"In the Last Days..."
Saturday, June 5, 2004
In the Last Days Bible Study Calendar
My Prayer Today
Heavenly Father, You promise that anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. I pray this day for everyone I know who doesn’t yet know You. I pray for family members and co-workers, for friends and acquaintances. I pray also for the billions of people whom I do not know, who also don’t know You. I know that it is not Your will that even one person perish, but people do perish because they don’t respond to Your great gift of salvation. I pray that You will turn hearts, that You will draw people to Yourself through the great and gracious salvation offered through Jesus. This I pray in His name, and for the sake of His ever-expanding Kingdom. 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
How many people do you know personally who don’t yet know Jesus as Savior and Lord?
A Deeper Exploration of God’s Word
According to today’s Scripture who may be saved? (2:21)
Understanding God’s Purpose
What does Acts 2:21 tell us about God’s purpose for our lives?
Applying God’s Word to Our Lives
How does Acts 2:21 impact you right now?
Thoughts...Anyone Who Calls on the Name of the Lord Will Be Saved...
Many have said that Christianity is too narrow and exclusive. They have obviously never read Acts 2:21. At the close of Peter’s explanation from Scripture about what was going on that first Christian Pentecost Sunday when the Holy Spirit was poured out on everyone who trusted Jesus, Peter told the crowd that ANYONE who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Anyone includes ANYONE—it doesn’t matter how good or bad a person is or has been by human standards, the word of God excludes no one who will call on the name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior. While those of us who have already accepted the free gift of salvation, may wonder that so many have not, this is no cause for smugness or patting ourselves on the back—after all, salvation is God’s gift to us, and even the desire to respond to the gift is a gift from God! Thus, our daily calling is to pray for the lost, to minister to the lost, to live as one who has been found by Jesus, so that the lost can see the difference in our lifestyle and theirs and be desirous of having what we have received. The Good News of Jesus Christ is that ANYONE who calls on His name WILL be saved—anyone. It doesn’t matter what our sins have been, how serious has been our turning away from God—for all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. The key is what are we going to do with Jesus right now? If anyone reading these words has NOT yet become one of the ANYONE that Peter mentioned, then now is the time to do so. After all, you have nothing to lose and eternity to gain! Simply call out to Jesus and ask Him to become your Savior and Lord. Trust Him to forgive Your sins, fill You with the Holy Spirit and start the life-long process of becoming like Him! Those of us who have already become followers of Jesus have the great blessing of living every moment in the power of the Holy Spirit, and of sharing the blessings we have received with others. As we go about this day, let’s be intentional about finding someone with whom we can share the Gospel and be faithful stewards of all the blessings that God has entrusted to us. The best thing we can do in life, next to becoming one who follows Jesus, is share Him with someone else that they, too may call upon Him and be saved!