Tag: Acts

Bible

Pentecost

everydaywiththeking

The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God. And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”  And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”   Acts 1:1-8  NKJV

The above portion of Scripture contains the last words Jesus spoke before He returned to heaven. So much is packed into a few precious words.

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In the next chapter of Acts, we read the account of the Holy Spirit’s entrance.

Read Acts 2

It is good to read the account and study the entire book of Acts but are we living it?

We long for Jesus to return.  He is not with us physically at this time but we have the Holy Spirit. We need to stay focused on being witnesses of Jesus. The ability and the power to accomplish this quest is through the Holy Spirit. We have a mission of the highest honor.

As Pentecost approaches this year, spend some prayerful time dwelling on what the Holy Spirit will empower you to do if you are willing. Take Acts 1:8 to heart. Ponder, pray and respond.

Yes, there is much darkness all around us but we have the light! How awful to be keeping it to ourselves instead of sharing.

Let us serve with joy and love.

Jesus said
Bible

Ascension Day

everydaywiththeking

Thursday, May 21, 2020

Today is Ascension Day

We don’t seem to take much note of this important day each year. It seems lost between the Resurrection and Pentecost. I do wonder why we don’t put more focus on the Ascension.

What an amazing time the disciples were experiencing with Jesus after His resurrection! They must have eagerly listened as He taught them. Jesus spent time preparing them for His departure and the coming of the Holy Spirit. The time was approaching quickly when the disciples would be sent on the mission to share Jesus with all the world.

Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel,who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”      – Acts 1:9-11 

In his book, Encounters with Jesus: Unexpected Answers to Life’s Biggest Questions, Timothy Keller writes “At the ascension, Jesus leaves the space-time continuum and passes into the presence of the Father. He is still human, still our second Adam . . . and still our Advocate—yet now he has been so glorified that everything he does has a cosmic scope . . . any time-space limitation passes away.”

Today Jesus is continuously present with us through the Holy Spirit and He is also present in Heaven. He is King over all always!

Let us be included with all those who have loved and yearned for and welcomed His appearing and His glorious Return! (see 2 Timothy 4:8)

And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.  – 1 John 2:28

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Uncategorized

To Blog or not to Blog…

everydaywiththeking

Becoming part of the blogosphere has been a gradual process for me. Let me tell you a little about my journey.

It actually started with an experience I had while taking part in a Facebook group.  When a conversation started with someone asking for opinions on a hypothetical situation, it soon became clear that all views were welcome except for Christian. I was shocked at the level of hostility toward the few of us who answered from a Christian viewpoint. Understandably, as a result of this hateful attack, a few people left the group. I prayed about it and believe that God wanted me to stay and be a light in the group.

Partly due to the unpleasant experience, I came to the realization that today’s public forum is online and as a follower of Jesus I need to be there.

Next step on the journey was starting the Facebook page Every day with the King.

It was later and with much hesitation that this website/blog began. When I first started blogging, I wasn’t completely sure if it was God calling me to do it or not. I had some pretty strong indications that I was on the right track early on but plenty of doubts at the same time. I know that is very typical and to be expected when stepping out to go where God is leading.

Next, there seemed to be a converging of events that opened my eyes and heart to what the Lord had been whispering to me for a while. I became solidly convinced that this is  God’s will for me at this time.  It has been a process moving from asking to blog or not to blog, to declaring I’m willing to serve in whatever way God chooses to work through me.

I pray that what happens through this blog will glorify God.  Here are four questions I plan to regularly ask myself. Scriptures to help are listed below the questions. 

  • Am I seeking to please God or people?
  • Is the focus on me or Christ?
  • Who am I looking to as the source for my writing?
  • What would Paul’s blog look like?

 For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.   ~Galatians 1:10  NKJV

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.  ~ 2 Corinthians 4:7  NKJV

When they observed the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed and recognized that they had been with Jesus.   ~ Acts 4:13  HCSB

 In the same way, my brothers, when I came to proclaim to you God’s secret purpose, I did not come equipped with any brilliance of speech or intellect. You may as well know now that it was my secret determination to concentrate entirely on Jesus Christ and the fact of his death upon the cross. As a matter of fact, in myself I was feeling far from strong; I was nervous and rather shaky. What I said and preached had none of the attractiveness of the clever mind, but it was a demonstration of the power of the Spirit! Plainly God’s purpose was that your faith should not rest upon man’s cleverness but upon the power of God.    ~ 1 Corinthians 2:1-5    J.B. Phillips

 

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