Something Greater

The Pain Of Death "God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. For David says concerning him, "I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken; therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; my flesh also will dwell in hope. For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption. You have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence." Acts 2:24-28 PANGS: "Odin", a pang or throe, especially of childbirth; akin to "odyne" (grief) and "duno" (to go down" The "pain" of death for Jesus was not loosened until God raised Him up. Thus, the pain that Jesus suffered, the deepest pain, was not from the crown of thorns, the beating and flogging...not even the crucifixion. All of these pains would be loosened when His heart and mind shut down, dropping His body ...

Filled With New Wine "But others mocking said, They are filled with new wine. But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them, Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. For these men are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel: "And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy." Acts 2:13-18 All of these words mean plainly what they describe. "Prophesy" means to foretell events and declare truth; "visions" and "dreams" mean things seen, whether awake or asleep. WHAT DO YOU THINK? Few ...

Five Philosophies "How to Bring Back Young Adults Who Have Left the Faith", an article by Whitney Hopler, Crosswalk.com Contributing Writer, posted by www.crosswalk.com , Tuesday, May 17, 2011. Interesting article that classifies people into five philosophies , depending upon how they incorporate faith and ethics: Postmoderns Recoilers Moderns Neopagans Rebels I'm not completely sure this list is comprehensive, but it is definitely thought-provoking . I reject manipulative tactics that attempt to sell Christianity to different markets, or put a spin on the Gospel in order to proselytize to different mindsets. This article does not try to do that . Instead, this article is aimed at trying to help us understand other people, with compassion and humility. I can easily put myself into at least one of these categories, and the descriptions help me see a bit more of life from perspectives that I've not experienced . Christianity, genuine love and tru...

Multitudes Amazed and Perplexed A group of Christians gathered in one large house in Jerusalem to celebrate Pentecost, the fiftieth day after Passover. Pentecost was the common name of the Feast of Harvest, one of three major celebrations commanded of the Jews by God (Exodus 23:14-16). Pentecost was a celebration of the first harvest of crops , a thankful feast in honor of God's providence. It was during the celebration of Pentecost that the Holy Spirit completely overwhelmed that group of Christians : "And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance." Acts 2:4 The Christians rushed out to find people with whom they could share the wonderful news, only to find themselves surrounded by a ...

Tongues Of Fire "And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them." Acts 2:3 DIVIDED: "Diamerízo", to partition thoroughly (literally in distribution, figuratively in dissension); from "diá" (through) and "merízo" (to part, to apportion, bestow, share) and "méros" (a division or share) and "meiromai" (to get as a section or allotment) TONGUES: "Glossa", the tongue; by implication, a language (specially, one naturally unacquired); FIRE: "Pyr", "fire" (specially, lightning) APPEARED: "Optánomai", to gaze with wide-open eyes, as at something remarkable; RESTED: "Kathízo", to seat down, i.e. set (figuratively, appoint); intransitively, to sit (down); figuratively, to settle (hover, dwell); from "kathézomai" (to sit down) and "katá" (down, in place or time) and "hedraîos" (sedentary, immovable) The wor...

Outward Signs Of Inward Change: Wind And Fire "And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting." Acts 2:2 SOUND: "Echos", a loud or confused noise ("echo"), i.e. roar; figuratively, a rumor The same Greek word, "echos" (translated as "reports"), was used to describe the rumors flying around the country regarding Jesus. "And reports about him went out into every place in the surrounding region." Luke 4:37 "Echos" (translated as "sound") was also used to describe the voice of God experienced by the Jews led by Moses. "For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest and the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them." Hebrews 12:18 The word implies frightening, loud sounds from all directions....

Pentecost And The Three Feasts "When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place." Acts 1:2 PENTECOST: "Pentekoste", fiftieth; from "pentekonta" (fifty) and "pente" (five) Pentecost, meaning "the fiftieth day", is the second of the three great Jewish feasts, celebrated at Jerusalem yearly, the seventh week after the Passover, in grateful recognition of the completed harvest. THREE FEASTS: - Feast of Unleavened Bread - Feast of Harvest - Feast of Ingathering "Three times in the year you shall keep a feast to me. You shall keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread. As I commanded you, you shall eat unleavened bread for seven days at the appointed time in the month of Abib, for in it you came out of Egypt. None shall appear before me empty-handed. You shall keep the Feast of Harvest, of the firstfruits of your labor, of what you sow in the field. You shall keep the Feast of Ingathering at the end of th...