Tag: Acts

Daily Word

Acts 17

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Read Acts 17 – Courageous, discerning and wise… these are some of the traits Paul, Silas, Timothy, Jason and the believers in Thessalonica, Berea and Athens illustrated.  May I confess?  I came to Christ as a skeptical non-believer.  I thought Christians were the exact opposite of what we read about here.  I had questions with an underlying sneer of superiority.  Paul reached out to people like me in these places.  He risked and suffered greatly to get the Truth out. 

I love what he discovered in Berea, people who were eager for truth and searched the Scriptures daily to see if things were as Paul said, :11.  Many believed, but the haters from Thessalonica learned this; they came there too, agitating and stirring up the crowds, :13. 

The believers escorted Paul to Athens.  There he walked about town and saw all kinds of statues commemorating various gods.  He even saw one dedicated to the unknown god, and that was an open door.  Verse :23 shows us how he met the locals where they were at and introduced Jesus.  It’s a beautiful, wise and honoring way to help his audience receive the Good News.  The mission was highly successful, and good seeds were planted. 

Beloved, do you still have questions?  What is in the way of your whole and complete surrender?  Nothing is grounded in truth like Jesus.  The bible can stand up to your questions because it is God’s true Word.  And when you find yourself on solid ground, tell others!

Daily Word

Acts 16

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Read Acts 16 – Meet Timothy, Lydia and the jailer, and see how God meets us where we are at. 

Timothy is a highly respected believer, son of a Jewish mother and Greek father.  Did you find it odd that Paul circumcised him just one chapter after it was determined that circumcision wasn’t necessary?  This was done as an act of love to the Jews.  They knew Timothy’s father was Greek, therefore, Timothy would not have been circumcised, and the Jews wouldn’t have received him.  This was a “know your audience” thing. Later Paul would write, “I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.”  1 Corinthinians 9:22b. 

They journey with Silas, and notice how the Lord directs their path.  He keeps them out of Asia and Bithynia, and directs them to Macedonia.  Check it out on a map if you can; it is quite a journey. 

In Macedonia they are directed to a place by the river for prayer on the Sabbath, :13.  This hints at the fact there would not have been a Temple in town. But despite this, there is a gathering of women with hearts for God.  One woman in particular is Lydia.  The Lord opened her heart to respond to Pauls message, and she and her household were baptized.  She persuaded Paul and company to stay at her house.  Lydia was a woman of strong character, persuasion and means. 

Read on to meet the slave with a spirit of divination, who harrasses Paul and company for days.  That encounter leads to their arrest, and another miracle, and more souls saved – all for God’s glory! 

Beloved, I hope you enjoyed Chapter 16 as much as I did!  To me it says our past doesn’t matter.  It is never too late to become brand new.  It says that things that aren’t fair – like Paul and Silas’s beating and arrest – may happen, but Jesus has purpose that far outweighs the earthly pain.

Daily Word

Acts 15

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Read Acts 15 – Disagreement does not negate the faith. 

Disagreement over circumcision breaks out between some men from Antioch and Paul and Barnabas.  The church decided to send them all to Jerusalem, so they could go before the apostles. This is important and both sides have passionate arguments for their view.  Notice that both were willing to pursue the matter to resolve. 

Together, they did come to resolve, deciding the most basic tenets for the new believers are to abstain from eating food offered to idols, from consuming blood or the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality. 

Beloved, be willing to work things out, take them to church leadership if you must, but work towards resolve.  There was great joy for the Gentile believers as they read this encouraging message. (15:1-31) 

Paul, Barnabas, Judas and Silas stayed on encouraging and strengthening the Antioch believers for some time.  Down the road Paul and Barnabas decided to return to the cities where they had preached to see how the believers were doing, but they came to a personal disagreement as to bringing John Mark along.  Scripture does not indicate favor for either side, but records they decided to split.  Barnabas took John Mark to Cypress, and Paul took Silas to strengthen the churches throughout Syria and Cilicia.

Beloved, this division did not lead to resolve between the men, but it did lead to God’s glory in that they reached more places than they would have together.  Is God calling you to something different?  What’s holding you back?

Daily Word

Acts 14

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Read Acts 14 – Victory and persecution – Oh my heart!  Why do you suppose the Gospel is so clear and precious to some, while others despise it?  And for those who despise it, it’s not a simple, “No thank you.”  They want to destroy the messengers.

Barnabas and Paul preached boldly and the Lord proved their message to be true by giving them power to do miraculous signs and wonders, :3.  A mob incited against them and they fled to Lystra and Derbe, where they continued to preach.  While Paul was preaching he locked eyes with a crippled man, realized the man had faith, and called him to stand up!  The man did (Yay!) and the crowd went crazy – but too crazy – they began to worship Paul and Barnabas, thinking them to be the Greek gods, Zeus and Hermes (Oops!).  Paul and Barnabas tore their robes in dismay and immediately urged the crowd to stop worshipping them and worship God. 

Beloved, may this serve as a caution to you in either direction.  If you are serving the Lord and people praise you for it, be quick to turn that praise to Jesus Christ. Likewise, if you find yourself thinking more highly of your pastor, or anyone, than Jesus, examine your heart, repent and give all glory to God Almighty. 

The rollercoaster of victory and persecution continues.  Our apostles keep the faith and keep going. 

Beloved, be victory minded.  Persecution will come, deal with it, flee when it’s time to flee, and press on with and for Jesus Christ. To Him be the Glory! ❣☝🙌🙏🙌☝❣

Daily Word

Acts 13

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Read Acts 13 – Living for Christ is a life on the move!   And if one is to live on the move for Jesus, one best know how to connect.   Verse :2 gives us insight, saying,  “while they were worshipping the Lord and fasting…”  Worship can be done in song, in words of gratitude and adoration, in prayer… and fasting fine tunes one’s physical body to the Lord, as hunger rumbles,  dependence on Jesus satisfies. 

These church leaders had a clear and united direction from the Holy Spirit.   They laid hands and prayed for Barnabas and Paul/ Saul, and sent them on mission to Cyprus. 

In :4-13 these two men encounter a Jewish sorcerer, a false prophet named Bar- Jesus.  In dealing with him, the proconsul saw, was amazed and believed.   Beloved,  God acts in multifaceted ways.   When you face conflict, it may be about much more than the situation at hand. Stay in the game.

Paul and Barnabas continue on the move and are invited to give encouragement in the temple.  Paul gives a Jewish history overview then moves on to Jesus, and Salvation.   It’s excellent and they reached the hearts of Jews and Gentiles… although not every Jew thought the Good News was good, and some conspired against them.

Beloved, enjoy this action packed chapter.  Imagine yourself in their shoes,  Paul,  Barnabas, the listeners… I pray God’s Word goes deep in your heart. 😍❣🙏❣😍

Daily Word

Acts 12

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Read Acts 12 – part one.   Let me explain the cast of characters before we dive into the awesome miracles. 

Herod was the grandson of Herod the great, who ordered the Jewish babies execution when Jesus was born.  He was also the nephew of Herod Antipas, who ruled over Jesus’s trial… all of them were evil.

James is the brother of John,  the sons of Zebedee, the sons of thunder – not the author of the book of James (that James was Jesus’s half brother).  

Okay, ready?  James is the first martyred apostle.  This would have shaken the apostles from the illusion that they had divine protection… if James could be killed, they all could.

Peter was also imprisoned and Herod had every intent on killing him too because it pleased the Jews. It was a good political gesture. Isn’t that sickening? 

Meanwhile,  the rest of the church is fevrantly praying for Peter at Mary’s house (she is Marks mother – there are 6 Mary’s in the Bible – that’s a whole rewarding study of its own). Okay, exhale,  Beloved. This is the end of part one. Good job! 


Acts 12 – part two. Picture Peter in prison.   He’s not a violent man. Yet he is chained between two soldiers, behind a guarded door within a locked and secure prison. It was a humanly hopeless situation, but God didn’t think so.

The Lord heard the prayers and sent rescue.   He loosened the chains, unlocked the doors, kept the guards asleep, and Peter simply walked out with angelic protection!  

Peter didn’t even know it was real; he thought it was a vision,  :6-11.  He goes to Mary’s, where the church is praying for his safety,  and…. Were you giggling just a little at the details? It was like a comedy skit! 

Beloved,  have you ever had your prayers answered and it took you a while to realize it?   I look back in my journals every now and then and God amazes me… he’s broken more than a few chains in my life too.

Evil Herod investigated the breach and it cost the sentries their lives, but his wickedness catches up with him and he is struck down be an angel, eaten by worms, and breathed his last.

Things end on a high note for the church,  :24-25.  Beloved,  when life gets crazy, God is still working all things out for your good and His glory. Praise God! 

Daily Word

Acts 11

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Read Acts 11 – “And since God gave these Gentiles the same gifts He gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to stand in God’s way?” 11:17.  Beloved, don’t hold back.  Jesus is for everyone.  Don’t let someone’s upbringing or way of life make you refrain from sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ.  No one is outside of His reach. 

Next we see more of the good fruit Jesus is bringing from Stephen’s martyrdom, as the Gospel is spread by the scattered believers to the regions of Phoenicia, Cypress and Antioch of Syria.  Beloved, God never wastes a hurt! 

Barnabas… I would very much like to be friends with him based on what Scripture says.  He was quick to joy.  He sought out Paul (This is about a decade after Paul’s conversion), and they began teaching together back in Antioch for a full year.  He is called ‘a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and strong in faith’(:24).

God’s Word mentions that the believers were first called Christians at Antioch(:26).  It was meant as a derogatory insult, but I am honored to be one, as they were. 

Beloved, do you get a sense as to how alive the church was in Antioch?  It is vibrant with faith, unity and a hunger to know Jesus more and more.  Do you get that in your church?  Why don’t you start with you and see what the Holy Spirit does with it from there? Show up eager, full of faith and joy, like Barnabas and Paul. 😃😍💘🙏💘😍😃

Daily Word

Acts 10

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Read Acts 10 – God is always at work.  We have two parallel events taking place that will come together and accomplish what the Lord intended. 

Meet Cornelius, a centurion, a devout man who feared God, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed constantly.  The Roman officers were hated by the Jews and it would have been totally inappropriate for a Jew to associate with one.  Yet Cornelius is boldly different.  An angel visits Cornelius in a vision and tells him to send for Peter. 

Notice, my friend, there are some tasks the Lord reserves for humans… the angel visited Cornelius, but he does not give him the gospel message.  He (the angel) instructs him (Cornelius) to send for Peter. 

Meanwhile, Peter goes up to the rooftop to pray at the tanners house in Joppa.  (The rooftop was a patio for many homes).  He gets hungry – I love that the bible makes note of this.  Beloved, when you set out to pray, you can expect any number of distractions, like hunger. 

Peter falls into a trance and has a vision of a sheet being lowered with creatures, clean and unclean under Jewish law to eat, and he hears a voice say, “Rise, Peter, kill and eat.” (:11-16).  Peter understandably says no way, but the Lord repeated the vision three times.  There was no mistake.  What the Lord calls clean is clean.  Then the voice tells Peter about Cornelius’s men downstairs and that he is to go with them. 

Peter’s life is brand new.  He is talking to people he never would have associated with before Jesus.  Beloved, is your life the same or boldly different with Jesus?  Keep reading and marvel at what God did next in our chapter.

Daily Word

Acts 9

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Read Acts 9 – Calling all skeptics (as I once was).  Saul has been our silent villain for a few chapters now.  He was first introduced in 7:58, as Stephen was being stoned, the accusers laid their coats at his feet.  In 8:1 he gave approval for Stephen’s murder.  Now in chapter 9, the Lord deals with him in an incredible way. 

Saul is all set with letters permitting him to persecute Christian men and women when Jesus meets him on the road to Damascus.  Jesus asks, “Saul!Saul! Why are you persecuting me?” :4  Beloved, when a believer is hurt for their faith, it is Jesus who is hurt.  We do not suffer alone.  They have a chat, Saul is blinded and told to go into town.  Then Jesus speaks with a believer named Ananias (different from Ananias and Sapphira from chapter 5) in a vision and tells him to go to Saul.  Ananias has heard about Saul and questions Jesus (:13).  Beloved, questions are not disobedience.  Ask your questions,  but like Ananias, be obedient to follow Jesus when he confirms. 

Meanwhile, Peter is going about the Lord’s business in Lydda.  He healed a lame man, Aeneas, by telling him, “Aeneas, Jeusu Christ heals you!  Get up, and roll up your sleeping mat!”  Notice that Peter takes no credit for the work of Jesus through him.  Beware of anyone who does! 

Then Peter raises a woman named Tabitha/Dorcas from the dead, and many believe as the news spreads.  We are told he stayed there a long time with Simon the tanner… this was a step in the right direction of uniting jews and gentiles.  A devout jew would not defile himself by staying with one who handles dead animals.  Beloved, we are to lay down any prejudices against people and simply love well, as Jesus does.  Love without boundaries. 

Daily Word

Acts 8

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Read Acts 8 – Stephen has just become the first Christian to be martyred.  He is the kernel of wheat – and now persecution is breaking out, scattering believers from Jerusalem in Judea and Samaria (:1). 

Philip begins to preach in Samaria and great crowds gathered and believed.  One man, a sorcerer named Simon, believed and was baptized.  He followed Philip in amazement.  Such great work was taking place that Peter and John were sent.  They laid hands on the people and they received the Holy Spirit.  Simon wanted this ability and offered to pay for it.  Yikes, bad motives.  He wanted the gift for the show of it.  He wanted to continue to amaze people as he had as a sorcerer, but with the power of the Holy Spirit.  Peter rebuked him and told him to repent. 

Beloved, you may get caught up in jealousy, bitterness, or the like.  It happens (especially in parking lots this time of year).  Be quick to confess and surrender to Christ’s care and control.  The law is there to show you your need for a Savior more than to condemn you. 

Next Philip comes upon an Ethiopian Eunuch who is reading from the book of Isaiah (in the old testament).  It is the portion of prophecy that speaks about Jesus.  Philip explains everything and the Eunuch wants to be baptized on the spot!  As soon as this happens the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away – MIRACLE ALERT!  The Eunuch goes on rejoicing. 

This Eunuch was the queen’s treasurer.  He was a powerful and influential man and he carried the Good News into Ethiopia.  The Coptic Christians today trace their spiritual heritage to him (according to a commentary by David Guzik).  Beloved, be alert and obedient to the Holy Spirit’s prompting.  Whether you are addressing a crowd or a single person – be obedient and trust the Holy Spirit with the outcome.