Podcasts about acts chapter

Pastor Dodge opens today's teaching with a quote from St. Augustine, "The New is in the Old concealed, the Old is in the New revealed."  Meaning what the New Testament teaches is already in the Old Testament scriptures and the Old Testament scriptures find their fulfillment in the New Testament. The Old Testament isn't to be sloughed off, it is at the heart of the New Testament teaching.  In order to understand the New Testament we need to be well versed in the Old Testament. This is what we will see in today's study of Acts 17.   Acts 17:1-3 - Paul and his companions come to a synagogue in Thessalonica and Paul explains that Jesus is the Messiah. Paul is showing them the Hebrew Scriptures and demonstrating how Jesus is the fulfillment of what the Jewish people have been longing for.   Some ways the Messiah was mentioned in the Old Testament Hebrew Scriptures and revealed in the New Testament through the life and death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ: The New Adam The Seed of the woman Virgin born Immanuel Passover Lamb Heavenly Manna Son of David  Suffering Servant New Covenant Divine Son of Man The King who enters Jerusalem The First and the Last King of Kings   Acts 17:4-10 many believed but some did not and so the believers send Paul and Silas away to Berea where they went again to the Jewish synagogue.    Acts 17:11-12 - The Berean Jews received their message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. And as a result many of the Berean Jews believed along with prominent Greek women and men.   The Christian faith is a rational faith. It is not something uncovered by human reason but is entirely rational because God is entirely rational.   God has done mighty things. He is the God of the universe and the God of human history and in His Word He reveals to us His Son - our Redeemer and Hope.   Paul reasoned with them and we too need to confront the reasoning and the wisdom of God as revealed through ancient Hebrew prophets, through apostles and through His Son.     Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE.   View live or on demand: https://www.awakeusnow.com/tuesday-bible-class   For the full list of videos in this series, Dig Deeper, https://www.awakeusnow.com/dig-deeper   For more check out our Sunday series, God ACTS! https://www.awakeusnow.com/god-acts-then-now   Join us Sundays  https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service   Or watch from our Youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/@AwakeUsNow/videos    Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app.

SEEING CLEARLY: Then + Now   Scandal of Idolatry - Then - Acts 17:16 we read that Paul was in Athens and was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. 1 Corinthians 10:20 Paul writes that the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God. And in Romans 1:22-23 "Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal human beings and birds and animals and reptiles." In Athens life revolved around the idols. Sampling: Festival of Athena Festival of Apollo Festival of Demeter Festival of Poseidon Festival of Dionysus Festival of Zeus Now - Today we need to have our eyes opened to the idolatry of this age. The worship of things and self.   Reason vs Ridicule - Then - Acts 17:17-18 Paul reasoned in the synagogue and the market place to both Jews and God-fearing Greeks regarding idolatry. Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to debate with him. They accused him of advocating foreign gods because he was preaching the good news of Jesus and the resurrection - something they had not heard before.  Now - Today there are many who ridicule the Christian faith so it is important to reason with them and to bring into their lives the truth of what the scriptures say. (See 1 Corinthians 1:21)    Tyranny of Fads - Then - Acts 17:19-21 - Paul is taken to a meeting of the Areopagus (legislative body) where they question Paul about what he was teaching. They were interested in new ideas, interested in going with the latest fad. However the good news of Jesus is not a fad and in Romans 12:2 we are encouraged to not conform to the patterns of the world.  Now - Today we are called to be grounded in the word of God, to be transformed by it and not follow the ways of the world.   The Unknown is made Known - Then - Acts 17:22-25 Paul stands up and addresses the group saying that he sees they are "very religious." He had observed their objects of worship and told them they were ignorant and then he reveals that God who made the world and everything in it, the Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples built by human hands. He told them that God gives life and breath and everything else.  Now - today just like then, many have heard of God but they do not know Him. (See 1 Timothy 6:15-16) Paul seeks to communicate who God truly is: all powerful, all knowing and good.   The Priority of Repentance - Then - Acts 17:26-30 -  Paul tells them of the one true God who made nations from one man. "For in Him we live and move and have our beings." He goes on to say that since we are God's offspring, we shouldn't think that God is like an idol of gold or silver. God commands all people to repent.  Now - today - we too are to repent. To turn around, change our direction and return to God.    Resurrection of Christ - Then - Acts 17:31-33 - Paul tells of the day that the Lord has set to judge the world with justice by the One who God Himself raised from the dead. (Jesus - Redeemer, Deliverer) When Paul talked of the resurrection of the dead, some sneered, but others wanted to learn more.  Now - today - the resurrection of Christ is the key biblical teaching and the heart of the New Testament teaching. By human standards, Christ's resurrection seems ridiculous - unless it's REAL!  And that is precisely what the scriptures declare AND what the evidence points to!  1 Corinthians 15:20 tells us that Christ has indeed been risen from the dead! And that news can change even the most devout skeptic.    Pastor shares the story of a cold case investigator, detective and atheist, J. Warner Wallace. Using cold case investigation tools and tactics Wallace uncovers compelling evidences for Christ's resurrection, yet he still chose to ignore what he uncovered and chose NOT to see clearly. However, that's not the end of the story. Pastor closes class with how it all ended for J. Warner Wallace and how it ends for all of us.    God has set a day when He will judge the world - Thus we need to repent - because God has raised His Son from the grave and He IS coming back!     This week's READING ASSIGNMENT: Acts chapter 17-18.      Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE.   Check out this video series from our website: https://www.awakeusnow.com/god-acts-then-now   Or watch from our Youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/@AwakeUsNow/videos   Join us Sundays live or on demand from our website  https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service

Welcome to North Church! Our mission is to inspire others to say “Yes” to God! We are located here in Spokane, WA, and we are a part of the Foursquare denomination. We meet both digitally & in-person every Sunday at 9am & 11am! To find out more about who we are as a church, visit our website at www.northchurch.net! We're so excited to have you join us today!

Grace and Faith Fellowship Thursday Night Bible Study 

In our series on the book of Acts we see that as always, religion has to try and raise its ugly head. Rules, regulations, laws, WORKS! Stick to the main thing. Encourage the brethren, don't succumb to manmade doctrines, but rather allow Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth. And oh, yeah, we can have disagreements without trying to destroy someone else! Lets talk about it. 

We explore an action the Apostle Paul took. Was Paul compromising what had been decided at the Council in Jerusalem (Acts 15) when he circumcised Timothy?   Chapter 15 was about the question of Gentiles needing to be circumcised to be a genuine follower of Jesus. The Council at Jerusalem's unanimous decision was no - that salvation is though faith in Christ Jesus alone. But now in Acts 16 the questions is if Paul is going against what had been decided in Jerusalem when he circumcised Timothy.   Acts 16:1 - Paul came to the city Lystra where a disciple named Timothy lived. Timothy's mother was Jewish and a believer but his father was a Greek/ With a Greek father, Timothy had not been circumcised when he was 8 days old as were Jewish boys, so he is uncircumcised.   Vs 2-3 Paul wanted to take Timothy along on his upcoming journey, so he circumcised Timothy because of the Jews who lived in the areas they would be going to. People knew that Timothy's father was a Greek. But they also knew his mother was a Jew. Was Paul going against what the council in Jerusalem said?  No.  In Acts 15 we are told how we are saved only through faith in Christ, but the Gentiles were told to be gracious and reflective of Jewish sensibilities, especially around the idea of not wanting the Gospel to come under disrepute.     Their upcoming journey was to many towns with Jewish people and in their eyes Timothy would have been seen as a hypocrite who had abandoned his jewish heritage and faith.    What Paul is saying is that no Gentile needs to be circumcised but Jewish people were called to be circumcised and Timothy is making it clear that he is a faithful Jew. His circumcision shows his heart is for his fellow Jewish people, as well as Gentiles.    Timothy and Paul will spend many years together. Paul and Timothy have a beautiful friendship. Paul will consider Timothy his spiritual son.   And then we read in Acts 16:4-5 that as Timothy and Paul traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders in the Council of Jerusalem. And the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers. More and more Jewish and Gentile people became followers of Jesus.   Timothy and Paul recognized the importance of reaching all with the gospel of Christ.     Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE.   View live or on demand: https://www.awakeusnow.com/tuesday-bible-class   For the full list of videos in this series, Dig Deeper, https://www.awakeusnow.com/dig-deeper   For more check out our Sunday series, God ACTS! https://www.awakeusnow.com/god-acts-then-now   Join us Sundays  https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service   Or watch from our Youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/@AwakeUsNow/videos    Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app.

Acts 16: 2,500 years ago, the Holy Spirit gave a prophetic word to several Hebrew prophets. It is a word that began to be fulfilled in a dramatic way at the time of the book of Acts, and continues to be dramatically fulfilled in our day in ways that seemed impossible generations ago.  "The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord just as the waters cover the sea." We will see in this chapter a dramatic example of how that prophetic word was fulfilled at the time of the early apostles. We will also see how that speaks to us today as that word is being fulfilled in ways they couldn't even conceived of 2,000 years ago.   Is the Book of Acts History or Theology? It is both! Is it descriptive or prescriptive? It is both!   THEN and NOW:  Walk by the Spirit - Vs 8-9 - Paul receives a vision of a man in Macedonia. Paul and his companions conclude that God had called them to preach the Gospel there - so they followed the prompting of the Spirit. (See Galatians 5:16, 25)   Point to Jesus Christ - Vs 14 -15 - They go to Philippi in Macedonia via the Egnatian Way (Road). They go to the river to find a place of prayer and they meet several women there, meeting Lydia. They share the Gospel message with the women. Lydia responded to Paul's teaching, inviting them to her home. God is moving!  (See Philippians 2:9-11)    Spiritual Warfare - Vs 16 - 18 - Paul and Silas are followed by a female slave with the Python spirit for several days.  Paul gets annoyed and said to the spirit, "In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!" And at that moment the spirit left her. The word of Jesus has power!! (See Ephesians 6:12)    Rejoice in the Lord - Vs 19 - 25 - The slave's owners realized that their opportunity for making money on the slave was lost, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them to the authorities saying that they were Jews causing an uproar by advocating customs unlawful for Romans. Paul and Silas are stripped and beaten with rods and thrown in prison with feet fastened in stocks. But Paul and Silas prayed and sang hymns to God and the other prisoners were listening. They were rejoicing even in their difficulties. (See Philippians 4:4-6)   Assurance of Salvation - Vs 26 - 34 - Suddenly there was a violent earthquake and prison doors flew open and everyone's chains came loose. The jailer saw the prison doors open and was about to kill himself assuming the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouts, "Don't harm yourself! We are all here!"  The jailer runs to Paul and Silas, trembling, he asked what he needed to do to be saved. They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved." Then they spoke the word of the Lord to jailer and to all the others in his house and the entire family was baptized. The jailer was filled with joy.because he had come to believe in God - he and his whole household. (See Philippians 1:6)   Vs 35-39 The authorities realize they beat Paul and Silas who were Roman citizens and no roman citizen is to be beaten and flogged so they release them.   Encourage One Another - Vs 40 - After being released from the prison, Paul and Silas go to Lydia's house, where they met with the brothers and sisters and encouraged them and then they left. (See Philippians 1:27f)    No matter what the future may hold, we know Who holds the future!   This week's READING ASSIGNMENT: Acts chapter 16-17.      Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE.   Check out this video series from our website: https://www.awakeusnow.com/god-acts-then-now   Or watch from our Youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/@AwakeUsNow/videos   Join us Sundays live or on demand from our website  https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service

Welcome to North Church! Our mission is to inspire others to say “Yes” to God! We are located here in Spokane, WA, and we are a part of the Foursquare denomination. We meet both digitally & in-person every Sunday at 9am & 11am! To find out more about who we are as a church, visit our website at www.northchurch.net! We're so excited to have you join us today!

Grace and Faith Fellowship Thursday Night Bible Study 

In this episode, we explore Acts Chapter 20, focusing on Paul’s emotional farewell to Ephesus. After enduring a riot, he bids goodbye to the disciples before embarking on a journey to Macedonia, seeking to check on the churches he established. This segment, Time to Leave Ephesus, highlights the deep connections formed and the impact of Paul’s mission.Support the show: https://www.tan.org.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In our series on the book of Acts, today we see Paul runs into a bit of an issue. He gets stoned to death! You would think this would stop him but no. They gathered around him and he arose and kept preaching the gospel. What's stopping you? Lets talk about it.

Acts 15:36-41.  Paul and Barnabas, after having been partners for a lengthy time, have a sharp disagreement over staffing with Barnabas wanting to take John Mark with them and Paul not wanting to. They have such a strong disagreement they part company.   Colossians 4:10 we see the relationship of Barnabas and John Mark, that John Mark is the cousin of Barnabas.   Barnabas heads out one direction and Paul another. Barnabas takes John Mark with him and sails for Cyprus. Paul takes Silas with him and heads to Syria and Cilicia.   Take note of what has happened and has not happened. The mission has not suffered - both are going back to church groups they had established, going back to the believers they had led to Christ months ago. What has happened is a relationship has floundered.   However, we see in Scripture a real indication of God's mercy and grace - as they are later reconciled. Taking a look at Colossians 4:10 written later in Paul's life, we see in this verse that Paul is also sharing a greeting from John Mark - showing us that they are once again working together. They are united in their love for the Lord. And in Paul's final years, John Mark becomes one of Paul's closest associates.   We, too, are to keep out hearts open to Christ and open to reconciliation with one another.     Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE.   View live or on demand: https://www.awakeusnow.com/tuesday-bible-class   For the full list of videos in this series, Dig Deeper, https://www.awakeusnow.com/dig-deeper   For more check out our Sunday series, God ACTS! https://www.awakeusnow.com/god-acts-then-now   Join us Sundays  https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service   Or watch from our Youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/@AwakeUsNow/videos    Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app.

Acts 15: This chapter deals with Entrance Requirements for entering the Kingdom of God.   Acts 15:1 tells us what some people are saying in order to be saved: you had to be circumcised according to the custom taught by Moses.    THEN and NOW:  Proclaim God's Goodness -  As we continue on with the next verses we read that Paul and Barnabas dispute what these people are saying. So they head to Jerusalem to talk to the apostles and elders about this question. As they travel to Jerusalem they shared how the Gentiles had been converted to faith and this news made all the believers very glad. Paul and Barnabas keep proclaiming God's goodness to encourage other believers, even in the light of the upcoming meeting/debate in Jerusalem.  Address False Teaching - wrestle for truth and search the scriptures to make sure what we hear is in sync with what the Bible says, and that we are not taking what the Bible says and adding to it or subtracting from it or taking one verse out of context. Acts 15:4-5  they arrive in Jerusalem and share all the Lord was accomplishing. But the Pharisees stand up and say that the Gentiles must be circumcised and were to be required to keep the law of Moses. Then the apostles and elders met to consider the question and search the scriptures. Gospel of Grace Alone -  Acts 15:6-11  Peter addresses the gathering reminding them how the Gentiles had believed in Jesus and had been given the Holy Spirit, too. Then Peter tells them that Jew and Gentile alike are saved ONLY through the grace of Jesus. Laws don't save - they help show us how to live in response to God's incredible love. Unity of the Body -  Acts 15:12-21  we read about the assembly becoming silent as they listen to the signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles.  Then James, Jesus half-brother, tells how God intervened to choose a people for his name from the Gentiles as well and quotes from Amos "…and even all the Gentiles who bear my name…"  and he goes on to encourage Jewish believers not to make it difficult for Gentiles who are turning to God. Meaning let's not add additions to the Gospel of Grace. James goes on saying let's encourage them to not offend Jewish believers and thus to abstain from food offered to idols and from sexual immorality, meat from abused animals and blood.  He was teaching both Jew and Gentile to  have respect for one another and not drive each other away from the faith. Letter + Leaders Acts 15:22-32 - They sent out letters of encouragement to the other churches. Spirit-Guided Living - Acts 15:35 Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch where they and others taught and preached the word of the Lord. Flesh vs Spirit - in Galatians 5:19-26 we see the encouragement we need to walk in the Spirit. We are saved by grace and no longer live by the flesh but by the Spirit: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. We are saved by Grace and empowered to be who God has made us, living for Him alone, transformed by the Holy Spirit.   This week's READING ASSIGNMENT: Acts chapter 15-16.      Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE.   Check out this video series from our website: https://www.awakeusnow.com/god-acts-then-now   Or watch from our Youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/@AwakeUsNow/videos   Join us Sundays live or on demand from our website  https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service

Grace and Faith Fellowship Thursday Night Bible Study 

In our series on the book of Acts, in chapter 13 we see a group who heard the word of God and were happy enough about it, UNTIL...until they heard another group hearing the same message. They became envious because they wanted to be special and have this all to themselves. They began to speak against those who brought the message to try and discredit them due to their inclusion of a people who they saw as lesser than they. In the end these minsters gave them what for and dusted off their sandals and went to the ones who received it with gladness. Lets talk about it. 

The Road to Damascus

Grace and Faith Fellowship Thursday Night Bible Study 

In our series on the book of Acts we see today that prayers are necessary for success. We see Peter get into an impossible situation and the church went to prayer for him. The effectual, fervent, prayer of the righteous makes tremendous power available, dynamic in its working. It was the prayer of the saints that makes a bridge, connecting this realm to the heavenly realms, where the answer can travel, from there to here, thus brining us the answer in real time. Never doubt the power of prayer. Let's talk about it. 

Today we pick up where we left off and finish Acts Chapter 9 and discuss chapter 10 where we see a HUGE Paradigm shift for Peter and the rest of the believers. God is breaking down barriers and changing mindsets as He reveals His Kingdom's thinking. He reveals salvation is for everyone, not just the Jews. We learn today that NO ONE is beyond God's grace.   Also, there is a challenge for us all: Are we willing to continue with the Great Commission. An important task Jesus charged believers with, or do we have biases that hinder or prohibit us from expanding the Kingdom of God?    You can connect with me or order my books on my website here: https://debbiekitterman.com/ click on the store tab and choose the book(s) you would like to view under the book tab.   OR on Amazon here using my affiliate links:  Check out my Amazon Store front here:https://a.co/d/0fSFMjq0 D2h Podcast Books  https://amzn.to/4wnk96D Podcast Equipment https://amzn.to/4u8PloC  I even have other categories for my sourdough, chickens, my favorite things, and more…. check my entire storefront out here: https://a.co/d/0fSFMjq0  

Today we pick up where we left off and finish Acts Chapter 9 and discuss chapter 10 where we see a HUGE Paradigm shift for Peter and the rest of the believers. God is breaking down barriers and changing mindsets as He reveals His Kingdom's thinking. He reveals salvation is for everyone, not just the Jews. We learn today that NO ONE is beyond God's grace.   Also, there is a challenge for us all: Are we willing to continue with the Great Commission. An important task Jesus charged believers with, or do we have biases that hinder or prohibit us from expanding the Kingdom of God?    You can connect with me or order my books on my website here: https://debbiekitterman.com/ click on the store tab and choose the book(s) you would like to view under the book tab.   OR on Amazon here using my affiliate links:  Check out my Amazon Store front here:https://a.co/d/0fSFMjq0 D2h Podcast Books  https://amzn.to/4wnk96D Podcast Equipment https://amzn.to/4u8PloC  I even have other categories for my sourdough, chickens, my favorite things, and more…. check my entire storefront out here: https://a.co/d/0fSFMjq0  

In Acts 14:19- 22, Paul is stoned in the city of Lystra. Those stoning him thought he was dead; they dragged him outside the city, but the disciples gathered around Paul and he got up and he and Barnabas left for the town of Derbe.   It's easy to look at this story and in a human sense say, "Well, that didn't turn out well," when actually some amazing things went on there in Lystra.   In Galatians 6:17 we read Paul talking about this event saying, "from now on, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus." The leftover marks from the stoning. And 2 Corinthians 11:25 Paul tells us "…once I was pelted with stones."   Yet inspite of that horrible event -  3 lives were changed (2 Timothy 1:5) - 3 people were converted to faith in Christ in the city of Lystra: A grandmother - Lois A mother  - Eunice A teenager - Timothy  After being stoned, believe it our not, Paul goes back to Lystra to see Timothy. Acts 16:1-2 tells us that Paul takes Timothy as his son in the faith and Timothy accompanies Paul in the following missionary journeys. Timothy becomes one of Paul's dearest friends and trusted co-workers. This all happened in a city where everything looked like it had gone wrong.   What we learn: A profound lesson: often times in those places where we feel things have not worked out well, God is working behind the scenes to do things that are absolutely amazing. From these verses we get to see what happened in the spiritual realm at the stoning at Lystra that day.  God was moving mightily, even though with human eyes it didn't look good. It was! God was working!   As we face challenges and difficulties today, we need to be strong and courageous and take heart, because just as the Hebrew Scriptures say: "The Lord our God is with us!"     Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE.   View live or on demand: https://www.awakeusnow.com/tuesday-bible-class   For the full list of videos in this series, Dig Deeper, https://www.awakeusnow.com/dig-deeper   For more check out our Sunday series, God ACTS! https://www.awakeusnow.com/god-acts-then-now   Join us Sundays  https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service   Or watch from our Youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/@AwakeUsNow/videos    Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app.

Acts 14 is a lesson in church planting. It is a lesson on how God's people are called to call others into a relationship with Jesus, and to build congregations in homes, in unusual places, underground in some parts of the world, wherever the Spirit of God is moving.    God gives to His people strength, guidance, direction and power to carry out the mission Jesus has given us in making disciples of the nations.   The story pics up in Acts 14:1 in Iconium and there Paul and Barnabas teach both Jews and Greeks the Good News of Jesus and many came to faith. But a group of Jews who refused to believe in Jesus stirred up opposition. Paul and Barnabas however, were not intimidated and continued to preach and perform signs and wonders. Then there began a plot to stone them, so they fled and head to Lystra where they see a man that was lame.   As Paul spoke the Good News of Christ, he saw the man had the faith to be healed and Paul tells the man to "stand up and walk." Following this miracle the crowds, in their own language, spoke of Paul and Barnabas being gods; Zeus and Hermes. As Paul and Barnabas figure out what is being said and see people wanting to offer sacrifices to them, they tear their clothes and tell them they are human just like them and refuse to receive anything from the crowd. They tell them they are bringing them the Good News of a Living God.    As the story continues Paul is being stoned, the angry leaders of the church and others, left him outside the town as dead, but the disciples gather around Paul and then he gets up and heads to Derbe where he and Barnabas again won a large number of disciples for Christ. (See 2 Timothy 3:10-11)    But then, Paul and Barnabas return to those cities where they had been persecuted and they encourage the disciples to remain true to the faith. They tell them that as believers we must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.   Salvation is free but living the christian life is hard.   THEN + NOW - Spreading the Kingdom - church planting When we are around people who have a confused notion of what is real and what is true we are to do as Paul did: Bring them the Good News of Jesus - tell them Jesus' story. One God - tell them there is One god, not many like they had Creator - that the One God is Creator of all Good - That God is good Strengthen one another - We are to be grounded in the Word of God, the word of truth, and to take the narrow road.  The word gives direction and understanding, and exposes what is false, evil and deadly. Encourage believers - we are to encourage believers going through tragedy and loss, reminding them of God's promises, building them up in confidence and hope in Christ. Commissioning - As believers we are commissioned. Our purpose is to reach the world for Christ. We are called to being committed to carrying out the commission of Jesus. We are not called to be comfortable, we are called to be comforters. We are not called to be contented with the status quo, we are called to be committed to carrying out the commission of Jesus. This is needed in every age, every generation and in every land.     Pastor shares a personal family story…   Pastor concludes with: How dangerous it is to embrace religion without embracing Christ.  It's a danger to be comfortable with the status quo rather than to have hearts that grieve for those who don't yet know the Lord.  How dangerous it is to simply want to maintain what we have rather than follow what Jesus has commanded us to do to winning the world to faith in Him.   We are to answer the Lord's call, "Send me! Send me!"     This week's READING ASSIGNMENT: Acts chapter 14-15.      Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE.   Check out this video series from our website: https://www.awakeusnow.com/god-acts-then-now   Or watch from our Youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/@AwakeUsNow/videos   Join us Sundays live or on demand from our website  https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service

Grace and Faith Fellowship Thursday Night Bible Study 

In our series on the book of Acts we see today that Peter has led the gentiles into salvation, as the Holy spirit fell upon them. Others of the faith didn't care for that much as they thought it was just for them. Well, Peter told them what took place and basically said, You'll have to take that up with God! I was there and it happened. We have this same mentality in many a church today. DO NOT allow someone with an opinion try to squash someone with an experience! Let's talk about it. 

Acts 13:6-11 - is the story of the blinding of the false prophet. Paul uses tough words against the false prophet with the intent to heal, not destroy.   Who else do we know was blinded?  Paul himself had been blinded by the Lord in order that he would then see the truth of who Jesus is.   At the root of this event of blindness on the false prophet is God's same desire - to use it to bring the false prophet to see the truth of who Jesus is.    Bar-Jesus the false prophet was an attendant to the proconsul Sergius Paulus, and as the proconsul witnessed the blinding of his attendant and heard the teaching about the Jesus, he came to faith in Christ.   Then Paul and Barnabas head to Pisidian Antioch. Pastor shares a very interesting discovery found near Pisidian Antioch. A Family Estate Marker engraved with the name "Sergius Paulus."  Pastor, with holy speculation, wonders whether it may have been the proconsul along with the Holy Spirit who instigated Paul and Barnabas' trip to Pisidian Antioch based on the proconsul's desire for his family to hear the Gospel message!   Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE.   View live or on demand: https://www.awakeusnow.com/tuesday-bible-class   For the full list of videos in this series, Dig Deeper, https://www.awakeusnow.com/dig-deeper   For more check out our Sunday series, God ACTS! https://www.awakeusnow.com/god-acts-then-now   Join us Sundays  https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service   Or watch from our Youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/@AwakeUsNow/videos    Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app.

What Is Christian Warfare? Jonathan Parnell Download Psalm 109,Be not silent, O God of my praise!2 For wicked and deceitful mouths are opened against me, speaking against me with lying tongues.3 They encircle me with words of hate, and attack me without cause.4 In return for my love they accuse me, but I give myself to prayer.5 So they reward me evil for good, and hatred for my love.6 Appoint a wicked man againsthim; letan accuser stand at his right hand.7 When he is tried, let him come forth guilty; let his prayer be counted as sin!8 May his days be few; may another take his office!9 May his children be fatherless and his wife a widow!10 May his children wander about and beg, seeking food far from the ruins they inhabit!11 May the creditor seize all that he has; may strangers plunder the fruits of his toil!12 Let there be none to extend kindness to him, nor any to pity his fatherless children!13 May his posterity be cut off; may his name be blotted out in the second generation!14 May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the Lord, and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out!15 Let them be before the Lord continually, that he may cut off the memory of them from the earth!16 For he did not remember to show kindness, but pursued the poor and needy and the brokenhearted, to put them to death.17 He loved to curse; let curses come upon him! He did not delight in blessing; may it be far from him!18 He clothed himself with cursing as his coat; may it soak into his body like water, like oil into his bones!19 May it be like a garment that he wraps around him, like a belt that he puts on every day!20 May this be the reward of my accusers from the Lord, of those who speak evil against my life!21 But you, O God myLord,deal on my behalf for your name's sake; because your steadfast love is good, deliver me!22 For I am poor and needy, and my heart is stricken within me.23 I am gone like a shadow at evening; I am shaken off like a locust.24 My knees are weak through fasting; my body has become gaunt, with no fat.25 I am an object of scorn to my accusers; when they see me, they wag their heads.26 Help me, O Lord my God!Save me according to your steadfast love!27 Let them know that this is your hand; you, O Lord, have done it!28 Let them curse, but you will bless! They arise and are put to shame, but your servant will be glad!29 May my accusers be clothed with dishonor; may they be wrapped in their own shame as in a cloak!30 With my mouth I will give great thanks to the Lord; I will praise him in the midst of the throng.31 For he stands at the right hand of the needy one, to save him from those who condemn his soul to death.In 1657, an English Puritan named John Arrowsmith wrote a book describing the Christian life as warfare. He says this warfare is not something that happens every now and then, but it's constant: To be a Christian is to be at war, period. Sometimes we can have moments of respite — which are gifts — but the baseline reality of the Christian life is that we actually live behind enemy lines.Arrowsmith writes: [quote] “Christians dwell in enemy territory so long as they [are in this] world.” Everyday we fight against the world, the flesh, and the devil, but he explains the real enemy is Satan himself. The Book of Revelation calls Satan “that ancient serpent” (going back to Genesis Chapter 3)…This means we're in an ancient war, against an ancient enemy, and therefore Christians should understand themselves as spiritual warriors.That's Arrowsmith's main point, and it's a good one. And what I find fascinating about it is that in 17th century Europe nobody heard him explain this and thought he was being too intense. Nobody thought he was forcing the framework. And so if we hear it and we think he's being too extreme, it's probably because we're the ones living in the bubble … Understand most of human history has been marked by suffering and violence …And it's not just that life itself is hard, but it's that for most humans throughout history, they've understood what it means to have enemies— I don't mean metaphorical enemies; not merely ideological enemies. But I'm talking about real, physical enemies who are active threats.That category has been normal for most people historically, and so the concept of the Christian life as warfare makes sense to them. … And I believe it'll make more sense to us the more we are shaped by the Bible. That's what we're gonna see this morning. Looking at Psalm 109, I want to show you four facts about Christian warfare. These facts were true when David wrote this psalm; they were true in the 17th century when Arrowsmith wrote his book; and they're true right now — so we can't afford not to know these things. The first fact is this:1. There are enemies of Christ. Right away we see that Psalm 109 is about enemies. Verse 1 opens: “Be not silent, O God of my praise! For wicked and deceitful mouths are opened against me, speaking against me with lying tongues …”This is obvious opposition. Then in verse 6, there's still plural enemies, but a singular enemy comes into view and verse 8 says:“May his days be few; may another take his office!”“May his days be few; may another take his office!”Now if you've recently read the Book of Acts in the New Testament, that might sound familiar to you. That's because in Acts Chapter 1, one of the first things Peter does after Jesus's resurrection, is he tells the other disciples that they need to replace Judas (remember Jesus had twelve disciples, but Judas betrayed Jesus and hung himself, so they were down to eleven disciples). And the reason Peter gives for replacing Judas is Psalm 109, verse 8. This is Acts 1:15 — there were 120 brand-new Christians altogether, and Peter says:Hey, everyone, we need to replace Judas because the Holy Spirit spoke by the mouth of David concerning Judas that another should take his office.Peter quotes Psalm 109:8, which means that Peter (and the other early Christians), who had been trained by Jesus how to read the Old Testament, they interpreted the enemy in Psalm 109 to be Judas. This is amazing! Now I wanna show you how they get there …Psalm 109 is a Psalm of David, and as we've seen many times before, David writes the psalms as a type of Christ. He writes from own situations, but he also looks forward in time, and the Holy Spirit, through David's original voice, speaks as the voice of the Messiah.That's what's happening in Psalm 109. So we should read this psalm as prayed ultimately by Jesus himself.The enemies described here are not just enemies of David, the Anointed One, but they're enemies of David's Son, the ultimate Anointed One. Psalm 109 is about the enemies of the true Messiah. It's about the enemies of Christ. Archetypal Enemy And focus is on Judas as the singular enemy because Judas became the ringleader of those who crucified Jesus. Peter says in Acts 1:16 that Judas was their guide. Judas became the lead human instrument of Satan's schemes — we know from the Gospel accounts! They tell us that Satan entered Judas (Luke 22:3; John 13:2, 27). And so to this day, Judas is an archetype of an enemy of Christ. He's the head representative. Every enemy of Christ ever since has been cut from that same cloth. So, like Judas, enemies of Christ become people in whom Satan has his way. They oppose the message of Christ and the people of Christ, and they distort the truth of Christ. And we see this already throughout the New Testament. The apostle John calls this the “spirit of antichrist” (1 John 4:3) — it's the ongoing satanic pattern of hatred for Jesus. There are people in this world who hate Jesus and hate his people. And of course we know this because Jesus has told us this in the Gospel of John.So it's first fact we gotta nail down: there are enemies of Christ.Second fact about our warfare is …2. The enemies of Christ speak evil. Now when you think of the enemies of Christ, you might imagine all kinds of terrible things these enemies do, but it's important to see in Psalm 109 that the main evil of these enemies has to do with what they say. Ten different times we read that the enemies of Christ have: Deceitful mouths, lying tongues, they speak words of hate, they accuse, they curse, they speak evil.We see this actively in the Gospels, in the trial of Jesus; we see this in those who reviled Jesus when he was on the cross; we see this in Judas when he conspired against Jesus — he used words. We also see this today in how the enemies of Christ oppose his people.Now none of this should surprise us because Jesus called Satan “a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44). That was Satan's way from the start in the Garden of Eden, and it's happening now. The enemies of Christ — those in whom Satan has his way — they most resemble Satan with their words. Their messaging. They are liars.Falsehood. Deception. Half-truths. Spinning truths. Full-out distortions. Blatant contradictions. Or as they say in Australia, bull-DUST — all of that is speaking evil. And there is something especially Satanic about it … And in this country, you're technically free to do it. Just understand that freedom of speech doesn't mean that the words you speak are harmless to your soul. Words have consequences. And every word ever spoken against Jesus Christ will be punished.I remember as a kid something Jesus said really got my attention. It's Matthew 12:36. Jesus says, “I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak…”Jesus said that. And if people will be held accountable for their careless words, how much more the enemies of Christ for their words against Christ?That's the third fact.3. God will curse the enemies of Christ.The bulk of Psalm 109 is an imprecatory prayer. An imprecatory prayer is when you ask God to curse someone. I counted 23 curses (or imprecations) in this psalm — that's 23 petitions where David, in the voice of Messiah, is asking God to curse his enemies. Now we'd be sidetracked if all of a sudden we make the topic here about whether or not we can pray imprecatory prayers. (Of course we can. They're in the Bible! And if you want to read more about it, I encourage you to go check out a sermon I preached a few years ago on Psalm 58 titled, “How to Pray Imprecations.”)But for this morning, there's something more important for us to see. Most of the curses are in verses 6–20, but the direct center of the psalm is verse 17. Here's verse 17: He [the enemy of Christ] … He loved to curse; let curses come upon him! He did not delight in blessing; may it be far from him!So the Messiah is asking God the Father to curse his enemies who tried to curse him. And if you're a reader of Scripture, this makes total sense — Jesus is just asking God to do what God already promised. Because way back in the Book of Genesis, God promised Abraham, Genesis 12:3, I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you [or curses you] I will curse …God said that! And this promise becomes a covenantal thread that runs all the way through the Old Testament and finally reaches its fulfillment in Jesus. Jesus becomes the ultimate dividing line between blessing and curse — are you with him or against him? That's the question. And if you're against him, God will curse you.And then the apostle Paul applies this same logic to the church.Applied to the ChurchPaul tells the church in Thessalonica that “God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you” (2 Thessalonians 1:6). God the Father says it is right to curse those who curse the church. This is a big deal.And I can't help but imagine that when Paul wrote those words, he remembered the very first thing Jesus ever said to him. This in Acts Chapter 9, on the road to Damascus, when the old Paul was on his way to persecute Christians. Remember Jesus appeared to him and said:“Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”Paul said, “Who are you?”Jesus said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting?”You get that? Jesus identifies himself so completely with his church that the persecution of them is persecution of him.So for the enemies of Christ who afflict his church, God the Father will afflict them. And Jesus prays for that. Look, the main thing we need to know about these curses in Psalm 109 is that they will happen whether we pray for them or not. Psalm 109 is about what will be.The Father has promised it. The Son has requested it. God will curse the enemies of Christ. That is a fact about Christian warfare. Here's the last one. In this warfare …4. God will magnify his glory by saving his people. In the midst of this opposition, as these enemies are set against him, the Messiah prays for God to deliver him. We read this in verse 21, and this a verse that you gotta see. So y'all help me out. Find Psalm 109, verse 21:But you, O God my Lord, deal on my behalf for your name's sake; because your steadfast love is good, deliver me!Now skip down to verse 26: Help me, O Lord my God! Save me according to your steadfast love! Let them know that this is your hand; you, O Lord, have done it!I want you to see here that the Messiah's not just asking for God to save him, he's asking for God to be glorified. He's saying: Save me because of who you are! Save me for your name's sake!Save me because of your steadfast love!And save me in such a way that my enemies know it's you!Make it clear that my salvation is from your hand!Now, how might God do that?What kind of salvation would require God to do what nobody else can do?What kind of enemy could God defeat that makes people say … “wow!”?If there's one place where we know for sure “vain is the salvation of man” it's the grave. Death is the enemy that no man can outrun, no army can defeat, no power on earth can reverse. Nobody raises themselves from the dead.But do you know what God can do?On the third day, God the Father raised Jesus from the dead. It was only by his hand. God did that! We see this confidence all throughout the Psalms in the voice of the Messiah:O Yahweh, you have brought up my soul from Sheol; you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit. (30:3)You will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption! (16:10) You, God, will ransom my soul from the power of the grave! (49:15)God is the one who resurrects. God alone! It's true of physical resurrection, and it's true of spiritual resurrection … I hope you know that if you're a Christian it's because God did that. The Bible tells us that spiritually speaking, left to ourselves, we're all in graves. Ephesians 2:1, “And you were dead in your trespasses and sins…” Dead! — Therefore, God has to be the one to spiritually resurrect us, and he did! That's why God gets the glory! “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8–9)Christian, don't pat yourself on the back for being a Christian, but thank God he made you alive! Thank God that he has worked a miracle in you! God did that!Be humbled and happy! That's how we live as Christians for the glory of God.God magnifies his glory by saving his people … he raised Jesus from the dead, he raises his church from spiritual death, and one day he will raise our bodies from the grave and make us like Jesus, with him, forever.But until then, church, it's warfare. We are, for now, the church militant.In this life we cling to Jesus by faith behind enemy lines, and we fight everyday against the world, the flesh, and the devil. Why did God do it this way? You ever think about this?What if God had made it so that at our conversion, we get instant, complete triumph? No more struggle. No more enemies. Just instant heaven. Wouldn't that be nice! Why does God leave us here to fight?John Arrowsmith asked that question. This is what he said: [In our fight,] God directs and ordains the wickedness of Satan and the unrighteous such that they result in His glory, [and his glory is manifest in] the advantage of His church, and the destruction of the wicked at the day of the Lord. (120)That's not an easy answer, but it's true. That's how we should think about the enemies of Christ: God has ordained it all for the maximum display of his glory, which is the maximum joy of his people. Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?” For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. This is what brings us to the TableThe TableWe come here each week to remember the death of Jesus. By the death of Jesus, God's love was poured out for us. By his resurrection, although we're at war, our victory is secured. And we come here to thank him. We thank Jesus for his death; we thank him that he's alive; and we thank him for making us alive. And hey, if you're here this morning and you're not a Christian … if you've not put your faith in Jesus, God can make you alive right now. Turn to Jesus and be spiritually resurrected.If that is your story, if you are a Christian, we invite you to eat and drink with us…

Chapters 1-12 the focus has been on the Jerusalem believers, Apostle Peter Chapter 13 and onward will be focused on the Apostle Paul (also known as Saul) and the church at Antioch. In the book of Acts Paul travels 12,000 miles (20,000 kilometers) to bring the message of Jesus to people who had never heard of Him.   Acts 13   THEN + NOW   Seek and heed the Spirit. In the first 3 verses of this chapter we see them praying, fasting and doing as the Holy Spirit leads.Seeking the Spirit's guidance and then heeding it is an important truth for us today individually and as the Body of Christ.  Acts 13:1-3 Rely on the Holy Spirit.  Paul and Barnabas follow the Holy Spirit's leading and head to the island of Cyprus. There they meet the proconsul Sergius Paulus and his attendant, a sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus. The sorcerer tries to stop the proconsul from faith in Jesus as Paul and Barnabas share the Good News. God blinds the sorcerer and when the proconsul sees this he believes because he was amazed at the teaching about Jesus.  There is power in the Name of Jesus, there is power through the Holy Spirit, there is insight given to those who believe and trust the Lord and who rely upon the Holy Spirit. Acts 13:4-12    Connect Scripture to today. Paul and Barnabas leave Cyprus and sail to Perga and then travel to Pisidian Antioch. They go to the synagogue and are asked if they have a word of exhortation to share with the people. Paul talks through the history of the people of Israel and all that God had done ending with God's bringing of the Messiah, Jesus the Savior. Paul connected the scripture to the present day. The Bible is for all people, in all times, in every generation. The Scriptures are relevant for us today. Acts 13:13-26 Testifies to the Risen Savior.  Paul goes on to say how people missed and ignored what was prophesied about the Savior even going so far as to execute Him on the cross even without proper grounds to do so. Then they laid him in a tomb and God raised Him from the dead and there are witnesses to His resurrection.  Paul makes it evident that what the prophets had said would happen was accomplished with Jesus Christ the Messiah and risen Savior. Our mission is to testify what God has done and point people to Jesus.   Acts 13:27-32  Christ alone can free us.  Paul shares by quoting Scriptures: Psalm 2:7, Isaiah 55:3, Psalm 16:10 and goes on to tell that all sins are forgiven in Christ. Following the Law doesn't save us, rather it shows us our failure to uphold it and shows our need for the Savior. Through faith in Jesus we are set free from every sin, a justification we are unable to obtain ourselves, it is only in Jesus Christ alone.  Act 23:33-43 The following weeks many came to the synagogue to hear the Good News but some Jews were filled with jealousy and began to contradict what Paul was saying, heaping abuse on him. Paul and Barnabas spoke boldly that they had to speak the Word of God to the Jews first but that now they would teach the Gentiles. The gentiles rejoiced and the word of the Lord spread throughout the whole region and as it did the Jewish leaders incited the Jewish people against Paul and Barnabas until they finally left, shaking the dust off their feet and going to Iconium filled with joy and the Holy Spirit. Acts 13:44-51   This week's READING ASSIGNMENT: Acts chapter 13-14.      Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE.   Check out this video series from our website: https://www.awakeusnow.com/god-acts-then-now   Or watch from our Youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/@AwakeUsNow/videos   Join us Sundays live or on demand from our website  https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service

In our series on the book of Acts we see here in Chapter 10 some very good lessons. Who is worthy to receive Holy Spirit? Is this for everyone? If God spoke to you and asked you to go and go now, could you? Would you? Its important to know that we have windows of opportunity and your obedience is mandatory. Lets talk about it. 

The Book of Acts Chapter 10  Part 3:  Eating Common Or Unclean Food  -  English only.  God's servant shuddered when he was told to eat the unclean food. Peter was not the first person to face this challenge!  March 12, 2026.

Herod Agrippa I Ruled 41-44 A.D. Grandson of King Herod the Great Imprisoned Peter during Passover in 42 or 43 A.D. He died before Passover of 44 A.D.   Herod went from Judea to Caesarea following Peter's angelic escape from prison. Herod was quarreling with the people of Tyre and Sidon. They joined together asking for an appointment with Herod requesting for peace as they depended on Herod for their food supply.    From writings from Flavius Josephus "Antiquities of the Jews, Book 19" (Translator: Paul L. Maier) Josephus tells us that Herod met with the representatives of Tyre and Sidon in the theater at Caesarea. (Pastor shares pictures of the restored theater today.)     Josephus goes on to share that as Herod entered the theater, "dressed in a garment of woven silver, … his flatterers at once started addressing him as a god." This is just what the Luke (author of Acts) tells us in verses 21-22. "… Herod, wearing his royal robes, sat on his throne …. They shouted, 'This is the voice of a god, not of a man.'" Josephus also adds the following: "The king did not censure them nor reject their flattery as impious." (Josephus, Antiquities 19:343)   Continuing with Luke's narrative in Acts 12:23-24 we read, "Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died. But the word of God continued to spread and flourish."   Josephus tells us that Herod, "died after five days of unremitting pain. He was 54 years old."   What do we learn? The word of God endures forever His word is faithful and true Even when His people suffer greatly, in the end God wins and so will we. This account gives a vivid reminder of the power of the Gospel of Jesus, the power of the Living God to comfort and strengthen His own, and the power of God to bring a new and just creation, a new heaven and a new earth. And that is what we await as we continue to walk with Him.     Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE.   View live or on demand: https://www.awakeusnow.com/tuesday-bible-class   For the full list of videos in this series, Dig Deeper, https://www.awakeusnow.com/dig-deeper   For more check out our Sunday series, God ACTS! https://www.awakeusnow.com/god-acts-then-now   Join us Sundays  https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service   Or watch from our Youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/@AwakeUsNow/videos   Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app.

God's word brings light into our lives, gives us direction and points us to Jesus showing us where our hope and strength are found. Today's story demonstrates this truth. Join us!   Chapter 12 is about some of the persecution Peter experienced and we will look at Peter's writings in 1 Peter in conjunction with this story in Acts chapter 12 for additional insights.   THEN + NOW Persecution - Acts 12:1-4; 1 Peter 4:12-13 Herod Agrippa the First, encouraged by approval after arresting believers and putting the Apostle James to death, decides to arrest and imprison Peter. He has Peter under guard by four squads of four soldiers each. He is planning a public trial of Peter after the Passover.     1 Peter 4:12-13 - Peter tells us not to be surprised at persecution and to instead rejoice that we can participate in the sufferings of Christ.    There is a cost to following Jesus. The enemy desires to stifle our witness and to destroy the plans and purposes of God.   Prayer - Acts 12:5; 1 Peter 3:12 (Psalm 34:15) While Peter is imprisoned the believers are praying for him.   1 Peter 3:12 Peter quotes Psalm 34:15 sharing that prayer is answered by God.    We are called to be faithful in prayer.   Peace  - Acts 12:6; 1 Peter 3:14, 1 Peter 5:7 The night before his trial we see Peter peacefully sleeping while under heavy guard.   1 Peter 3:14 Peter tells us not to fear threats because God is in control.   1 Peter 5::7 Peter tells us to cast all our anxiety on Jesus because He cares for us.   Provision - Acts 12:7; 1 Peter 3:21b-22 An angel appears in the jail and the chains fall off of Peter.    1 Peter 3:21b-22 Peter tells us that Christ who is at God's right hand, has everything in submission to Him.     God is in charge and even when an evil ruler seeks to destroy God's people, God knows and it is His plans that will succeed.   Praise -  Acts 12:8-11; 1 Peter 1:3, 1 Peter 5:10-11 Peter gets dressed and follows the angel out of the prison. Peter thinks he is seeing a vision. He and the angel walk past the guards, out the gate and the angel leaves him. Then he realizes that it was all real and that the Lord rescued him from Herod's clutches! We learn that our response to God's deliverance is to be one of praise.   1 Peter 1:3 Peter tells us to praise the Lord for our new birth in the resurrected Christ. This gift is our motivation to praise Him.   1 Peter 5:10-11 tells us we are to praise God for His provision.    We are to praise Him in all circumstances.   Prepared - Acts 12:12—19; 1 Peter 3:15 Peter goes to the house where the believers are praying for him. He tells them how the Lord brought him out of the prison and then he leaves for another place.    The next morning there is chaos at the prison as they try to figure out what happened to Peter. Herod holds a thorough search, cross-examines the guards and orders them executed.    But what can we trust Peter shared with these guards as he was imprisoned? What do we know about Peter's heart for sharing the Gospel message of Christ's love for all including the soldiers holding him prisoner. Peter was prepared to answer all their questions and to give them the Good News of Christ.   1 Peter 3:15 Peter tells us to always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks us to give the reason for the hope that we have.    These guards died not through their own fault but simply because they were connected to Peter.    How did what Peter would have taught them about Jesus affect their last moments here on this earth?   How did what Peter would have shared about Jesus affect where they spend eternity?   Am I prepared with answers about who Jesus is?    Am I prepared to be used by God to affect where those I meet spend eternity?   In this life we will have persecution. How will we respond?  -With prayer, knowing God hears and answers.  -With peace, because God cares for us.  -With the assurance of His provision because He is in control of all. -With praise, because He is our Deliverer. -And we will be prepared to be used by God to share the Gospel message even to our persecutors.   This week's READING ASSIGNMENT: Acts chapter 12-13.    Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE.   Check out this video series from our website: https://www.awakeusnow.com/god-acts-then-now   Or watch from our Youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/@AwakeUsNow/videos   Join us Sundays live or on demand from our website  https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service

As we enter into Acts 9 there is a common theme appearing. That theme could be described by this: YOU have the goods! If you have Holy spirit in your life, you have been given POWER! So, Use it!!!Lets talk about it. 

Are you resting in the ultimate sufficiency of Jesus, or are you letting the chaos of life steal your peace and limit your willingness to obey? This week on Off Script, Neil and Scott are back together as Scott returns from his six-week break to dig into Week 2 of the Resilience series out of Acts Chapter 8. The guys dive into the story of Philip, Simon the sorcerer, and the Ethiopian eunuch, exploring what it looks like to be flexible in our faith and willing to go wherever God sends us. They break down the modern allure of the new age and the occult, unpack the tension between the word, power, and mission of God, and challenge us to push past our own embarrassment so we can point "one more" person to Jesus. The Challenge This week, audit your heart for anyone you have marginalized, written off, or assumed is "too far gone" for the Gospel. Choose to stop talking about them critically, begin praying for them intentionally, and let your desperation for their eternity overcome your fear or embarrassment so you can invite them to take a step toward Jesus. Hosts: Neil Gregory and Scott Nickell What We Discuss  • Scott's chaotic travel nightmare coming back from Colorado and finding true rest in Jesus amidst elusive circumstances • Why Scott expanded his sermon beyond Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch to walk through all of Acts Chapter 8 • Unpacking the story of Simon the sorcerer and our modern cultural fascination with the occult and new age mysticism • Resource recommendations including Ensnared by Jac Marino Chen and books by Aaron Renn and Carl Trueman • The crucial distinction between "freedom OF religion" versus "freedom FROM religion" in public spaces like FCA • The difference between the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit versus the empowering manifestation of the Spirit on believers • Why it's our job to faithfully sow seeds of the Gospel without trying to manage or judge the soil of people's hearts • Letting your desperation for people's eternity exceed your fear or embarrassment when making an invitation • The three-circle balance of a resilient church: holding the Word of God, Power of God, and Mission of God in equal tension • How Southland can practically live out speaking truth unashamedly, worshipping defiantly, and extending grace generously ⸻ About Southland Christian Church Southland is one church meeting in multiple locations across central Kentucky. We believe Jesus came for the lost and the broken, which means there's a place for everyone here. Around here, that means we worship defiantly, speak truth unashamedly, and extend grace generously. To support this ministry and help us continue to reach across Central Kentucky and all around the world, visit: https://southland.church/give

In Acts 11:26 we read that the disciples were called Christians first at Antioch. "Disciple" is the most used word in the New Testament to describe followers of Jesus. It is used 261 times. The word "Christian" is used only 3 times in the New Testament. Brothers and sisters, believers, followers are also used but "disciples" is Jesus' favorite word to describe His followers.   Matthew 29:19-20 - the Great Commission - Jesus says, "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."   The other 2 uses of Christian: Acts 26:28 Then Agrippa said to Paul, "Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?" 1 Peter 4:16 However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.   The New Testament word appears to be invented by the opposition, a derisive term patterned after the names of Roman political parties; Example those following Herod = Herodians, or followers of Pompe = Pompeians.   Christian = Christ followers. Or "Christ-ers."   Followers of Jesus accepted and reveled in the name.  In the writings of non-Christian people we see them embracing that term. "And the tribe of the Christians so called after him, has still to this day not disappeared." - Josephus, Antiquities, Book 18 (ca. 93A.D.)    Another example from an adamant unbeliever: "Consequently, to get rid of the reports, Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace. Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilat…" Tacitus, The Annals, Book 15 (ca.118 A.D.)   Christian is all about the Messiah, the Christ of God, the Lord Jesus our Savior and the world's Savior.  It's also about our mission to bring others to Christ where there is healing, forgiveness, and hope of eternal life.     We are called to bear His Name with joy, confidence and power!!     Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE.   View live or on demand: https://www.awakeusnow.com/tuesday-bible-class   For the full list of videos in this series, Dig Deeper, https://www.awakeusnow.com/dig-deeper   For more check out our Sunday series, God ACTS! https://www.awakeusnow.com/god-acts-then-now   Join us Sundays  https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service   Or watch from our Youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/@AwakeUsNow/videos     Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app.

The Redeemed of God Jonathan Parnell Download Psalm 107,Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!2 Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble3 and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.4 Some wandered in desert wastes, finding no way to a city to dwell in;5 hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted within them.6 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.7 He led them by a straight way till they reached a city to dwell in.8 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man!9 For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things.10 Some satin darkness and in the shadow of death, prisoners in affliction and in irons,11 for they had rebelled against the words of God, and spurned the counsel of the Most High.12 So he bowed their hearts down with hard labor; they fell down, with none to help.13 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and burst their bonds apart.15 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man!16 For he shatters the doors of bronze and cuts in two the bars of iron.17 Some were fools through their sinful ways, and because of their iniquities suffered affliction;18 they loathed any kind of food, and they drew nearto the gates of death.19 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.20 He sent out his word and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction.21 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man!22 And let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, and tell of his deeds in songs of joy!23 Some went down to the sea in ships, doing business on the great waters;24 they saw the deeds of the Lord, his wondrous works in the deep.25 For hecommanded and raised the stormy wind, which lifted up the waves of the sea.26 They mounted up to heaven; they went down to the depths; their courage melted awayin their evil plight;27 they reeled and staggered like drunken men and were at their wits' end.28 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.29 He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed.30 Then they were glad that the waters were quiet, and he brought them to their desired haven.31 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man!32 Let them extol him in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.33 He turnsrivers into a desert, springs of water into thirsty ground,34 a fruitful land into a salty waste, because of the evil of its inhabitants.35 He turns a desert into pools of water, a parched land into springs of water.36 And there he lets the hungry dwell, and they establish a city to live in;37 they sow fields and plant vineyards and get a fruitful yield.38 By his blessing they multiply greatly, and he does not let their livestock diminish.39 When they are diminished and brought low through oppression, evil, and sorrow,40 he pours contempt on princes and makes them wander in trackless wastes;41 but he raises up the needy out of affliction and makes their families like flocks.42 The upright see it and are glad, and all wickedness shuts its mouth.43 Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast love of the Lord.And we just heard verse 43. Now we want to do exactly what it says… This morning, by the grace of God, we're gonna be wise and we're gonna “attend to these things.”There are three central truths in Psalm 107 that we need to see. The first is this:1. The redeemed of God come from everywhere.This is verses 1–3. The psalmist is commanding the people of God to praise him. And notice in verse 2 that he calls the people of God “the redeemed of the Lord.” And that word “redeemed” is another way to say to be saved. It means to be claimed as one's own and brought back into safety at a cost to the redeemer. That's true for the people of God! We are who we are, first and foremost, because God has taken it upon himself to rescue us. We've been saved. Then verses 2 and 3 tell us more: We've been redeemed from trouble and gathered in from lands east, west, north, and south. I read this verse to the kids the other night and asked what it means if something is from east, west, north, and south — and John Owen said right away: It means from everywhere.That's exactly right. These are the four corners of the earth. It means everywhere— fromevery direction.And from the start in Psalm 107 this means two things are happening: this is an answer to prayer and it's a sign of hope. Thinking CanonicallyThis is an answer to prayer because of the immediate context. Last week, Psalm 106 closed with this prayer in verse 47: “Save us, O Lord our God, and gather us from among the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name and glory in your praise.”This week Psalm 107 opens in thanks and praise to God because he has answered that prayer. The people of God had been scattered, but now God is starting to do what looked like the new exodus. This is where we see the sign of hope … For this part, we gotta zoom out from the Book of Psalms and remember the whole storyline of Scripture and the history behind this: The Book of Psalms was shaped into its final form within the historical context of Israel's captivity in Babylon. The people of God were in exile, longing for the Messiah to rescue them. They longed for the restored kingdom the prophets foretold. And in 538 BC, Cyrus king of Persia allowed Jewish exiles to return to their homeland. Eventually the temple was rebuiltand the walls of Jerusalem were restored (we read about this in Ezra and Nehemiah). That's the historical situation behind Psalm 107. It was a foretaste of the hope to come, but it was still a far cry from the new and greater exodus envisioned by the Old Testament prophets … that's because:The nations are not yet streaming to Zion. The earth is not yet full of the knowledge of the Lord.The wolf is not yet hanging out with the lamb. Jerusalem was not yet new — it wasn't even what it used to be. That's why Psalm 107 is mainly a pointer. It's a signpost looking beyond itself. The real hope is that one day — quote: “people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at the table in the kingdom of God” — that's a direct quote from Jesus in Luke 13:29.Jesus affirms this Old Testament hope. One day the redeemed of God will come from everywhere, and every direction. And that's the church that Jesus is building now. Ever since Acts Chapter 2, Christians are from all over the world.Worthy of Global GloryAnd this is really important. It's one of the most glorious things about our faith. It's why Christianity has been called a missionary faith. And it's unique to us. Christianity is not like Islam. Islam is a coercive religion that imposes itself on other cultures. The goal of Islam is not to seek the good of a city, but the goal is conquest. Takeover. It destroys what was there before and tries to do something different. But see, the gospel is able to enter any kind of culture on this planet with both challenge and affirmation … There are parts of every culture that the word of God challenges — it says: “This is out of step with God's design. Change it.” And there are also parts of every culture that the word of God affirms — it says: “This echoes something good in God's design. Redeem it.”It's always both, which is why expressions of the church can look so different all around the world, and the Bible can be translated in any language — it's beautiful! The gospel never requires someone to become culturally Jewish or Roman or American. Jesus makes one people from every people. Because he is worthy of global glory. … That's where we're headed. This Old Testament hope, and what Jesus taught, one day is gonna be a “great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages” and we will all gather around the throne of the Lamb and we will praise him together (see Revelation 7:9).The redeemed of God come from everywhere. That's the first truth to see. Here's the second:2. The redeemed of God are rescued from every trouble.Now notice the word “trouble” in verse 2. The redeemed of the Lord (from all over the world) are redeemed from trouble.And then that trouble is explained in verses 4–23 as four different kinds of trouble. We can put it in four categories: God redeems his people from being … Lost, Trapped, Defeated, and Afraid.Now, look, I don't think these four categories are exhaustive or exclusive. You can be in other kinds of trouble, and you can be in all these kinds of trouble.But what I do know for sure is that all of us have been in some kind of trouble. And some of us are still there. … and if that's you, you're at the right place this morning. Now I'm going to read each kind of trouble to you, but remember this is poetic — it's not gonna describe every detail of your story, but it's gonna make sense to you.First, the trouble of being lost.We see two in verse 4:“Some wandered in desert wastes, finding no way to a city to dwell in; hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted within them.”Again, most likely none of you have literally wandered around in a desert … but you know what it's like to wander around in a desert. You know what it means to be lost. You're looking for a place to land, for a place to call home, for a place to plant your tree. But everything around you is just flat and dry, and there's nowhere to even sit. So you just keep wandering.This reminds me of earlier this summer. Y'all know I love summer, and I watched a lot of youth sports this summer, but there was one field we were at … flat ground as far as the eye could see, synthetic turf surrounded by concrete surrounded by asphalt surrounded by lava — that's what it felt like. There was no shade at all. The sun was just bearing down. And it was kinda funny to watch, because the parents and spectators would get there, and everyone is trying to figure out where to sit, everyone is wandering around holding their chair, but it's all the same: It's either scorching hot or scorching hot. Like a desert.And in a desert it doesn't take long before you're drained. Your soul gets hungry and thirsty and starts to faint. This the trouble of being lost. Second, the trouble of being trapped. We see this is verse 10:“Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, prisoners in affliction and in irons …”Let me stop here for a minute to make sure you get the picture: This kind of trouble is not being lost, it's being stuck. There's a seat in this trouble, but it's a seat in darkness. It's the shadow of death. And you're imprisoned there. You can't get out. And when you try, you realize that you brought this whole thing upon yourself. The psalmist tells us in verse 11:“for they had rebelled against the words of God, and spurned the counsel of the Most High. So he bowed their hearts down with hard labor; they fell down, with none to help.”Sometimes we choose our trouble. That's what this is. We enslave ourselves to sin, and we can't escape. It's this cycle of a slow downward spiral. We've been there. The trouble of being trapped.Third, the trouble of being defeated.This is verse 17:“Some were fools through their sinful ways, and because of their iniquities suffered affliction; they loathed any kind of food, and they drew near to the gates of death.”I want you to see here the resignation. They're defeated. They've quit. The word for “fools” in verse 17 is one that shows up a lot in the Book of Proverbs. It means “culpable stupidity.” It's the recognition that “Yes, I brought this trouble on myself” but then it's just an implosion. You're beat. You're done. You give up. Think about this as cynicism to the extreme. It is the so-called ‘respectable sin' of our times. You're just grumpy about everything. Despairing. Nothing is ever good enough. You loathe any kind of food. The trouble of being defeated.Fourth, the trouble of being afraid. This is verse 22, and it's a longer description. … it's a picture of being in the middle of a storm at sea … huge waves are rising up around you … and we read in verse 26: “their courage melted away in their evil plight; they reeled and staggered like drunken men and were at their wits' end.”Now one of my favorite commentators said something about this verse that struck me. I want to read it to you. Listen to this. He said:Given the wider biblical resonances of the sea and the deep, it is reasonable to suppose that we are to feel here the terror not just of a literal storm at sea but of the forces of wickedness and chaos in the nations that afflict the church of God. (Ash, 124)Try this metaphor: Cities Church, we are in a ship (and it's not a cruise ship — it's a lifeboat) — and we are surrounded by a storm at sea. The wind and waves are raging around us. That's the image.One thing that helps us with this image is that this sanctuary is properly called a nave. That's what this room is. It's the “nave” — which is the Latin word for ship. These wooden beams were built to replicate an old boat. We're in an ark, and we're passing through the storm of this world, and we're trying to get as many people as we can in the ark with us. But right now the storm is bad.And bad storms cause fear. That makes sense. Some of us are at our wit's end. That makes sense too. Both makes sense when you're in a storm, because a storm is something we can't control. This reminds me of a moment when Earnest Shackleton and his team were attempting to cross the Drake Passage. (If you're not familiar with Shackleton, you will be, I'm gonna talk a lot about him for a while.) The Drake Passage is the most dangerous body of water in the world, between the southern tip of South America and Antarctica. It's common for there to be 50-foot waves.The year was 1916, and Shackleton, along with five other men, were trying to make this voyage in a 26-foot sailboat … because it was the best they had. They almost died several times. They kept having to break off the ice that was starting to cover the boat. But all they could really do was hoist the sails and hold on … they needed the right wind. Which was not up to them. And I get that. But the good news for us is that we know who controls the wind. And therefore, in our storm, we do what the redeemed of God have always done when they're in trouble: we cry out to God! This is the refrain we underlined earlier, in verse 6, verse 13, verse 19, verse 28. It's repeated four times: “Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.”The pattern in this psalm is trouble, prayer, deliverance.Trouble, prayer, deliverance. Trouble, prayer, deliverance. Trouble, prayer, deliverance. And it's deliverance for what? What do we want deliverance for?Is it to be comfortable? This is where we need to think hard and be honest. Churches that are compromised by a love for comfort prefer to be in situations where God doesn't need to be God. Sometimes, if we're honest, many Christians want to be in a place where Jesus doesn't have to be real. Now, what's amazing about this room is that you're here. You're in the boat. And I know it's not easy. I'm preaching to the choir here, as they say. But we're gonna be able to stay in this boat together and make it through as long as Jesus is in the boat with us. And he is. And he will bring us through the storm. And not just the storm of present opposition, but the storm that is the journey through this world. Look what he can do in verses 33–42! We're pilgrims, y'all. Our home is that better country, that lasting city. And Jesus will lead us there … rescued from every trouble. Finally, here's the third truth to see:3. The redeemed of God respond with grateful praise. This is what we do because God is God, because Jesus is real: “Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man!”This refrain is verse 8, verse 15, verse 21, verse 31. And it's no surprise to us. If our experience is trouble, prayer, deliverance, then of course, our response is grateful praise.Trouble, prayer, deliverance, praise.And this grateful praise is not simply an action we do every now and then, but it is a way of life. Everyday we live grateful to God because we're saved! We are forgiven for all our sin! We are free from the power of Satan! Heaven is our home! God is our treasure!Some of you may know Steve Treichler.He's the senior pastor at Hope Community Church in Minneapolis. He's been there for like 100 years, and one thing I love about Steve is that he knows he's been saved. It's just fresh on his heart. Thinking about this sermon, I sent him a text yesterday and asked him: Steve, what's the secret? How do you keep that reality so fresh?He texted me back, and I gotta tell you what he said. He said — and I quote:“If I've got one spiritual gift it's that I remember where I came from. I remember what it was like to not know the Lord, to be lost, to be terribly afraid and without purpose.”And then he said: he remembers how the gospel came into his life and changed everything. He was lost, now he's found. Me too. Us too.Trapped, but now we're free. Defeated, but now we're saved. Afraid, now we're secure. And we can say:Through many dangers, toils, and snares,we have already come;Grace has brought us safe thus far,And grace will lead us home.And that's how we come to this Table.The TableWe come to this Table remembering from where Jesus has brought us. And that we have come to him. If you're here this morning and you've put your faith in Jesus, we invite you to eat and drink with us. Let's give Jesus grateful praise.

God's Gospel Goes Global   After Peter told the story of his vision and going to Joppa to the home of Cornelius, we read in Acts 11:18 that "… the believers in Jerusalem had no further objections and praised God saying, 'So even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life.'" And now the barriers that had existed between the Jewish world and the non-Jewish world are down in a single moment. The believers in Jerusalem that had grown up as devout Jewish people had their eyes opened to understand the new age that God promised had arrived. AND God's Gospel Goes Global!!!   Then + Now  GOD's Plan - His plan and intent have always been to win the entire world to Himself. God's plan is coming to fruition. Romans 10:12-13 we see that there is no difference between Jew and Gentile because the Lord saves all who call on Him.   In verse 19 and 20 we read that those scattered by the persecution following Stephen's martyrdom are spreading into Cyprus, Phoenicia and Antioch sharing the gospel message to Jews and Greeks. Peter's ministry to Cornelius opened the flood gates!!  Verse 21 tells us that the Lord was with them and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.   We see the gospel exploding in Antioch, a place with many from multiple backgrounds and cultures, a wealthy city and an incredibly immoral city and this is where the Gospel explodes!!  Unbelievers discover what they are living for has no lasting value, leaving them empty.  Does this sound like the world today?  It is there that God desires to bring the Good News that changes people lives, transforming them from the inside out, that brings an eternal destiny, and great joy and He does that through His people then and NOW!   God's People - God uses His people to do mighty things. He desires to use us to touch our families, neighbors, and even our enemies with His word and his love. In verse 22 the news of the spread of the Gospel got back to the church in Jerusalem, so they send Barnabas to Antioch. Barnabas was from Cypress and was known as an encourager and once he saw what the grace of God was doing there, he encouraged the new believers to persevere in their faith with all their hearts, just as we need to do TODAY!   God's Grace - God's breaks into our lives because He is good, not because of anything we have done, but because He is gracious. It is all based on what Jesus did at the cross. We all need to encounter that grace and know that God cares for us. His grace is powerful and changes lives, families, marriages, communities and the world both then and NOW!.   God's Leaders - Through Barnabas a great number of people are brought to the Lord. And Barnabas goes to Tarsus to bring Saul to Antioch. God assembles a great group of leaders, an amazing team uniquely qualified to carry out God's plan. In verse 26 we read that great numbers of people in Antioch were taught for an entire year by this leadership team, equipping God's people to know God, His Word, His guidance, His direction, and His Holy Spirit. These leaders were specially needed in a corrupt age, in a corrupt city, because if God's people are not equipped they will fall prey to the enemy. Today we see God continuing to raise up leaders to do His work, in His strength and with His guidance and Holy Spirit.    God's Teaching - we need to be instructed in the Truth.  It is a matter of connecting what the Bible says to the life of a believer.  Orthodoxy - right opinion - Beliefs - essential to be grounded in God's truth - the message of Christ's forgiveness. Orthopraxy - right practice - Conduct - knowing how to live our lives in a fallen world.  It's not just head knowledge, it is about heartfelt, Spirit-guided living - conduct that becomes a follower of Jesus.   Titus 2:11-14 - the grace of God offers salvation to ALL people and teaches us to live self-controlled, godly lives as we await Christ's return.    God's Mercy - In verses 28-30 we read that Agabus, a prophet, predicts a famine, so the disciples decide to support the believers living in Judea. In the mercy of God they reached out to those in the midst of famine, then. Today, God's mercy shows in us as we walk by faith and follow the Holy Spirit's leading.   … and God's Gospel continues to Go Global!   This week's READING ASSIGNMENT: Acts chapter 11-12.    Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE.   Check out this video series from our website: https://www.awakeusnow.com/god-acts-then-now   Or watch from our Youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/@AwakeUsNow/videos   Join us Sundays live or on demand from our website  https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service

Today we continue our review of the Apostles' Creed with the Third Article of the Apostles' Creed: We believe the the Holy Spirit. What did it take to say ‘I will leave what I know and go out?” How do we deal with the experience of absence. The life of following Christ is not defined by absence, but by presence.  Holy Spirit is present with us at all time. Three ways that the Holy Spirit is with us: Holy Spirit brings the miracle of faith.  T That faith persists even in times of trial. That the Holy Spirit brings us peace and understanding.   Today's message comes from Pastor Jason. Our New Testament Lesson comes from Acts: Chapter 1 Verses 6 - 8.. Our Gospel lesson is from John Chapter 14, verses 25-27.   Acts: Chapter 1 Verses 6 - 8.  John Chapter 14, verses 25-27 We believe in the one High God, who out of love created the beautiful world and everything good in it. He created Man and wanted Man to be happy in the world. God loves the world and every nation and tribe on the Earth. We have known this High God in darkness, and now we know Him in the light.God promised in the book of His word, the Bible, that He would save the world and all the nations and tribes. We believe that God made good His promise by sending His Son, Jesus Christ, a man in the flesh, a Jew by tribe, born poor in a little village, who left His home and was always on safari doing good, curing people by the power of God, teaching about God and man, showing the meaning of religion is love. He was rejected by his people, tortured and nailed hands and feet to a cross, and died. He lay buried in the grave, but the hyenas did not touch him, and on the third day, He rose from the grave. He ascended to the skies. He is the Lord. We believe that all our sins are forgiven through Him. All who have faith in Him must be sorry for their sins, be baptized in the Holy Spirit of God, live the rules of love and share the bread together in love, to announce the Good News to others until Jesus comes again. We are waiting for Him. He is alive. He lives. This we believe. Amen.

Speaker: Kate Posthuma Connect with us online: Website LinkTree Facebook Instagram

In our series in the book of Acts today we see Philip heading into the city of Samaria where he finds an entire city under the spell of witchcraft. A sorcerer had filled the void with his devilish ideas and signs so that the entire region thought that he was the great power of God. That was until Philip rolled in and preached Christ unto them, suddenly the real power of God was on full display! Evil spirits ran out, bodies healed and everyone born again and even baptized in the Holy ghost! Let's learn from this one today! this is how we do it, let's talk about it!