God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith… No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.” —Acts 15:8-9, 11              What was true when these verses were written is true today— “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing…

While the harpist was playing, the hand of the Lord came on Elisha and he said, “This is what the Lord says: I will fill this valley with pools of water. For this is what the Lord says: You will see neither wind nor rain, yet this valley will be filled with water, and you, your cattle and your other animals will drink. This is an easy thing in the eyes of the Lord; he will also deliver Moab into your hands. —II Kings 3:15-18 Elisha said, “Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don’t ask for just a few. Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars, and…

You have searched me, Lord, and you know me.  You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.  You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. —Psalm 139:1-4 Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. —Psalm 139:6              My Lord knows all about me.  He knows “when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.”  He knows “my going out and my lying down.”  He…

“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. Take care that what the prophets have said does not happen to you:  “ ‘Look, you scoffers, wonder and perish, for I am going to do something in your days that you would never believe, even if someone told you.’” —Acts 13:38-41              Have you called on Jesus?  If not, here’s the message of Jesus you need to hear— https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZD6khv6pGkw&t=61s What will you do now that you heard? …

His wife Jezebel came in and asked him, “Why are you so sullen? Why won’t you eat?”  He answered her, “Because I said to Naboth the Jezreelite, ‘Sell me your vineyard; or if you prefer, I will give you another vineyard in its place.’ But he said, ‘I will not give you my vineyard.’ ”  Jezebel his wife said, “Is this how you act as king over Israel? Get up and eat! Cheer up. I’ll get you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.” —I Kings 21:5-7 As soon as Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned to death, she said to Ahab, “Get up and take possession of the vineyard of…

Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep. —I Kings 19:3-5 And the word of the Lord came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?” —I Kings 19:9              Elijah just saw our Lord work powerfully on Mount Carmel (I Kings 18:16) and when the people saw this “they fell…

The voice spoke from heaven a second time, ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.’’ —Acts 11:9              What our Lord makes clean is clean!  Jesus said, “You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me” (John 15:3-4).  Again, it is said that “Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her…

Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah: “Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. You will drink from the brook, and I have directed the ravens to supply you with food there.”  So he did what the Lord had told him. He went to the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan, and stayed there. The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook. —I Kings 17:3-6 “Go at once to Zarephath in the region of Sidon and stay there. I have directed a widow there to supply you with food.” —I Kings 17:9              …

At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, “Cornelius!”  Cornelius stared at him in fear. “What is it, Lord?” he asked.  The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is…

Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers. —Acts 9:31              This Word from God is a great encouragement.  The church not only grows through persecution, but here we see that God also strengthens, encourages and increases His church when enjoying “a time of peace.”  The key in this verse for the church to increase is that it is “living in the fear of the Lord.”  “Luke records that “a sense of awe came over everyone” (Acts 2:43) and again that “fear came upon the…