Today’s Verse: Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. ~Acts 15:26 What do you consider to be hazardous work? Being a firefighter can be hazardous work. Being a scientist who works with chemicals and radioactive material is hazardous work. Working on an oil rig in the ocean is hazardous. There are many hazardous types of work. James said in Acts 15:26 that serving the Lord Jesus Christ is hazardous. That might frighten us at first glance, but

Today’s Verse: Long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord, which gave testimony unto the word of his grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands. ~Acts 14:3 My father was in the meat and grocery business for most of his adult life. I remember, in 1968, when he took his entire life savings to buy a meat and grocery store in a very tough part of the city. Over 25 years, he built a successful family-owned business. There were many challenging t

Today’s Verse: But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium. ~Acts 13:51 Some experiences in life can be very stressful and, even, traumatizing. These events can cause us to become bitter and lose focus, and they can make us think that it is best to withdraw and retreat. This morning, we see two men who exemplify incredible resilience. They are like a rubber band when it is stretched to its maximum: they bounced back into form and continued to

Today’s Verse: As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. ~Acts 13:2 One of our greatest needs as Christians is to discern when the Holy Spirit speaks to us. Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would come as our Comforter and our Teacher (John 14:26). As our Teacher, He teaches us all things, is truth, and is no lie (1 John 2:27). In Acts 8:29, the Spirit told Philip to go near and

Today’s Verse: Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. ~Galatians 6:2 Many years ago, Rescue Journal retold the story of an American who was walking down the streets of a Chinese city and who was greatly interested in the children, many of whom were carrying smaller children upon their backs and managing, at the same time, to play their games, says a writer in the Youth's Companion. "It is too bad," the American sympathetically said to one little fello

Today’s Verse: Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. ~Acts 8:29 Glue is a sticky substance that we use to bond two objects together. They might be pieces of paper. Super Glue® has a special bonding material that can bond denser, heavier objects. Philip the Evangelist was told to go near and join himself with a man in the Gaza desert who was reading Isaiah 53 and wanted to know how to be saved. Let us see how the instruction given to Phil

Today’s Verse: Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. ~Acts 5:31 Peter and John had been arrested, imprisoned, and commanded to cease speaking and teaching about Jesus’ death and resurrection. Most of us would probably be intimidated and back down. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, they gave a strong and confident testimony to the elders of the plan of salvation. Peter testified of

Today’s Verse: But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God. ~Acts 5:39 Sometimes, we can be pushed against the wall and forced to make a choice about our faith. Will we stand, or will we fall? Will we be bold, or will we cower? At that critical moment, what you believe about God determines how you will respond. This morning, we see an important principle about doing God’s work and taking a stand for Him. We see the denunciatio

Today’s Verse: Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead? ~Acts 26:8 When something that is great unexpectedly happens, we might react by saying, “That’s incredible!” The word incredible describes something beyond belief, unimaginable, and unbelievable. Paul, in defending his calling and ministry, told his audience, “Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?” The resurrection is incredible

Today’s Verse: But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work. ~Acts 15:38 In every language, we have words that we use to describe things that are good or not good. If we say, “That’s good” or, “That’s not good,” we are describing something that we believe is favorable or unfavorable. Several times in the Bible, God calls our attention to things that are not good. We see that detachment is not good.

Today’s Verse: Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him, ~Acts 13:9 "Strike while the iron is hot" is a phrase that means take advantage of an opportunity now while it is in front of you. It comes from the idea of a blacksmith who is shaping a piece of metal that has been heated until it is burning red. It is critical that the blacksmith strike, or pound, the metal into the desired shape while it is softened and pliable, or his opp

Today’s Verse: I think myself happy…. ~Acts 26:2a Economist Jeffrey D. Sachs is quoted as saying, “We are in an era of rising tensions and negative emotions.” Worry, sadness, and anger among adolescents and adults has been gradually increasing. The average American ranks his happiness at 6.9 out of a scale of ten. People realize that possessions, position, and popularity are not guarantees for happiness. Spurgeon said, “It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that

Today’s Verse: For Ahaz took away a portion out of the house of the LORD, and out of the house of the king, and of the princes, and gave it unto the king of Assyria: but he helped him not. ~2 Chronicles 28:21 As of this writing, several pastors in the state of California have been issued cease-and-desist orders and have been fined for opening their churches up for indoor services. God has commanded that His people assemble for worship as a local church. I doubt any of us woul

Today’s Verse: And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead. ~Acts 20:9 Falling out of a window is a scary thing. Serious injury or death is very likely. Most situations of someone falling out of a window would be considered accidental but avoidable. This morning, we see a young man named Eutychus, who fell out of a

Today’s Verse: And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. ~Acts 16:25 Acts 16 is the record of the start of Paul’s second missionary endeavor. The significance of the events that occurred during the second missionary endeavor contributed greatly to the church as we know it today. The gospel made a great impact among the Gentiles, model churches were established, and six of Paul’s epistles were written for us. Perhaps the on

Today’s Verse: Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek: ~Acts 16:1 Who are your favorite Bible characters? Timothy, or Timotheus, is one of our beloved men of the Bible. He is referred to as “son Timothy,” “brother Timothy,” “Timotheus my workfellow,” “minister of God,” servant of God, and faithful. His name means “honoring God.” Let u

Today’s Verse: For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day. ~Acts 15:21 The idea of community can be traced back to Adam and Eve. Communities are made up of neighborhoods, districts, and zip codes combined together to make up cities. Every city has its own unique identity based upon attractions, education, employment, life stages, open space, population density, recreation, safety, and wealth. Most overlooked,

Today’s Verse: After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up: ~Acts 15:16 Earthquake-prone areas of the world are very keen on the fact that a major earthquake can happen at any time. The people who live in area hit hard by an earthquake know that, in spite of the ruin they have experienced, they must build again. While speaking at an important gathering of the churc

Today’s Verse: But the word of God grew and multiplied. ~Acts 12:24 We describe the challenges of life as being “one step forward, two steps back.” This means that even though we appear to be going forward, there are difficulties we face that make going forward more challenging. However, in Acts 12, we see a scenario where God’s program advances in spite of setbacks. This morning, let us see “two steps back, many steps forward.” We see the arrest of Peter. King Herod killed J

Today’s Verse: And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. ~Acts 2:1 Today is celebrated on the Christian calendar as Pentecost Sunday. Pentecost was the harvest festival of the Jews. It was also known as the Feast of Weeks. It was a blessed time when the Jews celebrated God’s blessing on their harvest. All the Jews would come to Jerusalem to celebrate. Pentecost means “fiftieth day” and followed the Feast of Passover. It was on t