2013 - The Power of The Prophetic (notes)

2013 - The Power of The Prophetic

2013 - The Power of The Prophetic this message was given on 12-30-12

The Gift 3 - The First Day of History (notes)

The Gift 3 - The First Day of History

This Is An Exciting To Be Alive In History

The possibilities are…

• The rapture or 2nd coming of Jesus.
• The greatest revival in history.
• The greatest harvest ever.
• The greatest blessings upon the people of God.
• The greatest breakthroughs in our local church.

Christmas is the first day of history. Why? Because it is the day that God came to earth in human flesh and became the savior of the world.

If The World Needed:

• Pleasure God would have sent an entertainer.
• Technology God would have sent a scientist.
• A song God would have sent a composer.
• Knowledge God would have sent a professor. But the world needed forgiveness so God sent a Savior.

Jesus Came

• To save us from sin.
• Deliver us from satan’s power.
• Heal all sickness.
• Heal our brokenness.
• To prepare us for Heaven.

The Birth of Jesus

• Joseph was from Royal lineage of Israel and went to David’s home town to be registered in the census.
• The Roman Emperor had issued a decree for this to take place all over the empire.
• You had to go to your home town to register.

The King of Glory is born in the city of David, the house of bread. There were shepherds. Shepherds were considered low life people, men who couldn’t be trusted yet the angel of the Lord appeared to them and God’s glory was all around them and caused them to be terrified. They knew their sinful condition.

The Angel of the Lord tells them, don’t be afraid. I have good news for you that will cause great joy for all people in every generation in every corner of the planet. The Gospel is good news for everyone in every time period in every place. The Savior is born. The only hope for humanity is Jesus the Savior of the world.

Let’s Go To Bethlehem and find Mary & Joseph and the baby lying in the manger. After seeing Jesus they spread the Word concerning what the angel of the Lord had said to them.

Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.

The shepherds returned glorifying and praising God for the events they had just experienced and what the Lord had said to them.

Our Job is to do what the shepherds did. Go and tell everyone what we have experienced. We need an experience with the Savior if we are going to be able to give this great gift away to hurting people, lost broken folks who need the good news.

The Gift 3 - The First Day of History

The Gift 2 - The Story of Christmas (notes)

The Gift 2 - The Story of Christmas

Amazing Grace

• Let’s look at the word Gift and what it means.
• Gift means Grace and Grace means Gift. The Greek word for Grace is Charis, the root word for Charismatic or Charisma. The Charismatic movement was an outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the Catholic Church and mainline denominations in the 1970’s and 80’s. I consider our church a result of that move of God.

The Gift

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

(NKJV)

We Believe

• In the Charismatic gifts or Grace gifts. These are spiritual gifts mentioned in 1 Cor. 12 &14.
• That the Word Grace defines who we are as a body of believers. The gifts are for us today and we totally embrace the move of the Spirit in our daily lives and in our church life.
• Grace is God’s favor, which is not dependent on our earning power but on His power to accept us.

When We Know God accepts us, we also know all that God is and has is for us today. Every gift (grace) is for the church today. Healing, miracles, prophecy, faith, words of knowledge, words of wisdom, discernment, and tongues are all for us today because of Grace.  

Grace Brings Us

• Into God’s presence. Grace means that we don’t have to do anything but believe in what Jesus has done.
• Grace also means that we belong to Him and He belongs to us. Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. It was written by a former slave trader (John Newton 1725-1807) an Englishman who became a poet and clergyman.

Grace is one of the major themes in the New Testament.

John 1:14-18, Romans 5:1-2, 15-17, 20-21, & 6:1-11.

Grace Invokes God’s favor when anyone calls upon the name of Jesus. Jesus was full of grace and truth. There is a grace in our lives because of His grace. When we see Jesus we see the Father.

We Are Justified By Faith

Let us grasp the fact that we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through Him we have confidently entered into this new relationship of grace, and here we take our stand, in happy certainty of the glorious things He has for us in the future. (Romans 5:1-2)

Grace Gives Us a gift and that gift is God Himself. When we get Him we get everything. Without Him we are empty, lost, and miserable. With Him we have abundant life, and we get all that God has for us.

On The First Christmas

• God sent His Son, the free gift of grace and the result is justification before God. When we are justified before God nothing else matters but the fact that we are right with God.
• During This Season Let’s
• Concentrate on the greatest gift ever given to us. Salvation through the blood of Jesus Christ.
• Ask God to give us an opportunity to give this gift to someone who does not have Jesus.

The Gift 2 - The Story of Christmas

The Gift 2 - The Story of Christmas this message was given on 12-16-12

The Gift - The Story of Christmas (notes)

The Gift - The Story of Christmas

The Greatest Gift Was Given To The World Around 2,000 Years Ago.

A gift is a thing given willingly to someone without payment, a present, a Christmas gift. An act of giving something as a present.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.

The Gift

John 3:16 (NKJV) For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

God

• Gave the very best of Heaven, part of Himself, His only begotten Son.
• Did not expect anything in return but because He is all knowing, He knew that the return would be the church, billions of people over the centuries will one day stand before the Lamb of God and give thanks to God for that great gift.

Who Ever Believes

• In Him, will not perish but have everlasting life. The result of the gift is eternal life. God sent His Son Jesus Christ because of His love.
• Lives because Jesus gave His life.  

A Gift is given without expectation of payment. As believers we all understand that salvation is a gift, it is not earned but received by faith. It is by Grace, not of works.

When I think of Christmas I think of the greatest gift ever given to anyone, the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ the Savior.

Jesus came to give us abundant life as His gift of eternal life.

The Word Life is Zoe or life in the absolute sense. John 10:10 says that the thief steals, kills and destroys but Jesus came to give us life and life in the absolute. Life that is the very essence of Almighty God. This is what John 3:16 means.

When God Sent Jesus it was out of His great heart of love and generosity that He gave. We now have eternal life because of His great love. Eternal Life is the free gift of God to anyone who receives it by faith.

When We Talk about a gift in the Bible the Word is charis or grace. The gift of God is by Grace, it is not by working for it. We all know that when we work we get paid. We get educated, we go into a field to get paid. But when we come to God, we don’t need an education to get the payment God offers.

Eternal life is given by Grace not by works.

We Will Look At:

• What the Word of God says about the coming of the Savior into the world. We will look at the circumstances surrounding the birth of Jesus. We will look at His parents, Joseph and Mary. We will look at what Heaven did when Jesus was born. We will look at the outcome of the coming of the Son of God into the World.
• How the life of God works in us daily as a result of Jesus coming into the World and into our hearts.
• The little town of Bethlehem. A town about 5 miles south of Jerusalem in the West Bank. A town today of about 14,000 people the native city of King David. It was known for its bread. Isn’t it ironic that the city where Jesus is born was known for its bread when Jesus said, I am the bread of life. John 6:35 If we come to Him we will never be hungry again.

The Gift of Salvation is for everyone who receives it. There is no way to put a price on salvation. Our eternal destiny was paid for by the blood of the Son of God. This is why the blood of Jesus is God’s number one priority. There is nothing more precious than the blood of Jesus. The Blood will never loose its power, it reaches to the highest mountain and it flows to the lowest valley. The blood was shed on Calvary that hill outside of Jerusalem.

Matt. 27:33

During This Season Let’s:

• Concentrate on the greatest gift ever given to us. Salvation through the blood of Jesus Christ.
• Ask God to give us an opportunity to give this gift to someone who does not have Jesus. It could be at the mall, at Walmart, at Safeway, at the office, to our neighbor or a fellow worker or an employee or a friend. Let’s give this gift away.

The Gift - The Story of Christmas

The Gift - The Story of Christmas this message was given on 12-9-12

Acts 22-23 - Testimony (notes)

Acts 22-23 - Testimony

Acts 22-23 - Testimony this message was given on 12-2-12

Acts 22-23 - Trial of The Century (notes)

Acts 23 - Trial of The Century

Paul

• Goes before the Sanhedrin and is cross examined.
• Acts as his own defense attorney.
• Talks about the fact that he lived his life with a clear conscience before God.

The high priest

Ananias has Paul hit in the mouth and Paul responds with God will strike you, you white-washed wall! How dare you sit there judging me by the Law and give orders for me to be struck, which is clearly contrary to the Law?

Paul

• Realizes what he had just said.
• 4 Those who stood by said, do you mean to insult God’s High Priest? 5 But Paul said, my brothers, I did not know that he was the High Priest, for it is written: you shall not speak evil of the ruler of your people.

Paul Knew

• The Law because some believe that he was once a member of the supreme court of Israel.
• Legal tactics, so he knew how to work within the legal system at the time.
• Understood that by defending himself legally he had a better chance of making it to Rome. 

Paul

•  Also knew the differences between the Sadducees and the Pharisees. The Sadducees didn’t believe in the resurrection nor in angels or spirits. The Pharisees did.
• Speaks out. I am a Pharisee, the son of Pharisees. It is for my hope in the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial!

This Caused tension between the Pharisees & Sadducees. The Pharisees spoke out. 9b We find nothing wrong with this man! Suppose some angel or spirit has really spoken to him? 10 As the tension mounted the colonel began to fear that Paul would be torn to pieces between them. He therefore ordered his soldiers to come down and rescue him from them and bring him back to the barracks.

Jesus

• Appeared to Paul and encouraged him. Take heart--for just as you have witnessed boldly for me in Jerusalem so you must give your witness to me in Rome. V. 11
• There was a group (Over 40 men) of radical Jews who made a vow & went on a hunger strike until they killed Paul.
• These men went before the chief priests & elders and told them tell the Colonel to bring Paul, that they want to examine his case more closely. They will ambush him on the way.

Paul had a nephew who found out about the plot and told Paul about it. Paul told one of the centurions to take his nephew to the commander (Colonel). He did and the Colonel told one of the centurions to get 200 soldiers, 70 horsemen and two hundred spearmen and take Paul to Felix the governor.  The colonel wrote a letter to Felix.

The Contents of The Letter

Claudius Lysias sends greeting to his excellency the governor Felix. This man had been seized by the Jews and was on the point of being murdered by them when I arrived with my troops and rescued him, since I had discovered that he was a Roman citizen. Wishing to find out what the accusation was that they were making against him, I had him brought down to their Sanhedrin. There I discovered he was being accused over questions of their laws, and that there was no charge against him which deserved either death or imprisonment. Now, however, that I have received private information of a plot against his life, I have sent him to you without delay. At the same time I have notified his accusers that they must make their charges against him in your presence.

The Soldiers took Paul, riding through the night and brought him to Antipatis. The next day they returned to the barracks, leaving the horsemen to guard Paul. Then they went to Caesarea after delivering the letter to the governor, they handed Paul over to Felix. After the governor reads the letter he questioned Paul and asked what province he was from. Paul told him that he was from Cilicia. The governor told Paul that he would hear the case as soon as the accusers got there. Then he had Paul kept in Herod’s palace.

What We Can Learn From These Events In Paul’s Life:

1. Paul knew God was in control.
2. Paul knew his rights.
3. Paul used his brain.
4. Paul knew he had a destiny. 

Acts 22-23 - Trial of The Century

Acts 22-23 - Trial of The Century this message was given on 11-25-12

Acts 21 - The Heart of A Hero ***Guest Speaker***

***Guest Speaker, Jonathan Garcia Spoke Today 11-18-12***

Acts 20 - A Long Trip Toward The Jerusalem Jail (notes)

Acts 20 - A Long Trip Toward The Jerusalem Jail

In The Last Chapters

Luke gives very little information about missiology, church planting or power ministries. He deals with the arrest and trails of Paul. In this respect Luke concludes Acts much like he concludes the Gospel of Luke.

Paul Spends

Much of his time in custody but that is where he writes. Lets look at what Paul accomplished in the City of Ephesus.

1. Paul wrote the first letter to the Corinthians.
2. Timothy succeeded Paul in Ephesus. Paul wrote 1st & 2nd Tim. to Timothy while in Ephesus. (I Tim. 1:3)
3. John the Apostle later took up residence in Ephesus & wrote 1st, 2nd and 3rd John from Ephesus as well as the Gospel of John. It is possible that Paul had Timothy & John as professors in the Seminary of Tyrannus at Ephesus.
4. Paul planned his future there.

Paul

Visited the established churches in Achaia (which included the capital of Corinth) & Macedonia (which included Philippi, Thessalonica & Berea) which was important for Paul. Paul wanted to go to Rome because of the churches that were planted there by other leaders. It was only a stopping point because he really wanted to go to Spain.

Some Believe

That Paul stayed in Philippi for a year and a half. He didn't have to work but stayed with Luke and Lydia. He did not have to work his normal job of tent making. He also wrote 2 Corinthians while there.

The Difference

Romans 15:22-24

And that is why it has taken me so long to finally get around to coming to you. But now that there is no more pioneering work to be done in these parts, and since I have looked forward to seeing you for many years, I’m planning my visit. I’m headed for Spain, and expect to stop off on the way to enjoy a good visit with you, and eventually have you send me off with God’s blessing.

(The Message)

When Paul

• Left Philippi, it is likely that Timothy and Erastus accompanied him to Corinth. Whether he had also visited churches in Thessalonica and Berea while in Macedonia we don’t know. Paul then goes to Troas to preach and found an open door to the Gospel there.
• Paul then sets out to Macedonia to the city of Philippi where he had sent Timothy and Erastus.

We Learn From

The second letter to the Corinthians that Paul was on way to Corinth to raise funds for the church in Jerusalem.

Principles About Fund Raising

1. Let Christians know what other followers are doing. 2 Cor. 8:3
2. Giving is like sowing seed. 2 Cor. 9:6-8
3. Giving causes joy. 2 Cor. 9:7

Paul

• Then goes to Macedonia, to Philippi and holds a regional leadership meeting. Seven people from a variety of churches gathered to take the offering to Jerusalem. The seven continued on to Troas while Paul and Luke stayed in Philippimn,
• On his way to Jerusalem Paul wanted to conduct a leadership training seminar for the pastors of the churches in Ephesus.

In Corinth

• Society itself promoted sexual immorality. At the time of Paul to Corinthianize meant to fornicate.
• Paul wrote 1st & 2nd Thessalonians in Corinth.
• Paul wrote the letter to the Romans six years later from Corinth.
• God gave the Apostle Paul some of the most powerful revelations to the church.
• God added to the ministry team of Paul and they worked together spreading the Gospel to the Roman Empire & beyond.

Greek words Paul used in his leadership seminar:

1. Elders, presbyteros - The Presbyterian church.
2. Overseers, episkopos, bishops - Those who supervise a number of pastors, the Episcopal church.
3. Shepherds, poimen -  Those who care for the sheep, Pastor.
4. Deacons, decones - Helpers under the pastors.

House Churches

• Were the norm for almost 400 years until Constantine began erecting the first Christian Basilicas.
• Peter Wagner says that there could have been over 200 house churches in Ephesus at the time Paul gave this seminar.
• It was a one day six hour seminar.

What The Seminar Taught:

1. Striving for a servant’s heart. 20:17-21
2. Counting the cost of discipleship. 20:22-24
3. Guarding against counterfeits. 20:25-31
4. Turning the church over to nationals. 20:32-35

What God Is Saying To Us Today?

Acts 20 - A Long Trip Toward The Jerusalem Jail

Acts 20 - A Long Trip Toward The Jerusalem Jail this message was given on 11-11-12

Acts 19 - Fight To Win (notes)

Acts 19 - Fight To Win

We talked recently about the power of the Holy Spirit.

Today we will talk about a power encounter that happened in Ephesus

Ephesus was one of most pagan cities in the Roman world. The temple to Diana (Greek) or Artemis (Roman) was one of the ancient seven wonders of the World. The fetishes that were made in the city were used all over the Empire as a means of connecting people with the demonic realm. People could actually get possessed as a result of this means of contact.

We Also Saw

• How the men who met with Paul were baptized in the Holy Spirit when Paul laid hands on the people who were there in the beginning of that Church of Ephesus.
• Paul then goes to the Jewish quarter and for three months convinces many of the Jews that Jesus is the Christ. He also makes disciples of many of the leaders of the community but not all of them believed but rose against the way (Christianity).

Paul 

• Leaves this group and took those who did believe and went to a local school whose director was a man named Tyrannus. This lasted for two years and the ministry there was so effective that all the Jews and Greeks living in that province heard the Word of God. This school was open from 11 AM to 4 PM. And Paul was a guest speaker for that time.
• Did extraordinary miracles by the power of the Holy Spirit so that handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick and their illnesses were cured and evil spirits left them.

The Demonic And Greed

• In Ephesus Paul had to deal with the demonic influence through paganism and the greed of the people who were making money from the distribution of the fetishes.
• Greed is still very much alive in today’s culture of materialism.

Paul is used by the Lord to see mighty miracles that even handkerchiefs or aprons that touched Paul were taken to sick people and they were healed and even evil spirits would come out of them.

Miracles are still happening today and God wants this to be part of our life as individuals and as a church.

The Seven Sons of Sceva

• Are an example of what happens when people who do not have the power of God try to cast out demons.
• The demon knew Jesus and Paul but did not know them and he jumped them and beat them up.
• This caused the name of Jesus to be held in high honor. Many brought their sorcery books and burned them publicly and it was worth much money.
• 20 In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.

Now

21 After all this had happened, Paul decided to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia. “After I have been there, he said, must visit Rome also. 22 He sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he stayed in the province of Asia a little longer.

A Silversmith

• Named Demetrius complains about the way his business was hurt by the revival in Ephesus. The people of Ephesus was stirred but the city clerk quieted the crowd. He goes to the defense of the Christians and tells those involved to take it to court.
• The city clerk did not want them to be charged with rioting. They calmed down and then he dismissed the assembly.

What can we learn from what happened in this situation?

1. In every revival there will be opposition stirred by the demonic realm.
2. We have power over sickness and the demonic realm.
3. We can see this happen here if we are desire God to move in our church and in our community.

Acts 19 - Fight To Win

Acts 19 - Fight To Win this message was given on 11-4-12

***Guest Speaker***

**Guest Speaker, Jerry Peyton Spoke Today 10-28-12**

Acts 18-19 - The Power Of The Baptism In The Holy Spirit (notes)

Acts 18-19 - The Power Of The Baptism In The Holy Spirit

There Are Keys To Unlock The Power Acts

1. The name of Jesus.
2. The Holy Spirit.
3. The Word of God.
4. *Prayer in the Spirit.

Paul’s Third Missionary Journey

• Starts in the latter part of Acts 18; the time period is AD 53 to 57.
• C.P. Wagner says that we can trace our roots back to Pentecost (early 1906), to the Charismatic Movement (early 1960’s), The Third Wave to the New Apostolic Movement.
• The missionary movement can be traced back to the Day of Pentecost and the missionary journeys of Paul and his teams.

When Paul

• Left Corinth he had finished two of the first two Missionary Journeys. Barnabas was Paul’s companion on the first journey where they planted churches in Cyprus, Antioch, Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe. While on furlough they returned to their home base of Antioch of Syria where their missionary headquarters was located. After the first journey they returned to Jerusalem for the Jerusalem Council.
• On the second Journey Silas, later Timothy and Luke accompanied Paul.
• On the third Journey they evangelized in Europe, planting churches in Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea and Corinth.

Paul Ministered in Athens and planned a short visit Ephesus before returning to Antioch. Silas & Timothy stayed in Corinth while Paul took Aquila & Priscilla. They remained in Ephesus while Paul visited Jerusalem & Antioch. Paul had desired to go to Ephesus two years earlier but was forbidden by the Holy Spirit.

Paul

• Attended the synagogue and came to know the Jewish leaders in Ephesus. They asked Paul to stay longer but Paul had to leave but promised to return. A Nazirite Vow was a Jewish ritual of thanksgiving.
• Was deeply grateful for the fruit of his second journey, the large church in Corinth and legal victory in Gallio’s court. During the vow Paul let his hair grow & abstained from wine according to Numbers 6:1-5.
• Why did Paul make this vow? He was still a Jew and this was part of his culture.

This Is Why

• Paul would always go to the Jewish Quarter when he arrived in any of the cities where he ministered.
• This also shows the deep desire Paul had to win Jews for Jesus Christ.

Now

• Apollos was from Alexandria, the second largest city of the Roman Empire. There was a large population of Jews there, some historians believe that there were more Jews in Alexandria than in Jerusalem. Ephesus was the third or fourth largest city in the Empire (about 250,000). Antioch was probably larger.
• Ephesus was a city of elegant architecture. It was a free Greek city within the Roman Empire. It handled its own internal affairs under the jurisdiction of a Roman proconsul.
• It was also the principle center of magic for the ancient world.

Ephesus

• Had one of the most powerful churches in the early church. It was a port city with a very vibrant pagan culture. It was a major commerce center in the Roman Empire. It had one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, the temple to Diana or Artimus.
• Apollos was at Corinth at the time Paul went to Ephesus. This is where Paul introduces them to the Holy Spirit.

The Baptism in The Holy Spirit

• Is a regular theme in the book of Acts.
• It is a promise of the Father. (Matt. 3:11, Acts 2:38-39)
• The sign of the baptism. (Acts 2:1-4, 4:33, 5:12-16, 19:6)
• Why tongues is important. (I Cor. 14:2-4, Acts 10:46, Rom. 8:26, Jude 1:20)

Acts 18-19 - The Power Of The Baptism In The Holy Spirit

Acts 18-19 - The Power Of The Baptism In The Holy Spirit this message was given on 10-21-12

Acts 18 - A Powerful Church & Powerful Letters to the Church (notes)

Acts 18 - A Powerful Church & Powerful Letters to the Church

Most People agree that Luke wrote Acts and the Gospel of Luke. In Acts he told how the good news about Jesus Christ spread to the world beyond Jerusalem. The book of Acts is a case study in world missions. It is also a model for Revival. If you study revival you will find that the book of Acts is relived and revisited in that outpouring.

Today we will be introduced to some individuals who became part of the ministry team that spread the Gospel, help plant churches all over the world and worked with Paul.

Since The City of Corinth is introduced in this chapter let’s take a look at this large city. It was a city state and located roughly half way between Athens and Sparta. It was a major commerce center, a port city that connected major trade routes. Corinth was also a very vile city.

The Difference Between Athens and Corinth

1. Athens was a small city of about 10,000 people while Corinth was a city of over 200,000 people. 
2. Athens was an intellectual & cultural center while Corinth was a commerce center that had sea trade to the Ionian Sea on the West and the Aegean Sea on the east.
3. In Athens Paul ministered alone (except for a short visit by Timothy) but in Corinth he had a ministry team.
4. In Athens Paul focused on Gentile philosophers while in Corinth on Gentile God fearers.
5. In Athens Paul displayed brilliance in human wisdom in Corinth he ministered with displays of supernatural power.
6. In Athens the Word overshadowed deeds, but in Corinth deeds supported & confirmed the Word.
7. In Athens he produced little fruit while evangelistic ministry in Corinth produced a great harvest.

Paul Ministered in Corinth for about two years and he saw many people come to Jesus and established a powerful church there. Paul wrote two powerful letters to the believers in Corinth with some powerful revelations.

Strongholds That Existed In Corinth

1. Poseidon (Neptune in Latin)  was also worshiped in Athens but more so in Corinth. This was the god of sea & Corinth had two sea ports located on an Isthmus (a narrow strip of land with sea on either side forming a link between two larger areas of land.) The sea was the source of it great wealth. Poseidon would have promised lucrative commerce in exchange for worship & sacrifice.
2. Aphrodite (Venice in Latin) the god of free love had a temple on top of an 1,800 foot high mountain in Corinth. It had 1,000 slave girls who served as temple prostitutes available to all who would glorify Aphrodite and agree to serve her.

In Corinth

• Society itself promoted sexual immorality. At the time of Paul to Corinthianize meant to fornicate.
• Paul wrote 1st & 2nd Thessalonians in Corinth.
• Paul wrote the letter to the Romans six years later from Corinth.
• God gave the Apostle Paul some of the most powerful revelations to the church.
• God added to the ministry team of Paul and they worked together spreading the Gospel to the Roman Empire and beyond.

Timothy & Silas arrive in Corinth. The last time Paul had seen them together was when he was fleeing for his life from Berea. Athens was not on Paul agenda he just arrived there on ship after fleeing Berea. In Acts 18:5 it says that Silas & Timothy had come from Macedonia.

The Chief Centers

• Of Christian ministry were in Philippi, Thessalonica and Berea. Silas & Timothy brought two things, money from those churches and good news. (2 Cor. 11:9).
• The Lord used the Macedonian churches to be of great encouragement to Paul, with their offerings and how they were progressing in the Lord.

The Reason the Jews would get so upset with the message of Paul was because they were taught the Law, you have to do all these things to be right with God. The message of the Gospel is that you don’t have to do anything but believe in Jesus Christ to be welcomed into God’s presence.

Three Key

• People became followers of Jesus Christ at this time. Crispus, Justus (Gaius) and Sosthenes the one who succeeded Crispus as president of the Synagogue. Paul baptized all of these three men.
• God spoke to Paul, “don’t be afraid, but speak, don’t keep silent; for I am with you, and no one will attack you or hurt you; for I have many people in this city.”

Acts 18 - A Powerful Church & Powerful Letters to the Church

Acts 18 - A Powerful Church & Powerful Letters to the Church this message was given on 10-14-12

Acts 17 - Planting Churches (notes)

Acts 17 - Planting Churches

One of the main

Roles of the apostle Paul was to plant churches throughout the Roman Empire.

In This Chapter

Paul and his team end up in Thessalonica, a city in Macedonia just west of Philippi where Paul & Silas lead the Philippian jailer and his family to the Lord.

Paul Went To The Synagogue

And for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the scriptures, explaining and giving evidence that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead and saying, “This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ.” and some of them were persuaded and joined Paul & Silas, along with a large number of the God fearing Greeks and a number of leading women.

There was opposition to Paul and his team

The Jews became jealous and took some vile men from the market place, formed a mob and set the city in an uproar and attacked the house of Jason. They didn’t find Paul and took Jason and some believers  before the city officials and told them that they had upset the people by saying that there was another king other than Caesar named Jesus.

The Message says

They made Jason and his friends post heavy bail and let them go while they investigated the charges.

What Paul Said About The Believers in Thessalonica

I Thess. 1:7-10 Do you know that all over the provinces of both Macedonia and Achaia believers look up to you? The word has gotten around. Your lives are echoing the Master’s Word, not only in the provinces but all over the place. The news of your faith in God is out.

Everywhere Paul Went

• Either a revival broke out or a riot. This is because the Gospel is the great separator. It separates all other religions from the truth.
• There is no other way to God.
• Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under Heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

The amazing Berean believers are mentioned here:

• Acts 17:11 Lexham English Bible (LEB) Now these were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica. They accepted the message with all eagerness, examining the scriptures everyday to see if these things were so.
• Therefore many of them believed, along with a number of prominent Greek women and men. 13 But when the Jews of Thessalonica found out that the word of God had been proclaimed by Paul in Berea also, they came there as well, agitating and stirring up the crowds. 14 Then immediately the brethren sent Paul out to go as far as the sea; and Silas and Timothy remained there.

Athens

• Is the next stop but here Paul sees the intense idolatry of the city. But he went to the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews and the God fearing Gentiles and in the market place everyday with anyone who was there. Paul also talks with the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. Paul preached Jesus & His resurrection.
• The message of the Gospel is always the best way to destroy spiritual strongholds in a community.

The Areopagus

Is the result of Ares, northwest of Acropolis in Athens. In classical times functioned as the high Court of Appeals for criminal cases in Athens. Ares was supposed to have been tried here by the gods for the murder of Poseidon’s son Alirrothios. In Greek the word pagos means big piece of rock. Later, the Romans referred to the rock hill as “Mars Hill” after Mars, the Roman god of War. It was here that the alter to the Unknown God was.

They Took Paul

Into custody and brought him to the council on Mars Hill. What is this new teaching? Can we learn what you are talking about? Paul then talks about the altar with the inscription, “To An Unknown God.” And preaches the Gospel of Jesus Christ to them. (Acts 17:22-31) Some believed among them were Dionysuis the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.

Acts 17 - Planting Churches

Acts 17 - Planting Churches this message was given on 10-7-12

Acts 15-16 - Second Missionary Journey (notes)

Acts 15-16 - Second Missionary Journey

The Missionary Journeys of Paul…

Are some of the most amazing events in history. The early church was breaking new ground at this time. They have just completed their first Mission Journey and now are ready to start on a new adventure in God’s work.

What is The Spirit Saying To The Church Today?

How we deal with disagreement is very critical to how we represent the Kingdom of God in any situation. Paul & Barnabas have a disagreement about John Mark whom according to Paul had flaked out on him in Pamphylia. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed to Cyprus. Paul & Silas went to Syria & Cilicia strengthening the churches.

Acts 15:36-41

What Can We Learn About Disagreement?

Did they handle their differences well? Probably not. Did they handle every situation in the right way? No! How about us, neither do we.

As long as we want to see Jesus glorified we will handle conflict in the right way.

What We Find Here The breakthrough of God in the realm of breaking down wall of differences between cultures, ethnic groups or people groups.

Paul’s Priority Was To See People Saved even when people were preaching the Gospel out of contention with Paul, he said, I don’t care what the motives are, all I know is that the Gospel is preached and people are saved.

The Church Grows in Lystra Paul meets Timothy, who had a Jewish believing mother and a Greek father. Timothy had a great reputation in the church so Paul made him part of his team. As they passed through the cities the ministry team gave the believers the message from the Jerusalem Council. The churches were strengthened in the faith and increased in number daily. This is God’s desire for us, for believers to be saved daily. This will happen through you.

Acts 16:16

The Vision

The team is forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the Word in Asia (Turkey). They visited Mysia and on their way to Bithynia but the Spirit stopped them. They then went to Troas. Paul has a vision of a man of Macedonia pleading with him to come and help.

The Team

• Sets out to sea from Troas through Samothrace and then to Neapolis then to Philippi, the leading city of Macedonia, A Roman colony.
• On the Sabbath they go to the river outside the city and spoke to the woman who was there.
• A woman named Lydia from Thyatira, a business woman who worshiped God was intently listening. Her and her family were baptized. The team stay at her house.
• Was going to prayer when a slave girl with a spirit of divination met the team. Her owners made much money by her fortune-telling. For many days she would say “These men are bond servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation.” Paul cast the demon out of her.
• Were brought into the market place before the rulers and the chief magistrates. They made some poor charges against them, beat them & threw them into prison.

Paul & Silas

• Are placed in the inner prison (the most secure part) and in stocks.
• At midnight are praying & worshiping God while the other prisoners heard them. Then a great earthquake shook the foundations of the prison and all the doors were opened. The jailer was going to kill himself, thinking they had escaped. Paul tells him not to harm himself. He asks them, “What must I do to be saved?”

The Famous Words

• Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your house. They share the Gospel with them and they believe. The jailer washes their wounds in the middle of the night and he & his family were baptized.
• The jailer took them into his house and offered food to them and the whole house rejoiced in finding faith in God.

The Holy Spirit

• Moved in the early church in amazing ways and wants to move in amazing ways in our lives today. We need to be hungry for God to move like that today. If we are not hungry for a move of God it will not happen to us. It might happen here but those who aren't hungry for God will miss out.
• Don’t miss out on what the Spirit has for you. Be hungry for it and amazing things will happen.

Acts 15-16 - Second Missionary Journey

Acts 15-16 - Second Missionary Journey this message was given on 9-30-12

Acts 15 - Another Gospel (notes)

Acts 15 - Another Gospel

In Every Revival

Legalism raises its ugly head. When God does something great man messes with what God does and messes it up. In Acts 15 we see this. In Acts 2 God pours out His Spirit and the church explodes, goes everywhere preaching the Gospel, missionaries establish churches in the cities where they preached. But back in Jerusalem something happens.

Some Men From Judea

Came to Jerusalem and started to teach a Gospel of performance. “Unless you are circumcised you cannot be saved.” Paul & Barnabas and some other leaders go to Jerusalem and bring correction to the church. They tell the believers how Gentiles were saved.

To Be Saved

All we have to do is confess Jesus and believe that He rose from the dead. With the mouth confession is made for salvation and with the heart we believe and are justified.

Romans 10:9-10

The Early Church Grew Until the enemy started to plant false teaching in the church.

1. You have to keep the Law to be saved.
2. You have to be circumcised to be saved.
3. You have to obey the Sabbath to be saved.

Religion

Is man’s attempt to be justified before God through good deeds, obeying their commandments or following certain rules.

Christianity

Is God sending His only Son to die for our sins and there is nothing else we have to do to be justified, all we do is believe what the Gospel says and we are made right with God.

The Apostles

• Had to make the needed corrections in the early church.
• In any revival God always has to restore to the church what we lose when we get off track. We must keep following the Word of God and what God says so that we don’t get off track.

Acts 15 - Another Gospel

Acts 15 - Another Gospel this message was given on 9-23-12

Acts 14 - Bring In The Harvest (notes)

Acts 14 - Bring In The Harvest

Paul’s Missionary Journeys

• Are some of the most amazing accounts of the expansion of the Word of God in the Roman Empire.
• Are divided into three. The first is found in Acts 13:1 to 15:35. The second is found in Acts 15:36 to 18:22 The third is found in Acts 18:23.

America is Like the Roman Empire was at the time of the early church. Rome was the world’s Super Power just as America is the world’s Super Power. Rome was a pagan nation just like America is becoming a pagan nation. We started as a Christian nation but have become a secular society as we have turned away from God.

What Many in the world do not know is that the church is the salt of the earth and the light of the world. The church is the only pure system in this dark world. Every other system in the world cannot solve the problems in the world only the church has the answer to the problems in the world. As a believer we are connected to the One who knows what caused the problem and how the problem can be solved. God is all knowing and if I am connected to Him I can tap into that knowledge.

The Church Knows

• The answer to the most important questions.
• “Where did I come from?, Why am I here?, And where am I going?”
• We came from God, made in His image and likeness, we are here to know God and If I know God I will fulfill my purpose. I then can lead many to their eternal destiny-Heaven. These are the most important questions.

As We Look At

• The historical record we can apply what God is saying to us today.
• The missionary journeys of Paul & his team were amazing displays of Apostolic authority and ministry. What is the Holy Spirit saying to us through these events?
• The turmoil in the world, the displays of hatred towards America in the Middle East we need to see the spiritual war that we are in. We are not fighting against flesh & blood but with the forces of darkness that are everywhere. The most evil and violent forces in the planet are the religious ones. Look at Ireland, at the middle east, in South America in the 1700s. Many thousands of people have been killed in the name of the different religions over history.

Paul’s Strategy was to always go to the local synagogue first.

1. They go to Iconium and go straight to the synagogue & spoke with such anointing that a  large number of Jews & Gentiles believed.
2. The unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles against the apostles.
3. The apostles spoke the Word with boldness and Jesus confirmed it with signs and wonders.

Acts 14:1-7

The People of the City

• Were divided, some sided with the Jews and some with the apostles.
• Attempted to stone them but the apostles became aware of the plan and fled to Lycaonia, Lystra and Derbe and the surrounding region and continued to preach Jesus.

In Lystra

• A crippled man is healed as Paul said in a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet” and he leaped up and began to walk.
• The people of the city looked at the apostles as gods. They called Paul Hermes (the spokesman) and Barnabas Zeus. The priest of Zeus wanted to offer sacrifices to the apostles but Paul rebuked the crowd by explaining that they were just men and to turn from paganism and turn to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Jews Came from Antioch and Iconium and won over the crowd and stoned Paul, dragged him out of the city and left him for dead. The disciples prayed for him and he got up & entered the city. The next day they went to Derbe where they made many disciples after preaching the Gospel there.

The Apostles

• Returned to Lystra & Iconium and Antioch strengthening the disciples. They appointed elders in every church, prayed and fasted with the believers.
• Passed through Pisidia and Pamphylia then taught the Word in Perga and they went to Attalia. Then they sailed to Antioch (the headquarters church) where they reported what God had done on their journey.

Acts 14 - Bring In The Harvest

Acts 14 - Bring In The Harvest this message was given on 9-16-12

Acts 13 - The Beginnings of the Missionary Journeys of Paul

***Guest Speaker, Jonathan Garcia Spoke Today 9-9-12***

Acts 12 - The Power Of A Praying Church (notes)

Acts 12 - The Power Of A Praying Church

There Are 3 Keys To Unlock The Power Acts

1. The name of Jesus.
2. The Holy Spirit.
3. The Word of God.

• We could add a fourth key (prayer).

King Herod

• Began to mistreat some of the believers by killing James, the brother of John.
• This was popular with some of the people so he arrested Peter during the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
• Put Peter in jail and had 16 soldiers guard him and planned to bring Peter to trial after Passover.

The Key Verse 12:5

• So Peter was kept in Jail, but the church prayed earnestly to God for him.
• Prayer is the most powerful weapon the church has to overcome evil and defeat the enemies of the cross.
• Our government is passing more laws against Christianity and many Christians are asleep. This is not the time to sleep spiritually but to pray against the evil spirits that are trying to get out leaders to pass laws that threaten our liberty as Christians.

The Night Before

Peter was going to be put on trial Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains. The other guards were guarding the door to the jail. Then an angel of the Lord stood there, a light shined in the cell. The angel struck Peter on the side and woke him up. Hurry! Get up!, get dressed and follow me. The chains fell off of Peter and he followed the angel.  (Acts 12:6-8)

Peter

• Realized that it was not a dream, that the angle of the Lord had rescued him from Herod.
• Showed up at Mary’s house, John Mark’s mom. The believers were gathered there interceding for Peter.
• Knocks on the door and a young girl answered. She recognized Peter’s voice but didn’t open the door and ran and told the group that Peter was at the door. They didn’t believe her and even said she was crazy.
• Continued to knock and finally they opened the door and were amazed.
• Tells them to be quiet and tells them how the Lord had led him out of Jail.
• Leaves. The soldiers were upset and wondered what happened to Peter. Herod looked everywhere for him but could not find him. Herod questioned the guards and ordered that they be killed.

There is A Prayer Movement in The Church Today

• What happens when the church prays?
• The power of prayer is known in Nations which are experiencing revival such as South Korea, Nigeria, Australia, Brazil, Columbia and China. Great manifestations of the Glory of God are being seen in parts of the planet where believers pray.

There is A Shaking Taking place of every institution in the world

• Hebrews 12:25 
• See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from Heaven, 26 whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also Heaven.

Things Will Be Shaken

Hebrews 12:27 Now this, yet once more, indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Therefore, since we are receiving a Kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. 29 For our God is a consuming fire.

Peter’s Life Was Spared

Because the church prayed when Herod was about to kill him. Prayer is the most powerful gift we can give our families. Our children need our prayers more than money, land or things. When we pray God will put a shield of protection over those we pray for. Our nation needs the church to pray for God’s mercy and favor. Prayer is even more powerful than voting. Prayer releases the angels of God to fight satan & his army.

What Can We Do

• When we stand in the midst of the shaking that will occur?
• Stand firm in the Lord. Eph. 6:10-18
• Pray always. Eph. 6:18
• Recognize we are in a spiritual war. Eph. 6:12-13

God Will Judge Those who mess with the church

• Acts 12:20-25 Herod was out of control, intoxicated with his power and threatened by the explosive growth of the church. He murdered James the brother of John (one of the key figures of the infant church). Peter is next but God intervenes and deals with the King. (Acts 12:23-24)
• The Word of God grew & multiplied.(v. 24)

Acts 12 - The Power Of A Praying Church

Acts 12 - The Power Of A Praying Church this message was given on 9-2-12

Acts 11 - The Growth of The Word (notes)

Acts 11 - The Growth of The Word

There Are 3 Keys To Unlock The Power Acts:

1. The name of Jesus.
2. The Holy Spirit.
3. The Word of God.

The Early Believers Were successful in spreading revival fires wherever they went because they knew the power of name of Jesus, the anointing of the Holy Spirit and the effect of the Word of God.

Today we will look at the power of the Word of God in the early church.

The Word in Acts

1. Acts 4:31
2. Acts 6:2
3. Acts 6:7
4. Acts 8:14
5. Acts 10:36
6. Acts 11:1
7. Acts 12:24
8. Acts 13:5
9. Acts 13:7
10. Acts 13:26
11. Acts 13:44
12. Acts 13:46
13. Acts 15:7
14. Acts 17:13
15. Acts 18:11
16. Acts 19:20
17. Acts 20:32

The Key Verse To Chapter 11

11 Soon the news reached the apostles and other believers in Judea that the Gentiles had received the word of God.

The Jewish Believers Criticize Peter for going to the house of a gentile. So Peter tells them what happened to him and to Cornelius.

Peter talks about the vision God gave him and the Word of The Lord given to Him. Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean. This is repeated three times.

Peter tells them that the Holy Spirit told him to go to the Gentile’s house.

Important events

16 Then I thought of the Lord’s words when he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’

17 And since God gave these Gentiles the same gift he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to stand in God’s way?”

18 When the others heard this, they stopped objecting and began praising God. They said, “We can see that God has also given the Gentiles the privilege of repenting of their sins and receiving eternal life.”

19 Meanwhile, the believers who had been scattered during the persecution after Stephen’s death traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch of Syria. They preached the word of God, but only to Jews.

The Word of God Continued To Grow And Multiply:

25 Then Barnabas went on to Tarsus to look for Saul. 26 When he found him, he brought him back to Antioch. Both of them stayed there with the church for a full year, teaching large crowds of people. (It was at Antioch that the believers were first called Christians.) 27 During this time some prophets traveled from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 One of them named Agabus stood up in one of the meetings and predicted by the Spirit that a great famine was coming upon the entire Roman world. (This was fulfilled during the reign of Claudius.) 29 So the believers in Antioch decided to send relief to the brothers and sisters in Judea, everyone giving as much as they could. 30 This they did, entrusting their gifts to Barnabas and Saul to take to the elders of the church in Jerusalem.

The Church

• Moves its headquarters from Jerusalem to Antioch: 28 one of them named Agabus stood up in one of the meetings and predicted by the Spirit that a great famine was coming upon the entire Roman world. (This was fulfilled during the reign of Claudius.) 29 So the believers in Antioch decided to send relief to the brothers and sisters in Judea, everyone giving as much as they could. 30 This they did, entrusting their gifts to Barnabas and Saul to take to the elders of the church in Jerusalem.
• Grows when the Word of God is unleashed. Let’s unleash the Word here, now!

Acts 11 - The Growth of The Word

Acts 11 - The Growth of The Word

this message was given on 8-26-12

Acts 10 - The Moving of The Spirit (notes)

Acts 10 - The Moving of The Spirit

In Chapter 10

We find the movement of the Holy Spirit…

• In the lives of two people and two cultures.
• Cornelius and Peter. One a Gentile and the other a Jew.

Being Full of The Spirit:

• Means being full of God. Dunamis or the power to reproduce.
• Is to walk in the fullness of God.
• Is to live under the anointing of the Spirit.
• Is to walk with Jesus in intimate fellowship.
• To be willing be guided and influenced by the Holy Spirit. To break new ground for the Kingdom of God.

What can we learn from a person who is full of the Spirit?

1. They have a deep knowledge of the Word.
2. They have revelation from the Word.
3. They know the heart of God because they pray.
4. They have been set free from the fear of man.
5. They are not intimidated by cultural or ethnic differences.

What We Find Here

• The breakthrough of God in the realm of breaking down wall of differences between cultures, ethnic groups or people groups.
• The way the Holy Spirit works through people who pray and who are kind and compassionate.
• How visions are part of God’s unfolding plan of redemption for people who are hungry for God.

The History of the expansion of the early church is one of the most amazing stories in history because it is the most important part of man’s experience.

The Events

• That shaped the history of the church and of the world.
• In Caesarea a man named Cornelius lived there. He was a Roman Military officer in charge of a hundred Roman Soldiers. Part of the Italian Regiment.
• He and his family were devout and feared God. He was a giving man, helped the needy and was a man of prayer.

One Day

• At the time of prayer (3 in the afternoon) Cornelius has a vision of an angel.
• The angel tells him that his prayers and gifts to the poor did not go unnoticed.
• Go to Joppa and send for a man named Simon Peter. He is staying with Simon the tanner.

The Next Day

• As the men were on the way to look for Peter, Peter has an encounter with the Lord. Peter was in prayer when this happened. While in prayer, Peter gets hungry and as they were preparing the meal, he falls into a trance. He sees Heaven open and a sheet is let down to earth. It had all kinds of four footed animals, with reptiles and birds and hears a voice saying, kill and eat. Peter protests, I have never eating anything unclean.
• The message God was giving Peter was that he has being called to a new level of ministry, going to the Gentiles and presenting the Gospel to them.

God

• Has to tell Peter three times and then the sheet was taken back to Heaven. Heaven has visions for us. We just need to stay in touch with the Holy Spirit and God will reveal some amazing things to us.
• Tells Peter that three men were outside looking for him and to go with them. They tell Peter what Cornelius experienced. They spent the night with Peter. The next day they arrive at Caesarea. Cornelius called his family and close friends together. He falls at Peter’s feet but Peter tells him to get up, “I am only a man.”

Peter

• Gives a real encouraging opening statement. Its against the law for Jews to associate with Gentiles but God showed him not to call anyone impure.
• Asked Cornelius why he sent for him. Cornelius tells Peter what happened to him.
• Tells them that God is not show favoritism but accepts from every nation those who fear Him and do what is right.
• Then shares the Gospel with them.

Acts 10:38

How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how He went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with Him.

(NIV)

While Peter

Is sharing the Good News something amazing happens. The Holy Spirit falls on them and they spoke in tongues as a result. The Jewish believers who came with Peter were amazed that the Spirit had been poured out on Gentiles. Peter then baptized them in water. Peter stayed with them for a few days.

The Holy Spirit

• Moved in the early church in amazing ways and wants to move in amazing ways in our lives today. We need to be hungry for God to move like that today. If we are not hungry for a move of God it will not happen to us. It might happen here but those who aren’t hungry for God will miss out.
• Don’t miss out on what the Spirit has for you be hungry for it and amazing things will happen.

Acts 10 - The Moving of The Spirit

Acts 10 - The Moving of The Spirit this message was given on 8-19-12

Acts 9 - The Purpose of Miracles (notes)

Acts 9 - The Purpose of Miracles

Peter

• Had one of the most amazing healing ministries in the history of the church.
• Continued to grow in grace and in the anointing of the Holy Spirit.
• Not only had a great teaching ministry but moved in mighty signs and wonders and miracles.

What happened in this portion of scripture:

Acts 9:32-41

• First Peter traveled from place to place. He wasn't a tourist, he was ministering to people in all the places he visited. The people in the places that Peter visited were touched by the Spirit of God. Miracles were normal.
• Ends up in Lydda where some believers lived. A man named Aeneas, who was paralyzed and bed ridden for 8 years is healed.

What Peter Says

• To Aeneas: “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you! Get up, and roll up your sleeping mat!” And he was healed instantly. Then the whole population of Lydda and Sharon saw Aeneas walking around, and they turned to the Lord.
• The purpose of Miracles is that God might get the glory and people get the message of salvation and come to the Lord.

Then Peter Goes to Joppa and a believer named Tabitha who had a ministry of helping the poor get sick and dies. They cared for her body and laid in an upper room. When they heard that Peter was in a nearby town they sent two men to ask him if he could come to Joppa. Peter returns with them. The room is filled with widows weeping and showing Peter the coats and clothing Dorcas had made for them. Peter makes all of them leave the room, kneels and prays. He then speaks to her body, “Get up Tabitha,” and she opens her eyes. God raised her from the dead. Peter calls the widows & all the believers and presents her to them alive.

Acts 9:42

The word spread throughout the town and many believed in the Lord. Peter stays a long time in Joppa, lived with Simon, a tanner of hides.

The Role of The Miraculous

• To bring glory to God.
• To bring people to God.

The Role of the miracles in the church has been misunderstood for many generations. The main reason for this is that many who have moved in the miraculous have been either taught false doctrine, had character flaws, mishandled money, practiced all kinds of strange practices or where strange and untouchable.

Jesus never had any of those traits. He taught the most pure doctrine, had the highest integrity, was the most humble and approachable man of all time.

This Does Not

• Stop me from teaching and believing in the ministry of healing and miracles. As a matter of fact we have a prophetic mandate, we must contend for healing and miracles. Whatever happens, God has called the church in various parts of the Word in this hour to contend for miracles.
• The model, the final authority for this is the book of Acts and what Peter experienced.

If It Was Not In the Word of God I would not even mention it. But because the Old & New Testament are filled with examples of miracles and healing and signs and wonders then I will contend for them. I will believe in them and that God desires to move in this realm today.

We Have A Choice Today

• Believe in and contend for miracles.
• Don’t contend for miracles and suffer the consequences for staying in unbelief and apathy.
• I want to contend for & believe in miracles with you and see what God will do!

Acts 9 - The Purpose of Miracles

Acts 9 - The Purpose of Miracles this message was given on 8-12-12

Acts 9 - Paul’s Salvation Experience (notes)

Acts 9 - Paul’s Salvation Experience

Salvation Is the most important event in the life of anyone. There are many terms the church uses, born again, saved, converted, knowing Jesus, becoming a follower of Jesus, What we call it is not as important as to have a genuine salvation experience with Jesus Christ.

What Saul Was Like Before Being Saved:

• 9:1 Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord’s followers.
• He had an extreme hatred for the followers of the Lord.
• What Saul did was sincere, but he was sincerely wrong!

The Background of One of the Greatest Christians of All Time:

• Acts 8:1 Saul was one of the witnesses and was in agreement with the killing of Stephen.
• Acts 8:3 Saul was going everywhere to destroy the church. He went from house to house, dragging out both men & women to throw them into prison.
• Saul event went to the high priest & requested letters for the synagogues in Damascus requesting help in arresting Christians.

God Confronts Saul

• 9:3 As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from Heaven suddenly shone down around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting Me?”
• When God says enough or when God wants to stop someone He has all the resources to do so. Saul had no recourse but to submit. Who are you Lord?
• I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.
• The men with Saul were speechless, Saul picked himself up off the ground but when he opened his eyes he was blind.
• Saul is led by the hand to Damascus. He didn’t eat or drink for 3 days.

A Believer

• Named Ananias has a vision and God called him. Yes, Lord, he replied. Go to Straight Street to the house of Judas. Ask for Saul of Tarsus, he is praying to me now. I have shown in a vision of a man named Ananias coming & laying hands on him so he can see.
• Ananias protests, I’ve heard of this guy. God tells him that Saul is a chosen instrument to take my message to the gentiles & to kings, as well as to the people of Israel.

God Says

• That Saul (named Paul) would suffer much for the name of Jesus.
• Ananias goes and lays hands on Saul and tells him that Jesus who appeared to him on the road sent Ananias that Saul might receive his sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.
• Instantly the scales fell from Saul’s eyes and he regained his sight. Saul is then baptized. Then Saul eats & regains his strength.

Saul

• Stayed with the believers in Damascus for a few days.
• Immediately he began preaching about Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is indeed the Son of God.”
• Amazed all who heard because they had heard that this was the one who was devastating the church.

Saul’s

• Preaching became more and more powerful and the Jews in Damascus couldn’t refute his proofs that Jesus was the Messiah.
• Some of the Jews plotted together to kill Saul. They watched for him day & night at the city gate so they could murder him, but Saul was told about their plot. So during the night, some of the other believers lowered him in a large basket through an opening in the wall.

Saul Arrived In Jerusalem and tried to meet with the believers there but they were afraid of him. They didn’t believe he had truly become a believer. But Barnabas brought him to the apostles & told them how Saul had seen the Lord on the way to Damascus & how God spoke to him. He also told them how Saul had preached boldly in the name of Jesus there.

Saul

• Stayed with the apostles and went all around Jerusalem with them, preaching bodily in the name of Jesus. He also debated with some Greek speaking Jews, but they tried to murder him. So when the believers heard about this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus, his hometown.
• The church then had peace throughout Judea, Galilee, & Samaria and it became stronger as the believers lived in the fear of the Lord. And with the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, it also grew in numbers.

Acts 9 - Paul’s Salvation Experience

Acts 9 - Paul’s Salvation Experience this message was given on 8-5-12

Acts 8 - Expansion (notes)

Acts 8 - Expansion

In Acts 1:8

The Lord said that they would get the power and then go into Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth.

In Acts 8:1

Persecution caused the church to go into Judea and Samaria.

Saul

• Was a witness and in complete agreement with the murder of Stephen.
• Went everywhere to destroy the church.
• Went from house to house, dragging out both men and women and threw them into prison.
• Was a fierce opponent of the church and did whatever he could do to stop the expansion of the church.

Persecution

Sent the believers into the regions of Judea & Samaria and I’m sure they preached Jesus in those places. Here in this chapter we see one of them, Philip is used in a mighty way of the Holy Spirit. He went to a city of Samaria & preached Jesus. They were eager for the Gospel and thus miracles and signs and wonders were performed by Philip.

The Ministry

• Of Philip was also characterized by the casting out of demons. Many paralyzed and lame people were healed also and this brought great joy in that Samaritan City.
• Of Philip also got the attention of a man named Simon.

Principles

• The Baptism & Manifestations of the Holy Spirit
• Can not be bought.
• Must be sought after by humble, servant minded believers.
• Can function in the life of every believer.

Peter & John

• Heard of the revival of the Samaritans and came and checked it out for themselves. They prayed for some believers and they were baptized in the Spirit.
• Simon the sorcerer amazed the people of Samaria for years.
• Simon saw how people were baptized in the Spirit and wanted to buy that power. Peter rebukes him.

Simon

• Asked Peter to intercede for him.
• We don’t know what happened to Simon, it is possible that he was born again but we just don’t know.

Peter & John

Preached the Word in Samaria then decided to return to Jerusalem. On the way home they stopped in many Samaritan villages and preached the Gospel to them.

Philip

• Is visited by an angel of the Lord.
• And told him to go south down the desert road that runs from Jerusalem to Gaza.
• There he meets the treasurer of Ethiopia, a man of great authority under the queen of Ethiopia. He must have been hungry for God for he had just visited Jerusalem to worship God. In his chariot he was reading from Isaiah 53.
• Through obedience to the Holy Spirit leaves a great revival and goes to meet with this key person. Philip shares the Gospel with him and the man is saved.

The Name

The Key to the father sending the Holy Spirit is the name of Jesus. John 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.

What can we learn from the events mentioned?

1. People like Saul (Paul) is an example of people in the world today that are fighting the church but are key figures for the next move of God.
2. God will send out people from places where persecution is happening.
3. Revivals always break out in the places that are least expected.
4. Let’s expect nothing less from the Holy Spirit for our lives today.

Acts 8 - Expansion

Acts 8 - Expansion this message was given on 7-29-12

Acts 7 - Full of The Spirit (notes)

Acts 7 - Full of The Spirit

In Chapter 7 We find the growth of individuals.

1. The ministry of Stephen.
2. The seeds planted in the life of Saul (Paul the apostle).

Being Full of The Spirit

• Means being full of God. Dunamis or the power to reproduce.
• Is to walk in the fullness of God.
• Is to live under the anointing of the Spirit.
• Is to walk with Jesus in intimate fellowship.

What can we learn from a person who is full of the Spirit?

1. They have a deep knowledge of the Word.
2. They have revelation from the Word.
3. They know the heart of God.
4. They have been set free from the fear of man.
5. They are not intimidated by religious leaders.

What We Find Here:

• The religious leaders ask Stephen what he had to say.
• Saul (Paul the apostle) is there before being saved consenting or in agreement to the execution of Stephen.
• Stephen mentions Abraham and the history of Israel.
• Stephen says Abraham was a man of faith and obeyed God even though he didn’t know where he would end up.

The History of The Nation of Israel

• God told Abraham about the future of his offspring. Even the 400 plus years of slavery that the Jews would suffer in Egypt and who would set them free to worship God in the promised land.
• Stephen mentions the covenant God made with Abraham. (circumcision).
• God then speaks bless Isaac, Jacob and his twelve sons and how they passed on the covenant to their children.

What Is Said of Stephen

8 Now Stephen, full of grace (divine blessing and favor) and power (strength and ability)

Amplified Bible

8-10 Stephen, brimming with God's grace and energy, was doing wonderful things among the people, unmistakable signs that God was among them.

Message Bible

Stephen

• Mentions Joseph, what he went through and how he is given favor with Pharaoh and is made the second in command in Egypt.
• Mentions what Joseph did when his brothers came to get food from Egypt.
• Mentions Moses being born and the murder of the infants, how Pharaoh’s daughter takes Moses to be her son. How Moses is raised in the best schools and that Moses was impressive as a thinker and an athlete.

Moses

• Knew about his Hebrew roots and one day when he was 40 he saw an Egyptian beating one of the Hebrews Moses intervened and killed the Egyptian.
• Sees two Jews fighting and tried to break it up but the one who started the fight tells Moses, “who put you in charge of us? Are you going to kill me like you killed the Egyptian yesterday?
• Runs for His life and lived in exile where he had two sons. Forty years in the wilderness of Sinai an angel of the Lord appeared to him in the guise of flames in a burning bush.
• Went up to take a closer look and God speaks to him. I have seen the suffering of my people.
• Is sent back to Egypt as ruler and redeemer. He leads them out of slavery through signs and wonders. Moses said, God will raise up a prophet just like me from your descendants.
• Stood between the angel speaking at Sinai and your fathers assembled in the wilderness and took the life giving words given to him and handed them over to us, words our fathers would have nothing to do with.

In The Wilderness

• While Moses was on mount Sinai the people started to murmur to Aaron because Moses took so long that they made a golden calf and started to worship it.
• God was not pleased and said ‘let them do it their way and suffer the consequences for their sin.’ Stephen mentions what Amos said. “Did you bring me offerings of animals and grains those forty years, O Israel? Hardly. You were too busy building shrines to war gods, to sex goddesses, worshiping them with all you might.” That’s why I put them in exile in Babylon.

Stephen

• Talks about the tabernacle the Jews build in the wilderness and how God cleared the land of pagans all the way until David came on the scene. David wanted to build a temple but Solomon built it.
• Knew that God does not live in buildings made by men’s hands. He quotes Isaiah.
• “Heaven is my throne room; I rest my feet on earth. So what kind of house will you build Me?” Says God. “ Where I can get away & relax? It’s already built, and I built it.”

Stephen Lays Into Them

You continue, so bullheaded, calluses on your hearts, flaps on you ears. Deliberately ignoring the Holy Spirit. You’re just like your ancestors. Was there ever a prophet who didn't get the same treatment? Your ancestors killed anyone who dared talk about the coming of the Just One. And you kept up the family tradition--traitors & murderers, all of you. You had God’s Law handed to you by angels--gift wrapped! --and you squandered it!

Stephen Stands Up To The Mob

• Full of the Holy Spirit, hardly noticed - he only had eyes for God, who he saw in all His glory with Jesus standing at His side. He said, I see Heaven wide open and the Son of Man standing at God’s Side!
• The mob dragged him out of town and stoned him.
• Paul was there watching over their coats.
• Prayed, Master Jesus, take my life, then he knelt down, praying that God would not hold this against those who killed him.

Acts 7 - Full of The Spirit

Acts 7 - Full of The Spirit this message was given on 7-22-12

Acts 6 - Full of Grace (notes)

Acts 6 - Full of Grace

In Chapter 6 We find the growth of the church and the problems that growth causes.

1. The feeding program.
2. The solution (picked 7 deacons).
3. The ministry of Stephen.

Grace:

• Means elegance or refinement of movement.
• In Christian talk it means unmerited favor of God manifested in salvation. A divinely given talent of blessing or of the Holy Spirit.
• The original meaning was pleasing, thankful.

On Wednesday

• We are studying the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
• In our study of gifts the word gift is “charis” or grace. So the gift means grace. We did not earn it but it is given by grace to move in the Word of Knowledge, Word of Wisdom, Discernment, Miracles, Healing, Faith, Tongues, interpretation of tongues and prophecy.

God

• Is the giver of life and of grace. We will see how Stephen was full of grace.
• Loves to give gifts to us. The gifts of God are never taken away when we walk in obedience to the Holy Spirit.
• Knows that people need grace. When we give grace we walk as Jesus walked. When we are graceful we know how to deal with adversity or challenges.

A Woman of Grace
I Samuel 25:3

• Abigail was married to a man who did not walk in grace but that did not stop her from living a life style of grace.
• Abigail was empowered by the Holy Spirit and even prophesied over David that he would be king of Israel. (I Sam. 25:28-30)
• Abigail was full of grace & wisdom. When she spoke, wisdom and grace flows out of her mouth.

Key Verse - Acts 6:8

8 Now Stephen, full of grace (divine blessing and favor) and power (strength and ability) worked great wonders and signs (miracles) among the people.

(Amplified)

8-10 Stephen, brimming with God's grace and energy, was doing wonderful things among the people, unmistakable signs that God was among them.

(Message Bible)

When A Believer lives a lifestyle of grace miracles will be normal events in the life of that believer.

The Root of Grace is found in the cross when Jesus died grace is made available to anyone who would believe in Jesus and what He did by dying for us and when He rose from the dead.