Day 27 The Acts ix Saul's Conversion

for he is a chosen instrument of mine

Sorry for the lack of postings. I've just started working third shift and this is the reason for the delays.

Saul was chosen by God for a special service. God had chosen, long ago, to use Saul to give the gospel to the Gentiles. God has special plans for all of us.

I told my fiancee the other day that I have never chosen what church to God to. The choice has always been made for me. I have either gone with my parents, to my college's church, or the church where my fiancee goes now.

Could I choose to go to a different church? Sure. I had a hard time with this. I had never chosen for myself what church I wanted to attend. Then God worked in my heart to show me something.

When we have no control over a situation, then we know God is in complete control (He is in control of ever situation, we just realize it more during these times). Since I was not the one choosing where I wanted to go, Then God was the one choosing for me.

God places us in places and situations even when we don't realize it. I praise God for every congregation He has brought me to.

Day 26 The Acts ii Pentecost

And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.

When I read the book of the Acts I am amazed at the power of the Holy Spirit. What He did in the apostles' lives and what He did through them.

I want to have this filling of the Holy Spirit! What Christian wouldn't? I believe if we simply ask God for the filling of the Spirit and believe that He will do it, then He will.

We complicate things. In today's times we do not believe these things can happen, that is why we do not see them any more. Believe and you can move mountains.

Day 25 Lk xxiv The Ascension

Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.



This is it. This is a sum up of Christianity. Think about the weight of these words. Christ tells us what was accomplished by His death. The repentance and forgiveness of sins.

First thing we see is that Christ opened their minds. Christ has to first open your mind. Then he tells them that He has fulfilled the scriptures. And these people were still shocked that He did what He said he was going to do. He rose on the third day.

And by that He has given us the repentance and forgiveness of sin, but not just to keep to ourselves! It should be proclaimed in His name to all the nations.

Proclaim it!

Day 24 Jn xx The Resurrection

Peace be with you

A small phrase but it is repeated several times in this passage. Christ was saying to His followers because, well, it was a scary time. They thought for sure that Christ had died! Now here He is walking and talking with them. It is quite an or deal. They were pretty shaken up.

When Christ comes into our lives things get shaken up. Our world view is shattered and reformed for us from the Bible. Even after we have been saved for some times, God will send things our way that will, make ripples, disrupting our peace.

Christ final message, in the book of John, is peace. Don't worry, don't fret, don't get worked up. Peace.

Day 23 Jesus Death

Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor's headquarters, and they gathered the whole battalion before him. And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" ... When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, "Truly this was the Son of God!"

The thing that stood out to me was the actions of the guards. Pilot delivers Christ into the hands of his guards. They beat him, put a crown of thorns on His head, put a purple rob on Him, and put a reed in His hand. The solders then kneel and mock Christ.

Think about it, this is Christ, God's son, what they were doing in mockery was some of the greatest blasphemy recorded in scripture, mocking the prince of Heaven. But by the end of they day their world had been turned upside down.

When Christ gave up the ghost the rocks broke open. The veil in the temple ripped (it was old to be sure, but it was also several inches thick). The graves were opened and the dead were brought back to life. The dead even went into town and talked with their families.

Then the head of the solders said, 'Surely this was the Son of God'. I can't imagine what that solder felt like as he rehearsed in his head when he had hit Jesus and mockingly knelt before him. Just an interesting thought.

Day 22 Jn xvii High Priestly Prayer

glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you,

It is all about giving glory to God. God is the controller and driving force behind the whole universe. Whenever we accomplish a task, no matter how small, it was all God's doing. Anything good done through us was done by God.

Even Christ here was saying, 'glorify me so that you, ultimately, will get the glory. When we get a job, clean the house, or just breath, it is all God's doing. Do we praise Him and give Him, His glory?

I know that so much of what I do I attribute to myself, when in fact, it is all God.

Day 21 Jn xv. The True Vine

for without me ye can do nothing.


Christ was the one who said this. When was the last time you sat down and really thought about what you had the power to do? Think about it?

You are nothing outside of Christ. Human's would like to think they are something, when in reality you are not. You can only be something when you are in Christ and He is in you.

Christians are the worst at this. Cause we think, strip Christ away and I'd still be a pretty good person with fair morals. Wrong, you are a good person with fair morals because if Christ in your life.

We are, and can do, nothing without Christ.

Day 20 Jesus Power over Death

Jesus wept.

In Bible college guys always joke about preaching from this verse. It is one of the two shortest verses in the Bible, the other being, Rejoice always. When I was in college I had my fair share of poking a little fun at this verse. Then i started thinking how i actually could preach this verse.

We all seem to view Jesus as this Germanic looking, red head, with moosey, teased hair. He walks all around the desert, gliding as he goes, acting like a guru from Jackie Chan. This view is of course wrong.

Jesus was very God and very man. He had the wisdom of God with all the emotions and feelings of a human. This verse is used for jokes but look at its context! Jesus is crying because a good friend of His just died. I've never had a close personal friend die, but I have helped people who have. It is an extremely tough experience.

We worship a Christ that weeps when things happen to us. He knows what it is like to lose a close friend. He sees crowds and is moved with compassion! When you are alone and crying you can be comforted knowing that even Jesus cried when He was on this earth. Christ knows how to comfort us because He has been there before.

p.s. If you want a true view of Christ check out Revelation xix.11-16