April 4 WHEN THE SPIRIT WAS POURED OUT: IT’S NOT AN OPTION

John 3:5 “Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”

God gave us the will by which we make our own choices and decisions.  God gave abundantly clear instructions on how we enter His Kingdom.  Amid all the many options we face, renewed birth by Water and Spirit, is not one of those options.  Let’s be obedient to God’s Word so that we receive the blessed promises of God.

Rosalind Wilbanks

April 3 WHEN THE SPIRIT WAS POURED OUT:  THE WIND OF HIS SPIRIT

John 3:8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.”

The Hebrew word for the Spirit is ruach, translated “the intimate breath of God,” and the Greek is pneuma, “the wind of His Spirit.”  Birth from above cannot be manipulated or programmed; it is a gift given in God’s own way and time, an act of sovereign grace.  It is a birth as mysterious as the wind, which comes and goes as it wishes; unseen, yet it is very real! Jesus has used a common, earthly reality to illuminate spiritual truth.  He has spoken of birth, then water, and now wind; this breath of God brings life with a fresh wind and it’s according to His gracious purpose.

Natosha Harris

April 2 WHEN THE SPIRIT WAS POURED OUT:  HE WON’T DENY YOU

Luke 11:13 “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?”

We all know that the gift of the Holy Ghost comes from God and it is the greatest gift we could ever receive.  There is no need to worry if God would give us this gift because He said He would pour out His Spirit upon all flesh.  If people in the world who are sinful or evil can give good gifts, then the Lord will surely fill those with His Spirit (the BEST gift) who ask Him.  You won’t be denied; just ask Him!  He’s ready and willing give it!

Jalisha Gordon

April 1 WHEN THE SPIRIT WAS POURED OUT:  IF YOU BELIEVE, YOU CAN HAVE IT

Joel 2:28 “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:”

Joel prophesied these words some 800 years prior to it coming to pass.  He was declaring and speaking to us about the Holy Ghost and how it would be poured out.  “All flesh” doesn’t mean everyone has the Spirit of God.  But it does mean everyone who wants the Spirit of God can get it; everyone that believeth can have it.  You just have to do what God says to do in order to receive it.

Pastor Michael Bender

March 31 ~ TO SHEW FORTH HIS PRAISES: NOT WITH NEON LIGHTS

1 Peter 2:9 “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:”

Because Israel was God’s chosen people, He could have taken them directly into the promised land.  But, He wanted to work some things out of Israel.  God wants to get the maximum benefit out of our lives. When God calls us out and tells us who we are, He doesn’t call us into a cult of isolation.  But, He wants us to be among the world to show the world how to live.  Not with flashing neon lights do we advertise how to live as saints, but with holy living and the words of our testimony do our lights shine bright.

Pastor Michael Bender

March 30 ~ TO SHEW FORTH HIS PRAISES:  HIS PRAISE SHALL CONTINUALLY BE IN MY MOUTH

March 29 ~ TO SHEW FORTH HIS PRAISES:  SPIRITUAL CONFESSONS

March 28 ~ TO SHEW FORTH HIS PRAISES:  LIVING LIFE FULL

Sharon Hardie

March 27 ~ TO SHEW FORTH HIS PRAISES:  IT’S MORE THAN WORDS

Pastor Michael Bender

March 26 ~ TO SHEW FORTH HIS PRAISES:  THE SECRETS TO A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP