Morning, March 19
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Bible League: Living His Word
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. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."

Pentecost Sunday is the last day of the Easter season in the Christian liturgical calendar. "Pentecost" is the Greek word for "fifty." Pentecost Sunday is always the Sunday that is 50 days after Easter Sunday (inclusive of Easter Sunday). It celebrates the descent of the Holy Spirit on a group of about 120 followers of Jesus that had gathered in an upper room in Jerusalem (Acts 1:15). Included in the group were the Apostles, Mary the mother of Jesus, and Jesus' brothers. The event signaled the beginning of the church age and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in all who believe.

In the 40 days after Jesus was raised from the dead He appeared to His followers on a number of occasions. Our verses for today record some of what He said on what was probably the last of those occasions. It is significant that He told them not to leave Jerusalem until they received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Acts 1:8 tells us that Jesus also told them ". . . 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." Jesus did not want them to do anything or go anywhere until they had received the power of the Holy Spirit. He knew that if they tried to be His witnesses before they received the Holy Spirit they would only be operating from out of their own power and would not be successful as a result.

What was true for the 120 followers of Jesus is also true for us today. We should wait for the Holy Spirit. We cannot be effective witnesses of the new way of life we have in Christ in every area of life apart from the leading and power of the Holy Spirit. Waiting for the Spirit is not always an easy thing to do. We are often tempted to figure things out on our own and tempted to move in the power of our own strength.

The fruitfulness and reward that come from waiting, however, make it worth the while.

Bible in a Year
Old Testament Reading
Deuteronomy 33, 34


Deuteronomy 33 -- Moses Blesses the Twelve Tribes

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Deuteronomy 34 -- The Death of Moses on Mount Nebo

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New Testament Reading
Luke 1:24-56


Luke 1 -- Introduction; John's and Jesus' Birth Foretold; Mary's Song; Zachariah's Prophecy

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Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library.
Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion
Praise the LORD, all you nations.
        Praise him, all you people of the earth.
For he loves us with unfailing love;
        the LORD's faithfulness endures forever.
Insight
Have you ever said, “I can't think of anything God has done for me. How can I praise him?” This psalm gives two reasons for praising God: his great love toward us, and his faithfulness that endures forever.
Challenge
If he did nothing else for us, he would still be worthy of our highest praise.
Morning and Evening by Spurgeon
Romans 4:20  Strong in faith.

Christian, take good care of thy faith; for recollect faith is the only way whereby thou canst obtain blessings. If we want blessings from God, nothing can fetch them down but faith. Prayer cannot draw down answers from God's throne except it be the earnest prayer of the man who believes. Faith is the angelic messenger between the soul and the Lord Jesus in glory. Let that angel be withdrawn, we can neither send up prayer, nor receive the answers. Faith is the telegraphic wire which links earth and heaven--on which God's messages of love fly so fast, that before we call he answers, and while we are yet speaking he hears us. But if that telegraphic wire of faith be snapped, how can we receive the promise? Am I in trouble?--I can obtain help for trouble by faith. Am I beaten about by the enemy?--my soul on her dear Refuge leans by faith. But take faith away--in vain I call to God. There is no road betwixt my soul and heaven. In the deepest wintertime faith is a road on which the horses of prayer may travel--aye, and all the better for the biting frost; but blockade the road, and how can we communicate with the Great King? Faith links me with divinity. Faith clothes me with the power of God. Faith engages on my side the omnipotence of Jehovah. Faith ensures every attribute of God in my defence. It helps me to defy the hosts of hell. It makes me march triumphant over the necks of my enemies. But without faith how can I receive anything of the Lord? Let not him that wavereth--who is like a wave of the Sea--expect that he will receive anything of God! O, then, Christian, watch well thy faith; for with it thou canst win all things, however poor thou art, but without it thou canst obtain nothing. "If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth."

Daily Light on the Daily Path
Acts 3:26  "For you first, God raised up His Servant and sent Him to bless you by turning every one of you from your wicked ways."

1 Peter 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

Romans 5:10  For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.

Titus 2:13,14  looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, • who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.

1 Peter 1:15,16  but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; • because it is written, "YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY."

Ephesians 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,

Colossians 2:9,10  For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, • and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority;

John 1:16  For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.

Romans 8:32  He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org.

Evening March 18
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