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What would it look like to earnestly pray?  Acts 12: 5 - So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him. While reading the story of Peter being rescued out of prison by an angel, I was struck by the word, earnestly. The Bible tells us that before Peter walked out of that prison, the church was praying earnestly for him.  This is one of my favourite bible stories and one of the reasons is because I have read the book The Heavenly Man. It is the biography of Brother Yun, a Chinese Christian who was persecuted, like Peter, for his faith. In fact he found himself in a similar situation. He too was in prison, he too was likely facing execution, but he was in a worse state physically - his legs had both been broken and he could not walk. But praise God, he too experienced a miracle. His legs were healed and the Holy Spirit said to him, "Go now! The God of Peter is your God!" (p.256). Brother Yun proceeded to walk straight past a guard who did ...
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A tragic tale The story of the beheading of John the Baptist is one of loss that goes far beyond the tragic death of John. The other 3 main characters are all a cautionary tale of loss that we need to heed.  Let's start with Herod. Here was a man who initially "feared John and protected him [John], knowing him to be a righteous and holy man" (Mark 6:20). What went wrong, how did he go from protecting him to ordering his murder? He was saving face. He was too proud to admit he had been ensnared and didn't want to seem the fool in front of his dinner guests. This decision cost him dearly. I believe he became a shadow of himself after this fatal decision, living a life consumed by fear. The bible tells us when he hears of Jesus his thoughts immediately wonder if he is John resurrected. And he tried to see him. Why would someone in Herod's position want to see a carpenter from Nazareth? If he believed he was John maybe he wanted to beg forgiveness? Or maybe he was try...
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Reading: Acts 8:26-40  Acts 8: 29-31 -   The Spirit told   Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”   Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked. “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. Image from pixabay In the book of Acts, God is working in mighty ways through the believers to spread the message of Jesus' resurrection and many people are being converted. In this story of the Ethiopian eunuch, it is clear that God is not restricting salvation to the Jews but is wanting everyone to be saved. What a wonderful thing. I don't know about you, but I do not have Jewish lineage and am so thankful that salvation is open to everyone. The person being reached today is someone of importance, he is the minister in charge of all the finances of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. Someone people would listen to, you wo...
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 ACTS 6:1-3   During this time, as the disciples were increasing in numbers by leaps and bounds, hard feelings developed among the Greek-speaking believers - "Hellinist" - toward the Hebrew-speaking believers because their widows were discriminated against in the daily food lines. So the twelve called a meeting of the disciples. They said, "It wouldn't be right for us to abandon our responsibilities for preaching and teaching the Word of God to help with the care of the poor. So, friends, choose seven men among you whom everyone trusts, men full of the Holy Spirit and good sense, and we'll assign them this task. Meanwhile, we'll stick to our assigned tasks of prayer and speaking God's word.  (The Message) Image by Gert Altmann @ pixabay I love the book of Acts, I find the establishment of the early church exciting as thousands come to believe in Jesus. But because it was a real event, it was not without its tense moments. There were inevitable conflicts l...
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  The Acts church Acts 2:42-47 - They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.   Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles.     All the believers were together and had everything in common.   They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.   Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,   praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (NIV).  I have always loved this description of the early church. They are so excited by what has happened with Jesus rising from the dead and ascending to heaven, the gift of the Holy Spirit and the miracles and sermons of the disciples - seeing God's power. People want in.  Thousands are...
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  His final words.                                                                                                                                                                                                           Image by Gizelle Kei at Pixabay Acts 1: 8 - "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the Earth." Acts is one...
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Who is He?  Image from Gordan Johnson found on Pixabay Matthew 16:15-16 - He [Jesus] said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Simon Peter replies, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." This is a powerful moment in the Bible. A telling point. The disciples are walking through an area known for its pagan worship and immorality. This is the place where Jesus chose to ask this question to his disciples, surrounded by debauchery and idol worship. He is providing a huge contrast - on one side is Jesus the son of the living God, and on the other side are pagan idols. He is essential saying which of these do you choose? Do you believe that I am the son of God, that as opposed to what you see around you, I am God? Or are you chasing after something else, maybe something easier, something culturally acceptable or seemingly safer?  Simon Peter responds by saying " You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." And with that statement he commits fully...
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