It's Hazel here. Thank you for visiting our blog - we would love you to respond with some artwork that is prompted by today's challenge for the next fortnight.
It was Pentecost on Sunday, so it seemed appropriate to centre this challenge on the work of the Holy Spirit - which follows on well from Lythan's helpful reflections last week, which you can read in the post below.
The verse that I'm focusing on is Acts 1:8:
"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
Acts 2 records how the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit and as a result they were able to speak in languages understood by those around, telling them about Jesus. Peter spoke with such power, saying: "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off — for all whom the Lord our God will call."Luke, writing in Acts, records: "Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day."
And the power of the Holy Spirit is just as available for us today - giving us power to witness to the saving grace of Jesus. Going back to Acts 1:8, Jesus said, "and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
The Holy Spirit isn't given to us as Christians just for us to enjoy and benefit in our pesonal lives, but for us to pass on the message of Jesus to those around us and further afield, even to the ends of the earth. A few years ago, it was only overseas missionaires who were able to share the good news of Jesus with 'the ends of the earth', but now, with contact made so easy by the internet, it is possible for ordinary folk like me to be witnesses to the ends of the earth.
Wherever God has placed us, we can call upon the power of the Holy Spirit to witness for Christ. Just as Jesus told the disciples to witness in Jerusalem, so we should be witnesses within our family and friendship circles, and then within our neighbourhood community and beyond.
Just a final thought - I looked up definitions of the word 'witness' - I'll share one of these:
"One who can give a firsthand account of something seen, heard, or experienced."
As Christians we have a story to tell - a firsthand account - of our experience of God's saving grace in our lives and of the work of the Holy Spirit.
Below are the beautiful responses of our team to this challenge - we would be delighted if you felt able to respond with your own crafting, in which case please leave us a comment so that we can come and visit your blog.
Hazel
Pauline
KimIt was Pentecost on Sunday, so it seemed appropriate to centre this challenge on the work of the Holy Spirit - which follows on well from Lythan's helpful reflections last week, which you can read in the post below.
The verse that I'm focusing on is Acts 1:8:
"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
Acts 2 records how the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit and as a result they were able to speak in languages understood by those around, telling them about Jesus. Peter spoke with such power, saying: "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off — for all whom the Lord our God will call."Luke, writing in Acts, records: "Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day."
And the power of the Holy Spirit is just as available for us today - giving us power to witness to the saving grace of Jesus. Going back to Acts 1:8, Jesus said, "and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
The Holy Spirit isn't given to us as Christians just for us to enjoy and benefit in our pesonal lives, but for us to pass on the message of Jesus to those around us and further afield, even to the ends of the earth. A few years ago, it was only overseas missionaires who were able to share the good news of Jesus with 'the ends of the earth', but now, with contact made so easy by the internet, it is possible for ordinary folk like me to be witnesses to the ends of the earth.
Wherever God has placed us, we can call upon the power of the Holy Spirit to witness for Christ. Just as Jesus told the disciples to witness in Jerusalem, so we should be witnesses within our family and friendship circles, and then within our neighbourhood community and beyond.
Just a final thought - I looked up definitions of the word 'witness' - I'll share one of these:
"One who can give a firsthand account of something seen, heard, or experienced."
As Christians we have a story to tell - a firsthand account - of our experience of God's saving grace in our lives and of the work of the Holy Spirit.
Below are the beautiful responses of our team to this challenge - we would be delighted if you felt able to respond with your own crafting, in which case please leave us a comment so that we can come and visit your blog.
Hazel
Pauline
Julie
Stacy
Lythan
Ruth
Tanis
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