Today is PENTECOST 2011

Sunday June 12th -  2011 and it is PENTECOST.

In my study on my website (keithhunt.com) under the "Sabbath and Feasts of the Lord" I have a full study on the "history" of Pentecost.  Even the Roman Catholic church for centuries observed Pentecost, probably still do. Sometimes their Sunday Pentecost falsl on the same Sunday as God's true day of Pentecost. The RC church go by, and count from Easter Sunday, which in some years falls on the correct Sunday to count from - counting 49 days and the 50th day is Pentecost Sunday.

It is an obvious day when the Holy Spirit came with power and might on the apostles and brethren of the Lord as recorded in Acts chapter 2. It is the birthday of the New Testament church. And so it was easy for even the popular Catholic church of Rome to see that its observance should be observed; as it fell on a Sunday it was convenient to observe seeing that in the second century A.D. the church at Rome had moved into observing Sunday as the weekly Sabbath.

This all shows that the church at Rome was not really against observing the Lord's Feasts, IF a feast fell on the convenient day of the sun. As Jesus had risen on the first day of the week, albeit not Sunday morning (as most Christians have been taught and believe) but on what we under the Roman calendar call Saturday evening. He rose shortly after the weekly Sabbath was over, and fulfilled the correct wave sheaf cutting by the Sadducees which was done after the weekly Sabbath had ended during the days of the Feast of UNLEAVENED BREAD.

All this truth is found in my studies on Pentecost on my website. The studies include the correct way to count to Pentecost. For indeed Pentecost must each year be counted, and is never a set calendar date as the Pharisees had come to believe, which to them was always Sivan 6th. Hence if you are looking at the Hebrew calendar on the Internet, most of those calendars will be by those who are in theology from the Pharisees, and so Pentecost will be in their calendar Sivan 6th. Which is INCORRECT!!

You should turn to Acts 2 today and read the account there of the day of Pentecost. We find the somewhat famous verses of Acts 2:38 and the words of Peter. Peter for a time was the leading disciple of the NT church. Truly God used him in a mighty way. He brought the first heart shaking sermon to the world at large, to thousands who were gathered at Jerusalem to observe Pentecost. Peter was indeed the stone that Jesus initially founded the church on as far as physical humans was concerned. The NT clearly tells us that Jesus was always the corner stone - yet Peter was the stone or piece of rock that was next to Jesus that the NT church was built upon. It is clear from the first number of chapters of Acts that Peter was the mighty one of the disciples that humanly speaking was the spear-head of the Christian church, at least for a while. Then it becomes obvious to those who read Acts with the mind of a child that within some years, especially when the apostle Paul was called to the ministry, there was no longer ANY ONE particular man that spear-headed the Church of God. Paul as we read in the book of Galatians took a back seat to no man, not even the original 12 apostles of Christ. Then the church was founded upon all the apostles, Jesus being the chief corner stone.

The teaching of the Roman church that they have the line of foundation from Peter, whom they claim was the first Pope of Rome, is TOTALLY FALSE!!

The truth of the matter on "Church Government" is covered fully and in great detail on my website, as is the role of women in the church. For all that truth on that subject I refer the reader to those studies.

My friend Adam (a Christian Jew - yes a real Jew - not a "wanabe" Jew) is with me this Pentecost week-end. We shall enjoy the day together with Bible reading and spiritual fellowship.

Last evening, the beginning of Pentecost we watched the movie "Walk the Line." It is the life story of Johnny Cash. It is in many ways the redeeming - the transforming - of his life to Jesus Christ, as much as was revealed to him, given to him, about the life of Christianity that he should live. True he was not given all the truths of the Lord, but he did take Jesus as his Savior, and after that lived the best he knew how to live with what was revealed to him.

It is an inspiring story. It is also about June Carter who was used, with the help of her Mom and Dad to get Johnny cleaned up from drugs and alcohol. It shows how traveling road entertainers can easily slip into drugs and alcohol abuse, as many of them did back in the 1950s...well as even today they can do.

Johnny hit the bottom as they say, was about as far down the gutter of the world of drugs and alcohol abuse as you can get. He ruined a good marriage with a woman that loved him, and if you see the movie you cannot blame her walking away, especially when Johnny had fallen in love with June Carter as they did road shows together. June also had two failed marriages. The traveling entertainer has a very difficult time to keep a marriage healthy and strong, unless they are both entertaining together.

Well Johnny hit the skids and was down and out, at the bottom. His entertaining was at an end. He was an alcoholic and drug pill popper. June had given up on him, and you certainly could not blame her for that. But Johnny tried to keep in touch with her. And one "thanksgiving time" Johnny's parents and June and her parents came to Johnny's country home by the lake. He was drunk as usual. He got into a tiff with his Dad, and went out to try and get his tractor out of being stuck in the mud. Jonny's parent left. June and her parents were about to leave. It was June's Mother who said she better go and help this man. All three stayed (June and her parents) and they helped Johnny work through the "withdrawal" from alcohol and drugs.

It was the start as June told Johnny, of a new chance, God was giving him a new chance to make a new start in life. And Johnny accepted Jesus as Savior and he took the new start, and once more the two of them with Johnny's old two band members, started a new entertainment period. It was a transformation for Jonny. And as they say he never looked back.

Johnny had asked June to marry him many many times. From what they both had been through it was understandable she refused his offer those many times. He asked her just before getting to Toronto for a gig. She refused and said he was not to talk to her but only on stage.

Well it was quite the stage talk. During the singing of one song Johnny stopped and asked June to marry him. She told him to keep singing, he asked again, she told him the audience wanted them to sing; he refused to sing. He told her he would never hurt her again, and asked her to marry him. June with some tears rolling down finally said yes! Johnny said to the audience, "If you did not hear that, she said yes." They hugged and kissed right there on stage, the audience stood and cheered and clapped.

Yes that took place in Toronto, Canada. And they went on to have a wonderful marriage and life together for 35 years.  June died first and Johnny died 4 months later. Johnny recorded many gospel songs.
I have one of his DVDs - his spiritual singing with June, at various times in their 35 years together. They had one son, who was the producer of the movie in honor of his parents.

It all reminds me of Acts 2 and the inspiring sermon of Peter. It makes no difference what your sins have been. Peter cried out "REPENT YOU and be baptized, everyone of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (verse 38).

That is what it is all about friends. We are sinners in one way or another. Your NT says that ALL have sinned and come short of the glory of God. It makes no difference what is YOUR sin/s - you may have hit the bottom as Jonny Cash did. But you can look up, you can, if you really want to, REPENT of sin, take Jesus as YOUR personal Savior; put your faith in Him who came and died for all who have sinned, and that is everyone, you and me. You can cry out to God the Father and Jesus His Son, and they WILL hear. Upon your repentance you can be forgiven, you can have the blood of Christ wash away your sins. You can have a a new life, a change of life, you can be rescued from sin as Jonny Cash was, and find peace and salvation.

I urge you to read Acts chapter 2. Then read Romans chapter 1 through 8.

Today, the birthday of the NT church, can also be your birthday into a new life with Christ, with God the Father, and with their Word the Bible.

Whatever is your burden, your yoke, Jesus said, "Take by burden, take my yoke for it is light.....I am the way the truth and the light.....I am the resurrection.....He that comes to me shall in no way be cast out."

Maybe today - Pentecost - is a good time to read some of the wonderful chapters of the Gospel of John, to know who Jesus was and is, and that BOTH the Father and the Son are there wanting to come and live within you through the Holy Spirit.

If you have not yet accepted Jesus as YOUR PERSONAL Savior, then today, this Feast day of Pentecost, is a good day to take that step of faith, and become a child of God, walk in His light, be a part of the firstfruits to God, that will rise in the resurrection to meet Christ in the clouds upon His return to establish the Kingdom of God on earth.

You have everything you need on my website to walk in the ways of the Eternal God of heaven.

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