In Iconium 14 At Iconium Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish synagogue. There they spoke so effectively that a great number of Jews and Greeks believed.2 But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the other Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. 3 So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who … Read More
Month: October 2013
Acts 14:1-28 Encouragement
Keep It Moving Paul and Barnabas are doing ministry together, and God is doing amazing things. People are giving their hearts to Jesus, getting healing, and the church is growing at a rapid rate. However, in verses 19-23 we see how to respond when we face hard times or persecution. The people of Lystra were … Read More
Acts 13:13-52 Encouragement
“And John left them and returned to Jerusalem” Acts 13:13 Real Spirit-filled people have real relationship problems. John Mark leaves Paul and Barnabas in the middle of their demanding missionary journey. He fails and flees from God’s mission to which he had committed. In Acts 15:37-39, Paul & Barnabas split as a ministry team … Read More
Acts 13:13-52
In Pisidian Antioch 13 From Paphos, Paul and his companions sailed to Perga in Pamphylia,where John left them to return to Jerusalem. 14 From Perga they went on to Pisidian Antioch. On the Sabbath they entered the synagogue and sat down. 15 After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the leaders of the synagogue sent word to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have a … Read More
Acts 13:1-12 Encouragement
In today’s reading, we have Saul (soon to be referred to as “Paul: and Barnabas being sent out on their first missionary journey to the Gentiles. This missionary trip shows us the clear leading of the Holy Spirit. One of the things the Church is called to do is take the Gospel outside of the … Read More
Acts 13:1-12
13 1 Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers:Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. 2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 So after they had fasted and prayed, … Read More
Acts 12:1-25 Encouragement
Acts 12 shows the contrast between trusting in the Lord and rejecting the Lordship of Christ. Here, the believers are waiting on the Lord through persistent prayer (1 The 5:17) for Peter (verses 5 and 12). James was put to death with the sword, and it appeared Peter would also be martyred. Instead, Peter’s work … Read More
Acts 12:1-25
Acts 12:1-25 New International Version (NIV) Peter’s Miraculous Escape From Prison 12 It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. 2 He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. 3 When he saw that this met with approval among the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. … Read More
Acts 11:19-30 Encouragement
Luke turns his attention to God’s work in Antioch, building on the theme from Acts 8:4 and setting the stage for Paul and his missionary journey’s to begin. Antioch was 300 miles away Jerusalem- as far away as Manhattan, New York is from Chester, VA. Manhattan is a fair comparison in other ways as Antioch … Read More
Acts 11:19-30
The Church in Antioch 19 Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that broke out when Stephen was killed traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, spreading the word only among Jews. 20 Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus.21 The … Read More