Vol. 7 No. 1 Jan. – March 2005
PENTECOST IS NOT OVER YET
The original Pentecost was staged at Mt Sinai. It was a
marriage covenant cut by Jehovah God with Israel. As
He descended upon the mount to wed His bride, there
was lightening and thunder, wind, smoke and showers
(Ex. 19:18-19, Josephus 3.5.2). The second Pentecost of Acts
chapter 2 was also a marriage covenant between Christ
and His Bride. Jesus told His disciples to tarry, wait for
the promise of the Spirit. They obeyed and on the very
day of Pentecost the Fire fell. The Holy Spirit sat upon
their heads as tongues or flames of Fire and they were all
filled with the Holy Spirit or Glory (Acts 2:2-4) just like the
Tabernacle (Ex. 40:34-35, Lev. 9:23-24) and Solomon’s Temple
(2 Chron. 5:13-14, 7:1). Some even staggered from the weight
of His Glory within and upon them while onlookers
supposed they were drunk. But this empowering quickly
manifested and 3,000 souls were saved in a day!
There is great significance to the Holy Spirit or Glory
sitting upon the disciples. The “sat” of Acts two means
to seat down, to sit, to settle, hover, dwell, continue, set,
sit-down, tarry. This was, by no means, the first time He
sat either. The Holy Spirit sat in the beginning of
creation. Genesis 1:2 reads, And the Spirit of God
moved upon the face of the waters... Moved here means
to brood, flutter, move, shake, to brood over young ones
(as birds brood over their young), to brood on eggs (as a
hen). Webster’s Dictionary, in agreement, defines to
brood as to sit on eggs to hatch them but also to ponder
the offspring which is bred. Let’s go a step further.
Hatch means to produce young and to bring the young to
maturity.
Now permit me to include the word
“incubate.” No, it is not found in scriptures but it was
spoken to my heart in verification and confirmed by two
intercessor friends.
In simplest terms incubation has two very basic ends.
They are birth and maturation. In Genesis 1:2 the
Holy Spirit (Glory) sat upon the waters to birth creation
and down through the centuries and millenniums He will
bring creation to maturity. He even pondered the offspring, that is, He was mindful of man as in Psalm 8:4.
Now compare this work at creation’s beginnings with
Luke’s account of Holy Spirit’s work upon Mary in to
conceive seed and bring to birth the Son of God in flesh.
Luke 1:35 (Amplified) The Holy Spirit (Glory) will
come upon you, and the power of the Most High
will overshadow you (like a shining cloud); and so
the holy (pure, sinless) Thing (offspring) which
shall be born of you will be called the Son of God.
The Holy Spirit or Glory sat on Mary. What does this
tell us? Both examples persuade us that in Acts chapter
two the Fire sat upon these early believers in order to
birth the Church (His Bride) two thousands years ago.
And yet there is a necessary maturation yet to be
accomplished. So permit a brief sidetrack to investigate
the setting of the Bride’s maturation.
There are seven feasts connected to Israel’s two harvest
seasons. The Israelites were required to observe these
feasts (Lev. 23) forever. The Church, as spiritual Israel,
must also keep the feasts, but not by the letter of the law
but by the Spirit. All seven feasts fall into three distinct
pilgrimage seasons: Passover, Pentecost and Feast of
Tabernacles. We know that Jesus fulfilled the first three
feasts of the Passover season: Passover, Feast of
Unleavened Bread, and Feast of Firstfruits. He was our
Paschal Lamb Who took away the sins of the world. His
life was sinless or Unleavened as the Lamb without spot
or blemish that He might be the perfect, acceptable
sacrifice. And He was also the Firstfruit, the first to be
resurrected from the dead. And He fulfilled these feasts
right on the chronological date of their feast season. The
Church also keeps Passover yearly with Good Friday
services, Easter services, and in communion.
The second feast season is Pentecost. This feast was and
still is fulfilled by God through His Church. The Holy
Spirit came to birth the Church right on the feast day of
Pentecost. Finally, the fall season includes the three
feasts of Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and the Feast of
Tabernacles. They are generally recognized as representing the future rapture, tribulation and millennial
reign of Christ and ultimately the Father’s return to
Tabernacle once again with man. Most would say we
are now awaiting those feasts. Not so. Pentecost is not
fully fulfilled as yet. It started two thousand years ago
but it is not finished. Pentecost began in Acts chapter
two for the birth of Christ’s Bride. That momentous
start fulfilled the first portion of Joel 2:23, of the former
rain coming in moderation. We are now awaiting the
finalization of Pentecost. It will be a far greater
outpouring of God’s Spirit Who as the Refiner’s Fire
(Mal. 3) will come to sit on Christ’s Bride for
maturation and purification. And it will be far grander
for it is the former and heavier latter rain together (Joel
2:23b)!
Imagine it as a 4th of July fireworks display. They
usually start with a variety of stunning explosions.
Everyone is attentive and excited. But then it seems to
slow up somewhat to the point that we often think it is
over except for another occasional flash. Finally there
comes the finale. Bursts of light begin to speed up in
appearance until numerous brilliant explosions charge
the night sky in a full array of color! They are repeated
in such close timing, one right after another. Everyone
gives “ooooohs” and “aaaaahs” at the spectacular finish.
There is no questioning that it is the finale for it is so
magnificent! So it will be with the final outpouring of
God’s Spirit for the maturation and purification of the
Church, His Bride. Jesus is not returning for a child
Bride. He is returning for a pure, spotless mature
Bride! When? Some day on Pentecost! Yes, we do not
know the year. That is for God to decide but we can
keep the feast yearly and thereby prepare our hearts for
Refiner’s FIRE to fall and sit on us (Mal. 3) to purify us,
mature us and empower us to bring in a harvest of
staggering proportions Let’s keep Pentecost (the Global
Day of Prayer) with faith and expectation.
(From Fire and Glory and Feasts of the Bride by Judith. Lyon-Kesselman)
PROMISE LAND ENTERED AT PENTECOST
The generation that crossed the Jordan River to enter
into the Promised Land did so at the season of Pentecost.
How do I know? Because the early harvest was
primarily a harvest of barley and Rahab had sheaves of
barley on her roof. Israel also crossed the Jordan when it
was at flood stage. Christ’s Bride will enter into the
Promises of God as we enter the flood of His Glory.
THE GLOBAL DAY OF PRAYER
Like a blazing fire out of human control, an African
birthed Prayer Movement has explosively spread from
one city stadium in Cape Town, South Africa on
Pentecost 2001, to multiple stadiums and sites
throughout the entire continent of Africa including every
nation and a total of 20 million believers by Pentecost
2004! Now on the 5th year (as instructed by the Lord),
they are inviting Christians throughout the world to join
them in prayer for global revival. Amazingly this year’s
National Day of Prayer (05/05/05) just happens to fall
ten days before Pentecost - the Global Day of Prayer
(05/15/05) like the ten days in the upper room before the
first century outpouring of God’s Spirit and birth of the
Church Age. It will not happen again for 25 years.
Notice also all the fives. God is ever speaking in
numbers. Five is the number which represents God’s
grace and this nation and world desperately need that!
Cities all across this nation and so far 140 nations around
the globe are gathering that day. Why not us?
One possible scenario would look like this 2005:
May 5
NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER
www.nationaldayofprayer.org
May 6-May 15
24/7 PRAYER (UPPER ROOM)
Interdenominational Prayer Rooms in
various locations about the region for
24/7 praise and prayer.
May 14
JESUS DAY 2005 – YOUTH NIGHT
Servant Evangelism
Youth pull all night prayer.
May 15
GLOBAL DAY OF PRAYER
Multiple congregations gather in
large facilities or stadiums.
www.globaldayofprayer.com
Some facilities have already scheduled to host
Interdenominational 24/7 Prayer for the ten days of
May 6 – May 15, 2005 like the upper room of Acts
chapter one. One site is in Baltimore County at
Pleasant Hill Chapel, 1800 Worthington Heights
Parkway, Hunt Valley (410-785-2634). After Pastor
George Carr read the book, Red Moon Rising, he and his
congregation opened up a large area for 24/7 Prayer on
November 1, 2004 before the elections. The 24 hour
prayer vigil was scheduled to end on November 8th but
instead spontaneously continued until Nov-ember 24th!
Another site is planned in Harford County at the
Abingdon Community Center, 3105 Emmorton Road
(Rt 924) in Emmorton Village Shopping Center,
Abingdon. As the manager, I have also had some
experience in organizing 24/7 prayer at Central Christian
where the members and intercessors tackled up to 30
days of 24/7 prayer and fasting from their homes. In
1998 three other local congregations rotated with Central
in 24/7 prayer and Friday Watch Nights before Easter.
As a result, all four congregations experienced a move of
God’s Spirit. If you are interested in participating at one
of these sites, please attend the Sunday, March 13th
meeting at Abingdon Community Center at 7 pm. If
you can provide another prayer site, please let me know
before March 13. For more information call me at 443987-2270 or info@touchofheaven.org.
The finalization of Pentecost. It will be a far
greater outpouring of God’s Spirit Who as the
Refiner’s Fire (Mal. 3) will come to sit on Christ’s
Bride for maturation and purification. And it will
be far grander for it is the former and heavier latter
rain together (Joel 2:23b)! Imagine it as a 4th of
July fireworks display. They usually start with a
variety of stunning explosions.
Everyone is
attentive and excited. But then it seems to slow up
somewhat to the point that we often think it is over
except for another occasional flash. Finally there
comes the finale. Bursts of light begin to speed up
in appearance until numerous brilliant explosions
charge the night sky in a full array of color! They
are repeated in such close timing, one right after
another. Everyone gives “ooooohs” and “aaaaahs”
at the spectacular finish. There is no questioning
that it is the finale for it is so magnificent! So it
will be with the final outpouring of God’s Spirit for
the maturation and purification of the Church, His
Bride. Jesus is not returning for a child Bride. He
is returning for a pure, spotless mature Bride!
When? Some day on Pentecost! Yes, we do not
know the year. That is for God to decide but we can
keep the feast yearly and thereby prepare our hearts for
Refiner’s FIRE to fall and sit on us (Mal. 3) to purify us,
mature us and empower us to bring in a harvest of
staggering proportions Let’s keep Pentecost (the Global
Day of Prayer) with faith and expectation.
(From Fire and Glory and Feasts of the Bride by Judith. Lyon-Kesselman)
PROMISE LAND ENTERED AT PENTECOST
The generation that crossed the Jordan River to enter
into the Promised Land did so at the season of Pentecost.
How do I know? Because the early harvest was
primarily a harvest of barley and Rahab had sheaves of
barley on her roof. Israel also crossed the Jordan when it
was at flood stage. Christ’s Bride will enter into the
Promises of God as we enter the flood of His Glory.
THE GLOBAL DAY OF PRAYER
Like a blazing fire out of human control, an African
birthed Prayer Movement has explosively spread from
one city stadium in Cape Town, South Africa on
Pentecost 2001, to multiple stadiums and sites
throughout the entire continent of Africa including every
nation and a total of 20 million believers by Pentecost
2004! Then on the 5th year (as instructed by the Lord),
they invited Christians throughout the world to join them
in prayer for global revival. Amazingly the National
Day of Prayer (05/05/05) just happened to fall ten days
before Pentecost - the Global Day of Prayer (05/15/05)
like the ten days in the upper room before the first
century outpouring of God’s Spirit and birth of the
Church Age. It will not happen again for 25 years. An
estimated 200 million Christians in cities all across the
nation and 152 nations around the globe gathered on that
day to seek God for global revival. Let’s keep the ball
rolling this year!
Harford County
Global Day of Prayer
June 4, 2006
For more information contact:
Judy at 443-987-2272
info@touchofheaven.org
2005 Planning Committee
Pastor Larry Booth
Rick Conniff
Ellen Drost
Pastor Ed Ducote
David Graham
Pastor Keith Groves
Pastor Ed Heydt
Pastor Catherine Hooker
Judy Lyon-Kesselman
Pastor John McElwee. Sr.
Pastor Chris O’Shea
Pastor Jeff Smith
Pastor Ron Smith
Tom Steck
Pastor B. Uybengkee
First Baptist, Havre de Grace
Fellowship of Christian Athletes
Grace Assembly of God
The Church at Abingdon
The Church at Abingdon
Bridge of Hope Community Church
Havre de Grace United Methodist
New Beginnings Church of God
Mission America
El Camiro Assembly of God
Crossroads Community Church
Grace Assembly of God
First Baptist, Havre de Grace
Mountain Christian Church
River of Life Int’l. Christian Fellowsh