Scripture text for Tuesday, April 13th, 2010: Acts 3:1-4:37

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Our passages today are Acts 3:1-4:37. As I read through this weeks passages, I struggled to see what God wanted me to share with you. Then one thing kept jumping out at me! He was filled with the Holy Spirit, in 4:8, 4:25 and 4:31. As Dan shared on Sunday the Holy Spirit is a light for us. When we accept Christ our light has been lit, it is small, and as we grow in our faith our light grows and shines brighter. When we get into scripture and pray we have a greater opportunity to encounter the Holy Spirit in fullness of light!! This verses explains it well 2 Corinthians 4:6 For God who said, “Let light shine out of the darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light and the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

Scripture text for Monday, April 12th, 2010: Acts 2:1-2:47

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God meant business when He descended to Mt. Sinai. He showed up as consuming fire. Billowing smoke. Clouds. Earthquakes. WOW! When His people rebelled and made an idol, three thousand died.

Fast-forward to a time fifty days after Jesus’ death. He appeared again as something that sounded like wind and looked like fiery flames – the merciful Holy Spirit. The difference this time? The cross. Three thousand were saved for eternity.

Peter also meant business on the day of Pentecost while delivering the first sermon of the Gospel age. He boldly represented Jesus not as just an exemplary man, but the Lord of Life. Empowered by the Spirit, he preached the necessity of turning from old ways, being baptized, and receiving the Holy Spirit. This rugged outdoorsman with his spontaneous tongue and aggressive personality became a “thunderbolt” in his own right, quoting David and Joel’s earlier prophecies in the context of the hope, grace, and forgiveness now available because of the cross.

Scripture text for Thursday, April 8th, 2010: John 20:1-21:25

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Reading through this passage it always hits me how NO ONE recognized Jesus. These men and women who gave their lives and gave up everything to follow him, people who spent tons of time with Jesus don’t notice it is him…..at first. I think there are 2 things going on here, they were too busy and caught up in their own “stuff” to see that he had risen, and they did not fully believe that part of the prophecy. What about us? Are we any different? Does Christ show up daily in our lives and we think it to be something else? Luck, a good day, someone else, or our own strength?

Scripture text for Thursday, April 8th, 2010: Acts 1:1-1:11

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I read a book in College that God used in a powerful way to change the way I viewed my role in his Kingdom and it fits like a hand in glove with the passage we read for today. The book was In the Gap by David Bryant. One of the most powerful parts of the book is the case he makes for all Christians to be “World Christians” which sounds of course very much like what Jesus says in this passage to his disciples before he ascends into heaven. He tells them, “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on” them and “you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). This is a declarative statement on Jesus’ part, meaning he is simply telling them what their role is and how they will be viewed. And so the question becomes, how do I see myself and my role? Is it consistent with what Jesus says here?

Scripture text for Wednesday, April 7th, 2010: John 19:1-19:42

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I couldn’t get the image out of my mind, as it played, played-out and then looped again…over and over! My mind was running continuously like the ticker on Wall Street. It was 3:30 in the morning and I lay awake as I had a minor awakening…a sort of realization, though I was somewhat aware of the importance of it…about a man I was raised to know, but had truly never known until the last few years. Jesus!