Acts 1
vs7 ‘…Jesus replied, My Father decides when things will happen in the world. You do not need to know the day or the time when this will happen…’ EASY
This one verse alone, says so much for us … if we will let it speak to us.
Jesus is telling us that His Father in heaven is the One that decides when things will happen … not us, not the pope, not a priest or a pastor, not the president or the congress, but rather, Jesus’ Father.
Listen to the words found in the Word of God, speak to you: ‘…you do not need to know…’
We are told we are to study the Word and know how to ‘rightly divide’ the Word of God (2TIM2:15).
We are told how much God loves us (ROM5:8).
But God never tells us to think for ourselves, instead we are told to FOLLOW (ROM12:3).
Too often today, our human pride steps in and desires to take over and show us all the way.
When instead, we should step back and let Him show us the way.
Acts 1
vs8 ‘…But the Holy Spirit will come to you, and he will give you power. The Holy Spirit will make your spirit strong. Then you will tell other people everywhere in the world about me. You will do that in Jerusalem, in Judea, in Samaria and in places far away…’ EASY
Jesus is voicing this, just moments before He is taken away from this world.
Many thought Jesus would be gone for a short time, but these people didn’t know all of God’s plans. They didn’t know of the secret that God had where ALL mankind would be saved. They didn’t know of God’s plan for a single teacher to teach this entire world, what He wants us ALL to know. They didn’t know that God was going to send Jesus back to this earth in a revelation, to change the way things were to be.
Acts 9:15 ‘…But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel…’ AKJV
After Jesus was crucified in the 1st century, most of mankind thought the end was very near.
Today we are living in the 21st century … God never told us about the 20 centuries amounting to nearly, 2000 years.
The end is coming, one day, but we are to be ready, we don’t need to know everything for this world to keep spinning around and around … God has that under control.
Now to be honest, there is nothing said about any other mysteries in the future either, that we don’t know about. We MUST keep our faith and trust in God and let Him take care of us, we should FOLLOW His footsteps and let Him lead us.
Acts 1
vs9 ‘…When Jesus had finished speaking to his apostles, God took him up to heaven. The apostles watched Jesus while he went up. Then a cloud hid him, and they could not see him any more…’ EASY
The above verse, when it finishes, where his disciples no longer see Him, FAITH is what was supposed to take over.
Unfortunately for the Jewish individual, living in the 1st century, Faith was not their strong point. Just look at this world today, we could all use a little Faith to come back into our lives.
From that day when Jesus ascended up into heaven, His disciples were like a puppy that had just lost its owner, its master, its leader.
Instead of the original remaining disciples leading the way for other believers, they hid out in Jerusalem and remained waiting for Jesus to return.
READ the book of Acts to find out for yourself. While Jesus was still with them He told His disciples to wait for the Helper that God was going to send and then they should go out into the entire world and spread His Message onto the entire world … but we read in Acts 8:1 that the disciples never left Jerusalem.
Acts 8:1 ‘…And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judæa and Samaria, except the apostles…’ AKJV
The apostles never left Jerusalem … they were without their leader … they were lost and defeated.
This verse, vs1 in chapter 8, allows us to see the next leader that is going to be CHOSEN by God, Saul of Tarsus.
Acts 9:3 ‘…And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven…’ AKJV
The ‘he’ that was journeying, was Saul and that ‘light from heaven,’ that was Jesus Christ.
Jesus confronted Saul on His way to Damascus.
READ the words that God has given us.
The book of Acts was not given to us to show us how we are to live our lives, but instead, the book of Acts has been given to us to show us the CHANGE that God decided to make, and we MUST be alert enough to FOLLOW His change.
There are two (2) verses we should focus on in the book of Acts … one I’ve already written about in this lesson that I’ll list again, I think it is that important for us to see.
Acts 9:15 ‘…But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel…’ AKJV
This verse tells us that Jesus has CHOSEN Saul to bear His name to this entire world, to teach every individual walking this earth.
And a second verse in Acts is:
Acts 13:9 ‘…But [a] Saul, who was also known as Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit and led by Him, looked steadily at Elymas…’ AMP (Amplified Bible)
FOOTNOTES
[a] Saul was the apostle Paul’s Jewish (Hebrew) name. As his ministry to Gentiles began he became known by his Roman (Latin) name, Paul.
I purposely use the Amplified Bible for this verse because of the FOOTNOTES provided.
The apostle Paul, CHOSEN by the crucified, resurrected and ascended Jesus Christ, wrote thirteen (13) epistles for us to live our lives by so we could find Jesus.
From Romans through Philemon, Paul wrote the words that were given to him for us, you and me.
It’s up to us if we are going to follow those words or instead, listen to a priest or a pastor on Sunday morning and hear how good we are and how we are better than other folks and oh yeah, there is an offering basket at every door when you leave the building.
You need to WAKE UP and LISTEN to the words that God has given us in His Word.
Simply READ your Bible.
2Timothy 2:15 ‘…Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth…’ AKJV
The more we read and study the Word of God, we will HEAR what Message God has given for us to FOLLOW.
As I’ve said over the years, many times, if you are visiting a man-made religion and the Bible is not opened, if the Word of God is not discussed, why would you ever go back. They’re preaching their own religion. They’re talking about their own god. All they want is your money to keep them in business until next week when you can give more.
Stay home the next week and sit down and open your Bible and read it for yourself. LISTEN to the words that God desires for you to HEAR.
Back in the later part of September of this year, I posted a Bible reading plan that I was suggesting to all of the new followers, seeking to find Jesus.
Many of these people were visiting man-made churches for the first time, desiring to find God.
I really want people to know; that God is not found inside these man-made religions … not the God you’re looking for anyway.
The God you say you’re looking for is inside that Bible you just purchased.
Here is the reading plan I suggested:
Day 1 – Galatians 1-6, 1Thessalonians 1-5
Day 2 – 2Thessalonians 1-3, 1Corinthians 1-8
Day 3 – 1Corinthians 9-16
Day 4 – 2Corinthians 1-13
Day 5 – Romans 1-10
Day 6 – Romans 11-16, Philippians 1-4
Day 7 – Colossians 1-4, Ephesians 1-6
Day 8 – Philemon 1, 1 Timothy 1-6, Titus 1-3, 2Timothy 1-4
Day 9 – Acts 1-7
Day 10 – Acts 8-13
Day 11 – Acts 14-20
Day 12 – Acts 21-28
The entire Bible, ALL SCRIPTURE has been given to us by God, but NOT ALL Scripture has been meant for us to follow … this all comes from RIGHTLY DIVIDING the truth (2TIM2:15).
I am (I think), going to end my weekly lesson’s that I’ve been posting for several years now.
An advantage of posting a lesson online, the message is always there, waiting for that day when someone might open it sometime in the future.
We have a new year about to come in and with that there are new opportunities that might be coming our way.
Don’t focus on me ending my lesson’s, but rather, keep your focus on His Word and continue studying the writings that He desires for us to know.
NEVER take your eyes off Jesus … keep Him in front of you at all times.
I love every one of y’all.
I am InHIM. ><)))o>
Be blessed.
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whosoeverinhim.cw.center I have plans on posting a lesson on 010126. I hope you’re able to join me in my pursuit to FOLLOW in Jesus’ footsteps. I am InHIM. ><)))o>