Today's Gift of Encouragement

From Acts 20, regarding what Paul said and did:


Traveling through the country, passing from one gathering to another, he gave constant encouragement, lifting their spirits and charging them with fresh hope.


"Now I'm turning you over to God, our marvelous God whose gracious Word can make you into what he wants you to be and give you everything you could possibly need in this community of holy friends.


His encouragement extends through time even to us -- a good thing to take with you today.


xoxox

Talk about the Power of Prayer

I just read this from Acts 4:

^23-26As soon as Peter and John were let go, they went to their friends and told them what the high priests and religious leaders had said. Hearing the report, they lifted their voices in a wonderful harmony in prayer: "Strong God, you made heaven and earth and sea and everything in them. By the Holy Spirit you spoke through the mouth of your servant and our father, David:

Why the big noise, nations?
Why the mean plots, peoples?
Earth's leaders push for position,
Potentates meet for summit talks,
The God-deniers, the Messiah-defiers!A ^27-28"For in fact they did meet—Herod and Pontius Pilate with nations and peoples, even Israel itself!—met in this very city to plot against your holy Son Jesus, the One you made Messiah, to carry out the plans you long ago set in motion.
^29-30"And now they're at it again! Take care of their threats and give your servants fearless confidence in preaching your Message, as you stretch out your hand to us in healings and miracles and wonders done in the name of your holy servant Jesus."
³¹While they were praying, the place where they were meeting trembled and shook. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak God's Word with fearless confidence.
Gotta be kidding me. There was an earthquake while they prayed? I want faith like that!
^32-33The whole congregation of believers was united as one—one heart, one mind! They didn't even claim ownership of their own possessions. No one said, "That's mine; you can't have it." They shared everything. The apostles gave powerful witness to the resurrection of the Master Jesus, and grace was on all of them.
^34-35And so it turned out that not a person among them was needy. Those who owned fields or houses sold them and brought the price of the sale to the apostles and made an offering of it. The apostles then distributed it according to each person's need.
And although it's hard to admit -- this may be true democracy AND communism when they actually do work. Pretty amazing stuff.
xoxox

Acts 10

I just read this, and there were a couple of things that really struck me.

First of all, Mr. Regular Guy Cornelius. Here's how he is described:

There was a man named Cornelius who lived in Caesarea, captain of the Italian Guard stationed there. He was a thoroughly good man. He had led everyone in his house to live worshipfully before God, was always helping people in need, and had the habit of prayer.

Just a regular guy, right? He was Italian, so I'll be he was even good looking. A good-looking Italian soldier. Relatively godly. Prays a lot and does good deeds. Leads his family in a godly way.

Well, he gets a visit from an angel.

Now I know a lot of godly people. But they don't get visits from angels. Obviously there was a purpose to this angel's visit, having to do with Peter.

But you know, WHOA! A visit from an angel, folks!

I'm thinking here that I want to be that kind of godly. I'd like a visit from an angel. Can you imagine? A person appears at your door, you invite them in, they fill the room with light . . .

Next amazing thing from this chapter. Peter is lost in thought and prayer and meditation -- and the Spirit speaks to him to tell him there are people at the door:

Peter, lost in thought, didn't hear them, so the Spirit whispered to him, "Three men are knocking at the door looking for you. Get down there and go with them. Don't ask any questions. I sent them to get you."

OK, I'm pretty close to the Spirit of God -- I talk to him all the time. But I don't think He's ever whispered to me that there are people at my door and I need to pay attention. I have never audibly heard the voice of God say "Hey Jen, go to the door." Or "Hey Jen, you should answer the phone, it's from Me."

Again, can you imagine? Being so close to God that He takes the time to whisper AUDIBLY to you?

I cannot get over how these things amaze me. These aren't just stories, they're actual history. Strange stuff happens all the time in our universe, in our lives. But this stuff, straight from God -- WOW! How cool would it be to live in a way that would enable stuff like that to happen now? As in 2009 now?

Lord, please fix our eyes on Your marvelous face. Change us. Speak to us. Lead us. Whisper to us to pay attention. Drop in on us from time to time and fill the room with light. Give us that kind of faith. Because of Jesus, Amen.

xoxox

Healed by a Shadow

From Acts 5:12-16, The Message:

12-16Through the work of the apostles, many God-signs were set up among the people, many wonderful things done. They all met regularly and in remarkable harmony on the Temple porch named after Solomon. But even though people admired them a lot, outsiders were wary about joining them. On the other hand, those who put their trust in the Master were added right and left, men and women both.

They even carried the sick out into the streets and laid them on stretchers and bedrolls,

hoping they would be touched by Peter's shadow

when he walked by. They came from the villages surrounding Jerusalem, throngs of them, bringing the sick and bedeviled.

And they all were healed.

I WANT FAITH LIKE THAT.

xoxox