Prayer Practice
Breath Prayer – Take 2-3 minutes today to pray a simple breath prayer. Get somewhere quiet and relaxing. Breathe in deeply, and then breathe out fully. As you breathe in, ask God to fill you with His presence, grace, love, peace, etc. Consider using the list of spiritual fruit in Galatians 5:22-23. As you breathe out, offer to God the things you need Him to take from you – sin, doubt, shame, anxiety, fear, etc. Pray this way for just a few minutes, trusting God to work, and then begin reading today’s Scripture.
DAILY READING
REFLECTION
Power and Hope
by Kelsey Bacon
As I read today's passage, I can't help but think what it must have been like for those who were standing in the street, watching and listening as the followers of Jesus were overtaken by the power of the Holy Spirit. For those who didn't experience it, it must have looked completely insane. But Peter's address here is so important--not just because it explains to the crowd what's going on, but because it shines a light on a new era that God was ushering in through the Spirit. And there are two big things I see in this passage that are important to that era:
1. The first is the power of God. Peter describes God's power in bringing his Spirit upon the people, in the signs and wonders that they will perform through him, in the earthly signs, and also in Jesus' death and resurrection. Peter is clearly speaking of God's power, and God's power is evident within the people to whom he has sent his Spirit, the people who are speaking languages they've never known, with tongues of fire over their heads. God is powerful, and his power is to be known through the Savior and through the Spirit as this new era begins.
2. The second important message I see is hope. Even though Peter talks about the last days, he is clearly speaking about miracles, about the saving grace of Jesus, about God being in control and reigning over the world. Though there is still darkness in the world, the power of the Spirit is now within all who believe and God's miraculous power brings us hope.
As you reflect on this passage today, pray and ask God to show you his great power, and to guide your heart toward hope. Hope in the small, and in the big. And thank God for the gift that is his Spirit.
1 comment:
The 2nd chapter of Acts is a turning point for the world as you alluded to. It also demonstrates Gods desire to forgive.
Peter had just had a miserable event and he Failed Christ at His greatest need for support. Peter denied Him 3 times as predicted by Jesus, but after the resurrection Jesus appeared and gently walked him back to his redeemed life and ask him to feed his sheep and that He would use Peter as the main building block of the future church. Peter was a failure as a follower of Christ up to that point and in spite of that,Pentecost happened and peter was a main player that day. Filled with the HS he spoke with the promised power and what a difference that made moving forward.
Dp
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