Welcome to our new project, the Daily Bible Devotional. The goal is to help you understand and apply

scripture as you go through a New Testament Bible read five days a week, Monday through Friday,

as we move from Matthew straight through to Revelation. In under four minutes each morning, we will recap the chapter,

make some application, present thought questions for the day, and offer a prayer together.

I'm excited about exploring God's Word with you, so let's get started.

Welcome to a special day in our daily Bible devotional readings. We have finished volume one. It covered Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Today we begin volume two, which is Acts through the Book of Ephesians. It has been an enjoyable journey of learning and writing. And if you would like to follow along via podcast or video,

you are absolutely welcome to do so at zero charge. But if you're interested in having a book

in hand where you can read it at your own pace, you can write in answers, you can order it for

friends, then volume two is now available. You can easily go to Amazon, type in my name,

type in Daily Bible Devotional, or check out one of the links that are provided. I'm thankful that

you have come on this journey with me. It's been such a joy, and we continue to walk our way

all the way throughout the New Testament, which will ultimately be

three volumes. But today, volume two begins in Acts chapter one. Here's a recap of that pivotal text.

The book of Acts is Luke's second letter to Theophilus and picks up exactly where his gospel ended. Jesus instructs the

apostles to go to Jerusalem and wait for the Holy Spirit to fall upon them. They are told that the

power of the Holy Spirit will help them be witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and even the

remotest parts of the earth.

Following this, they witnessed Jesus ascend into the clouds.

Two men appear to them and state that Jesus will one day return from heaven.

The apostles then go to Jerusalem, gather in a room with 120 people, and address the need to replace Judas.

They put forward two men, Barsabbas and Matthias.

They draw lots, and it falls to Matthias, who is added to the 11 apostles.

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