Many people who are facing a challenge will react to that challenge with much activity. The thinking that doing something is better than doing nothing. That is not necessarily the case. Doing something that is effective is better than doing much something that is ineffective. Good intentions do not equate to desirable outcomes. We need purposed action, not just motion. We must be intentional with our seeking God. Paul, writing to the church at Corinth, gives us a key to being effective in our spiritual battle. He says that he is fighting, but “not as one that beateth the air.” The word in the Greek means to fight by swinging wildly. Paul was fighting but fighting effectively. We cannot afford to waste our energy on empty punches. In our spiritual battle, every punch must count.

Many people who are facing a challenge will react to that challenge with much activity. The thinking that doing something is better than doing nothing. That is not necessarily the case. Doing something that is effective is better than doing much something that is ineffective. Good intentions do not equate to desirable outcomes. We need purposed action, not just motion. We must be intentional with our seeking God. Paul, writing to the church at Corinth, gives us a key to being effective in our spiritual battle. He says that he is fighting, but “not as one that beateth the air.” The word in the Greek means to fight by swinging wildly. Paul was fighting but fighting effectively. We cannot afford to waste our energy on empty punches. In our spiritual battle, every punch must count.

Life is filled with defining moments. Often we are not successful in these moments. The choices we make related to these defining moments are what define us. Life's situations are, at times, unbearable. However, if we allow the moment to define us, the moment will defeat us. This is not God's will. None of us are without a struggle in life. Our battles will cause us to do one of two things: We will despise ourselves, or we will let those moments push us to be better. The disciples were in such a moment in tonight's text. Jesus asks them to pray with him for an hour, but three times, they were unable to stay awake. The final time Jesus returned and found them asleep He said: It is enough. This means it was time to move on from that failure. For some of us, it is time to declare a finality to a failure that is keeping us down. We may have gotten past the moment, but that moment has a hold on us. We are where we are because of choices. Past failures torment some, and Jesus is saying It Is Enough! Let the past be what it is, and let's move forward because Jesus has a future for us. Jesus had His hour. Betrayed by one of his own, Jesus says something profound: "this is your hour and the power of darkness." Jesus recognized that as bad as what He was about to endure, it was not going to hinder His purpose. He was going to submit to the situation, but it was not going to define Him. Are we going to be limited by what life has pushed upon us, or will we live beyond the moment and be an overcomer? There are hours of darkness in any life, but we must not stay in that hour. Many have lived through the hour, but the effects of that hour linger. God is saying to someone: "Enough of that!" Don't Let An Hour Define You

Life is filled with defining moments. Often we are not successful in these moments. The choices we make related to these defining moments are what define us. Life's situations are, at times, unbearable. However, if we allow the moment to define us, the moment will defeat us. This is not God's will. None of us are without a struggle in life. Our battles will cause us to do one of two things: We will despise ourselves, or we will let those moments push us to be better. The disciples were in such a moment in tonight's text. Jesus asks them to pray with him for an hour, but three times, they were unable to stay awake. The final time Jesus returned and found them asleep He said: It is enough. This means it was time to move on from that failure. For some of us, it is time to declare a finality to a failure that is keeping us down. We may have gotten past the moment, but that moment has a hold on us. We are where we are because of choices. Past failures torment some, and Jesus is saying It Is Enough! Let the past be what it is, and let's move forward because Jesus has a future for us. Jesus had His hour. Betrayed by one of his own, Jesus says something profound: "this is your hour and the power of darkness." Jesus recognized that as bad as what He was about to endure, it was not going to hinder His purpose. He was going to submit to the situation, but it was not going to define Him. Are we going to be limited by what life has pushed upon us, or will we live beyond the moment and be an overcomer? There are hours of darkness in any life, but we must not stay in that hour. Many have lived through the hour, but the effects of that hour linger. God is saying to someone: "Enough of that!" Don't Let An Hour Define You

The word Pentecost is only used three times in the new testament. It has its roots in the old testament in the Feast of the Harvest. Every fifty years, the celebration of the Feast of the Harvest was known as the year of jubilee when debts were forgiven. Pentecost is a celebration of a spiritual truth. Some view Pentecost as a metaphor. Others marginalize it because “it is beyond the scope of historical inquiry.” Skeptics say there is no such thing, and many churches deny its existence, or they believe it is a piece of antiquity. Despite the denial, dismissal, and disbelief, Pentecost is alive and well. There is meaning in the moving of God’s spirit. We can enjoy the same experience, as they felt in the first century. Pentecost was the watershed moment when God’s word had come to full fruition. Pentecost does not mark the birth of a denomination, but the pouring out of God’s spirit upon his children that is still flowing today. Because of the transforming power of the Holy Ghost, we are not the same person we were. The book of Acts should not be a historical account for us, because what He began in the book of Acts was just the beginning. Those 120 men received the same Holy Ghost that day that each of us feels today. The same mighty rushing wind still blows today.

Five words describe what happened in that upper room. The first word is suddenly. One moment changed everything. The second word is sound. The word is from the Greek word that means echo. God speaks, and that sound is reflected through us. The third word is wind. The word means breath. God breathed into us and fills our soul. You cannot see the wind, but we can feel its effect. When the spirit moves, it ought to move us. The fourth word is rushing. It means to move rapidly. The speed with which God’s influence spreads is mind-boggling. It does not creep and crawl along; it moves swiftly. Finally, the word mighty. God’s spirit is powerful, but mighty means more than pure power, but orderly and directed power. When God sets His spirit in motion, it is with purpose and focused.

The word Pentecost is only used three times in the new testament. It has its roots in the old testament in the Feast of the Harvest. Every fifty years, the celebration of the Feast of the Harvest was known as the year of jubilee when debts were forgiven. Pentecost is a celebration of a spiritual truth. Some view Pentecost as a metaphor. Others marginalize it because “it is beyond the scope of historical inquiry.” Skeptics say there is no such thing, and many churches deny its existence, or they believe it is a piece of antiquity. Despite the denial, dismissal, and disbelief, Pentecost is alive and well. There is meaning in the moving of God’s spirit. We can enjoy the same experience, as they felt in the first century. Pentecost was the watershed moment when God’s word had come to full fruition. Pentecost does not mark the birth of a denomination, but the pouring out of God’s spirit upon his children that is still flowing today. Because of the transforming power of the Holy Ghost, we are not the same person we were. The book of Acts should not be a historical account for us, because what He began in the book of Acts was just the beginning. Those 120 men received the same Holy Ghost that day that each of us feels today. The same mighty rushing wind still blows today.

Five words describe what happened in that upper room. The first word is suddenly. One moment changed everything. The second word is sound. The word is from the Greek word that means echo. God speaks, and that sound is reflected through us. The third word is wind. The word means breath. God breathed into us and fills our soul. You cannot see the wind, but we can feel its effect. When the spirit moves, it ought to move us. The fourth word is rushing. It means to move rapidly. The speed with which God’s influence spreads is mind-boggling. It does not creep and crawl along; it moves swiftly. Finally, the word mighty. God’s spirit is powerful, but mighty means more than pure power, but orderly and directed power. When God sets His spirit in motion, it is with purpose and focused.

We often seek out opinions and reviews of places, products, and services. We rely on these anonymous people who have left reviews on various social media platforms. It is not uncommon to see a wide range of opinions from one star to five stars. Often, these five-star reviews are right above other reviews that only gave it one lead. We base our decisions on these reviews, but with so much noise, it is difficult to know what is what.

Whom we listen to is essential. It is important that we have a trusted voice in life. Everyone loves to give their opinion. The anonymity of the internet provides many the belief that they say whatever they want, and offer their advice as the authority on the subject. When a big newsworthy event happens, the “experts” will appear on social media and contribute their “wisdom” to all that will listen. As with restaurants, products, and news events, there are no end of opinions and advice on God’s world. There is an expert to whom we should listen. This expert created all the heavens and the earth. If there is any advice we should heed, it is the creator. We have to be careful about whose advice we take into our life. We have to be cautious of the voices in our lives and what they are saying. We must also be mindful of how many voices are influencing us. There are enough distractions and noise in the world; we do not need anymore. The voice we must seek and heed is that still small voice of God. Take heed to the voice you heed.

We often seek out opinions and reviews of places, products, and services. We rely on these anonymous people who have left reviews on various social media platforms. It is not uncommon to see a wide range of opinions from one star to five stars. Often, these five-star reviews are right above other reviews that only gave it one lead. We base our decisions on these reviews, but with so much noise, it is difficult to know what is what.

Whom we listen to is essential. It is important that we have a trusted voice in life. Everyone loves to give their opinion. The anonymity of the internet provides many the belief that they say whatever they want, and offer their advice as the authority on the subject. When a big newsworthy event happens, the “experts” will appear on social media and contribute their “wisdom” to all that will listen. As with restaurants, products, and news events, there are no end of opinions and advice on God’s world. There is an expert to whom we should listen. This expert created all the heavens and the earth. If there is any advice we should heed, it is the creator. We have to be careful about whose advice we take into our life. We have to be cautious of the voices in our lives and what they are saying. We must also be mindful of how many voices are influencing us. There are enough distractions and noise in the world; we do not need anymore. The voice we must seek and heed is that still small voice of God. Take heed to the voice you heed.

It was no secret that Joseph was Jacob’s favorite. It not just assumed, it is stated in scripture. Because he was the most loved, Joseph was given a coat of many colors. This coat was a symbol of Joseph being the chosen heir. Joseph’s brothers despised him and plotted to kill him. But for Reuben, they would have killed him. To cover their deception, Joseph’s brothers took his coat and destroyed it. They took the blood-stained garment and presented it to their father. Jacob knew it was is son’s coat and his mind took the fragment of truth that the brothers presented and surmised that Joseph had been killed by an evil beast. He believes the lies and his mind filled in the false details. The bible says that Jacob was consumed by grief and would not think of anything else. He refused any attempts by his family to console him.

We know how the story of Joseph ends. We know that it ends triumphantly with thou meant it for evil, but God meant it for good. But Jacob did not know the end of the story. We have all been handed fragments of coats in our life. We believe what we see and react just like Jacob. We believe the reality we see in front of us, but it may not be true.

We know God has promised us things, but all we can see is what in front of us. We see the bloody and tattered coat, and cannot see past the loss that we “know” has happened.

The evidence said Joseph was dead, but the reality was different. While we are looking at what is, know that it is not. While he did not have a perfect coat, somewhere Joseph was alive. God was writing a story that was not told by that tattered coat. Not only was the son that he thought was dead was alive, but he was also being elevated and placed in a place of blessing. When the famine comes, Joseph’s brothers travel to Egypt to buy food. We know the story and when Joseph finally reveals himself to his brothers, he sends wagons back to bring his father and family to Egypt. Jacob did not believe his sons at first. Their words were not enough, but when Jacob saw the wagons, he knew that his sons were telling the truth and that Joseph was alive. He did not believe the word, but he believed the wagons. Like Jacob, we believe a lie for years, but God is sending wagons. If we can believe the coat, we can believe the wagons.

It was no secret that Joseph was Jacob’s favorite. It not just assumed, it is stated in scripture. Because he was the most loved, Joseph was given a coat of many colors. This coat was a symbol of Joseph being the chosen heir. Joseph’s brothers despised him and plotted to kill him. But for Reuben, they would have killed him. To cover their deception, Joseph’s brothers took his coat and destroyed it. They took the blood-stained garment and presented it to their father. Jacob knew it was is son’s coat and his mind took the fragment of truth that the brothers presented and surmised that Joseph had been killed by an evil beast. He believes the lies and his mind filled in the false details. The bible says that Jacob was consumed by grief and would not think of anything else. He refused any attempts by his family to console him.

We know how the story of Joseph ends. We know that it ends triumphantly with thou meant it for evil, but God meant it for good. But Jacob did not know the end of the story. We have all been handed fragments of coats in our life. We believe what we see and react just like Jacob. We believe the reality we see in front of us, but it may not be true.

We know God has promised us things, but all we can see is what in front of us. We see the bloody and tattered coat, and cannot see past the loss that we “know” has happened.

The evidence said Joseph was dead, but the reality was different. While we are looking at what is, know that it is not. While he did not have a perfect coat, somewhere Joseph was alive. God was writing a story that was not told by that tattered coat. Not only was the son that he thought was dead was alive, but he was also being elevated and placed in a place of blessing. When the famine comes, Joseph’s brothers travel to Egypt to buy food. We know the story and when Joseph finally reveals himself to his brothers, he sends wagons back to bring his father and family to Egypt. Jacob did not believe his sons at first. Their words were not enough, but when Jacob saw the wagons, he knew that his sons were telling the truth and that Joseph was alive. He did not believe the word, but he believed the wagons. Like Jacob, we believe a lie for years, but God is sending wagons. If we can believe the coat, we can believe the wagons.