Acts 2:39 "For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call."
Pentecost is one of the hinges on which God has swung His world into light. It was the manifestation of Jesus' promise of the gift of the Holy Spirit. We can do nothing without the Holy Spirit and unless He guides, all will fail.
He led the believers in the day of Pentecost to pray then led them from their knees to service. He changed their timidity into courage. He was the Divine sword in their attack and each soldier had the sword. There were no camp followers, no slackers; all went to the battle. They preached, and multitudes came to Christ. Simple acts on the part of the believers were given the breath of life, dyanmic and powerful by the promised Holy Spirit.
The message that the Holy Spirit inspired Peter to preach was bold, clear, scriptural, pointed and pungent. It had no mincing of words, no pussyfooting, and no apologies. It climaxed as the revelation of Jesus as Savior. It gave two steps to God, repentance and faith. It gave two directions for the convert, obedience and service.
Pentecost was not a day in the life of the Church; it was the day the church was born. The day the promised Holy Spirit began His work, His empowerment, and His inspiration in and through believers. The same disciples who fled and hid at the moment of the crucifixion were changed into men full of power and certainty.
The promise of Pentecost is as needful now as 2000 years ago. Sin is 2000 years deeper and men are as much lost as ever. Until we allow His filling, we are also weak and shepherdless. We may pray, and preach and try and try. But if the glove has no hand, its efforts are useless. The hand that guides and makes us useful is the Holy Spirit.
Dear Lord, fill me with the power and leading of Your Holy Spirit. I don't want to rush off in my own power doing useless, undirected things as earnest as they may be. Let my life be Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, and Spirit-empowered all to Your glory and service. In the name of Christ Jesus, amen.
(FROM: Classic Christianity: A Year of Timeless Devotions Volume 1, Pg 293)
Pentecost is one of the hinges on which God has swung His world into light. It was the manifestation of Jesus' promise of the gift of the Holy Spirit. We can do nothing without the Holy Spirit and unless He guides, all will fail.
He led the believers in the day of Pentecost to pray then led them from their knees to service. He changed their timidity into courage. He was the Divine sword in their attack and each soldier had the sword. There were no camp followers, no slackers; all went to the battle. They preached, and multitudes came to Christ. Simple acts on the part of the believers were given the breath of life, dyanmic and powerful by the promised Holy Spirit.
The message that the Holy Spirit inspired Peter to preach was bold, clear, scriptural, pointed and pungent. It had no mincing of words, no pussyfooting, and no apologies. It climaxed as the revelation of Jesus as Savior. It gave two steps to God, repentance and faith. It gave two directions for the convert, obedience and service.
Pentecost was not a day in the life of the Church; it was the day the church was born. The day the promised Holy Spirit began His work, His empowerment, and His inspiration in and through believers. The same disciples who fled and hid at the moment of the crucifixion were changed into men full of power and certainty.
The promise of Pentecost is as needful now as 2000 years ago. Sin is 2000 years deeper and men are as much lost as ever. Until we allow His filling, we are also weak and shepherdless. We may pray, and preach and try and try. But if the glove has no hand, its efforts are useless. The hand that guides and makes us useful is the Holy Spirit.
Dear Lord, fill me with the power and leading of Your Holy Spirit. I don't want to rush off in my own power doing useless, undirected things as earnest as they may be. Let my life be Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, and Spirit-empowered all to Your glory and service. In the name of Christ Jesus, amen.
(FROM: Classic Christianity: A Year of Timeless Devotions Volume 1, Pg 293)
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