June 2019...

Dear Friends,

​This month we see two great days in the life of the church. Father’s Day is June 16 and Pentecost is June 9. I’m glad these two days come so close together this year. It reminds us that good fathers need the Holy Spirit in their lives to do their job.

Pentecost is the day the resurrected Lord Jesus poured out the Holy Spirit on his followers in Jerusalem. Acts 1 reads, “... (the disciples) gathered around him and asked him, ‘Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?’ He said to them: ‘It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 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.’”

Even after Jesus’ resurrection the disciples were more interested in restoring the national sovereignty of Israel than in the spread of the kingdom of God in the hearts of men and women. But Jesus said, “Don’t worry about times and dates. The Father has all that cared for. YOUR concern is to live for and witness to me. To do that you need the Holy Spirit. So wait until you have received him.”

The Holy Spirit is God’s plan for us to live the Christian life. One wonderful result of the finished work of the cross is that the redeemed are prepared throughGod’s grace and forgiveness to receive the Holy Spirit. Receiving the Holy Spirit
means God is within every believer to empower us for life and ministry in Jesus’ name.

The Holy Spirit is very practical. In Galatians 5 Paul lists what he calls the “fruit of the Spirit.” His list includes patience and kindness. Have you ever needed patience? Have you ever lost your patience or been unkind? If the answer is yes, then the Holy Spirit is for you, for he is the one who causes these virtues to grow in the Christian life. (For a complete list of the fruit of the Spirit see Gal. 5:22-25.)

And fathers, have your ever lost patience? Have you ever been unkind to your kids? I sure have. Don’t we want to love our children and grandchildren with all our heart? And don’t we want to prove that love by consistently treating them with loving action? And aren’t there times when we blow it? Then the Holy Spirit is very practical for men who are fathers.

It’s not easy to be a good dad. There are so many demands. Isn’t it great to know that because of Christ we have divine help. We won’t be perfect, but we can step up and do the job with the power of Christ in our lives.
     ~ Pastor Byron

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