Crucial Commitments by Thom Rainer

The Invitation: A 30 Day Devotional With Jesus

Uniquely Chosen, Divinely Placed

Disappointing Disappointment

The Four Loves

IN a MINUTE

Your Healing Is Only a Decision Away

The Way to a Guarded Heart: 10-Day Devotional on Guarding Your Heart

Entry (S5 - E1)

The Hearing of Faith

The Listener’s Bible®: NIV Edition

New International Version™  (Anglicised), Audio Edition

Holy Bible, New International Version™ (Anglicised), South Asian Audio Edition

<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkACT">
 <div class="chapter ch1" data-usfm="ACT.1">
 <div class="label">1</div><div class="s1">Jesus Taken Up Into Heaven</div><div class="p"> 1In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 3After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. 4On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: &#8220;Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5For John baptized with#1:5 Or in water, but in a few days you will be baptized with#1:5 Or in the Holy Spirit.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 6Then they gathered around him and asked him, &#8220;Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 7He said to them: &#8220;It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8But 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.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 9After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.</div><div class="p"> 10They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11&#8220;Men of Galilee,&#8221; they said, &#8220;why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.&#8221;</div><div class="s1">Matthias Chosen to Replace Judas</div><div class="p"> 12Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day&#8217;s walk#1:12 That is, about 5/8 mile or about 1 kilometer from the city. 13When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. 14They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.</div><div class="p"> 15In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty) 16and said, &#8220;Brothers and sisters,#1:16 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God&#8217;s family; also in 6:3; 11:29; 12:17; 16:40; 18:18, 27; 21:7, 17; 28:14, 15. the Scripture had to be fulfilled in which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus. 17He was one of our number and shared in our ministry.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 18(With the payment he received for his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out. 19Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this, so they called that field in their language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)</div><div class="p"> 20&#8220;For,&#8221; said Peter, &#8220;it is written in the Book of Psalms:</div><div class="q1">&#8220;&#8198;&#8216;May his place be deserted;</div><div class="q2">let there be no one to dwell in it,&#8217;#1:20 Psalm 69:25</div><div class="m">and,</div><div class="q1">&#8220;&#8198;&#8216;May another take his place of leadership.&#8217;#1:20 Psalm 109:8</div><div class="m"> 21Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus was living among us, 22beginning from John&#8217;s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 23So they nominated two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. 24Then they prayed, &#8220;Lord, you know everyone&#8217;s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen 25to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.&#8221; 26Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkACT">
 <div class="chapter ch2" data-usfm="ACT.2">
 <div class="label">2</div><div class="s1">The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost</div><div class="p"> 1When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues#2:4 Or languages; also in verse 11 as the Spirit enabled them.</div><div class="p"> 5Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7Utterly amazed, they asked: &#8220;Aren&#8217;t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? 9Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,#2:9 That is, the Roman province by that name 10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11(both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs&#8212;we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!&#8221; 12Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, &#8220;What does this mean?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 13Some, however, made fun of them and said, &#8220;They have had too much wine.&#8221;</div><div class="s1">Peter Addresses the Crowd</div><div class="p"> 14Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: &#8220;Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It&#8217;s only nine in the morning! 16No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:</div><div class="q1"> 17&#8220;&#8198;&#8216;In the last days, God says,</div><div class="q2">I will pour out my Spirit on all people.</div><div class="q1">Your sons and daughters will prophesy,</div><div class="q2">your young men will see visions,</div><div class="q2">your old men will dream dreams.</div><div class="q1"> 18Even on my servants, both men and women,</div><div class="q2">I will pour out my Spirit in those days,</div><div class="q2">and they will prophesy.</div><div class="q1"> 19I will show wonders in the heavens above</div><div class="q2">and signs on the earth below,</div><div class="q2">blood and fire and billows of smoke.</div><div class="q1"> 20The sun will be turned to darkness</div><div class="q2">and the moon to blood</div><div class="q2">before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.</div><div class="q1"> 21And everyone who calls</div><div class="q2">on the name of the Lord will be saved.&#8217;#2:21 Joel 2:28-32</div><div class="p"> 22&#8220;Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. 23This man was handed over to you by God&#8217;s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men,#2:23 Or of those not having the law (that is, Gentiles) put him to death by nailing him to the cross. 24But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. 25David said about him:</div><div class="q1">&#8220;&#8198;&#8216;I saw the Lord always before me.</div><div class="q2">Because he is at my right hand,</div><div class="q2">I will not be shaken.</div><div class="q1"> 26Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;</div><div class="q2">my body also will rest in hope,</div><div class="q1"> 27because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,</div><div class="q2">you will not let your holy one see decay.</div><div class="q1"> 28You have made known to me the paths of life;</div><div class="q2">you will fill me with joy in your presence.&#8217;#2:28 Psalm 16:8-11 (see Septuagint)</div><div class="p"> 29&#8220;Fellow Israelites, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. 30But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. 31Seeing what was to come, he spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that he was not abandoned to the realm of the dead, nor did his body see decay. 32God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it. 33Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. 34For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said,</div><div class="q1">&#8220;&#8198;&#8216;The Lord said to my Lord:</div><div class="q2">&#8220;Sit at my right hand</div><div class="q1"> 35until I make your enemies</div><div class="q2">a footstool for your feet.&#8221;&#8198;&#8217;#2:35 Psalm 110:1</div><div class="p"> 36&#8220;Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 37When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, &#8220;Brothers, what shall we do?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 38Peter replied, &#8220;Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off&#8212;for all whom the Lord our God will call.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 40With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, &#8220;Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.&#8221; 41Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.</div><div class="s1">The Fellowship of the Believers</div><div class="p"> 42They devoted themselves to the apostles&#8217; teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.</div>
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