Swollen with the Spirit

Scripture for the week:
They all met together and were constantly united in prayer, along with Mary the mother of Jesus, several other women, and the brothers of Jesus. Acts 1:14 NLT

Tuesday reading:
Acts 2

key verse (s): Acts 2

observations & questions:
 they were sitting in  house and the sound of a mighty windstorm filled the room.  Everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit.  The word for house here is oikos, which could be used of any inhabited place.  

The word for filled in verse 4 pimpremi is translated many times as swollen or to swell.  So you might say they were swollen (filled to the brim) with the Spirit.


They spoke with other tongues.  This infers it was not their normal tongue or language but another one.   This ability was given to them by the Holy Spirit.

Interesting that people came running when they heard the loud noise.  Many of the people who had come to hear what the comotion was all about heard these people speaking in their own native tongues. 

I am curious what these filled with the spirit Christians were telling about God as they spoke in the various languages of all these people groups.


Peter steps up and addresses the crowd and addresses their confusion.  This is not ... but this is ...God pouring out His Spirit on all men and women.



prayer:
Lord teach us how to be filled to the brim with your Spirit.  Teach us about how the Holy Spirit can give us abilities beyond what are in us naturally.

Learning Agenda:
Leadership Learning from Bloggers

WHAT I WISH SOMEONE WOULD HAVE TOLD ME

#1 - Your Primary Objective Should Be To Be Faithful To Jesus And His Vision.

If you are planting a church then PLEASE–do read books, go to conferences, ask
questions…BUT PLEASE, at the end of the day don’t try to do what someone else has
done…and don’t try to become something you are not–even if something is a GREAT idea…if
God isn’t leading you to do it–DON’T, I can promise if you do it will be a HUGE waste of time.

You and I are called to be faithful to Jesus. How has HE called you to do church? You’ve GOT
to get a WORD from HIM…and when you do–pursue it with relentless passion and do not
apologize or alter your course for ANYONE!

#3 - You Cannot Take People To A Place You’ve Never Been!

One of the mistakes I believe church planters/pastors often make is that we want our churches to
go on incredible journeys with God–yet we are not personally on going on an incredible journey
with God. We want to see our people grow closer to Jesus–yet we aren’t growing closer to
Jesus.

If you want your church to get a fresh word from God then you need to beg Him for a fresh word for yourself.

If we are not being faithful in our personal walk with Christ then how in the world are we ever
going to hear His voice in regards to the direction of the church and messages. I personally
believe if we would spend more time on our faces before God and less time on the internet
searching for sermon illustrations that God would continue to rock our worlds–AND the people
in our church!

#5 - You Will Be Criticized When God Begins To Move–Expect It And Get Over It.

#7 - Be True To Who God Designed You To Be

you will never, I mean EVER, do life and/or ministry in such a way that wins the approval of everyone–so STOP TRYING. (Please see Galatians 1:10)

God wired me in a unique way. I use comedy. I laugh a lot. I am A-D-D. I am not “deep.” I
love Clemson. I hate cats (yes, even yours!) I wear blue jeans. I make fun of religious idiots. I
am “abrasive” at times. I get emotional about the church and what I perceive to be God’s
passion for it.

#9 - Never, I MEAN EVER, Underestimate The Importance And Power Of Prayer

Prayer isn’t just a good idea when we can’t think of anything else to do. It isn’t something to tack
on to every Christian meeting to make us feel better about ourselves. It should never take a
backseat to anything…it should be THE THING that guides the people in the church on a
personal basis.

Prayer:
God, Thank you for life itself.  Thank you for the freedom to live in America where I have so many personal freedoms.  Thank you for the privileges I have. 

I pray for Experience life that all of us would hear Gods voice for our future, that we would her Gods voice for our present, and we would hear Gods voice on how to deal with the past.  Lord help experience life be a blessing to the city of Lubbock.  Show us how to serve you in loving our neighbors and loving our brothers and sisters in the body of Christ in Lubbock.

Lord I pray for our singles lifehouses today.  I pray that you would direct us to your vision for our lives.  I pray for each single adult that is involved at Experience life that you would lead them to not only knowing you, but being on fire for you, and you would direct them to be leaders in the city of Lubbock but more than that in the kingdom of God.  Show us Lord how to multiply our lifehouse that more people can be reached and encouraged and pointed toward you.