The Holy Spirit! 6/14/15

Day 163 - Reading the New Testament in one year.

https://www.biblegateway.com/audio/dramatized/niv/Acts.1

Acts 1

Jesus Taken Up Into Heaven

1 In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 3 After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. 4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with[a] water, but in a few days you will be baptized with[b] the Holy Spirit.”

6 Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”

7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.

10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

Matthias Chosen to Replace Judas

12 Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk[c] from the city. 13 When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. 14 They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

15 In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty) 16 and said, “Brothers and sisters,[d] the Scripture had to be fulfilled in which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus. 17 He was one of our number and shared in our ministry.”

18 (With the payment he received for his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out. 19 Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this, so they called that field in their language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)

20 “For,” said Peter, “it is written in the Book of Psalms:

“‘May his place be deserted;

    let there be no one to dwell in it,’[e]

and,

“‘May another take his place of leadership.’[f]

21 Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus was living among us, 22 beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection.”

23 So they nominated two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. 24 Then they prayed, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen 25 to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.” 26 Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.

Supplied Life Devotional by Bill Freeman

June 12th Fully know Him

“That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of 
The major things on God’s heart July 13th
“Having predestined us to sonship by Jesus Christ to Him- self, according to the good pleasure of His will.”
EPHESIANS 1:5 According to its deepest meaning in the New Testament, vision is an opening of our eyes to feet he major things on God’s heart. The vision that can direct and control our lives, the vision that restrains us, is the vision that opens our eyes to see the unique will and purpose in God’s heart. It is the vision of the good pleasure of His will spoken of in Ephesians 1:5. It is the vision of God’s eternal purpose in Ephesians 3:10-11. And it is the vision of the main burden of the apostle Paul’s ministry, which he defines as “the mystery of Christ” in Ephesians 3:2-7. When we have vision in this sense, the scales are taken off our eyes to see directly into God’s heart the way Paul saw, the way John saw, and the way Peter saw. The apostles lived under a heavenly vision. They had revelation. They had the full knowledge of God. Their ministry brought enlightenment to people. To have vision means to enter into the identical revelation of the apostles’ New Testament ministry. If you and I were believers in the early church under Paul’s ministry, one of his main burdens for us would have been that we would enter into the same controlling, heavenly vision that governed his own life. To the Ephesians who were already saved and filled with the HolySpirit, he said,15 “Therefore I also,after I heard of your faith int he Lord Jesus and your love for all  the saints,16 do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers:17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the full knowledge of Him,18 the eyes of your heart being enlightened; that you may know . . .” (Eph. 1:15-18). In other words, when Paul found seeking Christians, he bowed his knees and prayed for vision and revelation in their lives. He prayed that their eyes would be opened to know something deeper and fuller: “the eyes of your heart being enlightened; that you may know [1] what is the hope of His calling, [2] what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and [3] what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe” (vv. 18- 19). It is this kind of vision that governs God Himself, that governs the universe He created, and that should govern us as His children.

Pray Until Something Happens (PUSH)

Anna, Ariana,Ariel, Rene, and Willie.

Health and Healing

Vonetta's mom and Willie

Support and Comfort

Praise Alert
Anna is out of the hospital.

National
Conflict between citizens and  police officer. 

International

Israel and Palestine
Iraq

Syrians

Ukraine

Missing plane and passengers.
Missing Nigerian Christian girls.
Families of slain Kenyans.
Families of all the recent plane crashes.

Song(s) of the Day.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KihE0j5qe8
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