Category Archives: The Book of Acts

New Beginnings In The Book of Acts — Stay on Mission…Preach the Word!

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“Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.”Acts‬ ‭8‬:‭4‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Today is Acts 8.

After Stephen was martyred, “great persecution” came against the church. This caused the church to scatter “throughout the regions.” But this did not stop the Good News about Jesus from continuing to spread. Those who were scattered continued on mission, “preaching the Word.” (Verse 4)

As they did, lives were being changed. Demons were being cast out of people, and the “paralyzed or lame were healed.” (Verse 7) In Samaria, it was reported that “there was much joy in that city” (Verse 8 ) because Philip had proclaimed Jesus to them and they paid attention to what was being said.

When we desire to serve God with all our hearts, opposition will occur. In America, we may not live under the threat of martyrdom, but that does not mean that our enemies, the world, the flesh, and the devil, will not try to stop us. We must be determined to stay on mission and preach the Word!

We have the message that changes lives. We have the same Holy Spirit working within us to empower us to boldly proclaim Jesus! As we ask Him to fill us to overflowing, He will work in us and through us to proclaim Jesus to everyone we come in contact with no matter what opposition may arise.

New Beginnings in the Book of Acts— Stiff Necked People…

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“…he received living words to pass on to us. Our fathers refused to obey him…”
‭‭Acts‬ ‭7‬:‭38‬-39 ‭NIV‬‬

Today is Acts 7.

Stephen stood before the council of religious leaders. A group of men had “secretly instigated men” to speak lies about him. Then Stephen spoke. He recounted the history of the Jewish people. He spoke of how time and time again God had come to them and rescued them, yet they had chosen to go their own way and worship the false gods of the nations around them. God gave them “living words.” Yet they “refused to obey.”

This is true of us today. Jesus came as the living Word to us. He has provided us with His Holy Scriptures so that we can listen to His Word and have it transform our hearts from being dark and sin filled to hearts in His image. Yet, we often refuse to obey.

Stephen used the term, “stiff- necked people” to describe the men who would not listen to the “living words” of God. He said they resisted the Holy Spirit just as their fathers (ancestors) did time and time again. Simply put, they would not obey what God said. These men had hard hearts that wanted to do what they wanted to do when and how they wanted to do it. They didn’t want to walk in the ways of God. They wanted their way…

Hearing the truth, they did not repent. Instead they chose to kill Stephen for speaking the “living Words” to them. They resisted and rejected God…

May that never be said of us. We must listen to the Word of God. We must receive it so that we can obey it and be transformed by it. The Word is the truth that brings freedom into our lives.

Listen, receive, believe, and obey the Word!

New Beginnings in the Book of Acts — Not Just for Professionals

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“Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty… And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit…” Acts‬ ‭6‬:‭3‬, ‭5‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Today is Acts 6.

Let’s leave that to the professionals… It is easy to think that the dividing line between clergy and laity needs to be well defined and not crossed. BUT no matter how we serve God one thing is clear. We need to be “full of the Spirit.”

The apostles were needing to devote their time to “preaching the word,” but a need arose within the church to care for the widows. This would require serving by distributing provisions. So they picked out seven men to serve who were “full of the Spirit and of wisdom.” Stephen was noted as being a man “full of faith and of the Holy Spirit.” He was also noted as being “full of grace and power,” and he was “doing great wonders and signs among the people.”

Stephen is a great example to us of an ordinary man who served an extraordinary God. Even in serving God in the most ordinary of ways, “waiting tables,” he served in the power of the Holy Spirit.

We are no different. Whether we serve God as a mother of children, a fast food worker, a business professional, or a full time minister in a local congregation, we need to serve as one “full of the Holy Spirit.” God has plans to use us where ever He has us for His glory! He plans to work “great wonders and signs” (verse 8 ) through our lives. The key is to live our lives “full of faith and of the Holy Spirit” as Stephen was.

Serving God is not just for the professionals…Whether preaching or waiting tables, we are called to know Him and make Him known!

New Beginnings in the Book of Acts — Can’t Stop Talking

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“Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.”
Acts‬ ‭5‬:‭42‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Today is Acts 5.

Can’t stop talking!!

What the disciples had experienced with Jesus was real. They were willing to stand boldly and proclaim it. Even in the midst of threats by the authorities, prison, and beatings, they could not stop talking about Jesus.

When they were told to stop, Peter replied, “We must obey God rather than men…” God had given them a command, “Go…and tell the people all about this new life.”(verse 20 ESV) They obeyed!

When we have a real encounter with Jesus and experience the Holy Spirit living inside of us, we are changed. We can’t stop talking about all that He has done! “Every day… from house to house” everywhere we go, we cannot stop “teaching and preaching” who Jesus is!

May we live to know Him and make Him known!
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New Beginnings in The Book of Acts — Boldness!

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“Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.”
‭‭Acts‬ ‭4‬:‭13‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Boldness! Peter, “filled with the Holy Spirit” spoke with boldness. Even when arrested and brought before the powerful religious leaders, Peter and John were not afraid.They continued to testify of Jesus and His salvation. This boldness gave evidence to the council of a fact. These men had been with Jesus!

Peter and John were “common men,” fishermen. They were “uneducated.” They were not the elite But there was one characteristic that stood out about them, “they had been with Jesus.”


When we live our lives surrendered to the Holy Spirit, filled with Him, it will be evident that we have been with Jesus as well. The same Holy Spirit, that enabled Peter and John to be bold and to display Jesus in their lives, desires to fill us and give us boldness as well.


After the council released Peter and John, they went to their friends and prayed. They asked for God to continue to grant them boldness so they could continue to speak His Word “with all boldness, while {He stretched} out {His} hand to heal, and signs and wonders {were} performed through the name of {His} holy servant Jesus.” (Verse 30) When they prayed the place was “shaken” and “they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.” (Verse 31) With great power they testified of the resurrection of Jesus. (Verse 33)

We have a purpose in our lives. We are to know God and to make Him known. Peter and John gave evidence that they had been with Jesus, they knew Him. Everywhere they went they witnessed of Him, made Him known. God’s purpose for us has not changed! What God has called us to He will empower us to do! He longs to fill us with His Holy Spirit so that we can be witnesses! We can proclaim the Word of God with Boldness through the power of the Holy Spirit!

New Beginnings in the Book of Acts — Wholeness

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“By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see… Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,” 
Acts‬ ‭3‬:‭16‬, ‭19‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Today is Acts 3.

Miracle! A lame man, who was well known for begging at the gate of the temple, was healed in Jesus name as Peter and John spoke to him! He began to leap and jump and praise God. Crowds started to gather. Peter, once again, testified of Jesus and His resurrection. He spoke of the power of Jesus name and having faith in His name. This power “completely healed” the man.


Peter speaks to the greatest need of the crowd, their spiritual hearts. Wholeness starts there. The people were sick with sin. “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.”


God never changes. He is still the God of miracles. I have seen more than one miracle in my own life. These miracles testify to us of a God who is able to bring complete healing not only to us physically, but spiritually. Our hearts have been darkened, diseased by our own sin and selfishness. We are burdened by the weight of our guilt. But God offers us a New Beginning. Our sins can be blotted out and “times of refreshing may come from the Lord.”


Repent and turn back to the God! He longs to live connected to us in a deep and intimate relationship where we receive His life, wholeness, and healing. moment by moment of each day.

New Beginnings in the Book of Acts — The Holy Spirit Comes

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“Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”” 
Acts 2:38-39 NIV

Acts 2 is one of my favorite chapters of the Bible.  It is when the men and women who had been following Jesus as He walked and talked with them on earth were filled to the overflowing with His Holy Spirit. They had known “God with Us/ Emmanuel” now they KNEW (Intimately) God within us — the Holy Spirit.

Rushing wind, tongues of fire, each of the disciples speaking in other tongues, then they went out onto the streets below. They were “declaring the wonders of God.” (Verse 11)

Then Peter stood up to preach with BOLDNESS. Peter, who had a little over a month and a half before denied Jesus three times in the garden as Jesus stood trial and was later led off to be crucified. That same Peter preached! What a difference the presence of the Holy Spirit within the life of a believer makes! The words that the Holy Spirit enabled Peter to speak that day “cut to the heart” (verse 37) of the people.  They wanted to know what to do.  These words have stood true throughout the centuries of what we should all do when we hear the Holy Spirit calling to us. “Repent and be baptized… and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”  

What a promise! The promise of the Holy Spirit and all the wonderful works that He does in and through a believer were not a one and done deal.  “The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off— for all whom the Lord our God will call.” (Verse 39)  

Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would come to give us power. (Acts 1:8)  With the Holy Spirit in our lives we too can live our lives with a new beginning. We do not have to remain in our old patterns of selfishness and sin. We can live with our lives full of the Holy Spirit. May we hunger to know “the fellowship of the Holy Spirit” (2 Corinthians 13:14) each and every day! Then we will be empowered to do what the disciples did on the day of Pentecost— KNOW God and make Him known!