How many days did the believers wait in the upper room before the Spirit came upon them?

Sincerely,
Checking The Calendar

Dear Checking The Calendar,

The Bible never specifically says how long the believers waited in Jerusalem for the Spirit to come, but we can deduce it was about seven to ten days.  Jesus died on the Passover (Jhn 13:1, Jhn 18:28).  After rising from the dead on Sunday morning (Mk 16:9), Jesus appeared to various disciples over a course of forty days (Acts 1:3).  Near the end of those forty days, Jesus told His apostles to wait in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit came upon them (Acts 1:4-5).  The Holy Spirit came upon the apostles on Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4).  Pentecost is exactly fifty days after the Passover.  So, with a little quick math, we find that they must have waited a week to ten days (depending on how Jesus’ three days of burial are counted).

I will get straight to the point with this; I was sexually abused as a child; there were many personal consequences to me as a result of this, but it has mostly made it very difficult for me growing up to trust others, especially men.  I understand that nothing like this is the will of God but that it is the consequence of sin.  What I don't understand is how God expects me to deal with this, make some good come from this, and be able to have a well-adjusted and functioning relationship.  For a long time, I felt it was unfair that I had to grow up without having the chance to really be a child, now though, I am just trying to make the best of my past and move on with my life.  Is there any advice you could give me?  …Because sometimes it's really difficult for me to deal with this, and to be honest, I feel lost about how to deal with and overcome these challenges because it feels like there is nothing good I can make out of it.

Sincerely,
Grew Up Too Fast

Dear Grew Up Too Fast,

Your question is a legitimate one that deserves a good and truthful Bible answer.  The problem is, if we could provide a one-paragraph answer that would overcome your lifelong struggle, you would have already found that answer.  There are some struggles that are so deep that they can’t be unburdened quickly.  God says that the heart knows its own sorrow (Pr 14:10) and that it is easier to destroy than it is to rebuild (Eccl 9:18).  There is no shame in seeking counseling and finding a healthy listening ear to unburden your woes upon (we would be happy to help you locate a Bible-based counselor in your area).  Time and effort are the only truly effective tools for coping with such devastating pain as being abused as a child.

The only other thing that we would say is that it has been our experience that people who have been through great trials are the ones that are the most capable of helping others.  Trials seem to have a way of increasing our capacity to empathize and pull alongside others.  The Bible shows this to be true in numerous circumstances.  Jeremiah’s suffering at the hands of Israel, Daniel in the lion’s den, Ruth’s early widowhood, and countless other stories of bereaved and burdened Bible heroes tell us that adversity can create magnificent humans.  It may very well be that you will be one of the most effective people at helping others because you suffered so much at such an early age.  We are so very sorry for your pain and pray that you will be able to overcome.

If the Bible condemns divination, then why do God's people divine by casting lots and divine by using the Urim and Thummim?  And if the Bible forbids contact with witches and wizards, then why were God's people allowed to consult prophets and seers?

Sincerely,
Consulting The Crystal

Dear Consulting The Crystal,

The Bible condemns the worship and reverence of any god other than the one true God (Ex 20:3).  Prophets and seers were sent by God (Jer 44:4) and were mouthpieces for God (2 Chr 36:12).  Witches and wizards seek power and authority from false gods and demons.

Casting lots and the Urim and the Thummim are the same issue.  When the Israelites cast lots, they did it in the sight of God and in the hopes that God would answer them (Josh 18:6).  The Urim and the Thummim were also God-sanctioned tools.  God specifically told the priest to use these two stones to help in making judgments (Ex 28:30).

The definition for ‘divination’ is ‘the practice of seeking knowledge of the future or the unknown by supernatural means’.  When Israel sought knowledge in ways that God condoned – that sort of divination was permissible.  What is condemned is seeking knowledge through supernatural means other than God.

5 minutes a day
5 days a week
1 New Testament in a year

There are 261 weekdays in a year, and there are 260 chapters in the New Testament. By reading one chapter, Monday through Friday, you will read the whole New Testament by the end of the year. The Daily Cup series is to help with that goal.

Happy Studying!

"The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup." -- Psalm 16:5

Click here for a pdf of the study schedule - CLICK HERE

Who has the right to touch someone and pray for them today?  There have been some that say that if there is sin in your life, even though you have repented of it, that you can't pray for someone who has asked for prayer.  They can't come to an agreement with others for the forgiveness of a brother or sister.  What do you think?  I can't find a particular Scripture to back this up.

Sincerely,
Hands To Myself

Dear Hands To Myself,

If you are a christian, you have a right and responsibility to pray for yourself and others (1 Tim 2:1-3).  The Bible says that a righteous person’s prayer makes a difference (Jas 5:16).  The Bible makes no distinction between one christian’s prayer and another’s.  If you are a faithful christian (read “What Must I Do To Be Saved?” to make sure you have followed God’s plan to receive salvation), then you have a right to approach God in prayer and expect to be heard (1 Jn 5:14-15).

However, if you are actively engaged in a sinful lifestyle and are not living faithfully – your prayers will be hindered by sinful living (1 Pet 3:7).  Iniquity separates us from God (Isa 59:1-2) and hinders our prayers from being effective.