Archive for the ‘Acts--BibleTrekToday’ Category

Scripture reading for November 17th: Acts 27-28

Do you really believe that God can cause all things to work together for good for those who love Him?  (Romans 8:28)  Today, we read about events in Paul’s journey to Rome for trial before Caesar.  These events were dangerous, exciting, and could have been fatal.  But God worked them for good and His purposes stood through all the trouble!  Be encouraged today as you read!

The trip from Caesarea to Rome was nearly 2000 miles by ship.  It was decided that Paul would travel by a Roman navy ship in the fall season when travel in that direction was more difficult.  As they made their way north, the centurion in charge of the prisoners, Julius,  gave special favor to Paul by allowing his friends to minister to his needs. (Acts 27:1-3)  As travel became more difficult, Paul warned the centurion and crew of impending danger and possible loss of life.  They ignored Paul’s advice and sailed on.  A great storm hit the ship and tossed it around for days.  The crew threw the cargo overboard and after more days of battering, all gave up hope of being saved.  (Acts 27:20)

Paul, again directed with a word from the Lord, encouraged the crew and passengers.  He told them that an angel of God had given him a word, “Do not be afraid, Paul.  You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.” The ship would be destroyed but God would spare the passengers and crew!  God is so merciful and His purposes will stand, no matter what trouble befalls us!  All 276 men on board made it safely to shore when they followed Paul’s advice!  (Acts 27:42-44)

As if the shipwreck and storm were not enough of a trial, Paul was warming himself over a fire on the beach after swimming ashore.  Suddenly, a viper jumped from the fire and fastened itself on Paul’s hand.  (Acts 28:1-6)  Paul quickly shook the snake off into the fire and no swelling or death occurred.  This opened the islanders to Paul’s message and he began to minister to those present with miracles of healing!  God placed him on this island of Malta for three months to minister the Gospel to those there!

When you are committed to God, life takes on a new quality of supernatural direction and hope.  God truly does work all things for His will!  We can go through shipwrecks, storms, and even snake-attacks and trust that all works out for our good and His glory!  What an exciting supernatural life!  Are you ready for today’s episode in your life?

Scripture reading for November 16th: Acts 24-26

Are you focused on your mission of taking Jesus Christ with you today wherever you go?  Are you ready to share your testimony and share the Gospel?  Today’s reading causes us to stand up straighter and proclaim our testimony more vigorously!  We are to bring close encounters with Jesus to a lost world!

The Apostle Paul visited Jerusalem and ended up in jail as he had been warned prophetically.  (Acts 21:10-14)  Nothing takes God by surprise and He prepares His people for the troubles ahead.  Angry Jews falsely accused Paul and he was put in jail in Caesarea under the Roman governor Felix.  Jews from Jerusalem came there to present their case against Paul with a lawyer named Tertullus.  The charges that they made had no proof and Paul, with the help of the Holy Spirit, spoke convincingly.  Felix was well acquainted with those of the “Way”.  Later, he and his wife asked to have Paul brought before him for a private audience.  Paul preached the Gospel and sought to convince Felix that Jesus was the “Way” for him as well.  (Acts 24:24-26)  Scripture records that Felix became afraid and cut Paul off.  His real motive was a bribe!  Money blinded Felix and his wife from finding the true treasure of eternal life in Jesus Christ!

Two years passed and a new governor, Porcius Festus, was appointed.  The Jews came before him to have Paul transferred to Jerusalem for trial.  They planned to kill him as he was being transferred.  (Acts 25:3)  Again, Paul speaks by the Holy Spirit and appeals to Caesar.  He is granted his request!  (Acts 25:10-12)

Royal visitors, King Herod Agrippa and his wife Bernice, arrived to pay respects to Porcius Festus.  They stayed a few days and Festus told Agrippa about Paul’s case that he had inherited from Felix.  Agrippa asked to hear from Paul.  The leading men of the city, high-ranking officers, and King Agrippa and his wife held a meeting and had Paul brought in chained as a prisoner.  Paul was invited to speak to the King in front of all these!  Paul again shared his testimony of his encounter with Jesus!  He passionately appealed to the King, preaching Jesus as the Christ!  The King listened carefully, but in the end stopped the discussion with a question to Paul: “Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?” (Acts 26:28)  Paul’s reply was that he wanted all present to become Christians, no matter how long it took!

What a heart to share the Gospel!  What patience and courage Paul presented before those with authority!  He did not bribe or seek to escape but continued his appointed mission of reaching the Gentiles!  May we keep our focus this day on bringing people close encounters with Jesus!

Dear Friends,

Welcome to another day of rest in Christ Jesus!  Because of what He was willing to give to us, we can now rest secure in our salvation and live today in freedom from fear of punishment, guilt or shame!  What a blessing to know that!  Let’s take time today to reflect on this blessing of Jesus Christ and His gift to us!

“In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus Himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” Acts 20:35

This quote from the Lord Jesus is a truth that we can live by.  Jesus lived to give His life blood for our salvation.  He offered His body as a sacrifice for our sins and willingly laid down His life that we might have life.  He always considered the needs of others above His own needs and readily gave His time and effort to meet their needs.  He taught us that the blessed life is a life that is willing to give!  If we give, we will be taken care of and our own needs will be met.  What we sow we will reap!

I was talking to a person today who said that he had given away his electric dryer to someone who needed one because the rental house he moved into already had a dryer.  When he recently moved here, he needed a dryer and told his wife that the Lord would meet their needs.  After three days here, a person brought a dryer by his house and gave it to them!  God blesses givers!  The person that gave them the dryer will be blessed, too!

As you rest today, thank God for His generous heart towards you and ask Him to show you how you can bless someone by giving today.  We are imitating our Lord when we give and His blessing will rest on us!

In His Love, Pastor John

Scripture reading for November 14th: Acts 21-23

Have you had a life-changing encounter with Jesus Christ?  Did it impact your life?  The word of God tells us that we overcome the accuser, Satan, by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony!  (Revelation 12:11)  So sharing your testimony is a powerful thing.  It does something in you and then does something to overcome the enemy of our souls in others who hear.  Many people have been won to the Lord through the power of a testimony!  In today’s reading, the Apostle Paul shares his testimony of his encounter with Jesus on the Damascus road.

Paul had gone to Jerusalem for the feast of Pentecost and had taken Trophimus the Ephesian with him.  He went through the temple purification rites for seven days and went to the temple to verify the dates and times and appropriate offerings had been made.  There, some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul and Trophimus and began to stir up a riot.  They aroused the city and men came running from everywhere, seized Paul and drug him out of the temple, and began to beat him, intending to kill him!  Religion and tradition can cause people to become irrational, particularly when Jesus is present or preached!

The Roman guards heard the commotion and stopped the beating, putting Paul in chains.  The commotion of the crowd was so great that they had to literally  carry Paul back to the barracks.  The crowd was shouting, “Away with him!”  (Acts 21:33-36)  Paul asked the commander of the guard for permission to speak to the crowd.  He gave him permission and Paul addressed the crowd in Aramaic, their Jewish native language.

Paul then simply shared with this crowd of Jews his testimony.  These were his people and quite likely some of the same people who had earlier demanded the death of Jesus Christ.  Many were likely their descendants for this was over twenty years later!  In sharing his testimony, Paul told this hostile crowd of his own anger against Christ and His followers.  (Acts 22:3-5)  He could identify with their anger because he used to be there.  He told them of his encounter with Jesus on the Damascus road and how he was struck blind and Jesus spoke to him, giving him instructions.  He told them of his healing and then his call by the Lord to go to the Gentiles.  At this point, the crowd turned on him again and demanded his death!

What can we learn from Paul’s example of sharing a testimony?  We see that Paul, himself, was touched by Stephen’s testimony on the day he was martyred! (Acts 22:20)  We see that our testimony helps others to relate to us and us to them.   It offers us a way to share a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  The results are always up to the Holy Spirit and it may not appear positive at first!  Share your testimony with someone today as the Holy Spirit directs!

Scripture reading for November 13th: Acts 19-20

The Apostle Paul had begun his third missionary journey to reach those in the province of Asia.  (Acts 18:23) He ended up in Ephesus where he found a group of disciples gathered.  These twelve men had been baptized into John’s baptism of repentance but had never heard about Jesus Christ.  Paul gave them the Gospel of Jesus, told them about the Holy Spirit and then laid hands on them.  The Holy Spirit came on them and they spoke in tongues and prophesied!  Thus the church at Ephesus was born. Paul’s ministry went on there for nearly three years.  This event took place about 20 years after the first Pentecost!

Following this event, Paul spoke in the synagogue, as was his custom.  He went to his own brothers, the Jews, first and sought to win them to Jesus.  This caused a conflict so he left with the new disciples and went to another place in the city, the lecture hall of Tyrannus, and continued to preach and teach there for two years.  His ministry was so effective that all the Jews and Greeks in the whole province of Asia heard the word of the Lord!  (Acts 19:10)

The Lord has promised that signs will follow those who obediently preach the Gospel.  (Mark 16:15-20)  As Paul preached here in Asia, God did extraordinary miracles through him as a help in winning the lost and confirming that Jesus is the Christ.  These miracles included supernatural healing and casting out evil spirits.  (Acts 19:11-12)  Even as handkerchiefs and aprons taken from Paul were sent,  the  sick were healed and delivered!

Paul’s preaching of Jesus and these extraordinary miracles caused some Jewish exorcists to try and imitate Paul’s methods.  They tried to cast out a demon from a possessed man “in the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches.”  The demon spoke to them, “Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?”  (Acts 19:13-15) The result was that these seven exorcists were severely beaten by the demon possessed man!  The word of this happening and all the miracles brought a revival of holiness.  Fear seized the populace and they confessed their evil deeds, sorcery, and witchcraft.  They publicly burned their books and charms and the word of God spread and grew in power!

What lessons can we learn from this account of Paul’s preaching in a town with strongholds of witchcraft?  God’s power is no match against the powers of the Devil!  Jesus told us that in His Name, we would cast out devils!  The warning is that we must know this Jesus personally.  It can’t be a second hand thing or you will be in trouble, just like the seven who tried it.  Demons recognize and know both Jesus and those who have Him as Lord!  In His name, extraordinary miracles will follow the preaching of the Gospel and the ministry of those who obediently go!  Be bold as you enter your mission field today!

Scripture reading for November 12th: Acts 16-18

One of the prayers that I have prayed for my family is that they would all be saved and walk with the Lord during their time on earth.  God has been faithful and I am very thankful.  All my children are serving the Lord and have a personal walk with Him.  A question that comes up from reading today’s passage about the Philippian jailer getting saved with his whole household, is this: does the Bible promise salvation to each person’s entire family?  Can I apply this story and the verse about the jailer and his house responding to the Gospel to claim my family?

“But Paul shouted,”Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!”. . . . “The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas.  He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”  . . “They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved–you and your household.” They spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all others in his house.  At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his family were baptized. Acts 16:28-33

I believe that this record does inspire faith for us to believe God for our entire family to be saved.  With faith in God, nothing is impossible.  We should ask for the salvation of our families and households and stand in faith in God’s word and mercy.  However, when looking at the rest of Scripture, I feel that it doesn’t promise that all will be saved.  Each person must choose to repent and believe on the Lord for himself.  God doesn’t make anyone believe!  However, our prayers keep the door open and invite God to send laborers and continue to draw the person to saving grace.

God doesn’t want anyone to be lost!  (1st Timothy 2:4-5)  He has done everything necessary to provide salvation for every person.  He draws each person by the Holy Spirit.  Yet, each person has a free will and the ability to choose his own way or God’s way.  If we could be made to be saved, all would be saved!  Jesus taught that the way of salvation was narrow and few were on that narrow path.  The way of destruction is broad and many are on it.  (Matthew 7:13-14)  Each person in a household must choose to repent and follow Jesus.

Prayer is a powerful thing!  We must always pray and live by faith for our loved ones!  Take time to pray that your household will be saved and that the Lord will draw them to Himself!  We don’t want to miss out because we don’t ask!

Scripture reading for November 11th: Acts 13-15

Wouldn’t it be nice to have God just send someone to tell you what He wants you to know?  Have you ever had someone give you a word from the Lord that confirmed something the Lord had been showing you to do?  Do you believe that God knows everything and wants to share some of His knowledge with you?   These and other questions should set us thinking as we read today’s passages from Acts.  God uses people to give words of knowledge and prophesy.  Lets look at the principles for using these “words”.

“In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene,  Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul.  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.”  “So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hand on them and sent them off.” Acts 13:1-3

In this account of the early church at worship and prayer, we find that the Holy Spirit used one of the prophets or teachers to give a word to Barnabas and Saul.  This was not a directive word, but a confirming word.  Note that the Holy Spirit had already called them to this work personally previous to this time.  This word came during a time of corporate worship and the church obediently responded.  They prayed more and fasted and then laid on hands and sent them off on the ministry journey laid out for them by the Holy Spirit.  We find that God has prepared the “good works” and all we need to do is respond in obedience.  (Ephesians 2:10)

When we get a word of knowledge or prophesy spoken over us, we must always test it in several ways.  First, does it line up with what the Lord has been saying already to us?  God doesn’t give second-hand mail!  Second, does it line up with the Word of God and purposes stated in Scripture?   Words must always agree with the written word of God or at least not be in conflict with the revealed will of God.  Next, is the Spirit in you in agreement with that word?  Do others with the Holy Spirit agree and bear witness with the word?  These tests are important before moving on a word.

God does truly direct His children and sometimes uses others to confirm to us a word.  Mary and I experienced this when God spoke to us through two different people about having children in our old age!  One of the words was written down and our son reminded us of it years later.  It helped us confirm our direction and follow God’s leading!  May the Lord direct your life each day by His Holy Spirit!  May you learn to properly discern the will of God!

Scripture reading for November 10th: Acts 10-12

Have you ever struggled to understand what God is doing and wants to do?  You are in good company!  In this section of Acts, the Apostle Peter needed a vision from the Lord to help him overcome an area of prejudice that came from his Jewish upbringing and religion.  Sometimes we learn things wrong and God knows how to work with us to get us straightened out again.  Thank God for His mercy and patience!

This story begins with a Gentile centurion named Cornelius who feared God and gave generously to those in need  as well as praying regularly.  One day, Cornelius had a vision and saw an angel of God who spoke his name plainly!  (Acts 10:3)  The angel told him that his prayers and gifts to the poor had come before the Lord and that he should send for a man named Simon Peter to come.  In the meantime, God gave a vision to Simon Peter while he was on the roof praying.  In this vision he saw a sheet with all kind of animals, reptiles, and birds of the air.  A voice told him to get up, kill, and eat!  Peter protested to the Lord that he had never eaten anything unclean.  The voice spoke a second time warning him not to call anything impure that God had made clean.  This had happened three times when the men who came from Cornelius knocked on the door. The Spirit spoke to Peter about them and told him to go with them.  Peter heard and obeyed, inviting the men in and then going with them.

The next day, they entered the house of a Gentile, something a good Jew would never do.  Cornelius told him about his vision and why he sent for him.  He invited Peter to speak to them all the Lord would have him say.  What an open invitation!  Peter began to preach the Gospel and as he preached, the Holy Spirit came upon them and they all began to speak in tongues and praise God just like on the day of Pentecost!  Peter and all the Jews with him were amazed at what God had done and they baptized these new believers in water. Peter stayed with them a few days.

What can we learn from this?  First, God knows how to reach people who are hungry for more!  He will work with sincere believers who have prejudice to help them with truth.  He recognized these Gentiles for their prayers, gifts to the poor and seeking of God.  Their works came before the Lord and He acted to send them a person who could help them understand Him more fully.  God is no respecter of persons.  He gave the same Holy Spirit to the Gentiles as those in that upper room on Pentecost!  What a wonderful Savior!  Spend time in prayer today seeking the Lord for clarity and new direction!  You can have a new Pentecost today!

Scripture reading for November 9th: Acts 8-9

In today’s reading we have the account of the conversion of one of the most influential people in the early days of the church.  The first 11 chapters of Acts are primarily centered around the life of Peter and his ministry to the Jews around Jerusalem.  Chapter 9 gives the account of Saul, a zealous Pharisee, who was a persecutor of the early church and was bent on protecting Judaism and eliminating disciples of Jesus.  He is spoken of first as one who gave approval of those who stoned Stephen. (Acts 8:1)  An encounter with Jesus is what Saul needed to radically change his world-view!

“Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples.  He went to the high priest and asked for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.  As he neared Damascus, on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.  He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, Why do you persecute me?” “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.  “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied.  So get up and go into the city and you will be told what you what you must do.” Acts 9:1-6

Saul had been hunting down disciples, having them arrested and in some cases put to death.  As he traveled on a mission to Damascus, the Lord met him personally.  The light of glory threw Saul to the ground and blinded him.  Jesus asked him a simple question.  The question reveals that when anyone persecutes one of Jesus’ followers, He feels it personally!  Saul was also addressed by first name.  Jesus knows each person by name and knows where they are and what they are doing.  He has plans for those who will be teachable and repent.

Thankfully, Saul repented during the period of blindness that lasted three days.  God sent a disciple named Ananias to lay hands on Saul to receive his sight back.  Ananias was initially afraid of Saul because of his reputation, but God revealed that Saul was His chosen instrument to reach the Gentiles.  (Acts 9:15-16) After he was healed and baptized, Saul began to preach the Gospel in the very synagogues that he had come initially to hunt Christians in!  What a difference an encounter with Jesus makes!

This man’s ministry is the subject of Acts 12-28, and he tells his testimony of this Jesus encounter several times.  Saul became the Apostle Paul who would be a great missionary to the Gentiles and write 13 New Testament books.  His “Jesus encounter” is still being talked and written about over 1900 years later!  Many other “sinners” have found Christ through his testimony!  What amazing love and grace is found in our Lord!

Dearly beloved friends,

Greetings in the Name of Jesus Christ!  Another week is beginning and God’s people gather in buildings, homes, and small groups to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord!  We are so blessed to know Him and love Him!  From the rising of the sun to the going down of the same, Jesus is being praised around the earth in every country and culture.

However, many still do not know Him.  Over half the earth’s 6.3 billion people still have not heard of Jesus Christ. Many are lost in false religions and are entering eternity under God’s wrath.   His Church is charged with going and telling every one!  To do this Jesus sent the church the gift of the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit is a person who lives in each one who is saved and has repented of sin.  He wants to fill us with “living water” and power to share that “living water” with the lost of the world.

Many Pentecostals seem caught up with emotional experience of God and speaking in tongues and even the gifts of the Spirit.  They go from meeting to meeting craving more of God’s presence and desiring to see miracles.  This is all well and good, but misses the mark!  God gave the Holy Spirit to equip us to be His witnesses to the lost world.  He sent us to go.  He promises us that the signs and miracles will follow us as we are out doing the work of ministry and reaching the lost!  We must leave the meeting empowered by the presence of the Holy Spirit to reach our lost friends and family.

Listening to God’s directing voice helps us know when to talk and when to be quiet and pray.  We must pray in the power of the Holy Spirit for then we pray according to the will of God.  (Romans 8:26-28)  We build ourselves up in our faith as we pray in the Spirit. (Jude 20)  No one can come to Christ unless drawn by the Father so we desperately need the Spirit for evangelism. (John 8:44, 16:8-11)  The Holy Spirit give us direction and boldness to speak and act in the face of persecution.  God has empowered His Church!

As you attend church this Lord’s day, pray that the place where you meet will be shaken by the power of the Holy Spirit!  Ask the Lord to fill you again with the Holy Spirit!  Go into the week to fulfill God’s command to reach the lost!  Have a great week in Jesus!

In His Love, Pastor John