As we come to our last week in Acts, let me personally thank everyone who studied alongside me, Nikki Cunningham for all the technical work in posting the devotions each week, and all those who came to church and followed the sermon series.  I have thoroughly enjoyed our time in this study and have seen the growth in our people during our time together.  Let our time in Acts drive you to study other books in the Bible in the same manner.  Dig into each verse and pray over what God is speaking to you through what you learn.  

As we come to a close, how fitting is it that God would sum up what's been spoken each week for the last 9 months in just one verse.  Verse 24 says, "And some were persuaded by the things which we spoken, and some disbelieved."

"Some will be cut to the heart, and some will pick up stones to kill."

Acts is a wonderful picture of God's sovereignty and man's sanctification.  Also, Acts is just simply a picture of the realities of life through a daily walk in faith.  What the people of this time experienced, we experience today.  We saw that in what happened with Charlie Kirk during our study and also the people slaughtered in Africa for their faith during our time in Acts.  Today might look different culturally, but it's the exact same in what we are called to and how the world will respond.

Remember the message early on and throughout our study....

"The road is hard, God is with you, and Jesus is the way."

Nothing has changed,

Stay faithful church.  

Read the book of Romans to continue the story of Paul.  

"Man is not born strong, he is built strong."

The book of Acts is amazing scripture that showcases bold and persevering faith by Paul and other followers of Jesus in their adventurous pursuit of the Great Commission.  
However, Acts is much more about God's plan and His love for man than it is man's strength and faith in Him.  Honestly, man is not the main character of the book, even though it's easy for one to be focused on the story of faithfulness in Paul. From the surface, one could read Acts and be amazed at how much Peter had grown since the gospels, Stephen's fearlessness as he faced death, and then Paul's faith in the later chapters is like nothing we have ever seen.  

Remember through, men are not born strong, bold, or faithful, they are built. When you dig past the surface of man's adventure in the Great Commission, you will find God's great goodness in building man to everything man could ever dream of being!

God's tells us in Isaiah 64, "O Lord, You are our Father; we are the clay, and You are our potter; we all are the work of Your hand."

In Acts 27 we see this truth come to life! Near the end of our story, the world throws everything it can at Paul to prevent him in getting to Rome.  Storm, after storm, after storm to stop him.  The literal storms would quickly become mental and physical storms in the life of anyone who sailed with Paul.  They would run out of food, supplies, and hope as it seemed as almost a sure promise that they would die in the waters they sailed in.  And when all hope was lost, Paul stood and spoke faithfully to encourage the men that God would provide and that no man would lose their life!  He was the loud voice of faith needed in a storm that was unimaginable. Don't lose sight though church, Paul was not born with this faith, God gave and built it for such moments.  

In verse 23, "For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve, saying, do not be afraid." Don't miss it, Paul was scared, but God made him bold and faithful.  God sent an angel to protect Paul and to give him the assurance to pour into the others who were on the ship.

Acts 27 is not about man's fearlessness, but God's rescue and goodness! All that Paul had gone through prepared him for this exact moment and moments like it! Paul is a messenger, not the author of the story.

My life and yours is played out in the exact same way.  We are messengers, witnesses of God's great work.  We are not the main character of even our own story. God has given us all we need and provided for all that we are.

Stay faithful church.  

Read Matthew 14:22-33 as we see another story of Faithfulness and the lack there of in the presence of God.  

I have so loved the last few chapters of where we have been in our study of the book of Acts! Since the moment Paul knew he was leaving Ephesus, each and every verse has been life as we know it for those that commit to following Jesus and doing the work of the Lord.  The tug from friends and foes to not go out in faith, persecution, struggles in ministry, and God's grace and provisions can all be seen in the last four chapters in our study.  
If anyone desires to follow Christ and be faithful to the ministry, expect versions of what Paul has experienced.

In this week's text, Paul's time of waiting is over and now Festus has a decision to make on what to do with Paul. We start the chapter with Paul once again speaking for himself, sharing his testimony, and pleading with the people to hear the need of God through his story.  As I stated earlier though, if you are going to follow Jesus, how the world responded to Paul in this week's text is how the world will respond to us as well.

Festus hears Paul's testimony and plea and responds with a plea to Paul as well. Festus pleads with Paul to come to his senses!  To stop this foolish new lifestyle that seems to have only gotten him in trouble.

If you are a born again follow of Jesus, you have probably received such a response from those in your life much like Paul did in Acts 26. For you and I today, we must learn from what Paul is experiencing in chapter 26.  Not only will the world hate what God loves, but the world will also question our sanity, motives, and character when we live radically for Jesus. But keep reading church and learn from not only what Paul experiences, but also how he responds. With his life on the line and so much at stake, Paul stands his ground for the gospel to be proclaimed!

Learn from the faithful men and women that have walked before us, lean on the Spirit for strength, and praise God in the midst of trials!

Stay faithful church.

Read Romans 1 this week as many believe that Paul wrote Romans during the time of Acts 20-24.  Knowing what you know from our Acts study, shines much light on how he writes to the people of Rome.

God told Paul, "Be of good cheer, it's time to go to Rome."  However, God never told Paul that he would be leaving tomorrow, or better yet when they would be leaving at all. This week's scripture is a call to perseverance, but also faith in God's timing.  A call to trust God and be patient.

As Paul has been given new orders to leave, he is now called to a personal journey in trusting in God's timing during a two-year period in prison.  From the time he was told that God wanted him in Rome to the time he leaves prison, it is more than a two-year time span. Imagine all the doubt, worry, or confusion one would feel during that time of waiting.  The questions you would ask, "God you have called me to Rome, why am I still in Jerusalem?"
 
Timing is one of the hardest parts of a believer's journey.  For most people, having faith in God's timing could be just as hard as placing faith in His call.  The "when" could be easily harder that the "what or how" for most people. When we look at the basic principles of faith, time is a major thread throughout all of God's promises and believing in who He is.  From creation to revelation, to be a follower of Christ means that you are placing your faith in not only God's existence and Jesus's salvation, but also God's timing.  Faith in God's timing goes hand in hand with having faith in His existence!

As Christians, we are called to place our trust in God's timing in how the world was formed, how man was created, when sin entered the world, salvation through Christ, and the promise of Jesus's return.  God's timing is a part of His promises. Now, if we are called to place our trust in all of the promises of the scriptures concerning His timing, we must also place our trust in the timing He works in our day-to-day lives.

Paul's two-year faith in prison was no different than his faith in that God was real or that Jesus would return one day.  Paul's trust in God's timing gave him confidence in what he read in the scriptures, while giving him comfort to persevere in the struggles that he was personally experiencing. There is so much we can learn from this week's text.  Paul's perseverance came from his trust, which was born out of his faith.  A faith that believed that God was good and sovereign! Paul believed that he would get to Rome, no matter how long it took!  He believed this because he trusted in the One who said it.  

I pray that we let the truth of the scriptures grow our faith in the same way.  Let us trust God through each and every struggle in the same way we trust that each verse of the Bible is true!  Let us remember that God's timing is not of this world and ultimately, He has a bigger, greater plan than anything we could imagine and hope for.

Be patient and trust in the Lord, God's is never early or late to what He has promised to be true.

Stay faithful church.  

 Read Psalms 27 for an encouraging word on faithfully waiting on God.

"Where God calls you, God can take you."

However, that does not mean there won't be people who try and stop you. In the week's text, Paul stands before Governor Felix awaiting the verdict that holds either freedom or death for his future.  Paul is being accused of defiling the temple by bringing in a Gentile man with him to worship.  During this time, this was against the law and could result in a death sentence. Remember, during this time the Jews and Gentiles did not worship together because the Gentiles were believed to be less than in the eyes of God.  Even though Paul would fight for such a man to worship in the temple, he did not do what they accused him of doing (read Acts 21:27-28). Now Paul, called by God to go to Rome, has to have faith that God will deliver him out of the mess he is in in Jerusalem.  At this point in the story, Paul is sitting in the midst of a long list of lies against him, desperately needing the truth to be seen.

Like how the enemy attacked Paul, the enemy still attacks believers today.  The lost world, loves to fight, lie, and frame believers in their hope to discredit God's goodness and existence. The enemy through a lost and broken world will create false narratives and try and ruin reputations of those who are faithful ambassadors for Christ.  If the truth sets people free, the enemy will work in the midst of lies!

Praise God that He knows the hearts of man and is sovereign over all things!
Even though the mob was after Paul and looking to do whatever it took to kill him, God provided all that Paul would need to be set free.  We saw this truth last week as God provided twice as many soldiers to protect Paul as the mob had to kill him.  This week, God provided those in power that could see through the lies.  

For you and me today, none of us should be surprised when those in the world create lies and try and bring our reputations down.  The greatest way to quiet someone's witness is to bring down their character.  The enemy knows this and will work through the mob of gossips and backbiters to either draw you into battle or have you retreat into hiding. Starting in the moment Paul got to Jerusalem, the lost world has tried to provoke as well as lie to quiet Paul.

This week's text is a wonderful reminder to stand confident and strong, knowing that God knows the truth and will provide all that you need to have the truth be seen by others in due time. Remember, Paul is going to Rome, all he has to do is remain faithful that God will get him there. In your faithful journey of following Jesus, the mob will try the exact same attempts on you.  They will whisper discouraging things behind your back, create lies about your character, and stir up conflict in hopes of quieting your calling.  

Do not be surprised by this!

It will not be fun to go through but remain steadfast and faithful that God will provide all that is needed to get to where you are called to go!                                                                                


Stay faithful church.  

Read Psalms 58 for God's promise to those who come against His people.

The hard road of faith has been a theme throughout most of our 8 months in the book of Acts.  "The road is hard" has been said in almost every sermon since the church was scattered in chapter 8.  The hard road of faith is a worthy message and reminder because the challenges of faith are not only seen all throughout scripture but also promised to believers today.  It is good for followers today to see the struggles of spiritual pioneers of the past which can better prepare us to remain faithful in our own battles today.  Case in point, the death of Charlie Kirk went hand in hand with what we were reading in Acts.  Our studies of scriptures and understanding of promised struggles helped us as a church better respond in faith to what we were witnessing in 2025.

However, let not the promise of hard times or struggles in this world ever be louder than the promises and goodness of God! God is good!  God is sovereign!  God loves those that He calls His! In this week's text, God's goodness shines much brighter than Paul's struggles. Paul is beaten, discouraged, and waiting in a holding cell.  Let's not forget the 40 men conspiring to murder him in cold blood!  One could ask how could anything be louder than those types of struggles?

In this week's text, we see that the world's attempt to prevent God's plan is a ridiculous and futile attempt. Praise God, for His goodness is so much greater than man's evil! Just like the numerous times the world threw Peter in prison, the Lord always saw that the jail cell couldn't hold him.  They would throw Peter in prison, and the Lord would set him free.  They could surround his prison with over 100 guards, and Peter would soon find freedom! Why? Because God had plans for Peter and nothing could thwart His hand on his life and calling.

We see the same with Paul this week.  The Lord said to Paul, "Go to Rome and testify in my name."  When we saw that God told Paul what to do, we need to rest assured that Paul was going to have a road to do just that. God's word is clear, "If God is for me, who can be against me?" This verse is not a verse about man, but more the power and promises of God.  "If God has called me, then He will lead me, and if He leads me, nothing can stop me!"

The road is and will remain hard for Paul but praise the Lord for His good and sovereign hand.  In later chapters, Paul gets to Rome just like God called Him to.  Let this be a message of peace and confidence over your soul.  "If God calls me, He will provide for me."
                                                                                                                                                          This week, take time and pray for clarity in God's calling in your life. "God, where would you have me go, say, and do for your glory?" Now, no matter how hard the road is, remember that God never calls someone to a place where He won't deliver them to.                                                                                                                                                                                         God's goodness is greater than the world's hard road!                                                                                            

Stay faithful church.  

 Read Isaiah 41:9-13 for more encouraging truths about God's hand in the life of His children.

According to the plans and hope of Paul, things do not seem to be going in the way he had wished in Jerusalem. Remember, he was told and warned not to go but still chose to be faithful to the calling God had placed on his heart.  Paul went to Jerusalem not because he personally wanted to, but out of spiritual worth.  Obedience to God was worth more than his want.  His love for his lost brothers was worth more than what he wanted. So, Paul went to Jerusalem, led by worth, but experienced what he did not want!

Last week we saw Paul beaten, lied on, and dragged towards death.  We also witnessed a plea for salvation not go the way he had hoped (verse 22:22). Sadly, this week's text piles on more bad news for Paul's missionary hopes and dreams.  His experience with the people he went to minister to goes from bad to worse very quickly.

Have you ever done more damage in an attempt to bring healing?  Caused more harm in an attempt to bring help? In this week's story, Paul loses his temper and now finds himself apologizing and explaining his actions instead of sharing the saving news of the Gospel.  Now Paul finds himself in the midst of an angry mob, lies, confusion, and now a blurred view of his own character.  

If you have tried to minister to anyone in your life, you have probably found yourself in Paul's shoes.  Many have thought, not only did the person I am trying to minister not want to be open to what I was sharing, I didn't even share what I hoped to share with them.  Many of us have brought more confusion in our attempt to make clear or we've brought fear when we desire to bring hope.  If you have been in ministry of any kind, most likely you have experienced failure.

For all those who have failed in their attempt to minister, we see the goodness of God in verse 11, "Be of good cheer Paul...." For every parent who is discouraged, teacher who has confused, or a friend who feels like they "struck out" in their attempt to help, verse 11 is such encouraging news.  Like a loving and caring father, you can almost hear God tell Paul, "Don't beat yourself up bud, you tried."

In ministry, God has not called us to perfection, He has called us to faithfulness. That doesn't mean we should not want to lead and love well through grace and correct theology each and every time.  It just means that God knows we will not be able to live out the great commission in the perfect light in which Jesus did.

Don't miss the heaviness of this verse church! The entire world told Paul not to go.  Paul went and experienced the promised pain his loved ones warned him of.  When given the chance to help, he added gasoline to the fire.  Now sitting in prison, God says, "Be of good cheer."

Christ is perfect, we were called to be faithful.

Faithfulness will be filled with honor, grace, salvation moments, pain, heartache, and failure.

But God tells us, be of good cheer!







Stay faithful church.

 Read 2Corinthians 4 for more encouragement from God on staying faithful.

Well, there is good news and bad news. The good news is that God's word is always true and what the Holy Spirit showed Paul and the other prophets came to be exactly what was seen. The bad news is that what Paul and the other prophets saw was exactly what came to be experienced.

In this week's text, we see that Paul is going to experience everything that his loved ones warned him about.  Paul would be arrested, beaten, and imprisoned for his faith in Jesus.  Paul experienced an outcome that he was not hoping for or wanted, but nevertheless an outcome that was worth his pain.

Remember the message from last week; "God's calling is more about worth than it is want." This is a true saying that Paul lived out in Acts 21 and 22.  Paul did not want to be beaten or imprisoned.  Paul did not want to have his life placed in jeopardy.  I am sure that Paul would have loved to have given his testimony (Acts 22:1-21) and everyone turn to Jesus and spend the day breaking bread and singing hymns. This was not Paul's outcome that I am sure he would have desired. However, Paul's "worth" was greater than his "want."
Paul being faithful to God's calling was worth chains given by man.  Paul's faithfulness was worth the beatings he received.  Even unto death, Paul's faith was worth everything!

We also see that Paul's love for fellow man was worth the death he would one day receive from them. Like we see in the story of Jesus, Paul wanted to share the freeing gospel who those he came in contact with.  Not only was God worth his calling, but the lost were as well!  

"For God so loved the world......"

All who read the story of the gospel should be crushed by the weight of the good news! That the death of Jesus was worth the salvation of man!

Praise God for sending Jesus!

Praise Jesus for the cross!

He is our Savior, hope, Way, and redeemer.

Stay faithful church.  

 Read John 19 for a picture of the goodness of Jesus in His calling to the cross.

Chapter 21 is such a wonderful and clear picture of Jesus! Paul's bound by the Spirit to go minister to those in Jerusalem.  He is willing and wanting to go for the betterment of the people and ready to die for his mission.  Not only is Paul willing to die, but he also fully knows that he probably will die in his calling.  This is a picture of Jesus and His walk to the cross for all those who will listen and believe. Jesus came to die for sinners, and nothing would prevent Him from His mission. Praise God for Jesus's steadfastness!

Just like with Jesus, we see that many attempted to prevent Paul from going to Jerusalem because they knew what would happen to him there.  They knew that chains, beatings, prison, and even death waited on him and because of the love they had for him, they begged him not to go. Once again, we see the story of Jesus!

In Matthew 16, Peter tries to prevent Jesus from going to die on the cross out of his great love.  However, how does Jesus respond? Jesus tells Peter, "Get behind me Satan," because any attempt to prevent Jesus's true calling is not of the Lord.  No matter who stood in His way. So, in Jesus's calling to the cross, it was not only the naysayers and mobs trying to stop Jesus, even those that loved Him tried to stand in His way.  We see the same imagery in Acts 21 as Paul, bound in the Spirit, walks towards potential death.  Loved ones as well as the enemy tried to prevent his direction that God had called him to.

What we see in Matthew 16 and Acts 21 is seen all throughout the Bible and also seen today; that there will be many potential obstacles in the direction God has called us to. Like Jesus, like Paul, you and I have a calling as well as many who try and prevent our walk.  
Those who try and prevent us could be a loved one who is scared for us, the enemy who is scared of us, or just simply distractions that try to reroute us.  

Remember, if you are saved by the grace of God and blood of Jesus, then be bound in His Spirit in the direction He takes you! Whatever it is God has called you to, move towards that destination and don't let anything stand in your way.

Stay faithful church.  

Read Matthew 16 as it is referenced in our devotion this week as well will be read on Sunday.

"God is good, the road is hard, Jesus is the way."

The road is hard has been a theme throughout the entire book of Acts.  From the beginning, the road has been difficult for the people of God.  This did not begin in Acts, but since sin entered the garden in Genesis.  Since sin entered the world, challenges and struggles have been snowballing as the world gets older.  So, as we read Acts, just know that the road was hard for those that came before them, just like it is for these people, and just like it is for us. However, the road does change and might consist of different challenges dependent on many factors, especially how far you might be in your walk.  All roads to Jesus are hard, but depending how far you are in your walk often determines your understanding of just how hard it can be. For example, in the beginning, the hard road of faith snuck up on many of the followers of Christ.  I am sure they did not expect Stephen getting stoned or Peter thrown in jail multiple times.  Maybe Paul did not realize how hard it would be to break into ministry or that he would be hated in every city he preached in. Earlier in Acts, the hard road of faith was new and potentially surprising. However, as the book of Acts continues, the people of God are not surprised at all anymore.  They fully know, understand, and have experienced just how hard the road is.  What's amazing about the ending of Acts compared to the beginning, is that the people know how hard it is going to be and still choose to walk down it!

As Paul leaves, Paul explains to the people that his mission is filled with hard roads that he chooses to continue on.  Paul tells the people that he and his mission's team is off to the next stop where he will surely be met with more struggles.  Paul continues to walk down hard roads because he knows that the hard roads leads to Christ. Did Paul understand just how hard the road was when he began walking; probably not.  Near the end of Acts does he know; absolutely he does!

One piece of amazing assurance that we are given that Christ is real comes from the lengths people went to after Jesus died.  Have you ever met anyone willing to die for a lie? Better yet, anyone die for something that might or might not be true? If you read through the entire New Testament, the road never gets easier the deeper you get into the Bible. However, it seems like the people of God become more and more faithful. How can people grow in strength and faith as their life becomes more challenging?

What we see in Acts is what we see all through the New Testament; our faith in Jesus being Lord makes any hard road worth walking.  Paul was a faithful man of God who was willing to be persecuted, thrown in prison, and even be put to death because He had experienced Christ.

As we all get older by the day, most of our roads do get harder, but I pray our faith grows deeper.  I pray that like Paul, the goodness of Jesus triumphs over anything the enemy throws at us or the world takes from us.

Always remember...

God is real
Jesus saves
The Spirit is within me
The world is not my home


Stay faithful church.  

Read Ephesians 1 as Paul writes to the same people of Ephesus about the love of God.  

From the world's perspective, Jesus is not good for business! In this week's text, the lost world is angry once again with those that follow Jesus, but for reasons we have not yet seen in our story. We have seen the world throw stones because of their unbelief in Jesus. We have seen the world put believers in jail because they would not follow orders to stay quiet about their mission.  We have even seen the anger of the world over theological differences created by the messiah coming that changed all they knew from the Old Testament Law. However, we have not yet seen the conflict driven by the war of the gods.

In Acts 19, the followers of Christ are not coming against self-righteous pharisees or the uneducated church.  In this week's text, the followers of Jesus are against those who have placed their allegiance and life to other gods. During this time period, the people lived for other gods and also made their living making shrines and other treasures based off their religion.

When Paul and his band of believers enter the scene, the people of Ephesus quickly saw that the Gospel was not only bad for business, but also disrespectful towards their other god.  People who heard the Gospel and followed Christ, would leave their past life and also their past idols that they worshiped.  So, no idols meant no shrines and no shrines meant no money.

Remember, Jesus was not good for business!

What we see in the scriptures is that idol worship is harmful on many angles. First and most important, the worship of anything others than our Lord is sinful.  The scriptures tell us that God is a jealous God and desires our first and best.  Loving anything more than God puts great tension in the most important relationship in our life.  Tension with God is a weight in life that none of us should ever desire. The Bible tells us that it is impossible to truly love and worship more than one thing.  

We also see that when one worships other gods, there's no true unity with God's people and His church.  In idol worship, we experience adultery in our relationship with God and when we are not faithful to God, relationships in God's church never feel peaceful or genuine.  In idol worship, we are in constant hiding and ready to defend our stances, creating great tension in God's church. God's church was meant to be a place of safety, peace, and worship.  When we gather, holding hands with other gods, tension enters a place of peace.

Lastly, in idol worship we become controlled by the world; prostituted by the enemy.  This week's text mirrors the story of the demon possessed girl early in the book of Acts.  The world nor the enemy wanted to let loose of the young girl, because the young girl profited them greatly.  This is what we see in idol worship then and this is what we see today. Nothing has changed!

When we love other things more than God, we are doing the work of the enemy! Please wake up church and see the dangers of the false gods and the destruction they bring upon you and those that you love.  Anything that is good and becomes great can easily turn dangerous.  This can be our jobs, money, family, kids, hobbies, and the list can go on and on.

Love God with all of your heart, mind, and soul.  Repent and turn from false gods. Remember, God is real and this truth should shake us to our core and transform our life in every way imaginable.

Stay faithful church.  

Read Exodus 33 as this will be referenced during the message on Sunday.

All miracles and gifts are given to glorify God and draw us to Jesus! The Bible teaches us that through the Holy Spirit, followers of Jesus will be blessed with many gifts.  They will be filled with supernatural power that will change their heart, mind, and soul while also blessing the people of this world. The Bible teaches us that some will be teachers, leaders, evangelists, all the while others will be given gifts to bless His church in many other different ways.  All gifts, no matter if you see them as big or small gifts, are miracles. Anything that God has changed in you or through you, is miraculous.

In chapter 19 this week, we see that God worked in Paul in unusual ways.  First, understand that this does not mean that Paul was loved more, more special to God, or that he was any different than you and I.  No, everything done in Paul and through Paul was all about God's goodness and sovereign plan.  Remember, all miracles and gifts are from God and for God!
Paul was built to speak in a loud and bold voice, not all of us are given such gifts and platforms.  Some of us are given the call to be bold in our home and walking with friends and family.  Both of these opportunities are beautiful and equally important.  Some will heal, many won't.  Many will teach while some are called to listen and relay to others. All transformation is miraculous!  

As believers, I pray that we all see our gifts.  I hope you recognize them and embrace them wholeheartedly.  Not in a prideful way, but as means of worship through seeing what God has done in your life.  I pray you lean into your gifts in confidence and full humility. What is more honoring to God and impactful to the world than a believer that is confident in Christ and humble before God?

This week, take time to thank the Lord for what He has done in your life.  Never think your gift is anything less than a miracle while never believing that anything good in your life is your own doing! We are broken sinners destined to Hell who are beautifully made in the image of God and transformed in the Spirit to be filled with life changing power.

Live in these truths church!

Stay faithful church.  

 Read 1 Corinthians 12 for more truth concerning the gifts from God.

Continuing from last week’s sermon in Acts 17, the message that boldness is a necessity in this world still rings true.  Paul is in a much different season of life in Acts 18, compared to when he was in prison in Act 16.

A question to have on your mind as you head into the sermon is this, “What hardships would you be willing to endure, if you knew that you would receive an amazing year and a half?”  Paul had experienced conflict, bloodthirsty mobs, demons, prisons, beatings, etc. Then he received a vision from the Lord saying, “Do no be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent.  For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.” So Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God.

What would you do with such a promise? I can only imagine the messages that Paul would have preached and taught the people during this time.  They would likely not have been soft or easy messages like the false gospels of health and wealth, or what he warned Timothy about in 2 Tim. 4:3, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers…”

Paul preached boldly and faithfully during this time period.  I am sure he ruffled plenty of feathers, called out people’s sins, and declared Jesus as our savior.  That promise was to Paul specifically, but the good news is that we have been given a similar promise in God’s Holy and perfect word from Romans 8:18-39.  As follower’s of Christ, we can face any hardships this world can throw at us, because of Jesus bringing us into his kingdom and providing us with a perfect eternal life.

Read Romans 8:18-39

Last week, with the death of Voddie Baucham, the church lost a bold and faithful man who dedicated his life to preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Voddie's death was one of many that the church has experienced during the last few years.  Faithful men like Tim Keller, John Macarthur, and James Dobson have all gone to be with the Lord during the last 2-3 years.

On one hand, this is great news as the day a believer passes is the greatest day they will experience.  To be in the presence of the Lord, what could be greater! However, for the people of God, their departure is a heavy blow to our mission. We live in a time where bold, unapologetic preachers of God's word are hard to find.  More churches today are filled with people pleasing, scared story tellers than they are faithful warriors that teach the name of Jesus and go to war over sin.  Churches are filled with preachers who bend the scriptures in their attempt to keep the masses happy. This type of man is the opposite of who Paul was.

Paul was a man who fully understood what he was up against.  He understood the enemy so well because he was the enemy for the better part of his life.  He understood hate, persecution, and the mind of those who raged war against the church.  He knew that his message of saving grace would result in salvation in some, but a life of stones being thrown at him and prison time. Even knowing exactly what his faith would cost him, he gladly accepted the pain it would cause.  Paul believed Jesus was worth any pain the world could throw at him.  He also believed that one sinner who repents and follows Jesus was worth the mob of people who would try and hunt him down.  

In chapter 17 this week, that is exactly what we see.  Paul was more than willing to take on a mob, for the chance of one sinner to hear and repent when believing the gospel.  As we lose more and more bold men of God, we need to pray that God raises more for the greater good of the global church.  As a global church and our local church, we should pray for faithful and truthful mainstream voices to speak loudly about the saving grace of Jesus and not be scared to attack sin.  Our world depends on it! Today, many of our religious freedoms and beliefs can be traced back to the battles men and women like Paul fought for.  For the gospel to spread across the world, many had to face hard times, even unto death.

As our world grows darker and we lose more and more men of faith, lets pray for more voices and choose not to whisper ourselves.

Stay faithful church.  

Read Matthew 23 (whole chapter) as we see the boldness of Jesus, much like we see in Paul in Acts 17.

In my opinion, Acts 16 is one of the greatest and most fun chapters in Acts to preach through.  This chapter is filled with twist and turns, different angles of God at work, and a happy ending that seems to be way overdue for the followers of Jesus! The ministry that would lead to a strong and faithful resurgence began with the salvation experienced in the privileged, possessed, and indifferent.  

In just one chapter, we see God save through the finish work of His son, Lydia the seller of purple linen, the demon possessed that was a slave to a demon and the world, and the jailer who was indifferent and just simply looking to retire.

Acts 16 is an adventurous story, but also one with very simple truths that we need to hold tight to and never forget; God can save anyone! Lydia seemed to be doing pretty good without Jesus in her life.  She had a good job, was intelligent, and seemed to have a good reputation.  God can shake even those who live as if life can't get much better.  The demon possessed girl, who seemed to be too far gone and a lost cause, found Christ that pulled her from the clutches of Satan and the slavery of man. The jailer who was older in life, found new life and shows us that it's never too late to follow Jesus.

One could preach many sermons in this one chapter.  Each character is a sermon of man's sin and God's saving grace.  However, there is one sermon that holds all of chapter 16 together and that is that no one is too far out of the reach of God's grace!

Many of us have been one of these characters in our life or we have ministered to someone that is.  I believe so many different situations are crammed into one chapter to show us the power and love of God.  God did not come for the perfect or the spotless, but every make and model of those who are sick and broken and need of a Savior.

Stay faithful church.  

 Read John 1:6-18 as we see more truth of God's salvation.

Reading this week's scripture, I honestly feel sadder than I did when I read the stories of the stones that were thrown and the prison doors shut on the people of God earlier in Acts.
Yes, it was scary in ways to read through all of the persecution believers went through, but it was somewhat a badge of honor and also expected treatment from the world.  The Bible promises us such hard times will be experienced. However, reading the end of chapter 15 saddens me more than the earlier text scares me.  This week's message is a message of needless failure on the part of unified brothers who were called to the same mission. Midway in our book is when the people of God picked up stones and threw them at each other.

Scripture does not give us all the information to what led to Paul and Barnabas separating, but the text does give us enough for the mind to connect some dots. Paul was the greatest of the apostles and Barnabas we are told was a very gifted man when it came to teaching and engaging the people.  We see that the ministry between both of the men was extremely effective and strong when they were together!  This is why their failure to stay united for the betterment of all is so sad and a failure to learn from today. I believe this is why this part of the story is given to us.

The Bible never tells us that the calling to spread the Good News and make disciples would be easy.  The scriptures never tell us that personalities won't clash or that hard conversations won't occur.  Truth is that ministry is hard inside and outside the church walls. It will be challenging until Jesus returns.  The Bible is clear on that. The Bible is also clear that, if possible, stay united and choose peace with other believers for the betterment of others and for the mission at hand.  Paul tells us in Romans,

Maybe Paul was speaking out of a place filled with newfound wisdom, insight, and past failure.  I wonder if both men, having the opportunity to go back, would have done things differently?  Chapter 15 is the last we hear of Barnabas as most believe that he remained faithful but was killed in Cyprus.  Cyprus was where he chose to go after leaving Paul. 
Let us all humble ourselves, seek peace, and desire unity.  Let us not rage war over preferences and pride. Let us not throw stones at each other and press toward the greater goal of making much of the name of Jesus.

Stay faithful church.  

 Read Acts 4:36, Acts 9:23-30, and Acts 11:19-26 this week in preparation for Sunday's message.  These are all verses reminding us of the character of Barnabas.

This week in our text, we see one of the hardest parts of ministry and walking in faith: unavoidable conflict between fellow believers. Inside the church, good leadership consist of being a peacekeeper and unifier of God's people.  That means loving well and often times picking your battles.  These battles consist of day-to-day operations as well as theological differences.  Even though everything is important and many things in the church/faith are worth a conversation, not everything is worth division. It's beyond sad how many of us have church horror stories of conflict over carpet colors and end times theology. Neither was ever meant to cause division in God's church. However, there are some hills to die on.  In Acts 15, we see the biggest hill of them all.

In chapter 15 we see the beginning of the "Jesus plus" movement.  This belief would mean that to be saved, a person would need the blood of Jesus plus, you fill in the blank.  In this circumstance, certain people were teaching that one would need Jesus, plus be circumcised. This belief would come from the Law given to Moses in the Old Testament in Exodus.  So, the people were holding on to the Law more than they were professing a faith in the finish work of Jesus Christ. This would be a hill Paul was willing to die on.

Paul would fight this fight all throughout the New Testament scriptures.  He would speak and write to many churches that by faith alone one is saved.  That Jesus fulfilled the law, bore the sins of the world, and soaked up the wrath of God for the forgiveness of many! Paul would ask, "What else could any of us add to what Jesus has already done?"

In Galatians, Paul would go as far as wishing these false teachers would be cut off from the kingdom of God because of all the confusion they poured upon the people.  These teachers were leading many to Hell through their attempt to guide them to Heaven!

Today, not much has changed.  Not many are arguing over the circumcision topic, but many still teach and subscribe to the Jesus plus movement.  Many teach that only certain denominations are favored by God, baptism saves, and that there are other ways to Heaven other than Jesus.  These are not "hills" in other countries, but in your own hometown!  

If any of us were to die today and face the Creator and be asked, "Why should I allow you into Heaven?"  The only answer we should give and the only answer that will be accepted is: "Because I have placed my faith in your Son, Jesus." How ridiculous would any of our efforts or achievements stand against our sins?  How much do we need Jesus, more than any of us can fathom! Jesus is enough and that is great news!

Stay faithful church.  

Read Galatians 1-2 as these two chapters are perfect examples of Paul defending the Gospel and what it means to be truly saved.

God is good, the road is hard, Jesus is always with you. For the last two weeks, we have spent most of our time and attention on the reality of just how hard that road of faith actually is.  We covered the believers getting thrown out of town, stoned, and even killed! As a church who is studying the book of Acts, it's easy to get lost on just how hard the road is for believers. In focusing on the hard road, it's also easy to miss just how amazing it is to have Jesus with you.  The presence of Christ can get lost on the heaviness of the challenges of faith.

The greatest strength that is seen all through history comes from those who understand the presence of God with them.  From David, Daniel, and the disciples, we see that strength comes from knowing that God is with us!  

I told everyone that from here on out, the road will be hard.  There will be many hardships and wars for the believers, but do not miss the amazing presence of God every step of the way. When Paul and the others regroup at the church after his stoning and being left for dead, what did they speak of?

"They reported all that God had done."

The world is a scary place for man, that's why the scriptures keep telling us not to be scared.  Around every corner there seems to be more and more challenges.  This is the same road that you and I walk today. God's word tells us to keep our eyes on Jesus more than our fears;  that the greatness of Christ overshadows any and all evil that we could imagine or experience.

Be faithful and trust God during hard times, yes, but also be strong in the presence of Christ the risen King! Hardships are promised, death is inevitable, and the end is coming closer each day, but God is with us, church! He calms every hardship; He has conquered death and has already stood victorious over the end.

"If God is with us then who can be against us."

Stay faithful church.  

 Read Daniel 6 about Daniel and the lion's den.  This will be referenced during the sermon.

"God is good and the road of faith is hard."  This was a quote from last week's message that I told everyone would ring true from here on out in our study through the book of Acts.  Not only is this true in our study, but even in our reality today.  Different time and place, but same truth rings true today.  For those that follow Jesus, God will always be good, and the road will be filled with challenges.

For the Jesus followers in Acts, this week's scripture shows that the challenges will follow even if we try and walk away from them. From here on out, we are going to see Paul and his band of believers make many journeys preaching the Gospel to anyone they come in contact with.  On their journey, they will experience mixed reactions much like we read last week in chapter 13.  Some will be cut to the heart and follow Jesus, and some will become angry and throw stones.  This is a pattern we will see almost every week. However, there is something new that we pick up on in chapter 14 that has not yet been experienced before by Paul and others.  It seems as if the enemies they are making in one town follow them into the next. The people that either don't believe that Jesus is the son of God or refuse to subscribe to the truth that salvation is for both Jew and Gentile, are so angry that they are traveling with the believers to throw stones!

For believers, we see that it's impossible to outrun the mob or escape the hardship that comes with faith. If we place our faith in Christ and dedicate our life to the mission of the Great Commission, the angry mob will always be waiting on us where we go or traveling with us as we leave. Jesus never hid this truth from His followers.  All throughout the scriptures, Jesus is beyond clear about the cost of discipleship. In Matthew 8, Jesus says, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the son of Man has nowhere to lay His head." Not only is the road of faith hard, but it also seems to be everlasting and relentless.

Even though this is a difficult truth to come to grip with, there is a greater truth that follows what Jesus says in Matthew 8. Right after Jesus tells the disciples about the price it takes to follow Him, He shows His power and provisions by calming the storm.  I, for one, always believe what comes before and after a verse is essential to the full story we are reading.  
For example, yes, Jesus does tell His followers that the road is hard and that the mob will follow you town to town, but He also quickly demonstrates His power over the wind, waves, and even mob.

In Acts 14:22, God's word tells us, "We must go through many tribulations to enter the kingdom of God." This is true, even today, but praise God that we have Jesus in every storm! In Matthew 28, Jesus gives the mission call to His followers.  A call to go out and make disciples.  As the mission closes, Jesus tells them, "Do not be afraid, as I am always with you."


Stay faithful church.  

Read Matthew 8:23-27 as this is when Jesus calmed the wind and the waves.  This will be referenced come Sunday morning.

Salvation is not free, nor is walking in faith easy. Salvation comes at a great price.  Your salvation could be seen as free to you, but it came at a great price to God through the death of His Son.  The price of salvation is often missed by many who believe in God's existence.

In the same light of common misunderstandings, faith is not all rainbows and butterflies.  In many Christian circles, there is a misconception that the "free gift" of salvation leads to a life of worldly comfort and happiness.  If you read scriptures, this is a large misconception and what leads many to cry out, "Why God," when hardships come their way. Faith leads to salvation, joy in Christ Jesus, and the promise of Heaven one day, but it does not lead to a comfortable lifestyle of riches and popularity in this life. Faith leads to difficult challenges and hard work in situations that God will call us to that don't always end with happy endings in this world.

In this week's text, God leads Paul and Barnabas away from a place growing in faith, to a location that was trending in the opposite direction. The ministry that God was calling these faithful men to, was a ministry where they would experience conflict with a false prophet and persecution from many who said they were fellow believers. God led faithful men to a unfaithful place of hardship.  The Lord led faithful and obedient men to challenge sin and be hated by many.  Why would God led the faithful into such darkness?

On our walk of faith, it is often hard to understand exactly why the road can be so challenging.  Many of us wonder why there seems to be so many potholes and dangers lurking in our journey. Well, what we read in scriptures this week and all throughout the Bible, is that not only does God use the valleys in life, but often calls us into them for greater influence and reasons. We are called in to valleys to grow and repent, but also to serve in the hard places where the light and truth of the gospel is needed most.

Just like the message last week centering on God, not Peter or James, this week mirrors the same truths.  The hardships and valleys that these faithful men experience seems to be more about where God wants them than it does their own personal development in faith.  For the spread of the gospel, God calls the faithful into the hard places of discomfort and challenges.  Yes, these moments grow and even can correct us, but often we see that this is just simply what's promised throughout scripture.

The walk of faith is hard!

Instead of asking, "Why God" or "What are you trying to show me," seek to understand what He is calling you to do. The good news for believers is that Jesus has paid the price for our life, and God is always with us. There is nothing that this life can throw at us that Jesus has not already been victorious over. So if you experience the valley to grow you, or if the valley is your new mission field, find hope in the presence of God's calling and presence.  



Stay faithful church.  

  Read Philippians 1 as Paul sees prison as a mission opportunity to spread the gospel.

As we begin chapter 12, we see two major defining points in God and for His church.
We see that no matter if man is on a peak or in a valley, God will always accomplish His desired will.  God will move mountains, split seas, heal the sick, and open prison gates to further His gospel to the ends of the world.  Nothing can prevent or force God's sovereign hand.

We also see that in God's church, prayer for such a sovereign will was a foundational reason for the strength and peace they experienced. This week's text gives us both of these characteristics on display.

Hate, persecution, and jail was beginning to become a norm for the people of God. This is a hardship that will not change for the entire study of Acts. Remember the saying early in our study, "What God loves, the enemy hates."  So, from this point on, the people of God who are dedicating their life to faith and service, the enemy will be raging war against.

In this week's text, Peter is back in jail and James has been killed!  Not only is Peter in jail, but he is also just waiting for his time to be put to death. So, what are the people of God supposed to do in such situations? In this moment, we see a defining truth about what the church should be made of, faithful prayer!

In today's church culture, some people have become very me-centered and consumeristic when it comes to what means the most in a church body.  It's easy to build a church on the foundation of entertaining music, engaging speakers that feed only self-help messages, and youth groups to keep our kids happy.  In our "Year One" of the church study, we get to see what the church was built on!  At the lowest moment for these people, the people were in constant prayer. The people knew that God was good and could provide and that the only thing they could do for their brother Peter was to pray.

Can you imagine if today's church lived this way? Could you imagine if the whole body prayed for struggling marriages or sick members.  If the people of God found themselves in constant prayer over God's sovereign and good will?  

Today, nothing at all has changed with God from the time we see in chapter 12, but much has changed for man.  God is still good and sovereign in our lives.  God has a plan and nothing will prevent it. However, I do feel that many inside God's church have drifted from being the prayer warriors we read about in this week's text. I am amazed by the prison doors being opened by God, but I am convicted by prayers of His people.

I hope that the text this week inspires a greater prayer life for God to provide for others much like we read in chapter 12. Cry out to God for bodies to be healed, addictions to die, and for the lost to be saved! Cry out to God for whatever is on your heart and what troubles you for others.

God hears you,
Stay faithful church.

Read Matthew 6:9-13 as God shows us how to pray for His will.

How quickly we forget......

In this week's text, the people of God come to grip with the new reality that the love of God is for all people.  That the blood of Jesus that is offered for the sins of the world actually mean the world.  We see that grace is not only for the people of Jewish heritage or those that fall under traditional approvals, but it's for all people who place their trust and faith in the finish work of the Son of God!!!! In this week's text, the people understand how good the good news really is!

I love how the story begins in chapter 11.  Verse 3 in Acts 11 reads, "You went in to uncircumcised men and ate with them!" Don't overlook the power of pronunciation.  Even the exclamation mark is from God with a message in scripture. The people of Jewish heritage are looking at Peter saying, "What are you doing!"

Isn't it amazing how quickly people forget that they were once the people who had no business sitting with the saved. Not even that far back, the pharisees were looking at the same confused people asking Jesus why He was sitting with them!  Now they are confused why they should sit with others. Isn't it wild how we forget how good the good news is for all people?

Today, we still see this take place. Racism is still alive, denominational superiority reigns in many churches, and social economic class defines where many people worship. All the while, we forget that we were once poor, without a church, and enemies of God.  

The circles of "haves and have nots" is still alive today, even within believers. In this week's text, we continue to take notice of all that the gospel shatters and gives life to.  We see that Jesus did not simply come for some, but for the world.  He did not come for a certain skin color, background, family last name, or just the popular kids on the playground.  Jesus came for anyone that places their faith in Him.

This is such good news!!!  

Today, there are thousands of people of who believe in God but can't fathom that they are the "type" of person that Jesus died for.  They believe this because of their own insecurities, but also because they have been made to feel this way by others.  
In where we are in Acts this week, the love and grace of Jesus is calling all makes and models to "follow Me." No matter your background, heritage, or looks, "follow Me!"

This is why Jesus is such good news to the world!

Read Matthew 9:9-13 as we see a perfect example of Jesus's love and the world's confusion.

Even though chapter 10 might be hard to understand when reading, it is some of the greatest news ever spoken by God. In all of the book of Acts, chapter 10 is one of the most important chapters we will read. Chapter 10 is the moment God tells us that Jesus's love and blood covers all people. Peter's vision had nothing to do with food or animals, it was about all of mankind. God was telling Peter that what used to be seen as unclean was now clean by the blood of His perfect son!

This is such wonderful and amazing news!

This is amazing news because we are the unclean.  Most of us that read this come from Gentile decent.  We are the unclean by blood and by sin. We are the centurion we read about in Acts 10. The centurion was a God-fearing man, but unclean by blood.  He and his family were seen as unclean by the world, even the believing world.

Just like what we read in Ephesians 2, God who is great in mercy has made us clean by the blood of His son! We were born dead, deserving of Hell, and unclean, but God has made clean what use to be "common." Understand, for Peter and the entire Jewish world, this was such a shift in understanding. The people had lived under the law and the love of God was connected to the commandments that He gave His people in Exodus. The vision Peter witnesses is so very different than what he had been taught growing up.  This shift shows us the power of Jesus! Remember what Jesus told His disciples in Matthew 5:

Jesus came to single-handedly  make clean all that is dirty!  He came for the Jew and the Gentile, for all those who place their trust in Him! He took on sin, soaked up the wrath of God, so that all that used to be seen as unclean could now be seen as spotless in the eye of the Creator. Praise God for Jesus!

Stay faithful church.  

 Read Romans 7 as God word speaks on being saved and cleaned by Jesus.

What's greater than a miracle?  Very few things are. Healing, restoration, revival, new life, very few things are greater than experiencing God's miracles. Just reading this week's text fills my soul with hope and confidence in what's possible through Christ who saved me!

Can you imagine witnessing such a healing or being brought back from the dead? The miracles from this week's text could take your breath away!  As much as miracles are amazing, there is something greater though. The only thing greater than a miracle is the one who is the miracle maker.  What is greater than the gift? The giver.
   
It's easy to get lost in the amazing moments of what we are reading this week.  Can you imagine being healed after 8 years of being bedridden or seeing a loved one brought back to life? These are amazing acts of God! However, there is more happening than one might realize.  The miracles are pointing towards something much greater than worldly blessings.  
The miracles in this week's text point to the greatness of God, power of Jesus, and the call to salvation! For those who are being blessed, the miracles bring them to a more intimate sense of worship.  The text also shows us that the bystanders were so amazed, that they would experience the saving grace of Jesus!

We see that as great as miracles are, there are things that are greater happening; worldly circumstances are being turned upside down! God is bringing His children closer to Himself!  

Last week we saw how God was creating dependence in the trenches, while this week He creates praise in the peaks! Don't miss it church! Keep your eyes open to all the blessings and let it drive you to salvation, praise and worship!

Stay faithful church.  

Read Psalms 77 on God's goodness.  

In last week's scripture, God promised Ananias to show Paul "how many things he will suffer for My name's sake." In this week's text we see that God did not waste much time fulfilling that promise. Paul comes out the gates preaching the goodness of God and the scriptures tell us that the people were amazed.  The scriptures also tell us that the amazement quickly turned to skepticism and anger.  Paul would receive doubt from the good guys and hate from the bad.

We know from basic Bible knowledge that Paul would be a Christian all-star and used by God in mighty ways, but what many don't know is that God's plan for Paul would begin in brokenness.  In the beginning of Paul's ministry, he began in the trenches.  He had lost all of his friends and people that supported him while now not being trusted by the people who he was called to love and lead.

In the beginning, all Paul had was God and that was exactly what Paul needed most. Paul was going to experience blessings and war like no other.  He would have a closeness to God like many have never experienced.  He would find himself in prison while also writing the majority of the most famous book in history.  In this week's text, God is preparing Paul for what's to come.

We are not going to be used to write books of the Bible, but we will be molded in the same way Paul was.  God has a sovereign plan for our life, and His plan often begins in creating a new dependence on Christ. That dependence on Jesus comes from a separation in the world.  It comes with seeing our sin and the pain it has caused others while trying to create a new reputation through our newfound life. This process often begins with amazement and quickly turns to hardship.  Much like this week's text.

Like Paul, if you find yourself in the midst of skepticism in your new life or even at war with your old one, take hope that God is doing something great in your life!
For those that God calls His, He molds and prepares for the glory of the Kingdom and His name, and that is always good news for us.



Stay faithful church.  

 Go back and read Acts 9:1-19 as it gives us great context to what we see God doing in Paul's life in this week's scripture.