This Sunday is Pentecost Sunday.

After Jesus had risen from the dead, He commanded His disciples " ... not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised. 'Which' He said, 'you heard of from Me; for John baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now." (Acts 1:4,5)

Thanks be to God, the Father, we don't have to wait in this day, for He is waiting on all Christians to receive the infilling of the Holy Spirit. Many teach that you must wait on Him, but you need not wait for that which ALREADY has been given.

On that first Pentecost day, they that were in the upper room numbered about one hundred and twenty." And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit was giving them utterance." (Acts 2:4)

We have many who teach that 'tongues' is not for today, and they use for this teaching: I Corinthians 13, verses 8-10. However, if we use this scripture to say that 'tongues' have been done away with, then so are prophecy and knowledge. Jesus Christ is that which is "perfect."

You cannot at any time, separate God's word from itself to make it say what you WANT it to say! The Bible tells us that we are to be "...handling accurately the word of truth." (II Timothy 2:15)

(Scriptures in this article are from the New American Standard Bible.)

The Bible says that when the day of celebration, which is called Pentecost, had come, they ". . with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer. " (Acts 1:14) "And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a vi.olent, rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting... and they were

all filled with the Holy Spirit." (Acts 2:2-4)

We now see these people changed. Those who once quarreled about who should be f irst, now have all things in common with a holy willingness to share with each other and a new respect and genuine love for one another. Their relationship with Jesus makes them one, and now they are a nation within a nation, with a great work in front of them; God giving to them working power to accomplish all that He called them to do.

This new power being given, they have the ability to upset their world. (Acts 17:6) They have power to witness, to love and to have a sound mind; This mighty power within them, being effective not only in their own lives, but in the lives of others also.

They have the God-given power to live holy and to be what Christ has ordained them to be.

ALL that was for them is for us right now!

God says: "For the promise is for you and for your children, and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God shall call to Himself." (Acts 2:39) God's word clearly shows us that the day of Pentecost is the day that God anointed the Church with the Holy Ghost and power. His desire is still to anoint those in the Body of Christ with power and authority that they might be equipped to carry out all that they have been called to do.

Jesus has filled His Body with His Spirit that we might become 'letters' to all mankind. As Paul said: "You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men." (II Corinthians 3:2) Though there are many who cannot read words, they can read our lives.