30. September 2010 by Bernice Davis.

Hello Everyone: 

Our text for today is as follows:

Acts 8: 26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road–the desert road–that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27 So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the book of Isaiah the prophet. 29 The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.” 30 Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked. 31 “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 The eunuch was reading this passage of Scripture: “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before the shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. 33 In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth.” 34 The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” 35 Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. 36 As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. Why shouldn’t I be baptized?” 38 And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. 39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. 40 Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.

In our text today, I would like to bring a couple of things to your attention.  The text indicates that we have an Ethiopian Eunuch who came to Jerusalem to worship and he has a copy of the book of Isaiah in his hand.    Questions that would arise from this incident, is why would Ethiopians (Africa) come to worship and how did the Hebrew Scriptures end up in Ethiopia.  If you recall when we studied the Queen of Sheba (Ethiopia) visited Solomon, we talked about Ethiopian stories tell of how Solomon sent the ark of the covenant there for safety (which they claim is still with them today) and it is said that they also ended up with copies of the holy scriptures.

This is an interesting text though to argue that point.   Evidently this Ethiopian  was taught something about Jesus because we know he did not have full understanding, and when he had an opportunity to come to Jerusalem, he went to worship.

He probably did not go on the inside of the temple, for Eunuchs were not allowed to attend worship services in the temple, but he appears to have been maybe on the outer courts or outside. 

The text teaches us that the “angel of the Lord” spoke to Philip though he was in the middle of preaching elsewhere and instructed him to leave the masses and go minister to the one.  Whow….. I love this about God.  This Ethiopian would then return to his own country with the truth about Jesus Christ and saved.  The GOSPEL GOES TO AFRICA….   So see, my friends… the gospel was in Africa long before people began to go there as missionaries. 

Stay encouraged everyone and don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.

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29. September 2010 by Bernice Davis.

Hello Everyone: 

Our text for today is about Simon the Sorcerer and his proposition to buy the ability to be able to get people filled with the Holy Ghost.  Here is the text:

Acts 8:9 Now for some time a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great, 10 and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, “This man is the divine power known as the Great Power.” 11 They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his magic. 12 But when they believed Philip as he preached the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. 13 Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw. 14 When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. 15 When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 16 because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. 18 When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money 19 and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” 20 Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! 21 You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. 22 Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord. Perhaps he will forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. 23 For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.” 24 Then Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me so that nothing you have said may happen to me.” 25 When they had testified and proclaimed the word of the Lord, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many Samaritan villages.

Stay encouraged everyone and don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.

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28. September 2010 by Bernice Davis.

Hello:

Our text for today is as follows:

Acts 8:1 And Saul was there, giving approval to his death. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. 2 Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. 3 But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.

4 Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. 5 Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ there. 6 When the crowds heard Philip and saw the miraculous signs he did, they all paid close attention to what he said. 7 With shrieks, evil spirits came out of many, and many paralytics and cripples were healed. 8 So there was great joy in that city.

As you can see from our text, Stephen’s death ignited a major persecution in the church with Saul leading the attacks against Christians yet the miracles increased.

Stay encouraged everyone and don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.

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27. September 2010 by Bernice Davis.

Hello Everyone: 

Our text for today is the response to Stephen’s answer to his accusers.   If you recall on last week, we learned that he was working miracles and wonders among the people and the Sanhedrin plotted against him by getting people to falsely accuse him and he was brought before the Sanhedrin to answer those charges.   On Friday, we read his long response to those charges which was really a recap of the history of salvation traced from Abraham to Jesus.   Today’s lesson is the outcome of what the Sanhedrin decided to do with him after they heard his explanation.

Here is the text:

Acts 7:54 When they heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. 55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” 57 At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, 58 dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep.

Stay encouraged everyone and don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.

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24. September 2010 by Bernice Davis.

Hello Everyone: 

Our text for today is very lengthy but it is Stephens’s response to the Sanhedrin.  He basically goes over the history of the Israelites from Abraham until Jesus.  I know it is long but I didn’t want to separate it.  So today, consider it a review of the salvation story.

Here is the text:

Acts 7:1 Then the high priest asked him, “Are these charges true?” 2 To this he replied: “Brothers and fathers, listen to me! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran. 3 ‘Leave your country and your people,’ God said, ‘and go to the land I will show you.’ 4 “So he left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. After the death of his father, God sent him to this land where you are now living. 5 He gave him no inheritance here, not even a foot of ground. But God promised him that he and his descendants after him would possess the land, even though at that time Abraham had no child. 6 God spoke to him in this way: ‘Your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years. 7 But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves,’ God said, ‘and afterward they will come out of that country and worship me in this place.’ 8 Then he gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision. And Abraham became the father of Isaac and circumcised him eight days after his birth. Later Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob became the father of the twelve patriarchs. 9 “Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph, they sold him as a slave into Egypt. But God was with him 10 and rescued him from all his troubles. He gave Joseph wisdom and enabled him to gain the goodwill of Pharaoh king of Egypt; so he made him ruler over Egypt and all his palace. 11 “Then a famine struck all Egypt and Canaan, bringing great suffering, and our fathers could not find food. 12 When Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our fathers on their first visit. 13 On their second visit, Joseph told his brothers who he was, and Pharaoh learned about Joseph’s family. 14 After this, Joseph sent for his father Jacob and his whole family, seventy-five in all. 15 Then Jacob went down to Egypt, where he and our fathers died. 16 Their bodies were brought back to Shechem and placed in the tomb that Abraham had bought from the sons of Hamor at Shechem for a certain sum of money. 17 “As the time drew near for God to fulfill his promise to Abraham, the number of our people in Egypt greatly increased. 18 Then another king, who knew nothing about Joseph, became ruler of Egypt. 19 He dealt treacherously with our people and oppressed our forefathers by forcing them to throw out their newborn babies so that they would die. 20 “At that time Moses was born, and he was no ordinary child. For three months he was cared for in his father’s house. 21 When he was placed outside, Pharaoh’s daughter took him and brought him up as her own son. 22 Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action. 23 “When Moses was forty years old, he decided to visit his fellow Israelites. 24 He saw one of them being mistreated by an Egyptian, so he went to his defense and avenged him by killing the Egyptian. 25 Moses thought that his own people would realize that God was using him to rescue them, but they did not. 26 The next day Moses came upon two Israelites who were fighting. He tried to reconcile them by saying, ‘Men, you are brothers; why do you want to hurt each other?’ 27 “But the man who was mistreating the other pushed Moses aside and said, ‘Who made you ruler and judge over us? 28 Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’ 29 When Moses heard this, he fled to Midian, where he settled as a foreigner and had two sons. 30 “After forty years had passed, an angel appeared to Moses in the flames of a burning bush in the desert near Mount Sinai. 31 When he saw this, he was amazed at the sight. As he went over to look more closely, he heard the Lord’s voice: 32 ‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.’ Moses trembled with fear and did not dare to look. 33 “Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take off your sandals; the place where you are standing is holy ground. 34 I have indeed seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their groaning and have come down to set them free. Now come, I will send you back to Egypt.’ 35 “This is the same Moses whom they had rejected with the words, ‘Who made you ruler and judge?’ He was sent to be their ruler and deliverer by God himself, through the angel who appeared to him in the bush. 36 He led them out of Egypt and did wonders and miraculous signs in Egypt, at the Red Sea and for forty years in the desert. 37 “This is that Moses who told the Israelites, ‘God will send you a prophet like me from your own people.’ 38 He was in the assembly in the desert, with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers; and he received living words to pass on to us. 39 “But our fathers refused to obey him. Instead, they rejected him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt. 40 They told Aaron, ‘Make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who led us out of Egypt–we don’t know what has happened to him!’ 41 That was the time they made an idol in the form of a calf. They brought sacrifices to it and held a celebration in honor of what their hands had made. 42 But God turned away and gave them over to the worship of the heavenly bodies. This agrees with what is written in the book of the prophets: ” ‘Did you bring me sacrifices and offerings forty years in the desert, O house of Israel? 43 You have lifted up the shrine of Molech and the star of your god Rephan, the idols you made to worship. Therefore I will send you into exile’ beyond Babylon. 44 “Our forefathers had the tabernacle of the Testimony with them in the desert. It had been made as God directed Moses, according to the pattern he had seen. 45 Having received the tabernacle, our fathers under Joshua brought it with them when they took the land from the nations God drove out before them. It remained in the land until the time of David, 46 who enjoyed God’s favor and asked that he might provide a dwelling place for the God of Jacob. 47 But it was Solomon who built the house for him. 48 “However, the Most High does not live in houses made by men. As the prophet says: 49 ” ‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me? says the Lord. Or where will my resting place be? 50 Has not my hand made all these things?’ 51 “You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit! 52 Was there ever a prophet your fathers did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him– 53 you who have received the law that was put into effect through angels but have not obeyed it.”

Stay encouraged everyone and don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.

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23. September 2010 by Bernice Davis.

Hello Everyone: 

Here is the text:

Acts 6:8 Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people. 9 Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)–Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia. These men began to argue with Stephen, 10 but they could not stand up against his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke. 11 Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, “We have heard Stephen speak words of blasphemy against Moses and against God.” 12 So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin. 13 They produced false witnesses, who testified, “This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law. 14 For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down to us.” 15 All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

In our lesson today, we see that Stephen (one of the first deacons) is now attacked because of the wonders and miracles that he is doing among the people.   They could not attack his power and deny the Spirit by which all these miracles were happening so they secretly persuaded some men to lie on him and they judged him according to the lie.

Stay encouraged everyone and don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.

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22. September 2010 by Bernice Davis.

Hello Everyone: 

In our text today, we learn about seven men that were chosen to   take care of the needs of the people.  They are known in church history as the first deacons.  Here is the text:

 Acts 6:1 In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. 2 So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. 3 Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them 4 and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.” 5 This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. 6 They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them. 7 So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.

The church was growing and here we see the first attempt to the disciples trying to set up some type of order so that they would not be distracted from preaching and ministry of the word. 

I think about how awesome the church would be today if Pastors were really free to just lay before God and just minister the word.   So many of them have to work full time and others that are full time in the ministry do so much more in the daily running of the church that they sometimes find it difficult for study. 

We see that the early church’s focus to make sure that nothing distracted them though they were sensitive that the needs of the people were important.   Once they set up this order, the text teaches us that the word of God spread, the number of disciples increased and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.  Wow… look what staying focused accomplished.

 Stay encouraged everyone and don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.

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21. September 2010 by Bernice Davis.

Hello:

Our lesson today picks up with after the miraculous releasing of the apostles from prison by an angel of the Lord, they are found preaching and teaching and the authorities are baffled as to how they escaped seeing everything is still secure.  They are brought before the Sanhedrin and this is their response:

Acts 5:27 Having brought the apostles, they made them appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. 28 “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.” 29 Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than men! 30 The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead–whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. 31 God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. 32 We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.” 33 When they heard this, they were furious and wanted to put them to death. 34 But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a little while. 35 Then he addressed them: “Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men. 36 Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing. 37 After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered. 38 Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. 39 But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.” 40 His speech persuaded them. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41 The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. 42 Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.

As a Christian, I was touched by this story today.  In particular the part where it says that  they were beaten and left rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Christ.  That was fascinating to me. 

Wow…. Where are our priorities?   This study of Acts really makes you focus on the mission of the church which is to proclaim the gospel no matter how unpopular and no matter what consequences you may encounter because of it. 

These disciples simply wanted to spread the gospel, heal the sick, and meet the basic needs of their community.  You will never hear them ask God for any materialistic things but simply to give them strength to proclaim the gospel and in turn God provides their needs.

Stay encouraged everyone and don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.

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20. September 2010 by Bernice Davis.

Hello Everyone: 

Welcome back from the weekend.   Our story picks up from the apostles doing so many miracles that the people would bring the sick and the lame and lay them in the streets on mats for the possibility of Peter’s shadow healing them.   However, this made some people really mad.   Let’s look at our text for today:

Acts 5:17 Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. 18 They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. 19 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out. 20 “Go, stand in the temple courts,” he said, “and tell the people the full message of this new life.” 21 At daybreak they entered the temple courts, as they had been told, and began to teach the people. When the high priest and his associates arrived, they called together the Sanhedrin–the full assembly of the elders of Israel–and sent to the jail for the apostles. 22 But on arriving at the jail, the officers did not find them there. So they went back and reported, 23 “We found the jail securely locked, with the guards standing at the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside.” 24 On hearing this report, the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests were puzzled, wondering what would come of this. 25 Then someone came and said, “Look! The men you put in jail are standing in the temple courts teaching the people.” 26 At that, the captain went with his officers and brought the apostles. They did not use force, because they feared that the people would stone them.

I love this story.   It continues to show the power of the early church and how God was with them.

 Stay encouraged everyone and don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.

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17. September 2010 by Bernice Davis.

Hello Everyone: 

Here is our text for today:

Acts 5:  12 The apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon’s Colonnade. 13 No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people. 14 Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number. 15 As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. 16 Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by evil spirits, and all of them were healed.

Wow….  Sometimes I forget how powerful the early disciples were.   They just “believed God.”  They thought Jesus was coming back any day and they literally lived their lives as such.  

I think we have become so slack concerning the return of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Thousands of years have passed now and there is such a passiveness in the church concerning the supernatural. 

I wonder how different we would live our lives if we live them in anticipation that Jesus could really come at any moment and I want my heart and mind, deeds, and thoughts in check  with his will and acceptable in his sight.

Our lesson shows us the level of respect that people had for the believers and no-one dared joined to play games especially after Ananais and Sapphira drop dead because of their deceit.

“Wow.”  People brought the sick and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might heal them as he passed…   Whoooooooooooooo……..  I’m sitting here tearing…   I think watching the home going services of Dr. MaLinda Sapp the wife of Pastor Marvin Sapp has made me a little sensitive lately and I am taking inventory of the life I’ve lead and I definitely will be making some changes.  You just never know how long you have on this earth and I’m determined to live each day to the fullest and make a difference where ever I can.

Have a great weekend

 Stay encouraged everyone and don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.

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