Acts 1:1-11
New International
Version (NIV)
1 In my former book,
Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2 until the day he was
taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the
apostles he had chosen. 3 After his suffering, he
presented himself to them 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. 4 On 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. 5 For John baptized with
water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
6 Then they gathered
around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the
kingdom to Israel?”
7 He said to them: “It is
not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.
8 But 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.”
I
think that it is amazing to have this Bible setting before me. It is a book filled with history and
prophesies. The very men that
encountered Jesus on this earth sat down and wrote an account of the man and
the God that they met. These men died
for what they believed and they believed because they experienced Jesus first
hand, in the flesh. What an amazing
blessing God has given us through this book.
Yet, often times it sits on the shelf and waits for Sunday morning to come. We do not take advantage of the mighty
accountings that are written in this book.
It is a book that has tried to be destroyed by mankind for many years
but yet it has been protected by God and is still here with us today to read of
these accountings.
Many
believe the author of this book is Luke and in the first part of the scripture
today we see that Theophilus is mentioned just as he was in Luke. The reason Luke or the author of these books
wrote to him was to help him know, with certainty, that what he had been taught
was true. He must have been one that was
struggling with his faith and the author, having been an eyewitness, sat down
and wrote of his accountings to strengthen this man. That is one reason I write this blog. It is to help strengthen those of you who
read it while strengthening me as well.
To give an account to others that I too struggle but we have a God that
is far superior to any of out troubles who gives us the strength to sustain
us. I believe that Theo was having some
difficulties and just was not quite sure about all that he had been taught
about Jesus. Have you ever been
there? If so, join me in this journey of
Acts and lets see how our own faith can be strengthened.
What
stood out to me today, were the words of Jesus, stating, it is not for us to
know the time or the date of His return.
Many people have tried to predict the end of this earth. They seem to think that they are able to look
at the rotation and the stars and can figure out that before long meteorites
that fall from the sky will destroy the earth.
There are movies about it and many predictions. What they seemed to forget is that our God is
the one that placed us here and began the rotation and placed the stars in the
sky. At any time He could change the
course of any of those elements, it is not for us to know or to decide. The
Word is clear that we cannot determine this but only our Father in Heaven knows
the time and the hour. It is our responsibility
just as it was the apostles, to use the gift of the Holy Spirit to be witnesses
to others. Some of us may go to the ends
of the earth and some of us may stay right in our communities but we need to be
spreading the Gospel. I have been able
to spread this news to people in places I have never been through this
blog. After my break from the blog, I
found that I lost those readers from other countries. My prayer is to continually pray that they
will return. We need to not get caught
sleeping but be diligent in spreading the Gospel of the One who saved us. Seek Him and know Him so that you are able to
spread His word to others.
Seeking
Him with all my heart,
Sheila
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