Letter from the Church Council
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Let’s take a moment and reflect on our faith and the role of the Holy Spirit in our faith and life in general. It is obvious that we live in the days where there is so much distraction around us. We are constantly busy with work, struggling balancing between being present and active in our families, stressed with challenges of the economy, chasing individual goals, trying everything we can think of. to bring peace with our loved ones and so many other things to the extent we tend to forget that our spiritual life needs maintenance as well.
Even in the Bible we are told that the followers of Christ were distracted after his death. They were in a state of despair and inactivity following the crucifixion. It appears that for two solid months very little happened of spiritual significance. However, after they were filled with the Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, they literally charged out from behind closed
doors to boldly preach the resurrection of Christ.
This is reminder for us all that the Holy Spirit was sent to us so that in moment of destructions and despair we get to remember to do maintenance of our spirit. We can not do everything with our mind as a church and followers of Christ we need the Holy Spirit to guide us in facing this life even when things might not be going our ways. Paul said, “For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is emnity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be ” (Romans 8:6-7).
Our Spiritual wellbeing is what strengthens our faith. In order to have pure hearts before the eyes of God we need to have strong faith within us. Peter talked about the Gentiles being filled with the Spirit, he declared that their hearts were “purified by faith.” ( Acts 15: 8-9) In the days we are living in, we can only face our destruction and get the balance we need in life only if we invite the Holy Spirit through our faith. If we will empty ourselves and be filled with the Spirit, there is deliverance from a cowardly spirit.
The Holy Spirit can give us the courage we need to be witnesses for Christ. We at ACC have many impressive programs, but until we have been filled with the Spirit, we are not equipped to do the work of God. The reason many have not been filled is because they do not have a passionate desire to be filled. The Word declares that they who hunger and thirst after righteousness shall be filled (Matthew 5:6).
Let us take time in our busy lives to do our own spiritual reflection and invite the Holy Spirit in our mind, heart and in what we say through faith.
Jessica P. Shayo – Council Elder