WATCHWORDS:
1-2 Dear friend who loves God: In my first letter, I told you about Jesus’ life and teachings and how he returned to heaven after giving his chosen apostles further instructions from the Holy Spirit. 3 During the forty days after his crucifixion he appeared to the apostles from time to time, actually alive, and proved to them in many ways that it was really he himself they were seeing. And on these occasions, he talked to them about the Kingdom of God. 4 In one of these meetings he told them not to leave Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit came upon them in fulfillment of the Father’s promise, a matter he had previously discussed with them. 5 “John baptized you with water,” he reminded them, “but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit in just a few days.” 6 And another time when he appeared to them, they asked him, “Lord, are you going to free Israel from Rome now and restore us as an independent nation?” 7 “The Father sets those dates,” he replied, “and they are not for you to know. 8 But when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will receive power to testify about me with great effect, to the people in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth, about my death and resurrection.” Acts 1:1-8
Meditation
No Pentecost, No Power
Bill Graham said, “Without Pentecost (the infilling of the Holy Spirit), the disciples would have been powerless to spread the Good News of the gospel.”
How true is that? What came into your life when Christ came into your life? I’ll tell you — The whole package! Father, Son, Holy Spirit. Along with the Triune God, came gifts, so numerous and extensive that we can barely comprehend. Think about the amazing benefits that He brings to our lives.
- Power: See the Acts passage above. You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. Sadly we often experience failure when we try to accomplish something based on their own strength without His help.
- Love: Charles Finney describes his experience this way: “When my life was transformed I could feel His presence like a wave of love that I could not explain in any other way.” How about you? Can you relate to what he’s saying? I can. Thank the Lord.
- Fruit: Think about the fruit that he produces in us. Love, Joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control, to mention only a few. Each one contagious and we pass it on. Each one is not only a fruit of the spirit, it is the equipping of us as children of God.
- Gifts: This is how THG described Gifts – “The gifts He gives us are blessings, miracles, peace and power. When we trust Christ as Savior, He gives us the gift of His Holy Spirit, assuring us that we belong to Him. He is the One who connects us to God’s purpose by giving each one of us some unique spiritual gifts.” Think about the abilities and talents that you have been given, they have a purpose for your benefit, and for the benefit of the body of Christ and Christ’s glory.
This is a lot for us to digest. It is important that you and I, and all the children of God understand the weight of blessed Power that was turned loose in us the moment we excepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of our lives, and received the Holy Spirit.” Amen.
(A compilation of commentaries from Robert Morris, Robert Jeffress, Tony Evans, Joyce Meyer, David Jeremiah, and others on the simplicity and complexity of the Holy Spirit. This Watchword, yesterday’s and the next one were fashioned, in part, by remarks by The Holy Gang (THG) of theologians.)
Bulletin Board:
The Holy Spirit wants to work in and through us. His gifts should never be a source of religious pride. God’s word does not tell us that a one time spiritual experience will end our battle with sin. Justification is the work of the moment when we accept Christ. Sanctification is the work of a lifetime. Elisabeth Elliot said, “Today is mine, tomorrow is non-of my business.”
Closing Prayer:
Lord, I trust You and I want all that You desire for me to be obedient. Amen.
