Power for ALL

Stained glass window from 
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church,
Moorhead MN.

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Acts 2:1-21

TO CHEW ON: "And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. And began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance." Acts 2:4


When someone gives you a job, in order for you to be successful it is important that you have the capability to carry it out. Thus Jesus gave the large assignment -- to spread around the world the good news of what He had done -- with a proviso. The disciples were to refrain from doing anything about it until God gave them the enabling. His instructions: "And you are witnesses of these things….but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high." Luke 24:49.

And so the disciples gathered in Jerusalem to wait -- for what? I'm sure they didn't know exactly. But when it came, they did know this was it. An interesting fact to note is that the Holy Spirit came, He came on all.

Holy Spirit was no stranger to the Jews. He had come upon and indwelt numerous people in the Old Testament.

The Holy Spirit came upon or lived in:

• Bezalel to give him wisdom and skill to design and create the Tabernacle and its furnishings - Exodus 31:1-5.

• Balaam, Ezekiel, and other Old Testament prophets to enable them to prophecy -- bless, curse, give the people messages from God, and predict future events - Numbers 24:2; Ezekiel 11:24,25; 2 Peter 1:21.

• Gideon, giving him courage and a plan by which to lead the people into battle - Judges 6:33-35.

• Samson  for exploits of physical strength needed to challenge and defeat the Philistines - Judges 14:6.

• King Saul giving him a new heart and a prophetic gift to prove it - 1 Samuel 10:6

• Simeon to enable him to wait with hope, and then recognize, announce and prophecy over Jesus - Luke 2:25-32.

Each of these indwellings was  given to accomplish a specific task. The people in general were not so empowered. But here, on the Day of Pentecost, all were filled. And the Holy Spirit's filling is still available to all.

That filling is not to give us spiritual thrills or make us feel good. It is empowerment for service just as it was in the Old Testament. And I would suggest that such infilling can enable in the same ways it did then, depending on the need of the task and of the moment. We can claim the Holy Spirit's infilling to give us a new heart. We can claim it for wisdom and skill in the arts. We can claim it for help in leading and governing, for words to say, for courage, even for exploits of physical strength. Let's claim the Holy Spirit's presence and empowering afresh for our life, work, and ministry today!


PRAYER: Dear Holy Spirit, thank You for Your availability to all. Help me to allow You to work in and through me today. Amen.

MORE: Pentecost Sunday - and  "Holy Spirit Rain Down" sung by Hillsong

Today is Pentecost Sunday. The liturgy for today begins with this collect:

Almighty God, on this day you opened the way of eternal life to every race and nation by the promised gift of your Holy Spirit: Shed abroad this gift throughout the world by the preaching of the Gospel, that it may reach to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Do your 8-12-year-olds have daily devotions? Point them to Bible Drive-Thru.

The mystery of miracles

Peter Raises Dorcas - Artist unknown

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Acts 9:32-43

TO CHEW ON: "All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord … This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord." Acts 9:34,42

I love how these miracles, performed through Peter, led to chain reactions. The healing of the paralyzed Aeneas resulted in conversions in Lydda and Sharon. When Dorcas died a short distance away (in Joppa) the disciples sent for Peter. (Did they expect him to raise her from the dead, I wonder?) She came  back to life and word spread all over town and resulted in many more conversions.

A sidebar article in my Bible explains:

"There is a clear pattern in the NT in which evangelism or even mass evangelism follows demonstrations of God's kingdom power (Mark 16:14-20; Acts 5:12,14; 9:35,42 [our reading]; Acts 13:14-12; 19:11-20)" - Todd Hunter, New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p.1508.

Possible reactions to miracles:

However, demonstrations of God's kingdom power (miracles) do not always result belief. In a Sunday sermon several weeks ago, the speaker at my church named six possible reactions to miracles. These were reactions when Jesus healed the man born blind (John 9:2-38). These reactions could follow the miracles we see today as well:

• Logic - reaction of the disciples in John 9:2.
• Tradition - reaction of the neighbours in John 9:8.
• Religion - reaction of the Pharisees - John 9:13.
• Unbelief - reaction of the Jews - John 9:18.
• Fear - reaction of the man's parents - John 9:20.
• Belief - reaction of the healed man - John 9:25, 35-38.

Why doesn't God give me a miracle?

Finally, I ask myself—and you—these questions about miracles:

1. What is my attitude toward God when He denies a miracle? I can think of many, many people who have prayed for a miracle but it hasn't happened.

2. Is there a way to convince God to perform one? Does my faith, obedience, prayer and fasting, etc., have everything to do with it? Anything to do with it?

3. The purpose of God sending a miracle, or not, isn't, according to the Bible, mainly concerned with my well-being, comfort, release from pain and suffering, prosperity etc.


The purpose of miracles:

Looking up the list of references under "Miracles Testify" in my Thompson Chain Bible reveals some of the pre-church and early church purposes of miracles:

• Reveal Jesus' identity as Messiah and deity - Luke 5:7; John 3:2; 6:14; 7:31; 9:32; 10:25, 37-38; Acts 4:30.

• Lead to awe and praise of God - Luke 7:17; Acts 3:10.

• Lead to people believing in and coming to faith in Jesus - John 2:23; 4:53; 11:15, 45, 48; 20:30; Acts 9:34, 42 (our story).  

• Show that God is present - Matthew 27:54; Acts 2:22.

• Not always understood. If anyone could have used a miracle, it was the imprisoned John the Baptist. Yet Jesus never intervened on his behalf, telling him, instead, not to stumble over this - Luke 7:22.

• Cause people to pay attention to the message of the miracle-worker - Acts 8:6.

• Are distributed according to God's will - Hebrews 2:4.

PRAYER: Dear Father, I believe Your miracle-working power is as strong today as ever. Help me to fit in with Your plans and if those include miracles, may You get all the glory. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The softer side of God

TODAY'S SPECIAL: John 1:1-18

TO CHEW ON:  “The law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”  John 1:17

Suppose you read only the Old Testament part of the Bible. What picture of God would you have? Someone who is stern, sometimes angry, and jealous? You would be right. Because under the Law, God’s justice, righteousness and holiness were especially evident. And He was and is still those things today.

However, when He enfleshed Himself in Jesus, He showed us that He has a soft side too. His unbending truth is combined with grace.

[Grace - charis: from joy and rejoice. “It is the word for God’s grace as extended to sinful man. It signifies unmerited favor, undeserved blessing, a free gift.” (Word Wealth – NKJV – New Spirit Filled Life Bible).

Truth - aletheia: the opposite of fictitious, feigned or false. “It means veracity, reality, sincerity, accuracy, integrity, truthfulness, dependability, propriety.” ((Word Wealth  – New Spirit Filled Life Bible).]

These are God-qualities that Jesus lived out before us. When we see Him healing twisted limbs and blind eyes, raising sons and brothers from the dead, straightening backs, staunching blood flows, and taking the punishment for our sins, we see the grace side of God.

When we see Jesus exposing the past of a Samaritan woman and a man stuck by a pool, confronting temple merchants and hypocritical Pharisees, putting Satan and the disciples in their place, and taking the punishment for our sins, we see the truth side of God.

Aren’t you glad that God didn’t end His revelation of Himself with the Old Testament? Our picture of Him would be so different. So when God seems stern, distant, even unapproachable, look at Jesus. Though He never glosses over or bends the truth about you, He still wraps you in His grace.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, help me to live today in the light of Your truth and the warmth of Your grace. Amen

MORE: Hear Fernando Ortega sing “Give Me Jesus."



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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.