The book of Acts is filled with stories of how the disciples took advantage of providential opportunities for the advancement of God’s kingdom. From one end of the book to the other, we read fascinating accounts of the early church and how it grew, even despite the challenges it faced both internally and externally. In 2 … Continue reading –>
Jesus was a master at dealing with difficult people. By both His words and actions, He demonstrated acceptance. He listened sensitively to their concerns, raised questions, and gradually revealed divine truths. He recognized the inner longing in the most hardened hearts and saw potential in the vilest sinners. For Jesus, no one was beyond the … Continue reading –>
Someone has rightly said, “In life the only place to start from is where you are, for there is no other place to begin”. Jesus emphasized this principle in Acts 1:8 (NKJV), where He declared, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in … Continue reading –>
By modeling for them what it meant to see each individual from a new perspective, Jesus taught His disciples how to see people through heaven’s eyes. His view of people was radical. He saw them, not as they were but as they might become. In all of His interactions with people, He treated them with … Continue reading –>
There is only one miracle in the entire Bible that Jesus worked in two stages. It is the healing of the blind man at Bethsaida. This story provides timeless lessons for Christ’s church today. It illustrates God’s plan of using each believer to bring someone else to Jesus. Scripture declares, “Then He came to Bethsaida; … Continue reading –>
Sabbath Afternoon Read for This Week’s Study: Mark 8:22-26; John 4:3-34; John 1:40-41; Mark 12:28-34; Luke 23:39-43; Acts 8:26-38. Memory Text: “Then He said to them, ‘Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men’” (Matthew 4:19, NKJV). Jesus is the master soul winner. By watching the way Jesus worked with people, we learn how to lead others to a knowledge of … Continue reading –>
Reviving an Ohio Church By Andrew Mcchesney Financial planner Vince Waln credits the Holy Spirit and a pipe organ for transforming a declining church of 15 people into a vibrant congregation of about 85 in three years in the U.S. state of Ohio. The miracles started when Vince preached at various small churches, including at … Continue reading –>
Further Thought: Read Ellen G. White, “Almost Thou Persuadest Me”, pages 433-438, in The Acts of the Apostles. The essence of the Christian life is a relationship with Jesus that is so rich and full that we long to share it. As important as correct doctrine is, it cannot substitute for a life transformed by grace and … Continue reading –>
Let’s look again at Paul before Agrippa. The apostle Paul stands before this man, the last in the line of Jewish kings, the Maccabees, and of the house of Herod. Agrippa professed to be a Jew, but at heart he was a Roman. (See The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 6, p. 436). The aged apostle, … Continue reading –>
In Acts chapter 26, we find the apostle Paul standing as a prisoner before King Agrippa. Here, speaking directly to the king, Paul gave his own personal testimony, talking about his life not only as a persecutor of Jesus’ followers; but then, after his conversion, his life as a witness to Jesus and the promise … Continue reading –>
