Pentecost Sunday 2012 (May 27th)

From: http://www.gotquestions.org/Pentecost-Sunday.html

Ref: Balancing the Christian Life by Charles Ryrie
Pentecost Sunday - About.com

Do look at the post "Is Venus the Star of Bethlehem" by clicking here.

Celebrated 50 days after Easter, Pentecost Sunday is a commemoration and celebration of the receiving of the Holy Spirit by the early church. John the Baptist prophesied of the first Pentecost when Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire (Matthew 3:11). Jesus confirmed this prophecy with the promise of the Holy Spirit to the disciples in John 14:26. He showed Himself to these men after His death on the cross and His resurrection, giving convincing proofs that He was alive. Jesus told the disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the Father’s gift of the Holy Spirit, from whom they would receive power to be His witnesses to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:3-8). After Jesus’ ascension to heaven, the men returned to Jerusalem and joined together in prayer in an upper room. On the Day of Pentecost, just as promised, the sound of a violent wind filled the house and tongues of fire came to rest on each of them and all were filled with the Holy Spirit. They were given the power of communication, which Peter used to begin the ministry for which Jesus had prepared him. After the coming of the Holy Spirit, the disciples did not stay in the room basking in God’s glory but burst out to tell the world. This was the beginning of the church as we know it.

Pentecost Sunday is celebrated to recognize the gift of the Holy Spirit, realizing that God’s very life, breath and energy live in believers. During this service, John 20:19-23 may be the core of the message about our risen Savior supernaturally appearing to the fear-laden disciples. Their fear gave way to joy when the Lord showed them His hands and side. He assured them peace and repeated the command given in Matthew 28:19-20; saying, “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” Then He breathed on them, and they received the Holy Spirit (John 20:21-23).

The celebration of Pentecost Sunday reminds us of the reality that we are all have the unifying Spirit that was poured out upon the first-century church in Acts 2:1-4. It is a reminder that we are co-heirs with Christ, to suffer with Him that we may also be glorified with Him; that the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good (1 Corinthians 12:7); that we are all baptized by one Spirit into one body (1 Corinthians 12:13); and that the Spirit which raised Jesus from the dead lives inside believers (Romans 8:9-11). This gift of the Holy Spirit that was promised and given to all believers on the first Pentecost is promised for you and your children and for all who are far off whom the Lord our God will call (Acts 2:39).

Is Venus the Star of Bethlehem?

A more detailed post will be made soon. Until then, please read the full articles from the links below.

Original articles from:
http://www.scripturescholar.com/VenusStarofBethlehem.pdf
http://www.scripturescholar.com/StarOfBethlehem.pdf
http://www.scripturescholar.com/StarOfBethlehemNotes.pdf

Summary (from the article)

The heavens declare the glory of God to all (Psalms 19:1). The sun, moon, fixed and wandering stars all announced His glory. The stars announced that His glorious Son would soon be conceived. The sun and moon gave Him glory by diminishing themselves when He was born and when He died. He was uniquely identified as the one to whom the signs in the heavens referred to when the magi arrived. God makes pictures in the sky that everyone can interpret. One does not have to be a professional astrologer to interpret them, but one does have to observe. Venus rose in the constellation of Leo on August 24, 2 B.C. preceding the birth of John the Baptist by about one year. This sign announced the King comes. Venus rose in the constellation of Aries on March 27, A.D. 1; it marked the first anniversary of Jesus’ conception. Venus was visible from before dawn until late afternoon when it faded form sight it was over the house of the holy family. This sign announced the Lamb of God comes. Venus rose on April 5, A.D. 33 in Pisces and coincided with Jesus’ resurrection. This sign announced the Church comes. A second picture in the sky March 5, A.D. 31, at the start of Jesus’ ministry announced Him as the Lamb of God, the Way to heaven.

The morning stars witnessed the foundation of the earth. God’s plan to redeem us was in progress before Adam walked the earth. Will you ever look at the sky with the same casualness again? Our epoch starts on January 1, A.D. 1, the day Jesus was named and circumcised. This is the day Jesus entered the family of God. Every time you date something, you are witnessing to the birth of the Son of God. This sign was unique, a vertical scepter at dawn between the feet of Lion of Judah at a heliacal rising of Venus with the brightest stars near the horizon where extinction was the greatest.

Ascension Day (May 17th, 2012)

Ascension Day commemorates the ascension of Christ into Heaven. Observed generally by Catholics and Anglicans, Ascension Day, also known as the Feast of Ascension, occurs on the Thursday 40 days after Easter. It’s a critical event in the history of the Christian faith. Jesus’ ascension marked the completion of his ministry on earth, and upon his return to heaven he fulfilled his promise to send the Holy Spirit to guide the fledgling Christian church. And at the ascension, Christ’s disciples were assured that he would return one day. For many Christians, Ascension Day provides a sense of hope that the glorious and triumphant return of Jesus is near .It is a reminder of the Kingdom of God within their hearts, and of the ever-present Spirit of God, watching over them and protecting them, as they spread the light of Jesus' truth throughout the world.

Acts 1:1-11

New International Version (NIV)

Jesus Taken Up Into Heaven

1 In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach ² until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. ³ After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. ⁴ On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. ⁵ For John baptized with^[a] water, but in a few days you will be baptized with^[b] the Holy Spirit.”

⁶ Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”

⁷ He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. ⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria,and to the ends of the earth.”

⁹ After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.

¹⁰ They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them.¹¹ “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

Other descriptions of Jesus’ ascension can be found in:

Matthew 28:16-20

New International Version (NIV)

The Great Commission

¹⁶ Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. ¹⁷ When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. ¹⁸ Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Mark 16:14-20

New International Version (NIV)

¹⁴ Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen.

¹⁵ He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. ¹⁶ Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. ¹⁷ And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; ¹⁸ they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”

¹⁹ After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. ²⁰ Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.

Luke 24:50-53

New International Version (NIV)

The Ascension of Jesus

⁵⁰ When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. ⁵¹ While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. ⁵² Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy.⁵³ And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.

God loves u! :)

Who is the Holy Spirit?

 

There are many misconceptions about the identity of the Holy Spirit.

 

Some view the Holy Spirit as a mystical force. Others understand the Holy Spirit as the impersonal power that God makes available to followers of Christ.

 

 What does the Bible say about the identity of the Holy Spirit?

 

Simply put, the Bible declares that the Holy Spirit is God.

 

The Bible also tells us that the Holy Spirit is a divine person, a being with a mind, emotions, and a will.

The fact that the Holy Spirit is God is clearly seen in many Scriptures, including Acts 5:3-4.

 

In this verse Peter confronts Ananias as to why he lied to the Holy Spirit and tells him that he had

"not lied to men but to God."

 

 It is a clear declaration that lying to the Holy Spirit is lying to God.

 

We can also know that the Holy Spirit is God because He possesses the characteristics of God.

 

For example, His omnipresence is seen in Psalm 139:7-8,

"Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there."

 

 Then in 1 Corinthians 2:10-11, we see the characteristic of omniscience in the Holy Spirit.

 

 "But God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God."

We can know that the Holy Spirit is indeed a divine person because He possesses a mind, emotions, and a will.

 

 

 The Holy Spirit thinks and knows

(1 Corinthians 2:10).

 

The Holy Spirit can be grieved

(Ephesians 4:30).

 

The Spirit intercedes for us

(Romans 8:26-27).

 

He makes decisions according to His will

(1 Corinthians 12:7-11).

 

The Holy Spirit is God, the third Person of the Trinity.

 

As God, the Holy Spirit can truly function as the Comforter and Counsellor that Jesus promised He would be

(John 14:16, 26, 15:26).

 

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God & The Spider

During the War, a US marine was separated from his unit. 

 The fighting had been intense, and in the smoke and the crossfire he had lost touch with his comrades.



Alone in the hills, he could hear enemy soldiers coming in his direction. Scrambling for cover, he found his way up a high ridge to several small caves in the rock. Quickly he crawled inside one of the caves. Although safe for the moment, he realized that once the enemy soldiers looking for him swept up the ridge, they would quickly search all the caves and he would be killed.

As he waited, he prayed,

 "Lord, if it be your will, please protect me. Whatever your will though, I love you and trust you. Amen."

After praying, he lay quietly listening to the enemy begin to draw close. He thought, "Well, I guess the Lord isn't going to help me out of this one.." Then he saw a spider begin to build a web over the front of his cave.

As he watched, listening to the enemy searching for him all the while, the spider layered strand after strand of web across the opening of the cave.

"Ha, he thought.

"What I need is a brick wall and what the Lord has sent me is a spider web. God does have a sense of humor."

As the enemy drew closer he watched from the darkness of his hideout and could see them searching one cave after another. As they came to his, he got ready to make his last stand.

To his amazement, however, after glancing in the direction of his cave, they moved on. Suddenly, he realized that with the spider web over the entrance, his cave looked as if no one had entered for quite a while.

"Lord, forgive me," prayed the young man.

 "I had forgotten that in you a spider's web is stronger than a brick wall."

We all face times of great trouble. When we do, it is so easy to forget the victories that God would work in our lives, sometimes in the most surprising ways. As the great leader, Nehemiah, reminded the people of Israel when they faced the task of rebuilding Jerusalem,

"In God we will have success!" [Nehemiah 2:20]



Remember:

Whatever is happening in your life, with God, a mere spider's web can become a brick wall of protection. Believe He is with you always. Just speak His name through Jesus His son, and you will see His great power and love in your life.

---

The Cross

Do read http://www.ksb.org.za/Summary/sermons/2010/20100404_central_cross.htm

The picture you see below is a shot of the central region of the Whirlpool Galaxy (Messier Object #51)

The next picture shows the constellation Crux (the 4 bright stars a little left to the centre).

It so happened that, on the night before my first Holy Communion, i opened my window randomly and looked out into the sky to see this constellation right in front of me :)

This is the structure of the biological molecule Laminin, present in the body

A shot of the sky which resembles the Cross

Images from:  http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/af/M51_whirlpool_galaxy_black_hole.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/b4/Crux-20100220.jpg