FOMO.

They say FOMO is a thing. I believe it. Fear Of Missing Out. These days that are entrenched in the billions of pixels staring at us on shiny screens, there is documenting that the chords of technology are creating this sense of unease that if we are separated away from our technology for a time that we fear that we will miss out on something. And it bothers us. FOMO is fascinating and concerning all at the same time.

As I wander through the early chapters of the bible book of Acts, I believe that we see one of the early moments of FOMO and it is wondrous. The Holy Spirit blew it open! That's my picture choice for today. We don't guarantee the movement of the Holy Spirit. We desire it. We long for it. But we do not control it. When the Spirit moves, things change. Those that encountered the pouring out of the Holy Spirit in early Acts experienced something really powerful. That's what the Word says about itself in the bible book of Acts, chapter 1, verse 8. "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you....". There is a life altering surge of inner power from the Holy Spirit of God and these people are hooked. They don't want to leave each other. They don't want to miss out on anything that the Holy Spirit might be doing among them. I mean, we get this. Athletic events, concerts, inaugurations. There is power in moments that magnetize us to be together. We want it. We desire it. We wouldn't miss it. And I can only imagine that what these early Christians experienced in the pouring out of the Holy Spirit made them so hungry for more that they couldn't bare to be away from each other and what was happening. They didn't want to miss the movement of God. It says that everyday they continued to meet together. They were at the temple together. They were in each others homes together. They were in the streets together. Hungry for more. And more were being added to them.

And as they were drawn together by the power of the Holy Spirit, they gathered around something. The Apostle's teaching. They gathered around the Truth. They gathered around nourishment and instruction. In this fresh, new move of the Spirit of God, they were hungry for more and so they fed on the teaching of the Word of God. They experienced something powerful AND they encountered the truth. The apostles teaching grounded them and gave them foundation in the earliest days of the new poured out power of the Holy Spirit.

There is a beautiful pattern for us here. Jesus taught the apostles. Then He ascended to heaven and the Holy Spirit is poured out and now the apostles are teaching the people and it has trickled down to this very day because it is still happening right now! And who are you teaching? In the bible book of Luke, chapter 24 and verses 25 through 27, we see that Jesus starts with Moses and the Prophets and He explains to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Him (can you imagine getting to do that with Jesus one day?). Shortly after that, He leaves them ascending into heaven and then in the bible book of Acts, chapter 2 and verse 14, it continues. Peter stands up and raises his voice and begins to teach. Aggressively. He is not messing around. He is going off, speaking the truth like crazy. Peter, the thrice denier of Jesus is throwing out the seed of the word....the apostles teaching. How is this happening? Holy Spirit poured out. There's new power. And later in chapter 2 and verse 37 it says that when the people heard the teaching, they were "cut to the heart". It affected them. It impacted them. Not because they didn't have anything better to do that day. No. The Spirit is poured out. The Word of God is living and active. It transforms and is not asking permission to do so. Transformation is inherent in the Word of God.

They didn't want to miss out. There was so much godly power present. They weren't thinking about what the minimum they could do was. They wanted the maximum. They were hungry together. They were hungry together for the teaching of the truth of God. When I glance around today, it doesn't seem like that's always what the hunger is for. I see this in me too.

Thank you God that there is not only power to experience as Your Holy Spirit is poured out. Thank you too, that there is truth to encounter. So much truth to encounter. Word of God. Unlimited nourishment. Addicting.

Maybe we'll see each other around today?

There's more.