Acts 1
Jesus Taken Up Into Heaven
1In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 3After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. 4On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5For John baptized with[a] water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."
6So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?"
7He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
9After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
10They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11"Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven."
Matthias Chosen to Replace Judas
12Then they returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day's walk[b] from the city. 13When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. 14They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
15In those days Peter stood up among the believers[c] (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty) 16and said, "Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through the mouth of David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus— 17he was one of our number and shared in this ministry."
18(With the reward he got for his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out. 19Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this, so they called that field in their language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)
20"For," said Peter, "it is written in the book of Psalms,
" 'May his place be deserted;
let there be no one to dwell in it,'[d] and,
" 'May another take his place of leadership.'[e] 21Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22beginning from John's baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection."
23So they proposed two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. 24Then they prayed, "Lord, you know everyone's heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen 25to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs." 26Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion:
Jeremiah 6:16-21
16 This is what the LORD says:
"Stand at the crossroads and look;
ask for the ancient paths,
ask where the good way is, and walk in it,
and you will find rest for your souls.
But you said, 'We will not walk in it.'
17 I appointed watchmen over you and said,
'Listen to the sound of the trumpet!'
But you said, 'We will not listen.'
18 Therefore hear, O nations;
observe, O witnesses,
what will happen to them.
19 Hear, O earth:
I am bringing disaster on this people,
the fruit of their schemes,
because they have not listened to my words
and have rejected my law.
20 What do I care about incense from Sheba
or sweet calamus from a distant land?
Your burnt offerings are not acceptable;
your sacrifices do not please me."
21 Therefore this is what the LORD says:
"I will put obstacles before this people.
Fathers and sons alike will stumble over them;
neighbors and friends will perish."
May 9, 2008
Horsepower
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READ: Jeremiah 6:16-21
Ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; then you will find rest for your souls. —Jeremiah 6:16
On a cold winter day in Michigan, a woman in labor was being rushed to the hospital when the unthinkable happened. The ambulance slid off an icy road into a ditch. A passing four-wheel drive truck stopped and tried to haul the emergency vehicle out but couldn’t get a grip.
That’s when help arrived. An Amish man driving a two-horse team stopped to offer help. He told the ambulance service that the horses’ shoes had been sharpened so they would bite into the ice. Once he hooked up the horses to the ambulance, they walked it right out of the ditch.
By today’s standards, this young mother received help from a source of strength that was old-fashioned and outmoded. But on that day, old ways helped to ensure the safe arrival of new life into the world.
Most of us wouldn’t want to return to the old-fashioned ways. But more than 2,500 years ago, Jeremiah reminded us that there is nothing more relevant than the truth of the past. Even though he was regarded as a relic of his time, he urged his neighbors to walk in the old paths of truth so that they would find peace and rest for their souls (Jer. 6:16). Today, we can still find rest and peace in Jesus, our eternal source of truth (Matt. 11:28).
— Mart De Haan
Upon Thy Word I rest, so strong, so sure;
So full of comfort blest, so sweet, so pure,
Thy Word that changest not, that faileth never!
My King, I rest upon Thy Word forever. —Havergal
The old truth of God’s Word is ever new.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers:
May 9, 2008
Reaching Beyond Our Grasp
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READ:
Where there is no revelation [or prophetic vision], the people cast off restraint . . . —Proverbs 29:18
There is a difference between holding on to a principle and having a vision. A principle does not come from moral inspiration, but a vision does. People who are totally consumed with idealistic principles rarely do anything. A person’s own idea of God and His attributes may actually be used to justify and rationalize his deliberate neglect of his duty. Jonah tried to excuse his disobedience by saying to God, ". . . I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm" ( Jonah 4:2 ). I too may have the right idea of God and His attributes, but that may be the very reason why I do not do my duty. But wherever there is vision, there is also a life of honesty and integrity, because the vision gives me the moral incentive.
Our own idealistic principles may actually lull us into ruin. Examine yourself spiritually to see if you have vision, or only principles.
Ah, but a man’s reach should exceed his grasp, Or what’s a heaven for?
"Where there is no revelation [or prophetic vision]. . . ." Once we lose sight of God, we begin to be reckless. We cast off certain restraints from activities we know are wrong. We set prayer aside as well and cease having God’s vision in the little things of life. We simply begin to act on our own initiative. If we are eating only out of our own hand, and doing things solely on our own initiative without expecting God to come in, we are on a downward path. We have lost the vision. Is our attitude today an attitude that flows from our vision of God? Are we expecting God to do greater things than He has ever done before? Is there a freshness and a vitality in our spiritual outlook?
"A Word With You" by Ron Hutchcraft
The Pressure, the Pain, and the Prescription
Friday, May 09, 2008
A cold is no big deal, unless it decides to expand its coverage from your nose to your ears. And even that is no big deal unless you're coming down from 30,000 feet up in a commercial airliner. Now, this is not a medical news bulletin; it's a personal testimony. I could feel a little something in my ears before I took off, but I didn't have any idea how the altitude ups and downs of my flight were going to totally block my ears and cause me some nasty pain on the way down. The poor lady next to me was telling me some of her heartaches and I kept yawning to keep my head from exploding. And as my ears got more and more clogged, it was like somebody had turned down the volume knob on what she was saying. She must have thought I was a really great listener. Well, it was a painful afternoon, but the changing pressure in that plane let me know that I had a problem and it drove me to do what I usually try to avoid, go to the doctor. I'm glad I did - he really helped me.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Pressure, the Pain, and the Prescription."
Increased pressure actually showed me an infection I really needed to deal with. Really, pressure has a way of exposing a lot of problems that need attention. Maybe the words "increasing pressure" describe your "flight" right now, pressure that's causing some significant pain. It could be that the pressure and the pain is in your marriage or maybe your work. For you, the squeeze might be financial or it could be something in an important relationship, but the stress is building. And you don't like what that pressure is doing to you. And, like the pressure I experienced on that flight, there's pain. Could it be there's a purpose in what's happening to get you to the Doctor?
Our word for today from the Word of God comes from Psalm 32:1 and following. The great Jewish King David was having a painful flight, and he was feeling the pressure. But it's getting him to face some things he might otherwise not have faced. These words from his personal diary start out with what he learned from this hurting time. He says, "Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered." Now it was the pain and pressure that got him to that point of spiritual and emotional freedom. Here is what he says, "When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer."
Maybe you understand some of those feelings - like there's this heavy hand on you, extended times of sadness. There's a stress that's draining you, maybe even physical symptoms. My pain and my pressure on that flight exposed a deeper problem and it led me to healing. David's pain and pressure exposed his spiritual need and it led him to healing. You may be at that same threshold. Now David's had a happy ending, one which may be exactly where you will find your happy ending. He says, "Then I acknowledged my sin to You and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the Lord' - and You forgave the guilt of my sin."
God sometimes actually lets the pressure build so we will finally deal with what is really wrong inside us - the sin that we've never taken care of. David went to the Soul Doctor and came away a man who was forgiven and clean. That could happen to you - that same liberation - if you'll finally let go of your pride and go to the Forgiving Place. It's the cross where Jesus loved you so much that He died for all the sins you've ever committed. When He said, "Father, forgive them" on that cross, He was forgiving you.
If you'll put your total trust in Jesus Christ to be your Savior from your sin, you will be clean. All this pressure and all this pain has been to let you know there's something wrong deep down inside, the deadly infection of sin that only Jesus Christ can cure. This could be your time to finally be forgiven. If you want that, tell Him, "Jesus, I'm Yours." And let us give you some practical help in beginning a relationship with Jesus Christ at our website. Just visit us at yoursforlife.net. Or I'll send you my booklet called Your For Life if you'll just call toll free for it at 877-741-1200 .
Here in this most painful and stressful time, you're suddenly on the edge of the healing that your soul has always needed. You are face-to-face with Dr. Jesus.