The Holy Spirit and You

"One Year Bible" New Testament Passage Acts 2:1-47 1 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Acts 2:1-4 (NKJV) Few passages of Scripture have come under closer scrutiny over the past fifty years than these four short verses. There is a vast array of different interpretation and application concerning the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. The result has been misunderstanding and confusion for many. So let's simplify things a bit. First, we should NEVER be afraid of the Holy Spirit. He is my friend, He is my Comforter, He is my God. Second, the Holy Spirit is given to ALL of God's people; not just a select few of super-spiritual ones. The Holy Spirit is the power for the entire Church, not just the "deeper life club." Third, the gifts of the Spirit are for today! ALL of the gifts of the Spirit. Entire denominations have been built on the belief that the gift of tongues is somehow unique from all other gifts and therefore more important. Let's simplify. Tongues is but one of MANY GIFTS. The Holy Spirit wants to release His power in your life so focus on the Holy Spirit, not just one gift. Allow Him to do what He wants to do. Fourth, the effect of the Spirit's presence is like WIND and FIRE. Our prayer is that daily He fill us with the winds that will carry us and guide us. Our prayer is that He set our hearts on fire with a passion for His presence and His will to be done. If you are a believer, a follower of Jesus, you have already received the Holy Spirit in your salvation experience. Now it is time to learn to move in the Holy Spirit - to be filled and empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Prelude to a Revival

"One Year Bible" New Testament Passage Acts 1:1-26 1 The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, 2 until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, 3 to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God. Acts 1:1-3 (NKJV) What did Jesus come to do? There are at least four very important answers to this question. 1. He came to die on the Cross and thus make atonement for our sins. 2. He came to do many powerful miracles and speak mighty truths - to heal the sick and preach the Word. 3. He came to display to us what a God-surrendered life would look like in terms of character, compassion, and showing the world how to live. 4. He came to train 12 disciples in world mission and thus launch a world-wide movement. We often speak of "being like Jesus." "What would Jesus do." If we consider the four works of Jesus, it is the first one that we can never do. HE DID IT FOR US! And for that we are so thankful. But the other three are ours to carry forward. The key word in Acts 1:1 is BEGAN. In that sense (though it may seem funny to state it this way), the life of Jesus is the "pre-season warm up." It is the launching pad. It is the PRELUDE TO A REVIVAL. By the power of the Spirit, we are called to do the very same works that Jesus did - heal, preach, engage in spiritual warfare. We are called to ACT LIKE JESUS in terms of character and compassion. We are called to make disciples - to do just as Jesus did with the twelve. We help the followers of Jesus to live out this great adventure of living in the Kingdom of God. Jesus BEGAN this work. We carry it forward.

The Picture of Discipleship

"One Year Bible" New Testament Passage John 21:1-25 Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.” John 21:18 (NKJV) This is the picture of discipleship. Peter was a chosen vessel. He had walked with Jesus as closely as anyone. Yet there remained in him a tendency to gird himself and walk where ever him wished. Jesus had spent three years apprehending this wild heart. A.W. Tozer once said that God cannot use anyone greatly unless He has first wounded him deeply. The height of our calling is also the depth of God's working. Peter had been self-willed. Now Jesus tells him that "another will gird you...another will carry you." This is a picture of discipleship. Jesus never calls us to work FOR Him. He never asks us to DO things to please Him. He calls us to stretch out our hands like a child toward its parent - to surrender our lives, our wills, our ways - and allow Him to carry us. He has marvelous plans. He will take us places we could never go on our own. This is what it means to be a follower of Jesus.

Ascending

"One Year Bible" New Testament Passage John 20:1-31 Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’” John 20:17 (NKJV) As Mary Magdalene encountered the risen Jesus on Easter morning she did not at first recognize Him. In similar fashion, we often do not recognize RESURRECTION LIFE when it comes to us. Too often we dwell in the death of yesterday and do not yet have eyes to see the LIFE of today and tomorrow. Jesus makes an incredible statement to Mary Magdalene. He says, "Don't stop Me. Don't hold Me. Don't retain Me in past stories and memories (good as they might be)." There is such a tendency in all of us to hold on to the past. There is such a tendency to feel that the best is behind us and all we have is fragments of past possibilities. Jesus also said, "I am ascending!" "I am on my way to My Father - My destiny." There was a trajectory to Jesus in His resurrection. There is also a trajectory to your life in God as you walk in resurrection power. Paul wrote about this in Philippians 3 when he said, "I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead. I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call (resurrection power) of God in Christ Jesus." (Phil. 3:13-14) "Don't stop me...I'm ascending!"

The Finished Work of the Cross

"One Year Bible" New Testament Passage John 19:23-42 So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit. John 19:30 (NKJV) At the center of our faith is the Cross. Ground Zero for our relationship with God is this Roman implement of cruel death. The Cross represents God's undying desire to REDEEM. The Cross is the picture of God's love in action forgiving, cleansing, and accepting sinners. We could talk much about the meaning of the Cross. Such a study is worthy of our highest efforts to better understand what God has done for us in Christ. There are many powerful facets to this miraculous event. On the Cross, Jesus is the last Adam, He is the second man, He is the love of the Father, He is our penal substitute, He is the ransom for sin, He is our conquering King! John, the beloved disciple, records for us a powerful glimpse into this great redemption. He tells us that Jesus' final words were, "It is finished." As death closed upon Him and He finally accepted the anesthetic work of the sour wine, He knew that a GREAT WORK had been accomplished. Something had ended. And something else began. Many consider the preaching of the Cross to be laden with calls for self-sacrifice, for dying to self, and for giving it all up for Jesus. The Cross is more than death to self. The Cross is where condemnation stops. The Cross is where Satan loses his power. The Cross is where sin no longer has control. The Cross is where Jesus says, "It is finished." The Cross is the picture of the completed work of redemption. There is nothing we can add to the Cross. We can only accept the pure work of redeeming grace. "IT IS FINISHED!"

The Eye of the Storm

"One Year Bible" New Testament Passage John 18:25-19:22 Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?” Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” John 18:37 (NKJV) We read today about Jesus ON TRIAL. He was brought before those who hated Him, disbelieved Him, and sought to tear Him down. Under examination He was challenged concerning His identity and His calling. By no means does our experience measure up in intensity to that which Jesus faced, but we do however face the same challenges - the same destructive attack. We too are challenged concerning our true identity and our original, foundational calling. They asked Jesus WHO HE WAS. They asked Him what He was CALLED TO DO. His answer was crystal clear. Jesus KNEW what the Father had sent Him to do. His answer said in essence, "This is what I was born to do." So, let me ask you. Have you found your divine purpose? Have you discovered the very idea God had in mind when He created you? Can you say it clearly? Your identity and your calling are the most sacred part of you. It is a divine trust. It will be attacked. Satan will seek to deface it. It is the eye of the storm. It will always be the center of spiritual warfare over your life. It is the object of Christ's restoring work in you. So, ask God today to renew a deep awareness in you of that unique calling He has placed on your life.

The Safest Place

"One Year Bible" New Testament Passage John 18:1-24 And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Now that disciple was known to the high priest, and went with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest. John 18:15 (NKJV) Most people know about Peter and how he denied the Lord three times on the night of the betrayal. This was a very dark chapter in Peter's story. People often do not realize that there was another disciple present that night and that disciple DID NOT deny the Lord. This other disciple was none other than John, the beloved disciple. When others pulled away, John drew close. When others lagged behind, he pursued even closer. There is an important lesson here for us. Peter ended up in potential trouble because he followed at a distance. It left him open to the questions of the curious bystander. It led him to compromise. John stayed close. When trouble came, he got closer to Jesus. Therefore, the questions of the crowd were never directed at him. His identity was already settled and he did not have to explain it to those who would attack him. I believe the safest place in the world is the path of radical discipleship. It is the place where we follow the Lord no matter what happens. Though He is always leading in "life and death" experiences (the Cross!), yet we are covered and cared for under the shadow of His Person. It's the safest place.