Turn On the Light

 Isaiah 9:2, "The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined."

 

I love the Christmas Season more than any other time of the year. It's the only time of the year when some people try to act like they should always act. Of course, not everyone gets the "holiday spirit". Some people want to be hateful and obnoxious no matter the time of year. But many people are transformed just a little at this time of the year. Most of them get a little more courteous and patient and allow their "better side," if there is such a thing, to shine forth.

 

At this time of year, the world, in our culture, comes alive more. We see colorful light displays on many homes, the season's music fills the air, and the hearts of men are lifted with anticipation of celebrating some holidays with family and friends. Parties are everywhere. Special feasts are planned.

 

In short, a whole different feeling comes over the land for a while until the holidays are past, and we fall back into our daily routine once more.

 

As I considered all of this, I was reminded that we only have this season because of Jesus. I know this is often said in a trite little saying, "Jesus is the reason for the season," that's true, but let us not just say it and forget it. We need to take this occasion to celebrate and spread the news of the birth of Jesus.

 

It's only because God robed himself in flesh, came down to us, and gave himself for us that we have the desire and the will to give gifts to other people. Only because of the Risen Savior who grants us eternal life can we celebrate that eternal life in the symbol of an evergreen tree. Only because of the Light of the gospel can we give true meaning to the lights strung everywhere.

 

The lights, the cheerful hearts, and the season's joy are beautiful. Still, I want us to remember that, amid all the colored lights, parties, and celebrating, most of those caught up in the festivities do not know the Lord as their Savior. They are still walking in the gross darkness of sin.

 

We can light up the exterior, but only Jesus can illuminate the heart. The wonderful thing is that when Jesus lights up your heart and soul, everything seems brighter outside. The world is brighter, the way is clearer, and the understanding is enlightened, and you can walk in a whole new awareness of what God is doing in the earth and in the hearts of men. That's the result of that spiritual light that only Jesus can give.

 

People can celebrate by eating a turkey feast and dressing with all the trimmings. Still, unless they feast upon the Word of God and allow the Holy Spirit to fill their souls, they will die in their sins.

 

People can drink themselves into an alcoholic stupor so that they can forget their troubles and feel the euphoria of a few moments of peace. Still, they will never truly know peace unless they drink the water of life and allow the Love of God to flood their souls.

 

People can laugh at jokes, sing happy songs, and enjoy the company of family and friends; they really can't know true Joy without the joy of first knowing the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior.

 

There is simply no greater peace, joy, or happiness than knowing that all is well with your soul. When your sins are forgiven, and you have surrendered your life to Christ, you can experience that "great light" that Isaiah spoke of.

 

Is the light switched on in your heart and soul today? Do you know Jesus as the Light of your Soul and the Light of your life? Then, thank God you know the true reason for all the celebrating and the joy of this holiday season.

 

Isaiah 60:1-3, "Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising."

 

Arise and shine – that is what my grandma used to say to me when it was time to get up. I didn't know that she was quoting scripture.

 

As Christians, we should take the opportunity of the season ahead to rise out of lethargy, spiritual slumber, and our daily routine and take our witness of Christ to a new level. Jesus will give us untold numbers of opportunities to pray, to witness, to show love, and to really tell the world about Him. What a great time to allow our "light" to shine and to show people the "True Light."

 

While gross darkness of sin and evil reign over the whole of humanity and the world, we are blessed people because we have the "Light of the world" in us, and with the presence of the Holy Ghost in us, we have become the "light of the world."

 

Matthew 5:13-16, "Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick, and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."

 

If Jesus is in you, the whole world should be able to see that light. Even though Jesus is the "Bright and morning star" and "the great light," many Christians just don't reflect His light very brightly. The amount of light that shines from us is directly relative to the closeness of our relationship with Jesus on a personal level.

 

The good news is that it doesn't take much light to dispel the darkness. If you are saved, and the light of God is shining in you, even if you aren't where you should be with the Lord, there will be some light in your life.

 

How do I know that's true? Have you ever seen a worldly Christian whose light is dim because of his speech or how he behaves around others? That man or woman has a dim light because their relationship with Jesus is weak. Yet when they get around people who don't know Jesus at all and who are still in the gross darkness of sin, those sinners will know that there's something different about that weak Christian. Something about them will make them uneasy.

 

Quite often, this uneasiness results in either the sinners shying away from the worldly Christian, or else they will develop an attitude of contempt for him because he is not a part of their crowd and yet won't stand up for his own beliefs.

 

No matter how it goes, it's all a result of that dim light of the Lord in his heart that causes it.

 

You may as well let your light shine brightly and live for the Lord with all your heart; get completely sold out to Jesus because the world doesn't accept you either way, and you can enjoy being a Christian instead of walking the fence.

 

Salt has the power to flavor whatever it touches. It has the power to preserve food. It has the power to make a difference in the world where it is used. Even salt that is losing its flavor still has some effect. That effect doesn't just stop at a moment's notice. It keeps going and going. It may grow weaker over time and eventually become unusable as a seasoning.

 

That's the way your walk with the Lord is, too. Even when you are on your way backward, allowing the devil to drag you back into that life of sin, your life is still able to touch other people.

 

I've seen Christians who were getting close to a backslidden condition influence a lost person to go to church with them. That lost person then would get saved while their Christian witness friend finally backslid. The dim light of that worldly Christian was still bright enough to lead someone to Christ. The saved sinner came to the "great light," and God received the glory for his salvation despite the weak Christian.

 

I think of some Christians as "Cell Phone Christians." Most of you have a cell phone. Sometimes, you have a crystal clear connection, and at other times, you can barely understand what's being said; there are times when there's no connection because we are out of range of the tower.

 

That's the way that we are, too. Sometimes, we are so close to God that our light shines bright. Then there are times when we allow the cares of life to separate us from our prayer life, from studying the Word, from going to church, and from hearing the voice of the Lord, and light grows dim. Then, sometimes, we lose contact with the Lord because we have strayed too far into sin, and that's when the light can go out entirely.

 

All of us are in one of those three conditions. How bright is your light right now? Are you shining forth in the brightness that Jesus wants you to? Is there something there that is blocking that light from coming forth? Have clouds of sin, disobedience, lethargy, and neglect come between you and your source of light? Have those clouds become storm clouds that eclipse the Light of God so that you no longer shine? We need to remove the clouds and shine brightly once again.

 

First, we must remain plugged into the power source of our light and life. The power is not in us without Jesus. He is the only source of light and power in your life. You can't generate it yourself. It must come from the Lord and the presence of the Holy Spirit in your life.

 

Secondly, if you are connected to that power source in Jesus, flip on the switch and let your light shine so the world knows you belong to Him.

 

Perhaps someone reading this does not know Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Maybe you are still groping in the darkness of sin, trying to find your way but stumbling over every obstacle in life and falling flat on your face all the time. Have you wondered why you can't answer your questions correctly? Have you wondered why life seems to knock you down at every turn? Have you tried to find a meaning for your life, and there doesn't seem to be any? Have you tripped over things in your life that you didn't see in your path? Have you considered your life and wondered, "Is there a better way?"

 

My friend, you need to get connected, turn on the switch, and let the light of God shine in your heart. Jesus can give it all meaning. He can show you the path. He can provide you peace, joy, and happiness like you've never known. Most importantly, He will give you eternal life and lift you out of the darkness of sin.

 

Those who refuse to accept the light Jesus offers will burn for eternity in the gross darkness of the lake of fire.

 

Those who accept His light right now will walk in the brightness of His Light for eternity.

The gift

 What would that Gift be if you could have anything you want this Christmas?

 

This is the time of year when our materialistic society becomes more materialistic than ever. Across the nation, people have spent money they don't have, using easy credit cards already overloaded with high-interest rates attached, some as high as 36%. That means they will still be paying for this year's gifts 5 or even 10 years from now if they make minimum payments.

 

Gift-giving is a beautiful thing. And I don't think that anyone would refuse a gift either. But let us remember the most important Gift of all. With all the hype and glitz of the season, getting distracted from what is happening behind the scenes is easy. The age-old struggle for men's souls continues, and the greatest Gift is often forgotten or overlooked.

 

In 1809, Europe was locked in struggles for power and territory. Napoleon was sweeping through Austria; blood was flowing freely as soldiers and civilians alike were killed by the thousands. No one was concerned about the birth of a few babies. Their focus on world politics and man's inhumanity to man overshadowed everything else, and the birth of some significant babies went unnoticed.

 

Among those born that year were William Gladstone, destined to become one of England's finest statesmen. Alfred Tennyson was born to a little-known minister and his wife. The child would become a prolific writer and affect the literary world as few had before. Oliver Wendell Holmes was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in the newly established American nation. Not far away in Boston, a child was born whose name was Edgar Allan Poe, who would live a tragic life but leave the world with poems and stories that are still popular to this day. 1809 was also the year that a young physician and his wife named their newborn son Charles Robert. The doctor's last name was Darwin, and that child would bring the teachings of evolution that would rock the scientific world and shake the very foundation of Christianity. Also, that same year, the cries of a newborn infant were heard in a rugged, one-room log cabin in the backwoods of Hardin County, Kentucky. The baby was named Abraham Lincoln.

 

If there had been news broadcasts then, I'm confident these words would have been heard: "The destiny of the world is being shaped on an Austrian battlefield today." But history was being shaped in the cradles of England and America.

 

All around the cities and towns of Israel, in the time of the Roman occupation, the concern on everyone's mind was taxation and the Jewish revolution. The big news was focused on the political scene. Man's focus has always been on the wrong thing because all we can see is the physical realm. The Jews missed the most significant news of all time.

 

In a little hamlet called Bethlehem, in a dirty stable, their Messiah was born, and Jesus was given. This was the greatest Gift of all, the Gift of a savior.

 

The most detailed account of the birth of Jesus Christ is given to us in the Book of Luke. Luke was a physician by trade before he became a disciple. History tells us that Luke was a Christian already when he met Paul the Apostle and became Paul's companion in his missionary journeys.

 

Luke didn't understand all of the events of the early years of the church but was taught by Paul. It is said that Luke learned most of the things that he wrote about in the first few chapters of the Book of Luke after listening to Paul, talking with some of the original disciples, and sitting down with Mary, the mother of Jesus, for lengthy interviews. It wasn't until 60 AD, nearly 30 years after the resurrection, that Luke, a gentile doctor, sat down and wrote his book, giving us the story of the Gospel. Three years later, he would begin to write another book. That would be called the Book of Acts of the Apostles.

 

Luke wasn't there to see it all happen firsthand, but he learned from those who had seen it with their own eyes and held the hand of Jesus while he walked this earth. Some historians say that Luke was practicing medicine in Tarsus, where he probably met Paul for the first time. However, it came about; I am glad that the Holy Spirit put them together so that we could have the account of the Gift of the Savior that Luke has given to us.

 

Luke was more than a disciple; he was a great teacher. He took a young man named Theophilus under his wing and began teaching him the gospel's foundational truths. We don't know much about Theophilus, but from how Luke addressed him, many people believe he was a person of rank, perhaps even a converted Roman officer.

 

Luke 1:1-4, "Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us, Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word; It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus, That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed."

 

The greatest Gift mankind could ever receive was the Gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. But what good does that Gift do if we don't believe it or won't accept it?

 

If we reap the benefits of salvation, we must first be convinced in our hearts that the gospel message is true. That's why God gives us the 5-fold ministry of the church.

 

Ephesians 4:11, "And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;"

 

All these gifts are in the church to teach us about Jesus.

 

Apostles are there to preach the gospel to the nations and found churches worldwide so that the Gift may be received in the hearts of men.

 

Prophets are there to teach us and to give us visions of futuristic events so that the hearts of men can be prepared for the day when the Gift of eternal life and salvation will be realized to its fullest extent.

 

Evangelists are there to turn the hearts of men toward the Gift and to remind the church that they have a Gift that is far too valuable to set aside for anything in this world.

 

Pastors are there to keep us close to that Gift and, in some small way, to represent that Gift of a shepherd that would lead the flock of God into that eternal place of safety and rest.

 

Teachers are there to expound the Word of God, going deeper and higher into the Gift than ever before, revealing things about God's Gift of a Savior that we have never seen before.

 

Whether you realize it or not, the church is God's Gift to you. We are to love and appreciate the church but not worship it. It's not about the gifts of the ministry; it's all about the Gift. It's all about Jesus! It's not about the apostle, pastor, prophet, evangelist, or teacher. If we follow the preacher, then we lose sight of the Gift. Follow the Lord, not a man. When you go to church, men of God want to give you the Gift. When you read my words, I want to give you Jesus, not me. Don't follow me. I will inevitably fail your expectations. Follow Jesus – HE IS THE GIFT!

 

Everyone who gives you the Word of the Lord, who looks over you and prays for you, is doing that for one purpose: We want you to have a perfect understanding of all things from the very first, not just when Christ was born, but from the beginning of creation, that you may know and understand, why we need the Gift of a Savior, and what the coming of Jesus in that manger really means to your eternal soul. We want you to be certain that it is all the truth and to be instructed so that you can receive that Gift of a Savior! We want you to have an excellent spirit like Luke said that Theophilus had.

 

Luke 1:13-16, "But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. And thou shalt have joy and gladness, and many shall rejoice at his birth. For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb. And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God."

 

Much like John was sent as the forerunner of Christ, ministers are sent as forerunners to the second coming of Christ. My mission is to give you the message of repentance from sin and to point you to the Gift, that One who is greater than I, that One whose shoes I am unable to fill, that One who is the Greatest Gift of all – the Messiah, the Savior, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, God in the flesh – the Lord Jesus who reigns eternal and who gave himself for your sin upon the cross.

 

Luke 2:8-11, "And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord."

 

And like the angelic host that appeared above the hillsides of Israel on that dark night, when at midnight, it seemed that Israel would never see a Messiah, my purpose today is to shout the victory to you and let you know that The Gift has come. Through the darkness of sin that has shrouded this world, the shout goes forth – the Gift has come – the Messiah is born – the Son is Given – and Jesus is His name! He is come that you might receive the gifts of joy, gladness, and eternal life! Oh, what a wonderful Savior! What a wonderful Lord! What a wonderful promise! What an incredible love! What an excellent Gift Jesus is, my Lord!

 

In that little town of Bethlehem, in the middle of the hilly country of Israel, on a dark night, in the stable of an inn where there was no room for people, a young woman gave birth to her firstborn son. The world didn't herald him as a newborn king. His birth went unnoticed by most of the world. But all of Heaven rejoiced on that night. The Heavenly choirs of angels burst forth in glorious praise.

 

In that straw, lying in a manger, wrapped in swaddling clothes, lay THE GIFT, the greatest Gift this world will ever receive. On that night, Jesus Christ was born.

 

But that Gift doesn't mean anything to you if you don't know Him today. Have you received the Gift? Have you given your heart and life to Jesus and allowed Him to come into your life? Why not receive the greatest Gift you will ever receive? You don't have to wait until Christmas morning. Today, right now, can be your Christmas. Accept the Gift right now!

A Baby and A Sword

 Matthew 2:1-3, “Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,

2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

 

We have all seen a newborn baby lying in its crib or mother’s arms. I don’t ever remember looking into the face of one of those babies and thinking, “What a great threat to the peace and prosperity of the world this baby is!”

 

No, we all look into those faces of our newborn children and grandchildren and think to ourselves, “What a beautiful child, and oh, how proud we are that they are now and forever, a part of our family!”

 

Any normal human would gaze upon that baby and think, “Here is a new and precious life. Here is a child with all of the potential in the world to do great things and become someone who will make a difference in this world.”

 

We look at that baby, realizing that within each one that comes into this world, there is a seed of greatness, for it is Almighty God in Heaven who has given a new life, created another human being in His own image, and blessed us all with the chance to expand the love in our hearts to include someone new.

 

How anyone could ever cast aside a baby as though it means nothing or how anyone could ever purposely harm a precious child is beyond me. All of us know that this is not normal, but those who would do such things are under the influence of Satan.

 

It is the power of sinful nature and the overcoming powers of darkness that would cause anyone to do such things. The murder of innocents, whether in the womb of their mother or after it has been born into this world, is the result of sin in the heart of man, sin and evil that the devil himself inspires.

 

Over 2000 years ago, a baby boy was born in a stable and laid down in a manger. His birth had been foretold for thousands of years, and the circumstances had been prophesied to the smallest detail. This little baby, lying in a manger of hay and wrapped in swaddling clothes, carried a greater significance than any other baby that would ever come into this world.

 

Jesus came as a perfect, holy, innocent child and would never sin during his entire life. No other child has ever, or will ever, come into this world with those qualifications. No other human being could ever be offered the perfect sacrifice to take away every sin of everyone who would believe in him. This single child, Jesus, that innocent baby lying in a manger, brought with him the power to bring the greatest hope the world has ever had. Along with that great hope, Jesus brought with him the greatest division that would ever enter the hearts of men.

 

Jesus confessed later, when he entered his earthly ministry, what his coming would bring to this world in Matthew 10:34-36: "Think not that I come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household."

 

We, as Christians, love to look at the Christmas Story, with all its wonder and beauty, seeing the events that unfold through the eyes of faith and hope, knowing that the birth of Jesus meant the coming of our Savior. The scene of the peaceful hillsides of Bethlehem with its shepherds watching their flocks at night, and the appearance of the angels of Heaven singing, “Glory to God and Peace on Earth,” and the Star that shone in the sky that brought such “Exceeding Great Joy,” is a scene that we picture again and again.

 

But the rest of the world did not, and still does not, see that night's peace, joy, and wonder. To the world, this is a night of terror and something to be hated and stopped at all costs. From the beginning, right here in these first few verses of Matthew 2, we can already see the reaction of sinful man against the coming of Jesus into the world. The great division that the birth of this one single little baby, lying in that manger, would bring begins with all the powers of hell aligned against him.

 

Immediately, the power of mankind to be a god was threatened. King Herod, appointed king by the power of Rome, felt threatened by the presence of a baby who was born as the true king and one who would become the King of Kings. Jesus' crown was given not by man but by Almighty God. Jesus’ kingship superseded the titles given by man and gave him authority over every king and ruler upon the earth.

 

From the beginning, the very presence of Jesus and His very existence upon the earth became the single greatest threat against the power of man and the power of Satan to rule in the affairs of men. He immediately became the greatest enemy of sinful man, and plans sprang into action to eliminate him. It started with the murder of every child in the little town of Bethlehem and the areas around it. Every child, two years old and under, was murdered. The great sword, the great division, and the absolute determination of both sinful man and Satan to rid the world of any knowledge of Jesus had begun, and it continues to this very day.

 

With every passing generation, humanity has tried to eliminate Jesus and remove the knowledge of Him from the consciousness of man. Man refuses to acknowledge that there is a God and that man is not that God, but that all men will be held accountable to the One True God.

 

We know that Jesus came to save the world and all who would accept him as Savior, but I want to speak to those who have already chosen to follow Jesus. This is a message to the Church, the saints of God, and those who have already been adopted into the family of God. This is a message to each of us.

 

In writing to the Church, the Apostle James says, "Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God."

 

James isn’t speaking to the world but to those who know Jesus. He says, in effect, you cannot have a love affair with the things of this world, enjoy all that it offers, receive the accolades and praises of the world, hold the friendship of the world in high regard, and still consider yourself as a faithful child of God!

 

If a born-again child of God is going to have a love affair with the world, then you will become an enemy of God. Sooner or later, the love affair with the world will directly conflict with your love for Jesus; at that point, a division will come. The affair may last for a while, but it must end if you are to remain faithful to the call of God on your life.

 

The sword Jesus promised would come has swung again, and now the division must come. You cannot be a friend of the world and a friend of Jesus for very long.

 

The sword of division that Jesus brought to this world swings today in our national conscience as Congress, the courts of our land, and many of our godless leaders continue to attempt to eradicate the name of Jesus from our public schools and buildings. The name of Jesus stirs the sinful hearts of men who refuse to acknowledge the existence of an Almighty God more than anything else.

 

Our nation, born upon the Word of God and known as a Christian nation, has decided that the things of the world are more important than serving God. As a result, the Sword that Jesus brought is swinging furiously throughout the land, dividing sharply that which is godly from that which is not. The division becomes more significant with each passing day.

 

The love affair that the Church has had with the fame and fortune of the world and the praises of men must end, or the Church will be no more. We, the true Church of Jesus Christ, cannot be friends with the world, and therefore, the world will continue to hate us as its enemy more and more. The sword will not stop swinging, and the divisions will become greater.

 

We must be aware that the sword still swings, even in the Church and among those who call on the name of Jesus and are a part of the family of God. Even in our families and lives, the sword is swinging, bringing division.

 

Where is your first love? Do you still have Jesus and his kingdom as the first place in your life, or has this world's fame, fortune, glitz, glamour, and popularity begun to draw you aside? Is a love affair with this world a part of your life, or is there a part of you that wants the life that the world offers more than the life of service to Jesus? Christians are not immune to becoming involved in a love affair with the world. In fact, you are the devil's primary target, and he will promise you almost anything you want.

 

Christian young people are confronted with “peer pressure,” the need to be accepted by friends, and to have those who are popular in school allow them into their circle. How often do they choose friendships and popularity over standing firm for their belief in Jesus? You see, even in school, there is a sword swinging, separating the things of Christ from those of the world.

 

There are things that the world offers in our public schools that we cannot partake of and maintain the right relationship with Jesus! So, you must decide, will you serve the Lord or have a love affair with the things of the world!

 

Christians, in churches everywhere, have begun to be more and more accepting of the things of this world, not only in the Church but also in their homes. Often, it's caused by a desire to be at peace with the kids who want to be accepted.

 

The standards that once held a great separation of Christian kids and worldly kids have been relaxed to the point that we allow our kids to take part in everything offered, even if partaking in those things violates the law of God and grieves the Spirit. Parents would rather be friends with their kids than train them in the way they should go. They fear the sword of division more than the judgment of God against sin in the camp, not realizing that, in the end, the souls of their kids are at stake, not just their popularity and acceptance.

 

Finally, what about your own life? What place does Jesus have in your heart? Is the chance for promotion on the job more important than being faithful in serving Jesus? Do you hide your faith because you don’t want to make waves or take the chance of being passed over? When you’re around friends and co-workers, are you keeping your faith to yourself to avoid conflict? Those are the first signs of the beginning of a love affair with the world!

 

What a difference the birth of one baby boy in a manger in Bethlehem has made! The entire history of man centers on that one little baby! The eternal destiny of every soul of man hinges upon what we will believe and do about that one little baby! That little baby, Jesus, brought a sword that swings to create a separation between those who will serve him and those who won’t.

 

The sword is swinging! Jesus brought the opportunity to decide in your own life. Which side are you on? Which side will you choose today, tomorrow, and forever? Every day that you live, the sword will be swinging! Which side will you be on when the sword is done?

 

As you observe the rituals and traditions of Christmas, and you look upon Jesus in that manger scene, remember that He is no longer that baby in the manger. Jesus is Lord! He is the King of Kings! He is the God and Savior of the World to those who will choose to serve him. To everyone else, He is the Great Divider, the One who separates light from darkness and sin from righteousness! Are you on the Lord’s side?

 

Christmas brings joy, peace, and glory to those who serve the Lord. But to everyone else, Christmas is a sword, a thorn in the side of the ungodly, and an ever-present reminder that there is a God and that there will be a day of accountability as we all stand before him.

 

I pray that Christmas is a joyful time for you. Enjoy your time with family and friends. But most importantly, make Christmas a time of renewing your relationship with Jesus and ensuring that you love Him more than the things of the world. Make sure that Jesus is your life and that his presence with and in you matters more than anything else.

The Way In a Manger

 Luke 2:7, “And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.”

Christmas and the Holiday Season carry with them a bittersweet experience for many people. Of course, the sweetness is the story of the coming of the Christ child into a world that is lost in the darkness of sin. The most beautiful event in the history of humanity was the day that God robed himself in flesh and became that baby in the manger.

Jesus, who said of himself in John 14:6, “… I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me”, came as a baby, grew up to become a man, stepped out into the world, and for 3 ½ years, testified that he was God, come down to this world for only one reason. He came to give his life upon the cross to make the way of salvation for all men who would accept his sacrifice for their sins.

He, who is the Way, came by way of the manger, preached the Way of Salvation, and made that Way accessible to all men through his own death, burial, and resurrection. Now, the Way is made for each of us through Jesus Christ. That’s the real meaning of Christmas, and in fact, the way that Jesus made it is the way that all of life can have genuine meaning. It’s the only way we can have perfect peace and joy in our hearts that cannot be explained but must be experienced individually as we come to Jesus. It is the Way of a fulfilled life, a life of service to others, sacrificing self to Christ's cause. The only life worth living that won’t leave you empty and wondering if your life made a difference.

The other side of this story is that during the Christmas season, much bitterness arises as well. The coming of Jesus in that manger made a way for us to come to know and serve the Lord. Still, he never promised that the Way would be made perfect and that we would never experience sadness and loss in life.

During this time of the year, more than any other, many go through a time of deepened sadness because of the loss of a loved one. That loneliness is magnified when they see the happiness and togetherness that others experience, and they feel so much more alone.

Some are saddened when they think of the fact that even though their loved ones are still on the earth, they can’t see them and be with them on this day. How many families this year will be saddened somewhat because a loved one is on some lonely military outpost, guarding the freedoms of America? And how many families are torn apart because one or both of the parents can’t be with their children because circumstances keep them apart?

It has been proven that more people succumb to depression at this time of year than at any other time. Sadness and loneliness become more than they can bear, and the only answer to their heartache is to take themselves out of this world. The saddest part of that is that after they leave this world, the chances are they enter eternity without God. It’s too late to turn back after they realize their terrible mistake.

Even though we are not immune to experiencing that same sadness and sorrow, we who serve the Lord are truly blessed, for we have great hope even during grief. That hope is Jesus, that Way that came through the manger.

Most of you reading this know what I’m talking about. There’s an empty chair at your table and an empty place in your heart that you can’t seem to fill with anything that will make the pain disappear. You’ve spent many long hours crying out to God for relief from the grief, for a return of the joy of the Lord to your heart that you might enjoy life to its fullest once again. Your only thought is, Lord, If I could go back and do it again, I’d do things a lot differently. I would never take for granted what you have given me that I have lost. But then you realize there’s no going back, only forward, living one day at a time.

You march on one day at a time but in faith, knowing that the Way has been made. You understand that no matter how sad it may get or how much your heart aches, there is a better day coming:

• A day of peace and rest.
• A day of great joy and happiness.
• A day of resurrection when you will be reunited with those who have gone before.
• A day when we will all be with Jesus forever more.

The Way to being reunited and participating in that great day of joy goes through the manger. The Way goes through the blood of Jesus that was shed upon the cross, and finally, the Way leads us to the altar of God, where you will give your life as a living sacrifice to Jesus.

Jesus said in Matthew 28:20, “… lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

The manger has passed into history and become part of the most beautiful story in the Bible. Jesus came and died only once; his sacrifice is sufficient for all sins of all men, forever. The Way has been finished and is forever open to all who will walk in it! No matter what you face today, the Way is before you, allowing you to overcome whatever is ahead.

No matter how much your heart aches today, the Way of healing is made, for Jesus knows your heartache and your fears, and he hears your cries in the midnight hour when no one else is there. No matter how much loneliness you face, the Way has the power to fill that emptiness in your heart, too. The Way is Jesus, and I am so glad I serve a God who cares and can heal any sickness, disease, loneliness, and hopelessness. Through the power of the blood, your healing is already done.

Matthew 8:17 says that Jesus “… took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.”

Hebrews 4:14-16 – “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

Jesus is waiting for you to find your way to him. No man on earth can heal your pain, but He who is the Way can! No man on earth can fill the loneliness and ease the sorrow in your heart, but He who is the Way has the power to answer your prayer, and he will hear your cry, so take it to the Lord in prayer.

The problem for most of us is that we don’t always find the instant relief we seek in prayer. Sometimes, God will answer our cries instantly, but sometimes, He waits, and for many of us, God’s timing is something we can’t understand.

We know that God hears us. We understand that the Way to our answer is already made. We know that Jesus cares and that nothing is impossible with God. We know that our prayers will be answered. Our only question is, “When!” I need an answer, God, and I need it now; not tomorrow, not in the morning, not in January when the holidays have passed…I NEED IT NOW! And then the answer comes, and God says, “Wait, just a little while longer. Your answer is on the way!”

I am reminded of a passage of scripture, 2 Corinthians 12:8, “For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.”

Everyone carries an infirmity in one form or another; we are all part of the human condition, which means we are weak and frail in many ways. Physically – we are easily susceptible to sickness, disease, pain, and even death. Emotionally – we can become a basket case over even trivial things if we let it get the best of us, much less those things that are really hard to bear. Mentally – all I can say about that is that the older we get, the more that goes too. But for some of us, it starts going very quickly. Spiritually – we were dead in sin, and we’ve been born again; even so, we must ever guard our salvation lest we fall back into the trap of sin once again.

How many times have we prayed for weak things to be made strong? How often have you cried to the Lord to deliver you from despair, loneliness, fear, and heartache? Like Paul, I am sure that you’ve called more than once.

But never let us forget God’s answer to Paul. 2 Corinthians 12:9, “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

Now, I can accept the idea that God’s grace is sufficient. I can even understand and live with the idea that God makes me stronger through my suffering and weaknesses. But I don’t know about this “glorying in my infirmities” stuff. God, are you sure that part is supposed to be there? Did Paul do a little ad-libbing on his own? Did the Holy Ghost really inspire that part? Yes, that part is still part of the inspired Word of God, so we should give God glory amid our suffering and walk on in faith, believing that Christ in us will help us to overcome it all.

We must remember that God is with us during the battle. We must not forget that He has already made the Way of escape and that nothing we face will have the power to destroy us if we walk in faith before Him.

Jesus will never leave you nor forsake you. Although the path of life may seem impossible, Jesus is there, walking with you, and he has already made a way for you to make it all the way to the end of your journey in his presence.

God has not left you as an orphaned child. That’s how he found you, but he has adopted you into the Family of God, and God intends that all his children will be cared for. The Lord watches over you like a mother hen. You are the Apple of His Eye; he loves you so much. If you know the Lord as your Savior, you have found the Way through the manger.

If you don’t know Him, the Way is open for you to step in and become a part of God’s family.

In 1994, two Americans responded to an invitation from the Russian Minister of Education to teach morals and ethics in some public schools. They were also given opportunities to teach at prisons, businesses, the fire and police departments, and a large orphanage. The amazing thing was that the Russian Minister gave them permission to teach morals and ethics based upon principles of the Bible, something that America itself was trying to stop.

It was nearly Christmas time when the Americans reached the orphanage. So, they decided to tell the story of Jesus’ birth to the orphans. This would likely be the first time these children had heard the traditional Christmas story. They told them about Mary and Joseph arriving in Bethlehem, finding no room in the inn, and how the couple went to a stable where Jesus was born and placed in the manger.

Throughout the story, the children sat in amazement as they listened. Some sat on the edges of their stools, trying to grasp every word. For the first time, they heard the message of a Savior who had been born in a manger but died on a cross and rose again to make a way of salvation for all men.

As a follow-up activity to the story, each child was given three small pieces of cardboard to make a crude manager. Each child was also given a small paper square cut from yellow napkins, which the children tore into strips. These paper strips became the straw in the manger. Small flannel squares had been cut from old garments and used for the baby’s blanket. From pieces of felt, a doll-like baby was made.

As the Americans walked around the room to observe the children, all went well until they got to one table where little Misha sat. He looked to be about 6 years old and had finished his project. As they looked at the little boy’s manger, they were surprised to see two babies in the manger. Quickly, they called for the translator to ask the lad why there were two babies in the cradle.

The translator said that Misha had very accurately remembered the story that had been told until he came to the part where Mary put Jesus in the manger. Then Misha started to ad-lib and made up his own ending to the story.

This is what the little boy said, “And when Maria laid the baby in the manger, Jesus looked at me and asked me if I had a place to stay. I told him I have no momma and papa, so I don’t have any place to stay. So, Jesus told me I could stay with him. But I told him I couldn’t because I didn’t have a gift to give him like everybody else did. But I wanted to stay with Jesus so much, so I thought about what I had that maybe I could use for a gift. Perhaps if I kept him warm, that would be a good gift.

So, I asked Jesus, ‘If I keep you warm, will that be a good enough gift?’ And Jesus told me, ‘If you keep me warm, that will be the best gift anybody ever gave me.’ So, I got into the manger. Then Jesus looked at me and told me I could stay with him – for always.”

As little Misha finished his story, his eyes filled with tears that ran down his cheeks. Then, putting his hand over his face, his head dropped to the table, and his shoulders shook, and he began to cry. The little orphan had found someone who would never abandon or abuse him, someone who would stay with him – “FOR ALWAYS!”

Do you sometimes feel like this little orphan boy, that somehow Jesus has left you, and that no one cares; there’s no one to call out to, and no one to hear your weeping in the night?

You have not been abandoned. You are a Child of God. He hears your cry and will never leave you or forsake you. He is always there, listening, hearing, and comforting you. He has brought you this far and will never let you fall.

No man has your answer, but Jesus does. He will strengthen you day by day. Each morning, when you arise, he will give you the strength to make it another day. Though the infirmity may still be there, His grace is sufficient. He will provide you with the grace for one more day of victory. He will give you the strength to walk one more mile. And every day, that strength will be there, the grace will be there, and Jesus will make a Way for you. You must live for God one day at a time.

Just keep walking by faith with your eyes on Jesus.

Let the Christmas story and the picture of the baby in the manger remind you constantly that Jesus came to become your Way through the manger. Your Way is finished through the blood shed upon the cross, and your Way is clear all the way to Heaven. Just keep walking by faith, one day at a time.

God bless you, and Merry Christmas!

I Am Pentecostal

This is Peter preaching on the first day of church history. He says, "This Jesus hath God raised up whereof we are all witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted and having received of the father the promise of the Holy Ghost he hath shed forth this which you now see and hear." - Acts 2:32, 33

 

When you're a Pentecostal, if anybody knows about it, if anyone's in your presence, there should be something they see and hear. Pentecost changes lives forever. Pentecost is not a denomination. It defies being a denomination. Pentecost defies you to confine it to one church building, one day of the week, or one service.

 

Pentecost is not a heritage that can be passed down automatically; everybody has to get it for themselves. It is for whosoever will. It is for everybody. And I'm grateful and forever changed by the fact that I get to be a Pentecostal. Thank God for the honor; thank God for the great blessing that it is to be filled with the baptism of the Holy Ghost as they were at the beginning as they were in the original Church. The same Jesus that came in power in the 1st century is here by his power in the 21st century.

 

We live in a very confusing world. In fact, if you've been reading or watching the news, we live in a very violent world. Constant terror attacks around the world. It makes me angry, but it also makes me want to pray that God sends revival to the Church in this world because when the Church gets revived, the world has hope. When the Church gets revived, sinners have hope. And when the Church gets revived, Jesus can do anything through them by the power of his Spirit.

 

I write these things today as a Pentecostal minister. I am a Pentecostal not by birth, by upbringing, by heritage, by culture, by rules, by regulations, or by tradition. I am Pentecostal by experience. I am Pentecostal because Jesus has filled my life with the power of his Spirit.

 

I don't like to argue with people. I'm not trying to argue with anybody. Still, I've got to tell you nothing can dissuade me, confuse me, or convince me otherwise. I am not a proponent of a strange doctrine. I am not paddling my theological canoe upstream against the prevailing current of modern Christianity.

 

I don't make any claim of being 2000 years old. I wasn't there for Acts 2, and neither were you. But, in fact, that is the point. None of us were there. That means if the only time in history that the power of God was supposed to fall was the day of Pentecost, we're all in trouble, and we might as well shut down and shut up.

 

But here's the good news: the upper room was not a one-time experience. It was not a once and never again event. It was not a historical fluke. Pentecostal theology, if that was true, would belong to a museum. But we are not just a historical fluke. We are Pentecostal. We are not different than the 1st-century Church. We're not a branch of the 1st-century Church. We're not kind of like the 1st-century Church; the same power, the same experience, the same doctrine, and the same incredible presence of God is still available to everybody.

 

Many would try to reduce Pentecost to the status of a treasured relic. They honor it but don't experience it. But those people deny its greatest reality, and the truth is that the same Jesus who came in power in the upper room hasn't left us to our own devices to try to scheme and strategize to build a church. He is still in his Church through the power of the Holy Ghost.

 

If God has ever done it, he can still do it. If He ever possessed it, he still possesses it. If he ever distributed it, He still distributes it. The Apostolic doctrine of the 1st century was that every believer should be filled personally.

 

I love going to a church that knows how to worship God. I love going to a church where the services don't put you to sleep. I love going to a church where the worship is exciting, and the singing is powerful. I love it, but here's the point: no believer is filled with the Holy Ghost just because they attend a spirit-filled church. No, you must have this experience personally, or you don't have it at all. You must experience it individually or forfeit the blessing and birthright.

 

That was the doctrine of the 1st century; every believer can be filled with the baptism of the Holy Ghost. That conviction, that holy priority, was at the epicenter of the Pentecostal earthquake that shook the Church 2000 years ago and then shook the Church again more than 115 years ago at Azusa Street and in Topeka, KS. And they began to preach this message that changed lives.

 

I thank God for all the old tent meetings, camp meetings, and the first primitive church buildings with one little tin can microphone. The Pentecostal power that's 2000 years old remains unbroken and undiluted by time.

 

People say well, that was just for that day. That was just in the Bible. That was just for the apostles. It just gave them power to start the Church, but now we're on our own. What a foolish notion.

 

Do you think it ever occurred to the apostle Peter, even decades after the upper room, that the Pentecostal experience is now somehow optional? Do you ever think Peter ever sat down and thought that someday Christianity would try to divide itself into Pentecostals and non-Pentecostals? That never crossed his mind! Do you think Peter ever imagined a non-Pentecostal church in doctrine, power, or experience? Not on your life! That would have been no more imaginable to Peter and Paul and James and John than us imagining a nonelectrified city today with no electricity anywhere.

 

Pentecost is the Church's power. Pentecost is the Church's light. And we are Pentecostal by spiritual birthright. It started gnawing at the edges of people's experiences in the 1600s. Martin Luther came to the forefront. Martin Luther wasn't trying to create the Protestant denomination; Martin Luther was trying to start a biblical movement.

 

And then came John Wesley. He had no idea of starting the Methodist Church in England. Wesley wanted to pray and preach until he began a spiritual renewal in England.

 

The Bible college students in Topeka, KS, and those humble little churchgoers at 312 Azusa Street at the little mission in Los Angeles, CA, weren't envisioning A Pentecostal denomination. They were trying to discover if they could have the same power as the 1st century Church in our century. Can we have the same experience as the book of Acts Church in our everyday lives? Thank God the answer to them and us is still a resounding yes!

 

Every person can receive the Holy Ghost. Every person can be baptized in the Spirit. Every person can have the supernatural ability to speak in another tongue as the Spirit gives you the utterance. We must realize we do not have a new revelation. We have an ancient revelation. That we exist at all reminds us that the same Pentecostal fire that burned in Act 2 is still burning today.

 

It is unextinguished by denominational formalism. It is unextinguished by doctrinal corruption. That flame is still burning no matter what church history tried to do to it. Without Pentecost, the Church in every era becomes hardly more than a glorified Country Club where we all come. We pay our dues, and we hang out together. That is not what the Church is about.

 

Pentecost exists so that the world can hear the gospel of Jesus Christ. It exists so that families can be mended, addiction can be broken, and lives can be put back together. Pentecost exists so our kids can grow up and not become a terrorist, an addict, or an alcoholic. It exists so they can grow up, serve God, and go to heaven.

 

Years ago, a scholar named Dr. CI Scofield wrote a reference Bible, some of which is fine. Some of it is even good, but some of it is very misguided and doctrinally incorrect. In Doctor Scofield's dangerously misguided footnotes on Acts chapter 2, he says after Pentecost, "No Christian needs to seek the Holy Spirit because now the whole church is automatically filled with the Holy Spirit the second you acknowledge Jesus as Lord."

 

That is doctrinal and biblical nonsense. The book of Acts makes it clear that it's not enough to believe in Jesus; it was an Apostolic priority that all believers should be filled with the Spirit of Jesus. That they should have a personal Pentecostal experience.

 

Look at Acts Chapter 8: Peter and John are brought out of hiding because of persecution and make the dangerous journey to Samaria. When they arrive in Samaria, they pray for a city full of new converts to receive the Holy Ghost. That would be a wasted prayer if all new believers were automatically filled with the Holy Spirit by virtue of what happened in the upper room several months prior. That would be a wasted prayer. But it wasn't a wasted prayer because they knew that every convert, whether Jew or Gentile, needed the baptism of the Holy Ghost.

 

In Acts chapter 10, you'll see how important this experience was to the 1st-century Church. Peter took an entourage of Jewish men to Cornelius' household. They weren't interested in the Gentiles joining the Church. The Gentiles were unclean to the Jews. What proved to them that God wanted to save the Gentiles at Cornelius' house? It was the moment when the Holy Ghost fell on all of them who heard the word. And when Peter and those men that were with him heard the Gentiles speaking in other tongues, that's when they knew that was the evidence that God didn't just want a Jewish Christian Church. He wanted every nation, every tribe, every tongue, every background, every ethnicity; that's the kind of Church he wanted.

 

 It's ironic to me today that there are actually church denominations that argue against speaking in tongues. When there wouldn't be any non-Jewish Christians. That's the reason they allowed us to come into the Church. Peter immediately looked at those people freshly filled with the baptism of the Holy Ghost, and he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus for the remission of sins.

 

The Pentecostal Church still celebrates that you can be baptized in the name of Jesus and have your sins remitted. We still experience and celebrate that you can be filled with the baptism of the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in other tongues.

 

Peter expected that experience for everyone. If Paul, James, and John expected that experience to show up in the lives of all their new converts, we must preach no less. Look at Acts 19 years later. In Ephesus, Paul still asks a question arising from this holy Apostolic priority: "Have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed."

 

That's still the question today. I thank God if you believe in Jesus. I thank God if you've accepted him as Lord. But we still ask the Biblical question from two thousand years ago, "Have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed."

 

It's for every believer to receive. First, you believe in Jesus but don't stop there. Then you accept Jesus as Lord, but don't stop there. Third, you acknowledge him as your savior, but don't stop there. Finally, you accept and ask him to forgive your sins, but don't stop there. Because there's a power from on high.

 

It's one thing to ask God to forgive you, but if that's all you do, you know what? I know you're gonna fall back into the same sin. You're gonna stumble, and you're gonna go back to old habits. You're gonna make a mistake, and you're gonna slide back into that addiction. But if you ever get the Spirit of Jesus in you, he'll help you live above all that mess. He'll help you conquer hidden sin. He'll help you live above addiction. The Holy Ghost will break the shackles off your life.

 

It is still the question that must be asked, "Have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed?"

 

The Church and its doctrines didn't produce Pentecost; Pentecost built the Church and its doctrines. It wasn't the apostles' preaching that brought down power from on high. They hadn't preached yet! Men who were filled with the Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost spent the rest of their lives trying to figure out and explain and write down all the great stuff that God had done for them when they received the baptism of the Holy Ghost.

 

We're still trying two thousand years later to figure out how great the Holy Ghost is. Just how much he can do. It's like they say about your brain. They tell us that studies show that you only use a minimal number of cells in your brain. You've got lots of spares up there. Some people have an incredible amount of spare brain cells. The Holy Ghost is like that. We have yet to tap into one little fingernail of what the Holy Ghost can do.

 

I thank God for everybody who preached to me when I was a kid growing up in Pentecost; I thank God for every sermon preached to others. I thank God for all that, but you listen to me; we haven't begun to scratch the surface of what Jesus can do through vessels surrendered to him. Who are filled up, tanked up, and topped up with the power of the Holy Ghost.

 

Those people, those apostles, those preachers, and leaders were not apologists defending their creed out of a sense of duty to the poor old prophet Joel. They were souls who had been set on fire. And when they wrote down doctrine for us, it didn't come out of their brain. It came fresh from the heart of God through their spirit. And holy men of old wrote the Bible as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

 

The doctrine is good. We're admonished to preach sound doctrine, but the tragedy is there are a lot of Pentecostal churches today sinking like dinosaurs into the tar pits. Their doctrines are correct, but they're destined to become nothing more than a museum of a former revival. God help us!

 

I thank God for our history and our heritage. I thank God for the buildings we've occupied and the pastors that have led us. I thank God for the precious Saints who have prayed for us and given and sacrificed. Many of them are gone on the Glory. But please hear me today; we are not here to build a memorial, put up a few glass cases and some old pictures, and say it used to be like that. God help us! It better still be like that! If we preach the right message, it should get more incredible with every generation.

 

Many churches are destined to become nothing but fossils of former revivals. They may have the correct doctrines, but without the right experience, without the real power of God, the doctrine becomes dusty. So, I thank God for every word of scripture, and you better believe I'm gonna preach the scripture and rightly divide the word of truth! But this book can only help you if you obey it. It can only take you to heaven if you have the experience this book points you to.

 

I thank God not just for the letter but also for the Spirit. It's experiential Pentecost, not just doctrinal Pentecost, that is the Apostolic model. The correct doctrine will always follow the right experience.

 

I worry about people who get doctrine before they get experience. They can argue with you, but they've never experienced what they're arguing about. They can paint you to the wall arguing about the oneness of God or baptism in Jesus' name. Still, they've never experienced it for themselves. They're arguing from a theological perspective.

 

It's easy to prove from the Book of Acts and the New Testament that it's a requirement to be baptized in the name of Jesus for the remission of sins. That's a pretty easy task. It's a pretty easy task to prove that every believer in your Bible was baptized in Jesus' name and every Christian in your Bible was filled with the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in other tongues.

 

When I received the gift of the Holy Ghost, it wasn't that somebody said oh brother, you've received the Spirit. I don't need you to tell me I've received the Spirit! I want God to tell me! God told me I've got the Holy Ghost when I begin speaking in a language I've never learned. That's God showing up and saying hey Clayton, you just received my Spirit into your life. You couldn't do that naturally, but I can let you do it by supernatural means.

 

Pentecostal preaching of doctrine may ensure that we believe in the Holy Ghost. Still, only spiritual hunger will ensure that we receive the Holy Ghost! A "Believed Pentecost" is good, but a "Received Pentecost" turned the world upside down! And it still works that way.

 

You do not receive the Holy Ghost through your head. You do not receive the Holy Ghost through your intellect. You do not receive the Holy Ghost because you decide, well, I'll try this, learn the technique, and then do it. No, you can't do that. You only received the Holy Ghost by getting hungry for it. When you get so hungry for Jesus to come into your life, you give everything to him. You abandon yourself in worship, and it is in an atmosphere of prayer and praise that the Holy Ghost descends.

 

They pray for ten days in an upper room. Nobody left. They stayed there and prayed for ten days, asking God to fill them with the Holy Ghost. Then it happened, "And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance."

 

It wasn't the Church collectively that received the Holy Ghost. Individual believers received the Holy Ghost. In John Chapter 7, Jesus said, "If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive…" 

 

If you believe in Jesus as 'the scripture said,' not like a denomination told you to, not like a preacher told you, but if you believe in me 'as the scripture has said,' out of your belly shall flow rivers of living water. If you believe you should receive. If you believe it's God's will for you to receive. For the Holy Ghost was not yet given. Jesus was speaking prophetically because Jesus was not yet glorified.

 

Are you thankful that Jesus is now glorified? He's now gone back to heaven, and because he went back to heaven, he said if I go away, I'll send you the comforter. And so now we can have that river of living water. The power poured out in the upper room is not optional equipment. It is indispensable equipment. Pentecostals, it's not what we believe about ourselves that sets us apart. In the 1st century, it was what they saw and heard. Peter said, "Being by the right hand of God exalted having received of the Father this promise of the Holy Ghost Jesus has shed forth this which you now see and hear."

 

So, friends, don't tell me what you believe; tell me what you've received! The question in Acts 19 is still the question for today, "have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed."

 

Pentecost is for everybody. I don't care where you come from or how messed up you've gotten. I don't care what wrong turn you took. I don't care if you're suffering from several addictions at the same time. When the Holy Ghost intersects your life and fills you up, all of that is broken. All of that is history. It's over!

 

The same Jesus that came in power to his Church two thousand years ago is available to you now. God wants to fill you with the Holy Ghost. Do you believe in Jesus as the scripture says? If you answer yes, reach out to him today, and he will fill your hungry heart.