This week in our Advent 2022 series on Matthew 3, we’ve been seeking to understand why Jesus got baptized. We learned that Jesus, through his baptism, demonstrates humility and togetherness, leading to joy. In today’s post, we seek to understand what Jesus meant when he said that he needs to be baptized to fulfill allContinue reading “How to be baptized with Spirit and fire – Advent 2022, Week 3, Part 5”
Tag Archives: pentecost
The surprising beginning of the first church family – Relationships: In a church, Part 1
Calling the people in a local church congregation a “family” is pretty normal in Christian circles. In fact one of the most common ways that the New Testament writers refer to the people in a church congregation is by using the terms “brothers” and “sisters”. We are siblings in Christ. I wonder if that soundsContinue reading “The surprising beginning of the first church family – Relationships: In a church, Part 1”
You can have a relationship with the Holy Spirit – Relationships: God, Part 5
In the previous posts, here and here, we’ve been talking about how we have a relationship with God, expressed in the three persons of the Trinity. So how do we have a relationship with God the Spirit? We read about the arrival of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2, and the rest of the NewContinue reading “You can have a relationship with the Holy Spirit – Relationships: God, Part 5”
The filling of the Spirit – Ezekiel 37:1-14, Part 4
Nearly 600 years after the time of Ezekiel, Jesus taught his disciples about the soon-coming Spirit of God. In John 14, after telling his disciples that he was going to leave them, he promised that God would send another counselor to be with them, the Spirit of truth. Jesus said in John 14:17 that thoughContinue reading “The filling of the Spirit – Ezekiel 37:1-14, Part 4”
The first revival (and could revival happen again?) – Acts 2, Part 3
Revival. What is it? We sometimes talk about a revival of an old musical production. Or when a person stops breathing, they can be revived through CPR. Revival is the breathing of new life into something that is dead or dying. While there is physical revival, as we continue studying Acts 2, we’ve come toContinue reading “The first revival (and could revival happen again?) – Acts 2, Part 3”
The moment that changed everything (also the Spirit as wind, fire…and speaking in tongues)- Acts 2, Part 2
This is the moment everything changed. Have you experienced one of those in your life? A 9/11 moment where you say, “Before that day life was one way, and now after that day, everything seems different.” It could be a job loss, a death of a loved one, a serious illness, or very positive events,Continue reading “The moment that changed everything (also the Spirit as wind, fire…and speaking in tongues)- Acts 2, Part 2”
How would you start a church? – Acts 2, Part 1
What would you do if you were starting a church from scratch? Would you dream up a creative architectural design for a building that would draw attention from the community? Would you focus on the gathering for worship and put together a certain kind of musical or artistic program? Would it be multi-cultural? What doctrinesContinue reading “How would you start a church? – Acts 2, Part 1”
How to walk with the Holy Spirit every day – Our Identity: Temples of the Spirit, Part 5
If you are a Christian, you carry the Holy Spirit around with you everywhere you go. So what? What does that matter? How do we live out our identity as temples of the Spirit? It starts with confession and repentance for the sin in our lives. Admit it, and turn away from it. One ofContinue reading “How to walk with the Holy Spirit every day – Our Identity: Temples of the Spirit, Part 5”
What is the Holy Spirit? And how do we receive the Spirit? – Our Identity: Temples of the Spirit, Part 2
What is the Holy Spirit? As a spirit, you cannot see the Spirit. The Spirit is invisible. But the Spirit is God, God’s true spiritual being. The Spirit is equal to God in every way. In Scripture we see various descriptions of the Spirit. The Spirit came like a dove alighting on Jesus during hisContinue reading “What is the Holy Spirit? And how do we receive the Spirit? – Our Identity: Temples of the Spirit, Part 2”
Celebrating his provision [God’s heart for the holidays, part 3]
In this series of posts we are seeking to discover God’s heart for the holidays. He truly does care about holidays! So we have been looking at three feasts he commanded the people of Israel to observe every year, with the goal of learning his heart so that we Christians might be able to applyContinue reading “Celebrating his provision [God’s heart for the holidays, part 3]”
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