This coming Sunday, May 11th, is Mothers' Day.
It is also Pentecost Sunday.
The following article is from a 2004 issue of the Pentecostal
Evangel which is a weekly magazine from the Assemblies of God
organization headquartered in Springfield, MO. I have been receiving
this magazine for several years. The article was written by Terry
Raburn who is the superintendent of the Peninsular Florida District and
is from page 19 of the May 30, 2004 issue. The article is titled "Who
is the Holy Spirit?" and is included in this particular issue because
May 30 was Pentecost Sunday that year.
After His resurrection, Jesus appeared several times to different individuals
and groups. At one time He appeared to over 500 believers (
1 Cor. 15:6).
Just before His ascension into Heaven, Jesus told His disciples to wait
in Jerusalem for an experience that He referred to as "the promise of the Father"
and as a baptism in the Holy Spirit. This is recorded in the first chapter of the Book of Acts.
It is recorded in the second chapter of the New Testament Book of Acts,
how on the Hebrew festival of Shavuot or Pentecost, the Holy Spirit
came upon a group of about 120 disciples of Jesus who were part of
the infant Church. This happened around nine o'clock in the morning as
they were gathered in the Temple praising and worshiping God (Luke
24:53) waiting for the power which Jesus had promised would be
available when the Holy Spirit came upon them (
Acts 1:4-8). As far as
we can tell this would have been Sunday May 28, A.D.30.
Here is the article:
WHO IS THE HOLY SPIRIT?
In Matthew He is the One who begot the child Jesus through the Virgin
Mary (1:18).
In Mark He is the anointer (1:10).
In Luke He is the identifier of Christ (3:22).
In John He is our helper (14:16), our guide (16:13), our peace and our
companion (20:21-23).
In Acts He is our power (1:8), our infiller (2:4), the fulfiller of
prophecy (2:16), the ambassador to the Gentiles (10:44), and the
stabilizing structure of the Church (20:28).
In Romans He is our deliverer from the law of sin and death (8:1,2),
our life (8;9-11), and proof of our sonship to God (8:14) and heirship
of God (8:17).
In 1 Corinthians He is the giver of gifts (12:7-11).
In 2 Corinthians He is the glory of the New Covenant (3:7-8) and the
bringer of liberty (3:17).
In Galatians He is the producer of spiritual fruit (5:22,23).
In Ephesians He is the unity of the Church in the bond of peace
(4:1-6), the giver of leadership gifts (4:11-13), and the equipper with
the whole armor of God (6:13-18).
In Philippians He is the consolation, comfort and fellowship of the
believers (2:1) and assists our worship and rejoicing in Christ (3:3).
In Colossians He is our spiritual song (3:16).
In 1 Thessalonians He is the power and assurance of the gospel (1:5).
In 2 Thessalonians He is the defender against lawlessness and the
apostasy of the age (2:13).
In 1 Timothy He is the defender of faith and doctrine (4:1).
In 2 Timothy He is the keeper of sound works and faith (1:13,14).
In Titus He is our cleansing, renewing, and regeneration (3:5).
In Philemon He is the restorer of relationships (1:10-17).
In Hebrews He is the encourager of the saints (3:7), and the entrance
into the Holy Place (9:8).
In James He is the empowerer of the works of faith (2:26).
In 1 Peter He is the glorifier of Christ and the anointer of preachers
(1:11,12).
In 2 Peter He is the inspirer and giver of the Holy Scriptures (1:21).
In 1 John He is the revealer of Christ and of antichrists (2:20-23),
the keeper of truth (4:1) and the enemy of error (4:3).
In 2 John He is the energizer of love.
In 3 John He is the energizer of good.
In Jude He empowers the prayers of the saints (1:20).
In Revelation He is the keeper of the saints (1:10) and the usher into
the presence of God (4:2).
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