The Acts of the Holy Spirit

[JohnS]

It's amazing how a passage...or a sentence...or even a word will sometimes reach out and grab you while studying God's Word.

I have been reading through Acts with G Campbell Morgan and Arno C Gaebelein and F F Bruce and J B Phillips and James Montgomery Boice. You can't have enough books!! The commentary is interesting. J B Phillips gives a fascinating account of the Gospel according to Moses as he writes about Stephen's defense before the Sanhedrin. There are so many types in the Old Testament and every one points to our Lord Jesus Christ.

I was shopping online for another book last week and my wife caught me. She is quite sure that I have enough books to keep me reading well into my old age and she is probably right. My six-year-old son Alex said, "but Momma, you gotta learn about Jesus." Ah! Out of the mouth of babes...draw him to you at an early age, Father!

Anyway, the first passage that caught my attention was in Acts 2:24,

whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it.

It was not possible that He should be held by it! Hallelujah! He had no sin, death had no claim on Him. This universe and everything in it is governed with mathematical precision. Think on it a while. Meditate on that.

But the passage that really caught my attention was Christ's words to Saul on the road to Damascus. "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" It was those who were "of the Way" that Saul persecuted, but Jesus says, "why are you persecuting Me?" I know I had read that verse many times before, but maybe it didn't quite register.

Jesus' words in Matthew 25,

Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'

That's quite a humbling thought. Jesus says, as you treat the least of His brethren, that's how you treat Him.

Food for thought!!

[Trust & Obey]

It's amazing how a  passage...or a sentence...or even a word will sometimes reach out and grab you while studying God's Word.

I have been reading through Acts with G Campbell Morgan and Arno C Gaebelein and F F Bruce and J B Phillips and James Montgomery Boice. You can't have enough books!! The commentary is interesting. J B Phillips gives a fascinating account of the Gospel according to Moses as he writes about Stephen's defense before the Sanhedrin. There are so many types in the Old Testament and every one points to our Lord Jesus Christ.

Amen, John!

For anyone wanting more on Jesus in the Old Testament I highly recommend listening to the late Pastor Ray Steadman.

Listen to these great messages by Ray Steadman as he shows the design of God in the OT. These messages have really helped the OT come alive for me. I now see things that I hadn't seen previously.

The New Testament is in the Old Testament concealed. And the Old Testament iis in the New Testament revealed.

[Homeward]

Excellent post, John!!! It sure reached out and grabbed me. Thank you so much, brother.

Ah, and as to the late Pastor Ray Steadman...Trust and Obey...you are so right! His messages have blessed me a multitude of times.

[JohnS]

It's amazing how a  passage...or a sentence...or even a word will sometimes reach out and grab you while studying God's Word.

I have been reading through Acts with G Campbell Morgan and Arno C Gaebelein and F F Bruce and J B Phillips and James Montgomery Boice. You can't have enough books!! The commentary is interesting. J B Phillips gives a fascinating account of the Gospel according to Moses as he writes about Stephen's defense before the Sanhedrin. There are so many types in the Old Testament and every one points to our Lord Jesus Christ.

Amen, John!

For anyone wanting more on Jesus in the Old Testament I highly recommend listening to the late Pastor Ray Steadman.

Listen to these great messages by Ray Steadman as he shows the design of God in the OT. These messages have really helped the OT come alive for me. I now see things that I hadn't seen previously.

The New Testament is in the Old Testament concealed. And the Old Testament iis in the New Testament revealed.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

We were studying Jeremiah in Sunday School last year and I was drawing heavily on Stedman. Good stuff!

http://www.pbc.org/dp/stedman/jeremiah/

The commentaries are great, but it seems that when the Lord really speaks to your heart it comes straight from His Word.

[traveller]

Terrific post JohnS!! I am currently reading a book by Stedman (seriously! ) and it's amazing the insights I am picking up as well! Like you said, the passages we've all read time and again, suddenly have life and take on an indepth meaning! God's word is truly amazing!

Thanks for the thread!

[JohnS]

Hi traveller!!!

I thought of one of my favorite lessons from Jeremiah. This is a message on "The Potter and the Clay" from Jeremiah given by Ray Stedman.

"In a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and earthenware, and some for noble use, some for ignoble. If any one purifies himself from what is ignoble then he will be a vessel for noble use, consecrated and useful to the master of the house, ready for any good work." (2 Timothy 2:20-21 RSV)

One of the great lessons we can learn from the New Testament's use of the figure of the potter is in the book of Acts -- the incident when Judas brought back the thirty pieces of silver and flung them down at the feet of the priests, after having betrayed his Lord. The priests gathered up the money and took counsel together, and bought with the money a potter's field. And it was known thereafter as "the field of blood," (Matthew 27:6-10). This once again is God's wonderful reminder of the heart of the Potter. For if you watch this Potter very carefully, at work in your life, you will find that his hands and his feet bear nail prints, and that it is through blood, the blood of the Potter himself, that the vessel is being shaped into what he wants it to be.

When we are in the Potter's hands, feeling his pressures, feeling the molding of his fingers, we can relax and trust him, for we know that this Potter has suffered with us and knows how we feel, but is determined to make us into a vessel "meet for the master's use" (2 Timothy 2:21 KJV). What a tremendous lesson, what a beautiful lesson Jeremiah learned at the potter's house -- one which I hope will guide us and guard us under the pressures which are coming into our lives these days. Remember that the Potter has a purpose in mind, and the skill and ability to fulfill it, no matter how many times he may have to make the vessel over again.

Is that not a beautiful picture? The thought of the Potter molding us with nail-scarred hands into a useful vessel is enough to bring my knees to the earth!

http://www.pbc.org/dp/stedman/jeremiah/3206.html

[JohnS]

Song break!!

Wonderful Savior

My heart belongs to Thee

I will remember always the blood You shed for me

Wonderful Savior

My heart will know Your worth

So I will embrace You always as I walk this earth

Be blessed, be loved, be lifted high

Be treasured here

Be glorified

I owe my life to You my Lord

Here I am....

Beautiful Jesus

How may I bless Your heart?

Knees to the earth I bow down to everything You are

Beautiful Jesus

You are my only worth

So let me embrace You always as I walk this earth

Be blessed, be loved, be lifted high

Be treasured here

Be glorified

I owe my life to You my Lord

Here I am....

by Christy and Nathan Nockels

[traveller]

Who Am I

by Casting Crowns

Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth

Would care to know my name

Would care to feel my hurt

Who am I, that the Bright and Morning Star

Would choose to light the way

For my ever wandering heart

Not because of who I am

But because of what You've done

Not because of what I've done

But because of who You're

Chorus:

I am a flower quickly fading

Here today and gone tomorrow

A wave tossed in the ocean

A vapor in the wind

Still You hear me when I'm calling

Lord, You catch me when I'm falling

And You've told me who I am

I am Yours, I am Yours

Who Am I, that the eyes that see my sin

Would look on me with love and watch me rise again

Who Am I, that the voice that calmed the sea

Would call out through the rain

And calm the storm in me

I am Yours

Whom shall I fear

Whom shall I fear

'Cause I am Yours

I am Yours