So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers. —Acts 16:5 The soil was very fertile from the cattle that used to graze on the land for years. You could see the garden plants strengthened day by day in that soil. The number of blossoms that appeared on the plants grew each day as well. The harvest would be plentiful. According to this verse in context Paul was going from town to town delivering to churches the decision agreed upon by the apostles and elders at a council that took place in Jerusalem (Acts 15). Upon hearing the Word from Paul we are told that two…

They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. —Acts 15:39 Ever been in such a sharp disagreement that you and the person you were disagreeing with went your separate ways? Sometimes people feel so strongly about a situation that they are willing to part ways over it. It can take place with a family member, a relative, in the workplace or at school and in the church. It can happen with people you have known for a brief time or that you have known for decades. The context of the verse above is speaking about Paul and Barnabas. These two men had served together, had been close to…

In Lystra there sat a man who was lame. He had been that way from birth and had never walked. He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed and called out, “Stand up on your feet!” At that, the man jumped up and began to walk. —Acts 14:8-10 It is fun to watch the progression of children’s motor abilities from infancy. As a baby they mostly just lay on their back cooing or crying, helpless. Then they get to a point where they can roll over. Eventually up on their arms or hands to start pushing their…

“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 Get on the lifeboats! Quick, the ship is sinking! Many laughed, saying, “Ah, it is only a drill.” The warning came again and again, but…

What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. —James 4:14 I look out my window and see the changing color of the leaves. It is a beautiful time of year with the various colors against a backdrop of deep blue sky. The air is crisp, but the sun is warm. Leaves are falling from the trees and the daylight hours are getting much shorter. Autumn is upon us again. Another year passing by— my 59th autumn. But, it seems just the other day I was playing in the dirt as a child… The early morning lake mist disappears quickly once the…

Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. —James 3:4 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. —James 3:7-8 Man can guide massive vehicles with very little instruments. An oil tanker, the Seawise Giant, was in service from 1979-2009. It was 1504.1 feet long, weighed 260, 851 gross tons and was guided by a 230 ton rudder. Today the…

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? —James 2:14 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. —James 2:17 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. —James 2:22 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead. —James 2:26 He said he was a carpenter, but he never did any carpentry work. She said she was a doctor, but she never did any medical work. The boy…

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do. —James 1:22-25 He looked in the mirror and there was dirt all over his face. At that moment something made a loud crash outside and he looked…

But Peter made him get up. “Stand up,” he said, “I am only a man myself.” —Acts 10:26 They bowed down to him and kissed his ring. Others have kissed the toe on a statute of a Christian leader of the past so much that it has deteriorated. People worshipping other people ought not to be. When Cornelius fell at Peter’s feet in reverence Peter told him to get up because he himself is only a man. Men are not to be revered and worshipped. In Revelation 19:10 we read that John “fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said, “No, don’t worship me. I am a…

“Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” —Acts 9:15-16 There are those in this world who do evil to the followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. Many times it is those who are of a “religious” group who will do the persecuting. This has been true down through the ages. Wicked, evil and barbaric practices toward those who love Jesus have taken place. These malicious people invent ways of practicing evil on God’s people. After the stoning execution…