"In the Last Days..."
Thursday, June 3, 2004
In the Last Days Bible Study Calendar
My Prayer Today
Heavenly Father, Thank You for the abundant blessings that You pour out on Your children! I praise You for being the God who Jesus told us to call “Our Father”! I pray that as I go about this day, I will listen to Your voice as an obedient child, and that You will fill me with the Holy Spirit that I may bring You great honor through my thoughts, words and actions. I pray that You will use me this day as an instrument of Your grace, love, and forgiveness. All these things I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
God's Word For Me Today
Acts 2:16-21
16No, what you see this morning was predicted centuries ago by the prophet Joel:
17 ‘In the last days, God said,
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.
18In those days I will pour out my Spirit
upon all my servants, men and women alike,
and they will prophesy.
19 And I will cause wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below—
blood and fire and clouds of smoke.
20 The sun will be turned into darkness,
and the moon will turn bloodred,
before that great and glorious day of the Lord arrives.
21And anyone who calls on the name of the Lord
will be saved.’
Reflecting on God’s Word
What is the most amazing thing that you have ever experienced as a result of the Holy Spirit’s activity in your life?
A Deeper Exploration of God’s Word
What specific spiritual and physical results are part of the “last days” according to today’s Scripture? (2:16-21)
Understanding God’s Purpose
What do we find out about God’s purpose for humanity regarding the pouring out of the Holy Spirit through today’s Scripture reading?
Applying God’s Word to Our Lives
What does today’s Scripture reading call you to do?
Thoughts...I Will Pour Out My Spirit...
God tells us that in the last days He will pour out His Spirit on ALL people. The result of this outpouring of the Holy Spirit is that men and women, young and old, will dream dreams, have visions, and prophesy. In other words, this is a time of God communicating directly and powerfully with His people! When God gives His people dreams, visions and prophecies that means He is planning to do mighty things through us. One of the great truths we find in Scripture is that God doesn’t need us, but He uses us to accomplish His purposes. In fact, down through the ages God has used common, everyday human beings, such as you and me to do extraordinary things. He has done and continues to do miracles through us, but first He communicates with us what He wants to do—that’s where the dreams, the visions and the prophecy come in.
Certainly the most reliable source of communication God has provided for His people is His written word, the Bible! In the Bible we find a true and faithful guide for faith and daily living. Even with the clarity of His written word, though, God continues to call us and speak to us directly through dreams, visions and prophecy. We may not be accustomed to hearing this, and sometimes we associate those who receive dreams, visions and prophecy as being fanatics or kooks, but the reality is God’s word is true, and here in Acts 2:16-21, we’re told that in the last days God will communicate His truth to people through dreams, vision and prophecy. Many times in my life God has gotten my attention by these means, and I am grateful that we serve a God who still speaks to His people today. So many people through the ages have made and worshiped gods of wood, metal or stone. As the psalmist tells us these gods can neither hear nor speak, but our God is a LIVING God, who hears our cries and speaks the truth to us in response! May we open our ears, our hearts, our minds and our spirits to hear God’s voice everyday, both through His written word, and when He chooses to communicate with us directly. As we hear His voice and do His will, always through the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit, we can be sure that He will use us in significant ways to advance His Kingdom—and He will use ALL of us, just as He said!