WITNESSES
Today’s Reading: Acts 1-2
Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion on the right-hand side).
David's City is part of Jerusalem and is on the south side of the Old City walls.
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.
Key Verse: Acts 1:8
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.
We may consider Acts 1:8 the key verse, not only for this chapter, but for the entire book of Acts. Here we have Christ’s plan, His command to carry out the plan, and the power to carry out His goal to reach the whole world with the Good News of His salvation. We, as believers in Jesus, can easily be diverted from this first and foremost of Jesus’ instructions. We may be comfortable in our own salvation and cease to be concerned for the salvation of others. We may hide behind excuses such as, “I don’t know enough,” or “I need to understand the Bible better,” and by such means escape our Jesus-given assignment to be witnesses. Jesus told us clearly that all we need to enable us to share the Gospel is the power of the Holy Spirit. Ask Jesus now for the Holy Spirit to come upon all of us who read this blog. Begin to praise Jesus out loud as long as the volume does not offend others, and start witnessing to someone you meet. Remember, just seven weeks earlier, Peter could not witness to a waitress who gave him every opportunity to share his faith in Jesus. The power of the Holy Spirit and a willingness to acknowledge Jesus is all we need.
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord Jesus, John the Baptist said of You, “He shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” That’s me Lord. I’m one of Your believers. I’ll open my mouth, make a sound, and You, Holy Spirit, as Acts 1:4 says, will give me utterance. I trust You to give me words that will communicate with You, Lord God (see 1 Cor. 14:1-6), and communicate Jesus to people. In Jesus’ Name I pray, and keep on praying until I experience Your Holy Spirit’s fullness, Amen! Amen!
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
My son, David Reynold, chose the picture for today of the City of David, a part of Jerusalem. The Holy Spirit came upon 120 people who were in an upper room just at the top left of the picture. When they could no longer contain this powerful experience, they spilled out onto the streets, no doubt some of them into the City of David. I knew that the Holy Spirit came to live in me when I gave my life to Christ in December of 1951, but it was in June, 1952, that the Holy Spirit came upon me with power to witness. That July, I led a man in a prayer to receive Jesus. That August, I know without a doubt that God called me into “the ministry.” Not long ago, I visited a dying man and witnessed about Jesus. He had proclaimed himself an atheist. Soon after, my friend Jerry told me he visited him in the Kingston, Ontario, hospital just before he died. Jerry asked him about salvation. He said to Jerry, “Tell David not to worry, that’s all taken care of.”
Yours for being available to the Holy Spirit to win someone to Jesus today,
David
P.S. Yesterday we celebrated Jesus’ death and resurrection in the Garden Tomb! Among other places in Jerusalem, we visited St. Ann’s Church, built in the 11th century; it has the most amazing acoustics (click here for a video from yesterday). Thanks to group members Donald and Sheila Persaud for taking the video and for their photos below of the empty tomb (Norma-Jean is with them in the first photo). Thanks to Ron Mainse for adding these to the blog from home back in Canada.
I remember the day I was baptized with the infilling of the Holy Spirit I was experiencing a lot of panic attacks and I knelt beside my bed and called out to Jesus to help me over and over until all at once while in prayer I felt as if I was being held and a warm oil was being poured on my head and all into my body I started speaking in a heavenly language its been over 38 years ago and I keep praying in that precious heavenly language Praise God for I never had another panic attack again Praise God Hallaeullujah
Amen, Lily May, amen!!!
Amen Lily May!
Thank you, Donald and Sheila Peraud for the powerful video–hallelujah! Wow-it felt like being right there, with you! The power of the empty tomb speaks of the presence of the Holy Spirit. Thank You, Jesus, for dying for us so that we might be saved. We witness to others on earth for You. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and glory, forever and ever, amen!
Thank you Donald , Sheila and Jesus for what he did for all of us to be saved.
I would have loved to be there with you instead though its nice to be there
in spirit
Lianne Hogg
WOW!
Shalom,
Graham.
2012 Holy Land Yellow Bus.
Watched 100 Huntley St. yesterday and there was a young Christian, Edward Young Lee as a guest. What a credit to mankind this young man is! Enjoyed his spirit and faith in our heavenly Father.
So happy for your strong faith Rev. You are a true inspiration to me.
My memory isn’t that great and I don’t know where passages are in the bible at times yet but I think I read that Judas came to a different end other than Acts 1:18.
So enjoying this study. Thank you so much for your perseverance Rev.
Blessings to all this fine Nov. day.
The way it was explained to me in another bible study was Acts is recounting the same event just further along in the day. Judas hung himself and died from the hanging, but we do not know how long his body hung there– based on Acts, we can assume it was quite some time in the hot sun that when the body came down from where ever it was handing his tissues were so bloated or decay, it cause his guts to burst out upon impact– not a different death, just a different perspective of the same event.
Thanks Donna for sharing that insight.
Aaaagh! Thanks Donna.
Amen! Edward Lee is a wonderful witness for Christ and moving mountains through media at this time!
Would love to see the video but can’t access it. All I get is a yellow star with a click. Can someone tell me how? God bless your day in Israel !
Ger, try double clicking on the link; it should open right away into the video; with God’s blessings.
I wanted so much to sing praises today and the video is wonderful. My husband has been taken off chemo (not good) as it was causing more cancer symptoms and was not doing what doctors wanted. He’s off everything this week but the following week (December) he will go on a last resort infusion which has possible serious side-effects. Please pray for Ross. Thank you and God bless all. The studies are what keeps us going.
Will pray for you and Ross Doreen. God bless both of you and keep you in His loving care.
God, you are the rock which Doreen and Ross lean on. Hold him up in your loving arms and cover him with the precious blood of Jesus. Comfort them both and bring them ever closer to you.
Thank you Jesus that the tomb is empty and You are seated at the right-hand of Our Father interceding for us. What an awesome thing!! HE IS NOT DEAD! HE IS RISEN! HE IS ALIVE!!!
I enjoyed singing the Allelujah together with you.
Thank you Ron Mainse for all you do in bringing this completed blog to us.
Blessings to all involved in this presentation.
thank you, folk. May God bless you and draw you to Himself in a closer way.
I was thinking about Ross the other day. People around here going through the same! It`s not easy, I know, all I can say is `God give Doreen strength, and grace and comfort Ross, remove any pain and Father if it be Your will heal Ross completely`In Jesus Name AMEN
what is the Title of the song they are singing in the video…anyone know? thanks.