Trashcans and the Holy Spirit

Now, you may be thinking this is going to be an interesting post, and I hope you find it so.  However, as the title suggests, this is about trashcans....and the Holy Spirit. :-)

Last night at church, we were studying Acts 4 (or part of).  We were all discussing how interesting it was that the apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit TWICE -so far.  First, after Jesus died, -Acts 2:1-4-when they were speaking in tongues, and then again after they had been arrested -Acts 4:31.

So, why twice?  Well, we discussed that it could have been because the needed refilling.  Or, as one of the women shared, that it is like a pitcher of water.  You empty it, and if you don't refill it, you will have a dry pitcher.

One of the things that really stuck in my mind was that the 12 PRAYED for confidence and boldness to proclaim the Word- Acts 4:24-31 (most notably, v.29) The reason it struck me is, how often do we actually pray for confidence and Wisdom?  Now, we might pray that we will say the right things to a certain person, but then when the time comes, I often find myself timid and more afraid of what they will think of me than what God will do THROUGH me.

So, I want to encourage all of you to pray that God will give you confidence and boldness to do the things that God wants you to do.  I am praying that all of you will be filled with the Holy Spirit and that the Holy Spirit will continue to pour into each and every one of you daily so that you have Him with you all the time.

I had a hard time imagining what it was meaning until my dear sister pointed something out.  If your parents/siblings/friends didn't tell you that they loved you, would you feel loved?  If they never ever told you that they loved you, you wouldn't feel like they loved you.  People need to be constantly telling each other that they love them (for most of us, this is the Philio (sp?) love, or brotherly love.).

So, go and speak the Word of God with boldness!!

To Christ be the Glory,
Sarah