| 41:
Power for Living |
| Waiting
and wondering. Two things humans don’t enjoy very much. If ever
a group of people needed fresh direction and reassurance that they were
on the right track, it was the band of believers we find in the second
chapter of Acts. Seven weeks had passed since Jesus came back to life,
and while some were probably eager to tell the world the amazing story,
others were wondering if the miracle had ever really happened. But, nonetheless,
there they were, obediently waiting in Jerusalem for the promised Holy
Spirit, and… Read Acts 2:1-12 |
| Everyone
present that day looked forward to the Promise, including Peter, who had
probably let Jesus down more than any other person. Here was a collection
of very normal people who didn’t rate too highly in the world’s
eyes. And, they probably didn’t foresee how God was going to use
them to reach the world for Christ. And yet, they had left their worldly
priorities behind, and were living for one reason: Jesus. When we look at these men, so full of human failure, and we see how Christ transformed them through the power of the Holy Spirit, there is hope for every one of us. Today, we have the advantage of hindsight. We know what happened. But, it must have taken a lot of courage to sit in Jerusalem and wait. “What if the Holy Spirit doesn’t come?” “How will it look to my friends and family? I mean I’ve given up everything for Jesus!” “What if I can’t make ends meet?” “Will I really have to die for Jesus?” These were probably some of the questions the disciples were wrestling with that day. But when the wind hit and the fire settled, everything relating to self (self-absorption, self-concern, selfishness) disappeared. There was no more room for self-centeredness because the Holy Spirit had filled every corner of every heart present. |
| How much of my own heart is filled up with self? |
If you are waiting for more out of life, and wondering about more meaning, read the book of Acts. “The whole thing?” you ask. Yes, the whole thing. And look for the work of the Holy Spirit in every chapter. His name is mentioned about seventy times. It gets very hard to put the unfolding story down as you watch fishermen, religious zealots, army officers and people in the business world respond to the challenge to live out their lives for Jesus Christ. Shipwrecks, prison breakouts and confrontations with the highest authorities in the world all make for exciting reading. And there are martyrs, lots of martyrs. Unspeakable courage, amazing communication skills and unbelievable miracles were a part of daily life-only made possible by the power of the Holy Spirit. |
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Do I really want to live life on the edge for Christ?
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| When we accept Christ as our Savior and ask Him to fill us with His Holy Spirit, we are changed from the inside out. That’s how the early Church became so effective, and that’s the only way we can live effective lives for Christ today. Are we willing to live and die for the cause? |
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