{"id":1270,"date":"2018-10-26T07:50:51","date_gmt":"2018-10-26T15:50:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/?p=1270"},"modified":"2018-10-26T07:50:51","modified_gmt":"2018-10-26T15:50:51","slug":"devotion-acts-214-21-nine-hundred-years-later-it-happens-part-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/?p=1270","title":{"rendered":"Devotion Acts 2:14-21 Nine Hundred Years Later It Happens Part 3"},"content":{"rendered":"
Acts 2:14-21\u00a0<\/b>\u2013\u00a0Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: \u201cFellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say.\u00a015\u00a0These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It\u2019s only nine in the morning!\u00a016\u00a0No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17\u00a0\u201c\u2018In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people.\u00a0 Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.\u00a0 18\u00a0Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.\u00a0 19\u00a0I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. 20\u00a0The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.\u00a0 21\u00a0And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord\u00a0will be saved.\u2019<\/i><\/div>\n
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\u201c<\/span>No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17\u00a0\u201c\u2018In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people.\u201d<\/i>\u00a0\u00a0Peter is here quoting from\u00a0Joel 2:28<\/b>.\u00a0 In context, we could read all of chapter two, but let\u2019s narrow it down\u00a0Vs 2:28-32<\/b>\u00a0\u201c<\/span>And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit\u00a0on all people.\u00a0 Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.\u00a0 29\u00a0Even on my servants,\u00a0both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.\u00a0 30\u00a0I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and billows of smoke.\u00a0 31\u00a0The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the\u00a0Lord.\u00a0 32\u00a0And everyone who calls on the name of the\u00a0Lord\u00a0will be saved; for on Mount Zion\u00a0and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the Lord has said, even among the survivors whom the\u00a0Lord\u00a0calls.<\/i>\u201d\u00a0 Reading these verses Joel we can clearly see that Joel was talking about the Last Days.\u00a0 What is considered the Last Days?\u00a0 At this point in time, the term Last Days would apply to us more than a point in time over two thousand years ago.\u00a0 However, in fact, the Last Days started when Jesus walked the earth.\u00a0\u00a0Hebrews 1:2<\/b>\u00a0states\u00a0<\/span>\u201cbut in these last days\u00a0He has spoken to us by his Son,\u00a0whom he appointed heir\u00a0of all things, and through whom\u00a0also he made the universe.\u201d<\/i>\u00a0 Hebrews was likely written about 66 A.D and it is referring to the times they lived in as the Last Days. So according to scripture we can say that at the time of the New Testament writers, those days were considered the Last Days.\u00a0 Additionally this verse from Hebrews states that\u00a0\u201cin these last days He has spoken to us by His Son.\u201d<\/i>\u00a0 So scripture also identifies the Last Days as the days that Jesus lived on earth and was teaching His disciples. In\u00a0Matthew 24<\/b>\u00a0Jesus tells the disciples what will happen during the Last Days which He describes as the \u201cend of the age.\u201d\u00a0 Those events that Jesus spoke about had not occurred and in fact have, or are, occurring during the time we now live in.\u00a0 So Jesus referred to the Last Days, or \u201cend of the age\u201d as a time in the distant future.\u00a0 The Apostle Paul in\u00a02 Timothy 3:1<\/b>\u00a0states \u201cUnderstand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.\u201d\u00a0 So Paul here states that the Last Days are also days beyond their times as he states the Last Days \u201cwill come.\u201d<\/i>\u00a0 Speaking of days still to come as the Last Days was Isaiah in\u00a0Isaiah 2:1-5<\/b>.<\/div>\n
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There is importance and application in understanding that we live in the Last Days (the days since Jesus walked and taught on earth).\u00a0 Peter states that the events that had just happened on that Pentecost day were what the prophet Joel prophesied (circa the 5th<\/sup>\u00a0and 7th<\/sup>\u00a0century B.C.) would happen in the Last Days.\u00a0 We have already established the Last Days began with Jesus and that the days we live in are still considered the Last Days.\u00a0 That being the case, then the prophecy of Joel applies to us every bit as much in these days as in the first Pentecost.\u00a0 So the power of the Holy Ghost is not a one-time event, but rather meant for all of Jesus\u2019s church that have and will live during the Last Days.\u00a0 In fact\u00a0Acts 10:44-47<\/b>\u00a0records another instance of the Holy Spirit poured out on later believers and they spoke in tongues.\u00a0 In\u00a0V47\u00a0<\/b>Peter states that these gentile believers received the Holy Spirit \u201cjust as we have.\u201d\u00a0 The original language points to the fact that these gentile believers received the Holy Spirit in the same manner, the same proportion and to the same degree as the Apostles and the disciples at the first Pentecost.\u00a0 Furthermore, another recorded act of subsequent new believers having the Holy Spirit come upon them is recorded in\u00a0Acts 19:4-7<\/b>.\u00a0 In this instance it is recorded that these new believers not only spoke in tongues, but prophesied.\u00a0 Family, the same power of the Holy Spirit that came upon the Apostles and disciples in the first Pentecost is also available to us.\u00a0 All believers have the Holy Spirit within and the gifts of the Holy Spirit are available to them.\u00a0 They are available to all disciples of Christ of have lived and do live in these Last Days.\u00a0 That includes us!\u00a0 Praise the Lord!<\/div>\n
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In many (most?) third world countries the gifts of the Spirit are known of and flowing through many disciples of Christ.\u00a0 They have not yet, as in western countries, been jaded because of the many frauds and self-promoters that we have seen.\u00a0 Certainly we have known of many frauds.\u00a0 Yet even the word fraud, or counterfeiter, reveals within themselves that there is an original, or a real, that they attempt to portray.\u00a0 In past days the words Christian and Rock being used together would have caused a great outcry.\u00a0 Now, it is commonly accepted.\u00a0 Family, because the enemy counterfeits something does not mean we must run from the fake, but that we must find the true. Rock music has certainly been used by the enemy, but it is also used by God.\u00a0 The instruments are not evil, but how they are used could be used by evil or could be used to bless.\u00a0 The gifts of the Holy Spirit have been counterfeited and misused.\u00a0 That does not mean that we run from the true gifts from God, but rather that we should seek them out and be blessed by God.<\/div>\n
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Family, we live in the last days and all are all joint heirs to all the blessings, and the gifts of God.\u00a0 From salvation in Jesus Christ, to the promises of provision and protection, and to the gifts of the Spirit.\u00a0 They are all for the edification and encouragement of the church, except one, the gift of tongues that is a personal prayer language to God.\u00a0 There are three types of tongues 1. An unknown tongue that no-one including the person praying understands.\u00a0 It is a language of heaven that speaks directly to God (1 Corinthians 14:2<\/b>).\u00a0 This tongue is meant for the edification of the one whom has this gift (1 Corinthians 14:4<\/b>).\u00a0 The second tongue is when a person gives a message for the group of people present and is meant to be interpreted (1 Corinthians 14:5<\/b>).\u00a0 The third tongue is obviously represented in\u00a0Acts 2:1-12<\/b>.\u00a0 Family, let no-one cheat you from the fact that the gifts of the Spirit that began on the first Pentecost are intended to point people to Jesus and to enable and encourage the entire church to Jesus.\u00a0 Now, not all believers speak in tongues.\u00a0 They didn\u2019t then (1 Corinthians 12:30)<\/b>\u00a0and not all do now.\u00a0 Yet, let us not end with that but also note\u00a01 Corinthians 14:39<\/b>\u00a0where Paul encourages the gifts and clearly states to not forbid speaking in tongues.\u00a0 Yes,\u00a0V40<\/b>\u00a0states that it should be done in an orderly way.\u00a0 However, this verse is often incorrectly used.\u00a0 Some state this verse as a reason not to speak in tongues.\u00a0 That is not what Paul in expressing.\u00a0 In fact, he said that everything, including these gifts, should be \u201cdone\u201d in an orderly way.\u00a0 He said they should be done, not excluded.<\/div>\n
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The gifts of the Spirit are meant as a tool to: 1: Point to Jesus and glorify God.\u00a0\u00a0 2) To encourage and edify the church and also the individual believer.\u00a0 Any person who uses the gifts to point to oneself and, or, glorify oneself, errs and needs to repent.<\/div>\n
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From Pentecost to today, the Lord God equips His church to complete the works of Christ.\u00a0 Praise God who loves and empowers us even today.\u00a0 Praise God who continues to live within us, to transform us and who enables us today to do the continuing work of Jesus.\u00a0 Praise God!<\/div>\n
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Psalm 150:6<\/b>\u00a0–\u00a0Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.\u00a0 Praise the Lord!<\/div>\n
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Micah 7:7<\/b>\u00a0–\u00a0But as for me, I watch\u00a0in hope\u00a0for the\u00a0Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear\u00a0me.<\/div>\n
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Micah 6:8<\/b>\u00a0–\u00a0He has shown You, O man, what\u00a0is\u00a0good; And what does the\u00a0Lord\u00a0require of You but to do justly, to love mercy, And to walk humbly with Your God.<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Acts 2:14-21\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: \u201cFellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say.\u00a015\u00a0These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It\u2019s only nine in the morning!\u00a016\u00a0No, this is what was spoken…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1192],"tags":[82,129,104,103,2082,101,94,17,2036],"class_list":["post-1270","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-devotion","tag-acts","tag-corinthians","tag-hebrews","tag-isaiah","tag-joel","tag-matthew","tag-micah","tag-psalm","tag-timothy"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1270","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1270"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1270\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1271,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1270\/revisions\/1271"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1270"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1270"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1270"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}