This blog is different from any of the previous 752 posts that I have written in the last 14 1/2 years. How? Instead of sharing a teaching, quotation, or illustration, I am simply asking you to take on a challenge. It really is a simple challenge, especially if you have a computer Bible program.
Before I share the challenge, let me mention that I almost titled this blog post “The Prepositional Holy Spirit”. But, in doing so, I thought that this title might frighten those whose days of studying grammar are way, way back in their rearview mirror. So, for those individuals, let me put you at ease and share this very simple definition of the word “preposition”. A preposition is a word that links nouns, pronouns, and phrases to other words in a sentence. You feel at ease now, don’t you!
Here is the challenge and the purpose of the challenge:
* Using your computer Bible software program, you are to use prepositions to unfold a new understanding of the present-day ministry of the Holy Spirit. (I’ll explain more in the next paragraph.)
* The purpose for the challenge is that there are people who look at the Holy Spirit as the member of the Godhead who made a grand entrance on the Day of Pentecost and then quietly faded from view. This challenge will erase that misunderstanding.
Here are the how-to instructions. In the Bible search program, type the preposition followed by the words “the Spirit” and also another search of “the Holy Ghost”. For example, if you would type “by the Spirit”, you will discover that this phrase appears 16 times in the King James Version. And, if you type “by the Holy Ghost”, you will find that it appears 9 times in the King James Version. Each and every verse that you read in these lists will share a new dimension about the Holy Spirit.
Here are the prepositions:
* By * Through * In * With * Of * To
One more suggestion. Create some sort of spreadsheet to copy and paste the verses. This will make the challenge all the more meaningful.
