by lighthouse | Apr 11, 2025 | Uncategorized
Acts 11:26 “and when he found him, (Paul) he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul (Paul) met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.” You and I call ourselves Christians. When did that name first apply? This verse answers that question. Paul and Barnabas seem to be responsible. And where did that name begin? In Antioch, a present city in southern Turkey. Christians still live there. (Interesting facts to close our week) Have a great weekend.
by lighthouse | Apr 10, 2025 | Uncategorized
Acts 11:18 “When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, ‘So then, even the Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life.'” I don’t usually think about being a Gentile. I think of myself as a Christian. I’m willing to bet the same is true of you-except any of you who are of Jewish background. Most fortunately Jesus came for all-Jew and Gentile. Our futures look great. Never fear death or Jesus’ life, death and resurrection were in vain. Jesus lived so that you and I will live. There was no other reason. Live and enjoy living in your Savior’s arms.
by lighthouse | Apr 9, 2025 | Uncategorized
Acts 10:43 “All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” Our perfect God demands perfection. Without perfection no one can appear before God, be saved and live in heaven with God for all eternity. Only Jesus makes you and me perfect. If we do not accept this fact our future is not good. In believing this fact our future looks great. You and I, along with the rest of the world, live with a very simple choice. Believe in Jesus and be saved or do not believe in Jesus and do not be saved. Would you agree—this is the most important decision you will ever make?
by lighthouse | Apr 8, 2025 | Uncategorized
Acts 9:16 “I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” Paul suffered much because of his faith as he journeyed through life spreading the gospel. He was whipped a few times, spent numerous false jail occupancies, ridiculed seemingly continuously, shipwrecked, beaten, stoned-all because of his strong persistence in representing his Savior. Logic would tell us he should have had a life of protected pleasure. But God tells all of us just the opposite. Each of us will experience hardships confessing and representing Him on this earth–expect it, endure it, even enjoy it–our eternal reward is coming.
by lighthouse | Apr 7, 2025 | Uncategorized
Acts 8:35 “Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.” You and I can only imagine how excited the recipient of the news about Jesus was. He had to be curious or he wouldn’t be reading Scripture; however, he was soon to become undoubtedly the happiest he had ever been. Is that the way you and I react to our reading the Scriptures? If we don’t, maybe we have a lesson to learn from these few verses in Acts. It is great to be emotionally elated with knowing the great news of our Savior!
by lighthouse | Apr 4, 2025 | Uncategorized
Acts 7:50 “Has not my hand made all these things?” It is impossible to believe in millions of years of development of the universe while at the same time believe the Word of God is truth. Throughout God’s Word (the Bible) creation is stated as truth. This verse is an example of words of Peter recorded by Luke in God’s Word. Two apostles-Peter and Luke. They both had an outstanding faith as taught by our Savior. They would never say or record Creation if it was not true. Therefore, we can only reach one conclusion–God is the Creator of the Universe! Have a great weekend.
by lighthouse | Apr 3, 2025 | Uncategorized
Acts 8:20-21 “Peter answered, ‘May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God.”‘ God does not want anything other than our heart. The man in this lesson thought he could be right with God by buying that favor. He was far from understanding God. God is love and He wants our sincere love–that’s it-nothing else as there is nothing else to offer that God doesn’t already own. Even the richest billionaire has nothing to offer God. Our love and obedience to Him through our Savior is our treasure chest–nothing else.
by lighthouse | Apr 2, 2025 | Uncategorized
Acts 7:41b-42a They brought sacrifices to it and reveled in what their own hands had made. But God turned away from them and gave them over to worship the sun, moon and stars.” Can anyone actually worship, I mean worship, honor, put their trust in, glorify, anything or anyone other than the True God? Yes, it’s done by many regularly. Money, assets, education, images of gods, self are all false gods many rely to gain security and comfort. How foolish. All idols crumble. True comfort and security and peace is from one source alone. All of us constantly seek the One thing needful–the One True God. We thank God that He has opened our hearts to know Him alone.
by lighthouse | Apr 1, 2025 | Uncategorized
Acts 7:17a “As the time drew near for God to fulfill his promise to Abraham…” God always fulfills His promises. That truth is absolute. What promise has God made to you and me? Answer: Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. What does that promise mean for you and me? Answer: We will spend eternity–imagine–eternity in Heaven! That promise will be fulfilled. That promise eliminates our fear of our life coming to an end on this earth. Heaven is our Home!
by lighthouse | Mar 31, 2025 | Uncategorized
Acts 7: 9b-10a “…God was with him and rescued him from all his troubles. He gave Joseph wisdom and enabled him…” God never changes. Joseph, like all the other Old and New Testament adopted and loved children of His, was protected and enabled to live under the blessing and protection of the Almighty God. Every Christian has the same guaranteed benefits. You and I are wonderfully enabled to live under His protection. There is nothing more comforting and enjoyable. How blessed we are.
by lighthouse | Mar 28, 2025 | Uncategorized
Acts 6:3-4 “Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.” A beautiful tree has many branches with beautiful leaves and one substantial trunk with a root system which nourishes this beautiful creation. Any successful organization has an identical structure. The early Christian church applied this thinking as should you and I. To have beauty and health there must be a solid main structure, a root system nourishing the entire group of individuals who have purpose and are filled with that nourishment of purpose. One branch with one leaf and a skinny trunk and a single root will soon collapse at best. Praise God for being the trunk and root system and filling you and me with the Holy Spirit to accomplish His beautiful purpose. Have a great weekend.
by lighthouse | Mar 27, 2025 | Uncategorized
Acts 5:42 “Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.” What is it that you and I can learn from the thoughts, words and actions of the apostles? Can it possibly be: we follow their example of never stopping telling others of the Messiah? Isn’t that the duty of everyone who calls themselves Christian? The answer is the same for these questions—Yes, that is our duty.
