So much power released when the Holy Spirit
came to the believers a second time there in Jerusalem. They had begun to
experience persecution and yet they were praising God. The earth shook—and they
were filled with the Holy Spirit. An earthquake? There were also earthquakes
when Jesus died on the cross (Matthew 27:54) and when He was resurrected
(Matthew 28:2). Several earthquakes are mentioned in Revelation—(see Chapters
6, 8 11 and 16) all associated with lightning and thunder. There is certainly power
associated with God whenever earthquakes are described in the Bible. Read the
prophesy in Joel.
Blow a trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm
on My holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day
of the LORD is coming; surely it is near.... Before them the earth quakes, The
heavens tremble, The sun and the moon grow dark And the stars lose their
brightness. The LORD utters His voice before His army; surely His camp is very
great, for strong is he who carries out His word. The day of the LORD is indeed
great and very awesome, and who can endure it? "Yet even now,"
declares the LORD, "Return to Me with all your heart, and with fasting,
weeping and mourning; and rend your heart and not your garments." Now
return to the LORD your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to
anger, abounding in lovingkindness and relenting of evil. … "I will
display wonders in the sky and on the earth, blood, fire and columns of smoke. The
sun will be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the great and awesome
day of the LORD comes. And it will come about that whoever calls on the name of
the LORD will be delivered; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be
those who escape, as the LORD has said, even among the survivors whom the LORD
calls." Joel 2:1, 10-13, 30-32.
Joel was telling it very distinctly—the day
of the Lord will be awesome, scary and challenging. Who can survive it? The
Lord graciously wants everyone to come to Him—to call on Him so that they can
survive and be saved. Will you be among those who call upon the Lord?
Prayer
~ Holy Spirit, I thank you that the Lord is gracious, compassionate, slow to
anger, and overflowing with loving kindness. He surely is great and awesome—a source
of power. Please continue to show me ways that I can honor the Lord—by prayer
and fasting…and changing my heart—tearing out the old ways and habits. Who
knows? Perhaps the Lord will give me a reprieve, sending me a blessing instead
of a curse. (Joel 2:14 NLT). I call
upon the name of the Lord and praise Him. Please allow me to speak the word of
God with boldness—as Paul and the disciples in Jerusalem did when they were
filled with the Holy Spirit.
© 2015 by Mickey
M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.
All
scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) unless otherwise
noted.
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