Category Archives: God

Pentecost in Acts: Acts 19:11-41 The Word Prevails Mightily

Posted on by
Reply
Temple site for Artemis 
“And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul,” Acts 19:11 ESV

People were being healed, demons were being cast out, lives were being changed. People who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls they used to do so and burned them. They were turning wholeheartedly to God!

“So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily.” Acts 19:20 ESV

This disturbed Demetrius, a silversmith who made idols. It cut into his profits he made by selling his gals gods. So he accused Paul of discrediting the ways of the Ephesians who worshipped their “great goddess.” He stirred up a riot.

Satan is not creative in his techniques. What he did in Ephesus of Paul’s time he will do today in ours. He does not want us to get close to God. He doesn’t want miracles to occur in our lives or the lives of those we are around. He most definitely does not want God’s word to increase or prevail! He will do all he can to stop the goodness of God. But he cannot prevail!

The “great goddess Artemis” is an idol of history. She was never alive, temple in ruins, and mostly forgotten. The name of Jesus is still going strong! The Holy Spirit is still working in our lives! Our God is still victor!

Pentecost in Acts: Acts 19:1-10 The Holy Spirit Came

Posted on by
Reply

Paul went to Ephesus on his missionary journey. When he arrived there he found disciples there who had believed. They had not heard of the Holy Spirit and had only been baptized with John’s baptism of repentance. Paul explained:

“John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.”” Acts 19:4 ESV

They were baptized and then Paul placed his hands on them to receive the Holy Spirit. Once again the Holy Spirit filled the people as He did on Pentecost:

“And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying.” Acts 19:6 ESV

God had not changed. He filled the believers in Ephesus with the same promised power and presence of the Holy Spirit. God has not changed still today! We are a part of the promise:

“For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”” Acts 2:39 ESV

Come Holy Spirit!

Pentecost in Acts: Acts 18 Keep Speaking!

Posted on by
Reply

Paul frequently went to the synagogues to reason with the Jews explaining that Jesus was the Messiah. He testified of Jesus to both Jews and Gentiles. Several times he was rejected, even to the point of hostility.

One night Jesus spoke to Paul in a vision.

“And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent,” Acts 18:9 ESV

The world will reject knowing Jesus. There will be opposition from those who have hardened their hearts. But we are to not be afraid to speak of Jesus to those around us. Because the Holy Spirit can soften the most hardened of hearts.

We are to follow Jesus’s directive as well! “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent,”

Pentecost in Acts: Acts 17 The Unknown God

Posted on by
Reply
The Altar to the Unknown God
Found 1820 Palatine Hill

Paul and his companions continued on their missionary journey spending time in various gathering places declaring the gospel of Jesus. Some received the message others did not and would try to incite the crowds against him. Each time Paul would move on but continue to share Jesus.

Paul ended up in Athens, Greece. He was greatly distressed to see the number of idols that were in the city. He noted that the people there were very religious. They were searching for God, the one true God. They even had an idol erected in honor of the “Unknown God.” That very God they were looking for did not want to be unknown in their lives. He had been speaking to them all along.

“The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us,” Acts 17:24-27 ESV

We are not that different than the people of Athens. We erect all kind of things we worship instead of the true and living God. We run after our ways, our thoughts, and our own ideas instead of following His word. But our God wants us to KNOW Him. This is why He sent Jesus and this is why He longs to fill us to overflowing with the Holy Spirit. He wants us to seek Him and find Him.

Do we?

Pentecost in Acts: Acts 13 Set Apart to Proclaim!

Posted on by
Reply

The church in Antioch had prophets and teachers. They were worshipping the Lord and fasting when the Holy Spirit spoke to the to set apart Barnabas and Saul/ Paul for a work to which He had called them. They fasted and prayed and then sent them off. The rest of the chapter tells the accounts of two of the places Barnabas and Paul stopped on their missionary journey.

Both of the places they stopped had opposition from the enemy/ Satan. But they were not deterred from proclaiming the Good News of Jesus! And in both places people believed! The chapter ends with this statement:

“And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.” Acts 13:52 ESV

The Holy Spirit has a work for us to do as well. We are to proclaim the mighty deeds that God has done on our behalf. We will face opposition! The enemy does not want us to lift up Jesus so those around us can see. We can take courage! We can be filled with the Holy Spirit and joy! God’s Word will continue to spread and He wants to use us and set us apart as He did Barnabas and Paul! We can be a witness as they were through the power of the Holy Spirit!

Pentecost in Acts: Acts 12 Mind Blowing Miracle!

Posted on by
Reply

I love this account of God’s power as He delivered Peter from jail. What God did was so amazing it was hard for Peter to understand and for the disciples gathered praying for Him to believe. It was mind blowing!

As the angel appears, Peter’s chains fell off and gates were opened, Peter thought he was seeing a vision. When Peter went to where the disciples were the servant Rhoda answered. The disciples thought she was “out of her mind.”

What struck me was these very disciples were praying for Peter! God loves to work amazing miracles in our lives and the lives of others! He loves to perform the kind of miracles that leave us speechless and scratching our heads. He loves to display His power and His glory!

The disciples saw what was an impossible situation and they were faithful in prayer. They could not and did not imagine the miraculous that God did to answer their prayers. God came through! Peter was freed. In the end, the one who put Peter in jail in the first place died because he failed to give glory to God. And “the word of God increased and multiplied.” (Verse 24)

God’s plan goes on! The work of the Holy Spirit through His people that was started on Pentecost continued on and it continues on today! Be faithful to pray and be assured we serve a God of mind blowing miracles!

Pentecost in Acts: Acts 11:1-18 The Same Gift

Posted on by
Reply

It was a big deal to the early Jewish Christians for someone to share the good news of Jesus to a non Jew/ Gentile. So when they heard that Peter had went to spend time with Cornelius, a Gentile, they criticized him. Peter told them the account of what happened in Caesarea.

He told the Jewish believers in Jerusalem that Cornelius was instructed by an Angel to send for him. The Angel told him Peter would tell Cornelius and his household how “they would be saved.” Then Peter told the story:

“As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning.” Acts 11:15 ESV

Peter also baptized them in water after they had been “baptized with the Holy Spirit.” (Verse 16)

He explained:

“If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way?”” Acts 11:17 ESV

So the Jewish believers praised God because the Gentiles were granted repentance as well.

In our day and time we can ask the same question Peter did, “Who am I that I can stand in God’s way?” God longs to fill us with His Holy Spirit baptizing us in the Holy Spirit. He desires for us to follow Him in water baptism. He wants us to repent and “to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ…”

Do we follow Jesus as the early Christians did? Do we long for all of God that He offers for us to experience of Himself? Or do we stand in the way of what God wants to do in our lives?

He wants us to believe in Him, follow His example of being baptized in water, and to be baptized in the Holy Spirit as well. He wanted this for the Gentile believers in Caesarea over 2000 years ago. He is the same God today!

Pentecost in Acts: Acts 10:23-48 The Gift Poured Out Again!

Posted on by
Reply

Peter went to the house of Cornelius as Jesus had told him to do. When he arrived there was a large gathering of gentiles there. He testified of Jesus and explained:

“…that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”” Acts 10:43 ESV

As Peter was speaking the Holy Spirit was poured out on those who heard him just as He came at Pentecost.

“For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared, “Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?”” Acts 10:46-47 ESV

The same Holy Spirit that filled the disciples gathered at Pentecost came and filled the new Gentile believers! They began to speak in tongues and praise God! Then Peter baptized them with water.

God never changes. He is not a “one and done God” never to come and fill again! The promise of the Holy Spirit was for the Gentiles gathered and for all who would come after them. What He did for the believers at Pentecost, He did for the Gentile Believers at Cornelius’s house. He will also do this in our day for a heart that hungers and thirsts for Him. He will fill!

Come Holy Spirit and fill us!

Pentecost in Acts: Acts 10:1-23 Peter’s Vision

Posted on by
Reply

Peter was a devout Jew. He did not touch the things considered “unclean”. There was a list of forbidden foods that included pork and catfish. The Jewish people did not eat them. They would not go to a gentile (non Jewish) home and eat dinner with them. Peter followed that law too. But Peter had a vision. Jesus had plans to teach Peter that He was not only Savior of the Jewish nation but of the whole world. Jesus declared, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” This is good news for a Missouri girl. I can go ahead and enjoy my BBQ pork steak and fried catfish! But much more than that! When God is in our lives He makes us clean! We are part of the promise of Abraham a part of God’s holy nation! We are His people as well!

What Peter saw was a part of what God spoke in Joel chapter two:

““And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions.” Joel 2:28 ESV

The Holy Spirit gave Peter the vision, and it was a vision God used to reach the Gentiles with his Good News. Or as Joel 2 said God “Will pour out His Spirit on all flesh…” including the Gentiles! More Good News for a Missouri girl! We are included in His precious promise!

Holy Spirit come!

Pentecost in Acts: Acts 9:32-43 “Get up!”

Posted on by
Reply

Two major miracles! One…Peter commands a man paralyzed for eight years to get up and walk in the name of Jesus! Two… Peter commands a believer who had died to get up and she did! In both cases people heard of the miracles and “turned to the Lord.” They “believed in the Lord.”

Peter was empowered by the Holy Spirit, not only with boldness, but with the Spirit displaying signs and wonders through his commands. All of this was done in the name of Jesus! It pointed to Jesus, who was and still is alive!

The Holy Spirit wants to empower us today to see signs and wonders that bring glory to Jesus and testify of His living lordship over all. May we hunger and thirst to be full of Him so we can be a display of God’s love, His image here today! And May we see the Holy Spirit work the unimaginable through our lives so all will see and be in awe of our glorious God!