God’s Power in Salvation

God’s Power in Salvation

In terms of redemption, God’s power is most notably shown when he acts upon the recipient of his salvation. Accordingly, listen to what the Apostle Paul writes in a couple spots…Rom. 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for...
God’s Providence in Salvation

God’s Providence in Salvation

In order to consider God’s providence in salvation, first, consider your own salvation. When is the last time you thought about all the details of your life and specifics surrounding the time of your conversion?  Would it not take a Sovereign God to accomplish...
The Particular Fears of a Husband

The Particular Fears of a Husband

The Bible teaches that fearing the Lord and trusting in the Lord are inextricably linked. Consider this well-known Proverb–Prov. 29:25 The fear of man brings a snare, but he who trusts in the Lord will be exalted. What are a husband’s common fears that can cause...
“Not my will, but yours”

“Not my will, but yours”

According to Hebrews 5, throughout his life, Jesus learned obedience through increasing difficulty with the result that he would be prepared to take this final step of obedience by submitting to the Father’s will in the Garden of Gethsemane.It’s this real fight of...
Unique ways the church is strengthened

Unique ways the church is strengthened

The very last verse of this section contains the theme of this final section–Acts 16:5 So the churches were being strengthened in the faith, and were increasing in numbers daily. That outcome is highly expected after the teaching, preaching and encouragement...
How the church perseveres through unity

How the church perseveres through unity

Now that the equality of everyone’s status of salvation by grace through faith has been established, whether Jew or Gentile, does that settle everything in the Acts 15 controversy? With this biblical teaching on justification reinforced, can the church function as it...
Saved to Exalt God’s Name

Saved to Exalt God’s Name

In Acts 15, it is apparent that Jews and Gentiles have been saved by grace and both Jews and Gentiles have been called to be holy. This is directly related to being redeemed by God to be his own possession and when God’s make someone his own possession, that person...
Gospel Perversions

Gospel Perversions

There are two major perversions of the gospel that have existed since the time of the New Testament. Both are derived from merely adding Christ to one’s life without giving up what was driving one’s life to begin with. The one from Jude 4 is the antinomian version...
How We Obtain God’s Preserving Grace

How We Obtain God’s Preserving Grace

Instead of having these things tied together in our minds (God’s preservation and our faithfulness to pursue him), we often have the same desire as David, but not the same commitment. In other words, we have a hope that God’s preserving promises will come to pass, but...
Being Steadfast for Others

Being Steadfast for Others

Take note of the following verses that describe the Apostle Paul’s steadfast mindset towards ministering to others— Acts 20:24 But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the...
The God who is Good to All

The God who is Good to All

What incredible truths in order to gain a proper perspective of God’s righteousness in his judgment of sinners? In Acts 14:17, Paul declares that God treats rebellious sinners with goodness! Think about this city of Zeus worshippers in Acts 14 and keep in mind that...
How Jealousy Contends with the Gospel

How Jealousy Contends with the Gospel

When there is an ongoing resistance to believing and obeying Christ, then there is a competing desire in one’s heart that is the master of that person. In this case, jealousy exposes the presence of a false god in the heart. Reason being, jealousy leads to a complete...
How do you listen?

How do you listen?

At the end of Paul’s sermon in Acts 13, he has put a fork in the road for the listeners to either receive the teaching or reject it. That begs the question: When the message of truth comes to us, what do we do with it?I’m not referring to a one-time acceptance...
Self-exaltation leads to rejecting Christ

Self-exaltation leads to rejecting Christ

The sermons in the book of Acts typically highlight God’s commitment to save despite his people’s sin, God’s faithfulness to his promises despite his people’s unfaithfulness, God’s sovereignty in carrying out his purposes despite his people’s rebellion, and God’s...
The Astounding Word of God

The Astounding Word of God

From many accounts in the book of Acts, it is clear that the Word of God is the only the authoritative, clear and powerful teachings of Scripture that can transcend the natural realm by having supernatural effects in people of any place and background. Reason being,...
What is Worthy of Christ?

What is Worthy of Christ?

Here is a great question for us to consider upon thinking through Eph. 4:1—How often do you consider the responsibility you have to match up your life of obedience with your divine calling? Oftentimes I think we reason within ourselves as though obedience is...
Where Hope is Found

Where Hope is Found

In Lamentations 3:22, Jeremiah supplies the reasons for his hope stated in v.21. First, The LORDS’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease…Lovingkindness is one of those words in the Hebrew which is so rich that translators have a hard time capturing all that it entails...
God’s Commitment to Advance the Gospel

God’s Commitment to Advance the Gospel

God’s actions in Acts 12 in the delivering of Peter from prison and the killing of King Herod, illustrate that God is completely sovereign over rulers, just as Paul teaches in Rom. 13, and as is found in Daniel’s blessing to God in Dan. 2, where Daniel declares...
What A Church Must Practice

What A Church Must Practice

Acts 11:19-26 display core traits of faithful gospel ministry, which brings forth tremendous evidence of a very strong church in Antioch. Nevertheless, here’s what we need to understand: There could be indiscriminate evangelism and encouragement towards perseverance,...
God Saves to be Praised

God Saves to be Praised

We know that the Bible teaches that all are unclean in God’s eyes due to possessing a wicked heart and therefore all are completely dependent on the cleansing power of Christ’s blood that is effectual to a sinner only through faith in Christ’s finished work. Despite...
The Peaceful Increase That Comes From God

The Peaceful Increase That Comes From God

In Acts 9, Luke supplies one of those summary statements that gives a status update of the advancement of the church—v.31 Therefore the church throughout Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace, being strengthened and going on in the fear of the Lord, and in the...
Do you believe God loves to save?

Do you believe God loves to save?

How certain are you that God desires to save by pouring out his grace on sinners through the gospel of Jesus Christ? Your level of certainty will be directly related to your faith in the following truths: 1) God’s merciful disposition—Eze. 18:23 Do I have any pleasure...