[Jesus said:] "But 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."

   [Paul and Silas went to Berea to preach the Good News.] On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. Now the Bereans were of a more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.

   He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit. We have been saying that Abraham's faith was credited to him as righteousness . . . And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. So then, he is the father of all who believe but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them.

   It was not through law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised. But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, the Spirit Who calls out, "Abba, Father."

   So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father."

   As God's fellow workers we urge you not to receive God's grace in vain. For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

Taken from Acts 1, 17, Gal. 3, Rom. 4, Heb. 6, Gal. 4, Rom. 8, II Cor. 6,
I Thess. 5, Heb. 4, Lk. 11, The New International Version. For free Lifescope book,
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