One night... a wife found her husband .... standing over .... their infant's crib.
As she watched him ...looking down at their very first child, ...... she saw on his face a mixture of emotions: .... disbelief, ... delight, ... amazement, skepticism, ... enchantment
Touched by this unusual display... and the deep emotions it aroused, .... with eyes glistening ......she slipped her arm ... around her husband.
"A penny for your thoughts," ... she said.
"It's amazing!" he replied.... Honey It's just amazing.
"I just don't see how anybody ...... could make a crib like that ...for only $57.95." (Long Pause)
Now Ladies... does that sound like something... a man would say?
I am sure that my wife Lee... is saying ...... Amen!
Here lay ...one of the greatest miracles in God's creation... and all this father saw .... was a crib.
He did not see .... The miracle ... that lays within.
But he ... is not unique.
Many times, ... people look upon God's handiwork ....... and only see the outside manifestations... yet never... the miracle ... that lays within.
Whether it is ... the miracle of the birth of a new baby ... or the miracle ... of the birth ... of a new Christian. (Pause)
There are many ... who see only ... the outside framework ... and miss ... the miracle .... that lays within.
God's word tells us ... that something very exceptional ... is within ... each Christian.
When we obey Jesus ...... by repenting of our sins and being buried in Christian Baptism .... we have the promise ... that you will receive... the "Gift of the Holy Spirit."
Hear God's Word in Acts...... BIBLE "Repent ... and be baptized, ... every one of you, .... And you will receive ... the gift of the Holy Spirit." END (Acts 2:38)
The Holy Spirit ... The Gift ... The Miracle ...... that abides where? ... within .... our very being.
In fact, ... in Paul's letter to the Ephesians ... we are told ... that God's Holy Spirit ... is a mark ... of God's ownership .... of us.
Hear God's Word to Us: BIBLE "Having believed, ... you were marked in him ... with a seal, ... the promised ...Holy Spirit" END (Ephesians 1:13)
Now, ... There are those who believe ... that the Holy Spirit ... is some kind of inanimate object ...... much like the crib ... that held that newborn baby.
They see only the crib ...... not the miracle ... that lays within.
These people accept the idea ... that God's Holy Spirit can live within us, ...... but they do not think .... that the Spirit .... does very much.
Thus ... they miss out ... on the miracle ... of what the Holy Spirit can mean and give ... to each one of us.
Christ clearly states the importance of the Holy Spirit ... to each believer:
Hear our Lord's word: BIBLE "It is for your good ... that I am going away. ... Unless I go away, ... the Counselor ... (the Holy Spirit) ... will not come to you; ... but if I go, ... I will send him ... to you.... When he comes, ... he will convict the world of guilt ... in regard to sin." END John 16:7-8
Jesus is saying .... that when He left, .... He would send His Spirit ... in ... His place.
The Holy Spirit, ... The Miracle that lays Within, ... does many things:
The Spirit ... helps us to understand the deep things of God's Word.
He helps us in our prayers ...... guides us ... teaches us and empowers us ... for ministry ... with spiritual, ... supernatural gifts.
But perhaps the most intriguing thing the Holy Spirit was sent to do ... is implied in Acts 1:8.
BIBLE "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." END Acts 1:8
Notice the text says .... First that they would receive the Holy Spirit ...... and then ... and then ... they would be ... his witnesses.
The Holy Spirit came First ....... then witnessing.
Many of these people had been with Jesus ... throughout His entire ministry.
They had been disciples of our Lord, .... sat at His feet ...... absorbed His teachings.
Gone out into the surrounding cities ... to proclaim the Good news .... that the Kingdom of God ... was at hand.
Yet ... Acts 1:8 implies ... that they would become witnesses when? .... after they received ... the Holy Spirit.
Why should they have to wait?
Why not just begin witnessing ... right then and there?
Well, ... they could have started... but they would have lacked the power ... to be an ... effective witness.
In other words, ... they could have started to witness without the Holy Spirit, ... but it would not have had ... the same power.
Have you ever felt frustrated ... when witnessing?
People do not seem ... to want to listen.
They politely ... put us off.
They have other things ... to do.
It can be Frustrating... extremely frustrating. (Pause)
And at times ... we probably feel ... it would be so much easier ... if we could be like Lucy ... in the old Peanuts cartoon: (Pause)
Lucy says to Charlie Brown, ... "I would have made a great evangelist."
Charlie Brown answers, ... "Is that so?"
She says, ... "Yes, ... I convinced that boy in front of me in school ... that my religion ... is better than his religion."
Charlie Brown asked, ..."Well, how did you do that?"
Lucy answers, ... "I hit him over the head ... with my lunch box." (Pause)
Now that may be a tempting way to witness. ... But I am fairly sure ... not real successful.
I am convinced ... that part of our frustration in witnessing ... can come from not understanding the pivotal role that the Holy Spirit, ......The Miracle Within, ......can play ... when sharing ... our faith.
Jesus said it this way BIBLE "It is for your good that I am going away.... Unless I go away, ... the Counselor ... will not come to you; ... but if I go, ... I will send him to you. ... When he comes, ... He will convict the world ... of guilt in regard to sin, ... and righteousness, ... and judgment" END (John 16:7-8)
One of the primary responsibilities of God's Spirit .... is Convicting people ... of their sin, ......of their need for righteousness ... and the reality ... of the impending judgment.
In other words, .... Beloved; .... you and I ... do not and should not convict people .... with regard to salvation.
That is the Holy Spirit's job.
We are witnesses.
In a court room, ... there is a judge, ... a prosecutor, ... a defense attorney, ... a defendant, ... And witnesses.
A witness gives ... their testimony.
Do the witnesses prosecute the defendant?
Do the witnesses convict the defendant? ... NO!
Witnesses .......... Witness... and they do their best ... to give honest ... and true testimony.
Why? ... Because they realize ... that the verdict ... may hinge ... on their witness.
Yet their only job ...... is to witness ... to testify.
Convicting People of their sins ...... of the need of righteousness ... and the closeness of judgment ... is the Holy Spirit's job.
Not Ours... Hear me ... Not Ours............Praise God!
But that does not mean our testimony ... isn't important.
Without our testimony, ...... without our witness ....... the world would not know ... the Good News.
Remember God's word to us: BIBLE How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? END (Romans 10:14)
Notice the implication here. ......Unless someone witnesses the Good News, ...... people cannot hear.
If they do not hear, ... they cannot believe....... if they do not believe ... they cannot call ....... And if they do not call ...... they will not ... be saved.
The salvation of the people we care about ... hinges on our faithfulness ... in witnessing.
Our witness ......is part of ... the Good News.
This is of such value to God ... that God regards even the feet of those who witness ... as beautiful.
Paul realized how much he needed God's Spirit to be successful: BIBLE "I came to you in weakness and fear, ... and with much trembling. ... My message and my preaching ... were not with wise and persuasive words, ... but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, ... so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, ... but on God's power." END (1 Corinthians 2:3-5)
The Holy Spirit can help guide us ... to people we should meet with .... and talk with.
The Holy Spirit can give us the opportunity to witness .... by word ... or by action. (Pause)
Jackie Robinson ... was the first African American to play major league baseball.
Facing jeering crowds at every stadium, .... he was held ... to a higher standard, ...... and often criticized and scrutinized ...... more often ... than the white players ... of his time.
One day ... while playing in his home stadium in Brooklyn, .... he committed an error at second base ... and the crowd began to ridicule him.
He stood at that base, ... while the fans jeered.
Then, ... shortstop Pee Wee Reese came over ... and stood next to him.
He put his arm around Jackie .... and stood with him ... facing the crowd.
Robinson was no longer alone ...... and the fans grew quiet.
Robinson later said ... that Pee Wee's act of solidarity .... that arm around his shoulder .... saved his career ... and gave him the strength ... to go on.
A simple action ...... yet it changed a heart ... as no Sunday sermon ... could do.
Are you willing to be that arm of comfort?
Are you ready to be that light ...in the darkness?
We need to die to self ... and be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit.
If you do, ... you will be a blessing ....and in turn ....be blessed.
We, as Christians, ... are often held to ... a higher standard.
We are called weak ... by some ...... hypocrites ... by others.
But as the world continues to ridicule and humiliate when we miss the mark, ... our God has given us Himself the Holy Spirit ... to be our Advocate, ... our Helper, ... our Comforter,
The Miracle Within, ... is always there.
Jesus made a great promise to his disciples.
I will never leave you or forsake you. (Hebrews 13:5)
The Miracle within is there ... so we can be a Miracle ... without.
In Acts ... we are told ... that Peter and John were arrested, ... beaten and released .... severely warned ... to never preach about this Jesus ... publicly again.
They returned to meet with the church ... and they prayed:
After they prayed, ...... the place where they were meeting was ... shaken.
And they were all filled ... with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God ... boldly. (Acts 4:29-31)
Likewise, ... if we let Him ... the Holy Spirit will not only give us boldness, ... but He will give us creative ways to witness. (Pause)
Like the incident with the Salvation Army woman ... who was informed by a policeman ... that a local ordinance ... would not allow her to ring her bell ... to invite contributions.
The next day ... she was out on the street corner doing an even brisker business than ever before .... as she waved one sign ....and then another ....in the air.
The signs said "ding" ...... and "dong." (Pause)
A Sunday school teacher ... had taught her class to recite the Apostles Creed .... by giving each child one phrase to learn.
At the Sunday school presentation, .... the class was asked to give ... their recitation.
They began beautifully.
"I believe in God the Father Almighty, ... maker of heaven and earth," ... said Sarah.
"I believe in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord," ... chimed in Rachael.
Everything went perfect .... one after the other and then there was a long pause.
Finally, ... a little girl spoke up and said, ...."Uh, the little boy who believes in the Holy Spirit ... is absent today!" (Pause)
Hear again God's promise from our Gospel Text in John. BIBLE "If you love me, ... you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, ... and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you ... and will be in you." END (John 14:15-17)
Those who have turned to Jesus as both Savior and Lord.
Well, they know the Miracle within... They know the Spirit How do they know him?
For he dwells with you ... and will be in you.
Has the presence ... and the power of the Holy Spirit ... been absent in your life?
Do you need to be ... refreshed?
Are you ready to be ... refreshed?
If you allow the Holy Spirit to guide you, ... you will be filled with power, ... filled with boldness ... and you be an over comer.
Beloved .... Empty yourselves...... of yourselves .... be filled and be refreshed a new .... with the Holy Spirit ...... the Miracle .... That lays Within.
Sing:
Holy Spirit Thou art welcome in this place
Holy Spirit Thou art welcome in this place
Omnipotent Father of mercy and grace,
Thou art welcome in this place.
Let us pray
Father help me, to yield all of who I am, ... all of me; ... Body, Soul and Spirit ... to your transforming love....... Break me ... when I need to be broken ... strengthen me when I need strength. ...... You are the King of Kings ... and the Lord of Lords, ... the great I am. ...... Father I empty myself, ... that you may refresh me with the Holy Spirit... and fill me to the Brim ..... with the Miracle ...... that lays Within.
Amen and Amen!
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