Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

-
Come Holy Spirit Renew
Joel 2:28-32
Vs.28, 29 Then afterward I will pour out my spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. Even on the male and female slaves, in those days, I will pour out my spirit.
 The book of Joel is one of the prophetic books of the Old Testament. This book not only speaks about God’s Judgement upon the Israelite community but also gives the hope of the glorious future that God’s people are going to experience if they return back to Yahweh.
 The prophet sees the terrible drought, a massive invasion of locusts and the constant threat of enemies as God’s way of punishments. God the Creator uses nature and Israel’s enemies as His means of divine Judgement. However, this book also speaks about hope and restoration. God has not abandoned his people but all this judgment is to bring them back to Him (Joel 2:13). 
 Based on the passage I would like to share the following thought:
 The Outpouring of God’s Spirit on his people signifies the God’s generosity, presence and love to this world.
 Joel prophesizes that God will pour his Spirit on all people in the last days. God’s Spirit (Holy Spirit) is God’s gift to those who wait upon him. The Holy Spirit is the gift of God to his people. The dwelling of the Holy Spirit in God’s people signifies God’s presence (Joel 2: 27-28). “And the Spirit of the God was hovering over the face of the waters (Gen 1:2).”It is the life giving Spirit. It is also the empowering spirit. In Number 11: 24-25 we read that God gave to seventy men of the elders of the people, a share of spirit that he gave to Moses. As soon as the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied. Outpouring of Yahweh’s spirit is found in many passages of the Old Testament (1 Sam 10:10, Isa 32:15; 44:3-5, Psalms 104:29-30).
 The outpouring of God’s Spirit upon his people also speaks about arrival of the Messianic age which is also the age of redemption and grace.
The recipients of the Holy Spirit is not any individual class or group but to all ‘young and old’, ‘male and female’, ‘masters and slaves.’ Thus in God’s sight there is no discrimination. The Spirit of God is God’s divine presence in our midst and in us. It is the empowering Spirit and the guide to truth (Jn. 16: 8-11, 13-14) which enables one to dream dreams and gives visions.
 his prophesy was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost after the resurrection of Jesus as we read in Acts of the Apostles 2:17. When the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples they began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. So the gift of the Holy Spirit is also to witness of Christ. The Holy Spirit is the power that enables the Church to carry out her mission to witness and proclaim Christ. 
PRAYER
Father God who gave your Spirit to us, we pray that in each moment in our life enable us to confess, witness and proclaim “Jesus Christ is Our Lord and Messiah." Amen. 
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.- 1 John 4: 2-3
Rev. Shinoi Joseph Thalavoor MTC, Naduthery

Popular posts from this blog

Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

-
  Constant, patient and welcoming love of God   St. Luke 15: 11-32  V.21: And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ The parable of the ‘Prodigal son’ is one of the most frequently quoted parables that Jesus told His disciples. The parable contains the rich mine of human virtues and emotions. This parable is lived and re-lived in progressing civilizations from time immemorial and continuing. It brings out in vivid detail the pathetic depth of human sinfulness and the glorious heights of God’s forgiveness.      As a story of human nature, fathers are generally merciful to their children in any circumstance. They are very protective and are eager to provide for and secure the lives of their offspring. Jesus is telling this parable to underscore the superlative love of God to His children. The nature of such love is reiterated by Jesus in Matthew 7:11. Humankind wh...
Read more

Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

-
Revelation for Liberation Acts 27:18-26 Sherine Thomas Long Island MTC, NY 20  When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest raged, all hope of our being saved was at last abandoned. “After winter comes the summer.  After night comes the dawn.  And after every storm, there comes clear open skies” so said a Scottish clergyman from the 1600s. It’s been said, that hope can sometimes be the most dangerous weapon.  However, it’s sometimes the hardest weapon to carry when you’re living with the loss of a loved one, something that almost feels like a terrible nightmare that’ll never go away.  It’s a weapon difficult to carry when day in and day out no one seems to hear or see those tears that are shed or silent cries that are made during a heartfelt prayer. It’s a weapon difficult to carry as you see your loved one lying on that hospital bed.  It’s a weapon difficult to carry as you search and seek out answers to tel...
Read more

Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

-
PRIESTHOOD: THE ANOINTED MINISTRY Exodus 40:12-16 Bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting... wash them with water. Then dress Aaron in the sacred garments, anoint him and consecrate him so he may serve me as priest (Exodus 40: 12-13). Priesthood among the people of God was a divine command and initiation. God wanted some people to be separated for the special ministry among his people. God appointed Aaron and his descendants to take up this kind of ministry among the people of God. Priests are always separated and appointed as channels that connect God with his people. All throughout the history of Israel, priests played an important role in connecting people with God and to lead and guide them in the statutes of God. But there are incidents in the Bible where the priests failed in their duties and that led the people to go away from God. So the priests have a special and significant ministry to perform in this world among his people. Two important things...
Read more