Tag: Memorial Day

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Holy Spirit in Us

Gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, “Which,” He said, “you heard of from Me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”So when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, “Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.  (Acts 1:4-8, NASB)

Tomorrow, 28 May, is Pentecost Sunday.  We remember this day the appearance by the Holy Spirit into the lives of Jesus’ disciples.  After the Spirit came upon them, they were preaching about Jesus, Who was crucified, buried, risen from the dead, and had ascended into heaven.  Jesus had told His disciples that He would speak to His Father, Who would then send His Spirit to them.  I’m sure they didn’t understand just what this meant.  They also spoke in various tongues so foreigners would understand them.  The people who witnessed this display thought His disciples were drunk.  You can read this account in Chapter 2 of Acts. 

Acts 1:8 image.  Found at The Living… , 
https://wiirocku.tumblr.com/post/182178219570/acts-18-nkjv-but-you-shall-receive-power-when. 

The passage above is Dr. Luke’s account of Jesus talking with His disciples prior to His Ascension into heaven.  Jesus tells them not to leave Jerusalem, “but to wait for what the Father had promised,” that is, the Holy Spirit.  Jesus then tells them that “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”

Do you know that you are Jesus’ witnesses?  If you know Jesus, from the moment you believed in Him, the same Holy Spirit moved into your heart.  We Jesus-followers have the very same power within us as Jesus’ disciples displayed in Acts 2!  We must unleash the power of the Holy Spirit within so we can be His witnesses to the ends of the earth! 

Worship:  “Yield My Heart,” by Kim Walker-Smith

On this Memorial Day I’d like to remember loved ones and friends who have served our Nation, and have passed on.   

My Father-in-Law, Bob Brower, who served in the European Theater during World War II.  He crewed in B-17s as a radio operator and waist gunner. 

Neighbors:  Andy La Mar (Hedly), an F-15E Strike Eagle Weapons Systems Operator. 

Friends from our Germany assignment: John Davis, an F-4 Weapons Systems Operator.

Squadron/Classmates:  Kosta Asselanis, who flew C-141s; and Rod Williams, who was a B-52 navigator. 

Dads of USAFA Squadron/Classmates:  General Jack Catton, Sr., who flew bombers during World War II, and commanded Air Force Major Commands; and Colonel Cliff Birchman, who flew fighters in Vietnam. I got to meet both of these gentlemen when I was a Cadet.  They’re heroes of mine. 

Friends and squadron mates who were killed in training accidents:  Dave Mayer, USAFA classmate, A-7D accident in Turkey; Kyle Perdue, A-10A mishap in Kentucky; Joe Rayhill, A-10A accident in Arizona; Ross Mulhare, F-117A mishap in California; Mike Stewart, F-117A accident in Nevada;  Ralph Gardner, USAFA classmate, F-16C accident in Republic of Korea. 

Sunday School class:  Don Seymore, USMC, two Purple Hearts in Vietnam; Gene Cole, Army Special Operations (a Snake-Eater!), served in Vietnam;  Brigadier General Dick Abel, USAF, one of my mentors; Ed Blanks, U.S. Coast Guard; Rudy Davis, U.S. Army, Infantry. 

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Justified

We are Jews by nature and not sinners from among the Gentiles; nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.  (Galatians 2:15-16, NASB)

In the excerpt from the Apostle Paul’s letter to the church at Galatia above, Paul has a discussion about justification.  According to Christianity.com, “Justification is the declaring of a person to be just or righteous. It is a legal term signifying acquittal.”  Contextually, justification is how we become just or righteous before God.

Paul begins by saying, “We are Jews by nature and not sinners from among the Gentiles.”  His emphasis to a largely Gentile audience is to begin a discussion about justification by faith vs. justification by works.  Having a background as Jewish Pharisee who persecuted the church, which was well known, would have told the readers and hearers that his background was with the Law of Moses, a doctrine of justification by works. 

What Is Justification and What Does it Mean to Be Justified By Faith?
Image found at Christianity.com, https://www.christianity.com/theology/salvation/justifying-justification.html

Next, he tells them that even though a Jew, he understands that his justification comes not by following the Law (which is impossible to do), but by faith in Christ Jesus.  Translation:  It’s impossible to be justified to God by our deeds, by being “good,” but by faith in Jesus Christ.  God is so holy, He cannot bear to be in the presence of sin or sinners.  The Bible says that we’re all sinners, and that there is no amount of good we can do to compensate for our sins that is acceptable to the holy God.  We can’t “earn” our way to heaven; the only way to get there is by faith in Jesus. 

Paul finishes by reiterating that a person is justified by faith in Jesus Christ, and not by following the Law, “since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.”  There is no amount of good we can do to get to heaven and have eternal fellowship with God.  It doesn’t matter if I am a “good person”–the Bible says there’s no such thing.  Only by faith in Christ will we get there.  Have you called upon the name of the Lord?

Worship:  “I Have Decided,” by Amy Grant 

On this Memorial Day I’d like to remember loved ones and friends who have served our Nation, and have passed on.   

My Father-in-Law, Bob Brower, who served in the European Theater during World War II.  He crewed in B-17s as a radio operator and waist gunner. 

Squadron/Classmates:  Kosta Asselanis, who flew C-141s; and Rod Williams, who was a B-52 navigator. 

Dads of USAFA Squadron/Classmates:  General Jack Catton, Sr., who flew bombers during World War II, and commanded Air Force Major Commands; and Colonel Cliff Birchman, who flew fighters in Vietnam. I got to meet both of these gentlemen when I was a Cadet.  They’re heroes of mine. 

Friends and squadron mates who were killed in training accidents:  Dave Mayer, USAFA classmate, A-7D accident in Turkey; Kyle Perdue, A-10A mishap in Kentucky; Joe Rayhill, A-10A accident in Arizona; Ross Mulhare, F-117A mishap in California; Mike Stewart, F-117A accident in Nevada;  Ralph Gardner, USAFA classmate, F-16C accident in Republic of Korea. 

Sunday School class:  Don Seymore, USMC, two Purple Hearts in Vietnam; Gene Cole, Army Special Operations (a Snake-Eater!), served in Vietnam.