Acts 2 Become Another man, just like Jesus

Scripture selections are taken from the Rock Church Daily Bread Reading schedule for each month. “Lena’s Journalin’” are Lena’s comments on the specific passages from her Daily Journal.

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Acts 2:1-47

The Holy Spirit Comes
1On the day of Pentecost, seven weeks after Jesus' resurrection, F6 the believers were meeting together in one place. 2Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm in the skies above them, and it filled the house where they were meeting. 3Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. 4And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, F7 as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.
5Godly Jews from many nations were living in Jerusalem at that time. 6When they heard this sound, they came running to see what it was all about, and they were bewildered to hear their own languages being spoken by the believers.
7They were beside themselves with wonder. "How can this be?" they exclaimed. "These people are all from Galilee, 8and yet we hear them speaking the languages of the lands where we were born! 9Here we are—Parthians, Medes, Elamites, people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, the province of Asia, 10Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, and the areas of Libya toward Cyrene, visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism), 11Cretans, and Arabians. And we all hear these people speaking in our own languages about the wonderful things God has done!" 12They stood there amazed and perplexed. "What can this mean?" they asked each other. 13But others in the crowd were mocking. "They're drunk, that's all!" they said.

Peter Preaches to a Crowd
14Then Peter stepped forward with the eleven other apostles and shouted to the crowd, "Listen carefully, all of you, fellow Jews and residents of Jerusalem! Make no mistake about this. 15Some of you are saying these people are drunk. It isn't true! It's much too early for that. People don't get drunk by nine o'clock in the morning. 16No, what you see this morning was predicted centuries ago by the prophet Joel:
17 'In the last days, God said, I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams.
18 In those days I will pour out my Spirit upon all my servants, men and women alike, and they will prophesy.
19 And I will cause wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below— blood and fire and clouds of smoke.
20 The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon will turn bloodred, before that great and glorious day of the Lord arrives.
21 And anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.' F8
22"People of Israel, listen! God publicly endorsed Jesus of Nazareth by doing wonderful miracles, wonders, and signs through him, as you well know. 23But you followed God's prearranged plan. With the help of lawless Gentiles, you nailed him to the cross and murdered him. 24However, God released him from the horrors of death and raised him back to life again, for death could not keep him in its grip. 25King David said this about him:
'I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.
26 No wonder my heart is filled with joy, and my mouth shouts his praises! My body rests in hope.
27 For you will not leave my soul among the dead F9 or allow your Holy One to rot in the grave.
28 You have shown me the way of life, and you will give me wonderful joy in your presence.' F10
29"Dear brothers, think about this! David wasn't referring to himself when he spoke these words I have quoted, for he died and was buried, and his tomb is still here among us. 30But he was a prophet, and he knew God had promised with an oath that one of David's own descendants would sit on David's throne as the Messiah. 31David was looking into the future and predicting the Messiah's resurrection. He was saying that the Messiah would not be left among the dead and that his body would not rot in the grave.
32"This prophecy was speaking of Jesus, whom God raised from the dead, and we all are witnesses of this. 33Now he sits on the throne of highest honor in heaven, at God's right hand. And the Father, as he had promised, gave him the Holy Spirit to pour out upon us, just as you see and hear today. 34For David himself never ascended into heaven, yet he said,
'The LORD said to my Lord, Sit in honor at my right hand
35 until I humble your enemies, making them a footstool under your feet.' F11
36So let it be clearly known by everyone in Israel that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified to be both Lord and Messiah!"
37Peter's words convicted them deeply, and they said to him and to the other apostles, "Brothers, what should we do?"
38Peter replied, "Each of you must turn from your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39This promise is to you and to your children, and even to the Gentiles F12 —all who have been called by the Lord our God." 40Then Peter continued preaching for a long time, strongly urging all his listeners, "Save yourselves from this generation that has gone astray!"
41Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church—about three thousand in all. 42They joined with the other believers and devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, sharing in the Lord's Supper and in prayer.
The Believers Meet Together
43A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. 44And all the believers met together constantly and shared everything they had. 45They sold their possessions and shared the proceeds with those in need. 46They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord's Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity—47all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their group those who were being saved.
FOOTNOTES:F6: Greek When the day of Pentecost arrived. This annual celebration came 50 days after the Passover ceremonies. See Lev 23:16. F7: Or in other tongues. F8: Joel 2:28-32. F9: Greek in Hades; also in 2:31. F10: Ps 16:8-11. F11: Ps 110:1. F12: Greek to those far away.


Copyright Statement: Holy Bible, The New Living Translation

~ Lena’s Journalin’
Continuing on yesterday’s thoughts on the gift of the Holy Spirit, a gift the Father God had anticipated giving man for centuries….
The sound of a rushing Mighty wind filled the house….where THEY were meeting. The people had assembled there to receive this long awaited gift from God, a gift God had prepared many moons ago, a gift so anticipated by the Father and the heavenly hosts that it would not just sound like a small puff of air, but a volcanic eruption of wind and power. Yes, the people had assembled, but the real meeting was one of God and man, other men than just Jesus Christ the man. Human men, were receiving the Divine power of God in earth! God was more than pleased.
What a wonder, the Spirit of God alive in a human. What a wonder indeed. The real wonder is that the will of man was aligning with the will of God, for His kingdom to come into the earth realm. With man’s freewill he was inviting God to rule him. This wonder was meant to be multiplied throughout the whole earth. Let the whole earth be filled with the glory of God.
When God’s spirit comes into man, and man allows God’s spirit to have the reigns of his life, that man is forever changed, becoming fashioned once again into the image and likeness of God. That which was marred by sin’s effects is now being restored, it is being made new again, the curse is being reversed in the earth.
No wonder so many “denominations” minimize the baptism of the spirit with the evidence of speaking with other tongues. The effect of sin on man, desires to remain intact and does not want to be disturbed. That marred image wants to remain the reign holder of men’s lives. Be controlled by the Holy Spirit? Why not? If controlled by anyone, would not I surrender to the control of God, rather than some evil influential presence.
I read recently that even inside of church and quote “Christianity”, the enemy is content with the behavior of newfound faith if there is no spirit of surrender. In the spirit of submission, and in the yielding to others and surrender, is found the victory over a usurping rebelliously natured enemy. He has no problem with people serving in churches, or giving to the poor, or doing great works for God. His only problem with Christians is when they obey others who rule over them, when they submit themselves willingly, when they are governed by authority. That is where he trembles; it is hitting him right where it counts. If he can keep me complaining against rulers, governors, leaders, I’m a victim of his reign. If I submit to God and people as unto God, he is greatly threatened. I have hit on the very root system of his tree and tapped into his life source!
A person preaching even when they feel intimidated, or sharing their faith amidst lies of an enemy who tells them they have no voice, is in demonstration of submission to the Divine authority. Peter could be wallowing in his past behaviors and the denial of Christ and the unworthiness of one who’d sinned, but by the power of the spirit of God alive inside of him, he was able to overcome the lies, the unrighteousness, the intimidation and condemnation and do what God sent him to do, no matter what! He literally became another man, as the man Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit, arose in him.
If I submit to allowing the Holy Spirit to use my tongue to speak in a foreign, to my mind, language, I’m demonstrating submission to the will of another. This is the ultimate breaking of the back of God’s enemies. I don’t submit myself to an evil presence. God and His spirit are NOT evil. When I will not allow submission, and I decide to stay in control, I’m already in service to an evil force of rebellion to God by nature. We all need a nature change, on purpose. If I speak in a foreign, to my mind, tongue and allow that, I will probably also allow God to say anything He’d like in my own understandable language whenever He prompts me!
The power of Peter rising above who he’d been and being bold to answer the call of God to become who he is now was evidenced in the conviction that came on others. His words were empowered by his victory. He was able to believe and receive the Lordship of Christ with the empowerment of God’s very spirit. His testimony was already having impact on the world. It does not take long at all for a man to repent and live a changed life.
Change lies in the will to do His good pleasure rather than just my own pleasure. It may have actually pleased the flesh to wallow in unworthiness and condemnation, the flesh feeds on such things. To cut off the hearing of that voice of lies and listen to and heed God’s voice instead, takes a real man, a son, who submits to the will of the Father, believing in the awesome work of the Son - Jesus.
Fellowship with God and people are both evidences of a Holy Spirit controlled life. With whom do you “break bread”? Do you read or study or discuss the word of God with anyone? Daily? Do you read Daily Bread?
What page are you on?

Daily Meditation/Recital/Question
Ask myself daily: “What Page Am I On?”