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Christine's Blog – July 2009 Archive (11)

The day you made God smile

Good Morning~

Keeping our bookmarks in Acts 17, I want to explore this trait of Paul's that caused him to be so courageous--it seems like it was part character trait, part devotion, and part faith--it was his undying trust in Jesus Christ. Yesterday's briefing included some self-investigative questions--starting with the jumping-off point of total surrender of ourselves to God--including your thoughts about His love for you. Most Christians realize God is asking for us to surrender… Continue

Added by Christine on July 30, 2009 at 11:01pm — 2 Comments

Wanna' be like Paul?

My summary of Acts 17.1-15 - The young missions team of Paul, Silas and Timothy traveled further into Europe--to Amphipolis and Apollonia, and on to Thessalonica--the bustling capital city of Macedonia, with about 200,000 in population. Paul again started preaching in the synagogue where a number of folks responded to the gospel, which riled up some of the Jews who chose not to believe. Their jealousy compelled them to go to the officials with the accusation that the missionaries were causing… Continue

Added by Christine on July 24, 2009 at 10:21pm — No Comments

Praise God now?????? Yes, praise Him now.

Acts 16.16-34 - Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. This girl followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved." She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so troubled that he turned around and said to the spirit, "In the name of Jesus Christ I… Continue

Added by Christine on July 24, 2009 at 11:24am — 1 Comment

A Place of Prayer

Good Day!

Yesterday, I commented that the missionary team of Paul, Silas, and Timothy headed into Europe with the gospel--let's look a little closer. . .Acts 16.12-15 From there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of that district of Macedonia. (which includes parts of five Balkan countries: Greece, theRepublic of Macedonia, Bulgaria, Albania and Serbia.) And we stayed there several days. (The ruins of Philippi are near modern Kavalla in northern Greece. It was… Continue

Added by Christine on July 21, 2009 at 10:03pm — No Comments

This is inspiring; Check it out. . .

Acts 16.4-10 - Paul's second missionary journey ~ 4 As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered to them for observance the decisions that had been reached by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem. 5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and they increased in numbers daily.6 And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. 7 And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into… Continue

Added by Christine on July 21, 2009 at 7:06am — No Comments

GRACE plus what?

Acts 15.1-35 http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Acts+15.1-35

v. 8 - God, who knows the heart, showed that He accepted them [the Gentiles] by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as He did to us [the Jews]

v.10-11 - Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear? No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are."

Good Day~

Okay,… Continue

Added by Christine on July 19, 2009 at 10:17pm — 1 Comment

Need encouragement? Be courageous

Good Morning~ Several of you wrote to tell me that the story of Jehoshaphat's faith, and how God rewarded it, was really encouraging for you--as YOU are 'in the battle'. Someone also commented quite astutely that it didn't really have anything to do with where we are in the book of Acts---well today, it will, as we finish Acts 14. You will remember in the verses just before these, Paul had been brutally stoned, dragged out of the city, and left for dead. Miraculously, he was able to travel the… Continue

Added by Christine on July 16, 2009 at 8:26am — No Comments

LIFESAVER

Good day~

lifesaver |ˈlīfˌsāvər| noun

"1 (informal) a thing that saves one from serious difficulty 2 a ring-shaped life preserver." Do you need a LIFESAVER? Sometimes when my back is against the wall, and there seems to be no place to turn, I read stories of people with great faith in the Bible, and take comfort in seeing how the Lord cared for them--how He heard from Heaven, and met them. One of my very favorite is found in 2 Chronicles, chapter 20. Does trusting God really pay off?… Continue

Added by Christine on July 14, 2009 at 10:07pm — No Comments

Do you THINK well?

Acts 14.1-20 As I read today's passage over and over, I was struck by how fickle these people were. . . how they were influenced first one way and then that. A couple weeks ago, we discussed the strategy of Satan to tear down, to rip off, to destroy wherever possible. One of his best ploys is to play with our minds; when he gains access to a weak mind, he can wreak all kinds of havoc in our thinking--causing doubt, guilt, fear, anxiety, etc. So, I see how the devil no doubt was involved in the… Continue

Added by Christine on July 12, 2009 at 10:40pm — No Comments

Continue in the Grace of God

Good Day~

1. Pray that the truth and inspiration of God's Word will be revealed for you from this passage . . . 2. Read the passage 3. "What do you NOTICE?" Read it again, and highlight what strikes you 4. If it fits, pull it apart for application.

Acts 18.23-19.7 After spending some time in Antioch, Paul set out from there and traveled from place to place throughout the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples. Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native… Continue

Added by Christine on July 3, 2009 at 12:08am — 1 Comment

God in a box?

Good Morning. . . Today as we study the second half of Paul's sermon, I pray that God will make his Word come alive for all of us, so that it will become alive IN all of us~

Acts 13.26-43 (NIV). Scripture is in black; the words in blue are my prayerful thoughts about Paul's powerful message to God's people.

26"Brothers, children of Abraham, and you God-fearing Gentiles, it is to us that this message of salvation has been sent. Paul addresses those sitting before him in the… Continue

Added by Christine on July 1, 2009 at 10:52pm — No Comments