TO CHEW ON: "And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions." Joel 2:28
If someone asked you, “What will happen next week?” could you tell them? What if they asked about tomorrow, or even later today?
Without God’s help, people have no way of knowing the future. But when God’s Spirit tells people what to say about the future, as He did to the Old Testament prophets, we get accurate predictions.
God gave Joel words to say about the distant future. He told about a time when God would pour out His Spirit on all people – old and young, women and men.
Hundreds of years later a small band of Jesus’ followers were gathered in a Jerusalem room. Jesus had recently died, risen again and gone back to heaven. Just before He left, Jesus told His followers to wait in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit.
That’s what they were doing this day when suddenly there was the sound of wind and the sight of fire tongues sitting on each person’s head. Then people began praising God in languages they didn’t know. Later when Peter explained to onlookers about what had happened, he said Joel’s prophecy – our today’s Bible reading – had come true right in front of them.
There are many more prophecies in the Old Testament. Some, like Joel’s have already come true or been fulfilled. Others have still not happened. When we read these prophecies, we must remember two things:
1. Each event predicted by God through His prophets will someday happen. Jesus will return to earth. We will each stand before God. The earth will not stay the way it is.
2. These things could happen any time. Am I ready? Are you? Find out how to get ready.
PRAYER: Dear God, You know everything. Please help me to be ready to face the future You have predicted. Amen.
MORE: Counterfeit Prophets
Most of us would love to know the future. There are lots of ways people try to discover or predict it. Many of these involve the occult: astrology, tea leaf reading, palm reading, Oija board, I-Ching, fortune telling, tarot cards. Can you think of more?
The Bible tells us to avoid these things. If you have done any of them in the past, stop! Talk to God and your parents about them. You might also want to get rid of any materials (cards, books, etc.) you have used in trying to predict the future in this way.
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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS are available too at Other Food: daily devo's.
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