Saturday, April 3, 2010

Easter Now

Bless the Lord! It is Easter now, but I cannot wait for Pentecost, the promised Spirit, the very power that raised Christ from the dead!

Acts 2:14-24 14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and
addressed them, "Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known
to you, and listen to what I say. 15 Indeed, these are not drunk, as you
suppose, for it is only nine o'clock in the morning. 16 No, this is what was
spoken through the prophet Joel: 17 'In the last days it will be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters
shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall
dream dreams. 18 Even upon my slaves, both men and women, in those days I will
pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy. 19 And I will show portents in the
heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and smoky mist. 20
The sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the coming of
the Lord's great and glorious day. 21 Then everyone who calls on the name of the
Lord shall be saved.' 22 "You that are Israelites, listen to what I have to say:
Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with deeds of power, wonders,
and signs that God did through him among you, as you yourselves know-- 23 this
man, handed over to you according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God,
you crucified and killed by the hands of those outside the law. 24 But God
raised him up, having freed him from death, because it was impossible for him to
be held in its power.