4:3  endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Eph 4:4  There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; Eph 4:5  one Lord, one faith, one baptism; Eph 4:6  one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. His spirit works in us.   The same power from the first Pentecost is what is given to us today.  The same Spirit that allows great miracles.  We can call upon it to face the challenges that we face. It is our precious gift given to us by God.  We will need this power to help us through. It is time to stir up this Spirit. It is time right now to trim our lamps. 

David D Schreiber

Dave Schreiber grew up in Albert Lea, Minnesota. From there he moved to Pasadena, CA and obtained a bachelor’s degree from Ambassador College where he received a major in Theology and a minor in Business Administration. He went on to acquire his accounting education at California State University at Los Angeles and worked in public accounting for 33 years. Dave and his wife Jolinda have two children, a son who is married and working in Cincinnati and a daughter who is also married with two children of her own. Dave currently pastors three churches in the surrounding area.