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Sunday, May 24, 2015

It's Pentecost Sunday...

Acts 2:1 "When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place" (NIV).

It's Pentecost Sunday, and I am decidedly not together in one place with... anyone. I read Acts 2, this morning, and had what might be the most irreverent Pentecost Sunday thought ever. I considered if getting drunk at 9:00, this morning, might not be a bad idea. No doubt impractical, since there's not a drop of liquor in this house... never has been... but these are difficult days. Sometimes I have wanted to have something that alters reality just enough to get through another week, another moment...

Acts 2:3-4a: "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" (NIV).

It's Pentecost Sunday, and I am in desperate need of fire...

Acts 2:18 : "Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy" (NIV).

It's Pentecost Sunday, and to prophesy... to speak truth... it feels more like a curse than a blessing, these days, but I know it's not. History tells me it's not. Experience tells me it's not. Scripture tells me it's not. Reason? Well, three out of four ain't bad, right?

Acts 2:46-47: "Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved" (NIV).

It's Pentecost Sunday, and it's just the beginning. Better days are coming... again...

L.

3 comments:

  1. Pentecost Sunday: I can't think of a more appropriate day (and way) to begin...

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  2. "but these are difficult days. Sometimes I have wanted to have something that alters reality just enough to get through another week, another moment..."
    What makes these days difficult for you? Is it because life is not going as you expected? You're disappointed with the Christian Church? The Naz denomination?

    ".. to speak truth... it feels more like a curse than a blessing, these days, but I know it's not. History tells me it's not. Experience tells me it's not. Scripture tells me it's not."
    Speaking truth takes courage! Even when you've been given the gift to prophesy! There is always the lash back from those that don't like your message.
    As I think of Peter, Stephen, and Paul in Acts, I find it interesting that they always tell the back story first before giving direct answers to questions. They usually go through the history of the church in each of their answers to others. They give persuasive speeches using the church history to prove their points. They throw in as much info as they feel is needed so that ears with be opened to the truth and yet knowing that they are frustrating/angering the church leaders. Personally, I tend to not like the backlash from others. I’m usually blunt and to the point so much so that others don’t want to hear me speak and they think I’m not speaking in a loving way. I could probably use some persuasive speech lessons...the challenge is my memory in retelling stories is awful!!!...Saying this makes me wonder why we don’t have persuasive speech classes in our youth groups and adult ministries.

    And my question about Pentecost: What about speaking in tongues? Do you believe they were all really speaking in foreign languages when the Holy Spirit came on them? Or were they praising God in such a way that everyone knew that the Holy Spirit had filled the place? What are your thoughts on speaking in tongues? Have you ever spoken in tongues?


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    Replies
    1. Debby -

      To answer your first question, briefly, there are a lot of complicating issues that have made these difficult days for me, personally. There are all kinds of issues that I would like to explore regarding the Church, in general, and the CoTN, specifically, and I will certainly use this blog to do so, over time. But my comment about difficult days, in this case, was on a personal level.

      In regard to speaking in tongues, and specifically to Pentecost, in Acts 2, I think it is relatively clear that the believers are speaking in different languages (see v. 8).

      In I Corinthians 14, I think Paul gives some pretty good guidelines for speaking in tongues in a corporate setting. Whether or not he is referring to recognized languages, I don't know, but I do know that he is clear that someone should interpret so that others can understand.

      I know people who have a private prayer language, and it makes me think of Romans 8 and the Spirit interceding for us in prayer when we don't have the words (see v. 26).

      I have never spoken in tongues, myself. I am not gifted in other languages. There have been times when I have not had words, in prayer, and I honestly think the Spirit has interceded, but these have been private moments, rare, and definitely not sensational in any way.

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