From Believers to Disciples
Friday, May 11, 2007
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“Study to show yourself approved by God …” 2 Timothy 2:15a KJV
Prayer Focus for Today
Heavenly Father, Today’s Scripture contains a great promise: that Jesus will one day return to us just as He left the apostles so long ago. I pray today that I will always lives as if that promise would be filled TODAY. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit that all that I am and all that I do will bring You glory and honor. Thank You for the promise that one day all the difficulty and pain of this life will be ended. Thank You too for the urgency that is produced by my realizing that Jesus can come back at any time! Give me Your grace and power to share the Good News with others until the day He returns or You call me to be with You! This I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
God’s Word Today
This week’s Scripture comes from Acts 1:4-11. We will look at a couple of verses each day, and see what we learn about God’s Promise to send the Holy Spirit:
4Once when he was eating with them, he commanded them, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. 5John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
6So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, “Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?”
7He replied, “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know. 8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
9After saying this, he was taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see him. 10As they strained to see him rising into heaven, two white-robed men suddenly stood among them. 11“Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!”
From Today’s Reading, a Believer …
What promise do we receive in today’s Scripture?
What are the implications of it for our everyday lives?
Let’s Go Deeper in Our Walk with Jesus
How does knowing that Jesus will return one day move you deeper in your walk with him?
From Today’s Reading, a Disciple of Jesus Will …
The apostles knew now that Jesus was not going to return until after the Holy Spirit came. He had made that clear. They also knew now, that He WOULD return. Take some time right now to pray and thank God for His promise, AND to ask Him to prepare You for that great moment.
Ministry, Mission, Outreach, Service Opportunities to Consider
One of the mission opportunities that is always open to each of us is interceding on behalf of those who are in the mission field in Jesus’ name. Here at New Life we support a number of missionaries (you can see who they are by clicking here). This week I’m asking that you invest some prayer time in lifting up Mark and Ellie Geppert and the Southeast Asia Prayer Center (SEAPC). SEAPC has impact literally around the world. You can find out more about how to pray in specific ways by visiting www.SEAPC.us. Jesus calls us to GO once we’ve received the power of the Holy Spirit, and in addition to going ourselves we can pray for those who are already in the mission field!
My Journal
Note any thoughts from Through the Bible or the Daily Reading here:
He Will Return!
The angels told the apostles that Jesus would return one day in the same manner He left. For us that is extremely good news, because we know that Jesus may return in our lifetimes. That calls us to a life of readiness, and the best way to be ready for Jesus’ return is by living in the power of His Holy Spirit every moment. May we be sure to put Jesus first, and call on God the Father to fill and empower us with the Holy Spirit that when Jesus does come, or we go to Him, we will be found faithful!