ACTS 2:1-13

SUNDAY-MONDAY, MAY 27 - 28, 2007

MAY YOU LIVE A POWERFUL PENTECOST!

1 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord (a) in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

5 And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. 6 And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. 7 Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.” 12 So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “Whatever could this mean?”

13 Others mocking said, “They are full of new wine.”

On this Sunday we celebrate the Festival of Pentecost. Throughout the Pentecost Season, if we open our hearts and minds, we will see the Power of the Holy Spirit at work. When I say, “MAY YOU LIVE A POWERFUL PENTECOST,” you might question what I mean. The only way you can live a POWERFUL PENTECOST is by inviting the Holy Spirit to live within you and then yielding your very life to Him as He leads you to be God’s faithful servant each day.

I am sure that many of you have had or will have the opportunity to listen to an inspiring Pentecost Sermon. It is my prayer that God has spoken to you through the words of your Pastor or Bible Study Teacher. I do not wish to duplicate what your Pastor or Teacher says. There is one thought that sometimes is overlooked that I want to share with you. You might also want to go to my RAMBLING THOUGHTS PAGE for today where I have also written about Pentecost.

Sometimes when we read these verses from Acts, we make two mistakes. The first mistake is if we stop reading after verse 4. If we do this, we get the idea that it is about speaking in tongues and easily say that we don’t speak in tongues and don’t believe in it, so these verses do not apply to us. THAT IS A BIG MISTAKE.

If we do read on, we come to the second potential mistake. When we read the rest of these verses, we come to the correct understanding that these strange tongues are languages that the people were speaking were actually languages of some of the people who were there from other localities. Now these people could understand the words of the message of Salvation. Here comes the second mistake. We can say that we do not speak other languages; therefore, this does not apply to us OR we can understand that people of other nations need to hear the Gospel in their own language, so we should send funds to help missionaries learn these languages. With a sense of relief and accomplishment we send a check and feel we are finished with these verses. THAT IS A BIG MISTAKE.

Think of a small child who does not understand adult words but can sing JESUS LOVES ME at the top of his or her voice. Pray that the Holy Spirit would give you the language of a child.

Think of a teenager who rebels against adult standards and against the church, yet there is a loving, caring youth inside a body that wants to be an adult. Pray that the Holy Spirit would give you the language of that teen.

Think of a person with a terminal illness who is calm on the outside but filled with fear on the inside because they don’t want to leave their families, they don’t know how many days they have left, and they need assurance concerning Eternity and God’s Eternal Love. Pray that the Holy Spirit would give you the language of that person with a terminal illness.

Think of that person whose body has weakened because of age or illness and they either are shut in at their home or reside in a Nursing Care Center. We can only imagine what needs, concerns. worries and disappointments go through their minds each and every day, and possibly, each and every hour. Pray that the Holy Spirit would give you the language of a shut in.

We could substitute every possible situation in life and ask the Holy Spirit to give us the language that fits that situation. Not all people can speak to every situation. However, there are enough Christians that no person should be denied the opportunity to hear of God’s Love in what ever situation of life they happen to be.

Has God chosen you to be the one for the child? or the teen? or the person with a terminal illness? or the aged who can no longer care for themselves? WE CANNOT -- WE DARE NOT -- read that the Holy Spirit has given to God’s people tongues of the languages of the people and do nothing about it.

Ask God what person He has assigned to you.

Ask the Holy Spirit to teach you the language of that person.

Do both of those things and YOU WILL LIVE A POWERFUL PENTECOST!

WE PRAY: Once again I refer you to that hymn prayer I suggest so often:

Lord, lay some soul upon my heart,
And Love that soul through me.

And may I ever do my part,
To win that soul for Thee. AMEN.

A SUGGESTION FOR LIVING THE DEVOTION

You may think you are the least likely person that God would choose to speak with another. I imagine those dirty, wet, smelly fishermen thought the same thing when Jesus went to the water’s edge and told them to follow Him.

On Your Mark - Tell yourself that you will do it.

Get Ready, Get Set - Pray pray, pray.

GO - Don’t just stand there waiting for something else. Just GO, the Holy Spirit will lead you.