24 lines
4.3 KiB
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24 lines
4.3 KiB
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<title>Blue Letter Bible: Day By Day By Grace — Bob Hoekstra</title>
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<div class="head">Day By Day By Grace</div>
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<div class="subhead">Bob Hoekstra</div>
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<div class="desc-center"><div class="pad2020">March 4</div></div>
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<h2>Holy Spirit Power to Be Witnesses</h2>
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<div class="block"><i>"You shall receive <b>power</b> when the <b>Holy Spirit</b> has come upon you; and you shall be <b>witnesses</b> to Me in <b>Jerusalem</b>, and in all <b>Judea</b> and <b>Samaria</b>, and to the <b>end of the earth</b>."</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Act',1,8);">Acts 1:8</a>)</div>
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<p>After the cross and the resurrection, the Lord Jesus taught His disciples for forty days before He ascended to the Father. One of His strategic messages of preparation concerned the <b>Holy Spirit enablement</b> they would need to fulfill their ministry. <i>"You shall receive <b>power</b> when the <b>Holy Spirit</b> has come upon you."</i> After this vital promise was given, Jesus was taken up into heaven to the right hand of the Father. Ten days later, on the day of Pentecost, this promise was fulfilled by the outpouring of the Spirit. <i>"And they were all <b>filled with</b> the <b>Holy Spirit</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Act',2,4);">Acts 2:4</a>). The grand result of this empowering would be the spread of the gospel, region by region, throughout the entire world. <i>"You shall be witnesses to Me in <b>Jerusalem</b>, and in all <b>Judea</b> and <b>Samaria</b>, and to the <b>end</b> of the earth."</i></p>
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<p>Their success is documented in the Scriptures. The religious opposition admitted that Jerusalem was promptly reached. <i>"Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? And look, you have <b>filled Jerusalem with your doctrine</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Act',5,28);">Acts 5:28</a>). Soon thereafter, Judea was being touched. <i>"At that time a great persecution arose…and they were all scattered <b>throughout</b> the regions of <b>Judea</b>…Therefore those who were scattered went <b>everywhere</b> preaching the <b>word</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Act',8,1,4);">Acts 8:1, 4</a>). Next, the message of Jesus entered Samaria. <i>"Then Philip went down to the city of <b>Samaria</b> and preached Christ to them. And the <b>multitudes</b> with one accord <b>heeded</b> the things spoken by Philip"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Act',8,5,6);">Acts 8:5-6</a>). Finally, the gospel of grace poured out around the world: <i>"The word of the truth of the gospel, which has come to you, as it has also <b>in all the world</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Col',1,5,6);">Colossians 1:5-6</a>).</p>
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<p>This worldwide outreach was an astounding development, considering the unimpressive human credentials that characterized Jesus' followers. <i>"Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were <b>uneducated</b> and <b>untrained</b> men, they <b>marveled</b>. And they realized that they had <b>been with Jesus</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Act',4,13);">Acts 4:13</a>). The explanation for their effectiveness was contained in the last phrase. These men had spent time with Jesus, had been impacted by Him, and were now walking in the spiritual strength of His Spirit.</p>
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<p>In order for <b>any</b> disciple (then or now) to be an <b>effective</b> demonstration of the reality of the risen Christ, they must live by the <b>power</b> of the <b>Holy Spirit</b>.</p>
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<div class="dbdbg_prayer">O Lord, my strength, make my life a daily witness, declaring in word, deed, and attitude that Jesus is alive. Lord, my own abilities will never be sufficient to accomplish this. So,I humbly pray, empower me by Your Holy Spirit, in Jesus' name, Amen.</div></div></div>
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<div class="desc-center"><div class="pad2020"><a href="./devotions/daybyday/03/0303.html">Yesterday's Reading</a>
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<a href="./devotions/daybyday/03/0305.html">Tomorrow's Reading</a>
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