Morning Reads: Acts 1:12-17; vv. 21-26- John 1:18-28-

Good morning. Great is His faithfulness.

Greek word of the day- ἡγέομαι hēgéomai, hayg-eh'-om-ahee; middle voice of a (presumed) strengthened form of G71; to lead, i.e. command (with official authority); figuratively, to deem, i.e. consider:—account, (be) chief, count, esteem, governor, judge, have the rule over, suppose, think.
1 Timothy 1:12
And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry,

Acts 1:12-17 - Day 40-49: Preparation for Pentecost
The Upper Room Prayer Meeting
12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey. 13 And when they had entered, they went up into the upper room where they were staying: Peter, James, John, and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot; and Judas the son of James. 14 These all continued with one [a]accord in prayer [b]and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.
Matthias Chosen15 And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the [c]disciples (altogether the number of names was about a hundred and twenty), and said, 16 “Men and brethren, this Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus; 17 for he was numbered with us and obtained a part in this ministry.”

Sabbath's Days journey was the distance the Jews could travel without breaking the Sabbath rest something that was under a mile or close to a mile.

Acts 1:21-26
21 “Therefore, of these men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 beginning from the baptism of John to that day when He was taken up from us, one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.”
23 And they proposed two: Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. 24 And they prayed and said, “You, O Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which of these two You have chosen 25 to take part in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.” 26 And they cast their lots, and the lot fell on Matthias. And he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

CASTING LOTS to help discern the Will of God has been in practice since the ancient times- (Nehemiah 11:1; Joshua 18:6-10; and Jonah 1:7)- and still continues in the Church in some areas of today, and this should not be misunderstood as surrending all authority to random chance. The authority of the apostles is shown by their offering specific names (v. 23). Of course the final outcome is always left up to God.
Nehemiah 11:1:Now the leaders of the people dwelt at Jerusalem; the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to dwell in Jerusalem, the holy city, and nine-tenths were to dwell in other cities.

John 1:18-28
18 No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten [a]Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.
A Voice in the Wilderness19 Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”20 He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.”21 And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?”He said, “I am not.”“Are you the Prophet?”And he answered, “No.”22 Then they said to him, “Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?”23 He said: “I am‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness:“Make straight the way of the Lord,” ’as the prophet Isaiah said.”24 Now those who were sent were from the Pharisees. 25 And they asked him, saying, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”26 John answered them, saying, “I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know. 27 It is He who, coming after me, [b]is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose.”28 These things were done in [c]Bethabara beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

NO ONE HAS SEEM GOD AT ANYTIME- No one can see the nature or essence of God, for to see God is to die - (Exodus 33:20)- only the Son can see the Father and He is the One who can declare Him. Mose's saw the back of God and also believed in the Holy Trinity see Exodus 33:21-23; and Isaiah saw His glory see Isaiah 6:1- and John 12:41).

John the Baptist is a prophet, but NOT THE PROPHET, THE MESSIAH, whose coming was foretold by Moses in Deuteronomy 18:15-19- Moses believed in the Holy Trinity.
Deuteronomy 18:15-19
A New Prophet Like Moses
15 “The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear, 16 according to all you desired of the Lord your God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, nor let me see this great fire anymore, lest I die.’
17 “And the Lord said to me: ‘What they have spoken is good. 18 I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him. 19 And it shall be that whoever will not hear My words, which He speaks in My name, I will require it of him.

Psalm 18 (19)
Reveals the Word of God becoming Man in the womb of the most Holy mother of God.

Psalm 23(24):
The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness,

The world and those who dwell therein.

Numbers 6:24-26

“The Lord bless you and keep you;

25 The Lord make His face shine upon you,

And be gracious to you;

26 The Lord [a]lift up His countenance upon you,

And give you peace.”

In Christ love Jared W Campbell

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