Saturday 27 September 2014

Reflection on Acts (Chapters 1-4)

by Elizabeth Etta

Acts 1:
Many times we often find ourselves questioning God, wanting signs in our lives. This chapter puts things into perspective that it is not for you to know the signs that the Father has fixed by His own authority. This message tells us to put our trust in God whether or not we understand what it is that he is doing. After Jesus was taken up to heaven, the apostles and the women devoted themselves to prayer. How often do we devote ourselves to prayer? Is prayer part of your daily life?

Acts 2:
In this chapter the apostles received the gift of the Holy Spirit and began to speak in tongues as the spirit gave them utterance so that each person hearing them could understand them for they were speaking in their language.

Acts 2:17:
In the last days God declares, I will pour out my spirit on all flesh, your sons and daughters will prophesy and your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.....

We are in the last days.

Question for me: How often can I devote myself to learning God's word, to teaching others, to sharing & communion?

Acts 2:21: 
Anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved: This verse has really encouraged me because so many incidents have happened in my life that I have lost count, instances where without a doubt the name of Jesus has indeed saved.

Acts 3:
Peter and John are walking into the temple and they healed a crippled man at the gates. Peter says "Silver and Gold I have none but what I have I give you, in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk". In this chapter again brings to attention the power of the name Jesus. We experience the Joy that comes from knowing the Lord and the miracles that can happen through our faith in the name of Jesus. There is also a huge importance of prayer. Prayer for our family, prayer for strangers, for our friends. The power of prayer brings joy, hope and most of all it brings salvation not only for our souls but the souls of others.

Acts 4:
Chapter 4 is enlightening. The spirit of God gives a boldness for the disciples to continue to preach about Jesus. This boldness is still evident today as many Christians lose their lives or are imprisoned for their faith in countries around the world. Therefore we as believers must continuously pray for boldness to be able to stand up for our belief in Jesus in the most difficult of circumstances.

Lord may your Holy Spirit encourage us and give us the spirit of boldness to be able to stand for truth and justice and to never deny You, to never deny our faith when questioned.

Another standout is the believers who came together to pray. This is one of the many reasons I find StAY such a blessing and an encouragement. The fact that we put up our requests and asks our brothers and sisters to pray for us, this is exemplary of the Acts chapter when the believers prayed after hearing Peter and John when they were released from prison. So let us continue then to pray for one another and lift up each others requests to the lord and watch the Holy Spirit work in us.



Acts 4:12:
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.

So far in the first four chapters I witness two things. The power of prayer. Prayer is the fuel needed to keep the fire burning in our spirits and the courage to go forth and carry out God's will for us.

Also there is power when we call on the name of the Lord Jesus.



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