Many of us can readily recreate a mental picture of the church we grew up in…the building, the people, and the preaching. Chuck Swindoll invites us to go back much further, to examine an original snapshot of the very first church.
Jesus poured His life into 12 men, teaching, coaching, warning, and mentoring. And when He ascended into heaven, these disciples were not abandoned! The Spirit of God took over and became the fuel they desperately needed.
Pastor Chuck Swindoll will guide us through the great story in Acts 4, when the apostles Peter and John boldly stood up against all the religious authorities of their day. With uncompromising integrity mixed with fearless courage, Peter and John refused to stop proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ, no matter the cost.
The teaching of Jesus and the apostles is unmistakable. Heaven is for those who have been saved from their sin by trusting in Jesus. Heaven is not a mythical place for all people regardless of their background.
There is a big difference between prophets and politicians. Politicians act in a way to please their constituents. Prophets act in a way to please God. In the Bible prophets often stood alone. They spoke God’s truth and risked losing their lives for it.
Be honest: when was the last time you said something or gave something or wrote something or did something with the single motive of encouraging someone else?
It’s impossible to measure the worth of mutual encouragement. Whether spoken or written, a few encouraging words can make an enormous difference in the outcome of a single event or, in fact, someone’s entire life.
Before Paul put the final period on his first letter to the Thessalonians he issued a double-edged command: “encourage…and build up one another” (1 Thessalonians 5:11). In a world more sinful than saintly, such a command is necessary because the spirit of discouragement is dangerous.
Every Christian has a story of when her faith changes from head knowledge to heart knowledge, when she becomes convinced Jesus is the only possible way to be saved.
In Micah 6:8, the bold prophet answered the question many people wonder about today: What does the Lord expect of us? Micah's answer is comprehensive: to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with our God. The first of these three expectations means to do what is right, regardless of the consequences. This kind of courageous obedience is illustrated for us in the lives of the first-century apostles.
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Insight for Living is committed to excellence in communicating the truths of Scripture and the Person of Jesus Christ in an accurate, clear, and practical manner so that people will come to an understanding of God’s plan for their lives, as well as their significant role as authentic Christians in a needy, hostile, and desperate world.
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