When the Israelites were entering the Promised Land, it was occupied with people who did not know the Lord. How would God mark His people out from those who were not His? He marked them as His own by the act of circumcision. He gave instructions that His people were to be circumcised.
Circumcision was an outward sign which demonstrated inward obedience. It may seem just a physical act but it has spiritual meaning that marked them as God’s people. By circumcising themselves, they were setting themselves apart for God. They would be holy people. Through the Bible, circumcising is a metaphor for holiness. Moses said that he had uncircumcised lips (Exodus 6:12, KJV). Jeremiah talked about uncircumcised ears which were not fit to hear God’s Word (Jeremiah 6:10).
When the Israelites entered the Promised Land, they were to consider the fruits of the land as uncircumcised for three years, but in the fourth year, the fruits would be holy, an offering to the Lord (Levitcus 19:24).
Just as Jeremiah called the people to circumcise themselves to God, they were to circumcise their hearts (Jeremiah 4:4). The heart is the well spring of life (Proverbs 4:23). It is the source of our life. From our hearts flow everything we think, say, do and act. Our heart reflects our spiritual, intellectual, social, emotional state. Circumcising our hearts means we are to open our hearts and follow God by forsaking our old ways of living. We choose to follow God.
In the Bible, God’s people were marked by circumcision. Today, God’s people are marked by the circumcising of our hearts. Are we giving ourselves to Christ? Are we walking in holiness? Our God is holy and He desires His people to be holy too.
What does holiness mean? The world makes fun of holy people by associating “holiness” with a halo on the head and wings on the back of a person or it is a term mockingly used to refer to hermit people living in the mountains and detached from the world.
We can still have fun and live comfortable to be holy. Holiness means living a life that represents Jesus Christ. We no longer say bad words or do things that harm our bodies and minds. We carefully guard our attitudes, thoughts and actions We think of these things: whatever that is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent or praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8, NIV).
Walking in holiness means we disagree with evil and sinful behaviour and choose not to participate in them.
Walking in holiness is a leap of faith too. We may be ridiculed or rejected for being “holy”. This brings us to the question: who will you serve? Will it be “as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15).
Before stepping into the Promised Land, Joshua needed military intelligence about Jericho. He sent 2 spies into the city to spy on the land. When the king of Jericho heard about the 2 spies, he sent men to capture them. But a prostitute in the city, Rahab, feared the Lord and decided to hide these spies in her home. Her house was located upon the city wall, and so, it was easier for them to escape with a rope through the window. (you can read the previous post by clicking here: http://eireneletters.com/devotional/joshua/god-specialises-in-using-the-flawed-people-for-his-purposes-joshua-21/)
These 2 spies escaped successfully, and brought their report back to Joshua. They told him all that had happened and said, “The Lord has surely given the whole land into our hands; all the people are melting in fear because of us.” (Joshua 2:24, NIV). Imagine the joy of the people upon hearing this. The Lord has given the whole land into their hands. This was the news Joshua was waiting for.
Their parents failed to enter the Promised Land due to their unbelief, and this generation was about to enter it. In the wilderness, they did not have permanent homes. They were always on the move. They were not able to plant vegetables or fruit trees, they were always in a state of deprivation. And now they would be moving closer to the Promised Land: a land flowing with milk and honey! There was great excitement and joy in the people!
Joshua gave orders to the people to set out and they came to the east shore of the Jordan River. Before crossing over, they set their camp there. The people must have felt confused and bewildered. Verse 15 tells us, “Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest”. It was a raging river at flood stage!
The Jordan River
The Jordan River was not a shallow river that people can just cross over. It was a mighty river. The name “Jordan” means “descender”. The river bed was very steep. It was 3 to 12 feet deep. There were thick undergrowth on the bed of the river. If someone tripped over them, he would be swept away by the overwhelming current.
The length of the river was about 200 miles. What is most dangerous about the Jordan River is the swiftness of the current. There were dangerous currents and the bed of the river was muddy. The current could easily sweep a man away. In the month of April (and from this passage, it should be during this time when the Israelites had to cross over), the Jordan River would double in size, from 90-100 feet in width to 200 feet in width. It was because there were melting snows from the mountain. This river is literally the river of death.
How would you feel if you were an Israelite, watching the condition of the mighty river?
You had come so far, and now, when you are looking at the river, it seems that your dreams and hopes of reaching the Promised Land is impossible— again. All your excitement and joy must have been swept away by the sounds of the gigantic waves.
Think about your life and the circumstances in your life. Each of us has our own Jordan River—an impossible task that makes us so afraid and helpless. We may feel it will lead to nowhere and that we are stuck where we are. We may be angry at God for playing such a joke on us.
We want to make it into the Promised Land but this promise is too far away and not within our grasp. There are just so many things standing in the way and too many scary hurdles to overcome and strong waves beating against us.
But Joshua decided to walk by faith and not by sight. The waves in the river might be roaring but he was confident that God was with them and would carry them through. Here are some things that we can learn from Joshua and the Israelites:
Follow the guidance of God (Joshua 3:2-4)
“2 After three days the officers went throughout the camp, 3 giving orders to the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it.”
This was the sign that they were ready to cross over: when the priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord led the way.
Why was this Ark so special? If you remember during the days of Moses, when the Israelites were in the wilderness, God had given instructions to build this ark of the covenant. There were a few items inside the Ark which were holy:
*The stone tablets which God inscribed the Ten Commandments on with His own fingers. The 10 Commandments shows us that God desires a relationship with us.
*A pot of manna to remind the Israelites of God’s gracious provision during the past 40 years in the wilderness (Exodus 16:33, 34).
*Aaron’s rod. It was a stick that grew leaves and almonds to demonstrate God has the power to do anything, even to the smallest details (Numbers 17). This stick was a dead stick, and God could even bring life out of the dead stick.
All these items in the Ark were symbols that God had been with the Israelites and He was faithful. He is still with them. You see, apart from these items in the Ark, on top of the Ark was the Mercy Seat which was made of pure gold. There were two statues of cherubim, one on each side and they were kneeling down (Exodus 25:18-19). God was enthroned upon the cherubim (Psalm 80:1; 99:1). He was there with His people. He dwells with His people. The Ark was a symbol of His presence.
Today, we have the Holy Spirit who teaches us God’s commandments (Ephesians 6:17). God has also provided for our daily needs (Psalm 23:1). And we know God cares for the little details in our lives through His provision (Luke 12:7).
The Ark of the Covenant, carried by the priests, was to move into the Jordan River first, and then followed by the Israelites, it meant that God was leading the way. The Israelites only needed to see where He is going and follow Him.
Verse 4 tells us more details about the movement, “4 Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about two thousand cubits between you and the ark; do not go near it.”
The Israelites were to see where God was moving but they were not to get too close to the Ark. The purpose of God’s instruction was not really mentioned but perhaps so that everyone could see where God was going. Over 2 million Israelites were beside the terrifying Jordan River. All eyes could see the Ark and everyone knew God was with them.
In your life right now, may be you are able to cross the river but you are afraid and terrified of the waves and the river. May be in your mind, you think there is no way you can cross the river. It is too impossible. It is too difficult. It seems too terrifying.
What are you going to do about it? Will you be like the Israelites? Will you allow God to lead you? All you need to do is to follow Him. Follow His guidance. He is with you.
2.Consecrate ourselves (Joshua 3:5)
Apart from following the Ark, the second thing the Israelites have to do was to consecrate themselves.
“5 Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.” (verse 5)
Consecrate means “to be holy, to set apart”. We can’t see God at work if we are marred by sins. We can’t experience God’s presence if we choose to follow the lust of our flesh. We can not serve two masters: God and other things. We have to set ourselves apart, holy, blameless and righteous because our God is holy and righteous.
(a) Repentance
Many times in the Bible, we read how God was broken hearted at the rebellion and the sins of His people. And that God had to punish them corporately for their sins.
Before they crossed over, they had to repent and set themselves apart, not prostituting themselves with worshipping other idols or commit sins. They were to ask God for forgiveness and live in holiness.
Likewise, in our daily lives, we think thoughts, or say things that hurt God and others, intentionally or unintentionally. We need to seek God, examine our lives, confess and repent of our sins. Consecrate ourselves wholly to God and desire holy living.
(b) Welcome God’s intervention
In the Old Testament times, “consecrating oneself” also means, washing clothes, practicing ceremonial rites, refrain from having sexual relation with your spouse and so on. They had to put a hold on their daily routine and to pay attention to God’s presence.
Sometimes God calls us to do something which seemingly interrupts our daily routine. Taking time to pray, taking care of someone in need, all these may seem to interrupt our daily routine but to see God at work, we have to be willing to take extra efforts to allow God to change our time table.
Step Out in Faith
God spoke to Joshua, “8 Tell the priests who carry the ark of the covenant: ‘When you reach the edge of the Jordan’s waters, go and stand in the river.’” and “13 And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the Lord—the Lord of all the earth—set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap.”
The river was at the roughest at this time of the year but God said they had to step out in faith. They first had to get their feet wet.
As James said, faith without action is dead (James 2:26). If Joshua and the leaders did not step out in faith, they would never cross the river.
Each step that you take into the unknown, you are stepping in faith. With each step by faith, you are moving closer and closer to depend not on yourself, but on God. That is where victory comes from, from God, the Maker of Heaven and Earth.
Imagine that the priests were carrying the Ark into the raging river. All of the Israelites were watching them in amazement, wondering what God would do next. As the priests were in the river, the water in the river gradually started to recede and the river became dry. One by one, the Israelites began to cross over: the old and the young, the grandparents and the babies, the youths and the adults, all crossing over a river that was once a fierce river.
Can you imagine the excitement? They were experiencing a miracle. They experienced God working miraculously in their midst.
The God who led the Israelites from the bondage in Egypt, to the wilderness, to crossing a gigantic river is still the same God today. I don’t know what your private battle and struggles are but please know that there is nothing too difficult for God.
We must follow Him, forsake our sins, repent and set ourselves apart for Him. Whatever He is calling you to do, step out in faith. Only when we step out in faith, we can move forward in our lives and in our faith journey.
God uses the most unlikely people for His purposes.
Lesson 3: God uses flawed people for His purposes too
Have you ever met someone who had a colourful background and yet, God is using them remarkably for His glory? We can see marks from their bodies and their faces that they had experienced some very dramatic experiences in their lives. Yet, God not only called them to Himself, He redeemed them and used them as His instruments to bless others.
Before leading the people into the Promised Land, Joshua needed to find out more about the city of Jericho. He then sent two young men disguised as foreign travellers to the city.
‘Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies from Shittim. “Go, look over the land,” he said, “especially Jericho.” So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there.’ (Joshua 2:2, NIV)
In Jericho, there was a prostitute named Rahab. She was also an innkeeper. Because of the nature of her job, as you can imagine, the other women in the city must not have liked her much. Men too, only used her to gratify their lusts and pleasures. The respectable people of the city must have avoided being in contact with her too.
Rahab’s house formed part of the outside wall of the city. Perhaps those who visited her would be able to escape quickly. Her house, used for her business, was not any holy place. However, God used her house as a hiding place for the two young men. The king of Jericho knew there were Israelite spies in the city, and he gave order to capture them. Rahab hid those two spies and therefore they were successful in their mission.
She was the last and the least, and yet, God used her in a wonderful way. God specializes in using people who are broken, flawed, rejected by society. God used Moses, a murderer. God used David, an adulterer, Samson, a philanderer, Paul, a persecutor of Christians. God used people with flaws and made them beautiful instruments for His marvellous plan.
Just like how God used Rahab, our past does not define us. Our flaws do not dictate our futures. While each of us are broken and flawed, we are still so loved by God. People may despise us but God does not despise us. We are precious in His sight. We are still worthwhile in His kingdom.
Rahab saving those two Israelite spies was not the end of the story. She survived the battle of Jericho and she became a part of the Israelite community. Later on, she married Salmon (one of the two spies), and became a respectable woman in the Israelite community. The Jewish tradition held Rahab as one of the four most beautiful women who had ever lived. She is still known as a hero of Israel today. Guess what? She was the ancestor of King David and Jesus Christ!
Her name is also recorded in the Hebrews Hall of Fame. “By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient” (Hebrews 11:31, NIV).
The Bible has many examples of ordinary people but made themselves available for God to use. Don’t be ashamed and discouraged by what had happened in your life. God holds you dearly in his hands. If you are willing, He too, can use you to bless those around you.
In the previous post, we see that Joshua relied on God’s strength to step into a huge task that seemed so overwhelming. In today’s post, we will learn to affirm God’s presence in our lives.
Lesson 2: Affirm God’s presence in your circumstances
Joshua was terrified. But God reminded him that he was not alone. God reassured him of His presence (Joshua 1:3-5).
It is in our darkest moments that we will feel God’s presence. It is in our weakest moments that we will feel His strength. When God gives you an impossible task, He will carry you through, for the sake of His plan and purpose.
We affirm God’s presence by stepping into what He is calling us to do—by faith. We need to take action. As James wrote, “faith without works is dead” (James 2:14-26).
Faith without works is dead
God told Joshua, “I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses.” (Joshua 1:3, NIV). This is the promise God gave for people who are willing to take action. Unless Joshua and the Israelites move in obedience, they would not be able to accomplish what God was calling them to do.
Faith is more than knowing it in our heart. Faith is action. Joshua had to step out in faith to see God work. How is this true for your life? What are some of the ways that you are paralyzed in fear? Do you make excuses when you know God is calling you to do something?
Joshua took action despite knowing there would be dangers ahead of him. As a result, he experienced God’s blessings. When we step out in faith, we will experience God’s blessings too.
What are some of the things that you know God is calling you to take personal action? May be it is to strengthen your marriage, or to make a commitment to study the Bible consistently, serving in a church ministry or taking care of your health, let us take it a step at a time, knowing that God is with us.
I had my birthday last week. Family, close friends and church members sent their birthday greetings, and they spoiled me with yummy homemade cakes (the best!). I was deeply touched by their love and thoughtfulness.
As I am reflecting on my faith journey, there were times when I was overwhelmed and afraid. There were times when I was afraid to step into the place God has called me because I was worried that I was not good enough. What are we supposed to do when God had called us into something we think we are not ready for? Would you trust and obey and step out in faith and trust that He will lead you?
After the death of Moses, Joshua must have felt terrified too. Moses was the great leader, mightily used by God to deliver God’s people from the slavery in Egypt and to lead them on their journey towards the Promised Land. Now that Moses had passed on, Joshua certainly had big shoes to fill. It was not easy to be living under the shadow of a powerful leader. It also seemed an impossible task to lead more than 2 million people into a foreign land, to conquer it and claim it as their own.
The book of Joshua was written to continue the history of the Israelites and to reassure them that God is with them. There will be times when we are not ready for the assignment God is giving to us. With this in mind, I would like to have this mini-series on the book of Joshua. Let us learn from Joshua and follow his example of courage and faithfulness.
There are many lessons we can learn from this book.
Lesson 1: Depending on God’s strength
Joshua 1:1-2
After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide: 2 “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites (Joshua 1:1-2).
May be Joshua was comparing himself with Moses, or he was not sure what he should do next. So, God said to him that Moses had already passed on and he needed to step up as the leader of the Israelites. Joshua had been assisting Moses for 40 years. During these 40 years, God must have been preparing him for this tremendous leadership task. Moses certainly was a great mentor to show him the ropes. Though Joshua was terrified, God reassured him that He was with Joshua. Our God is with us today too. When He calls you into something, He will certainly go with you. He gives you power to overcome your fears and courage to move forward.
What is your biggest fear that is stopping you from doing what God is calling you to do? Will you respond in faith as Joshua did?
Lean on His strength, not yours. And you will see what He will do for His glory.
Our friend Helen is a certified midwife. She told us that when she was in the training school, she had a classmate who was afraid of blood to the extent that she would faint at the sight of blood. But it was her dream to be a midwife. She worked hard to find ways to train herself to overcome her fear. With her hard work and dedication to succeed, she graduated and became a successful midwife.
Each of us has dreams inside us which we want to achieve but sometimes fear gets in the way. We may have big fears that make us freeze in our steps instead of moving us forward. In other times, we have fears so small we do not even realize they exist inside us.
Fear is a part of our human experience in this fallen world. Fear warns us of danger: we have fear if there is a car tailing us and it is moving in high speed, I am fearful if I am on a roller coaster, others are fearful if there is a strange noise in the middle of the night. It is not wrong to feel afraid. It is a part of our survival skills in-built inside each of us. Our ancestors needed this to survive, and so do we today.
But then, there are the unhealthy fears that rob us of joy and give us sleepless nights. Such fears may arise because we are afraid to try, or we allow the evil one to stop us from doing what God is calling us to do. There are people who do not fully exercising the gifts and talents God has given them because of fear.
The devil uses unhealthy fear to try to crumple us from reaching what God has for us. He uses fear to put anxiety and worries in us and separate us from the love of God. Fear haunts us for thinking we are not worthy to be loved and not worthy to be used by God.
Acknowledge fear
When fear comes surging in, acknowledge it. Brushing it aside will not make it go away. Running from it will not be a good solution. We may spend a lifetime fearing something but have you considered bringing this matter before God? Tell Him what is holding you back. Ask Him for courage to overcome it. Share with some close friends and ask for prayers. They can also encourage us and keep us accountable.
Breaking Free
God does not want us to live defeated lives. We are people of hope, not fear. The devil may want to trap us in the prison of fear. So, let us not let fear destroy us, and eat us up on the inside. You are a child of God, there will not be problems too big that God can not do anything about!
I remembered vividly the time when I had to preach for the first time in front of a congregation of about 250 people, I was so nervous and afraid that I wanted to give up and go home! But God has called me to be a pastor. His grace is sufficient for me; His power is made perfect in my weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9, NIV).“Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me” (2 Corinthians 12:9b, NIV).Our fears can be stepping stone for us to experience God’s presence, power, strength and faithfulness!
2 Cor 12:9b
May this verse be an encouragement to you. “ 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10, NIV). God has created us with great love and every part of us was made lovingly and with much thoughts by God. He has redeemed us from sins through the death of Jesus on the Cross. God has blessed us with gifts and talents to serve Him and others. Break out of the fear and start to use these gifts. It can be overwhelming at first but take it a step at a time. Trust in Him as you go. He will lead you and guide you.
We can live a fulfilling life in Christ Jesus, one that is filled with joy, peace and hope.
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10, NIV)
In life, we have to be wise and sensible so that our wellbeings as well as those we love will be taken care of. However, there are dreams that God has planted in you for His glory. Step out! Do not fear! God is with you. He will strengthen you when you are weary and afraid. He will lead you through when unexpected circumstances come your way. He upholds you with His mighty and righteous hand! He will provide you with resources and link you with people so that you can implement the dreams that He has placed within you. In His infinite wisdom, God works for the good of His people. All that He wants from us is to trust Him and obey Him.
After all, it is not about you. It is about Him. May the Lord be glorified through you.
How can we have hope when our circumstances are unpredictable and seemingly hopeless? How can we have hope when we are in the midst of the pandemic?
Hope is one of the greatest virtues, together with love and faith (1 Corinthians 13:13). As Raniero Cantalamessa writes, ‘They are like three sisters. Two of them are grown and the other is a small child. They go forward together hand in hand with the child hope in the middle. Looking at them it would seem that the bigger ones are pulling the child, but it is the other way around; it is the little girl who is pulling the two bigger ones. It is hope that pulls faith and love. Without hope everything would stop.’
Hope helps us to move forward. Hope helps us to face impossible challenges. Hope is like the light at the end of a dark tunnel. We can move forward even in the darkness because of the hope we have.
During this pandemic, we often heard preachers and pastors telling us not to “waste this pandemic”, meaning that we are to use this time of the lockdown to reflect about our lives, be intentional about spending time with God and letting God shape us and transform us from the inside out so that we will be better people than before. In order to do so, we need to know the hope that we have in God.
Let’s look at Psalm 89, a maskil of Ethan the Ezrahite and let us learn to put our hope in Him.
Hope in God in our sufferings and despair
The psalmist cries out to the Lord “How long, O Lord? Will you hide yourself forever?” (verse 46, NIV).When the psalmist was writing this, he had his own challenges to deal with. His circumstances were different. But this verse expresses what we are feeling now. We feel that God is hiding Himself as the peoples of this world are suffering.
God is always there. We can not see Him with our eyes but He is with us. He is faithful. He loves us with a great love. The psalmist says,“1 I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations. 2 I will declare that your love stands firm forever, that you have established your faithfulness in heaven itself” (verses 1-2).
There is hope in our sufferings because of who God is. He is love. He is faithful. He will carry us through.
Psalm 89: 1-2
Hope in spite of our short life span and the inevitability of death
Life is short—“your life is like the morning fog- it’s here a little while, then it’s gone” (James 4:14. NLT).The psalmist also prays to God,“47 Remember how fleeting is my life. For what futility you have created all humanity! Who can live and not see death, or who can escape the power of the grave?” (verse 24, NIV)
The psalmist says despite our life being short and that we will face death someday, yet, he holds on to the promise of God’s love. He prays, “Lord, where is your former great love, which in your faithfulness you swore to David?” (verse 49). We will pass away; it is inevitable. But, as the story unfolds in the New Testament, believers will have eternal life through Jesus Christ, who took our sins upon Himself and died on the Cross for us. We have eternal life through Jesus Christ. Our life is more than life on earth. We have hope that we will have eternal life with God in Heaven forever.
Hope in God’s righteousness and justness
The world is unjust. The evil and power-hungry people seem to be crushing the innocent. But the psalmist puts his hope in God who is righteous and just. “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you.” (verse 14-15, NIV)
Even when what is going on does not make sense to you, trust in God’s righteousness, love and faithfulness.
Psalm 89:14-15
Hope in the presence of God
Those who walk with God (following His ways and commandments) will be blessed. They are walking in the light of the presence of God (verse 15). They will rejoice in God and celebrate God’s righteousness because God is their glory and strength (verses 16-17).
When all else fail, by walking with God, we will taste His presence and we even rejoice in the midst of difficulties because God is with us.
We have hope because God is with us.
Hope in God’s purpose
It seems funny and even a little rude for me to tell you about finding the good in our present situation. I don’t know what you are going through. You may be grieving over the loss of a loved one, you may be facing stressful times at home, you may be out of a job or you may be struggling financially. But let us lift up our eyes from the current situations to God.
This psalm reminds us that God is faithful. He loves us with a faithful love (verse 24). There is no powers or authority higher than that of God’s (vv 5-13). He alone is in control. He created the heavens and the earth (v 11) and everything belongs to Him. There is a purpose for everything He does. We can trust in His timing to work things out for the best according to His infinite love and wisdom.
Ezra, the psalmist, ends this psalm by asking God to remember him. The psalmist clings onto the hope he has in God. Ezra then praises God, “praise be to the Lord forever! Amen and Amen!” (verse 52, NIV).There are always reasons to praise Him. He is sovereign, He is in control, His wisdom is beyond our comprehension and He loves us with a faithful love.
Today is the Day of Pentecost. We commemorate the Day of Pentecost on the 50th day after Easter (or the Seventh Sunday after Easter).
On the Day of Pentecost 2,000 years ago (and 10 days after the risen Jesus ascended to Heaven), the apostles and followers of Jesus were in Jerusalem for the Feast of Harvest. In the rush of wind and in tongues of flames, the Holy Spirit came and filled them, just as Jesus had said. It was the most wonderful and powerful gift from God. These apostles and followers of Jesus were afraid of what would happen to them after Jesus had gone to Heaven, but when the Holy Spirit came, He filled them with boldness, authority, power and language to proclaim the Good News. A crowd came to see what was going on, and each of them were amazed to hear the Good News in their own language.
Filled with the Holy Spirit, Peter (who only a few weeks ago had denied knowing Jesus three times out of cowardice) stood up with the other apostles and preached the Good News to the crowd so powerfully that 3,000 people became believers that day. The Book of Acts records many of the wonders and miracles the apostles did through the power of the Holy Spirit. With the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, they “returned to Jerusalem with great joy” (Luke 24:52). They finally realized why Jesus had to leave them to return to Heaven—so that the Holy Spirit could come upon them.
Who will have the Holy Spirit? Anyone can receive the Holy Spirit. Today, the Holy Spirit lives in everyone who believes in the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit who filled the apostles is with us today. It is the same Holy Spirit who was present when the foundations of the world were laid. It was the same Spirit by whom Jesus Christ was conceived. It was the same Spirit that was with Jesus as He walked on this earth, preaching about the kingdom of God, healing the sick and casting out demons. Jesus said to His disciples, “whoever believes in me will also do the works I have been doing” (John 14:12).
The Holy Spirit convicts us of our sin, gives us new life, indwells in us and seals us and baptizes us into the Body of Christ. He also gives us spiritual gifts to serve God and to bless others (1 Peter 4:10) and to build up the church (1 Cor. 14:12).The Holy Spirit teaches us to obey all that Jesus has taught us (Acts 5:32; Hebrew 10:20). But, if we intentionally disobey the promptings of the Holy Spirit and continue to sin, the Holy Spirit can be grieved and quenched (Romans 6:16; 1 Thessalonians 5:19). Therefore, we have to be very careful. We do not want to intentionally disobey God and subsequently quench the Holy Spirit.
On this Day of Pentecost, many of our countries are still in lock down due to the virus. We may be feeling fearful. We are uncertain about the future. So did the apostles 2,000 years ago. But then, God sent them the Holy Spirit and their lives were never the same again. The coward and fearful disciples became bold missionaries, bring the Good News to the world. They turned the world upside down for God.We are in a lock down, but we are still people of peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17).
May you and I be filled with the Holy Spirit continually so that we will live a victorious life over the bondage of sins.
“May the God of Hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hop by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13
The battery of my parents’ car was flat so we took it to the mechanic.
Sometimes when I am exhausted (when my battery is flat), I will take a nap. Sometimes when I am exhausted as a leader, I will read a book to take the matter off my mind. Sometimes when I am exhausted from the notifications on my Facebook, I log out and only sign in again until a couple of days later.
We recharge ourselves to get back on the journey again. Take a break from work as and when necessary. Take a break from social media, when you need some time alone to reflect, meditate and be still. Take a break when needed but never take a break from God. He is our everything.
My laptop hangs… For the past 30 minutes, I have been waiting for it to function as it used to be. There is a “temporary error” on my Gmail and I can’t work unless it is back to normal. So, I grab this opportunity to write while it gets its “health” back.
While walking around the garden yesterday, I noticed that there were some plants in pots which are not doing well. They are withering away. Dad moves them to another place and put some different fertilisers on them, hoping they will “heal” gradually.
This period of lockdown also gives me extended time to reflect and to heal. Whatever you are struggling with, give yourself time to heal. It can be a conflict in a relationship, a physical sickness, emotional pain or something else which is haunting you.
The Bible contains many verses which talk about healing. One particular verse I want to highlight is taken from 1 Peter 2:24, “who Himself (Jesus) bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness-by whose stripes you were healed.”
Jesus died on the Cross for our sins. He freed us from slavery to sins and He also heal us: from fear, from guilt, from shame, from rejection and sense of worthlessness. He restores us to the person He has created us to be.
In Jesus, we died to sin but now live as new creations with His peace, joy, love and healing.
Prayer: Thank you, Jesus, for in You, I find healing and I can live in peace, and joy knowing that I am deeply loved by You. Nothing can ever separate me from Your love. Amen.
