Monthly Archives: July 2017

The Heavenly Vision

Paul declared, “I was not disobedient to the Heavenly Vision,” as he told his story to King Agrippa. The Lord spoke to him on the road to Damascus and commissioned him to preach the good news about Christ to see God open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light.

God has a commission for every one of His children. Seek the Lord earnestly and discover His will for your life.

PRAYER: Lord, You made us to be in fellowship with You and be witnesses of the glorious Gospel.  Empower us with Your grace as we seek Your presence through prayer and praise.

READ: Acts 26-28

Uproar

Paul created an uproar among the Jews wherever he went.  The glaring truth that he taught cut against the religious hypocrisy of the Jewish leaders who had a form of godliness but denied the presence of God manifested through Christ.

Our witness is often in contrast to the religious status quo. We are salt and light in a world that’s seasoned by hell and stumbling in darkness.. If not, we are not savory enough.

PRAYER: Father, spread through us the knowledge of Christ and the aroma of eternal life. We want to be faithful witnesses to the truth we find in You.

READING: Acts 23-25

My Only Aim

As he was about to leave Miletus (my Greek grandfather’s middle name) to sail to Jerusalem, Paul addressed the elders from the church at Ephesus and declared, “My only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me.”

As we see the end of our lives drawing near, being faithful to God’s mission for our life becomes paramount.

“Because we understand our fearful responsibility to the Lord, we work hard to persuade others.” 2 Cor. 5:11 NLT

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, our greatest goal and delight is to please You with our obedience and faithfulness to the call You’ve placed in our lives. Give us the grace daily to keep accomplishing Your will.

READING: Acts 20-22

 

Using Wise Words

Paul and Apollos were educated men who had an excellent grasp of language. Also, they were men who deeply knew the scriptures and took every opportunity possible to instruct and reason with the learned men of the day.

God uses our lives and our words to testify to all around us of his greatness and the good news of the Gospel.

READING: Acts 17-19

Beaten for the Gospel

Paul and Silas were beaten and cast into prison for preaching the gospel and performing miracles. Such resistance was common to this new message of salvation.

We are told that martyrdom is as strong now as it ever was. Many of us have suffered very little for the gospel.

READING: Acts 14-16

Resistance

In Acts chapter 13 we see Paul and Barnabas encountering resistance to the gospel message. A sorcerer, Elymas personally provided great resistance to Paul but was struck blind by God’s Spirit upon Paul’s command.

God always has the last word.

READING: Acts 11-13

The Spirit’s Leading

God’s spirit instructed Philip to approach a man in a chariot. As he got near, he heard the man reading the book of Isaiah. At that point Philip begin to do what Jesus had instructed. He witnessed to the man about Christ and God’s Kingdom.

Here we have an interesting combination. He was led of the Spirit but also moved by obedience to Jesus’ teachings.

Good things happen when we follow God’s Spirit.

PRAYER: LORD, lead me by Your Spirit today. Give me the grace to be obedient.

READING: Acts 8-10

God Fulfills His Promises

 

The patriarch, Abraham, spent much of his life searching for the fulfillment of the promises God made to him at Haran. His life and journey were the result of the faith he had in God and the confidence he gave to God’s promises.

We look back now and clearly see how God was faithful to him and his seed.

We can also live in that mode … being able to look back over our lives and see the testaments to God’s faithfulness. He is no man’s debtor.

PRAYER: Father of faithfulness, we trust all we are and all we have to You.

READING: Acts 7, 8

Peter’s Shadow

Acts 5 actually says that sick people in Jerusalem were so desperate to be healed that they were laid in the streets so that Peter’s shadow might even pass over them and that they would be healed. This speaks not of the power of  a shadow, but of a man who was so committed to the Gospel message that people had faith God’s Holy Spirit was moving miraculously through his life. It’s not recorded that the shadow healed them, but they were flocking to news that God’s healing power was available. Verse 16 says, “All were healed.”

This is our goal. This is our God.

PRAYER: Father, show us Your mighty power like You moved in the book of Acts. We believe. Help our unbelief.

READING; Acts 4-6

We Need the “Awe”

The Apostles performed many signs and wonders under the power of God’s Holy Spirit after the initial outpouring on the Day of Pentecost. Luke stated that everyone was amazed and awed by what they saw. [Acts 2:43]

We need that same power and awe in the Church today. We need believers who seek the Lord with the passion and perseverance of the early Church as described in the Book of Acts. By God’s grace, we shall accept that challenge.

PRAYER: Father, we seek You. We present ourselves at Your feet and worship You. Let that same Spirit that raised Christ Jesus from the dead rest upon and in us.

READING: Acts 1-3