Good morning, brothers and sisters.
Our verse for today comes from Acts 11:16, “And I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
You know the effects that water can have. Growing up, many of us too often made the mistake of leaving our glass on the wrong table so that later when we came for it, an ugly ring was tattooed into the wood, branding it with our mark of carelessness and forgetfulness. And if you took that same cool glass of water, filled a pot with it and cranked up the heat on the stovetop until the water came to a boil, you would have completed the first step in every emergency, at-home baby delivery on record. Leave an ink pen in your pocket and you know what the jostling water of the washing machine will do to your clothes. But when you are placed under water as part of your Christian faith, what happens? Does God do anything to you? Does the water? Is something different about you other than you being soaking wet in your clothes? Even if you got sprinkled as a baby with a handful, did that have an effect on you somewhere down the road? Are you different today because of that moment? Baptism is important, as I think we all can agree. Jesus commanded it as part of the disciple-making process, and churches have for centuries recognized it as a means of belonging to their particular church body.
And so, what of this being baptized with the Holy Spirit? Too great is the divide over what that might mean and when and how it might or must happen to the true follower of Christ for this writing, but Jesus certainly promised that a Person of the Godhead would come to live within each of His redeemed children. And if that is the case, if we believe the words of our Lord, then in the name of all that is holy, how is God Almighty making His presence known in and through your heart and soul? If tiny drops of water can leave etchings in history from civilizations past, what effects is the Creator of the universe having on one whom He carried out His perfect redemption story to save from everlasting torment into forever glory? I know you realize God is dwelling within you, but do you realize that God. is. dwelling. within. you? You cannot be the same as you were if you have experienced this truth. Let it have its supernatural effects on you.
As we seek Him today, surrender everything to the Holy Spirit, and totally depend on Him for everything.
Have a transformed Monday.
#4 Rich Holt
Dad of Ripken, Koy, TrishaJean, Samantha, Kakie Holiday and Raleigh
Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them.
