Day of Pentecost

Today is the day of Pentecost, which means "50th" in Greek. The Feast of Pentecost was a major Jewish celebration, also called "Shavu'ot" or "Feast of Weeks" which happened 50 days after Passover. For Christians, it also marks the day in which the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles and started the church. This came after they had been waiting for about 9-10 days after Jesus ascended. I'm sure the prayer of "Come, Holy Spirit" were on the mouths and hearts of the apostles during this time period. That was the inspiration for this piece.

Today is May 24th, which is the 7th Sunday since Easter which only amounts to 49 days. However, if you use inclusive counting (Counting both the day of Easter AND the day of Pentecost), you get 50 days.

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Acts 2:1-4 ...  And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.  And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. ❤

Seasons of Darkness

The path of the Christian is not always bright with sunshine; he has his seasons of darkness and of storm. True, it is written in God's Word, "Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace;" and it is a great truth, that saving religion is calculated to give a man happiness here below as well as bliss above. Experience tells us that if the course of the just is, "As the shining light that shines more and more unto the perfect day,"(Proverbs 4:18) yet sometimes that light is eclipsed. At certain periods, clouds cover the believer's sun, and he walks in darkness and sees no light.

There are many who have rejoiced in the presence of God for a season. They have basked in the sunshine in the earlier stages of their Christian pilgrimage. They have walked along the "green pastures," by the side of the "still waters." (Psalm 23:2) But suddenly they find that their glorious sky is clouded; and instead of the fertile land of Goshen, they have to tread the barren desert. And in the place of sweet waters they find troubled streams, bitter to their taste. And they say, "Surely if I were a child of God, then this would not happen to me!"

Oh, say not so, you who are walking in darkness. The best of God's saints must drink the wormwood; the dearest of His redeemed children must bear the cross. No Christian has ever enjoyed perpetual prosperity. At times, every believer must hang his harp on the willows.

Perhaps the Lord allotted you a smooth and unclouded path at first, because you were weak and timid. He tempered the harsh north wind, to the shorn lamb. But now that you are stronger in the spiritual life, you must enter upon the riper and rougher experience of God's full-grown children. We need strong winds and tempests:  to exercise our faith, to tear off the rotten bough of self-dependence, and to root us more firmly in Jesus.

The day of evil, reveals to us the value of our glorious hope!

[Charles H. Spurgeon]

Jeremiah 17:17 ...  Be not a terror unto me: thou art my hope in the day of evil.

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Yes, The Lord is Coming Again!!

There is a popular belief that the end times happened in 70AD. There is literally NO PROOF Jesus returned already. This is from the enemy to get people relaxed and not looking. Do NOT be deceived by Preterism! 

[William Tyrone Jackson II]

Got Questions? What is the preterist view of the end times? | GotQuestions.org

 

Keep Watching!!

2 Timothy 2:17-18 ... And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.  ❤

The Spirit is Leading

Here is a mark of divine sonship: All who follow the leadings of the Holy Spirit are children of God. "The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children." (Romans 8:16)

The Spirit leads His followers to the looking glass of Divine truth. There they discover their spiritual deformity and impurity. There they see what they are, and what they need. "When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth." (John 16:13)

The Spirit leads them to the throne of grace, and there He helps their infirmities, and makes intercession for them according to the will of God. "We do not know how we ought to pray, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans too deep for words. The Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God." (Romans 8:26–27)

The Spirit leads them to the cross! When they see Jesus dying for their sins, atoning for their transgressions, then they lose their burden of guilt. "When the Advocate comes, He will testify about Me." (John 15:26)

The Spirit leads them in the path of loving obedience, and they experience the blessedness of keeping Christ's commands. "I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes and to carefully observe My ordinances." (Ezekiel 36:27)

The Spirit leads them in the track of the Good Shepherd and enables them to hear His voice and to follow Him. "My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me." (John 10:27)

Alas, many are following the leadings of a very different spirit, the diabolical spirit who works in the children of disobedience! He leads by paths of unbelief and sin to endless misery and ruin! 

Beloved reader beware of following his leadings and prayerfully yield yourself to the guidance of the Spirit of truth and love.

[Author Unknown]

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Psalm 25:4-5 ... Shew me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths. Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.

Romans 8:14 ...  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. ❤

Holy Longings

There is no truer test of the state of the soul, than its deepest longings and desires. Outward conduct may be restrained by fear, reputation, or habit. But longing true, inward, unforced longing reveals the condition of the heart. As a person longs in secret, so they truly are.

"As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul longs after You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, the living God. When shall I come and appear in God's presence?" (Psalm 42:1-2) This is not casual interest. It is desperation. The deer in a drought-stricken wilderness, will not be distracted by secondary things it must have water or it will die. In the same way, the regenerate soul longs for Jesus. Not merely for blessings, not merely for relief, but for God Himself.

Longing for Jesus. Conversion is not the addition of religion to a busy life; it is the creation of new desires. The Spirit removes the heart of stone and gives a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26-27) Wherever there is saving grace, holy longings are born.

Psalm 63:1 says, "O God, you are my God. Earnestly I seek You; my soul thirsts for You. My body yearns for You in a dry and weary land without water." Notice the intensity. Saving faith is not a cold mental assent to doctrine though doctrine is essential; it is a living hunger for the living Jesus.

The believer says, "Whom have I in Heaven but You? And on earth I desire no one besides You. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever!" (Psalm 73:25-26) This is the language of supreme affection. "On earth I desire no one besides You." Jesus is treasured above all competitors. When flesh fails, when earthly joys fade, when strength diminishes then God remains as "the strength of my heart and my portion forever!"

Examine yourself here. What do you most deeply desire? Wealth? Fame? Lust? Or Jesus? One of the surest evidences of regeneration is this: when stripped of everything else, the soul still says, "Give me Jesus!"

Longing for Heaven. The Christian is, in a profound sense, a stranger here in this wilderness world. He is a citizen of Heaven, living temporarily on earth (Philippians 3:20.) This poor world cannot satisfy the renewed heart. "Arise and depart; for this is not your rest, because it is polluted." (Micah 2:10)

Thus, believers groan for glory (Romans 8:23) They do not merely fear Hell; they long for Heaven. They yearn to see the face of the One they now know by faith. Heaven is precious, not because of golden streets, but because Jesus is there. When the heart whispers, "Come, Lord Jesus" (Revelation 22:20), it reveals allegiance to another kingdom.

Whenever saving grace comes, it creates heavenly longings; desires which the world cannot understand. The saints crave Heaven, and thirst for the presence of God. Such longing marks them as strangers and pilgrims in this present world. "You have made known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand!"

The righteous long for holy living, because God Himself authors those desires. What He intends to give, He first teaches us to crave. Spiritual desires are the buds of coming fruit. Do you long to conquer sin? That longing is evidence of spiritual life. Do you grieve your remaining corruption? That grief signals regeneration.

May your soul pant for Him. May your heart cry, "Whom have I in heaven but You?" May your deepest desire be Jesus now, Heaven soon, and holiness always.

The unconverted regret the consequences of sin, but they do not hate sin itself. The believer sighs to be free from sin altogether.

[Charles H. Spurgeon]

Proverbs 10:24 ... The fear of the wicked, it shall come upon him: but the desire of the righteous shall be granted.

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Standing Next to Me!!

 He is with you always!!

                                                        www.ChristianPhotoshops.com

Daniel 3:25 .... He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.

Isaiah 43:2 ... When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. ❤

From Outsider to Heir

To many, “heir” sounds like a distant promise, something waiting for us once we reach heaven, but for the believer, being a joint heir means the family business is ours to walk in today. An heir is someone whose identity and resources are defined by their father, and an heir doesn’t just receive something later. They carry the Father’s authority and the weight of His name, and when the heir spoke, it was understood that the Father stood behind that word. You do not have to beg for access to God’s presence or His power. 

You have been given the keys to the kingdom, and being a joint heir with Christ means there is no tiered system in God’s family. You are not on the outside looking in. You share in the same Spirit and the same authority Jesus walked in, and you have been brought into His household, His mission, and His inheritance, not someday but right now. Outsider to heir, this is the identity you carry in Christ.

[Nichole and Jaime Northcraft]

Romans 8:16–17 ...  The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. ❤

Think on Good ~~~

Did you know your mind believes what you tell it? Even the Bible says as a man thinks so is He. (Proverbs 23:7)

Choose to think on GOOD things.

[Caroline Joy James]

Philippians 4:8 ... Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

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Shrine of Mammon

Mark 10:21-22, "You lack only one thing. Go and sell all you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in Heaven. Then come, follow Me."

At this, the man's face fell, and he went sadly away because he had many possessions.

You see what the defect was in this young man. He did not possess the faith which overcomes the world. He wished to unite two utterly irreconcilable things: the love of God, and the love of money. He wanted to serve two masters: God, and Mammon.

It was not open vice and profligacy that kept him from salvation. It was the more decent and reputable sin, of supreme attachment to worldly things. He could give up many sins, but he could not give up his besetting sin supreme regard for wealth. He could do many things, but he could not give up all to follow Jesus. He could give up open vice, but he could not deny himself and take up his cross. He had many good qualities, but he lacked one thing.

If open vice has slain its thousands, then worldliness has slain its tens of thousands!

Of all the false gods, the shrine of Mammon is most resorted to. It is from that idolatrous temple, that the broadest and most beaten path to the bottomless pit will be found.

Included in the crowd which press along that broad road that leads to destruction, are not only the blasphemous, the murderers, the liars and cheats, the proud, and the immoral. But also, those who follow things which are just, and honest, and true, and reputable. Yet they rise no higher than to be the worshipers of this sordid deity, money! Yes, even Mammon can boast of devotees who hate all that is vile, dishonorable and unjust.

In the broad road which leads to destruction, there is a path for the lovers of money as well as for the lovers of heinous sins!

[J. A. James]

Luke 16:13 ...  No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

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Listen!!

 In the quiet, God is still speaking.

Can you hear Him?

                                                            word-of-encouragement.com

Psalm 46:10 ...  Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. 

Romans 10:7 ... So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

John 10:27 ... My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: ❤

Abracadabra!

f salvation was wholly a matter of outward ordinances, then this would be easy enough, and hence men cling to a religion of ceremonies; for heart religion is troublesome, and the ungodly cannot endure it.

Ritualism is the most popular religion in the world, because it is all "Abracadabra!" Done in a minute nothing to think of nothing to care about, nothing to sorrow over. It is all a mere matter of external religious forms. The little that is needed of them can be done without thought, and they can go on in their sins as pleasantly as ever.

Next to that in popularity, is the religion of mere morality. "Yes, we know we do amiss, but we will amend. We will at once purge ourselves from everything which our fellowmen would consider criminal. Is not that enough?" Many hope that it is and live as if they felt sure it was.

But the religion of the Word of God is not so. It is, "Rend your hearts, and not your garments!" "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength!" This is too hard a demand for the wicked. And as for repentance and faith, the ungodly cannot enter upon such spiritual duties, for they have no desire for them. The carnal mind hates the mention of spiritual things.

This I take it, while it makes the Christian religion so solemn, throws us back upon one of its great first principles: that salvation must be of grace. For if it is necessary that my heart must be changed, I simply cannot change it. Shall a fountain purify itself? "Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots?" That would be a very simple business, for skin and spots are external things; but how shall a man change his heart his very nature? Do you expect the Crabtree to change itself into a tree bearing sweet apples? It cannot be.

Salvation is the work of God. If ever it is done, then God must intervene. It is a fact that nature cannot rise above itself. Just so, no man by his own power, is able to rise above his sinful and depraved nature.  The sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so.  We must be born from above, if ever we are to enter Heaven. 

[Charles H. Spurgeon]

John 3:7 ... Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

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