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Accountability Window: Apr. 28-30
April 28, Sunday——————————–ACCOUNTABILITY TIME!
An audio recording of the following reading is available below.
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God’s Hallowed Name — This passage points out several attributes of God. He is “your Father who is in heaven” (v. 1), which indicates both His relationship with us and His overall sovereignty. He is also “your Father who sees in secret … [and] knows what you need before you ask” (vv. 4, 6), which shows His omniscience, His infinite knowledge. In the beginning of Jesus’ suggested prayer, the Father’s sovereignty is again noted, but added to that is “hallowed be your name” (v. 9). We will encounter the word behind “hallowed” frequently in the NT, which means “made holy,” and is often translated “sanctified.” The Father’s name is not only “Yahweh” (or “Jehovah”), but it also represents His entire character—who He is. He is holy, set apart as being very different from His creation and as being worthy of the highest honor. We also need to honor Him in our prayers. As Jesus’ prayer began with recognition and honor to the Father, we should worship Him before we get to our list of what we want to request from Him. We should ask for His will before we request our will (“Your kingdom come, your will be done…”—v. 10). God’s name is holy because He is holy.
ACCOUNTABILITY TIME! If you are up to date in your reading as of today, please
click here to leave your email address or let me know at accbibleread@gmail.com.
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April 29, Monday———————-ACCOUNTABILITY REMINDER
An audio recording of the following reading is available below.
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Filled with the Spirit — Last week, we saw the prophecy that John would be “filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb” (Lk. 1:15). In our reading for today, we see evidence of that filling in John when he “leaped for joy” at the sound of Mary’s greeting (v. 44). Three months before his birth, this real person in the womb was able to experience joy. Then, for the second time in the NT, it was Elizabeth who “was filled with the Holy Spirit” (v. 41). What was the evidence of her filling? Several things were revealed to her by the Spirit. First, she knew that Mary was pregnant long before it would have shown physically, saying “blessed is the fruit of your womb!” (v. 42). Second, she knew that Mary’s baby would be “my Lord” (v. 43), a divine person. Third, she knew that Mary believed divine, prophetic information that was given to her, and she knew the content of it, saying “…blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord” (v. 45). Elizabeth was given that information because she was “filled with the Holy Spirit.” Since the Holy Spirit lives in us born-again believers, we should also show evidence of His presence. The fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23) should provide some of that evidence that others can see in our lives.
Every Time I Feel the Spirit – YouTube
ACCOUNTABILITY REMINDER If you are up to date in your reading as
of today, but did not report yesterday, please click here to leave your
email address or let me know at accbibleread@gmail.com.
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April 30, Tuesday————–ACCOUNTABILITY FINAL DAY
An audio recording of the following reading is available below.
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The Spirit of Prophecy — Zechariah remained mute until eight-day-old John was brought to the temple to be circumcised. When Zechariah confirmed that his name was to be John, his tongue was loosed. Then, this third member of this family was “filled with the Holy Spirit” (v. 67). The immediate result was that he prophesied, saying words of praise to God for providing a Savior (v. 69), for using prophets in the past (v. 70), for giving His holy covenant (v. 72), and for delivering Israel from enemies in the past so that His people could live in holiness without fear (vv. 74-75). This prophecy also shared information about John’s future ministry as a prophet that would prepare the way for the Messiah (v. 76). As with Elizabeth, Zechariah’s filling with the Holy Spirit resulted in insight from God. When we read Scripture, we should ask and search for insights from God that will enlighten us in spiritual knowledge and will direct us every day to walk in the light He gives to guide our feet (v. 79).
ACCOUNTABILITY FINAL DAY! If you have not yet reported for this month,
please let me know your reading status today at accbibleread@gmail.com.
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May 1, Wednesday
An audio recording of the following reading is available below.
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The Seed-placing Spirit — Mary was already pregnant when she visited Elizabeth for three months, so the evidence was beginning to show. Naturally, Joseph was upset; it looked like Mary had committed adultery. Just as it took the angel Gabriel to explain this miracle to Mary, so God had to send an angel to Joseph in a very specific dream to reveal the mystery. Twice in this passage it is said that this conception was “from the Holy Spirit” (vv. 18, 20). Without the means of sexual intercourse, the Spirit had placed this divine seed into the womb of Mary. This information was accepted by Mary because she knew that a man had not been involved, but it must have been extra hard for Joseph to accept because he knew that he was not involved. He needed this angelic dream to clear it up for him. Like Mary, Joseph obeyed, and they were formally married. It is hard to imagine the pain this couple had to face for years with the accusing looks and words from their families and friends in the small town of Nazareth, yet it was God’s will, His plan. The way of the Spirit often brings us into situations that are uncomfortable, but we are to also be obedient because we know that God’s way is the best way.
I couldn’t find a video for this song, but it can
be sung to the tune of “Take Time to be Holy.”
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May 2, Thursday
An audio recording of the following reading is available below.
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Spirit-led Nobodies — Simeon was another “nobody” used in God’s plan for His significant purposes, in this case for the formal, public declaration of Jesus as the Messiah. What we read here is all that is known about Simeon. Regarding his character, verse 25 says that he was “righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel,” referring to the coming Messiah. We also learn three things about Simeon’s relationship with the Spirit: 1. “the Holy Spirit was upon him” (v. 25b); 2. he received revelation from the Spirit that he would see the Messiah before he died (v. 26); and 3. he was led by the Spirit to be in the temple at the exact time when the baby Jesus was brought for this dedication ceremony (v. 27). Most of us would also be considered to be “nobodies,” but we are very significant if we have the Holy Spirit dwelling in us. The Spirit was only upon Simeon, but He is within us. Insights are also revealed to us by the Spirit as we read and meditate on God’s Word. We are also led by the Holy Spirit to be in the right place at the right time, like hearing a particular message just when we need help or saying the right words to a person at a critical point in their life. We often aren’t even aware that the Spirit is guiding us in very definite ways.
Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah – YouTube
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May 3, Friday
An audio recording of the following reading is available below.
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Baptism of the Spirit — The primary ministry of John was to point people to Jesus, but it was also centered around baptism. The beginning of this chapter says that John was “proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins” (v. 3). He had already been filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother’s womb (Luke 1:15), but now his message was that he would introduce the Messiah who would “baptize you with the Holy Spirit” (3:16). There are two kinds of baptisms spoken about in today’s reading: water baptism, symbolizing opening oneself to God through repentance, and Spirit baptism, in which the Holy Spirit enters a person’s heart and life. This second step likely happened to many in John’s spiritually hungry audience on the Day of Pentecost when “there were added that day about three thousand souls” (Acts. 2:41). When did that happen to you? For many people, it is sudden and dramatic, like it was for me, but for others it is more slowly recognized, like a small internal candle that gradually grows into a large fire. For all of us, it happened because, in coming to Jesus in repentance and faith, the Holy Spirit came to indwell us.
Baptized into Your Name, Most Holy – YouTube
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May 4, Saturday
An audio recording of the following reading is available below.
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The Holy Message — The favorite Bible verse of the unbeliever to quote back to Christians is, “Judge not, that you be not judged” (v. 1). Why? Part of it is defensive; they don’t want us criticizing their sinful way of life. Sadly, part of it is also because they may sense our pride and suspect our hypocrisy. The point Jesus was making in this statement centers on our hypocrisy, the person with a “log” in their eye. It is not that we are never to judge others, but we are not to have a judgmental attitude. Verse 6 shows some things we are to judge regarding others. Most dogs in Jesus’ time were not pets, but were roving, selfish, ferocious scavengers in the streets. They represent people who adamantly refuse anything they are not looking for, in this case, the gospel message. Their response is to attack anyone who presents the good news. Jesus later instructed His disciples to “shake off the dust from your feet” when encountering that kind of defiance (Matt. 10:14). The gospel message is too holy to waste on resistance. It is also too valuable to be wasted on “pigs,” people who see no value in these spiritual gems and “trample them underfoot” (Matt. 7:6). So, in this sense, we should judge others, unless we are using it as an excuse not to share the good news with them because we only think they won’t accept it. In sharing it, we may discover if they are “dogs” or “pigs” by their response.
Holy Bible, Book Divine – YouTube
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