{"id":19962,"date":"2022-10-22T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-10-22T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mailchi.mp\/urc\/urc-daily-devotion-22-october-2022"},"modified":"2022-10-22T06:00:00","modified_gmt":"2022-10-22T05:00:00","slug":"urc-daily-devotion-22-october-2022","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.trinitywimbledon.org\/index.php\/urc-daily-devotion-22-october-2022\/","title":{"rendered":"URC Daily Devotion 22 October 2022"},"content":{"rendered":"

Acts 19: 1-10<\/strong>
While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul passed through the inland regions and came to Ephesus, where he found some disciples.  He said to them, \u2018Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?\u2019 They replied, \u2018No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.\u2019  Then he said, \u2018Into what then were you baptized?\u2019 They answered, \u2018Into John\u2019s baptism.\u2019  Paul said, \u2018John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus.\u2019  On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.  When Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied\u2014  altogether there were about twelve of them. He entered the synagogue and for three months spoke out boldly, and argued persuasively about the kingdom of God.  When some stubbornly refused to believe and spoke evil of the Way before the congregation, he left them, taking the disciples with him, and argued daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus.  This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia, both Jews and Greeks, heard the word of the Lord.<\/p>\n

Reflection<\/strong>
Can you believe there are Christians who don\u2019t know about the Holy Spirit, let alone understand Him? I certainly can! Growing up in a Christian home, attending Sunday school, and in assemblies and lessons in school I heard the exciting Bible stories, and especially the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. Being a child in an evangelical church, which had been the church of social reformer, Peter Lee, I learnt of the need to give my life to Jesus, and live that life to care for sisters and brothers. But I remember nothing about the Holy Spirit \u2013 we must have had the Pentecost story, but that happened 2000 years ago.<\/p>\n

For me, my learning about the Spirit was sudden, dramatic, totally unexpected and unexplainable.  After a boring preachers\u2019 meeting, we were praying – I was thrown off my chair, and felt so small, insignificant before God, but yet also as big as the universe, full of God\u2019s love for even me. They say I got up like a drunk man, I was filled with what I soon came to know as the Holy Spirit. From that moment, my life belonged to Jesus, I was ready to hear his call, and received spiritual gifts to make my service more fruitful. <\/p>\n

Many will say that has never happened to them \u2013 my wife included. Maybe you, like her, don\u2019t need such a kick up the backside. Perhaps you have the natural (or rather supernatural) gift of just knowing the Holy Spirit is at the heart of your life and allow Him to lead you in all God calls you to do. <\/p>\n

So do I understand the Holy Spirit?  Not likely. But then do I really understand Love either! Just receive God\u2019s love, look to Jesus to know how loveable you are, and share that Love with all. That seems to be how the Holy Spirit works in my life. I am still learning to recognise His voice and how to respond. Isn\u2019t it so exciting when we do this together<\/p>\n

Prayers<\/strong>
\u201cO Holy Spirit, descend plentifully into my heart
Enlighten the dark corners of this neglected dwelling 
And scatter there Thy cheerful beams. \u201d (Augustine)
O Holy Spirit come into our hearts, that we may know we are sisters and brothers. Amen<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Acts 19: 1-10While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul passed through the inland regions and came to Ephesus, where he found some disciples.  He said to them, \u2018Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?\u2019 They replied, \u2018No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.\u2019  Then he said, \u2018Into what … <\/p>\n

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