The Power of God
Yesterday being the sixteenth I was reading Proverbs 16. Every day I discover something new in His word. Something there applies to me. It excites me. It astounds me. This is yesterdays.
I have been thinking heavily about something for a couple weeks now. It has weighed heavily on my heart. I have been praying about it. I have been seeking the face of God. I have no doubt that He can take care of my problems and that He can handle anything. I just need to let Him.
Well, this issue, as I said, has been weighing on my heart. I have spent time in prayer. I, like any other human, am impatient. I want an answer NOW. Well, as is often the case God is telling me to wait.
Then I read this:
Proverbs 16:3 - Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.
This reached right up and hit me square between the eyes. So often I just wander aimlessly under my own direction. It is at these times that I mess up my life. Now, I am seeking the face of God. I want to hear His voice and know His will so that I may follow it. I will make every effort to do His work.
So, this morning I am starting a book given to me by my pastor, Living With Power, a 21-Day Bible journey with the first Christians. Pastor Krueger is starting a series of sermons on the baptism in the Holy Spirit.
Christ said, "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
120 people gathered in the upper room and waited on the Lord. As they tarried they were visited by the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2:1-4 - When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
Pastor Krueger made the point that around five hundred believers were invited to the upper room, but only one hundred and twenty showed up. We were discussing this in my Bible study and someone was looking at it like they had missed something, and truthfully they had. However, think about this, when those one hundred and twenty came out of the upper room and began ministering after the day of Pentecost do you think the remainder of the five hundred might have received the baptism in the Holy Spirit themselves? Even so, one hundred and twenty Spirit filled, motivated believers witnessing and working for God must have made an impact on the World. I want to see the same impact on the world today.
This is what I seek, the direct power of God in my life. I want His manifestation in me so that people will come to Him. The greatest calling God has given us is to reach people for Him, and He has given it to all believers, not just a select few called to the ministry.
Tonight, at Bible study, I began to feel that power again. We are in study that centers on spiritual growth and we had wandered off topic, but were still talking about the Holy Spirit and the way He works. I began to speak, I mean with power. I was excited and couldn't wait to get the words out. My mouth wasn't working fast enough. God was moving in that place and He chose me to bring out a point. I can only be humbled. My host then told me to lay off the Turkish coffee.
"Father in Heaven, you have shown your mercy through the death of your Son for our sins. You have granted to us much that we do not deserve. I ask for the power of your Holy Spirit in my life. Touch me. Fill me with your power that I might be a witness for you. In the name of your Son, amen."
I have been thinking heavily about something for a couple weeks now. It has weighed heavily on my heart. I have been praying about it. I have been seeking the face of God. I have no doubt that He can take care of my problems and that He can handle anything. I just need to let Him.
Well, this issue, as I said, has been weighing on my heart. I have spent time in prayer. I, like any other human, am impatient. I want an answer NOW. Well, as is often the case God is telling me to wait.
Then I read this:
Proverbs 16:3 - Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.
This reached right up and hit me square between the eyes. So often I just wander aimlessly under my own direction. It is at these times that I mess up my life. Now, I am seeking the face of God. I want to hear His voice and know His will so that I may follow it. I will make every effort to do His work.
So, this morning I am starting a book given to me by my pastor, Living With Power, a 21-Day Bible journey with the first Christians. Pastor Krueger is starting a series of sermons on the baptism in the Holy Spirit.
Christ said, "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
120 people gathered in the upper room and waited on the Lord. As they tarried they were visited by the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2:1-4 - When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
Pastor Krueger made the point that around five hundred believers were invited to the upper room, but only one hundred and twenty showed up. We were discussing this in my Bible study and someone was looking at it like they had missed something, and truthfully they had. However, think about this, when those one hundred and twenty came out of the upper room and began ministering after the day of Pentecost do you think the remainder of the five hundred might have received the baptism in the Holy Spirit themselves? Even so, one hundred and twenty Spirit filled, motivated believers witnessing and working for God must have made an impact on the World. I want to see the same impact on the world today.
This is what I seek, the direct power of God in my life. I want His manifestation in me so that people will come to Him. The greatest calling God has given us is to reach people for Him, and He has given it to all believers, not just a select few called to the ministry.
Tonight, at Bible study, I began to feel that power again. We are in study that centers on spiritual growth and we had wandered off topic, but were still talking about the Holy Spirit and the way He works. I began to speak, I mean with power. I was excited and couldn't wait to get the words out. My mouth wasn't working fast enough. God was moving in that place and He chose me to bring out a point. I can only be humbled. My host then told me to lay off the Turkish coffee.
"Father in Heaven, you have shown your mercy through the death of your Son for our sins. You have granted to us much that we do not deserve. I ask for the power of your Holy Spirit in my life. Touch me. Fill me with your power that I might be a witness for you. In the name of your Son, amen."
posted by Douglas at 4:31 AM
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