For thought and meditation

[rl69]

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."—Acts 1:8 (http://harvest.us3.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=4f108f827aed8d503b5fca9fa&id=5d5cb083a4&e=3dd732485b)I am always interested in last words, in knowing the last thing that someone said.

Jesus was leaving. Prior to His ascension, He took the apostles to a mountain in Galilee, where He gave them marching orders for the church:

“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)How would they pull this off from a human standpoint? They were in no way ready for such a task. There were still things they didn’t understand. Their faith was weak. They had failed in their public witness and also in their private faith.

After all, Simon Peter, their acknowledged leader, had openly denied the Lord. If Peter could be demoralized by the words of one woman, then how could he (and they) be expected to go into all the world and preach the gospel?

How? They would do it with a power they had never known before, a power to change the world: “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you” (Acts 1:8). It’s power to be a witness . . . power to share your faith . . . power to turn your world upside down . . . power to do what God has called you to do.

The same power that was poured out at Pentecost is available to us today. The Bible has promised a dimension of power for every believer who would ask for it from the Lord, to be a witness for Him.

[USMC87]

Amen, A great lesson and start of the day.

[Boaz]

That as a good reminder rl69 , thank you . The Holy Spirit will lead if we allow .

[Blackwater]

Had Jesus not arisen, there would have remained only doubt in the disciples, probably, as witnessed by their cowering in the upper room behind a locked door after the crucifixion. Surely, their hopes, beliefs, dreams and desires had been crushed! But He DID arise, and appeared not only to the disciples, but to hundreds more! His resurrection was THE convincing thing that gave the disciples what they needed to fully understand just who and what Jesus really was, and the courage and tenacity and determination to do as He instructed them to do. And that legacy still holds today for us. The resurrection proves beyond all doubt who and what Jesus truly was, and what Power He truly has in and over this world we live in.

What other "religion" has a risen Savior as its core? None. Not a single one! And though deniers may try to deny Jesus' existence, his life, his works and words, the resurrection is something not claimed by any other religion's "hero." And that He was seen by hundreds after the crucifixion, clearly dispells reasonable doubt of who and what He actually was, and why He came - which was to save each and every one of us, if only we'd simply believe in Him, and what all He did for us. Blessed be the name of the Lord! Amen!

[Boaz]

Jesus himself tells us if we have enough belief ;

Matthew 17New King James Version (NKJV)Jesus Transfigured on the Mount17 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; 2 and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. 3 And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. 4 Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us[a (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+17&version=NKJV#fen-NKJV-23705a)] make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
5 While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” 6 And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid. 7 But Jesus came and touched them and said, “Arise, and do not be afraid.” 8 When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.
9 Now as they came down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, “Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man is risen from the dead.”
10 And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”
11 Jesus answered and said to them, “Indeed, Elijah is coming first[b (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+17&version=NKJV#fen-NKJV-23712b)] and will restore all things. 12 But I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know him but did to him whatever they wished. Likewise the Son of Man is also about to suffer at their hands.” 13 Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist.
A Boy Is Healed14 And when they had come to the multitude, a man came to Him, kneeling down to Him and saying, 15 “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic[c (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+17&version=NKJV#fen-NKJV-23716c)] and suffers severely; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water. 16 So I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not cure him.”
17 Then Jesus answered and said, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to Me.” 18 And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour.
19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?”
20 So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief;[d (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+17&version=NKJV#fen-NKJV-23721d)] for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. 21 However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”[e (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+17&version=NKJV#fen-NKJV-23722e)]
Jesus Again Predicts His Death and Resurrection22 Now while they were staying[f (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+17&version=NKJV#fen-NKJV-23723f)] in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men, 23 and they will kill Him, and the third day He will be raised up.” And they were exceedingly sorrowful.
Peter and His Master Pay Their Taxes24 When they had come to Capernaum,[g (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+17&version=NKJV#fen-NKJV-23725g)] those who received the temple tax came to Peter and said, “Does your Teacher not pay the temple tax?”
25 He said, “Yes.”
And when he had come into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take customs or taxes, from their sons or from strangers?”
26 Peter said to Him, “From strangers.”
Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are free. 27 Nevertheless, lest we offend them, go to the sea, cast in a hook, and take the fish that comes up first. And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a piece of money;[h (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+17&version=NKJV#fen-NKJV-23728h)] take that and give it to them for Me and you.”