AnActsDevotional

Acts 2:40-41   The crowd had recently encouraged those in authority to kill Jesus and now Peter is responding to it.  It may be the same people or it may not be the same people but Peter is noting that a culture that kills a good man is a corrupt one.  With this warning he as a solution; turn away from sin...and so around 3,000 responded! It makes me ask the question, are we living in a corrupt generation?  If so, are we prepared to repent and turn away from our wrong doings.  Lord Jesus, please guide and direct us.  Show us where we need to repent and turn away from our wrong doings even if they are culturally acceptable.  Give us the courage to be filled with Your Holy Spirit so that we may be guided and directed by You. Amen

  Acts 2:37-39 When the crowd heard Jesus was the Messiah they were cut to the heart.  It makes me wonder if they were part of the crowd that cheered on the death of Jesus.  We need to be so careful of following the crowd.  Yet, after being implicated in such an awful thing Peter tells them what they need to do  “Repent and be baptized,  every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.  And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. " We can think that we weren't part of the crowd yelling crucify Him yet do our actions deny that He is Lord of our lives?  Would we have been caught up with the crowd if we were there?  The good news is " The promise is for you and your children  and for all who are far off —for all whom the Lord our God will call.”  The message is for us too!!! Lord Jesus please forgive us of our sins; our sins so deny the power of the Holy Spirit working in us.  Lord Jesus, we w...

Acts 2:32-36   The Jews were looking for a Messiah and Peter highlighted Jesus was the Messiah.  He lived a life that demonstrated God's love and power, He died yet rose again, and He shared the Holy Spirit with the disciples.  The question is is He Lord of our lives?  Are we willing to obey the next little thing God tells us to do?   Lord Jesus, please give us the faith and courage to obey the next little thing You tell us to do.  If we are to be creative and "grace bomb" a neighbour let us know what we are to do.  If we are to write a letter of encouragement or say a prayer please guide us and direct us as Lord of our lives.  Amen

Act 2:25-32   JESUS IS RISEN!!!  This fact, if not true, kills Christianity yet Christianity is still around even after people have tried to get rid of it.  Jesus has risen and has demonstrated His power over death. Lord Jesus, thank You for Your obedience to God the Father by allowing people to kill You even though You were an innocent man.  This act allows us to see You have power over death.  Lord Jesus, guide us and direct us and let us know when we are to defend ourselves or when we are to let things go so others may see You. Amen

  Acts 2:24 Death is not the end! God is victorious over it.  Some say Jesus never died, He was just unconsious but the fact that they stabbed Him in the side and blood and water came out is proof that He was dead. John 19:34 Some say the disciples stole the body but it doesn't make sense.  The tomb was guarded and the disciples were tortured to death; why would they die for a lie. Some say the Romans stole the body but if they did why didn't they produce it to stop the growth of Christianity.  We can ask the same question of the Jewish leaders. No, Christ rose from the dead, conquering death!!!  Praise God! Lord Jesus, thank You for conquering a great fear of mankind; death.  You are an awesome God!

  Acts 2:23 This is an interesting thought; God could have stopped Jesus's death!  God allowed Jesus to die.  Think about it; there is nothing that we go through that God doesn't allow first.  This incredible act of God not stopping Jesus death is still talked about 2021 years or so later.  God allowed it.  He even foretold it in scripture and then with the help of the crowd and wicked men Jesus was put to death. Lord Jesus, please help our actions not to participate in the deeds of wicked people.  Guide us with Your truth and protect us from the evil one.

  Acts 2:22 Jesus performed miracles, signs and wonders in front of His fellow Israelites and Peter says He did this by the power of God working in and through Him.  Is there any doubt of this? Outside of scripture Josephus writes in Antiquities 18:63 About this time lived Jesus, a wise man, if indeed one ought to call him a man. For he was the achiever of extraordinary deeds and was a teacher of those who accept the truth gladly. 

  Acts 2:16-21 Peter responds to the accusation of the disciples being drunk by saying No, they're not drunk; it's the fulfilment of prophecy and then he quotes Joel 2:28-32 Lord Jesus, please help us see Your whole story throughout the bible; old testament and new.   Amen

  Acts 2:13-15 The Spirit had come and some thought the disciples were drunk!  For those who struggle with addictions what an awesome replacement; the Spirit for alcohol!  In fact the AA program is very scriptural and I think every Christian can learn from the 12 steps.  Take a look 12 steps of Christian discipleship

  Act 2:5-13 In the old testament when everyone was working together to build a tower to God in Genesis 11  The  Lord  said, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them.     Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.” But on the day of Pentecost they all understood each other!!! It is good to ask why it is okay now and I think the answer is the motive behind the speaking. Lord Jesus, help us to understand each other so we can do anything and everything to promote Your Kingdom.  Amen

  Act 2:1-4 Jesus said He had to leave in order for the Holy Spirit to come.  I have a theory that while Jesus walked the earth He had the Holy Spirit all to Himself but on the day of Pentecost (as described here) the Spirit was released on all the disciples that were gathered together.  It was a spectacular event with wind and what looked to be tongues of fire and what made it unique is they could speak in other languages. Lord Jesus, please help us to communicate with those that speak other languages.  I know You separated us by our languages because we were trying to be like god but at Pentecost You united us again.  Help us to remember You are God and we are just Your servants so You can use us to increase Your Kingdom.  Amen

  Acts 1:15-26 It is interesting that Peter still accepted Judas as one of them and felt he needed to be replaced as one of the 12 after what seems to be his suicide.  The number 12 is a significant number in scripture.  If you google it it's talked about as God's perfect number.  A number representing God's power and authority. It is also interesting to note how they chose the replacement.  He had to have been with them from the beginning and being a willing witness of Christ's resurrection.  They established two people with these qualifications so to break the tie they drew lots. Lord Jesus, help us to work well in Your Kingdom.  Help us to use our brains to determine what is right and then allow us to trust You with chance when when we don't know what's best between the good laid before us.  Help us to follow You well, and to turn to You when we've messed up instead of taking things into our own hands and potentially committing suicide like Jud...

  Acts 1:12-14 The team that waited for the Holy Spirit and prayed together were: Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew;  James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James.    Mary, Jesus' mother and Jesus' brothers along with other women.  Disciples, friends and family. What do our teams look like as we wait on the Holy Spirit? × Twitter Facebook Email

  Acts 1:9-11 This time Jesus left for heaven.  This is one of the passages that seems unbelievable....someone disappearing into the sky yet it's true.  I suppose it's like the story I heard where someone who had never been to an airport looked up in the sky and wondered how my friends with all their luggage could fit into something so small.  The truth is our knowledge of God's creation, even with all our science, is still small and we still don't understand it all. What is interesting is the passage didn't say angels spoke to them; just men dressed in white.  They just kept to the facts.  So why wouldn't they just keep to the facts when they said " he was taken up  before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight." The good news is He's coming back again; just the same way He left!  May He find us "about our Father's business" when He returns.

  Acts 1:6-8 Knowing God's plan isn't always our business but sharing what we do know is.  Lord Jesus, please help us to share what we know about You with others.  Give us God opportunities and prepare us for these opportunities with Your Holy Spirit. Amen

  Acts 1:4-5 This message is interesting because it was delivered around the table.  I'm convinced that more is learnt about God around a meal table than in church.  We must be aware of  our dinner conversations as God is with us ready to teach us new things.  In this case He taught a two things; a) John baptized with water but He baptizes by the Holy Spirit. b) sometimes we need to wait Lord Jesus, teach us how to wait and help us to be filled with Your Holy Spirit so that we can extend Your Kingdom in amazing ways. Amen.

  Acts 1:3 This is one of the most significant piece of Christianity.  The resurrection of Christ.  If He had not conquered death Christianity would be like every other religion.  Just a bunch of good teachings; but Christianity is unique because Jesus rose from the dead?  How do we know? 1) It's 2021 this year.  The timelines have changed over the years so it's not precisely accurate but something significant had to have happened around 2021 years ago! 2) The disciples went into hiding after Jesus's arrest and crucifixion but all of them died for this story.  If it was a lie surely someone would have produced a body; especially since many of them were tortured for this story. 3) He explained His death and resurrection to the two on the Emmaus road through the lens of the prophets 4) The disciples saw His nail pierced hands and feet yet He ate a fish in front of them 5)  The angel at the tomb told Mary He had risen 6) He was really dead because wh...

For more about Jesus of Nazareth and His disciples check out  Luke .  It talks  "about all that Jesus began to do and to teach   until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen."  Acts 1:1-2