ACTS

Today is Tuesday.  I hope you are having a wonderful morning today.  I am finishing up Acts and I have just a few short thoughts to share, but ones I hope will mean something to you as they have to me.  Here they are:

1) LET THE WORD SETTLE THE ISSUE- Base your decisions upon the Word of God.  In Acts 15 when the church made a decision about Salvation by Grace or is works included, they listen to testimony from Peter and Paul, but when James (the pastor of the church) made a decision, it was based upon God's Word... vs. 15 "And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,..."

Men's testimony is good, but it must agree with God's Word or else it is not to be received.  To many times Christians make decisions based upon feelings instead of God's Word.  We should be "grounded" in God's Word!!

2) MAGNIFY THE NAME OF JESUS!!  Acts 19:17 "... and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified."  Isn't this what it is all about?  Isn't this why we pray, serve, get involved in church, give, go, witness, etc.   To bring glory to Christ and to magnify His name!!  This is what it is all about.

3) WHOLE FAMILIES!  Acts 21:5 "...they all brought us on our way, with wives and children, till we were out of the city: and we kneeled down on the shore, and prayed."  I don't know about you, but this brings up to me a wonderful scene of families praying with the apostle Paul as he is about to leave.  I like it!

4) NO EVIL FOUND IN PAUL-  Acts 23:9 "no evil in this man"; Acts 25:25 "committed nothing worthy of death"; Acts 26:31 "nothing worthy of death or of bonds."  Yet, he was still beheaded for the cause of Christ.  Don't think because you are not guilty that some people will still think you evil.  They do not have to have a cause except you being a Christian living for the Lord.  Blessed are ye when men shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my name, for so persecuted they the prophets, but rejoice and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in Heaven!!  (That's Bible!)  We don't like that persecution here, but we will rejoice in it there!!!

Have a happy and blessed day dear friend.  Pastor Mike Mutchler