KNOWING YOUR BIBLE
April 9, 2023: Dear Friends, Join me this day to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. “Christ has risen, yes, Jesus Christ has risen”. What a day in eternity that was, which occurred more than 2000 years ago. That day is celebrated today and once a year on Easter Sunday.
The discovery that Jesus was alive was made by Jesus’ followers when his body was not in the burial tomb that Jesus had been placed following his death by crucifixion. By history he had been laid in a burial tomb for 3 days before his resurrection. According to biblical scripture, Jesus was soon seen after his resurrection appearing to his friends and disciples on several occasions prior to his ascension into heaven. According to some historians, Jesus was on earth several days prior to his ascension.
Jesus’ ascension into heaven was recorded in the book of Acts, chapter 1, verses 1-12. Jesus had spoken of the Holy Spirit coming upon his followers after his ascension, in Acts, chapter 1, verse 8. The actual coming of the Holy Spirit to earth was written in Acts, chapter 2, verses 1-8.
Jesus had spoken of the Holy Spirit during his life on earth prior to his crucifixion. The Holy Spirit, God’s spirit’ actually lives in each of us as believers in Christ. Many do not understand this concept and have a hard time comprehending the importance of the presence of the Holy Spirit within us.
Once a believer becomes a believer, believing in Jesus Christ as his or her Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit enters the soul and leads and guides throughout our lives. This topic will be written about in a future blog, but for now the concept that the Holy Spirit is within us at all times should be accepted by the believer. It may take sometime before one realizes the Holy Spirit is present in his or her life. Training oneself to listen or become aware of that thought or direction or guidance that comes into one’s mind will help in distinguishing God’s Holy Spirit within our minds.
Next week, we will begin a new series on learning the Bible. Every year after Easter, some time is spent in helping our followers learn the Bible by learning how to search for and find specific Bible verses, learning the organization of the Bible books, learning the timeline of different events written about in the Bible, and learning how the books of the Bible are connected to each other. The information given in this series will be very helpful as one is trying to learn and understand the Bible.
Bible verses on Jesus’ life after his resurrection and before his ascension will be listed below to search for and read. Several verses that Jesus spoke about the Holy Spirit will also be listed below. Spend some time contemplating on what is read to help in increasing understanding of what the Bible is trying to teach to it’s readers.
MAY GOD BLESS YOUR BIBLE STUDY THIS WEEK!
BIBLE VERSES: On Jesus’ Life, post resurrection: Matthew, chapter 28, verses 1-20; Mark, chapter 16, verses 1-20. Luke, chapter 24, verses 1-52. John, chapters 20 and 21. Words Jesus spoke about the “Holy Spirit”: John, chapter 16, verse 14; and chapter 14, verses 15-17; Matthew, chapter 10 verses 19- 20; Mark, chapter 13, verses 9-12; and Luke, chapter 12, verses 11- 12.