How you doin? I could
use some prayer. I have what I call "busy mind". My mind or thoughts
are racing. It feels a bit painful or at least chaotic. Please pray that
I may receive peace and rest. Acts 4 today.
Yesterday
at church our ministry team prayed for anyone who came to us for prayer.
It's so much fun watching God work and be present among His people.
Being a part of a ministry team or any other service for God requires
grace. I truly believe that Jesus will only call us to do what He has
given us the grace for. We still need to believe that the grace is
offered (or is there for us) and receive it. I find myself being willing
to pray for people more regularly. I believe that Jesus will supply me
with the grace, words, and boldness to co-labor with Him. COME ON!!!!!!!
In Acts 4,
Peter and John are brought before the Sanhedrin, which is the same group
of men that condemned Jesus to death. Verse 8 tells us that Peter was
"filled with the Holy Spirit" when he spoke to these religious leaders.
Peter spoke extremely boldly. Verse 12, "Salvation is found in no one
else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which
we must be saved.” Here's the part that gets me v. 13, "When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men,
they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with
Jesus." I know many of us have a hard time understanding that Jesus was
100% man when He had His 3 years we know as the gospels, but we all know
that the apostles where men. They were filled with the Holy Ghost and
they were as 100% human as we are. SAY WORD!!!!!!! The apostle were
fully dependent on the Holy Ghost just like Jesus was. The apostle were
tried by the the same religious leaders as Jesus. The apostles were
testifying to the same thing as Jesus was. COME ON!!!!!!!
It's so hard not to write about nearly every verse. I will try to land this. Verse 33 got me the most, "With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all".
That's a good word! I want the grace that Jesus offers me. I'm trying
to practice when God stops talking... I stop talking. When God stops
walking (leading)... I stop walking. If I talk or walk beyond the grace
that God has given me, that's when the trouble starts. Lord, sharpen my
ears and eyes to hear and see you better. Lord, transform my mind to
only pay attention to you. Help me to receive your grace and to stay
within it. In Jesus' name, amen. SAY WORD!!!!!!! Stay in your grace
today.
PS
Stacey had good word this morning. She pointed out verse 14-17. The
religious leaders could see the healed man standing with Peter and John.
Verses 16-17 they say to each other, “...Everyone living in Jerusalem knows they have performed a notable sign, and we cannot deny it. 17 But
to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must
warn them to speak no longer to anyone in this name.” Stacey
pointed out that this is a great example of stiff necked people. The
Jews couldn't deny that the apostles performed a miracle in Jesus' name,
but still didn't believe. Yesterday in Sunday
school there was mention of failures in ministry. They are not our
failures... they are failures of the stiff necked. That's a good word!
Please be praying for the people who are stiff necked & the people
who are out to disprove and disbelieve, that they may receive the Spirit
of grace and understanding. Most of all, pray that they encounter the
Presence of God in such a way that their necks loosen and they turn
their heads to Jesus. COME ON!!!!!!! Please be praying for our
conference in Feb. Pray that the people who are out to disprove receive
transformation of their minds and softening of their hearts.
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