Acts 1 : Baptized in the Holy Spirit

I decided yesterday to start rereading Acts, after we discussed baptism in the Holy Spirit at college group. I got a whole new insight, and today decided that I need to start this blog back up again, and that Acts would be a perfect book to start with! The plan is to study one or two chapters per post (depending on length), highlighting verses that stand out. So, let's get started!

"For John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now." 1:5
What we can take from this: I think the main thing that should be taken from this is that these two kinds of baptism are NOT the same thing. Jesus is saying that these people have already been baptized with water, but soon they will be baptized with the Holy Spirit. I went eight years after being baptized with water before I was baptized in the Holy Spirit.

"It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority." 1:7
What we can take from this: This one is a huge one. I need reminded of this every single day. This makes me think of the old quote, "We plan. God laughs." If you are walking with God, you should be desiring your life to be what He intends it to be. If that is so, then you must let go and realize that your plans may not come to fruition. The plans I made for my life at the age of 14 were extremely off course to what God wanted for me. My life is nothing like I imagined it would be at this point in my life, but that's okay as long as it is going in the direction God wants it to go. God will reveal hints as to where we are going, but it is by faith that we must trust that His plans are better than our own.

"But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you.." 1:8
What we can take from this: I think this is fairly self explanatory, but just in case it isn't - we often forget that we have been given power. We are mighty warriors of God's Kingdom, but we often feel meek. We are not weak or meek, that is a LIE of the enemy! God has given us power and authority, but we have to have the faith and right intentions to access it.

"And while they looked steadfastly toward Heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven." 1:10-11
What we can take from this: I see two main things to point out in these verses. First, we are assured that Jesus is coming back. I look at that in two ways, also. For one, the Holy Spirit was to return to us. Also, Jesus will one day return to take us all up into Heaven with Him. The second thing is that this statement makes it clear that the Holy Spirit is indeed Jesus. Just as God gave a piece of Himself to create Jesus, Jesus gave a piece of Himself to create the Holy Spirit. I know that isn't theologically correct, but it's always how I've looked at things so that they would appeal more to the logical part of my brain.

Basically, the rest of this chapter discusses the replacement of Judas as one of the twelve disciples. While I suggest that you read the chapter in its entirety, I don't have anything specific to study about it. So I will just suggest that you go ahead and read the rest of Acts 1 on your own. :)