Category: Daily Reflections
“As Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came down on them and they began to speak in tongues and to utter prophecies. There were in the company about twelve men in all.” –Acts 19:6-7 The twelve Ephesian men so readily gave their lives to Jesus and received the Holy Spirit because they had received John’s baptism of repentance (see Acts 19:3-4). At the first Christian Pentecost, Peter told the people to repent in order to receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). On the evening of the day on which Jesus rose from the dead, Jesus commanded His...
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“As Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came down on them and they began to speak in tongues and to utter prophecies. There were in the company about twelve men in all.” –Acts 19:6-7 The twelve Ephesian men so readily gave their lives to Jesus and received the Holy Spirit because they had received John’s baptism of repentance (see Acts 19:3-4). At the first Christian Pentecost, Peter told the people to repent in order to receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). On the evening of the day on which Jesus rose from the dead, Jesus commanded His...
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“He was lifted up before their eyes in a cloud which took Him from their sight.” –Acts 1:9 When Jesus ascended into heaven, He mounted “His throne amid shouts of joy; the Lord, amid trumpet blasts” (Ps 47:6). All the angels and saints were giving Jesus a “prostrate ovation” in recognition that He, the Lord of lords and the King of kings, had accomplished the plan of salvation. The apostles shared in this worship of the glorified and enthroned Christ, but they “had entertained doubts” (Mt 28:17). On the cross, when Jesus said: “It is finished,” His disciples probably thought...
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“When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him home and explained to him God’s new way in greater detail.” –Acts 18:26 The first Christian Pentecost had two parts. The Spirit was poured out on 120 disciples of Jesus in an upper room at 9AM on a Sunday (Acts 1:14, 15; 2:15). Later that day, the Spirit was received by 3,000 people in the streets of Jerusalem (Acts 2:41). Not only does “charity begin at home,” but often Pentecost begins at home, or at least in an upper room. Then it hits the streets, only to return to the home,...
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“Do not be afraid. Go on speaking and do not be silenced.” –Acts 18:9 On the first Christian Pentecost, the Holy Spirit dealt in a magnificent way with tongues. First, the Spirit appeared in the form of “tongues as of fire” (Acts 2:3). The apostles yielded their formerly silent tongues to speak in both native and foreign languages, proclaiming the prophetic Word of God (Acts 2:4ff). Their hearers used their tongues to repent and ask how to be saved (Acts 2:37). Once the Spirit has your tongue, the battle begins. Satan accuses you of being foolish (Acts 2:13) and attacks...
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