Pentecost

Did you know that Pentecost was celebrated for hundreds of years before the outpouring recorded in Acts? Let’s jog your memory for a moment. Can you answer some basic questions about Old Testament Pentecost? What? Who? Where? When? If you have trouble, refresh your memory by reading Exodus 19. This account records the nation of Israel receiving the law on Mt. Sinai 50 days after the Passover.This event was to be memorialized yearly with The Feast of Pentecost. The New Testament Pentecost outpouring of the Holy Spirit is recorded in Acts 2. There are amazing similarities between the Old Testament Pentecost and the New Testament Pentecost when you compare them side by side.

Old Testament Pentecost                            New Testament Pentecost

Expect a visitation                                           Expect a visitation

Prepare yourself                                              Prepare yourself

Gather at the foot of the mountain         Gather in Jerusalem

Fire                                                                        Fire

Sound of a trumpet (wind instrument)  Sound of wind

Voice of God                                                      Holy Spirit spoke through people

Received the Law                                            Received the power to obey the living Word                      

The supernatural and spectacular giving of the law and God’s presence atop the mountain was an event and a clue of what He was going to do after Jesus paid the penalty for sin. The Old Testament Pentecost sets the tone for the outpouring of Holy Spirit in the New Testament; An event that is not frozen in time like a glacier. God's promised present came to do more than visit believers; He came to fill them.

Pentecost is a noun. It is both an event that occurred and a person that was introduced to the world. If you only know the historical Pentecost as an event, you are missing the real meaning of Pentecost. It’s more than a place we visit historically or a shrine in our tenants of faith. Pentecost must be a living reality if we are going to reap its benefits.

You can celebrate an event without understanding its meaning or enjoying its benefits. This fact is exemplified by the way some individuals celebrate Easter with only eggs and bunnies. But you can’t have the person of Pentecost, precious Holy Spirit without the verbs of Pentecost- go, do and be. When Holy Spirit comes He is like the wind, moving, energizing and transforming. He is the catalyst that energizes and inspires. He is the wind that catapults and brings life. The primary focus of His voice and His presence is to show us Jesus. The more we know Jesus, the more we love Him and are transformed by that love.

Plug In

I couldn’t figure out why the Internet wasn’t working. I checked the router/modem. I could see several green lights blinking, so it had power. Again, I tried to connect to the Internet with the same ominous message and no connection. I clicked on the diagnostic tool and waited for the results.

The first question asked was “Are all cables connected to the modem?" I knew the computer I was using did not have an internal wireless modem. The Router/modem was sitting on top of the computer so I was sure it was connected.

At the bottom of the page I was given two options, one of which was “I verified that the cables are connected.” I didn’t really want to bother, but it was foolish to continue with the diagnostic if I wasn’t willing to check the cable. You guessed it, the cable was unplugged. I plugged in the cable and connected to my know-it-all friend, the fabulous Internet!

We must be careful as believers to stay connected to God. We understand we need His power, His wisdom and His help, but we fail to value His friendship and lordship. We juggle schedules and priorities, but way too often spending time with Him gets left off the list. His name is scratched off and replaced with religious activities and quick screeches for “help”. Nothing can replace connecting with God. Nothing can compare with the splendor of spending time with the King of Kings, but we must consciously plug-in through praise and worship to enter His presence. Take a look…are all cables connected to His majesty?

Hungry Girl...Hungry People

Here I go again, talking about the Cooking Channel; maybe that’s why I struggle to stay on my diet. My new favorite show is the Hungry Girl. She helps people, like me, make better choices without starving! She has a recipe for a Growing Bowl of Oatmeal, that turns ½ cup of oatmeal into a Pat sized serving that lets you leave the table feeling satisfied. Another one is her chocolate satisfying Mississippi Mud Pie recipe.

I love to eat…and I love to cook for hungry people or people that enjoy food as much as I do. We have a friend in the mountains that we have over frequently to eat with us. He built his cabin during the same time we did, so about twice a week, we just added a plate and fed him whatever we were eating. He arrived with an appetite, ready to eat and share stories. It was great, but people that aren't hungry drive me bananas. No matter what you cook, they just nibble or move their food around on their plate. Agghh!

There are pockets of powerful revival with people hungry for more of God, but have you noticed there seems to be a lack of spiritual appetite in your family or ministry circles? You know God has awesome things for them, and yet they response to church attendance or ministry opportunties seems to be lackluster. It looks like the passion for the things of God is missing. Recognizing their need should never come from a critical attitude, only a heart that wants them to experience the overcoming life of God that comes out of relationship. That hunger like the Psalmist so graphically described in Psalm 42:1 NLT “... As the deer pants for streams of water, so I long for you, O God.” If indeed hunger is the real problem, what can we do to create a hunger in their hearts?

1.Pray ‘em hungry. Ask God to give them a desire for more of Him. It’s a prayer He wants to answer. Ask God to go the root of the problem and make them an overcomer if there is sin, rebellion or laziness there.

2. Never be critical. Critcism causes people to retreat and deny, hope causes them to move forward. Ask God to give you a faith vision of them.

3. Share what God is doing in your life. Rehearse your victories by bragging about God. There's a huge difference in giving God credit and "look what I did". It's a heart issue. Whet their appetite with descriptive pictures. Ask God for opporutnites and ideas that will impact them.

4. If you are a ministry leader make room in your service times to lead them into God's presence. Amazing things happen in God's presence. Use anointed, worship that takes people into God's presence. Model worship. Give them opportunity to respond to what God is saying to them. Response is always critical to taking the next step with God.