by Whitey | Aug 31, 2011 | Thoughts, Uncategorized
“As they stoned him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” He fell to his knees, shouting, ‘Lord, don’t charge them with this sin!’ And with that, he died.” (Acts 7:59-60)
Stephen was awesome!
Given the chance to defend himself to his accusers, he instead preached a sermon. He didn’t even try to defend himself. In fact, he accused his accusers. He even boldly proclaimed the very things they would consider blasphemy, referring to Jesus as Lord and God. And Stephen paid for it with his life. Yet even then, he prayed to Jesus and asked that his killers’ sins not be held against them, reflecting Jesus’ grace even in his own death.
I could learn a few things from Stephen about what it means to follow Jesus.
by Whitey | Aug 30, 2011 | Thoughts, Uncategorized
“However, the Most High does not live in houses made by human hands. As the prophet says: ‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool.
What kind of house will you build for me? says the Lord. Or where will my resting place be? Has not my hand made all these things?'” (Acts 7:48-50 NIV)
It’s good to know that we can find God anywhere, anytime. We don’t have to wait for a certain day or time to go to a certain holy place to pray. God can meet us wherever we are.
I’ve started taking walks early in the morning. Not only is the exercise good for me, but it’s a good chance to talk to God. Sometimes my attention span is pretty short. If you’re like me and find it hard to just sit and focus and pray, you might want to try this. Don’t worry; God will walk with you.
by Whitey | Aug 25, 2011 | Thoughts, Uncategorized
“All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had.” (Acts 4:32 NLT)
I used to think this description of the early church looked an awful lot like Communism. The major difference, of course, is that there was no government enforcing this sharing of resources. Rather, it was an act of generosity springing up naturally from within their hearts. It was a community of faith working together, putting their faith into action. And shouldn’t that be how the Church works? Shouldn’t generosity be natural for Christians?
by Whitey | Aug 24, 2011 | Thoughts, Uncategorized
“After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness.” (Acts 4:31 NLT)
When the Apostles faced persecution, they didn’t run away or pray for protection. They prayed for boldness. Most of us in modern times react very differently, and the “persecution” most of us face is nothing compared to the Believers in Acts. We would do well to follow their example, not praying for God to keep us from harm so much as praying for boldness to share His truth.
by Whitey | Aug 22, 2011 | Thoughts, Uncategorized
“For Jesus is the one referred to in the Scriptures, where it says, ‘The stone that you builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.'” (Acts 4:11 NLT)
Jesus died but lives. In Christ, God turned defeat into victory. Death into life. It’s good to know today that He can do the same for us. When we experience loss, He can use that loss for our gain and His glory. Where we are defeated by sin, He can bring victory. Thank You, Lord, for victory in Jesus. Please give me the grace I need to live in that victory and freedom today.
by Whitey | Aug 16, 2011 | Thoughts, Uncategorized
“彼らはみな、婦人たち、特にイエスの母マリヤ、およびイエスの兄弟たちと共に、心を合わせて、ひたすら祈をしていた。” (使徒行伝 1:14)
祈の大切さや力を思い出しました。今日、自分の力じゃなくて、神様の力で生きて奉仕をしたいです。神様、助けてください。
“They all met together and were constantly united in prayer…” (Acts 1:14 NLT)
The disciples were waiting for the Holy Spirit. And in the meantime they had a big decision to make: who would replace Judas Iscariot as one of the 12 apostles.
But they didn’t just wait. And they didn’t just make a snap decision. They prayed. And it wasn’t just a quick, thoughtless prayer like we often pray before a meal. It says here they were constantly united in prayer.
I’m reminded today of the importance of prayer. May we not act too quickly or wait prayerlessly. If we want His presence and power in our lives, we need to pray.
