BILL’S BLOG ENTRY #58

Continuing on the work of the Holy Spirit:
APPLICATION OF SPIRITUAL PRINCIPLES

“Gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, “Which,” He said, “you heard of from Me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” So when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, “Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.” ACTS 1: 4 – 8. Also:“For He has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline/sound judgment.” II Timothy 1: 7. With this Spirit we can: a) be faithful; b) resist temptation; and, c) witness to others. What are we to do with all this POWER?! “Go ye therefore into all the world and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them whatsoever I have commanded you.”

We “today” Christians crave “spiritual successes”. We tend to think in terms of how many souls we have led to Christ, how many people belong to “our” church, how many “associates” we have or how many “deacons” or how many auxiliaries we serve on. We must realize that one life discipled according to God’s Word, one soul not only led to Christ but encouraged in his growth in Christ, is more valuable to God than a hundred who merely acknowledge Him, but don’t serve Him.

About THE DISCIPLE

William H. “Bill” Hicks is a graduate of Wesleyan University, BA, Religion, 1971 who also holds a Masters in Public Health Degree (MPH) from the University of Oklahoma Hudson College of Public Health (1973). Bill also has studied at the Dallas Theological Seminary. He grew up in Harlem, New York City, USA during the 1950s and 1960s, graduating from high school before attending Mount Hermon Preparatory School and undergraduate school in Connecticut. He has spent most of his professional life in the public health arena, while being constantly in ministry. He received his license to preach the Gospel at Oklahoma City, OK in 1971. He has written extensively on Christian topics. He enjoys life in Chattanooga, TN with former District Public Defender Ardena Garth Hicks, his wife of 30 years. They have two daughters, Rachel (BA, University of Memphis magna cum laude, 2014) and Sarah (Phi Beta Kappa, magna cum laude, Global Scholar, University of Tulsa, 2017).

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