Day 6
Acts 2:42
42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.
Pentecost came and with it the birth of the Church. In one day 3000 people were added to that early group of disciples. If we were to take such an event and put it in a modern context I wonder what we would see. What would happen among the leadership the next day or maybe even that very night? What would be the top priorities of the church body. Would they start a building program? Would they organize and set up a bunch of programs. Would they set up a bunch of management positions. Would they be talking about how to keep all these people in the church now that they have been saved. In short would they be more focused (as we all tend to be) on the human aspects or on the spiritual ones.
Please don’t misunderstand. We always need to be wise in the way that we approach things. Having an understanding of the needs and how to meet those needs is important but so often when we are doing that we tend to take God out of the picture and only ask and answer according to what is humanly possible. The disciples had already had this experience on more that one occasion when a huge crowd had formed around Jesus. Jesus, send them home... they need something to eat, the disciples pleaded. There was no way that they could see to provide for such a crowd of people. Yet, there was Jesus saying, no, you give them something. Though initially the disciples had forgotten the lesson of the fish and bread, now they were reminded by the Holy Spirit. Rather than running around and trying to figure out a big church management plan they instead “continued”. They continued steadfastly in doctrine, fellowship, breaking of bread and prayers.
So often our tendency is that once we have achieved/experienced some success that it becomes our responsibility to manage it. To make it continue. The wonderful thing about what God does is that it is not our responsibility. It is our responsibility to continue in what He has called us to do. They didn’t fall back on their on plans and abilities. Instead they relied in and rested on the spiritual power that had brought them to this blessing. Because they continued in reliance on God instead of seeing them fighting just to keep up with the blessings of God we instead see God “added to the Church daily those who were being saved”. Having begun in the Spirit we should be careful not to try to be made perfect in the flesh.
Prayer Requests Day 6
For today we would just ask you to "continue" in the requests that we have already presented throughout this week. We would especially ask you to pray for Friday's requests for our friends and acquaintances which are included again here below. But please also look back through the other requests for the other posts as well. We appreciate you continuing with us in prayer for these people and other requests.
1) Zoran, Nada and Indi - Indi still doesn't sleep well (1 1/2 years old), they are in a process of buying land to build a house - has been a long process for them, salvation
2) Miro, Mateja and their girls Leah and Enya - Miro seeking new position at work, Leah, Enya & Christian enjoy playing together, Mateja back to teaching after summer off, salvation
3) Sandra & Ales - expecting their first child, soon to be married, salvation
4) Marko, Jadranka, Ursala & Henrik - Ursala beginning high school, Jadranka has been our language tutor, salvation
5) Also for acquaintances - Michael & Katerina, Kirsten & her husband, Marija & Vladko, Anya
6) English students - Ana and Barbara
7) Others with whom we have occasional contact, new contacts, and that God would bring people across our path that are seeking and prepared for the message of the gospel
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Friday, August 24, 2007
30 Days - Day 5
Day 5
Acts 2:21
21 And it shall come to pass
That whoever calls on the name of the LORD
Shall be saved.
Pentecost was fully come and so also had the Holy Spirit come upon the believers. As God worked His power in their lives they were able to become witnesses of Jesus as Christ, witnesses of the fulfillment of the hopes of which Law and the Prophets had been but shadows. God had made promises and as always He fulfilled them as well.
As Peter stands up and shares from God’s Word, he shares a prophecy of promise and judgment, but most importantly of Salvation. Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
What a wonderful promise we have been given. The LORD, Jehovah, hears us. When we call to Him He saves us. As it says in Proverbs 18:10, “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run into it and are safe”. He is able to save to the uttermost those that come to God through Him as it says in Hebrews 7:25. He lives, as we call upon Him, to make intercession for us to the Father.
Peter proclaims this message encouraging people to call on the name of the LORD. He encourages them to a relationship with God through Jesus and to a conversation with Him. But the best thing is that the picture that we get is one of God waiting on the edge of His throne. He has opened the way for us to call and He waits for us. We don’t have to go through someone else but can go boldly before His throne of grace and there find salvation, help for our souls, a high priest that has been touched with all our infirmities and was yet without sin. He is God who understands and loves us and who will save us, not always in the way that we expect or desire but, loving us so much more, in the best way for us. However, we must call on Him in faith.
Peter draws the attention of the people who have gathered to listen to him, to their need and God’s desire that they should call on the LORD. He also calls our attention to it reminding us that in everything God is able to save, His arm is not too short and we should not hesitate to call on Him. He is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or even think, and He encourages us to call on Him.
Prayer Requests Day 5
We have met a number of people and have growing friendship with them. They are special to us and we want God's best for their lives. Our prayers for each of these people concern both personal and spiritual needs.
1) Nada, Zoran and Indi - Indi still doesn't sleep well (1 1/2 years old), they are in a process of buying land to build a house - has been a long process for them, salvation
2) Miro, Mateja and their girls Leah and Enya - Miro seeking new position at work, Leah, Enya & Christian enjoy playing together, Mateja back to teaching after summer off, salvation
3) Sandra & Ales - expecting their first child, soon to be married, salvation
4) Marko, Jadranka, Ursala & Henrik - Ursala beginning high school, Jadranka has been our language tutor, salvation
5) Also for acquaintances - Michael & Katerina, Kirsten & her husband, Marija & Vladko, Anya
6) English students - Ana and Barbara
7) Others with whom we have occasional contact, new contacts, and that God would bring people across our path that are seeking and prepared for the message of the gospel
Acts 2:21
21 And it shall come to pass
That whoever calls on the name of the LORD
Shall be saved.
Pentecost was fully come and so also had the Holy Spirit come upon the believers. As God worked His power in their lives they were able to become witnesses of Jesus as Christ, witnesses of the fulfillment of the hopes of which Law and the Prophets had been but shadows. God had made promises and as always He fulfilled them as well.
As Peter stands up and shares from God’s Word, he shares a prophecy of promise and judgment, but most importantly of Salvation. Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
What a wonderful promise we have been given. The LORD, Jehovah, hears us. When we call to Him He saves us. As it says in Proverbs 18:10, “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run into it and are safe”. He is able to save to the uttermost those that come to God through Him as it says in Hebrews 7:25. He lives, as we call upon Him, to make intercession for us to the Father.
Peter proclaims this message encouraging people to call on the name of the LORD. He encourages them to a relationship with God through Jesus and to a conversation with Him. But the best thing is that the picture that we get is one of God waiting on the edge of His throne. He has opened the way for us to call and He waits for us. We don’t have to go through someone else but can go boldly before His throne of grace and there find salvation, help for our souls, a high priest that has been touched with all our infirmities and was yet without sin. He is God who understands and loves us and who will save us, not always in the way that we expect or desire but, loving us so much more, in the best way for us. However, we must call on Him in faith.
Peter draws the attention of the people who have gathered to listen to him, to their need and God’s desire that they should call on the LORD. He also calls our attention to it reminding us that in everything God is able to save, His arm is not too short and we should not hesitate to call on Him. He is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or even think, and He encourages us to call on Him.
Prayer Requests Day 5
We have met a number of people and have growing friendship with them. They are special to us and we want God's best for their lives. Our prayers for each of these people concern both personal and spiritual needs.
1) Nada, Zoran and Indi - Indi still doesn't sleep well (1 1/2 years old), they are in a process of buying land to build a house - has been a long process for them, salvation
2) Miro, Mateja and their girls Leah and Enya - Miro seeking new position at work, Leah, Enya & Christian enjoy playing together, Mateja back to teaching after summer off, salvation
3) Sandra & Ales - expecting their first child, soon to be married, salvation
4) Marko, Jadranka, Ursala & Henrik - Ursala beginning high school, Jadranka has been our language tutor, salvation
5) Also for acquaintances - Michael & Katerina, Kirsten & her husband, Marija & Vladko, Anya
6) English students - Ana and Barbara
7) Others with whom we have occasional contact, new contacts, and that God would bring people across our path that are seeking and prepared for the message of the gospel
Thursday, August 23, 2007
30 Days - Day 4
Day 4
Acts 2:1
1 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
During the past 10 days Jesus has ascended, the disciples have been meeting together for prayer, they have been waiting for God’s promises, they have chosen a new apostle and, no doubt, they have prepared for a holiday. After all this was one of the 3 great Jewish Feasts and the celebration of the completion of the harvest. All Jewish men were supposed to keep this feast, and Jerusalem would be filled with people flooding into the city from all over to celebrate. In the middle of all this preparation it would not be unnatural for there to be an intense sense of excitement along with the hustle and bustle of running here and there in preparation for the celebration about to take place. Yet here were the disciples gathered together. The day of Pentecost had arrived and yet here they were together still waiting on the Lord.
We can probably be fairly certain that the opportunities for being witnesses that the feast presented would not have gone unnoticed or unthought of by the early disciples. From a human standpoint it probably seemed the perfect opportunity to launch their “gospel campaign”. Yet we still see them gathered together and in one place. They could have organized their strategy to canvas the city. They could have been out on the main street corners with their signs and tracts ready. They could have set up their stations throughout the city to reach the most effective cross-section of the feast population. But instead they are here clustered and cloistered in one place still waiting. Yes, it was the perfect opportunity but they remembered the words of Jesus just before He ascended. Do not depart! Wait for the power!
The perfect opportunity or the perfect timing means nothing without God’s perfect power. He had told them to wait, and they waited. He told them they would be given power and they were. They didn’t need to micromanage God’s plan. They needed to obey because what was coming was a work of the Spirit and not a work of the flesh. There was no way that anyone could look at the results of the Pentecost preaching campaign and claim it was the disciples superior business plan, organization abilities, strategy or any other thing. They could only attribute it to the power of God.
There is no doubt that we need to be prepared. We need to understand the opportunities. We need to plan and be wise in our preparations. But more important than any of those things is that we be together waiting on God so that all will be done as a work of the Spirit and not as a work of the flesh. Not to us, not to us O Lord but to Your name be the glory...
Prayer Requests Day 4
1) Jim, Olya and Family - the organization of our time (family, ministry, friends
etc), continuing language growth, building relationships with others, rearing Christian and Julia in the Lord, provision for needs, health and protection.
2) Phil and Yvonne Brewer - health issues (Phil's back causing pain, Yvonne sugar allergy causing dizziness), development of Crisis Pregnancy Center for Slovenia, provision of needs, development of a Bible Study in Mokronog
3) Nathan and Dawn Detweiler - provision and preparation during their deputation time, timely arrival in Slovenia (planned for early 2009), integration into team, language study, cultural adaptation, grace for life "on field"
4) Justin, Matej and Amy, Darja and others at Calvary Chapel Celje as they help, support and encourage us in the work in Maribor. Wisdom for Justin and Matej (Pastor and Elder). Darja as she studies at Maribor University and helps us reach out to students (this Fall)
Acts 2:1
1 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
During the past 10 days Jesus has ascended, the disciples have been meeting together for prayer, they have been waiting for God’s promises, they have chosen a new apostle and, no doubt, they have prepared for a holiday. After all this was one of the 3 great Jewish Feasts and the celebration of the completion of the harvest. All Jewish men were supposed to keep this feast, and Jerusalem would be filled with people flooding into the city from all over to celebrate. In the middle of all this preparation it would not be unnatural for there to be an intense sense of excitement along with the hustle and bustle of running here and there in preparation for the celebration about to take place. Yet here were the disciples gathered together. The day of Pentecost had arrived and yet here they were together still waiting on the Lord.
We can probably be fairly certain that the opportunities for being witnesses that the feast presented would not have gone unnoticed or unthought of by the early disciples. From a human standpoint it probably seemed the perfect opportunity to launch their “gospel campaign”. Yet we still see them gathered together and in one place. They could have organized their strategy to canvas the city. They could have been out on the main street corners with their signs and tracts ready. They could have set up their stations throughout the city to reach the most effective cross-section of the feast population. But instead they are here clustered and cloistered in one place still waiting. Yes, it was the perfect opportunity but they remembered the words of Jesus just before He ascended. Do not depart! Wait for the power!
The perfect opportunity or the perfect timing means nothing without God’s perfect power. He had told them to wait, and they waited. He told them they would be given power and they were. They didn’t need to micromanage God’s plan. They needed to obey because what was coming was a work of the Spirit and not a work of the flesh. There was no way that anyone could look at the results of the Pentecost preaching campaign and claim it was the disciples superior business plan, organization abilities, strategy or any other thing. They could only attribute it to the power of God.
There is no doubt that we need to be prepared. We need to understand the opportunities. We need to plan and be wise in our preparations. But more important than any of those things is that we be together waiting on God so that all will be done as a work of the Spirit and not as a work of the flesh. Not to us, not to us O Lord but to Your name be the glory...
Prayer Requests Day 4
1) Jim, Olya and Family - the organization of our time (family, ministry, friends
etc), continuing language growth, building relationships with others, rearing Christian and Julia in the Lord, provision for needs, health and protection.
2) Phil and Yvonne Brewer - health issues (Phil's back causing pain, Yvonne sugar allergy causing dizziness), development of Crisis Pregnancy Center for Slovenia, provision of needs, development of a Bible Study in Mokronog
3) Nathan and Dawn Detweiler - provision and preparation during their deputation time, timely arrival in Slovenia (planned for early 2009), integration into team, language study, cultural adaptation, grace for life "on field"
4) Justin, Matej and Amy, Darja and others at Calvary Chapel Celje as they help, support and encourage us in the work in Maribor. Wisdom for Justin and Matej (Pastor and Elder). Darja as she studies at Maribor University and helps us reach out to students (this Fall)
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
30 Days - Day 3
Day 3
Acts 1:24
4 And they prayed and said, “You, O Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which of these two You have chosen
During this time of preparation, while waiting on the promises of God the disciples are not idle. They are waiting, but waiting with a purpose. They have been promised power and that they will be witnesses of Christ, but they also realize that they have responsibility. As they were expectantly waiting they also realize that there is a hole that needs to be filled,there is something that needs to be done. Judas was dead and as they studied the scripture they realized that his place needed to be filled. So two candidates were offered that were witnesses to all that Jesus had done from His baptism to His ascension. Two names over which they now prayed for guidance.
Everyday we also have a host of opportunities and possibilities to chose from. Most of them are not as important as who would fill the role of an apostle but, all the same, even little choices that we make can have a much larger impact later on. We are also limited as to what we are able to accomplish and what we have strength for each day. Each day God gives us, He sets before us choices. With the disciples there were two good men that they put forward. Two who had equal experience. Two who could fill the position. Often we also have similar choices placed before us. They look equal but we can only choose one. There isn’t time, energy or place for all the possibilities and the choice that we make will affect what we are able to do in the future. The good news is that God sees the end of all things. Where we lack understanding and insight, He is able to give the hidden answer. The question is will we call on Him? Will we ask for wisdom? Will we let the God that sees all things and knows all things direct our paths while we wait upon Him.
Then there is also the concept of waiting. So often we are impatient people. We don’t know how to wait on the Lord. The time between the “action” seems like inactivity. However, it is possible to “wait” with a purpose. God is more interested in us than in what we do for Him. He wants relationship and sometimes that means sitting and talking with Him, seeking His advice and guidance and just abiding in His presence. We should not use it as an excuse to be lazy, yet resting in and waiting expectantly on Him.
We covet your prayers. It is hard to wait. We get anxious for "action". Yet we know that we must stay “in step” with God. He is the one that must "build the house" or we labor in vain. Yet that can be so hard sometimes. There are also many possibilities that we could spend a lot of time and effort on trying to get up and running. We need wisdom to know where to put our energy, time and resources (all of which are limited) so that there will be the greatest return for His work.
Prayer Request - Day 3
1) Wisdom to know where to spend our time and what opportunities to focus on
2) Continued Development of ministries and future possibilities (English Camps, Bible Studies, Student Outreach, Family Outreach, Crisis Pregnancy - Phil and Yvonne, etc)
3) Open doors to continue to reach out to neighbors and acquaintances and also to meet new people
4) Personal and corporate walk with the Lord - growth, praise and worship, guidance
Acts 1:24
4 And they prayed and said, “You, O Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which of these two You have chosen
During this time of preparation, while waiting on the promises of God the disciples are not idle. They are waiting, but waiting with a purpose. They have been promised power and that they will be witnesses of Christ, but they also realize that they have responsibility. As they were expectantly waiting they also realize that there is a hole that needs to be filled,there is something that needs to be done. Judas was dead and as they studied the scripture they realized that his place needed to be filled. So two candidates were offered that were witnesses to all that Jesus had done from His baptism to His ascension. Two names over which they now prayed for guidance.
Everyday we also have a host of opportunities and possibilities to chose from. Most of them are not as important as who would fill the role of an apostle but, all the same, even little choices that we make can have a much larger impact later on. We are also limited as to what we are able to accomplish and what we have strength for each day. Each day God gives us, He sets before us choices. With the disciples there were two good men that they put forward. Two who had equal experience. Two who could fill the position. Often we also have similar choices placed before us. They look equal but we can only choose one. There isn’t time, energy or place for all the possibilities and the choice that we make will affect what we are able to do in the future. The good news is that God sees the end of all things. Where we lack understanding and insight, He is able to give the hidden answer. The question is will we call on Him? Will we ask for wisdom? Will we let the God that sees all things and knows all things direct our paths while we wait upon Him.
Then there is also the concept of waiting. So often we are impatient people. We don’t know how to wait on the Lord. The time between the “action” seems like inactivity. However, it is possible to “wait” with a purpose. God is more interested in us than in what we do for Him. He wants relationship and sometimes that means sitting and talking with Him, seeking His advice and guidance and just abiding in His presence. We should not use it as an excuse to be lazy, yet resting in and waiting expectantly on Him.
We covet your prayers. It is hard to wait. We get anxious for "action". Yet we know that we must stay “in step” with God. He is the one that must "build the house" or we labor in vain. Yet that can be so hard sometimes. There are also many possibilities that we could spend a lot of time and effort on trying to get up and running. We need wisdom to know where to put our energy, time and resources (all of which are limited) so that there will be the greatest return for His work.
Prayer Request - Day 3
1) Wisdom to know where to spend our time and what opportunities to focus on
2) Continued Development of ministries and future possibilities (English Camps, Bible Studies, Student Outreach, Family Outreach, Crisis Pregnancy - Phil and Yvonne, etc)
3) Open doors to continue to reach out to neighbors and acquaintances and also to meet new people
4) Personal and corporate walk with the Lord - growth, praise and worship, guidance
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
30 Days - Day 2
Day 2
Acts 1:12-14
12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey. 13 And when they had entered, they went up into the upper room where they were staying: Peter, James, John, and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot; and Judas the son of James. 14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.
Getting alone with God to pray is so important. Jesus probably more than any other recorded in scripture left us that example. We know that it was His practice to go to the mountain, the garden or some other solitary place to be alone with the Father to pray. It is wonderful for us to find time away from the rough and tumble of everyday life to commune with our Savior. We need that time. However, in this busy life that solitary time is perhaps easier to find that what we see recorded for us here in these short verses because it depends only on us and our schedule. The time that is much harder to coordinate is that which involves others, yet it was this community of prayer that the disciple sought upon their return to Jerusalem. We notice that the disciples/apostles and other core believers gathered together in unified corporate prayer.
There is something special about the time that we have together as believer. At least, there should be. We know that God desires that we as believers gather together, but do we understand why and its importance? These believers had been brought together by a number of common things. Most important among those things was the fact that they were witnesses to the work, death and resurrection of Jesus. All of them were profoundly impacted by Him. They shared that in common. Therefore they also shared a common purpose - the proclamation of Jesus as both risen and Christ or Messiah. Each of them had a common hope - their own resurrection and the coming of the kingdom. And, we could argue that they had common promises - you will receive power and be my witnesses.
As believers we also have much in common with one another. It doesn’t matter that we come from different backgrounds, different levels of society or whatever else might be different. We have a common Savior and hope. And He has called us together to encourage one another, to remind one another of His calling and promises, to strengthen one another, to pray with and for one another and to help each other.
In a culture of “personal” faith we need to realize that not only has God called each of us into a personal relationship with Himself but that He has also called us into a family of faith and fellowship with one another.
Prayer Request Day 2
1) The Slovene Church - there is a deep divide in the Churches of Slovenia - some histories and grudges go back more than 15 years - often causes the existing church to be weak and have a poor witness
2) Tradition and Ideology - strongholds that keep people blinded to the truth of and their need for the gospel (ie. confirmed and baptized in the "church" - I'm okay, Communist Yugoslavia - no belief, Humanistic present - just want to live a nice life so I don't have time)
3) Building relationships - can be very difficult and takes a very long time to get beyond a surface relationship
4) Division - tool of the enemy to divide and conquer - used against believers and unbelievers, missionaries and leaders - makes it difficult to work either together or separately (ie together - no forgiveness; separately - not accepted as a brother or sister in Christ)
5) Maribor - for God to continue to establish ministry through us that will be meaningful, relevant and effective in seeing Bible Studies and eventually a new Churches here
Acts 1:12-14
12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey. 13 And when they had entered, they went up into the upper room where they were staying: Peter, James, John, and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot; and Judas the son of James. 14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.
Getting alone with God to pray is so important. Jesus probably more than any other recorded in scripture left us that example. We know that it was His practice to go to the mountain, the garden or some other solitary place to be alone with the Father to pray. It is wonderful for us to find time away from the rough and tumble of everyday life to commune with our Savior. We need that time. However, in this busy life that solitary time is perhaps easier to find that what we see recorded for us here in these short verses because it depends only on us and our schedule. The time that is much harder to coordinate is that which involves others, yet it was this community of prayer that the disciple sought upon their return to Jerusalem. We notice that the disciples/apostles and other core believers gathered together in unified corporate prayer.
There is something special about the time that we have together as believer. At least, there should be. We know that God desires that we as believers gather together, but do we understand why and its importance? These believers had been brought together by a number of common things. Most important among those things was the fact that they were witnesses to the work, death and resurrection of Jesus. All of them were profoundly impacted by Him. They shared that in common. Therefore they also shared a common purpose - the proclamation of Jesus as both risen and Christ or Messiah. Each of them had a common hope - their own resurrection and the coming of the kingdom. And, we could argue that they had common promises - you will receive power and be my witnesses.
As believers we also have much in common with one another. It doesn’t matter that we come from different backgrounds, different levels of society or whatever else might be different. We have a common Savior and hope. And He has called us together to encourage one another, to remind one another of His calling and promises, to strengthen one another, to pray with and for one another and to help each other.
In a culture of “personal” faith we need to realize that not only has God called each of us into a personal relationship with Himself but that He has also called us into a family of faith and fellowship with one another.
Prayer Request Day 2
1) The Slovene Church - there is a deep divide in the Churches of Slovenia - some histories and grudges go back more than 15 years - often causes the existing church to be weak and have a poor witness
2) Tradition and Ideology - strongholds that keep people blinded to the truth of and their need for the gospel (ie. confirmed and baptized in the "church" - I'm okay, Communist Yugoslavia - no belief, Humanistic present - just want to live a nice life so I don't have time)
3) Building relationships - can be very difficult and takes a very long time to get beyond a surface relationship
4) Division - tool of the enemy to divide and conquer - used against believers and unbelievers, missionaries and leaders - makes it difficult to work either together or separately (ie together - no forgiveness; separately - not accepted as a brother or sister in Christ)
5) Maribor - for God to continue to establish ministry through us that will be meaningful, relevant and effective in seeing Bible Studies and eventually a new Churches here
Monday, August 20, 2007
30 Days - Day 1
It's Here! 30 Days starts today and our journey through Acts begins here as well. We will have an opportunity to see the role of prayer from before the day or Pentecost (traditional birth of the church) thru the spread of the gospel "to the uttermost parts of the earth". Thank you all for journeying with us and praying with us.
Day 1
Acts 1:4-8
4 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; 5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” 6 Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. 8 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.”
After His resurrection the disciples spent 40 glorious days with the risen Jesus basking in His teaching and epecting that He would put all things right. Now having gathered them together, and just prior to his ascention He gives them a mission. It was not what they thought. It was not what they expected. “Your will receive power... you will be my witnesses...” But, they had to wait! It was not a long wait even in human terms, just 10 days. They were guarenteed two things: power and witness. There was nothing further that they needed to do except wait for it. However, what is perhaps most interesting is how they waited. They waited in an attitude of expectant prayer. They were given a time of waiting on the Lord and they used it to prepare... they used it to pray.
Often whenI am waiting I am anything but expectant. I am more likely to be anxious, bored or at a loss to know what to do. Unfortunately, my first reaction is not to pray and prepare, to watch and wait expectantly, but to fuss and fume. It is easy for me to get caught up in the daydreams of what might be. “Lord, now will You restore the kigdom?” And behind that lie all the dreams and desires of my heart rather than the heart that beats to worship God and see His glory rise.
When we have been given the honor of receiving the oracles and promises of God it is important that we watch, pray and prepare that we will be ready when God says, “now is the time, here is the power, witness to the people”.
Prayer Requests Day 1
1) The tearing down of spiritual strongholds that keep people apathetic/closed to the gospel
2) Preparing of hearts to seek, hear and respond to the gospel of truth
3) Contact and relationships with those whose hearts God is preparing
4) Formation of Bible study groups 1. with students 2. with young families 3. post abortion
5) Team - Jim & Olya, Phil and Yvonne Brewer, Nathan & Dawn (joining us 2009), Calvary Chapel Celje: for wisdom, formation of effective ministries, protection, provision (contacts, language, resources, finances), health, new workers
Day 1
Acts 1:4-8
4 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; 5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” 6 Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. 8 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.”
After His resurrection the disciples spent 40 glorious days with the risen Jesus basking in His teaching and epecting that He would put all things right. Now having gathered them together, and just prior to his ascention He gives them a mission. It was not what they thought. It was not what they expected. “Your will receive power... you will be my witnesses...” But, they had to wait! It was not a long wait even in human terms, just 10 days. They were guarenteed two things: power and witness. There was nothing further that they needed to do except wait for it. However, what is perhaps most interesting is how they waited. They waited in an attitude of expectant prayer. They were given a time of waiting on the Lord and they used it to prepare... they used it to pray.
Often whenI am waiting I am anything but expectant. I am more likely to be anxious, bored or at a loss to know what to do. Unfortunately, my first reaction is not to pray and prepare, to watch and wait expectantly, but to fuss and fume. It is easy for me to get caught up in the daydreams of what might be. “Lord, now will You restore the kigdom?” And behind that lie all the dreams and desires of my heart rather than the heart that beats to worship God and see His glory rise.
When we have been given the honor of receiving the oracles and promises of God it is important that we watch, pray and prepare that we will be ready when God says, “now is the time, here is the power, witness to the people”.
Prayer Requests Day 1
1) The tearing down of spiritual strongholds that keep people apathetic/closed to the gospel
2) Preparing of hearts to seek, hear and respond to the gospel of truth
3) Contact and relationships with those whose hearts God is preparing
4) Formation of Bible study groups 1. with students 2. with young families 3. post abortion
5) Team - Jim & Olya, Phil and Yvonne Brewer, Nathan & Dawn (joining us 2009), Calvary Chapel Celje: for wisdom, formation of effective ministries, protection, provision (contacts, language, resources, finances), health, new workers
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)