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Peter Had Faith In Jesus, And Not In Himself
“Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and roll up your mat.” Immediately Aeneas got up. Acts 9:34, NIV Peter healed a bedridden man in the name of Jesus. He knew that the power of Jesus was more than enough to restore someone’s health. He proclaimed His power, and the disciples witnessed what happened. Peter identified himself as God’s instrument. Aeneas was healed not because of Peter’s own effort or skills but all because of the power of Jesus. Peter had faith in Jesus and not in himself. Sometimes, we tend to forget that we are just merely instruments of God. We focus on the blessings…
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When You Choose To Listen And Care
But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus. Acts 9:27, NIV When Saul went to Jerusalem, the disciples didn’t wholeheartedly accept him at first. They were hesitant to welcome him, perhaps because, in the past, he persecuted many Christians. But a man named Barnabas brought him to the apostles. He was the one who shared with them what Saul experienced and how the Lord had spoken to him. Barnabas chose to listen to him despite…
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Paul Patiently Dealt With The Disciples According To God’s Ways
When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. Acts 9:26, NIV When Saul went to Jerusalem years after encountering Jesus in Damascus, the disciples were hesitant to welcome him. Before Saul met Jesus, he persecuted Christians and threatened their lives. He put them in prison, and many of them suffered because of him. This must’ve been why the disciples in Jerusalem found it hard to accept him. I would have probably felt the same way if I had worn their shoes. Fear would possibly dominate my heart, especially when I recall the…
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Obeying God’s Will Won’t Always Be Easy
After many days had gone by, there was a conspiracy among the Jews to kill him, but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him. But his followers took him and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall. Acts 9: 23-25, NIV Saul, also known as Paul, was not a stranger to persecution. When he started to preach the gospel, he slowly experienced the things that he used to do to the early Christians. He was once the persecutor, but now he was persecuted. Following Jesus wasn’t easy for him. He went through…
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God Is Your Refuge
He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. Psalm 91: 4, NIV If you feel so weak right now because of the things that are happening around you, then here’s a verse that would remind you of who God is. He is a faithful God with whom you can take refuge. He can be your shield and your strength. Sometimes, we live this life on our own, thinking that we can make it just by relying on ourselves. But the truth is, we need God. It’s Him who will cover us with His feathers. It’s…
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God Can Turn Things Around
Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength. Acts 9: 18-19, NIV Saul, also known as Paul, was once a man who hurt Christians. He was full of zeal and eagerness to destroy those who follow Jesus. In fact, he went to Damascus just to threaten the people there, not knowing God had a different plan for him. It turned out that Saul met Jesus along the way. He encountered the Man who changed his life forever. From a person who persecuted the church to a person who was willing…
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When God Instructs Us To Take One Step At A Time
“Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” Acts 9:6, NIV As Saul was on a journey going to Damascus, he personally encountered Jesus. After that, He gave him a simple instruction about what to do next. He didn’t explain or gave him the assurance that we usually wanted to hear. Instead, he provided a simple step that he could follow. Sometimes, Jesus doesn’t give us the exact details about what’s going on in our lives. He doesn’t explain things to us simply because He knows what we need. We may think that we need to understand and comprehend everything before…
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Saul Unknowingly Persecuted Jesus
As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. Acts 9:3-5, NIV Saul was breathing out murderous threats against the early Christians. He was full of zeal with his beliefs in Judaism to the point of hurting those people who followed Jesus. He was one of the Pharisees who greatly persecuted those who believed in Jesus as the Messiah. He never really realized who he was persecuting until he encountered…
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When God Sends His Servants
When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. Acts 8:39, NIV Philip was sent by God’s spirit to a desert road to share Jesus to an Ethiopian Eunuch. When he heard the official reading the book of Isaiah, he explained to him what it truly meant. Eventually, they saw some water, and the Eunuch decided to be baptized. When he came up out of the water, the spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away. But one of the notable things we could learn from the Eunuch…
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He Is A God Who Would Stop For ‘The One’
So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.” Acts 8:27-29, NIV Philip was preaching God’s word to so many people, and suddenly, God instructed him to purposely meet one person. The Holy Spirit led him to a desert road, and there, he saw an Ethiopian eunuch reading the book of…
