As the Apostle Peter stood before the massive crowd on the first Christian Pentecost, his audience consisted of God fearing Jews. That meant they knew God's word.  Many would have memorized large portions of what we call the Old Testament.  Peter responded to the crowds amazement and perplexity, as well as to their sarcastic disbelief by demonstrating that what was taking place fulfilled prophecy.  Here's how he put it, "¹⁶No, what you see was predicted long ago by the prophet Joel: ¹⁷‘In the last days,’ God says, ‘I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. ¹⁷In those days I will pour out my Spirit even on my servants—men and women alike— and they will prophesy.  ¹⁸And I will cause wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below— blood and fire and clouds of smoke. ²⁰The sun will become dark, and the moon will turn blood red before that great and glorious day of the LORD arrives. Acts 2:16-20 NLT  

 I've always loved that passage of Scripture, for different reasons at different points in my life.  Today as a 54 year-old follower of Jesus, I'm thankful for the promise, "...your old men will dream dreams."  Decades ago it was the promise, "...Your young men will see visions."  I've lived long enough to see visions and dream dreams in the power of the Holy Spirit.  I also appreciate how the Spirit is promised to be poured out on "all people." That promise is reiterated in the statements, "Your sons and daughters will prophesy..." and "....I will pour out my Spirit even on my servants--men and women alike--and they will prophesy."  The Holy Spirit, like Jesus, is no respecter of persons.  He gives Himself to rich and poor, old and young, weak and strong, male and female.  The body of Jesus Christ is, indeed, made up of many parts, and each one is infinitely valuable to Him.

The first, Christian Pentecost was the BEGINNING of the last days.  We're living in the last days.  I don't know whether it's the middle of the last days, the end of the last days or what.  What I do know is that the great and glorious day of the LORD IS coming.   It may be in our lifetimes.  It may not.  Either way, the last days have been ushered in and we get to participate in seeing visions, dreaming dreams, and prophesying IF Jesus' Spirit is in us.  He is in EVERY believer, so the key is to trust Jesus as Savior and Lord and then live in the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.  My prayer is we will live in such a way that the fulfillment of Joel's prophecy in us will draw others to know and serve Jesus, too!

Let's pray:  Heavenly Father, I pray you will lead all of us to live in such a way that we glorify You and draw others to You.  Fill us with Your Holy Spirit so we may dream dreams, see visions and speak Your truth in humble confidence to Your glory and for the advancement of Your blessed Kingdom.  This we pray in Jesus' name.  Amen.