Let's end this week with a few more notes from Pastor Sam's sermon, "Preparation For Pentecost... And Beyond".
-We experience the presence and power of God every day. As all creation worships Him, we are made conscious of His activity in the earth. However, there are occasions when He reveals Himself in ways that have an effect on the human community, creating what Pastor Sam termed "a colony of heaven": that is, we experience God's grace in such a way that our lives are transformed, and we also become "change agents" who are able to bring transformative change to others in the community.
-The Pentecost experience of enduement with power by the Holy Spirit gave the disciples of Jesus a boldness to obey God even in the face of death, and also gave them "beyond belief" actions that were clear manifestations of God's power at work in and through them. This experience of Pentecost was not random, but was "tediously prepared" by Jesus who made His disciples the custodians and the conveyors of the Pentecost experience.
-The Holy Spirit has given each of us gifts individually, but there is also the concept of "corporate giftedness", where change is effected by the act of an entire community of believers operating their spiritual gifts in humility and meekness and love.
-The spiritual gifts we have received are not a right; they are a privilege. If we choose to continually say no to God's promptings, He will bypass us and use someone else to get His work done. Remember the warning of Judas, who abandoned his apostleship and embraced arrogance and apostasy.
WOW! God is so amazing! My friends, I hope you have been blessed this week as we've reflected on this past Sunday's sermon. Lord willing, I'll be back with new blogs starting next Tuesday.
Love,
Genise
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