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<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER">“<b>TWO
ARE BETTER THAN ONE” MINISTRIES</b></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"><b>Jim
& Marie Watt</b></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"><b>Tel:
253-517-9195 - Email: <a href="mailto:jmbetter@gmail.com">jmbetter@gmail.com</a></b></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"><b>Web:
<a href="http://www.2rbetter.org/">www.2rbetter.org</a></b></p><p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER">January 8, 2012</p><p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"><br></p>
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<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"><b>APR
10 - ACTS 1 - CHURCH AND THE HOLY SPIRIT</b></p>
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</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><b>1.
1:4 (1:1-5) JESUS: POST RESURRECTION PROMISE. “And being
assembled with <i>them</i><span style="font-style:normal">, he
charged them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the
promise of the Father, which you heard from me” (NNT). </span></b><span style="font-style:normal"><span style>No
longer is the Kingdom of God at hand: its fulfillment and immanence
through the Holy Spirit is about to be manifested in righteousness,
peace and joy (Romans 14:17). </span></span><b><i>Hallowed be your
:name.</i></b></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<b>2. 1:8 (1:6-8) JESUS: CLARIFIED PURPOSE OF HOLY SPIRIT. “But
you shall receive power, when the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and
you shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all :Judea and
Samaria, and unto <i>the</i> uttermost of the earth.” </b><span style>This
is the correction to idle eschatology (last things) speculation. Your
Kingdom in the Holy Spirit making us </span><u><span style>witnesses</span></u><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style>
Father, is Your will for us! </span></span><b><i><span style="text-decoration:none">Your
:kingdom come.</span></i></b></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<b><span style="text-decoration:none">3. 1:9 JESUS: HIS ASCENSION.
“And on saying these </span><i><span style="text-decoration:none">things</span></i><span style="text-decoration:none">,
he was taken up, they looking on; and a cloud received him out of
their :sight.” </span></b><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style>Some
think it was a cloud of angels who received Jesus. Whatever it was,
it was but 10 days following the Ascension until Pentecost, and Holy
Spirit provision. </span></span><b><i><span style="text-decoration:none">Your
:will be done, As in heaven, so on earth.</span></i></b></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<b><span style="text-decoration:none">4. 1:10-11 (1:10-12) JESUS:
HIS RETURN PROMISED. “And while they were looking steadfastly into
the heaven as he went [and] lo, two men stood by them in white
apparel; </span><font style="font-size:8pt" size="1"><span style="text-decoration:none">11</span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="text-decoration:none">
who also said, Galilee men, why do you stand looking in the heaven?
this :Jesus, who was received up from you into the heaven, shall so
come in like manner as you behold him going into the heaven.” </span></font></b><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style>Will
Jesus come back literally? Of course, and that to reign on earth with
His saints, and make all things new! O forgive us Father, that we
insist on complicating Your Word with human tradition, reasonings and
theology! </span></span></font><b><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><i><span style="text-decoration:none">Our
:daily :bread Give us this day!</span></i></font></b></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<b><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="text-decoration:none">5.
1:14 (1:13-14) 120: PRAYER IN UPPER ROOM. “These all with one
accord continued steadfastly in :prayer, with </span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><i><span style="text-decoration:none">the</span></i></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="text-decoration:none">
women, and Mariam the mother of :Jesus, and with his :brethren.”
</span></font></b><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style>And
where were the 500? This number has now been reduced to a remnant of
120. We thank You for faithful remnants, Father. </span></span></font><b><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><i><span style="text-decoration:none">And
forgive us our :debts, as we also have forgiven our :debtors.</span></i></font></b></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<b><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="text-decoration:none">6.
1:16 (1:15-22) PETER'S PROPOSAL. “[Men] Brethren, it was needful
that the Scripture should be fulfilled, which the Holy :Spirit
foretold through David's mouth concerning Judas, who became guide to
them that took Jesus.” </span></font></b><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style>We
marvel at this new take-charge Peter, even before the coming of the
Holy Spirit. It was as if an earnest of this had already come upon
him. By this action, he corrected the sin of Judas. </span></span></font><b><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><i><span style="text-decoration:none">And
bring us not into temptation!</span></i></font></b></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<b><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="text-decoration:none">7.
1:24 (1:23-26) MATTHIAS: REPLACES JUDAS. “And they prayed, </span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><i><span style="text-decoration:none">and</span></i></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="text-decoration:none">
said, You, Lord, who knows </span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><i><span style="text-decoration:none">the</span></i></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="text-decoration:none">
hearts of all </span></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><i><span style="text-decoration:none">men</span></i></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="text-decoration:none">,
show of these :two the one whom you have chosen.” </span></font></b><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style>Now
there are 12 once again to be witnesses of the soon coming of the
Holy Spirit. We bless You Father, for this provision! </span></span></font><b><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><i><span style="text-decoration:none">But
deliver us from the evil </span></i></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="text-decoration:none">one!</span></font></b></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<u><b><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2">NOTE</font></b></u><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="text-decoration:none"><b>:
1:5 (1:1-5) JESUS: EXPLAINS TWO BAPTISMS. “Because John indeed
baptized with water; but you shall be baptized in </b></span></font><b><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><i><span style="text-decoration:none">the</span></i></font><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="text-decoration:none">
Holy Spirit not many days hence.” </span></font></b><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style>First
the </span></span></font><u><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style>blood</span></font></u><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style>
(Calvary), and now the oil (Pentecost). </span></span></font><u><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style>Passover</span></font></u><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style>
and </span></span></font><u><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style>Pentecost</span></font></u><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style>
are now past. And what will </span></span></font><u><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style>Tabernacles</span></font></u><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style>
bring at the </span></span></font><u><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style>Harvest</span></font></u><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style>,
the end of this age?</span></span></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style>This
is the second book inspired by the Holy Spirit through Luke, possibly
a Gentile convert to Jesus through the apostle Paul. Greek scholars
have noted that his two NT books display the Greek language on a
higher level than any other of the 8 NT writers.</span></span></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<font style="font-size:11pt" size="2">Not only does Luke write
excellent Greek, but he is also one of the finest of Church
historians. Not even secular historians come up to his level of
carefulness in accurately recording these two letters to a fellow
Greek.</font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<font style="font-size:11pt" size="2">Yet with all the above careful
and accurate recording - unless we come up with an intimate
love-relationship with Jesus in the Spirit - we will fall short of
the goal that our heavenly Father has for us. To illustrate this most
effectively, let me quote from the extraordinary effect the young
C.T. Studd before going to China as a missionary had upon the life of
the well known F.B. Meyer. (This quote is taken from “C.T. Studd -
Athlete and Pioneer” by Norman P. Grubb, p. 42-44. I first read
this biography in 1947, but it is even more challenging for me
today!)</font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<font style="font-size:11pt" size="2">At Leicester they met F.B.
Meyer, who wrote later: “The visit of Messrs. Stanley Smith and
Studd to Melbourne Hall will always mark an epoch in my own life.
Before then my Christian life had been spasmodic and fitful; now
flaming up with enthusiasm, and then pacing wearily over leagues of
grey ashes and cold cinders. I saw that these young men had something
which I had not, but which was within them a constant source of rest
and strength and joy. And never shall I forget a scene at 7 a.m. in
the grey mist of a November morning, as daylight was flickering into
the bedroom, paling the guttering candles, which from a very early
hour had been lighting up the page of Scripture, and revealing the
figures of the devoted Bible students, who wore the old cricket or
boating blazer of earlier days, to rend them less sensible to the
raw, damp climate. The talk we had then was one of the formative
influences of my life. 'You have been up early,' I said to Charlie
Studd. 'Yes,' said he, 'I got up at four o'clock this morning. Christ
always knows when I have had sleep enough, and He wakes me to have a
good time with Him.' I asked, 'What have you been doing this
morning?' And he replied, 'You know that the Lord says, “If you
love me, keep my commandments”; and I was just looking through all
the commandments that I could find that the Lord gave, and putting a
tick against them if I have kept them, because I do love Him' 'Well,'
I inquired, 'How can I be like you?' He replied, 'Have you ever given
yourself to Christ, for Christ to fill you?' 'Yes,' I said, 'I have
done so in a general way, but I don't know that I have done it
particularly.' He answered, 'You must do it particularly also.' I
knelt down that night, and thought I could give myself to Christ as
easily as possible. I gave Him an iron ring, the iron ring of my
will, with all the keys of my life on it, except one little key that
I kept back. And the Master said, 'Are they all here?' I said, 'They
are all there but one, the key of a tiny closet in my heart, of which
I must keep control.' He said, 'If you don't trust Me in all, you
don't trust Me at all.' I tried to make terms; I said, 'Lord, I will
be so devoted in everything else, but I can't live without the
contents of that closet.' I believe that my whole life was just
hovering in the balance, and if I had kept the key of that closet,
and mistrusted Christ, He never would have trusted me with the
ministry of His blessed Word. He seemed to be receding from me, and I
called Him back and said, 'I am not willing, but am willing to be
made willing.' It seemed as though He came near and took that key out
of my hand, and went straight for the closet. I knew what He would
find there, and He knew too. Within a week from that time He had
cleared it right out. But He filled it with something so much better!
Why, what a fool I was! He wanted to take away the sham jewels, to
give me the real ones. He just took away the thing which was eating
out my life, and instead gave me Himself. Since then I have reckoned
on Him to keep; but full consecration is a necessary condition of any
deep experience of His keeping power.” </font>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<b><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="text-decoration:none">And
now - our Psalm for the day: 100:3 (100:1-5) HIS STEADFAST LOVE
(CHEsed) ENDURES FOREVER. “Know that the LORD, he is God! It is he
who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his
pasture” (ESV). </span></font></b><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style>This
Psalm is a pearl of praise. We accept its exhortation to praise You
with all our heart, O great JEHOVAH Father. Yes, with heart, soul,
mind and strength we give praise to You! </span></span></font><b><font style="font-size:11pt" size="2"><i><span style="text-decoration:none">Hallowed
be your :name!</span></i></font></b></p>
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