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Acts 8:4 Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word.
Did the acts of Saul stop the Christians from going out and telling others about Christ? Did he manage to stop Christianity from spreading?
No! The Christians were spread further apart because of the persecution, but they continued to tell others the Gospel.
In fact, you could say Saul was helping them in one way; the Gospel was going out further than it would if people were comfortable in their areas!
God may allow you to get uncomfortable so His Word can get out more!
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Acts 8:3 As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.
Here is a man who is doing everything he can to get Christians put into prison. Why? Because it was against the laws he was trying to impose on people.
Which laws? You may ask… People had got so tied up with laws man had created they were actually fighting against God!
We do tend to get so tied up with ourselves and our own ways that we turn away from God as well.
Don’t let the world wear you down; hold fast to God and His ways!
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Acts 7:49 ‘Heaven is My throne, And earth is My footstool. What house will you build for Me? says the Lord, Or what is the place of My rest?
How big is God? A simple question which we cannot answer when we understand part of God, but one a young child may be delighted to try and explain.
There is no limit for God which He cannot extend or surpass. There is nothing too small or too big for Him.
We may struggle to imagine just how fantastic the temple Solomon built for God actually was, but still that was not enough for God.
Don’t try to limit God – you cannot!
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Acts 7:41 And they made a calf in those days, offered sacrifices to the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands.
When you don’t hear God speaking to you, what do you do? Do you run off to try and make something which makes sense to you, or do you wait?
Sometimes in our lives we have to wait beyond our comfort zones; God is not constrained by the same time limits we are…
Trusting God means going out further than we are comfortable with, going out into deeper waters, going out where He says!
Don’t get carried away with your own thoughts, do what God has said has to be done.
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Acts 7:25 For he supposed that his brethren would have understood that God would deliver them by his hand, but they did not understand.
Moses had been kept safe through all the dangers faced by his family because God wanted him to be kept safe!
When God purposes something in your own life, you can bet you will see it come about one way or another!
Trying to run the other direction like Jonah is not going to help anyone; trusting God and obeying Him gives others the chance of seeing God in action!
Live with God. Live for God.
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Acts 6:11 Then they secretly induced men to say, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.”
One of the things we face as we spread more of the gospel is people making up stories about us!
I count myself lucky I have been able to confront most of the people who talk about me and settle the bad words said about me; but what happens when people in authority say things about you?
If the world were as it should be, people in authority would demonstrate justice and holiness; they would not talk about us behind our backs.
Be holy. Follow God. Obey God. He can sort out the mess we cannot!
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Acts 6:2 Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables.
What has God given you to do with your life? Has He given you the position of preacher or teacher? Has He given you the position of carer or advocate?
Each of us has gifts we can use for God and He tries to steer us toward using those gifts effectively for His glory.
It is not right that we should give us using those gifts just so we can do more stuff for Him which society and community shout for!
Listen to God and not peer pressure!
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Acts 5:42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.
And now that we know this is the truth as we read it, not just because it has been going for thousands of years but rather because we have studied it and found it not wanting; what are we to do?
We are to do exactly as the disciples did: take the Bible, God’s Word, and share it with people as far and wide as we can.
Christ’s words to the disciples were to go out and spread the gospel. His example to us was to spread the gospel. Their example to us was to spread the gospel.
Isn’t it time we went out and spread the gospel?
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Acts 5:38 And now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing;
Gamaliel was a very wise Pharisee who was watching the acts of the apostles closely. His advice was sound advice.
He told the leaders to leave the apostle alone and if it was not the truth it would all fizzle out; natural selection if you will.
What we see today is how this same Word has continued to be with us and lead us for thousands of years. It has not fizzled out because it is the truth!
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Acts 5:29 But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men.
When we go forward and do things for Christ we should be careful not to get carried away and do things for ourselves.
Many times we like to stretch the truth in our own stories; we should not be doing so for God. Our God is holy and just meaning He does not do things wrong and He upholds His rules!
Just because people do not like us doing things for God should not stop us from doing so: Stand Up! Stand Up! For Jesus!
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Acts 5:25 So one came and told them, saying, “Look, the men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people!”
How willing are you to totally trust Christ for everything every day? We should all be totally committed to trusting Christ just as these disciples were.
Even when they were locked away in prison, God got them out so they would continue their work.
When we are given a commission we need to follow God’s lead and do what He says – He will be there every step of the way!
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Acts 5:20 “Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life.”
What are you going to do if God asks you to step forward into the spotlight?
I used to be shy with telling people I trust and believe in Christ but soon found out how much more enjoyment I get out of telling people rather than keeping quiet!
Peter went to many lengths to get others to listen and hear about Christ. We need to step forward with the knowledge we have, no matter how small, and share it with those around us.
God has put us here for a reason.
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Acts 5:18 and laid their hands on the apostles and put them in the common prison.
How far are you willing to go when questioned about God? Are you willing to stand firm in your faith and your beliefs and uphold the truth or are you going to cave under pressure?
I’m sure we all answer “I will stand firm” until the going does get tough; then many of us cave in just as Peter did and blend into the background.
Don’t be a shadow, be a light, a bright light shining in the darkness for all to see and all to share!
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Acts 5:13 Yet none of the rest dared join them, but the people esteemed them highly.
Have you got a small group of people in your church who seem to do all the work and keep it going? I know there are many churches around the world who are simply hanging in there because of a small dedicated team of people.
God does not want a “small band of merry men” who are willing to do everything; He wants a whole church who do things together and for His glory!
Don’t be scared of stepping forward to help others – rather take a positive approach and join in taking care of God’s children with all who are willing. Be a team. Be a church!
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Acts 5:3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself?
How many times have you told a lie this week? I’m not talking about a earth-shattering whopper of a lie, just a little “extension” of the truth…
Isn’t it funny how we categorise lies and give levels of how big a lie one actually is – well, that is not what our bibles teach us.
Ananias and Sapphira did their deed in secret thinking it would still make them look good to the rest of the disciples – but God declared otherwise!
Think before you stretch the truth…
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Acts 4:32 Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.
This verse shows us how the believers in Christ had changed their life styles, no longer were they focused on things for themselves but were now opening up their lives to each other in a new way.
As Christians we need to follow Christ’s example and not just say we care but actually mean it and show it.
When Jesus said we should love one another, it was not to be done in our minds or in our hearts but with our whole beings!
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Acts 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.
When you want strength, guidance, wisdom or just a bit of support, lift up your prayers to God. He is listening and He hears them all!
The disciples found out just how great God can be because they were freed from the oppression of the elders just because of their faith in Christ.
Stand by your faith, lift up your prayers and trust in our all seeing, all powerful God who lived amongst us through Jesus Christ.
He is here with us!
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Acts 4:19 But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge.
When we get to face people who are working against God we have to make a decision as to whether we follow their instruction or follow God’s instructions.
It may not seem like a difficult choice when we are just talking about it, but when you are faced with real life choices you may well think again.
Don’t be afraid to admit you are scared. Don’t think you are alone. Even Christ was faced by temptations from the evil one; but He kept His faith in God and in the bible.
We need to draw of God’s strength during times of temptation and not try to go it alone – we may just not be strong enough to face the temptations alone!
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Acts 4:14 And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.
No matter how much people work against you or try to disprove God’s existence; when they are faced with something only God can do, they have to accept it!
We need to trust in Christ totally so He can work through us and in us; then people around us can see just how real God is.
Accepting God is real is one thing, but trusting in Him for everything and with everything does take faith and strength – simply because we are living in a faithless world of unbelief. Stand firm!
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Acts 4:7 And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, “By what power or by what name have you done this?”
When we trust Christ to work through us we are able to do so much more than we can by ourselves; we can even get to heal and teach others!
When the disciples went forward and began working miracles, it was because of God working through them and not them themselves. They were under no illusion about this.
The Scribes and Pharisees around them wanted to know how they were doing this because they couldn’t!
When we work with Christ and He is able to change things, people will ask us how – we can then tell them the truth about God!