How Quickly Does God Work?

Royal Priesthood, Holy Nation                                          Acts 2:2

How Quickly Does God Work?

by Robert T. Cooper

There is a saying that God can accomplish more in a short time than we can accomplish in months and years. Plus we know that unless the Lord builds the house, the laborers labor in vain.

We all have heard of musical sensations who suddenly burst on the scene. What no one ever talks about is the years and years those “sensations” labored at their craft, developing and honing their skills, learning their crafts, paying their dues. It happens all the time.

In the spiritual realm, we have all been sensitive to the times we prayed and prayed, and God didn’t seem to hear or to answer for years or even decades. Some didn’t see the answers in their lifetimes, though the answers eventually came. It reminds me of the verse that begins, “When the time had fully come, God….”

Jesus talked about it being like yeast slowly growing until the entire lump of dough is leavened. He talked about it being like a seed that slowly grows into a huge plant or bush.

Jesus had taught about the coming of the Holy Spirit during his 3½ year ministry. During the 10 days following the Ascension, at least 120 believers had participated in a 24/7 prayer meeting, waiting on the coming of the Spirit.

But then on the Day of Pentecost, “Suddenly” the answer to the promise and the prayer came. God moved and acted in mere moments.

Wind of the Spirit

Jenifer Jones

I have known of people who prayed and prayed for a godly spouse, only to finally give up the search. They decided they must be amongst those who never get married, and they began seeking to be content in their single status. Only then did the Lord bring into their lives the one He had all along intended to be the answer to their prayers. Was it sudden, or was it a long-term process?

Of course, God lives outside of time. For Him to work into one moment of time is no different to Him than to work into any other moment of time. But from our perspective there is both process and suddenness.

Please share in the comments section about times God’s work seemed to be a long-term process and times His work seemed to be a sudden happening.

Where a Car Is Mentioned in the Bible

Royal Priesthood, Holy Nation                                          Acts 2:1

Where a Car Is Mentioned in the Bible

by Robert T. Cooper

Years ago a joke went around: Where is a car mentioned in the Bible? They were all in one Accord.

After the Ascension, the believers in Jesus spent 10 days in a 24/7 prayer meeting waiting for the coming of the Holy Spirit. They didn’t know it would be 10 days. They just started praying and kept right on praying until the prayer was answered.

After Pentecost, there would be too many people for everyone to meet together in one room. There just were no rooms in Jerusalem at the time that would accommodate over 3000 people (and that number was probably just the adult men). Then, a meeting of all the believers would require going to the mountainside outside of town.

But during this time, there were 120 (again, that number is probably just the adult men, and we know for certain there were women in addition; don’t know about children 12 and younger) who all met together. It is traditional to think this was in the Upper Room at the home of John Mark’s parents. But it is unlikely a private residence would have had an upper room that would hold that many people. A more likely location for this room was in the Temple complex. It being the Pentecost season, it was possible such a room could have been reserved and used.

Note that they were all together. Not many churches can boast of a 100/% attendance for a single hour of any meeting anytime. And it is probable that during the 10 days not all of the 120 were present at all times. But when Pentecost morning rolled around, those who had prayed all night and those who were coming for the morning prayers were all 100% present and accounted for. All together in one place.

When the KJV says they were in one accord, it also implies that there was no dissension among the group. There was no party spirit. Everyone was in perfect agreement as they prayed together. Again, it is rare for a church of any size to be in one accord regarding any particular thing. But on that day, at that time, the 120 were in one accord.

Unity in the local congregation is a condition that allows the Holy Spirit to be free to do His work. Discord hinders the complete, free work of the Holy Spirit.

Take a moment to pray. Ask the Lord whether there is anything for which you need to repent so that your congregation may be in one accord. Ask whether there is anyone with whom you need to be reconciled so that your congregation may be in one accord. As far as it depends on you, seek this Acts 2:1 condition in your church life.

Has your congregation ever been in one accord? Please share about it in the comments section.

The Day of Pentecost

Royal Priesthood, Holy Nation                                          Acts 2:1

The Day of Pentecost

by Robert T. Cooper

For most of my life, so far as I can remember, I have known that Pentecost was the 50^th day (hence the name Pentecost) of which Easter was the 1^st. I have known it as the day the Holy Spirit descended on believers in Christ. I have known it is considered to be the birthday of the church.

I have also known that it was related to a Jewish observance connected to the harvest. But I knew little else. So I decided to do some research. Let me share some of what I found.

When our Jewish friends observe Shavuot, it is the feast or festival we and they know as Pentecost. It seems that the entire 7-week period from Easter to Pentecost is a season of harvest with the barley harvest occupying the early part of that period and the wheat harvest occupying the latter part of that period. Shavuot is also the day on which it is reckoned that Moses received the Torah on Mount Sinai.

One interesting side note is that Shavuot is observed on Pentecost Sunday only by Israeli Jews and by Reformed Jews. Other Jews around the world observe Shavuot on both Pentecost Sunday and Pentecost Monday. One tradition is that during synagogue service the morning of Pentecost Sunday, a liturgical poem is read immediately prior to the Torah reading. This tradition has been in place since about a.d. 1100, and so was not observed by Peter and company on the day of Pentecost in the book of Acts. A second tradition connected to synagogue service is the reading of the book of Ruth: it is read by Israeli Jews in the service on Pentecost Sunday; it is read by Jews around the world in the service on Pentecost Monday.

Since 1533, there is all-night Torah study leading up to Pentecost Sunday. One might remember that the study of the book of Joel had been part of the preparation of the Christian believers immediately prior to the coming of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2.

Two other Jewish traditions are the consumption of dairy products and the use of greenery for Pentecost decorations in both synagogues and homes.

Let me close by returning to the thoughts connected with the wheat harvest. Because Pentecost celebrated the wheat harvest, while the Temple was standing, there were two loaves of bread offered that day. This was the context in which Jesus made His “I am the Bread of Life” sermon.

We believers in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior must remember that while bread gives life to the body, Jesus as the Bread of Life gives eternal life to the spirits of His people. As it is important for us constantly feed our bodies, it is even more important for us to constantly feed on Jesus.

In the comments section, share how you go about feeding on Jesus.