John
15:26-27; 16:12-15
When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth that proceeds from the Father, he will testify to me. And you also testify, because you have been with me from the beginning. I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming. He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. Everything that the Father has is mine; for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.
Food for thought on Pentecost!
Today, we are celebrating Pentecost, which means 50. Today, if you counted, it is 50 days since Easter Sunday. Amazing things took place on this day, as we heard in the first reading. The greatest miracle was not the tongues; it was not what was seen on the outside. The greatest miracle was what happened on the inside, in the hearts of the disciples. (Act 2:4) «And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak.»
Ac.2:1-13
So when the day of Pentecost came round, they were all together in one place; and all of a sudden there came from heaven a sound like that of a violent, rushing wind and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And tongues, like tongues of fire, appeared to them, which distributed themselves among them and settled on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and they began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them the power of utterance.
FIRELIGHTER AND FIREFIGHTERS
Did you notice that the descent of the Holy Spirit was in the form of FIRE? In other words, the Holy Spirit is a fighlighter and not a firefighter. He ignites our souls; He puts us on fire. The first reading described this way the action of the Holy Spirit, that «tongues, like tongues of fire, appeared to them, which distributed themselves among them and settled on each one of them.» The Holy Spirit put these people on fire because He is a firelighter.
Unfortunately, as the Holy Spirit lights our souls with fire, so do other people fight our fire. Yes, we have firefighters all around us; they are all over the place; sometimes people get married to them, other times people have fire fighters as their leaders, as their colleagues at work. How can you identify firefighters? Firefighters are just plain negative. That's all there is to it. But you don't have to allow them to discourage you. Regardless of whom they are or how close they may be to us. Sometimes the people closest to you are the one who will be the least supportive and the most negative.
Sometimes, you get a brilliant idea, which ignites your soul; you feel yourself on fire; you want to experiment your new plan. Then, you go and share with your significant other, brother, sister, friend. Before you finish telling them your new idea and plan, they cut you short: That won't work; no one has ever done it, forget all about it...! Whenever you hear such comments, how are you supposed to React? What do you Do? Well, I once came across this guide. It may be useful to you as it is to me.
What firefighters say: "You poor thing." Response : I am blessed and I have the grace to overcome anything!
What they say: "How do you plan to acquire that? You don't make enough." Response : I am abundantly supplied. I am not moved by what I see. It's only temporary.
What they say: "That's a terrible sickness; you could die from it." Response : I am healed. I shall live and not die.
What they say: "You don't look well. Are you sick?" Response : I have divine health. I resist sickness in the name of Jesus.
What they say: "Yeah right, do you really believe you're going to pull that off?" Response : I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. What they say: "If I were you, I would be so depressed." Response : God has not given me the spirit of fear, but of a sound mind, power, and love. What they say: "I could never give that much money to the church. I have bills to pay." Response : When I give, God causes men to give to me, press down, shaken together and running over. God supplies all of my needs according to his riches in glory.
What they say: "I don't believe in anything that I can't see." Response : Without faith it is impossible to please God. I receive the promises of God through faith.
What they say: "Don't you get tired of cooking, cleaning and taking care of everyone else?" Response : I have the grace to care for the family that God has blessed me with.
Many of us have quenched fire, quenched dreams, quenched brilliant ideas because of firefighters. My advice to you is stay away from firefighters; spend more time with people who see you not just as you are but as you could be; people who encourage your dreams, ignite your fire and help it burn even more. Increase firelighter friends and diminish firefighters in your life. Befriend the best Firelighter, the Holy Spirit.
When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth that proceeds from the Father, he will testify to me. And you also testify, because you have been with me from the beginning. I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming. He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. Everything that the Father has is mine; for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.
Food for thought on Pentecost!
Today, we are celebrating Pentecost, which means 50. Today, if you counted, it is 50 days since Easter Sunday. Amazing things took place on this day, as we heard in the first reading. The greatest miracle was not the tongues; it was not what was seen on the outside. The greatest miracle was what happened on the inside, in the hearts of the disciples. (Act 2:4) «And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak.»
Ac.2:1-13
So when the day of Pentecost came round, they were all together in one place; and all of a sudden there came from heaven a sound like that of a violent, rushing wind and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And tongues, like tongues of fire, appeared to them, which distributed themselves among them and settled on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and they began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them the power of utterance.
FIRELIGHTER AND FIREFIGHTERS
Did you notice that the descent of the Holy Spirit was in the form of FIRE? In other words, the Holy Spirit is a fighlighter and not a firefighter. He ignites our souls; He puts us on fire. The first reading described this way the action of the Holy Spirit, that «tongues, like tongues of fire, appeared to them, which distributed themselves among them and settled on each one of them.» The Holy Spirit put these people on fire because He is a firelighter.
Unfortunately, as the Holy Spirit lights our souls with fire, so do other people fight our fire. Yes, we have firefighters all around us; they are all over the place; sometimes people get married to them, other times people have fire fighters as their leaders, as their colleagues at work. How can you identify firefighters? Firefighters are just plain negative. That's all there is to it. But you don't have to allow them to discourage you. Regardless of whom they are or how close they may be to us. Sometimes the people closest to you are the one who will be the least supportive and the most negative.
Sometimes, you get a brilliant idea, which ignites your soul; you feel yourself on fire; you want to experiment your new plan. Then, you go and share with your significant other, brother, sister, friend. Before you finish telling them your new idea and plan, they cut you short: That won't work; no one has ever done it, forget all about it...! Whenever you hear such comments, how are you supposed to React? What do you Do? Well, I once came across this guide. It may be useful to you as it is to me.
What firefighters say: "You poor thing." Response : I am blessed and I have the grace to overcome anything!
What they say: "How do you plan to acquire that? You don't make enough." Response : I am abundantly supplied. I am not moved by what I see. It's only temporary.
What they say: "That's a terrible sickness; you could die from it." Response : I am healed. I shall live and not die.
What they say: "You don't look well. Are you sick?" Response : I have divine health. I resist sickness in the name of Jesus.
What they say: "Yeah right, do you really believe you're going to pull that off?" Response : I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. What they say: "If I were you, I would be so depressed." Response : God has not given me the spirit of fear, but of a sound mind, power, and love. What they say: "I could never give that much money to the church. I have bills to pay." Response : When I give, God causes men to give to me, press down, shaken together and running over. God supplies all of my needs according to his riches in glory.
What they say: "I don't believe in anything that I can't see." Response : Without faith it is impossible to please God. I receive the promises of God through faith.
What they say: "Don't you get tired of cooking, cleaning and taking care of everyone else?" Response : I have the grace to care for the family that God has blessed me with.
Many of us have quenched fire, quenched dreams, quenched brilliant ideas because of firefighters. My advice to you is stay away from firefighters; spend more time with people who see you not just as you are but as you could be; people who encourage your dreams, ignite your fire and help it burn even more. Increase firelighter friends and diminish firefighters in your life. Befriend the best Firelighter, the Holy Spirit.
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