Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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 The Holy Spirit - The Gift 

Exodus 19:10-21 
V.11: and be ready by the third day, because on that day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. 
 
God liberated the Israelites from Egyptian bondage and brought them through the Red Sea into the wilderness of Mount Sinai to go to the promised land that He promised to their father Abraham. Their lives were dependent on God to meet the basic needs of food, water, and protection in the wilderness with no natural resources.

God told Moses to get the people ready by washing their clothes and consecrate themselves for God’s revelation of Himself at Mount Sinai. The scene of God’s revelation was most majestic with thunder, lightning, thick clouds, and smoke. God is a spirit with no form and the Israelites witnessed the presence of God in the fire. The punishment for crossing the boundary to gaze upon God was severe and the people were trembling with fear.

In the Old Testament time, the Spirit of God came upon only selected people to accomplish the task God wanted them to do but in the New Testament, God revealed Himself in the person of Jesus Christ and sacrificed Himself as a sin offering at Calvary on the mount Zion. The Holy Spirit is given as a gift on the day of Pentecost to all the people who were gathered in the room as promised by Lord Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, is dwelling in every believer who is washed in the blood of Jesus Christ. The faith in Christ sanctifies the believer and Holy Spirit comes and dwells within the person. We cannot boast about it or earn it. The same Holy Spirit poured out on the Apostles on the day of Pentecost is still dwelling in us all. The Holy Spirit is a comforting Spirit and guides the believers all through their life. Whether in the Old Testament time or in the New Testament time the Spirit is the same but manifested in different ways. 
 
Prayer
O Holy Spirit, help us to listen to you every moment of our lives. Amen.
 
Thought of the day
Our body is the living temple of the Holy Spirit.
Are we conscious of it all the time?
 
 
Chacko Varughese
Epiphany MTC, New York

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