Our devotion is by BOET VAN SCHALKWYK who is seconded to the International Sailors' Society of Southern Africa.
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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. Acts1:8
Do you remember, and if not, do you remember learning about those amazing speeches that Sir Winston Churchill made during the Second World War - when he encouraged and urged a brave but war weary British nation onwards. The Nazi threat of invasion endangered their continuing existence - challenging their standards and values and principles and all their beliefs.
Do you remember Churchill saying "..........we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be. We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; ........ we shall never surrender...........!
It is said that immediately after giving the speech, Churchill put his face into his hands and wept ...... "yes" he said, "we'll fight them in the air and we'll fight them in the streets and we'll fight them everywhere ........... but we have no ammunition to fight them with, except the butt ends of broken beer bottles because that's jolly well all we've got!"
I understand that it was after that, that he penned the now famous signal to the U.S. President........
"Give us the tools and we'll do the job!"
My dear brother and sister, we the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ hold in the core of our being the greatest Commission of all - see Mt. 28;18-20 ..... and all too often we feel a little overwhelmed and ask "But HOW Lord?" "With WHAT Lord?" "When Lord?" "I don't know if I can Lord!"...... and that calm, sweet voice comes through "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to ME - go therefore.............fear not for I have redeemed you, I have called you by name.... and I AM THE WAY ,THE TRUTH and THE LIFE".
Our response "Give us the tools and we'll do the job!"
And Jesus says "It is Done......"you will receive power when the Holy Spirit [all the Gifts and the Fruit of the 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 ....and be assured on my word of honour - I will be with you until the end of the age." [through every 'joy' and every 'challenge']
We have the POWER of the HOLY SPIRIT ....omnipotent omniscient omnipresent all loving eternal God ...........to fulfill THE TASK.
Let's join hands and let's Know - Grow - and Go!
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Theo Groeneveld theo@emmanuel.org.za
You can see past EmmDevs at http://emmdev.blogspot.com/
