Growing Gracefully: Infilling
Awake Us Now
Everyone who is a true disciple of the Lord Jesus has the Holy Spirit. But does the Holy Spirit have us? It is one thing to know the Living God and to know Jesus as Savior, but it is another thing to walk in the power of the Holy Spirit on a regular, daily basis!
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Growing Gracefully: Awake
Awake Us Now
God charges His disciples to "be awake" in all times and all situations. We are especially charged to be awake to God's Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20), the reality of spiritual warfare, and the signs of the times.
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Growing Gracefully: Prepared
Awake Us Now
Almost two thousand years ago, John the Baptist called people to repent and prepare for the coming Lord. Today, we are still called to have repentant hearts that receive and extend the forgiveness of the Living God, and to prepare fruit for Him in our lives!
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Dig Deeper - Acts Chapter 12: Herod's Demise
Awake Us Now
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...
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Growing Gracefully: Holiness
Awake Us Now
Holiness is a gift, offered to us in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. But once God has made us holy, we are then called to pursue holiness in our lives!
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Growing Gracefully: Obedience
Awake Us Now
Growing gracefully in obedience is a response to the salvation God has worked in our lives through Christ Jesus. We are called to walk in obedience as a response to our faith in Jesus. Obedience is not necessary for salvation, but obedience is necessary! Join us as we explore Growing Gracefully in our relationship with Jesus Christ through obedience to Him and His Word. Obedience does not save, but neither is it optional. God desires not simply outward actions, but inner obedience to His Word. Pastor focuses on two important Biblical truths: 1. Obedience does not save - Jesus saves --Grace of...
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GOD ACTS! (Chapter 12) - He Proceeded to Seize Peter
Awake Us Now
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...
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Armor of God #10 - Keep on Praying!
Awake Us Now
"Prayer in the Spirit" is about taking time in the presence of the living God and allowing Him to nurture, nourish, transform, and renew our souls. It is not about "give me, give me, give me," but about "mold me, shape me, use me."
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Growing Gracefully: Training
Awake Us Now
Despite the most rigorous physical exercise and training regimen, our bodies will age and, eventually, die. But there is a training - training in godliness - that lasts into eternity. The spiritual diet we eat, the spiritual exercise we do and the spiritual training we choose affects our ability to grow graceful as Jesus’ disciples. Training ourselves for godliness has benefits for today, tomorrow and for eternity. Spiritual training is timeless. Train to be godly - Christianity is not a spectator sport. We can’t be a couch potato. We must be in training to be godly. This is training with...
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Growing Gracefully: Contentment
Awake Us Now
Even in the most difficult of times, believers such as the apostle Paul have known contentment, an inner peace, a certainty that God is in control. Because of what Jesus has done for us, we know that, through faith in Him, we will live forever. That certainty brings true contentment!
info_outlineActs 8 begins with the day of Stephen’s death:
Then + Now - What we learn
- All things - work together for good (God used the persecution for His purpose in spreading the Gospel)
- We read in Acts 8:1 that starting that day (of Stephen’s death) a massive persecution broke out against the believers in Jerusalem and especially against those like Stephen, Greek speakers, who were not native to Jerusalem. And the believers (except the apostles) fled throughout Judea and Samaria and still they talked about Jesus everywhere they went.
- Gospel Peace - that the message of Jesus changes people and brings divine peace between us and God.
- Philip and the Samaritans Acts 8:5-8. Philip proclaimed the Messiah in Samaria and when people heard him and saw the signs he performed, that paid close attention to what he said as he proclaimed the risen Savior to them.
- Spirit Guided - As followers of Jesus we cannot believe in Him without the Holy Spirit. And we are called to listen to the Holy Spirit, go where the Holy Spirit leads, and to keep on being filled with the Holy Spirit.
- Philip and the Ethiopian Acts 8:26-27a. Philip is told by the Holy Spirit to take the road from Jerusalem to Gaza. He simply obeys God. So from Samaria he heads to that road.
- Prophetic Word has power. When we share with others, Jesus story, that story has power! To change people, to change lives!
- Philip meets an Ethiopian eunuch along the road. Acts 27a - 34. This man worked for the Queen of the Ethiopians. The man was reading the Book of Isaiah while riding in his carriage on the way back to Ethiopia. Then the Holy Spirit told Philip to go to the carriage and stay near it. He could hear the Ethiopian reading Isaiah. Philip asks if the man understood what he was reading and is invited into the carriage to explain the verses. The verses were, verses 32-35: “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth.” These are verses all about Jesus’ trial, crucifixion and death. And the man pleads with Philip to tell him who is being talked about. And Philip tells him all about Jesus the Messiah.
- Christ’s witnesses - we are to be God’s witnesses to the world as we fallow Him using the gifts He has given us.
- Philip baptizes the Ethiopian Acts 8:36 - 40 we read that they came to some water and the Ethiopian says that nothing is standing in the way of him being baptized, because after hearing of Jesus, his life was changed. They stop the carriage and he is baptized. As they came up out of the water the Spirit suddenly took Philip away while the Ethiopian continued rejoicing in Jesus. Verse 40 tells us that Philip continued to preach the gospel in all the town along the way to Caesarea.
FLASHBACK to Acts 1:8 Jesus says, “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.” We see Jesus’ words being fulfilled in Philip’s story.
We to can be part of that story! Our testimonies can have a ripple effect in spreading the Good News of Jesus.
Set aside excuses and recommit to the Lord Jesus and the Father. Listen to the Holy Spirit and allow God to do amazing things with our lives for His kingdom. Using us is just what He desires to do in winning the world to Himself!
This week’s READING ASSIGNMENT:
Acts chapter 8-9 (read and reflect on these two chapters together).
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