By Pastor Jeff,
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.”
The feast of Pentecost is the middle of three feast in which all the adult males were required to go to Jerusalem and occurs exactly 50 days after the Passover. This feast was to celebrate the first wheat harvest and the feast of Tabernacles which occurs 50 days after is the celebration of the harvest that the Lord had blessed them with. Up to this day the nation of Israel was still living under the law instituted by God through Moses. This was the true birth of the church in which the new covenant was given unto all mankind. This day was also predicted by Joel in which the Apostle Peter repeats on this day in Acts 2:16-21, “But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: And I will show wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
We notice that we had a partial fulfillment on that day for we have yet to see the signs in the heavens. Some people believe this event of the outpouring of the Holy Ghost speaking in tongues was just for that day, but why haven’t we seen the rest of it fulfilled? Peter answers that in Acts 2:39, “For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.” This promise was not just for that day but for all! Many millions of people are receiving this outpouring even today and I hope you are one of them. Jesus is coming soon, He has spoken to us through prophecy many times and even tells us that He is coming “Very Soon”. With the nation of Israel returning to it’s homeland in 1948 the sand in the hourglass is emptying quickly.
Many of us believe Jesus will return in our lifetimes but even if He doesn’t there are so many benefits with receiving the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in tongues, why would anyone not desire it. Luke 24:49, “And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.” John 14:26, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” Romans 8:26-27, “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” These are just a few of the benefits.
We are what I think is the most blessed generation in history, not because of the advances in technology, but because we are the ones that are going to see “all things fulfilled” There is only one thing holding our Lord form returning and that is found in James 5:7-8, “Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.”
If you have not received, let this be the day!
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Janesville Apostolic Ministries 