Good morning to all from Kingston Jamaica. The fact that I can send this out means that our FLOW internet service is working and Waine and I have the ability to get on the World Wide Web! We have been on the island since yesterday--had a lovely dinner with friends and family. Our electricity was on and the water was on despite us not being here since July. The only mishap was that a tire was flat on our car that has been sitting since July and my beloved was able to fix that and keep on moving. Life is good and so is God! When you are on the island, little things like electricity and water are BIG DEALS! To have cable and internet means we are cooking with GAS!!
I am continuing my journey in Acts 2 verses 1-41 " 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. Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?” Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.” Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
"In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through Him, as you yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put Him to death by nailing Him to the cross. But God raised Him from the dead, freeing Him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on Him. David said about Him: “‘I saw the Lord always before me. Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest in hope, because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, you will not let your Holy One see decay. You have made known to me the paths of life; You will fill me with joy in your presence." Fellow Israelites, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that He would place one of his descendants on his throne. Seeing what was to come, he spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that He was not abandoned to the realm of the dead, nor did His body see decay. God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it. Exalted to the right hand of God, He has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said, "The Lord said to my Lord: Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet." Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah. When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call. With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day." Amen! May the Lord add a blessing to the hearing and reading of His Word.
Hallelujah! Our God is A PRACTICAL GOD! This is the first mass meeting of Christians and non-Christians without Jesus. Jesus had just rose from the dead and ascended into Heaven. As promised the Holy Spirit now came and filled the 11 remaining apostles with the confidence they needed to preach the gospel. The eleven no longer had their leader--they could have become rudderless. God and Christ in their wisdom understood that this could happen and foretold the arrival of the Holy Spirit that filled them and now indwells in all Christians. There were many gathered there. Remember Christ had been preaching about His Death and Resurrection so I am sure many gathered; the curious, the nosey, the true converts and those who felt convicted to come. There were tens of thousands of folk gathered! The numbers probably beat a Joyce Meyers conference or a Billy Graham revival. Peter got up to witness to the crowd but how do you communicate with so many people. The Holy Spirit which allowed every one to hear the Good News in their own tongue! What a blessing. There was no jibberish, no tongue clacking just good old foreign languages being heard by everyone that had ears to hear. God is the same way today! The Holy Spirit allows our hearts to HEAR HIS VOICE when our hearts are ready and receptive and He speaks to us in a language only our hearts can understand. His communication style is so very specific to you and to me. How He communicates with me will be different that how he communicates with other. His Love Language is something I can hear, understand and accept. You can count on it. He loves us enough to ensure we get the point about His support and His awesome power.
If you are struggling as a Christian take this message to heart. He is communicating with you even as you read this. You only need to open up your heart and mind and hear Him. To know Him is to Love Him. To Love Him is to Serve Him. To Serve Him is to love You.
Now may the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.
Stephanie
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