PRAYING AND PRAISING GOD CAN CHANGE THINGS

Proclamation:

“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.  Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken.  At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose.”  Acts 16:25-26 (NIV)

Explanation:

Paul went to Macedonia in response to a vision he had. (Acts 16:9-10)  There he met Lydia, a wealthy woman who worshiped God.  He baptized her, and he and Silas stayed at her house. (Acts 16:13-15)  One day, on their way to the place of prayer, they met a female salve who had a spirit within her by which she predicted the future.  Her owners earned a great deal of money from her fortune-telling.  For many days she followed them around shouting, “These men are servants of The most High God …” and annoyed Paul so that he called the spirit out of her. (Acts 16:16-18)  This upset her owners who lost their hope of making more money through her.  So they had Paul and Silas arrested.  Because of the charges which they brought against them, they were stripped, beaten, severely flogged, thrown into prison and put in the stocks. (Acts 16:19-24)  While in prison the prayed and praised God and suddenly their chains fell off and the prison doors flew open.  They did not leave the prison and after the jailer saw what had happened, he led them out of the prison and brought them to his house. (Acts 16:27- 34)

Application:

We are encouraged to always pray (Luke 18:1) and His praise should always be on our lips. (Psalm 34:1)  However, when things have gone from bad to worse, and life has gotten us down, and it seems that there is no way out, it is hard to be positive.  That is the time when we should pray and praise The Lord anyhow.  The Lord God can make a way out of no way.  It takes some pretty strong faith to praise Him when things are not going the way that we had planned and are much worse than we ever expected.  Remember, we cannot have a testimony without first going through a test.  Trust in The Lord.

LEARN HOW TO DISAGREE WITHOUT BEING DISAGREEABLE

Proclamation:

“Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, ‘Let us go back and visit the believers in all the towns where we preached The Word of The Lord and see how they are doing.’  Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work.  They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company.  Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the believers to the grace of The Lord.  He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.”  Acts 15:36-41 (NIV)

Explanation:

When Barnabas and Paul left Antioch to begin their first Holy Spirit directed missionary journey John Mark was with them as their helper. (Acts 13:1-5)  However, when they sailed to Perga in Pamphylia, Mark left them and returned to Jerusalem. (Acts 13:13)  It is not recorded why Mark left them but it is clear that Paul felt that he deserted them and did not want to take him on another journey.  The disagreement between Paul and Barnabas over Mark was so sharp until they parted company and went in different directions.  They did not split the church in Antioch where they were like “co-pastors”.  They both continued to do the work of The Lord but with different travelling companions for their second missionary journey.

Application:

Unfortunately, from time to time believers will disagree with one another, and so do men of God.  The Christ-like way to handle such things is to disagree without being disagreeable.  Do not tear apart the church because of human differences and disagreements.  There is plenty of work for all of us to do in different venues.

BELIEVERS MUST ENDURE MANY HARDSHIPS IN THIS LIFE

Proclamation:

“They preached the gospel in that city and won a large number of disciples.  Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith.  ‘We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,’ they said.  Acts 14:21-22 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written by Luke, the physician, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  Luke records that Paul and Barnabas preached so effectively in Iconium that a great number of Jews and Greeks believed. (Acts 14:1)  But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the people so that the city was divided.  There was a plot to stone them but they fled to Lystra. (Acts 14:2-7)  In Lystra, Paul healed a man who was lame from birth and the people thought that they were gods and wanted to offer sacrifices to them. (Acts 14:8-18)  Some of the Jews who came from Antioch stirred up the people, won over a large crowd and they stoned Paul and left him for dead. (Acts 14:19)  The next day Paul and Barnabas left for Derbe. (Acts 14:20)  After preaching there they retraced their steps and went back to the cities of Lystra, Iconium and Antioch.

Application:

It is not easy to be a Christian.  There is a price to be paid for being a believer and following Christ.  Jesus, The Christ, said that we must take up our cross and follow Him. (Matthew 16:24, Mark 8:34, and Luke 9:23)  He also said that we would be hated among men for His sake. (Matthew 10:22, Mark 13:13, Luke 21:17, and John 15:18)  However, if we endure the hardships in this life, we will be rewarded in the next life.  So, keep the faith, joy is coming. (Psalm 30:5)

BELIEVERS ARE FORGIVEN OF EVERY SIN THROUGH JESUS THE CHRIST

Proclamation:

“Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you.  Through Him everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the Law of Moses.”  Acts 13:38-39 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written by Luke, the physician, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  Luke records that The Holy Spirit directed Barnabas and Saul, who is also called Paul, to leave Antioch and go to Pisidian Antioch by way of Cyprus. (Acts 13:1-13)  There on the Sabbath they went to the synagogue and sat.  After the reading of the law the leaders of the synagogue asked them to speak. (Acts 13:14-15)  Paul stood up and preached the gospel, and he ended with the above two versus. (Acts 13:16-39)  Afterwards, he was asked to speak again the next Sabbath and Jews got jealous when almost everyone in the city gathered to hear him. (Acts 13:42-47)

Application:

Those of us who believe in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, The Christ, are forgiven of all of our sins.  We are no longer under the Law of Moses, we are under the God’s grace.  This applies not only the Jewish believers, but to the Gentile believers also. (Acts 13:46-48)  The Law of Moses cannot save anyone, only those of us who are covered by the blood of Jesus can be saved and have our sins forgiven. (1 John 1:7)

THERE IS POWER IN CORPORATE PRAYER

Proclamation:

“Then Peter came to himself and said, ‘Now I know without a doubt that The Lord has sent His angel and rescued me from Herod’s clutches and from everything the Jewish people were hoping would happen.’  When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying.”  Acts 12:11-12 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written by Luke, the physician, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  Luke records that Herod had arrested some members of the church and was planning to execute them. (Acts 12:1)  He had James, the brother of John, put to death with a sword.  When he saw that this pleased the Jews, he had Peter arrested and planned to execute him after the Passover. (Acts 12:2-4)  While Peter was in jail awaiting execution, chained between two soldiers, an angel of The Lord appeared, released him, and led him out of the prison into the city. (Acts 12:6-10)  Peter initially thought that he was seeing a vision (Acts 12:9) but when he came to himself he realized that The Lord God had saved him.  Once he was outside of the prison, he went to Mary’s house where the believers had gathered and were praying for him.  They were praying for him but did not believe that their prayers had been answered. (Acts 12:13-17)

Application:

There is power in prayer.  Jesus, The Christ, said that men ought to always pray. (Luke 18:1) Prayer changes things.  There is also power in corporate prayer.  Jesus said, “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18:20)  Great and wonderful things happen when the people of God are gathered together in one place and are on one accord.  Jesus said, “And all things, whatsoever you shall ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive.” (Matthew 21:22)  So, pray until something happens. 

THE TRUTH CAN SILENCE SOME OF OUR CRITICS

Proclamation:

“When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, ‘So then, even to Gentiles God granted repentance that leads to life.’”  Acts 11:18 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written by Luke, the physician, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  Luke records that the apostles and believers criticized Peter for taking The Word of God to the Gentiles and for going into the house of, and eating with, “uncircumcised men.” (Acts 11:1-3)  Peter told them the hold story starting from the beginning. (Acts 11:4-16)  When he had finished he asked them, “So if God gave them the same gift He gave us who believed in The Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could stand in God’s way?” (Acts 11:17)  When they heard this, they had no further objections.

Application:

Sometimes we can be criticized, even by believers, for doing what The Lord God has told us to do.  Some people will not like it when we tell the truth.  When our critics are believers, the truth will silence them. (Acts 11:18)  However, if our critics are non-believers, the truth can upset them and even enrage them to the point of violence.  That was what happen to Peter and John (Acts 5:40) and to Stephen. (Acts 7:54-58)  Jesus, The Christ said, “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake … Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven; for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.” (Matthew 5:10-12)  We are encouraged to always tell the truth, but we should think before we speak to make sure that what we say is “Truthful, Helpful, Insightful, Necessary, and Kind.”

OUR HEART IS IMPORTANT NOT OUR RACE ETHNICITY OR NATIONALITY

Proclamation:

“He said to them: ‘You are aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile.  But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean.’”  Acts 10:28 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written by Luke, the physician, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  Luke records that a devout and God-fearing man named Cornelius, who was a centurion in the Roman army, had a vision in which he was told to send for Simon Peter. (Acts 10:1-6)  About the same time Peter had a vision in which The Lord God told him not to call anything impure that He had made clean. (Acts 10:9-16)  While Peter was still trying to figure out his first vision, The Holy Spirit came to him and told him to go with the three men who were looking for him because He had sent them. (Acts 10:17-19)  Peter went with them and when he arrived at the home of Cornelius he told them that their law did not allow a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile, but God had shown him that it was okay. (Acts 10:23-29)  Cornelius had invited his relatives and close friends to his home to hear the message that God had for them. (Acts 10:24)  Peter found a large gathering in the house (Acts 10:27) and preached to them until The Holy Spirit came upon all of those who heard him. (Acts 10:44-46)

Application:

With The Lord God there is no respect of persons, (Acts 10:34 and Romans 2:11) there are believers of all nationalities.  We are to accept all believers as brothers in Christ, regardless of our ethnic differences.  All believers possess The Holy Spirit of God within them.  It should not matter to us what race, creed, ethnicity, or nationality someone is, all that is important is if they believe or not.  If they believe, then they are to be accepted.  If they do not believe, then we are to share the gospel with them and let The Holy Spirit work on them and add to the church as He sees fit. (Acts 2:47)