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The Ozark Letter – May 2008
By MMCG.ORG | May 1, 2008
MAY GREETINGS: “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you:
and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria and unto the uttermost
part of the earth.” Acts 1:8
A Publication of the Mid-Missouri Church of God
May, 2008
Volume XII, Issue 5
The Ozark Newsletter
Lake of the Ozarks
Pentecost Services will be at 11:30am on June 8th (Sunday). We will be having a potluck meal following ser-
vices. If you have any questions please feel free to contact us at the phone numbers or email listed on the last
page of the newsletter.
We want to mention again that Mid-Missouri Church of God will be sponsoring a Feast site at their Eldon loca-
tion. Hank and Ruth Weinmeister are the coordinators and can be reached at 573-392-0915. A block of rooms
has been reserved at the Heritage Inn just outside Eldon. Call 573-392-2100 to make reservations and mention
Hank Weinmeister’s name to get the discounted rate of $69 plus tax. Since other groups will be keeping the same
dates, I would encourage you to make your reservations as soon as possible. We will be having some of the same
activities that we have had in the past, but are open to suggestions if you have any new ideas or if you want to
volunteer your services in any way. CSH*************
2008 HOLY DAY CALENDAR
• June 8—Pentecost (Sunday)
• Sept. 30—Feast of Trumpets (Tuesday)
• Oct. 9—Day of Atonement (Thursday)
• Oct. 14-20—Feast of Tabernacles (Tuesday-Monday)
• Oct. 21—Eighth Day Festival (Tuesday)
REMEMBER MOM!
MAY 11 A Source of Power
by Archie Craig (reprinted by permission)
Perhaps most of us have at some time in our lives stood near a beautiful scene, where a torrent of water was rush-
ing over the brink of a mountain and falling far below with thunderous sounds. To behold such a scene causes
one to think of the very great amount of power that is produced by such a waterfall and how much it might ac-
complish for mankind if it were only harnessed. Of course there are other sources of natural power too, and mod-
ern science and engineering have put many of them to work for mankind throughout the world.
Sometimes these material resources produce things that serve for the benefit of the people of earth and sometimes
things that work in the opposite direction, but there is a source of power that serves only for the benefit and well-
being of mankind. It is the power that is needed greatest of all in the world at the present time, there is no limit to
the things it is capable of accomplishing for us, but it is the power that seems to be unknown to the majority of
people and there is little interest in learning of its merits.
We speak of the power for which Jesus told His disciples to wait before beginning their work of evangelizing the
entire earth. For the text of Jesus request I refer you to Luke 24:49, which says, “And, behold, I send the promise
of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.” Jesus
well knew that the task of preaching the Gospel in all the world was too great for the strength of mortal man
alone, so He told them to “tarry”. This word is often interpreted to mean things that it does not mean and which
Jesus did not mean to imply. He was merely telling them to go to Jerusalem and wait or stay there until the prom-
ise of the Father was fulfilled, at which time they would be endued with power from above. Evidently there was
a set time or an appointed time, for the Father to fulfill His promise, and any effort on the part of the disciples to
obtain that endowment of power before the appointed time arrived would have been in vain; therefore, Jesus told
them to tarry or stay at Jerusalem until the power came.
Speaking of what His disciples would be able to accomplish with the aid of the Holy Spirit, Jesus said, “But ye
shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jeru-
salem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”( Acts 1:8) This was the power
that Jesus knew His disciples would need in their undertaking to preach the Gospel in all the world – the power to
testify of their experience with Him in the face of the disbelieving world, power to overcome temptation and en-
dure severe persecution. Isn’t our need today as great as theirs? If it is not, I believe the only reason is that we
are not trying as hard as they did to accomplish as great a work. When any one devotes himself completely to the
Lord’s service as the early ministers of the church did, he will certainly see a great need for the aid of the power
of God.
Even in those days before the fulfillment of God’s promise to send the “Comforter”, the need for this power was
clearly evident. It seems that in those times the prophets were the only ones of God’s people that were blessed
with a reasonable portion of this power, but the need for the people in general to share it was recognized. We are
reminded of this fact when we recall the story of how that God, after speaking with Moses, took of the spirit that
was upon Moses and gave it to the seventy men of the elders of the people, and when the spirit rested upon them
they prophesied. All of these except two were set round about the tabernacle, but the two, remaining in the camp
continued to prophesy, and a young man ran to Moses and told him that the two men (Eldad and Medad) prophe-
sied in the camp. Joshua, Moses’ servant said, “My lord Moses, forbid them.” They must have thought Moses
would be jealous because he was not the only prophet in Israel, but notice his answer, “Enviest thou for my sake?
would God that all the Lord’s people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them.” (Num
11:28) Moses knew that if all the people in Israel were possessed of the spirit of God there would be less mur-
muring, confusion and sin in the camp.
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Those in Moses’ day had no promise that the Holy Spirit, in the capacity of the Comforter, would come to them
in their life-time, for the fulfillment of God’s promise was far distant.
Finally in the unfolding of God’s great plan, the time for the ministry of John the Baptist to occur came, and that
promise which God had made through the prophet Joel, in chapter two verses 28 to 30, was reaffirmed. This time
it was made known that the fulfillment of that prophetic promise was soon to take place. John said, “I indeed
baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not wor-
thy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.: (Matt 3:11) Although the time for this event
was drawing very near, it was not a reality during John’s ministry. John’s mission and baptism was not like that
of Jesus, it was not of a permanent nature. John himself said, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John
3:30) John lived and performed in ministry during a time that might be termed as being between two great dis-
pensations. I believe that is what the Hebrew writer referred to as a time of “reformation” in Hebrews 9:10. They
were growing out of the ministration of the law of Moses into the ministration of the Spirit. The law of Moses
was still in effect but in order to make preparations for the greater age that was soon to come in, it was necessary
to do some things that the law did not call for, for instance, John’s baptism with water. All of this was to prepare
the minds of the people for the greater work that was to be wrought in their lives.
This might be better understood if I would state it this way: Since that memorable day of Pentecost “conversion”
has taken on a new meaning. We read of David and others in the age before, speaking of sinners being converted,
but then it was merely a reformation of character; now it is transformation or regeneration wrought in us by the
Holy Spirit when we surrender our lives completely to Him. Jesus’ disciples had accepted Him for all that He
could possibly mean to them at the time, but still he said to Peter, “…when thou art converted, strengthen thy
brethren.” (Luke 22:32) He said this to signify that Peter as well as the other disciples had a greater experience
waiting them at Pentecost.
During Jesus’ earthly ministry He spoke of the Comforter that was to come, explaining to the disciples the neces-
sity of it. In John 16:7-13, He said, “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away; for if
I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but If I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is
come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they believe not on
me; of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; of judgment, because the prince of this
world is judged. I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the
Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth; for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall
hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come.”
In John 14:16-18, Jesus also said, “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he
may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not,
neither knoweth him, but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you com-
fortless: I will come to you.”
“But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which pro-
ceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me. And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me
from the beginning.” (John 15:26,27)
Again Jesus encouraged the idea of receiving the Holy Spirit, by “breathing on them” and then saying, “…
Receive ye the Holy Ghost.” (John 20:22) But none of these remarks mean that they received the Holy Spirit at
that time. This is made quite clear in John 7:37-39, “In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and
cried, saying, “If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath
said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on
him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not get glorified.” Page 4 The Ozark Newslet ter Volume XI I , Issue 5
In the first chapter of Acts, verse five, Luke quotes Jesus as saying, “For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall
be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.” Please note that in this verse it was not said that they would
be baptized with “fire” not many days hence. The baptism of fire mentioned elsewhere is either a figurative expres-
sion or else it has been deferred until later, it would seem. But be that as it may, it is the Holy Spirit that brings power
into the lives of people and that is what Jesus said they would be baptized with not many days hence.
The second chapter of Acts contains the record of the things that happened on the day of Pentecost when the faithful
followers of the Lord were baptized with the Holy Spirit. This event marked the beginning of the ministration of the
Holy Spirit. At last the long-looked-for promise was beginning to be fulfilled. This was not a second application of
the Holy Spirit for the disciples for it was the first time the Holy Spirit had been shed abroad in their hearts. This was
their conversion in the sense it was to now be used. The Holy Spirit had come to abide in them to teach them the truth,
to comfort their hearts in sorrow, to give them power for service and convict the world of sin, etc. This is the thing
that made their ministry really bring results. Better yet, the Holy Spirit had come to abide with them forever.
While these at Pentecost are the only ones that were ever spoken of in the Scriptures as having been “baptized’ with
the Holy Spirit, there were many others who were said to have “received” the Holy Spirit and who had the Holy Spirit
“poured out” on them, and in all cases it is evident that the efforts were the same as in Acts two. That is, it brought
power for witnessing for Christ and His love.
The preaching of the doctrine of John the Baptist and the practice of his baptism (which was different to the baptism
authorized by the last commission of Jesus) did not immediately stop. There was one named Apollos, an “eloquent”
man who was “mighty in the scriptures” and no doubt a good man but he needed conversion because he knew only the
baptism of John. Aquilla and Priscilla, knowing his need and having the information, took him to one side and
“expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.” He accepted it and went on his way.
The Psalmist David often sung of prophetic words of the privileges we now enjoy. In the first Psalm he said, “Blessed
is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of
the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be
like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and
whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” Jesus used water to represent the Holy Spirit, and if we take the same to be true in
this Psalm we have a most beautiful description of our position in Christ and a revelation of just what the Holy Spirit
does for those who are led by it.
The Holy Spirit is also called the Spirit of God and Spirit of Christ. It is the means by which God and His Son dwell
in His people. We are said to have Christ in us except we be reprobates, and that God is in us. We are the temple of
God if the Holy Spirit is in us.
On the day of Pentecost people who were under conviction inquired of Peter and others of the disciples, what they
should do. The reply from Peter was, “…Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the
remission of sins, and ye shall (not maybe) receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” Acts 2:39
Someone might like to ask; If the Holy Spirit accomplished a work in us at conversion, why should we need to be ad-
monished in regard to our attitude toward the Spirit? The Holy Spirit is a “leader.” No one is ever forced to serve God.
After the apostle Peter had been baptized with the Holy Spirit, he had to be rebuked to his face by the apostle Paul be-
cause he was at fault. At that moment Peter was not allowing the Holy Spirit to lead him. We often live below our
privileges. We could have more power in our lives to enable us to do more for the Lord if we only would live a life
more devoted to God. God will work in us to just whatever degree our lives are surrendered to His will, so let us trust
Him more. There is a great advantage in doing so. The Holy Spirit can open more doors to the preaching of the Gos-
pel, convict more hearts and supply more to meet every other need in a week than we can do on our own strength in a
year. The scriptural record of God’s dealings with the early church is proof of this, but an experience of your own
would also be a good lesson. ***********************
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MID-MISSOURI CHURCH OF GOD
PO Box 92, Eldon, MO 65026/mailing address. Street address is: 602 East North Street. Phone: 573-392-1232 or 573-498-3775;
Email: todd@craigcomputers.com Website: www.mmcg.org The Mid-Missouri Church of God (MMCG) holds Christian
Sabbath services each Saturday at 11:30 a.m. at 602 East North Street, Eldon, MO… A Bible Study and song service is scheduled
at 10:30am before Sabbath services. Potluck meals after services are planned for the fourth Sabbath of each month. A weekly
Bible study is held each Thursday at 6:00pm. It is best to call ahead and confirm times if you are traveling any distance to visit us
(see the phone numbers above). Occasionally we will cancel local services to attend en masse elsewhere. Come and enjoy the fel-
lowship! Also, the first Wednesday of each month the ladies meet for a “get together” and you can contact Martha Roberts at
573-496-3203 or Charleen Gitthens at 573-392-5965 for location and time if you plan to attend.
N H V Q T M G Z E I Q Y L J X
E N B F Y G D K F O R Y S J P
I G Q H L F E K J T I O V H J
G X Y P I H T R A E H M M T H
H G F L E S R U O Y L O A G G
B R E J O A P Q T A S S N N E
O Q L T V W Z J E N T E Z E U
R I N B Q X C B J R T S S R W
S S T N E M D N A M M O C T D
Z P V I Z D O G Z P F L H S W
K H D N I M C B Z I A U M E L
B Z Q A U P Q R K Q E O M A O
M O U N T S I N A I V S S W R
Z I T M A E I B C D O F V L D
F V A X N S W K T J L V O Z Y
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
(EXODUS 19:20-EXODUS 20:22)
COMMANDMENTS MIND SOUL
GOD MOSES STRENGTH
HEART MOUNT SINAI TEN
LORD NEIGHBOR YOURSELF
LOVE
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