Here in the first sixteen verses of Genesis thirty-one, we learn a very valuable lesson concerning following the Lord’s plan. As we begin, it is important that we distinguish between the will of God and the plan of God. The will of God is that which God desires for everyone. For example: it is God’s…
After the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost, those that observed what was happening began to question what was going on. Some even mocked those who were filled with Spirit and made fun of them and claimed that they must be drunk with wine. In response to the mocking and questions, Peter stands up and begins…
What makes a family? There is a great emphasis put on family relationships in the scriptures. But, what exactly is a family and what makes a family? As we study the life of Jacob in the book of Genesis we see several building blocks of a family. Marriage (29:1-30). All families must begin with a…
The Jewish people had four annual feasts. There was the feast of Passover, the feast of unleavened bread, the feast of first fruits, and the feast of Pentecost. The feast of Pentecost came fifty days after the feast of first fruits. Each of these feasts were prophetic in nature. Throughout the years before Christ…
On the day of Pentecost, on the day when the Holy Ghost came down; they were all with one accord and in one place. In this one verse of scripture we see a testimony to the importance of the local church. The local church is a body of baptized believers in the Lord Jesus who…
The study of Scripture may at times be confusing. In the case of Acts 1:12-26, there are several different views. It is important that as we study such difficult passages that we compare scripture with scripture and that we rely upon the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The main issue here is the choosing of…
Jesus has been to the cross, He has rose from the grave; now we find Him giving some final instructions and words of encouragement to the disciples as He ascends into Heaven. This passage is very relevant for us today and provides great encouragement for us just as it did the disciples. The Great Question…
There is a television commercial where a man is standing at his front door trying to keep the mailman from putting another bill in the mail slot. He is then seen sitting in the shower with his arms around his legs sobbing and crying. This comical commercial gives a picture of real life. Paying…
Our local association newsletter had a section recently that listed six secrets of a turnaround church. Thom Rainer, president of Lifeway Christian Resources, conducted a survey of churches that were in decline and experienced a great turnaround. From that survey these six things were evident in every church that made a turnaround: They became highly…
It is true that “what you reap is what you sow.” What goes around comes around. Even though we are forgiven for our sins and we received the wonderful grace of Jesus; there are still consequences for our sin in this life. I am a firm believer that ‘decisions determine destiny.’ The things we do…
It has been noted that the book of Acts is an apologetic work. It provides evidence for the Christian faith. Luke’s focal point of his apologetic is the resurrection of Jesus. In Acts 1:3, it mentions that there are many infallible proofs pertaining to the resurrection of Jesus. The evidence for the resurrection sets the…
The coming of the Holy Spirit, the birth of the church, the preaching of the Gospel, the expansion of the church, the missionary journeys of Paul; these are just a few of the events recording in the book of Acts. It is a very exciting book to read. It has a way of drawing…
