Transcript

Pentecost · First15 Devotional

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[SPEAKER_00]: Penacost means so much to us as believers.
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[SPEAKER_00]: The day of Penacost changed everything for us.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Today we'll explore walking with the Holy Spirit, and how he affects our daily life so much.
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[SPEAKER_00]: May your heart grow in gratitude and friendship with the Spirit today as a result of your time with him.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Welcome to the first 15 podcast.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Our Scripture for today comes from Acts chapter 2 verses 1 and 2, Scripture says,
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[SPEAKER_00]: When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place.
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[SPEAKER_00]: And suddenly, there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind.
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[SPEAKER_00]: And it filled the entire house where they were sitting.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Pentecost marks the powerful beginning of a global movement of the power of God's presence, sweeping across the earth.
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[SPEAKER_00]: As we read the account of what happened as the Spirit descended with power on God's people, place yourself in their midst, imagine what it would look like, sound like, and feel like to witness firsthand such a powerful movement of God's Spirit.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Acts chapter 2 verses 1 through 13 says,
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[SPEAKER_00]: When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place.
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[SPEAKER_00]: And suddenly, there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind.
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[SPEAKER_00]: And it filled the entire house where they were sitting.
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[SPEAKER_00]: And divided tongues as a fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them.
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[SPEAKER_00]: And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Now, they were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven.
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[SPEAKER_00]: And at this sound, the multitude came together, and they were bewildered because each one was hearing them speak in his own language, and they were amazed and astonished, saying, are not all these who are speaking Galileans?
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[SPEAKER_00]: And how is it that we hear each of us in his own native language?
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[SPEAKER_00]: We hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God, and all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, what does this mean?
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[SPEAKER_00]: But others mocking said, they are filled with new wine.
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[SPEAKER_00]: The Holy Spirit is our greatest gift.
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[SPEAKER_00]: When the disciples received the Spirit, they began living as Jesus did.
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[SPEAKER_00]: They began speaking to, healing, and transforming a world that had known no restored relationship with their Creator since Adam and Eve.
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[SPEAKER_00]: And Scripture makes it clear that our lives are to follow their example.
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[SPEAKER_00]: We've been given the same spirit as the disciples who moved so powerfully and revealing our loving Heavenly Father to a world in desperate need of relationship with our Creator.
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[SPEAKER_00]: I feel that there are three areas in which the Spirit would anoint us more powerfully today, as he did the disciples at Pentecost.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Let's boldly seek out all that the Spirit would do in our hearts and lives today.
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[SPEAKER_00]: The first act of the disciples upon being filled with the Spirit at Pentecost was to speak to all who had listened, explaining all the powerful acts that were going on around them, and with the preaching of Peter 3,000 listeners accepted the free gift of salvation.
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[SPEAKER_00]: We who are marked by the Spirit's presence are to be disciples who move in the power of love.
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[SPEAKER_00]: X-18 says, but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, into the end of the earth.
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[SPEAKER_00]: The Spirit longs to use us to proclaim the goodness of God's love to this lost and dying world.
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[SPEAKER_00]: 1 Corinthians 16, 14 says, let all that you do be done in love.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Delacions 5, 22 says, but the fruit of the Spirit is love.
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[SPEAKER_00]: And in Mark 12 verse 31, Jesus says that the second greatest commandment is, you shall love your neighbor as yourself.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Is your life marked by love for others?
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[SPEAKER_00]: Do you live your life in service to your Heavenly Father and His children?
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[SPEAKER_00]: Seek out a fresh encounter with the Holy Spirit today.
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[SPEAKER_00]: It's the Spirit who bears the fruit of love in your life.
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[SPEAKER_00]: You cannot love others on your own.
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[SPEAKER_00]: For true love comes solely from God.
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[SPEAKER_00]: But the spirit longs to fill you with the desire and anointing to love others around you that they might better know the love of the Heavenly Father.
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[SPEAKER_00]: The coming of the Holy Spirit also brought powerful unity to the disciples.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Acts chapter 2 verses 44 through 47 says and all who believed were together and had all things in common and they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all as any had need and day by day attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes they received their food with glad and generous hearts praising God and having
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[SPEAKER_00]: And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Only the Spirit can bring unity between broken, competitive, and needy people.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Only through the Spirit do we have the ability to love and accept others regardless of our differences, and unite toward the common goal of loving God and others wholeheartedly.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Paul writes in Ephesians 4 verses 1 through 3, either for a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Are you a disciple marked by a desire to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace?
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[SPEAKER_00]: Are you a Christian marked by grace-filled love for your fellow believers?
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[SPEAKER_00]: We all need to seek out greater anointing and desire from the Spirit toward unity.
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[SPEAKER_00]: We cannot be selfless in our own strength.
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[SPEAKER_00]: We need the help of the God of perfect love to pursue unity through humility.
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[SPEAKER_00]: seek out a desire in anointing to be a person who works toward the goal of unity instead of division today.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Spend time in God's presence, allowing him to transform your heart to look more like his.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Lastly, Pentecost filled the disciples with the ability to connect directly to God through the avenue of the Holy Spirit.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 2-10, these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit.
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[SPEAKER_00]: For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Acts 15, 28 says, for it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements.
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[SPEAKER_00]: The disciples knew God's desires, received revelation from Him, and were transformed into the likeness of Christ through fellowshiping with the Holy Spirit.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Paul and Peter had no special human ability to talk to God.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Prior to the coming of the Holy Spirit, Paul was killing children of the very God he was trying to serve.
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[SPEAKER_00]: And Peter chose his own safety over Jesus, who had shown him such immense love and grace.
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[SPEAKER_00]: It was only with the Holy Spirit that these men were able to connect to God so deeply.
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[SPEAKER_00]: So, are you a believer marked by direct connection with the Holy Spirit?
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[SPEAKER_00]: Do you spend time seeking His presence, counsel, and anointing?
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[SPEAKER_00]: Let's be children of God who pursue deeper connection with our Heavenly Father today.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Let's seek the face of God as the early disciples did, and be believers marked by
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[SPEAKER_00]: spend time during God's prayer, pursuing all that the Spirit would do in you, open your heart in mind to be transformed by His love, and commit to living your life with the right connection to the God who dwells within you.
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[SPEAKER_00]: As we begin, meditate on the Spirit's desire and ability to anoint us with the power and desire to love others.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Ask him to show you how to better love others today.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Ask his forgiveness for any way in which you have been hurtful to those whom he loves.
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[SPEAKER_00]: and receive the anointing to love people from his heart and strength, rather than your own.
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[SPEAKER_00]: 1 Corinthians 1614 says, let all that you do be done in love.
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[SPEAKER_00]: And next, meditate on God's desire to use you to bring unity to his children.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Confess to God, anyone who annoys you or angers you.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Confess anyone whom you have a hard time loving.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Ask him for his heart for that person.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Ask him to fill you up with a supernatural ability to love those who are difficult or different.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Ask him to help you be a person who pursues unity.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Ephesians 4 verses 1 through 3 says,
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[SPEAKER_00]: Either for a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace.
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[SPEAKER_00]: And last, seek after a direct connection to the Holy Spirit.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Ask him to guide you into the knowledge of his presence.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Ask him to show you the overwhelming love, grace, and anointing he has for you today.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Seek out answers to any questions you have of him.
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[SPEAKER_00]: May you discover a well-spring of friendship in the Holy Spirit today.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Psalm 73 verse 28 says, but for me it is good to be near God.
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[SPEAKER_00]: I have made the Lord God my refuge that I may tell of all your works.
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[SPEAKER_00]: It's crucial that we as children of God seek out all that He longs to give us.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Relationship with God is meant to be anything but stale, stagnant, and weak.
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[SPEAKER_00]: The disciples demonstrated that those filled with the Spirit of God are to be marked by adventure, mystery, and the miraculous.
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[SPEAKER_00]: God has a story for the ages written with you in mind.
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[SPEAKER_00]: He has a plan beyond what you could ever imagine if you will seek him out, trust him,
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[SPEAKER_00]: rest today in the fact that God loves you enough to lead you away from my mundane life.
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[SPEAKER_00]: pursue his plans and watch as he fills your life with adventure and wonder.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Thank you for listening to today's podcast.
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[SPEAKER_00]: I'm Josh Miller with verse 15.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Tomorrow we're wrapping up our series on various biblical narratives of encounter by looking together at the baptism of Jesus.
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[SPEAKER_00]: My hope and prayer is that God is drawing you this week into a more meaningful, tangible connection with Him as these stories of Scripture increase your faith.
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[SPEAKER_00]: If God is doing something in your life through first 15, would you let us know by either leaving a rating or a review or shooting us a note at podcast at first15.org.
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[SPEAKER_00]: We would love to hear about what God is doing to draw you closer to him.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Have a wonderful rest of your day and may God bless you as you see him.