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Ascension
Sunday 28th May 2006
email:fvamw@tm.net.my
Dear Friends
Greetings in the name of
our Lord Jesus Christ.
I am glad to be able to send the reflections
after a break of a few weeks. During Lent, we focused on the life of
Jesus Christ and how He has affected our life. We shall in the
following weeks look at the growth of the church after Jesus
ascended to heaven to be with his Father. We shall reflect on how
the Holy Spirit is given to us today to be His witnesses and how we
can be sustained in a real and personal relationship with our Lord
Jesus Christ.
Jesus says, "You will be my witnesses"
After his suffering, Jesus showed himself to
these men (His disciples) and gave many convincing proofs that he
was alive. He appeared to them over a period of 40 days and spoke to
them about the kingdom of God. On one occasion, while eating with
them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but
wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me
speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you
will be baptized with the Holy Spirit." So when they met
together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to
restore the kingdom of 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 all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth."
Acts. 1:3-8
Read the above text a few time and reflect
on them.
God in his wisdom created
Adam and Eve in His own image. He desired and maintained a personal
relationship with them. When they disobeyed him and ate the
forbidden fruit, they sinned and as a result we all have been
separated from God. But He loved us so much that He gave us Jesus
His only Son who though God became man and died on the cross on our
behalf. He rose from the grave to give us eternal life with Him. He
has given us the Holy Spirit to be His witnesses.
Now, two thousand years
later, we are still remembering Jesus in the midst of much
controversy about Him as it was in His day. There is much around us
that would undermine our trust and faith in the redeeming work of
our Lord Jesus. However we are called to be witnesses not in our own
strength or power, but in the power that comes with the Holy Spirit.
Do we trust God for this empowering?
Today there is a flood of books and videos
that could undermine our faith in God. We need not be frightened or
worried of them. We need to be aware that in the midst of all around
us, we are not alone. God is with us. He is in control. He loves us
individually and has promised to be with us always. He will reside
within us and guide us daily as we seek his face in our quiet time
with Him
The following questions may help you in
your reflection.
1. How real is my relationship with Jesus?
2. How deep is my trust in Jesus?
3. Do my friends and others see me as a
witness for Jesus?
(This is sent out by email once a week. If you have just come
across this for the first time, and would like to receive it, please
send email. Your comments and views on this are most welcome. If
this sharing could be of help to a friend of yours, you are welcome
to pass it on.)
With regards,
Fred.
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