THE GREATEST GIFTS – Day 3

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THE GIFT OF BEING SEALED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT

Trained bank tellers and others handling money can distinguish between real currency and counterfeit. The real stuff has markings embedded between the bills’ fibers that can be seen when one knows how to examine the money. Real. Genuine. Authentic.

The third gift is being sealed with the Holy Spirit.

“And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession — to the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians 1:13-14, NIV).

It is a gift to be sealed in Him by the Holy Spirit!

What does it mean to be sealed in God by the Holy Spirit? Think of a letter or edict in the days of Paul. It was common for a king to write a letter on animal skin parchment, roll it up, and then dip his royal signet ring into hot wax and press the wax onto the parchment, sealing the letter, assuring that if anyone opened the letter, they would crack the seal. It made the letter authentic. It was certified as coming from the king.

So what happens when God seals you with the Holy Spirit? It makes you authentic. It certifies that you are from God and that God protects you. Whoa! Your life as God has chosen you is to be read by others as someone who is “of God.” That is a pretty big responsibility, isn’t it? However, here’s the good news. If you are sealed by the Holy Spirit and walk in the ways God calls you to walk, you reflect God naturally, or perhaps we might say “supernaturally.”

Recall that Jesus promised the Holy Spirit to his followers.

“But when He, the Spirit of Truth comes, He will guide you into all the Truth. For He will not speak His own message; but He will tell whatever He hears and He will announce and declare to you the things that are to come. He will honor and glorify Me, because He will take of what is Mine and will reveal it to you.” (John 16:13, AMP).

The Holy Spirit is leading you into truth. You are reflecting that truth to others. You are sealed, and that seal “is given as a pledge of our inheritance.” (Ephesians 1:14, NASB). It’s a promise from the King! We are His children. We will spend all eternity with the King. More appropriately, we are spending all eternity with the King. He promised it. He sealed it. It’s done. What a gift!

Open your hands and receive this gift today — the gift of being sealed with the Holy Spirit.

PRAYER

Thank you, God, for the gift of being sealed with your Holy Spirit. I am your authentic child who represents the King of kings. Protect me and help me reflect You today in all I am and all I do. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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This advent devotional can be found on the YouVersion Bible App here.

Redemption on the Day of Pentecost

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GOD REDEEMS 3,000 SOULS — A LESSON FROM JERUSALEM’S SOUTHERN STEPS

There are steps in Jerusalem that used to lead to the Temple at the top of Mt. Zion. Thirty-one of them are still there. A wall blocks the remainder. You can visit them today. In Jesus’ day, the steps led all the way up to the main level of the Temple Mount. Everyone walked up these steps. Likely Jesus did. Often.

Many believe on these very steps, the Church was born. It is where the New Testament church received its power.

Continue reading Redemption on the Day of Pentecost

Pentecost. A Jewish and Christian Holiday that Points to the Voice of God.

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You may listen to today’s audio devotional message here.

I haven’t always understood how Pentecost was a holiday for both Jews and Christians. It took me five trips to the Southern Steps in Israel for it to really sink in. The most recent visit to Jerusalem was just a few months ago.

Christians celebrate Pentecost seven weeks after Resurrection Sunday. Jews celebrate it seven weeks, or 50 days, after Passover. It doesn’t always work out this way because the Jews operate on a lunar calendar, but this year it falls on the same weekend. This weekend.

God asked the children of Israel to come up to Jerusalem three times each year. Passover is one of those times. It celebrates the Exodus and how God delivered His children through the Red Sea and the oppressive Pharaoh of Egypt. A second time is at the end of the summer. Sukkot celebrates the fall harvest and how God provided for the children of Israel as they wandered through the desert, living in tents. We sometimes call this the Feast of Tabernacles. Many Jewish people today still set up small sukkahs, or huts, in their backyard to commemorate the holiday.

The third celebration is called Shavuot, meaning “weeks,” for it was exactly seven weeks after the Exodus when the people of God found themselves at the base of Mt. Sinai. This special time is a celebration of the giving of the Law, the Torah, to Moses (beginning in Exodus 19). Then (Moses) read aloud the Lord’s commands and promises, and the people shouted, “We will obey the Lord and do everything he has commanded!” (Exodus 24:7, CEV).

Now, fast-forward 1200 years. The children of Israel have returned to Jerusalem to celebrate this Feast of Weeks, Shavuot. They bring offerings of grain to honor God for these first fruits of the new harvest season. This year is different, however. At Passover just two months prior, Jesus was crucified, buried, and rose again. He visited with the disciples for 40 days before He ascended into Heaven.

While he was still with them, Jesus said: Don’t leave Jerusalem yet. Wait here for the Father to give you the Holy Spirit, just as I told you he has promised to do. (Acts 1:4, CEV).

The disciples had been waiting days for the Holy Spirit. While they waited, they watched as the city population tripled, when the children of God arrived from the Judean countryside, and even from foreign countries, to celebrate the Feast. And then, just as Jesus promised, on the very morning the Jews were to celebrate the Law, God showed up in Spirit and in power! As the believers met together that day, suddenly there was a sound like the roaring of a mighty windstorm in the skies above them and it filled the house where they were meeting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on their heads. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in languages they didn’t know, for the Holy Spirit gave them this ability. (Acts 2:2-4, TLB).

Here’s where it gets amazing! The Good News was being proclaimed to people from at least 15 different lands by strangers who didn’t speak those languages. And everyone heard, and understood, the voice of God in their native tongue.

The Law brings death. But the Spirit brings life.

It was into this cacophony of noise that Peter stood up to address the crowd. It was likely near the top of the Southern Steps that lead up to the Temple –the same steps that I visited just a few months ago. At that time, there was an open plaza where a large crowd of people from 15 different nations might gather. You remember Peter… the fearful yet rambunctious disciple. When he tried to walk on the water, he sank. When he was confronted by a young girl if he knew Jesus, the fisherman issued a strong denial. Yet now, filled with the Holy Spirit, he spoke with boldness and with power! This was his first public sermon and the message cut to the hearts of all the listeners.

Peter pressed his case with many other arguments and kept pleading with them, “Save yourselves from this perverse generation!” So those who accepted what he said were immersed, and there were added to the group that day about three thousand people. (Acts 2:40-41, CJB).

Three thousand people were baptized in water that day, taking a step of faith to follow the Messiah. There is something amazing about that number.

Let’s go back to the first Shavuot. Do you recall what happened when Moses came down from the Mountain with the tablets of the Law? His brother Aaron had formed a golden calf and the children of God were worshipping it. Yes, these were the same people who shouted “We will obey the Lord and do everything he has commanded!” (Exodus 24:7, CEV). And they were disobeying the very first command! As a result, God released His wrath.

Then the men of the Levi tribe gathered around Moses, and he said to them, “The LORD God of Israel commands you to strap on your swords and go through the camp, killing your relatives, your friends, and your neighbors.” The men of the Levi tribe followed his orders, and that day they killed about three thousand men. (Exodus 32:26-28, CEV).

Would you look at that? The Lord was so angry that He had 3,000 people slaughtered on the original day of Pentecost, the first Shavuot, the giving of the Law. Disobeying the Law leads to death. Now, on the day of Pentecost celebrated here in Jerusalem, the Holy Spirit comes and gives life, and 3,000 people were baptized on that day! God symbolically redeemed those caught in His judgment 1200 years earlier, on this Day of Pentecost when He gave the Holy Spirit!

The Apostle Paul says it this way: The Law brings death. But the Spirit brings life. (2 Corinthians 3:6, CEV).

God calls out to us through the Holy Spirit, which we celebrate today. Do you hear His voice, His Good News? It is life!




(c) 2020. Rich Ronald.
RichlySpeaking.com.




Isaiah 64. No Eye Has Seen, No Ear Has Heard.

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Because of the importance of Israel and its people, and my personal love for The Land, I’m inviting you to join me through the key Old Testament book of Isaiah.  Each day I’m posting some simple thoughts about this complex prophet.

Isaiah 64.

Three mind-blowing reminders in today’s chapter, yet all three are one basic thought: We are created by God, in His image, and we can’t even imagine all the blessings that He has for us, nor the supernatural work He is doing in us and through us, for the sake of His glorious Kingdom.

One.

“Since before time began no one has ever imagined, no ear heard, no eye has seen, a God like you who works for those who wait for Him.” (v4, MSG).

Paul even quotes this passage in his first letter to the church in Corinth. “As it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” — the things God has prepared for those who love Him. These are the things God has revealed to us by His Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.” (1 Cor.2-9-10 CEV).

God works on our behalf via His Holy Spirit. And we, in our human form, can’t comprehend the amazing things God is doing for us and even through us. We can’t see it. We can’t hear it. Our minds can’t conceive it. But, we can trust that God works on our behalf. Every minute of every hour of every single day! Sometimes when I stand on the beach and look out into the vastness of the ocean, I just can’t imagine what is out there, below the surface of the water. Yet, we know there is an abundance of life and activity in the sea. The same is true in our lives. We can’t see what God is doing, but there is an abundance of spiritual life and activity all around us.

Two.

How do we know this is true? Because He has created us, He has formed us, in His image. Look at these three verses:

“God, you are our Father. We’re the clay and you’re the potter. All of us are what you made us.” (v8, MSG).

“Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and he became a living being.” (Genesis 2:7, CEV)

“Then He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” (John 20:22, CEV).

We have been created by the Creator and then breathed into by the Son and we are offered the Holy Spirit! We are mere clay. But we are clay in His image and empowered by His Spirit!

Three.

Finally, Isaiah notes that we are all sinners. “We are unfit to worship you, each of our good deeds is merely a filthy rag.” (v6, CEV).

In our human condition, yes, this is true. But as new creations in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17), because of Jesus, we can be molded into His likeness and filled with the life-giving breath of the Holy Spirit. As such, we can live holy lives, new lives, lives capable of working on behalf of the Kingdom. Even Jesus said “Believe me: I am in my Father and my Father is in me. If you can’t believe that, believe what you see—these works. The person who trusts me will not only do what I’m doing but even greater things, because I, on my way to the Father, am giving you the same work to do that I’ve been doing. You can count on it.” (John 14:11-12, MSG).

Paul says in Ephesians 2:10 that God has given us assignments to accomplish. And James echoes that works are vitally important to the Kingdom. “You can now see that we please God by what we do and not only by what we believe… Anyone who doesn’t breathe is dead, and faith that doesn’t do anything is just as dead!” (James 2:24,26, CEV).

Isaiah’s encouragement today is that God is amazing and we are loved more than we can ever imagine by this Creator. And as Christ-followers we get to do the incredible work of the Kingdom through Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit!

If you’re new to this journey through Isaiah, you can start here.
(c) 2020. Rich Ronald.

Isaiah 59. God’s Gifts to Us: Repentance, Redemption, Salvation, Spirit.

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Because of the importance of Israel and its people, and my personal love for The Land, I’m inviting you to join me through the key Old Testament book of Isaiah.  Each day I’m posting some simple thoughts about this complex prophet.

 

Isaiah 59.

This highlights in a very straightforward manner the cycle of sin, acknowledgment of wrongdoing which leads to repentance, and His gracious redemption.

Sin. 
“Your sins are the roadblock between you and your God. That’s why he doesn’t answer your prayers or let you see his face.” (v2, CEV). That’s pretty significant, isn’t it? Ever wonder why your prayers might not be answered? I’m not saying this is the reason behind every non-answer from God. But, examining our own heart might be a first step towards hearing from Heaven.

Confession/ Repentance.
“Our wrongdoings pile up before you, God, our sins stand up and accuse us. Our wrongdoings stare us down; we know in detail what we’ve done: Mocking and denying God, not following our God, Spreading false rumors, inciting sedition, pregnant with lies, muttering malice. Justice is beaten back, Righteousness is banished to the sidelines, Truth staggers down the street, Honesty is nowhere to be found, Good is missing in action. Anyone renouncing evil is beaten and robbed.” (v12-15, MSG). We live in an evil time, as did Isaiah. The key to a right standing with God is getting to a place where we can see our sin and repent. Turning toward God starts in a posture of humility and confession.

Redemption.
“God looked and saw evil looming on the horizon – so much evil and no sign of Justice… so He did it Himself, took on the work of Salvation, fueled by His own righteousness.” (v15, MSG). The Almighty turned to His one and only Son to provide our redemption. Thank you, God! “For this is how much God loved the world—he gave his one and only, unique Son as a gift. So now everyone who believes in him will never perish but experience everlasting life.” (John 3:16, TPT). Yep! He did it Himself. Wow!

Our Future.
“The Lord has promised to rescue the city of Zion and Jacob’s descendants who turn from sin.  The Lord says: “My people, I promise to give you my Spirit and my message. These will be my gifts to you and your families forever. I, the LORD, have spoken.”” (v20-21, CEV).

Let us all be thankful for His work of redemption through Jesus and the promise of His Spirit to us all!

If you’re new to this journey through Isaiah, you can start here.
(c) 2020. Rich Ronald.

Isaiah 44. The LORD is the Source of Your Life.

Posted on by richlyspeaking

Because of the importance of Israel and its people, and my personal love for The Land, I’m inviting you to join me through the key Old Testament book of Isaiah.  Each day I’m posting some simple thoughts about this complex prophet.

Isaiah 44.

We start with a promise that was fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost, in Acts, Chapter 2: “I will pour my Spirit into your descendants and my blessing on your children.” (v3, MSG). Can we live today without the Holy Spirit? Not at all! God has blessed us with His Spirit. That’s a direct answer to this prophecy!

Isaiah continues to speak about the greatness of God, quoting God himself. Again, as in chapter 42, there are lots of “I Am” statements, which are really big deals.

That’s why Jesus raised so many eyebrows when He used the phrase “I Am…” in the Gospel of John. Only God is the great “I Am.” And how could Jesus, a man, also be God? The Pharisees who challenged Jesus found out at the resurrection, the Son, the Messiah, is also God!

Isaiah also takes note of the eminence of God in comparison to idols made with mere human hands. There is God. Then there is the polar opposite: an idol made of wood. The same wood used to cook your dinner can be fashioned into something one might worship? “How can anyone be stupid enough to trust something that can be burned to ashes?” (v20, CEV).

And it causes me to ask, “What man-made object am I trusting in?” I might not worship money, but do I trust it to provide security for my future? Or do I truly trust only God? Are there things in our life that consume more of our energy than the Lord and serving Him?

“I am the LORD. The source of your life and I have rescued you!” (v 24).

He is worthy of our worship. He is worthy of our praise and our complete trust! Let everything in all of Creation praise the Almighty.

“Tell the heavens and the earth to start singing! Tell the mountains and every tree in the forest to join in the song! The Lord has rescued his people; now they will worship Him.” (v23, CEV).

If you’re new to this journey through Isaiah, you can start here.

(c) 2020. Rich Ronald.

 

Isaiah 32

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Because of the importance of Israel and its people, and my personal love for The Land, I’m inviting you to join me through the key Old Testament book of Isaiah.  Each day I’m posting some simple thoughts about this complex prophet.

Isaiah 32.

“When the Spirit is given to us from Heaven, deserts will become orchards thick as fertile forests.” (v15, CEV). Guess what? I believe the Holy Spirit has been given to us! It happened first on the day Jesus rose again. And then again on the day of Pentecost, as recorded in Acts 2.

From John’s Gospel: “Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”” (John 20:22, CEV).

From Luke’s account of Pentecost: “Peter said, “Change your life. Turn to God and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, so your sins are forgiven. Receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is targeted to you and your children, but also to all who are far away—whomever, in fact, our Master God invites.”” (Acts 2:38-39, MSG).

Back to the promise from Isaiah 32: “Honesty and justice will prosper there, and justice will produce lasting peace and security.” (v15-16, CEV). He continues: “And where there is right there will be peace… quiet lives and endless trust. My people will live in a peaceful neighborhood in safe houses in quiet gardens.” (v18, MSG).

When does this happen? After the Spirit has been given to His people. Again, this is something that has already happened. He has given us the opportunity to live in peace as we trust in Him.

Deserts will become orchards. Peaceful neighbors. Quiet gardens.

For those with endless trust.

There’s that word again. Can we trust God above all else? We must!

 

If you’re new to this journey through Isaiah, you can start here.

(c) 2020. Rich Ronald.

Come Holy Spirit

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Join us weekly for the Overflow sermon series at Oak Hills Church, San Antonio.

When I was a college student in the late 1970’s, I went to a Christian Woodstock-like event. 30,000 young adults, camping and worshipping Jesus in a farmer’s field in Western Pennsylvania.  Keith Green, Phil Keaggy and The Sweet Comfort Band were among the lineup of musicians. It was a week of worship and praise and teaching and fellowship. It was a spiritual milestone for me as I acknowledged and “received” the baptism of the Holy Spirit. It was the first time I felt free to raise my hands in worship.

When I called my mom later to tell her all about the event, I told her I had been filled with the Holy Spirit. Her response? She was very encouraging. Then, with great wisdom, she affirmed my step of faith by saying, “I believe being filled with the Holy Spirit is a daily practice; we are to be constantly filled, even to overflowing!”

It was my mom’s way of quoting Acts 13:52 which says this: “And the disciples were continually filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.” (NASB)

Each day, every day, we can say “Come Holy Spirit. Fill my thirsty soul. So that we might overflow with your love and grace and mercy and joy to those around us.”

 

(c) Rich Ronald. 2019.

 

Where to find Living Water? Jesus.

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Living in the Overflow… Jesus says, “Come to me and drink.”

This city is such a madhouse. I love coming up to Jerusalem for the feasts, but Sukkot is always crazy! Not only does all of Israel make pilgrimage, but then we are commanded to build booths to live in for the eight days of the festival. It reminds our people of the years of wandering in the desert, and how Jehovah provided for our every need then… And we trust that He will be our Jehovah Jireh, our Provider, for us today and in the New Year.

The already crowded and narrow streets are packed with people, animals and sukkahs. The weather has turned cooler the past couple of days and so each little hut also has a small fire going, so smoke fills the air. The smell of animals, coal fires and people crammed together is, let’s just say, unique at this season! Each year, my wife and three children make the five day journey from The Galilee to the City of David. It is a time of rejoicing, for sure! We celebrate the fall crops of grapes and olives. And we begin our prayers in earnest for the grain we have just planted and that our One True God would bring rain to the land. Each day as part of this celebration of Tabernacles, the priest will walk from the Temple to the Pool of Siloam with a golden pitcher. It takes several hours of the day as the journey is about a mile. He retrieves Mayim Chayim, living water, from this spring-fed pool to pour out on the altar with the sacrifices. The amount of water is minimal. But its significance is everything! We are trusting that God will provide rain and good weather for the kernels of wheat and barley tucked under the soil on each family’s small plot of Promised Land. There’s nothing further we can do for the grain. The rest is up to YHWH.

On the Final Day of the Feast, the priest makes eight trips to the Pool. Along the voyage those of us in the crowd shout the Psalms of Ascent from King David. Hour after hour, it’s a raucous time of joyful celebration. The priest works the crowd as we all shout “Hosanna — God Save Us!” The higher the pitcher over his head, the louder we cheer. The lower the pitcher, the softer the crowd murmurs our “Hosanna’s!” It was during one of those quiet moments… the priest had lowered the pitcher of life giving water, the crowd was quietly singing “Hosanna…” Suddenly in a loud voice someone among the people shouts “SH’MA! Listen!” We all turned towards the commanding speaker, stunned to realize that it was not a priest, but it was the new rabbi Yeshua, from our hometown.

His words still reverberate off my heart: “Sh’ma! Listen… Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them!” We turned one to each other nodding our approval. Who wouldn’t want Mayim Chayim, living water, every day?! I heard some near me say He must be a prophet,likely thinking of the prophesy from Ezekiel that says living water will flow from the Temple deep enough to swim in. Others said He must be the Messiah.

I’m still undecided… I knew Yeshua as a boy. We grew up together. I heard Him at our synagogue in the Galilee recently… I want to believe, but the priests there chased him out.

But I keep wondering, what would it be like for me, for my family, to have living water flow from my heart… to overflowing… Is it possible? Is it really possible?

 

Some of the words, actions, thoughts perhaps, of a bystander at the Feast of Tabernacles from John 7.

Are you thirsty? We all have seasons of weariness, don’t we? Where we find our hearts so conflicted or broken. Or we are sitting on anger or unresolved hurt. Or we are so busy with life that we are brittle and about to crack. Would you let the living water of Jesus fill you up?

 On the last and most important day of the festival, Jesus stood up and shouted, “If you are thirsty, come to me and drink!  Have faith in me, and you will have life-giving water flowing from deep inside you, just as the Scriptures say.”  Jesus was talking about the Holy Spirit, who would be given to everyone that had faith in him. John 7:37-38 (CEV)

Some might say this is the most important part of the story. This is a promise for “everyone that has faith in Him.” Look at who the Holy Spirit is:

The Father… will give you another Comforter, and he will never leave you. John 14:16 (LB)

The Spirit will show you what is true. John 14:17 (CEV)

God’s Spirit doesn’t make cowards out of us. The Spirit gives us power, love, and self-control. 1 Timothy 1:7 (CEV)

It is the Holy Spirit who is our comforter, who gives us hope when we see no way out. It is the Spirit who gives us boldness to proclaim the hope of the Gospel to a friend at work or our neighbor. It is the Holy Spirit who guides us into all truth, and gives us wisdom to make right decisions.

Drink. Everyone! From the Life-giving springs of Jesus.

The invitation is from Jesus to you and to me. This is not just a once a year thing like the Feast of Tabernacles. I believe we need to empty ourselves of our self everyday. What does that mean? To wake up each morning and say as Jesus did in Luke 22: “Lord, not my will, but your will be done.”  John Eldredge says to ask God this prayer everyday: “What is the life You want me to live?”

Be eager to drink from the springs of living water everyday. And then, let His love, joy, hope and peace overflow through you to others all around you.

 

(c) 2019 Rich Ronald.

The Power of The Holy Spirit!

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Do the clouds have to move, or does the wind have to blow, in order for us to know the Holy Spirit is moving in our lives? I hope not.

I’m an entertainer. A showman. I love being the center of attention. I love dazzling the people with illusions and tricks and sleight of hand. I wear only the finest silks. I love to pretend that I am a really important person, even though I’m just a common Samaritan. They call me Simon, the Great Wizard! And everywhere I go, people are in awe. But what’s really ironic, is that I’m not at all powerful. It’s just an act.

This man Philip, a follower of the Nazarene, came to town recently. He gathered such a large crowd as he preached that the people began to forget about me. He took my audiences away from the town square to the river where he was baptizing people in the name of Jesus. I was fascinated at his ability to inspire and was so touched by his words, that I too, decided to become a follower of Jesus and was baptized. You wouldn’t believe all the things that Philip could do. He would put his hands on a person, say a quick prayer and they would be healed in the name of Jesus!  And let me tell you… Philip’s power was real! Not like my illusions.

One day, some others they called “disciples” also came to town. Peter and John were two that walked with Jesus in Jerusalem and were considered in His inner circle when He was alive. They also drew large crowds here in Samaria and they said that not only did new followers of Jesus need to be baptized, but they might also receive the power of the Holy Spirit. I watched in wonder as they laid their hands on people, prayed for them and then, they received the Holy Spirit.

I thought how amazing it would be, how amazing I would be, if I had that power, too! So, I decided right then and there that no amount of money would be too much to pay for me to have that kind of power! I approached the one they called Peter after he healed a man with a deformed arm. I pulled him aside and asked “How much? Please show me how you did that! Name your price! I’ll pay anything if you show me your secret!”

Peter, who up until that moment was filled with laughter and great joy, suddenly turned very angry! “May you and your money perish for thinking that God’s gift can be bought!” he said! “You can have no part in what we are doing if your heart is not right before God. Turn from your wicked ways, Simon, for you are jealous and there is sin in your heart!”

He was right! I wanted to follow Jesus. But I also wanted the power to dazzle and thrill audiences. I fell to my knees right then and there. My heart broke with fear and with awe at who God was and what Jesus had done for me. “Pray for me, for my soul, Peter!” I cried out through my tears…“I only want to know Jesus, the power of His resurrection and the joy of truly following Him,” I thought to myself.

Peter and John returned to Jerusalem after that… Philip left too… Those of us who remained in Samaria saw the power of God continue to change hearts… even mine!

 

The words, actions and thoughts, perhaps of Simon the Sorcerer, as it is recorded in Acts 8… with the hopeful conclusion that Simon’s heart was changed too!

How about you? Do you embrace the fullness of the Holy Spirit? God gives us the gifts of the Holy Spirit for His glory and our joy… not for our glory!  Simon the Sorcerer was attracted to the gifts he saw in Philip… confidence, boldness, compassion and joy. And Simon saw those things and wanted them… but he was interested in making his own name famous and thought the power of the Holy Spirit could be bought for a price. The Apostle Peter called him out on it! Peter told him to repent, and we see that the wizard asked Peter to pray for him. We can be hopeful that he was truly repentant.

We need not fear the movement of the Holy Spirit in our lives.  If we know what gifts God has given us through His Holy Spirit, when we know how we are wired, we can serve Him in our sweet spot and can grow deeper and deeper in our faith and dependence of Him. That’s where God wants us. That’s where I want to be.

The list of the gifts of the Holy Spirit can be found in 1 Corinthians 12, Romans 12 and Ephesians 4. The fruit, or confirmation, of the Holy Spirit in our lives is shown in Galatians 5.

But don’t focus on the gifts. Focus on the Giver. Don’t focus on signs and wonders. Focus on the wonder of God instead!

I recently watched the TV series AD, Kingdom and Empire, on Netflix. It’s the story of Jesus’ crucifixion, up to about Acts 9. An amazing thing happens every time there is a miracle, or work of the Holy Spirit… whether it is by Peter or one of the other followers of the Nazarene… the wind blows, the music swells, the clouds move. As I watched I thought, “why doesn’t that happen to me?” And, I honestly believe it is because God wants us to see that using our gifts everyday is as miraculous as when people are healed instantly or something supernatural happens. Can we get to that place where we don’t need to see the wind blow, the clouds move or the music swell to know the Holy Spirit is real?

 

 

 

(c) 2018. Rich Ronald.