Acts 2
Rebecca Lightfoot
It is important to look into the lives of the faithful men and women in the Bible,as well as those that have had the same faith over the last couple thousand years,if we are to learn how to have our lives shaped and prepared according to what God only knows as BEST for our lives,instead of our lives being “misshaped” by other worldly influences.ONLY God knows THE PLAN for me that INCLUDES the infinitely broad scope including Eternity.No other SOURCE can be trusted with such...all other PLANS will shape my life for “short term dividends” with no Eternal Security!God’s plan for my life includes joys that will give me the encouragement needed through the deepest valleys of life,and a sense of purposes fulfilled that no amount of worldly,nor even pious achievement can satisfy.Therefore,if I desire to have my life shaped in ways that have the BROADER SCOPE of “benefits”,then learning from the truly faithful men & women that have proven lives of these “benefits” is imperative!Shortly after Jesus ascends to Heaven,Peter gives the Sermon at Pentecost,immediately referring to the Old Testament 3 times-from Joel once, and from 2 different Psalms.Over the last 3 years of following Jesus,Peter has obviously become a diligent student of Scripture!Peter(&the other apostles)learned this by seeing how Jesus referred to Scripture over and over during His Life/Ministry!Jesus taught by example how important it is to have an intimate appreciation for God’s Word!So it is not surprising that the 1st sermon after Jesus’ ascension is weaved w scripture,as Peter’s life had become weaved w God’s Word.Over centuries this has proven true!During The Reformation,it was men & women who hungered to personally “know” God’s Word that brought lives back to knowing God’s Amazing Grace,& His Amazing Love!N 1911,Oswald Chambers saw despair overcoming many missionaries, to the point that many were leaving not only their ministries,but drifting away from their relationship w The Lord.Chambers realized this was because of these men&women having a mediocre knowledge&appreciation of God’s Word,so he founded the Bible Training College in England,becoming the primary teacher&mentor at the college.These faithful men & women over the centuries have been very different,& have done a myriad of different things in their lives.BUT,a common thread is their hunger to know God’s Word,& have the Holy Spirit lead them into an intimate relationship w The Lord through their pursuit of God’s character and His promises n the Bible...having their lives weaved with threads of God’s Word.Dear Lord,looking into my life I realize that my life has far to few threads of Your Word weaved into my life&heart.Thank You for using the lives of faithful men&women to reveal the significance of having Your Word increasingly weaved into every aspect of my life.Awaken in me the same hunger&devotion given&stirred n the lives of these faithful,so I will also know the joys that will give me the encouragement needed through the deepest valleys of life,and a sense of purposes fulfilled that no amount of worldly,nor even pious achievement can satisfy.