Daily Devotion

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english Acts 10:44-48 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles.  For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Then Peter said, "Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have."  So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ... This scene was like the second Pentecost, where the Spirit of God came upon everyone who was listening to the sermon.  How do we know that it was God's Spirit that came upon them?  It was through the granting of the gift of tongue.  Tongue the language of prayer that God gave to people. 1st Corinthians chapter 14 taught us that the tongue was spoken to God, not to people.  Although no one could understand, the tongue speaks of all kinds of 各樣的奧祕inside the spirit.  It's not a language that people can understand, but it's prompted by the Spirit of God.  Paul also taught that whoever spoke in tongue to the congregation must have it interpreted.  It's like if you are in an American church and you suddenly start speaking Chinese in the pulpit, no one would understand what you're saying and someone needs to interpret for you.  Prayer among the congregation, however, is not subject to this restriction.  When everyone's praying together, you can use Chinese, English or the tongue in the Spirit. So when does speaking in tongue need to be interpreted?  When you are speaking in tongue to others, it needs to be interpreted so that people can understand what you are saying.  In fact, speaking in tongue was the sign of someone being filled by the Holy Spirit in the early church, so when Peter and his companions saw that the gentiles were speaking in tongue, they were awed and acknowledged that they were filled by the same Holy Spirit.  In our days, however, speaking in tongue is no longer the only evidence of filling by the Holy Spirit. Filling by the Holy Spirit can be manifested in many ways; some are internal, and others are external.  No matter what it is, when a person is filled by the Holy Spirit, he or she must feel the serenity of God, and clearly feeling the intimacy with God.  Therefore, we need to be filled by the Holy Spirit in our daily life in order to truly experience the life of walking and talking with God.  I encourage you to eagerly seek to be filled by the Holy Spirit, as Ephesians 5:18 clearly taught us that we need to be filled by the Holy Spirit.  This is the command and also the will of God.  We need to under the guidance of the Holy Spirit in order to live a victorious life by the help of God.  We all need to eagerly seek the Holy Spirit and also to submit to and receive work of the Holy Spirit.   Pray with Pastor Tong Liu      Lord, I thank you because you are willing to give the Holy Spirit to whoever seeks you.  You said that whoever seeks shall find and asks shall receive, and Lord we know that this is your promise.  Let us open our hearts before you, and please let the Holy Spirit come upon everyone who's reading this article!  I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!