“What A Difference A Day Makes”

There was a song from the 1930’s called, “what a difference a day makes, 24 little hours”. It was again popular in the late ‘50’s. Well if St. Peter was a pop singer, this might be his theme song. He went from being a pretty weak and conflicted fisherman, to a bold and articulate and powerful head of the Church… and he did it in less than 24 little hours. 

The Holy Spirit fell on him and the early church in a moment,  and what a change. In  Acts Chapter 4, Peter filled with the Holy Spirit said: 

“Rulers of the people and elders, if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a cripple, by what means this man has been healed, be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by him this man is standing before you well. This is the stone which was rejected by you builders, but which has become the head of the corner. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”(Acts 4:9-12)

“And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved”. Wow, one of the most powerful statements in the entire Bible….. spoken with boldness and power to the faces of the enemies of Christ. Peter was transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit. 

Well, for those who have experienced the transforming power of the Holy Spirit, they have seen some of this power. In the “Baptism of the Holy Spirit”, a transformation occurs. Maybe not the magnitude seen in Peter, but nevertheless, still powerful and life changing. I can personally witness to this. It caused me to experience the transforming love of Christ, a confidence in the forgiveness of my sins, even a manifestation of some of the gifts of the spirit. It enabled me to trust the Lord for my life…. make him my Lord, the boss, the one who calls the shots… the will of God became priority. With all I’ve been given by God, I should have done much, much  better. Nevertheless, I know that the Holy Spirit transformed my life, and for all the blessings I’ve experienced, the credit goes to God.   

So, the great feast of Pentecost will be celebrated on May 23^rd this year. Just as Peter occasionally needed a booster shot from the Holy Spirit during his life, so do we. Let’s get ready to ask the Lord to pour out the Holy Spirit in a new way during this wonderful season of Easter. Wow, what a difference a “moment” makes when the Holy Spirit comes and transforms our life. Come Holy Spirit.