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Be Like Mike!
Posted by Jared on Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 12:22am

The apostles and the believers throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him and said, “You went into the house of uncircumcised men and ate with them.” Acts 11:1 (NIV) "Sometimes I dream, that he is me, [you've] got to see that's how I dream to be... (pom papom pom pom...) " As I read Acts 11 that song came to mind. Naturally I went to youtube when I was done and took a listen. Man I love the music in that song. Surprisingly I never noticed the quality of the recording. That was a GREAT AD campaign! I caught myself grinning a couple of times and I'm likely to be singing this song ALL day! But I digress... It is blowing my mind as I read through the book of Acts how much Peter has become like Jesus. This cuss-bud, fisherman, who denied his friend and Master is healing the sick, raising the dead, having visions in prayer, hearing the Holy Spirit audibly, preaching with power, brought before the Sanhedrin, publicly beaten and criticized for his not so righteous affiliations! Many of those things (healing sick, raising dead etc.) people say Jesus was able to do because He was God. But in Acts the same things are being done by Simon-Peter, John and Paul! We know for CERTAIN they aren't begotten son's of God from virgin births, neither are they Messiahs. So that begs the question, how the heck are they doing that? The obvious easy answer is, by the power of the Holy Spirit! Throughout the book of Acts we see tangible manifestations when a person receives the Holy Spirit. According to Luke's descriptions, there is a marked difference / noticeable change in a person when the Holy Spirit comes on them that the people around at the time notice. In addition we also see where people can accept the Word and be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus, but not receive the Holy Spirit. Receipt of the Holy Spirit doesn't seem to be automatic upon baptism, but when it does come on you, it's not in secret and everyone around you at the time can tell. Stop and think for a moment, do you remember when you were baptized? How about when you received the Holy Spirit? In some religious circles, Michael, as mentioned in Revelation 12 and Daniel 12, is considered to be another name for Jesus. For the purposes of this post...I'm going along with that belief! :) “I wanna be, I wanna be like Mike!” Do you? Then together let's pray EARNESTLY to receive the Holy Spirit! Contrary to what the folks at Gatorade would like us to believe, that's really the ONLY way! ;) It was the Holy Spirit that enabled Peter, John, Phillip, Stephen, Paul and the others to have the character of Jesus / Michael and do miraculous things like he did. If we desire to be like Mike, we too NEED the Holy Spirit. The same power that was available to Him is available to us! Peter's experience demonstrates that indeed we can (and should) be like Mike! A word of caution, being like Mike doesn't just mean the ability to perform miracles! It also involves being persecuted and ostracized for His name's sake. A servant isn't greater than his master. If He did it, we can do it. If He went through it we will too! "Sometimes I dream, that he is me [you've] got to see that's how I dream to be..." Thank You Lord For Daily Bread and Gatorade! :) jesusonmtv.com
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