January 30, 2025
How could we whittle all of human living down to its two most significant moments? It’s simple.
Both happened within 33 years of each other, and both involved a Divine Invasion from heaven. Both manifested signs and wonders that have not occurred in such ways before or since. Both would change history forever (not just momentarily), and both were the central acts of God in His plan to redeem mankind.
The coming of Christ and the pouring out of the Holy Spirit.
BETHLEHEM: CHRIST’S COMING
At the perfect time, the Father sent His Son to indwell a virgin’s womb as a one-cell organism. He came to live with us and as us. His presence was physical so that we could see, know, love, and follow Him.
What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life—and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us. (1 John 1:1-2)
This moment was attended by a sky full of angels, a star in the heavens, people being drawn to a manger, and a virgin giving birth to the Son of God!
Only this physical life, invading earth, could go to the cross and pay the penalty our sins before a just God, then be raised by God, victorious over sin, death, and hell. This physical invasion made our eternal salvation possible. For all who believe, it makes us fit to enter heaven for all eternity.
God came to dwell, in human flesh, with us. Nothing could be more important.
PENTECOST: THE SPIRIT’S COMING
For God’s great plan to be continued, something had to happen when Jesus left earth physically. He told His disciples what was to occur right before His death.
“I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. (John 14:16-17)
He was coming back, but in Spirit form—to accomplish the next great advancement of the world’s salvation. He was coming to indwell—in Spirit form—every true believer. Now, Christ could be all over the world at different times and places, moving through His body of believers to accomplish the great gospel task. To get the good news to every tongue, tribe, and people.
This is why Christ told His disciples in John 14 that they would do greater works than He did. Not greater in significance, but greater in scope. Now, He would be in all believers, all over the world, all the time.
And so, at the moment of the Spirit’s invasion, it was accompanied by another set of never-to-be-repeated signs: a mighty, rushing wind, flames of fire resting on every believer, and the apostles speaking in languages they did not know. People from “every nation” under heaven were there and heard the gospel, signifying what was about to happen with this Divine Invasion.
But the most important moment of Pentecost—what would change everything in human history—was recorded in eight glorious words:
They were all filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:4)
Can you imagine the moment? They had known God, and then they had seen God in human flesh (Jesus: “If you’ve seen Me, you’ve seen the Father”). But now, the Spirit of God had come to indwell them, never to leave. And they could be filled, controlled, led, empowered, and directed by Him. They were no longer mere men and women but humans filled with God!
This was God’s intent all along. His presence is our greatest need, but our presence with Him is His great delight. He made us in the beginning to be like He is so we could join Him in what He does. But all of this depends upon us being indwelled by Him. Since Pentecost, every true follower of Christ has His presence in them to be accessed every moment of the day and night.
We can ignore His indwelling and experience less than possible, but we have everything we need now if we humbly and dependently cooperate with Him. We must learn to live and abide in His presence … for everything flows from the presence of the Lord.
The Son is fully God, and the Spirit is entirely God. There is no difference in personhood, but just in presentation, in form. The Son, if believed, makes us fit for heaven, and the Spirit, depended upon, makes us fit for earth—powerful, filled, directed, and useful to join God to redeem His world.
The two greatest moments of history until Christ comes again. And we are written right into the story!
February 18, 2025
I have known many people who have had great joy and power in the midst of great suffering. It is humbling that the slightest inconveniences deter many of us from following God. We have not gotten to the bottom—settled the issue. Most often, we live for our comfort, reputation, or gain. When any of those goals are touched, we are troubled and discontent.
February 17, 2025
The repentant who finds God gains everything. “He who has God and everything else,” said C.S. Lewis, “has no more than he who has God alone.”
February 12, 2025
Repentance helps us. Repentance heals us. Repentance restores us and refreshes us. And these are all the outcomes a loving Father desires for His children.
