Paul and Barnabas demonstrated incredible courage and resilience through rigorous missionary work and even returning repeatedly to dangerous locals. Such ruggedness is languishing in modern culture, but it must be part of Christian character.
Read MorePaul's efforts in taking the gospel to the known world were truly extraordinary. However, in kind and type, they should not be unique. To cause trouble in the body of Christ is incredibly dangerous and ignorant because we do not know the extraordinary lengths God is going to, through people, to accomplish His plans and purposes.
Read MoreIn Acts 13, Paul preaches his first significant sermon recorded in the book. 400 miles from the start of their missionary journey, Paul and Barnabas began preaching the gospel in Antioch of Pisidia. Paul's message was calling people to a point of decision so that they might be saved. God is calling His people to truth, and He's asking us not to forsake it. Certain truths we reject to our peril. To marginalize any truth is to diminish our lives. Knowing truth helps and saves no one. That truth must move one to a point of decision.
Read MoreIt is vital that, as Christians, our orthodoxy be followed with a lived out doctrine that can be observed. Visibility gives us viability.
Read MoreActs 13 marks the beginning of the missionary endeavors of the early church, which became their primary purpose and focus.
Read MoreIn a world that has completely engineered all discomfort from life, something is lost. Not only are we weaker people physically, but we are also weaker spiritually and fail to fully realize and manifest the total sufficiency of Christ and His grace.
Read MoreWaiting in Tarsus
Read MoreA Man with Two Diseases
Read MoreThere is wisdom for us in understanding and aligning ourselves with the purposes of God. There is incredible foolishness in and consequences for aligning ourselves against Him.
Read MoreBeing Good at Being a Man
Read MoreA determination to give generously above and beyond what was required was the heart of the early church, as it should be the heart of every believer.
Read MoreBy Acts 11, the seed of the gospel that started in Jerusalem was spreading rapidly throughout the known world, with Antioch soon becoming a hub, bursting at the seems with new converts. The church in Jerusalem sent a man to train and encourage these recently converted former pagans. They sent a "good man" named Barnabas, who was known as an encourager.
Read MorePrejudice is the grouping of people by a particular character trait deemed as lesser. It is human nature to be prejudiced towards those who are perceived as different. However, there is absolutely no place for prejudice in the Christian life. We are all sinners before God, and we are all the objects of His love as demonstrated in the life and death of Jesus Christ. God forbid that we say, "God forbid" to someone who needs His love.
Read MoreThe Encouragers
Read MoreRemember - Episode 57
Read MoreAfter Paul was saved on the Damascus road and before the began his ministry to the gentile world in earnest he spent 3 years in Arabia. This was a time he spent with the Lord and growing in the spirit. We spend too little time alone with the lord and our contemporary culture often makes this even more difficult.
Read MorePaul’s encounter with Jesus on the Damascus road teaches us that no person, no circumstance, and no difficulty is beyond the reach and transformational power of Jesus Christ!
Read MoreTabatha was an exceptional woman who left an incredible legacy and hole in her absence. She walked worthy of her calling as a Christian, and we are to do the same. We should consider our legacies and walk worthy of our calling.
Read MoreThe man who sold everything gained, through a temporary loss, great wealth. There are some things worth having that we should purchase, even if it costs us everything.
Read MoreGod uses people to help people. God intends people to touch and shape people. This is not always positive, but God intends it to be. We leave on one another indelible marks. These are never in consequential. These mini impacts are for good or for bad. We must ask ourselves, "Who is better for my having interacted with them?"
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