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,”
The Altar to the Unknown God Found 1820 Palatine Hill
Today is Acts 17.
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.
“Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear? No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.”” Acts 15:10-11 NIV
Today is Acts 15
There was a division in he early church. A council met to discuss this division. Some of the Jewish believers wanted the new Gentile believers to be circumcised so that they could observe the Jewish law. Peter spoke to the council with these words, “We believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus…”
Salvation does not come through rituals, traditions, works, being an extra good person… Salvation is through grace alone! There is nothing we can do to be saved, except admit that we are sinners, believe in Jesus, and confess He is our Lord!
God is not looking for us to join a religion. He is wanting us to be in a relationship with Him. This was evident when the Gentiles, heard the Word of God and believed, the Holy Spirit was given to them. It was the same for the Gentiles as the Jews.
Hear the Word! Receive the Word! Believe the Word! This is the way to truly love God. Our love will be expressed in our obedience to Him.
Then we will experience God in a deep and intimate relationship, what we were created for.
“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.” Acts 16:25 NIV
Today is Acts 16.
Paul and Silas were thrown into prison for doing a good thing, casting a demon out of a slave girl. Not only were they thrown into prison they were beaten with many blows of rods. Then they had their feet put in stocks and were kept in the inner prison so they could not escape.
Their reaction was to pray and to praise God out loud. Loud enough the other prisoners heard them. Then an earthquake happened and all the bonds fell off the prisoners and the doors were all opened. But they did not run away instead they stopped the jailer from killing himself in fear. That jailer then wanted to know Jesus. He took Paul and Silas home, washed their wounds and listened to them. He and his entire household were saved and baptized.
What seemed like defeat and helplessness turned into a great victory as the Holy Spirit enabled Paul and Silas to be witnesses to the one who held them in jail. What could have been time for a pity party and defeat was a midnight revival- prayer meeting and worship time! God took what was evil and made it an opportunity to show His love, power, and salvation!
As we die to ourselves and live in the power of the Holy Spirit, God will be glorified in every situation! His goodness will always prevail!
““Friends, why are you doing this? We too are only human, like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heavens and the earth and the sea and everything in them.” Acts 14:15 NIV
Today is Acts 14.
Paul and Barnabas continue on their missionary journey “speaking boldly for the Lord.” God “confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders.” (Verse 3)
When they got to Lystra they prayed for a man who had never walked and that man was healed. This caused the crowds to want to worship Paul and Barnabas. They said the Paul was Hermes and Barnabas was Zeus. Paul and Barnabas tore their clothes and ran into the crowd telling them loudly to not do this. They were only men. Then Paul said, “We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God.” The crowd worshipped idols. In our world today, we may think we are a little more educated and sophisticated because we don’t worship Ancient Greek Gods. But, ANYTHING that we put before God is an idol. In America, we worship: money, careers, our kids sports programs, music, education — (our own knowledge or we know better than what the Scripture says), psychology and science, possessions, our phones (social media), dating, politics, etc. The list could go on and on. We choose to exalt things in our lives above the “living God.” What is our focus on throughout the day? This may very well be an idol.
All these pursuits and passions are dead… But there is good news just as there was in Paul’s time. There is a living God! He longs to “fill your hearts with joy.” (Verse 17) But we must turn from the “worthless things to the living God.”
What are you pursuing and passionate about? God longs to be the center of our lives!
“While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them”…. sent on their way by the Holy Spirit…they proclaimed the word of God.” Acts 13:2,4-5 NIV
Today is Acts 13.
The church in Antioch spent time worshipping and fasting. As they did the Holy Spirit directed them to send out Saul, who is also called Paul, and Barnabas on a missionary journey. As Paul and Barnabas went out, they “proclaimed the word of God.” Everywhere they went people’s lives were changed. The people were “astonished at the teaching of the Lord.” The people “begged that these things might be told them.” One account in verse 44 says “almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord.” The Gentiles “began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord…” verse 48. In fact, “the word of the Lord was spreading throughout the whole region.”
We have the same Holy Spirit living inside of us. We have the same Word of God to proclaim! People are hungry to hear. We too can worship and fast to hear the direction of the Holy Spirit so that we can go out and proclaim God’s Word.
Our world is no different than the world during the time of the early church. People need to hear about Jesus and all that He has done! We have the Word that brings life. May we boldly proclaim that Word in the power of the Holy Spirit!
“They said to her, “You are out of your mind.”” Acts 12:18 ESV
Today is Acts 12.
Things were looking pretty bleak… Herod the king, had James the brother of John, killed. He was one of the 12 disciples that followed Jesus during His earthly ministry. He was Peter’s friend. Then Herod decided to arrest Peter too. BUT, “earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church.” (Verse 9)
Four squads of soldiers, chains, and the iron gates of the city are no match for God. An angel sent by God came to Peter and led him out of the prison and into the city. It was so incredible that Peter thought it was just a vision he was seeing until the angel left him, and he stood free in a street of a city.
When Peter arrived at Mary’s house, the servant girl who went to the door to answer his knocking was amazed and left him there outside. She reported the miracle to those inside, and they said, “You are out of our mind.”
God is a God of miracles! These miracles are “mind blowing”! People who hear them may have a hard time believing that what has happened is true or could even occur. I have seen “mind blowing” miracles in my own life. God still works wonders that the world would tell you are impossible. For me, a woman held in the chains of a prison of anxiety — meds, secular therapy, eastern meditation apps, mindfulness, you name it… I’ve probably tried it… has seen the chains drop off, walked passed the guards, and am standing totally free! Some may say, “you are out of your mind.” Because it doesn’t match the pattern of the world. A person in prison should stay there… But God!
Earnest prayer was made on Peter’s behalf, and God answered! God is still the same! He answers prayer!
“So if God gave them the same gift he gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could stand in God’s way?”” Acts 11:17 NIV
Today is Acts 11.
Peter’s visit with Cornelius was controversial with the Jewish believers. They had not understood God’s plan. The Jews did not closely affiliate with the Gentiles. They would not even eat with them. But Peter explained why he went, and how God had revealed to Him in a vision that he needed to “make no distinction” between himself and the Gentile men who came to him. When the Gentile household received the Holy Spirit as he had, Peter came to a conclusion. “Who was I that I could stand in God’s way?”
God wants complete surrender of our ideas, thoughts, plans, dreams, etc. to Him. His way is better than anything we could ever conceive. We may think a certain way, but when it is held up to the truth of the Word of God that way must change. Peter “remembered the word of the Lord.“ (verse 16) This changed how he had always lived his life. He obeyed the Word of the Lord. This obedience brought life not only to Cornelius, but it opened the door for the Gentiles (which is you and me) to come. “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.“
When God speaks to us, we must listen. We must obey! It may be uncomfortable, but our obedience to His Word is always for our good and the good of those around us. May we say as Peter did, “who was I that I could stand in Gods way?”
“While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God…” Acts 10:44-46 NIV
Today is Acts 10.
“For God so loved the world…” (John 3:16)
God had plans for His Gospel to spread from Jerusalem, to Judea, and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.(Acts 1:8 ) The New Beginning that He had started with the Disciples in the upper room on the Day of Pentecost came to the Gentiles (non -Jewish ) believers at Cornelius’s house. As Peter was testifying of Jesus and preaching “forgiveness of sins through His name.” (verse 43). The Holy Spirit “came on all who heard the message.” This amazed the Jewish believers who were with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles, and they began to speak in tongues as the Jewish believers had. Then Peter “commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.”
“God shows no partiality.” (verse 34) He desires for people to come from every tribe, tongue and nation. He desires for us to experience Him in a deep and intimate relationship. He wants us to be filled with His Spirit so that we too can be empowered to be witnesses to the world.
““Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied…But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel.” Acts 9:5, 15 NIV
Today is Acts 9 180 degree turn around… I was one way, now I am not. This is what Jesus did for Saul. This is what He has done for me. Saul hated Christians. He stood by and approved of the killing of Stephen. He searched out the Christians in their homes and had them arrested. Then He met Jesus! An encounter with Jesus will change you. What you were is changed to what God wanted you to be all along, a “chosen instrument” of His. Saul “immediately… proclaimed Jesus… saying “He is the Son of God.”” Everyone around Saul “{was} amazed.” I know this kind of change in my own life. Jesus took me, an anxious woman tormented in her mind, and gave me peace. Jesus has the power to give us a “180 degree turn around” in our lives through His Holy Spirit living in us. All we have to do is HEAR/ LISTEN TO His voice as Saul did on the road to Damascus and OBEY whatever Jesus says! He truly gives us New Beginnings!
Your Love 