Scripture

Now after this the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them in pairs ahead of Him to every city and place where He Himself was going to come.

~Luke 10:1, NASB

Quote

Jesus Christ is the ultimate phenomenon!

~Ya’akov

Most people assume Jesus had only twelve disciples but according to Doctor Luke, He had more. After the crucifixion and prior to Pentecost, Peter stands to address Jesus followers and there were 120. According to Luke Jesus sent out seventy disciples as front men for His upcoming evangelist campaign. Some manuscripts say 72 so when you read other translations, they may have 72 instead of 70, but the point is that He had a larger following than the twelve. In Luke 8 we are told that there were several women in the entourage and some of them had connections and wealth. Many believe they supported Jesus ministry financially. Augustine labeled Mary Magdalene as a prostitute but I think she was a woman of wealth who had a demon problem.

Read Acts two slowly in a couple of different translations. This week I saw something that I had been missing for years. It is the day of pentecost and the disciples {120 plus} are gathered together in one place when the Holy Spirit fell with a booming sound, a great noise. All these years I have been missing the phenomenon which is an observable event or happening that is hard or difficult to explain. The phenomenon was the great NOISE. The sound of this holy noise brought people out of their homes and into the streets. The noise drew the crowd. After the crowd gathered and the apostles began speaking in multiple languages, which is a second phenomenon. Most were absolutely amazed but others accused them of being drunk. This is when Peter addresses the crowd. The Holy Spirit falls on the crowd during Peter’s sermon and we have a third phenomenon: three thousand people are saved and baptized.

Notice the adjectives used by Luke to describe the crowds response to the phenomenonal things that happened that day: they were amazed, beside themselves, filled with wonder, astounded, and perplexed. The KJV said they marveled.

Here is my question: Which phenomenon did the disciples create or manifacture? The glorious answer is none. It was a God thing from start to finish. We don’t need smoke and mirrors, bright lights or fog machines: we need the Holy Spirit to fall. Of course this would mean Revival and thousands being saved and it is exactly what we need and only God can make it happen. It was not Peter’s sermon: if it had not been for the loud noise, there would have been no crowd for Peter to address. It was God and to HIM be glory.

Extra

Rick sent me a text this morning around 3:00, David Mote has been promoted. He has departed from this world to a far better world, one that we cannot see from here, but it is out there. No more pain for David. Pray for Amanda, his sweet wife and their four girls. It has been a hard week for them.

Joyce Dotson is still in HH, they got the pace maker in successfully but she is still weak. I did not know until yesterday, Joyce also has pulmonary fibrosis so she has heart and lung issues. She may go some where today: home with Cindy, rehab or home. She is really weak. Her goal is to get back to church.

Also visited Randy Lewis who is doing well under the conditions. He has gout in his knees and cannot stand or walk. Betty Stephenson Harpe was gone to doctor and I visited with Bobby Anders an old friend from Lebanon. He and Randy both had some encouraging things to say. It came at a good time.

Christy is going to get the endoscopy done this morning. They gave her platelets last night. I studied last night in case, so I may be going back to HH today. Praying for direction.