Acts 2 - 12.6.25
Scripture: Acts 2: 1-4
1 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
Observation
The disciples were celebrating The Feast of Pentecost; The Feast of the Harvest. They were all together in a house when the Holy Spirit came upon each one of them like tongues of fire, then everyone was filled with the Holy Spirit. They began to speak in other languages. There were many voices, one spirit. Their voices spilling out into the streets. People from all over, different nations heard their own native tongue. They were speaking of the wonderful works of God. They were not speaking opinions or politics; they were announcing the Glory of God. They were declaring the majesty of the risen Christ and speaking forth the mysteries of the Kingdom.
This was the fulfillment of the prophecy of Joel 2:28, In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.
In the Old Covenant, fire would fall on altars, but we are now the altars. The fire of the Holy Spirit came to live in human sacrifices. There was an outpouring on all flesh, the Holy Spirit no longer behind the veil, no longer in silence.
Romans 12:1-2
1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God — this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Application
God unlocked a new realm of power, presence and purpose for His people. A power that is still available to us today. We can experience the same power as the first church, the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. They were filled with the Holy Spirit, their empty places were overflowing, their fears were replaced with boldness. Their doubts were washed away by His living presence. They were filled by the very breath of the Living God. The same spirit that hovered over the waters of creation, the same spirit that filled Samson, the same spirit that whispered to Elijah, the same spirit filled every corner of their hearts…and that same spirit lives in us.
When you ask Jesus to come into your heart, he not only comes in and takes residency, but He fills us with the Holy Spirit. He transforms our lives from the inside out…one heart at a time. He makes us into a vessel that can be used by the Living God. He fills the empty spaces; He heals and restores us.
The day of Pentecost passed not as a moment but as the opening of a divine river that still flows. What began from a sound from heaven in tongues of fire became a movement of hearts. A baptism of souls and the birth of a Holy People. The spirit moved gently but powerfully, gathering, filling, speaking, revealing and transforming. The breath of God fell upon flesh.
Prayer
Dear Lord, Thank You for giving us the Holy Spirit to teach us your ways, transform our broken lives and make us into your Holy People. Lord, help us to allow the Holy Spirit to transform our lives so we are truly a Living Sacrifice for you. We ask for a Fresh Fire to burn in our hearts and lives. We love you, Lord!
- Michelle Craig
Psalm 114 - 12.5.25
Scripture: Psalm 114:3-4 NIV
“The sea looked and fled, the Jordan turned back; the mountains leaped like rams, the hills like lambs.”
Psalm 114:3-4 NLT: “The Red Sea saw them coming and hurried out of their way! The water of the Jordan River turned away. The mountains skipped like rams, the hills like lambs!”
Observation
The psalmist in this chapter is reminding the reader of the “good old days”. These were the days when God delivered His people out of slavery in Egypt and led them into the Promise Land of Canaan, a land flowing with milk and honey. The psalmist tells the reader how God provided safety for His people by literally moving seas, rivers, and mountains for them. God made what seemed impossible, possible. It’s a psalm that not only shows you just how great and awesome our God is, but also the great lengths God will go through to provide for His children.
Application
What’s there to worry about when God is on our side.
“If God is for us, who can ever be against us?” - Romans 8:31b
We tend to forget sometimes just how BIG and AWESOME our God is. It’s like I heard from Pastor Greg Laurie: “If you have a big God you will have small problems. If you have big problems, do you have a small God?”
Well, for those of you that don’t know, we serve a BIG God! He is AWESOME in power! And as you can see from this psalm, God will literally move heaven and earth for His people. Why?..because He loves us soooo much! We are precious to Him. So much so that He came out of the comforts of Heaven and died on a cross for us, to free us from our sins, and to give us the opportunity to spend eternity with Him in Heaven. ❤️ Now who wouldn’t want a God like that in their life?
Prayer
Father God, You are AWESOME! Nothing compares to You. I am humbled that a God like You, loves me so much. Forgive me for forgetting just how powerful and sovereign You are. May I always be reminded of who You are and what You have done in my life, and in Your people’s lives. May it strengthen my faith and hope in You, especially when I hit difficult times. I thank You for Your faithfulness. In Jesus name I pray, Amen. 🙏🏽
-Moses Gaddi
** Special treat - tomorrow, Saturday, 12/6, there is a one-time Saturday SOAP for all to enjoy **
Matthew 28 - 12.4.25
S - Matthew 28:6, 17-20
6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.
17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
O – Jesus had just been crucified and laid in the tomb 3 days prior. The tomb was closed, secured AND guarded. However, we see in verse 6 that He was gone! Just as He said He would be. He then went to the disciples and spoke His final words to them.
Jesus’ resurrection is the key to Christian faith because just as He promised, He rose from the dead. We can therefore be confident that He will keep all of His promises. Jesus is more than a leader or powerful teacher, He is the son of God and His resurrection is the ultimate victory over sin and death, a promise of new life and hope for believers. Verses 18-20 are known as the Great Commission and Jesus’ final command to His followers.
A – “Go” is an active word and a command, not a request. So where are you (WE) going? Whether we go next door, into our communities, or to another country (maybe India?), we are told by God to “Go and make disciples.” And if these are His final words to his Disciples, to us, then they must be very important.
Sometimes the going can be very intimidating for some of us, but that’s okay. God didn’t equip us all with the same gifts to use for evangelism. We don’t all have a natural disposition to evangelize to the masses, but He did indeed give us each individual gifts which we are to use to help fulfill the Great Commission.
1 Peter 4:10 - Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.
Some simple steps to get started:
· Discover your talents (abilities). What is it you are naturally good at? Teaching, cooking, giving, caring for others, leadership?
· Seek Guidance. Ask spiritual brothers and sisters, your pastors, what they see your gifts as. Sometimes we may think we are gifted in one area, but others would say not so much : ) I think I would like to be on the worship team because I love to sing AND worship the Lord. That’s a perfect place for me, right? But I can’t sing! NOT my gifting. But I can cook an amazing meal and take it to someone in need of some TLC. A non-Christian may be skeptical that we want to help them out for nothing in return, but we build on those relationships and God uses us in those moments.
· Simply PRAY. Ask God to show you where He wants to use you.
· Then Apply it. Do something…take a meal, buy a meal in line or a coffee, pray for the woman limping through the store, or give a blanket to the homeless guy on the bike path. Find moments to share your personal story with others. Invite someone to church. Now is a great time for that as so many feel a pull toward Jesus during this time. They are more apt to say yes to the invitation…they just need someone to show them the way to the door.
P – Lord help us not be a generation that continuously asks you for signs and miracles, but instead believes in you because of the faith that we have that you are who you say you are and that alone can be trusted. Forgive me for any times that we doubt you and your powerful presence. Lord I thank you for all that you have done in my life, for the way you use me to minister to others, for the miracles you perform every single day, whether we see them or not.
Lord, I thank you that we can have confidence in your resurrection and promises for each of us. You have sacrificed everything so that MY sin could be washed clean and I would never have to be apart from you. May I honor you with my life, my choices, my thoughts, my love for others and may I be bold to GO and make disciples, share my story and take care of your people. Give me eyes to see the hurting, especially during this holiday season when so many people are struggling spiritually, financially, and many with loneliness. Help me bring joy to as many people as possible through attention and obedience to your promptings, and generosity this Christmas. Would you help me be bold and willing to share my story so that others can see what the resurrection can mean for them as well. In Jesus’ name! Amen
- Crystal Flory