Pentecost

Acts 1:5

For John baptized with water, but not many days from now you shall be baptized with (placed in, introduced into) the Holy Spirit.

Acts 1:8

But you shall receive power (ability, efficiency, and might) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the ends (the very bounds) of the earth.

Acts 2:2-4

2 And when the day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all assembled together in one place, When suddenly there came a sound from heaven like the rushing of a violent tempest blast, and it filled the whole house in which they were sitting.  3 And there appeared to them tongues resembling fire, which were separated and distributed and which settled on each one of them.   4 And they were all filled (diffused throughout their souls) with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other (different, foreign) languages (tongues), as the Spirit kept giving them clear and loud expression [in each tongue in appropriate words].

As we celebrated Pentecost in the last week, it is just so good to be reminded of the fact that Jesus said to His disciples that they would be baptized by fire, that the Holy Spirit would come to empower them to be witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria and that this all happened just as He said it would.  The Holy Spirit was given when the whole assembly was gathered together in unity and in prayer.  This same group of people that could not testify that they knew Him before (e.g. Peter) now became such powerful witnesses that 2000 years later you and I believe because of their testimony!  What an amazing miracle wonder working God we serve! 

Point to ponder:  Come Holy Spirit, fill us again and again - make us Your witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth, so that 2000 years from now there will be those who will believe because of the testimony of Your Spirit through us!

Holy Spirit - Jesus Culture - Kim Walker Smith

Faith in God and loving the saints

Colossians 1:3-8 NKJ

3 We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love for all the saints; 5 because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel, 6 which has come to you, as it has also in all the world, and is bringing forth fruit, as it is also among you since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth; 7 as you also learned from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf, 8 who also declared to us your love in the Spirit.

What a remarkable testimony Paul gives in the beginning paragraphs of this letter about the congregation in Colossae.  He says since he heard of this congregation's faith in Christ Jesus and their love for all the saints, he started giving thanks to God for them!  Jesus' command to his disciples was to love God and love our neighbour as our selves.  This congregation seems to have taken that to heart in a remarkable way and has really lived out both these principles, causing others like Epaphras to carry the testimony of their faith to others.

Point to ponder:  

- It made me wonder... if others had to testify about our faith, what would they have to say?  Are we allowing the Holy Spirit to flow through us, carrying the hope and faith and producing His fruit in us and through us?  

My hope is in you - Aaron Shust

   

Almost Home

Acts 1:9-11

9 Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, 11 who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”

John 14:3-6

“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And where I go you know, and the way you know.”  5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

On Thursday we will be celebrating Ascension Day.  Perhaps it is good to just for a moment this week ponder the meaning of this day once again:  

• Jesus overcame - had complete victory over death, therefore after his resurrection He simply ascended into heaven - he did not have to die again (like Lazarus for example). 
• He went to sit at the right hand of His Father - where He intercedes for us while we are on our journey back home. 
• He said He would be back.  He said that He will come again to fetch His bride - promising that He is preparing a place for His Bride.  This was an analogy that the early church understood well.  In their culture of how weddings were conducted, after the 'engagement' the Bridegroom went away to His Father's house to build a house for His Bride.  After doing so and when the Father deemed it the right time, He would inform the Bridegroom that everything is ready and that it is time to fetch His Bride.  During this time the Bride would prepare herself so that she will be ready when He comes to fetch her.  

Point to ponder

• We are the Bride of Christ.
• We are living in the time where the Bride has to prepare herself for the return of the Bridegroom.
• Ascension day reminds us of the fact that He returned to His Father and is praying for us now, but Ascension day also reminds us with joy that He promised to come back to fetch His Bride when the time is right!
• Are you ready?
• Look up - He will come just as He went - on the clouds - then we will join Him in our new home.

"Hang in there we are almost home"

Mercy Me - Almost Home

He makes us brave

1 Corinthians 16:13

13 Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. 14 Let all that you do be done with love.

Like Paul encouraged the congregation in Corinth with the words, "Watch, stand fast in the faith be brave and strong, and do all you do in love", so the Lord encourages us with this today.  Whatever your circumstances or whatever you need to do this week - let us be encouraged by Him who promised to be with us in all that we do. 

Point to ponder:  Let's ask the lord this week to make us brave and help us to do all we do in love.

You make me brave - Amanda Cook 

Death - swallowed up in victory

1 Corinthians 15:50-58

50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written:

 “Death is swallowed up in victory.”

“O Death, where is your sting?

O Hades, where is your victory?”

56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.  58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

During this week we got the terrible news that one of my eldest daughter's friends, whom she grew up with in school, tragically lost his life in a motorcycle accident. So it was quite a surprise to see that verses 50-58 is our next pitstop in our journey through the book of Corinthians. Amazing timing from Father I would think.  He reminds us that at some point in time - whether we be young or old - we have to exchange the corruptible for incorruptible, the mortal for immortality - but then the immense encouragement that comes with it is the thought that death is swallowed up in victory,  death has no sting anymore, for the sting of death was sin and the law which was dealt with by Christ our saviour, Who overcame death and gave us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.  

What more encouragement can we get in times like these?  Somewhere else Paul says death is gain.  Mostly we do not think about it in this way, but for the child of God living is a joy and holy, for it means that we still are living out our callings for God on earth, but death is also gain when ultimately our task is done and Abba takes us home - death is swallowed up in victory and we exchange the corruptible for the incorruptible. 

Death where is your sting - Cory Ashbury