Posts that reference the book of Acts

We Cannot Help Speaking

By Paula

For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard. Acts 4:20

How was your weekend?
We cannot help speaking…

I don’t know how you can be so calm.
We cannot help speaking…

The world is such a mess. I’m not sure anybody has any answers.
We cannot help speaking…

You’ve been through this kind of thing. What did you do?
We cannot help speaking…

We’ve exhausted all our options.
We cannot help speaking…

I’m not even sure I have a purpose.
We cannot help speaking…

I’m tired of being lied to.
We cannot help speaking…

The opportunities are there. Speak what you’ve seen and heard.

Our Mission

By Paula

“Your mission, if you choose to accept it . . .”

Most of us don’t consider ourselves special or notable. Changing diapers, doing laundry, or paying the bills are certainly not our typical idea of significant work. We are faces in the crowd, numbers on a list. One of Satan’s great weapons is getting us to forget who we are, to embrace this idea that we are nothing and nobody, incapable of doing much or leaving much of a mark.

The truth is, at the moment of salvation, Christ blessed us with “all spiritual blessings” (Ephesians 1:3) including eternal life! He also gives us the fruit of the Spirit- love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Our familiarity with the fruits may cause us to dismiss them. The fact is, all of these ‘powers’ are supernatural in origin and exercise! They are the proof of the presence and actions of the indwelling Holy Spirit.

God called us as His own and He equipped and empowered us for a Kingdom work, a mission.

So what’s our mission?

Jesus spells it out at least four times in the New Testament.

(Matthew 28:18-20) Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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.”

(Mark 16:15-16) He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

(John 21:15-17) When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.

This commission embodies the essence of Christianity, calling us to share the love and message of Christ with others. The charge to Peter to “feed my sheep” underscores our ongoing duty to care for each other.

(Acts 1:8) But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

A witness is someone who tells what he knows. We don’t need lots of experience or training to tell what we know.

How did Jesus change my life?
Why He matters to me?
How are my daily activities different because of Jesus?
How is my outlook affected?
What difference does He make?

Our great responsibility

(Ezek 33:8) When I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you will surely die,’ and you do not speak out to dissuade him from his ways, that wicked man will die for his sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood.

The character of God hasn’t changed. If He held an Old Testament prophet responsible for not doing His job, we can expect He’s going to hold us accountable as well. But it’s extremely important to understand, our responsibility is limited to the “speaking out” part. We ARE NOT held accountable for someone’s rejection of the warning.

We have a tremendous responsibility and privilege to fulfill this mission. We are empowered by the Holy Spirit to accomplish it. We can rely on God’s guidance, strength, and grace as we spread His love, share His truth, and make a positive impact in the world around us.

Let’s embrace this mission wholeheartedly.

Lydia

By Paula

Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul. Acts 16:14

Lydia was a seller of purple.
She was engaged with the people around her. She was a businesswoman, and the nature of her business put her in contact with the upper class.

She worshipped God.
In spite of being grossly outnumbered by idolaters and pagans, she held to her faith in the one true God, even though there was no synagogue and no support network.

She was receptive.
Because she was already worshipping God regularly, He responded with a deeper revelation of Himself and His ways.

She was obedient.
Immediately after she believed in Jesus, she was baptized.

She was influential.
Her whole household was converted and baptized as well.

She put her resources to work.
She offered her home and hospitality to support the missionaries in their work.

We can be engaged, devout, and responsive, too.
We can be like Lydia.

Wind and Fire

By Paula

And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. Acts 2:2-3

On October 8, 1871, a cold front moved across the upper Midwest generating strong winds. These winds caught small brush fires farmers had set to help clear land. A firestorm ensued, meaning superheated flames more than 2000 degrees F were pushed by winds over 110 mph. The firestorm engulfed the town of Peshtigo, Wisconsin, and eleven other communities. One eyewitness described how the fire seemed to jump the Peshtigo River. The fire generated its own tornadic winds and resulted in an area twice the size of Rhode Island burned. A conservative estimate of fifteen hundred lives were lost. It seemed nothing could stand in the conflagration’s way. It was the most destructive fire in U.S. history.

Wind and fire are an unstoppable combination.

Forty days after His resurrection, in some of Jesus’s final instructions to His disciples, He said they were to remain in Jerusalem and wait for the power from on high (Luke 24:49). Ten days later, when that power manifested, it came as wind and fire. Thousands upon thousands were saved. It was the most amazing day in the life of the church. From there the wind and fire pushed outside the city limits to the surrounding country and eventually the entire world.

On Pentecost by using wind and fire to mark the arrival of the indwelling Holy Spirit, God teaches us that nothing can stop the spread of the Gospel. Furthermore, its impact is unmistakable. Wind and fire harnessed and used for God’s purposes are powerful and productive.

Today the Peshtigo Fire has largely been forgotten. Buildings have been rebuilt. Survivors have passed on. The loss isn’t felt as urgently. Even in 1871, the tragedy was overshadowed by the Chicago Fire that happened the same day.

Today we know the name Pentecost, but other things have been built on top of it. People who felt the power have long since passed on. We don’t feel the need for it as urgently.

Wind and fire. They are still in use, still available. Pray we don’t become firebreaks and wet blankets.

A Holy Priesthood: Anointed

By Paula Wiseman

Peter says believers are a holy priesthood (1 Peter 2:5), drawing parallels with the priesthood established under the Law. Peter packs a lot of information and theological truth in that one metaphor. So let’s take a few posts to break down what Peter wants us to understand. The first thing is God has cleansed us from our sin. We are specially clothed. Next priests are anointed for service.

Old Testament priests were anointed for service.

Leviticus 8:12-30 tells of the ceremony God directed Moses to use to install Aaron and his sons as the priests for the nation of Israel. There were sacrifices to consecrate the priests as well as the altars that would be used. The men were anointed. They ate a ceremonial meal and then remained separated from the people for seven days while continuing to offer more sacrifices.

The anointing was a visible sign to everyone that the priests was chosen, set apart and empowered to carry out his duties by the Holy Spirit.

Jesus was the Anointed One.

The Hebrew word for anoint is mashach. The noun form, when transliterated into English is a word you no doubt recognize: messiah. The Greek equivalent word is christos. The Holy Spirit, in the form of a dove, descended on Christ at His baptism. A close reading of the Gospels shows the Jesus Himself attested to the Holy Spirit’s power and influence in His earthly ministry. The early church recognized that as well. It was one of their regular sermon points.

[H]ow God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.
Acts 10:38

Believers are also specially anointed.

Paul explains:

Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God,
2 Corinthians 1:21

And John confirms

The anointing you received from Him remains in you, and you don’t need anyone to teach you. Instead, His anointing teaches you about all things and is true and is not a lie; just as He has taught you, remain in Him.
1 John 2:27

God has given us a special anointing, the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit. Jesus promised us in the Upper Room that the Spirit would come. We don’t have to wait for a special ceremony though. The Spirit indwells us at the moment of salvation, enabling us to understand and carry out the mission God has for us. Paul and John both needed that Holy Spirit anointing, and so do we. That enables us to intercede, minister, and teach the truth about Christ to others.

Once we’re prepared, there is one key that will determine our success. Next week we’ll consider it.

Given

By Paula

John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. John 3:27

If you took geometry in school, you may recall working through proofs. At the beginning, before you begin to line out a strategy for attacking the problem, you have a set of pre-conditions, a set of givens. These are your starting points. The things you know for certain. Then you work step-by-step from those givens, incorporating other things you know for certain, the theorems and so forth, until you arrive at the solution, the proof. (Hopefully I didn’t stir up any bad memories.)

While I’m very thankful that life is NOT a geometry proof, it is essential to understand that as believers, we operate with a set of givens. They are so much better than a list of theorems and postulates. These are things God has given us. No matter what we come up against, these need to be our starting points. These are things we know for certain.

1. We have eternal life.
And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 1 John 5:11

We have so much more than what we see around us.

2. We have the Holy Spirit.
And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him. Acts 5:32

We are never alone. God Himself in the person of the Holy Spirit lives not just with us, but in us. He sees and He knows exactly what we’re going through.

3. We have an understanding of Christ.
And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. 1 John 5:20

Maybe not full understanding, but we know enough to grasp that Jesus loved us and wanted us with Him forever, and He was willing to go to the most extreme lengths for us.

4. We have everlasting consolation and good hope.
Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace. 2 Thessalonians 2:16

Consolation is comfort. And it’s everlasting. I like to think of it not just lasting forever with respect to time, but never running out. Not only that, but good hope, a confidence that there is more to come and it is better.

5. We have a spirit of power, of love and of a sound mind.
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7

We are not helpless, but we are able to accurately assess our situations in light of who we are in Christ and then respond, not out of fear but out of love for others, like the love Christ has shown us.

6. We have all things that pertain to life and godliness.
As His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 2 Peter 1:3

We have all the resources we need to live the life God has called us to.

7. We have great and precious promises.
By which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 2 Peter 1:4

Not just the promise of eternal life, but promises that He’ll never leave us, and that He hears us.

Whatever it is, wherever you are, start with these givens. They’ll lead you from your questions and doubts to what you know and finally to the One who knows all.

We Cannot Help Speaking

Our Mission

So what’s our mission?

Our great responsibility

Lydia

Wind and Fire

Wind and fire are an unstoppable combination.

A Holy Priesthood: Anointed

Old Testament priests were anointed for service.

Jesus was the Anointed One.

Believers are also specially anointed.

Given

Encounters Series

Covenant of Trust Series

Foundations Series