April 2010
(Note: Pastor's Pen is published on a monthly basis)
Pentecost
The word “Pentecost,” and what it means, has characterized the Church of God for more than one hundred years. The day when our people were persecuted, caricatured and make the brunt of jokes has passed. As a people we withstood those early years and we now rejoice to see the fruit of Pentecost revival made manifest throughout the world.
Many today doubt the Pentecost movement is real, whether it will continue its flow or is being diluted in these last days. Will our children understand the outpouring of the Holy Spirit? Will they recognized and feel the moving of the Spirit? Will they receive of this divine power made accessible to them?
The Prophet Joel said, “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophecy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit” (Joel 2:28-29, KJV).
Smith Wigglesworth tells of the first steam engine in one of his devotions. “When George Stephenson built his first locomotive engine, he took his sister Mary to see it. She looked at it and said to her brother, ‘George, It’ll never go.’ He said to her, ‘Get in, Mary.’ She said again, ‘It’ll never go.’ He said to her, ‘We’ll see; you get in.’ Mary at last got in. The whistle blew, there was a puff and a rattle, and the engine started off. Then Mary cried out, ‘George, it’ll never stop! It’ll never stop!’ ”
So as it was in the Upper Room, and it has never stopped!! Acts 2:1-4 says, “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (KJV).
Like the steam engine, the Spirit came in with a lot of noise, fire and power and no one has been able to stop it since—and it will not be stopped until Jesus returns! The wind is blowing again all across this nation, and Northwest felt that power during our revival services, and it continues. Pentecost Sunday is coming up May 18th—this month let’s be praying, fasting and expecting a great outpouring on that Sunday Anniversary of Pentecost!
Love and prayers,
~ Pastor Roberts
Copyright © 2010 Northwest Tampa Church of God