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Introduction: What is the definition of challenge? Challenge can be defined in multiple ways: engage in a contest or fight, a demand for explanation; a calling into question or the quality of requiring full use of one’s abilities, energy or resources. We will see in our Scripture this morning from Acts that Peter faced a challenge from his friends and religious leaders.   It actually fits the definitions above: it could become a fight, it required an explanation and it uses all Peter’s abilities, energy and resources. React- vs. 1-3 ·          Why is this story repeated?   It is important for the rest of the story which includes Paul’s missionary journeys in the rest of the book of Acts. ·          Vs. 1-Others throughout Judea hear that the Gentiles have received the Word of God. o    The Good News spread quickly about what had happened with Cornelius ·     ...

  Reaction ·          Vs. 11-12-People Amazed & Peter speaks o    The Lame beggar being healed prompted a reaction from the people and it leads them to want to know more.   This is a typical response to signs and wonders in the Bible and in the present. o    Peter asks them WHY do you wonder and WHY stare at us §   What God did in the past, He is still doing in the present and will continue to do in the future.   Healing did not stop in the book of Acts. §   It was not the power or piety of Peter that did the miracle.   The power is from the Spirit and based on who God is not who we are. ·          an undue focus on the human agents of divine healing could detract from the glory of God [1] ·          Such a mighty work was not a demonstration of the ‘ power ’ of the apostles. Neither can it be imagined...

We often forget.  We see throughout history the Israelites and the church forgetting. We need to be reminded often of who God is in Scripture, church history and in our lives and churches. The names of God are important because these names are not just what God does, it is who He is.  I hope this will encourage you as you are reminded of how good, great, and awesome our God is. El Moshaah El means God and Moshaah means saves. He is the God who saves! Our God is a God of salvation,      and to  God , the Lord, belong deliverances from death. (Psalm 68:20) What it reminds me?  In this passage, it was a reminder how he would save the people from their enemies.  God rescues His people from trouble throughout the Bible.  The ultimate salvation occurred through Jesus saving us from sin through His death on the cross as well as defeating sin, death, Satan, and sickness.  I am thankful for a God wh...

Christmas has come and gone.  So, every year after Christmas I share new books that I received as gifts.  I love to read and appreciate the gift of books.  So, here is today's New Book Friday:

It’s that time of year when the spooky takes over. We, as Americans, like to be scared based on the number of haunted houses around. Or notice the number of movies or TV shows out now that seek to freak us out or get us to scream. Churches have responded to this phenomenon by offering alternatives such as Trunk or Treat, Harvest Festivals, and the popular Judgment House This post which was originally published at 1 Corinthians 13 Parenting in October 2016  is not a critique if you decide to attend a Judgment House. I attended a Judgment House while we lived in Colorado but have not attended one where I currently live in Kansas. They are scripted well, have talented actors and actresses, elaborate sets, and are backed with results. However, over the years, I have become more critical of them. Here are my thoughts: Fear should not be a motivation for salvation . Has the fear of hell forced a decision? Proponents of Judgment House will say look at all of these people w...

I recently finished reading The Whole Christ by Sinclair Ferguson.  Here are some great quotes from the book: There are no conditions that need to be met in order for the gospel offer to be made. everything we need for salvation is in him and not in us. Is it obvious to me, and of engrossing concern, that the chief focus, the dominant note in the sermons I preach (or hear), is "Jesus Christ and him crucified"? Or is the dominant emphasis (and perhaps the greatest energies of the preacher?) focused somewhere else, perhaps on how to overcome sin, or how to live the Christian life, or on the benefits to be received from the gospel?...Is the dominant theme, the lasting impression, the most natural word association, in relation to preaching I hear "Jesus Christ and him crucified"--or something else? Christ himself is the gospel...what we receive in the gospel is not benefits but Christ and that therefore the focus on public preaching and private pasto...

We often forget.  We see throughout history the Israelites and the church forgetting. We need to be reminded often of who God is in Scripture, church history and in our lives and churches. This is a new feature on the blog on the names of God.  Why?  Because these names are not just what God does, it is who He is.  I hope this will encourage you as you are reminded of how good, great, and awesome our God is. El Moshaah El means God &  Moshaah means saves. He is the God who saves! Our God is a God of salvation,      and to God , the Lord, belong deliverances from death. (Psalm 68:20) What it reminds me?  In this passage, it was a reminder how he would save the people from their enemies.  God rescues His people from trouble throughout the Bible.  The ultimate salvation occurred through Jesus saving us from sin through His death on the cross as well as defeating sin, death, Satan, and sickness.  I am ...

Today, I am sharing a longer quote from D. Martyn Lloyd Jones that was in The Naked Gospel by Andrew Farley. There is no better test as to whether a man is really preaching the New Testament gospel of salvation than this, that some people might misunderstand it and misinterpret it to mean that it really amounts to this, that because you are saved by grace alone it does not matter at all what you do; you can go on sinning as much as you like because it will redound all the more to the glory of grace. If my preaching and presentation of the gospel of salvation does not expose it to that misunderstanding, then it is not the gospel . . . There is this kind of dangerous element about the true presentation of the doctrine of salvation.

How would you answer that question? Many people have made a decision to follow Christ but struggle with the assurance of their salvation.  They continue to sin & wonder if maybe they are not really saved because they conclude if they were, they would not struggle with sin or disobedience. J.D. Greear has a great little book entitled, Stop Asking Jesus Into Your Heart which deals with this subject.  Here are some helpful quotes from the book: "Repentance and faith are heart postures you take toward the finished work of Christ." "Salvation comes not because you prayed a prayer correctly, but because you have leaned the hopes of your soul on the finished work of Christ." "Until you know that you are His and He is yours, your obedience will be limited." "You will never have the strength to say "no" to sin until you realize the unconditional "yes" that God has given to you in Christ...That's what true obedience is--beyon...

I am sitting in Ft. Lauderdale airport waiting to depart.  I wanted to jot down a few thoughts and reflections for Liberate 2015. I was thankful to have 7 others from Hesston MB join me this year.  I look forward to discussions with them moving forward. Here are a few take-aways or reflections: This is a repeat from last year.  I am loved, accepted, righteous, and approved by God therefore I don't need to seek approval, acceptance, and love from others, but because of God's love, approval, acceptance I am free to love others freely. I walk away from this conference refreshed, relaxed and renewed that I don't need "to do" anything.  Yet because of the good news of grace, I want to preach/teach grace to others and love others. Elyse Fitzpatrick talked about Satan's lies.  I need to remember what God's Word says about me not the lies of flesh, world or Satan.  Here is a quote from her message: "When Satan accuses you, look up! We conquer...

If you have heard me speak or read this blog often, you know I say a lot, "Grace is for all of life."  Many Christians know grace gets them saved, but then they believe it is up to them to do the rest.  We get in by God's grace, but then we better work hard to show Jesus how much we love Him.  Below is a quote from Jerry Bridges that reinforces this belief of grace for all of life: God is not keeping score, granting or withholding blessings on the basis of our performance. The score has already been permanently settled by Christ. We so often miss this dimension of the gospel. We are brought into God's kingdom by grace; we are sanctified by grace; we receive both temporal and spiritual blessings by grace; we are motivated to obedience by grace; we are called to serve and enabled to serve by grace; we receive strength to endure trials by grace; and finally, we are glorified by grace. The entire Christian life is lived under the reign of God's grace.

This is the title of the final chapter of Charis by Preston Sprinkle.  I thought my last post would be the last on this book, but there were too many more great thoughts that needed to be shared.  Here are quotes from final chapter and epilogue: Only unconditional, stubborn love toward your enemy produces ripple effects strong enough to change the world. We are enemies, loved and pursued by our Creator, who will stop at nothing to reconcile us to Himself. Such reconciliation happend on the cross. . . It was Jesus' declaration "It is finished" that made God love you. And when Jesus declared, "It is finished," He meant it. God's punishment for our sin was paid for, permanently settled, finished--100 percent. If you have responded in faith to God's free pardon through Jesus, then God will never punish you for your sin. It's finished. No more. If you screw up today or tomorrow (which you will), it's already been paid for through Jesus. "T...