The Early Church

The Early Church
Bible Reading: Acts 11
Focus Verse: Acts 11: 26 “The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.”

What is your favorite book in the Bible? Your favorite probably changes as you do your Bible study. Right now, my favorite is the book of Acts. What an exciting book. There are some thrilling accounts and also some very sad happenings. Dr. Luke, one of Jesus’ disciples, wrote the book of Luke and the book of Acts. Of course he knew Jesus well. It is said that the book of Luke is the story of Jesus as lived by Him. The book of Acts is the story of Jesus as lived by others. Acts picks up where his Gospel left off. Before Jesus left the earth and went to heaven, He told His followers in Acts 1:8, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” 

 
Once the power of the Holy Spirit was with Jesus’ followers, there was the account of Peter’s powerful sermon which brought 3,000 conversions and launched the church (Acts:2). As Peter traveled to different areas telling the good news of Jesus, the new followers of Christ were first called Christians in Antioch.” Acts 11:26. The witness of Peter to mainly Jews and later Paul who witnessed to Gentiles resulted in harsh persecution. Did it mean that they quit? No!
How much does the plan of salvation mean to you? Acts 16:31 is Paul’s message that you can share. Are you a missionary to those around you? Acts is the only unfinished book in the Bible. Notice how abruptly it closes in chapter 28. In Acts 17:6, Luke describes the heroes of Acts as “these who have turned the world upside down.” If the world ever needed to be turned upside down, it’s now. Does it seem like we are living in the 29th chapter of Acts? 

~Debbie Johnson

To the Glory of God... In the End

Bible Reading: Isaiah 18

Focus Verse: "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them." Romans 8:28

God’s Glory remains evident after enduring a difficult period of your life.  It reminds me of the rainbow after the severe storm, or the first flowers of spring after a long, cold winter.  We read in the passage today about the prophesy of a land that was troubling God’s people.  There would be suffering, but in the end, God’s Glory would be seen.

It could be that you are going through a very difficult time in your life.  When you are in the midst of that trouble, it is difficult to imagine that there is the Glory of God waiting to shine at the end of the tunnel.  In the scriptures today, it says that the enemy was feared and aggressive.  Maybe that is how you feel about the troubles bothering you today.  I remember feeling so low that I was sure that the next day would never come.  We can’t always trust the way that we feel.  We need to trust in God.

Jesus said that in this life, you will have troubles, but to be encouraged because He has overcome the world.  This is a sure thing.  Jesus will walk with you through your troubles.  He wants you to turn to Him with your troubles.  Pray for the things that are troubling you today.  Trust in God’s promises.  God will take care of His people and be a shelter to them.  In the end, there will be great Glory!

Page Johnson
Interlocking Ministries

Always Draw Near to God

Scripture Reading: James 4:1-10

Focus Verses: James 4:7-8 “So humble yourselves before God.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  Come close to God, and God will come close to you.  Wash your hands, you sinners, purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.”

God knows how Satan operates better than we do.  That’s why God has commanded that we submit to Him and draw near to Him.  Jesus told us to pray, “give us this day our daily bread.”  John 6:48 tells us that Jesus is the Bread of Life.  We need Him every day.  We can only allow God to purify us when we spend time with Him.  If we do then Romans 6:12 will be easier for us. “Do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts.”  Sin should have no control over us.  The closer we are to God the less power Satan can have over us as God’s children.  We are faced with temptation every day of our lives.  Drawing near to God will give us the power to resist this temptation.  Keep drawing near.

Bobby Johnson
Interlocking Ministries

Test The Spirits To Know Truth

Scripture Reading: 1 John 4:1-6

Focus Verses: 1 John 4:1-3  “Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God… By this you know the Spirit of God.  Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God.”

Do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit.  There are many spirits in the world today that are against Christ.  These spirits try to hinder the work of the church in every way possible.  These spirits attack in many different ways, but one way is to try and get you to question the authority of God’s Word.  In the Garden of Eden, Satan got Eve to question the words of God, and therefore she sinned.  Satan said, “did God really say you shouldn’t eat of that tree.” 

Satan is the Father of Lies, but he will also mix truth with his lies to trick you.  Today these evil spirits like to use the word “tolerance”.  Satan wants us to tolerate what God calls sin.  So how do we distinguish what is truth from heaven, and what are lies from hell?  It’s all in the Word of God.  Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.  So look to Him for truth.

Bobby Johnson
Interlocking Ministries

Sufficient Grace

Sufficient Grace

Scripture Reading: 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

Focus Verses: 2 Corinthians 12:8-9  Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me.  And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”

Have you ever experienced what Paul is dealing with here?  I sure have.  I think all of us at some time in our lives have asked God for something that we have not received.  So how do we move to that point, as Paul did, and say “let me look forward to God’s grace being more than sufficient in my life.”  Paul had a problem.  Some people think it was poor eyesight, epilepsy, or some other chronic illness.  Though we don't know his problem, we do know that he asked God three times to heal him.  Each time God said that His grace would be enough for Paul.  This taught Paul and teaches us today, that God’s grace is always more powerful than any circumstance that we are going through.  If we never encounter problems then we never learn lessons and grow spiritually.  So let us remember God’s words in the midst of our problems.  “My grace is sufficient for you."

Bobby Johnson
Interlocking Ministries

God's Grace

Scripture Reading: Ephesians 2:1-10

Focus Verse: Ephesians 2:8: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, least anyone should boast.”

The United States Constitution protects its citizens from being tried in a court of law for the same crime twice.  But God does something for us that is even better than that.  Over two thousand years ago God sent His only Son Jesus to die for us so we would not be guilty of any wrongdoing.  That is Grace.  Jesus paid the price of hell for you and me.  But it’s up to us to choose if we will accept the payment Jesus made for us.  Sadly there are some rich people, poor people, presidents, teachers, athletes, business owners, and pastors that have never made the decision to trust Jesus.  Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”  That my friend is Grace.  The greatest possible gift God could give us is the forgiveness of our sins.  GRACE is simply, God’s Riches At Christ Expense.

Bobby Johnson
Interlocking Ministries

God’s Mercy and His Grace

Scripture Reading: Hebrews 4:14-16

Focus Verses: Hebrews 4:15-16  “This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin.  So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God.  There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.”

Sometimes we think that God is so different from us and He can’t identify with us.  But we must remember that He lived a human life here on earth.  He was tempted in all the same ways we are tempted.  He suffered and had trials just as we do, but through it all He was victorious.  He lived a sinless life.  So when He comes to your aid He knows what you need, because He has already gone through it.  He knows loneliness, frustration, betrayal, misunderstanding.  Because Jesus experienced all these things that we go through, He can now show us mercy and grace.  Mercy is God not giving us what we deserve.  Grace is God giving us what we don’t deserve.  It’s because of His mercy and grace that we can come boldly to Him and ask for His help in time of need.  Let us thank The Lord that He can identify with our weakness, and give us help.

Bobby Johnson
Interlocking Ministries