Acts 9:1,2 "Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem."
The tension during these formative years of the Church was so thick that many of the followers of Christ (ones on the Way) scattered themselves abroad among the country just to stay alive. However, this adversary Saul, was used by God to scatter the believers to preach the message of Jesus Christ as the resurrected Messiah to accomplish Jesus command of "go into all the world" (Matthew 28:18-20). Instead of creating a massive bonfire in one location, the flames of Jesus were scattered in other regions to increase its effectiveness and impact.
Our impact prayer has been: God interrupt my life, disturb me. Push me off of complacent and comfortable. Fill me with compassion - for Your glory. How will God do that? Many times He will use the many adversities of life.
During adversity we all have considered whether or not we can "handle the heat". But God is wanting to build up His Church... that's us, not destroy us. If we give ourselves to the process of adversity it build us up and accomplish great things.
Adversity reveals true Character.
Adversity tests the heart of its true Convictions.
Adversity strengthens ones Commitments.
Adversity allows the sovereignty of Christ to be made known.
What's our prayer during times of Adversity? Ask for boldness to stand strong and expect God to do above and beyond what's normal!
Acts 4:23-30 "...Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them... and now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, by stretching our Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of Your holy Servant Jesus."
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Monday, August 9, 2010
Impact... Expecting Something?
Acts 3:1 "One day Peter and John were going to the temple at the time of prayer..."
Throughout the book of Acts, we see numerous accounts of miraculous things taking place through the first century Church. In Acts chapter 3, we see a man who was crippled from birth be healed. We'll be looking at this portion of scripture this coming Sunday in our iMpAct series... but here's just one thing that stands out in this written account.
Notice the simple way this unfolds: "One day..." This was a day just like any other day. Peter and John were in their regular daily routine, heading to the temple to pray. There at the entrance to the temple, there was a crippled man, who probably was there like every other day prior, begging for money trying to survive another typical day. He wasn't able to work, and learned to live with his "illness" that he had since birth.
The bible doesn't say what turned this ordinary day into a extraordinary day; but I believe that recent outpouring of the Holy Spirit (a baptism of love/compassion) opened Peter and John's eyes to see their surroundings and this man differently. There were no fireworks or angels that knocked on Peter and John's door that morning say "You are going to heal a man who has been crippled from birth today", just an ordinary day that became extraordinary because they ceased the opportunity to meet a persons need.
Our iMpAct prayer has been: "Lord, interrupt my life and disturb me; push me off of comfortable and complacent - fill me with compassion, for Your Glory."
The greatest impact is typically wrapped in the ordinary. Ordinary people like you and I, moved by extraordinary love, during any ordinary day.
Verse 5 tells us: "So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them." WOW!
What are the people in our world expecting from us?
Are they expecting us to walk by as we live out our ordinary day?
Do we live our days expecting them to leave us alone, not to bother us?
Do we expect someone else to be the answer?
What does God expect us to do when we are faced with such an opportunity?
God - help us not to just pray this prayer with our eyes closed... may we pray with our eyes open wide to the extraordinary potential throughout our ordinary day. INTERRUPT OUR LIVES!
Throughout the book of Acts, we see numerous accounts of miraculous things taking place through the first century Church. In Acts chapter 3, we see a man who was crippled from birth be healed. We'll be looking at this portion of scripture this coming Sunday in our iMpAct series... but here's just one thing that stands out in this written account.
Notice the simple way this unfolds: "One day..." This was a day just like any other day. Peter and John were in their regular daily routine, heading to the temple to pray. There at the entrance to the temple, there was a crippled man, who probably was there like every other day prior, begging for money trying to survive another typical day. He wasn't able to work, and learned to live with his "illness" that he had since birth.
The bible doesn't say what turned this ordinary day into a extraordinary day; but I believe that recent outpouring of the Holy Spirit (a baptism of love/compassion) opened Peter and John's eyes to see their surroundings and this man differently. There were no fireworks or angels that knocked on Peter and John's door that morning say "You are going to heal a man who has been crippled from birth today", just an ordinary day that became extraordinary because they ceased the opportunity to meet a persons need.
Our iMpAct prayer has been: "Lord, interrupt my life and disturb me; push me off of comfortable and complacent - fill me with compassion, for Your Glory."
The greatest impact is typically wrapped in the ordinary. Ordinary people like you and I, moved by extraordinary love, during any ordinary day.
Verse 5 tells us: "So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them." WOW!
What are the people in our world expecting from us?
Are they expecting us to walk by as we live out our ordinary day?
Do we live our days expecting them to leave us alone, not to bother us?
Do we expect someone else to be the answer?
What does God expect us to do when we are faced with such an opportunity?
God - help us not to just pray this prayer with our eyes closed... may we pray with our eyes open wide to the extraordinary potential throughout our ordinary day. INTERRUPT OUR LIVES!
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Cut to the Heart... and you're to blame!
Acts 2:37 "When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?"
When you read Acts, you can't help but see a different Peter after the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, and what you see of Peter in any of the gospels. There's no doubt that the person of the Holy Spirit iMpActs our lives in ways that cannot be accomplished any other way.
Years ago John Bon Jovi wrote the song Shot Through the Heart (bonus question: when was it written?).
Shot through the heart, and you're to blame
Darling, you give love a bad name
I play my part, and you play your game
You give love a bad name
As the Church, we represent the ultimate name; Jesus Christ... Love Himself. Unfortunately, many people (and at times me) have given Jesus/Love a bad name.
Remember Peter... Jesus asked Peter to follow Him and throughout scripture we see Peter make a fool of himself many times. He was a man of great passion and zeal, but lacked understanding in many things. Jesus even goes as far as rebuking Peter by saying "...get behind Me Satan..." (Mark 8:33). And when the time came when Jesus was to be arrested in the garden, Peter took a sword and tried to cut off a soldiers head, but missed and cut off his ear (John 18:10-11).
I can't help but see the iMpAct and transformation that Holy Spirit did in Peter's life. Peter goes from cutting ears with human weapon - sword, in his own zeal and ignorance trying to make an impact his way. Now using the Sword of God's Word by under the influence of the Holy Spirit, to cut to the heart of people - making a divine impact that changes the lives of 3000 people.
For those of us who have become followers of Jesus, there's a lesson to be learned here: our good intentions fall short. When we play the game of trying to rely on our own understanding and do things the way we think is best... we give Love/Jesus a bad name. We must fully rely on the Holy Spirit to impact our lives: our motives, attitudes and impulsive actions.
Allow the Holy Spirit to cut through to our hearts.
Here's an iMpAct Prayer:
Lord help me decrease so that You can increase.
When you read Acts, you can't help but see a different Peter after the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, and what you see of Peter in any of the gospels. There's no doubt that the person of the Holy Spirit iMpActs our lives in ways that cannot be accomplished any other way.
Years ago John Bon Jovi wrote the song Shot Through the Heart (bonus question: when was it written?).
Shot through the heart, and you're to blame
Darling, you give love a bad name
I play my part, and you play your game
You give love a bad name
As the Church, we represent the ultimate name; Jesus Christ... Love Himself. Unfortunately, many people (and at times me) have given Jesus/Love a bad name.
Remember Peter... Jesus asked Peter to follow Him and throughout scripture we see Peter make a fool of himself many times. He was a man of great passion and zeal, but lacked understanding in many things. Jesus even goes as far as rebuking Peter by saying "...get behind Me Satan..." (Mark 8:33). And when the time came when Jesus was to be arrested in the garden, Peter took a sword and tried to cut off a soldiers head, but missed and cut off his ear (John 18:10-11).
I can't help but see the iMpAct and transformation that Holy Spirit did in Peter's life. Peter goes from cutting ears with human weapon - sword, in his own zeal and ignorance trying to make an impact his way. Now using the Sword of God's Word by under the influence of the Holy Spirit, to cut to the heart of people - making a divine impact that changes the lives of 3000 people.
For those of us who have become followers of Jesus, there's a lesson to be learned here: our good intentions fall short. When we play the game of trying to rely on our own understanding and do things the way we think is best... we give Love/Jesus a bad name. We must fully rely on the Holy Spirit to impact our lives: our motives, attitudes and impulsive actions.
Allow the Holy Spirit to cut through to our hearts.
Here's an iMpAct Prayer:
Lord help me decrease so that You can increase.
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