Hints of the HOLY SPIRIT…
a reflection by MARK GATES,
**We begin today hearing about one of my favorites of the lesser known Apostles, Phillip. In Acts 8:5-8, 14-17, the Apostolic Mission has begun. “Philip went down to the city of Samariaand proclaimed the Christ to them. With one accord, the crowds paid attention to what was said by Philip, when they heard it and saw the signs he was doing. For unclean spirits, crying out in a loud voice, came out of many possessed people, & many paralyzed or crippled people were cured. **”There was great joy in that city. Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent them Peter and John. They laid hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.!!
**We have previously heard about Peter & John going into the temple and Peter cures a cripple by saying “In the name of Jesus the Christ Get Up!!” Now, an apostle (Not in the inner-most circle) is able to dispel evil spirits and heal the folks who were disabled. While PREACHING up a storm it sounds as though the people just couldn’t help themselves but to believe Phillips words.!! To me, it sounds like the Holy Spirit was already hard at work. **BUT, news travels fast, especially since they didn’t even have internet… The new church sends their #1 leader, Peter, also John, to bless the converts with the Holy Spirit.
We heard from John the Baptist, “I baptize with water, but one comes after me who will baptize with Fire & Spirit.” The one is Jesus of course, and now the Apostles are also equally as gifted. I also love this scripture because it (Laying on of Hands) describes Confirmation and also for us Charismatics… Baptism in the Spirit, Very Coool.
Psalm 66:1-7, 16-20, **This Psalm stands alone.!! ALLELUIA…“Let all on earth worship and sing praise to you, sing praise to your name!” Come and see the works of God, his tremendous deeds among the children of Adam.
***I recently gave a teaching on “Evangelization” to my Sat. Charismatic ‘zoom’ group. I said that ‘standing on a soap-box, on street corners’ isn’t safe anymore… besides to evangelize isn’t that hard. Your opportunities will generally come TO you. You just need to be Ready and then Respond, R/R. Just like the railroad sign. We read in 1 Peter 3:15-18, “Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope! Do it with gentleness and reverence. Put to death in the flesh, Jesus was brought to life in the Spirit. **Let your life and speech be ALIVE in the Spirit.
Gospel John 14:15-21, ‘Jesus said to his disciples: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot accept, because it neither sees nor knows him. But you know him, because he remains with you, and will be in you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me, because I live and you will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me and I in you.” **God the Father, Son and Spirit are one, and also ‘one’ within us.
Our secular life and our faith life can be much simpler. We’ve already been told, “Listen to Him” and “Do what He says”. These two phrases are the fuel that keeps us going in a topsy-turvey, complicated world. “Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me. And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him.” **Don’t we deserve a break today. Let’s try to keep our Blessed Trinity Simple.! Remember, Be Ready & RESPOND… Mark “G”.
