Posts tagged as:

Acts

An Encouraging Devotion

February 22, 2007

Michael Gregory has a very encouraging devotion today in reflection upon Acts 23 at FBCN’s The Summit site. Amazing how God guides us through all the ups and downs even though we often fail to see him at the time.

Side note: Anyone know a way to link to individual days? Flash®, drives me nuts! I’m just going to paste it below.

This chapter in Acts reminds me of a similar place in my own spiritual journey. I was in a place for a year where I really didn’t want to be. At the time I had this feeling that everything would eventually be fine. Looking back at the situation now, I realize that at the time I was hearing the subtle voice of Jesus encouraging me to be strong, and that the time would pass for something better, just as Paul heard the encouraging words of Jesus during his time of trouble. Things for Paul went from bad to worse, when Paul’s life was later threatened. Although, he trusted the encouragement from Jesus and knew that everything would be OK. Paul’s eyes were set upon Jesus. Paul had faith.

Like Paul, my journey has had its up and downs. I had the rug pulled out from under me and my family. It made the low year look like a cake walk. This time I knew it would be alright and that everything would get better, because of the encouragement I was hearing from the comforting voice of Jesus. My faith was stronger. I kept my eyes upon Jesus and never took them off of Him.

I now look back over the past several years of my journey and have a sense of why God sent me on that part of my journey. I may not know all the reasons for what has happened. But I know this much: He built up my trust in Him and my ability to listen to His encouraging words. God has me just where He wants me and for that I am thankful. With the encouraging words from our Lord, we can boldly go through the valleys, plains, and to mountaintops, just as Paul did on his journey while taking in the encouraging words from our Lord. With faith and the encouraging words from God, we can go through various situations in our lives even when we don’t know why we’re there in the first place. With God, we can endure anything.

Praise God for all He has done, is doing, and is yet to do.

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Spanning the Globe

August 17, 2003

Tape 2410.03

Senior Pastor, Gene Getz

Spanning the Globe: Building the Chasm Series

Three Strategic Events

The Great Commandment
The Upper Room. John 13:34,35.
They will know you are disciples.
The Great Commission
A Mountain in Galilee. Matthew 28:19,20.
Make disciples.
The Great Promise
The Mount of Olives. Acts 1:6-8.
Be my witnesses.

Three Strategic Stories

The Church is Born
In Jerusalem. Acts 2:24-27.
Philip, the Evangelist.
Judea and Samaria. Acts 8:1,4,5.
The First Gentile Church
Antioch in Syria. Acts 11:19-21.

Three Strategic Journeys

The Roman world. Paul’s three journeys and his three imprisonments. We share our time, talents and treasures in spreading the Gospel to add to our eternal accounts. Philippians 4:14-17.

Spanning the Globe

A work in progress.

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Generosity

March 16, 2003

Discovering God’s Will in Generosity

Biblical Truths to Consider

Biblical Models and Examples

  • All the believers were one heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions were his own, but they shared everything they had Acts 4:32.
  • The disciples, each according to his ability, decided to provide help for the brothers living in Judea Acts 11:29.
  • And now brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and thier extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity 2 Corinthians 8:1,2.

Biblical Exhortations

  • On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income… 1 Corinthians 16:2a.
  • Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver 2 Corinthians 9:7.

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