From death unto life! That is what happened when someone acted on God's Word and shared the precious story of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to me. This was undoubtedly the most significant change I have ever experienced until... (I will share this at the end of this article).
What made the difference was someone took action to introduce me to the family of God.
We know the "Book of Acts" as The Acts of the Apostles. It could have been named many different names, like the Book of the Early Christian Church, or the History of Early Christianity, or the Works of the Believers in the 1st Century Church. If I had the privilege of naming it, I would have chose the Book of the Acts of the Believers. Jesus Christ acted in Chapter 1, and many others are mentioned in the Book besides the Apostles.
What I like the most is the emphasis of believers acting. They are out there doing the Word. They are reaching out and acting on the promises and Word of God. They are healing people, they are getting people saved, they are helping people live the Christian lifestyle. I especially like Acts 5:18-20. The Apostles were put in the common prison and an angel opened the doors, they told them to do the one thing that got them in the problem: "Go, Stand and Speak to the people all the words of this life."
Act 5:18 - 20:
And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison.
But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said,
Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.
The key to "acting" on God's Word is first to "Go." Believers need to realize that they all have been called to reach out to a lost and hurt world. Once they go, then they take a "Stand." They do not budge on who they are in Christ. And then they "speak all the words of this life."
As a ministry, we are going to reach out more than ever before to our community with the good news gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our motto is, "Living the Book of Acts Today."
Our vision statement is: To build a community of empowered sons of God. (Acts 26:18).
Our Mission Statement is: To equip believers by providing a loving community in which to grow, by the preaching of the gospel, by teaching regarding our Lord Jesus Christ, and by demonstration of the spirit of God.
(Ephesians 4:12; Acts 2:42; Romans 10:8; Acts 28:31; I Corinthians 2:4).
These are exciting times to be alive and to be sons of God. We do have a responsibility to be "doers of the Word and not only hearers" (James 1:22). Let's act now for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and be our best for God.
What was the most impactful day of my life, as I mentioned at the beginning of this article, after getting born again? The answer is: When I too acted on the Word of God and helped someone else enter the family of God for all eternity.
Agape,
Bob
PS. Our website has been switched over to www.actsnowfellowship.com from www.sdbiblicalstudies.com. The old name will get you to the same place. Our facebook is soon to be changed as well. The bank will recognize both names at this time. Here is the new ministry email:
The San Diego Biblical Studies Fellowship is still the corporate name. We are now doing business as (dba) Acts Now Fellowship. Just changing our emphasis more to "acting" on the Word of God.
I can only imagine what Luke did after writing what we know of the 28 chapters in God's Word about the early church and having the thought: What shall I titled this stuff? (We know "holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit" (II Peter 1:21). Not sure if God gave them the title of the book given by revelation).
Obviously the four gospels reflect the names of the writers. The, names of the Epistles reflect the places the Word of God was first sent to. When it came to Acts, I could see Luke scratching his head trying to figure what to call the historical record of the early Christian Church.
Many Bible publishers have chosen to call it the Acts of the Apostles. There are many records of the apostles, such as Peter and Paul. But they are not the only ones that acted on the Words of God. What about Cornelius, Ananias, Aquila and Priscilla. They made the cut in the "God-breathed" Word of God.
How about calling it the Acts of the Believers?
The key word in all of this discussion is "acts." Doing, believing, walking out on the Words of God. That is what really counts! Being doers of the Word not just hearers only (James 1:22).
I really appreciate reading the records in Acts of the varied situations of the believers acting on God's Word and seeing results.
What I want to see in our times is believers ACTING NOW. I want to see great deliverance, people getting born again and walking with power and love. I want to see Acts 26:18: "To open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God..." I want to see more and more people speaking in tongues and realizing the intimacy of the relationship with their Heavenly Father and His Son (John 17:3).
Let's live the truth of God's Word today and Act Now.
Agape,
Bob
San Diego is noted for its spectacular beaches. An important element to ensure the safe enjoyment of this resource are the lifeguards that patrol the shoreline year round. It is not unusual to hear about dramatic rescues that they have made in saving lives.
Recently, a whole new event occurred that involved lifeguards of another type. Not only did they save a couple of men's physical lives, but their spiritual lives as well. Two loving believers helped two homeless men, suffering a dismal life-style. On two different occasions they helped these individuals get cleaned up physically and spiritually, and set them up at a Christian rehab and discipleship home. One young man was 24 and on the streets for 7 years and was praying for a way out of his situation. The other man had been on the streets longer and also looking for a way out of his ugly situation. He also had a deep wound infection that required hospitalization for several days. Both men are enjoying the privilege of being at a facility where they can grow with God and one day be able to help others that are in the same situation as they were in.
What did it take to rescue these men out of the pit? Loving caring believers who simply reached out with compassion to rescue them. As a result, God now has two more children in His family that not only love Him but will more than likely someday become spiritual lifeguards themselves.
The greatest lifeguard to ever live is Jesus Christ. His title of Saviour means one who saves or delivers from death and judgement to everlasting life. When a person gets saved, this is what is happening. From death unto everlasting life. The most remarkable transformation to ever take place in a persons life is when they get saved.
Agape,
Bob
Romans10:13: For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
2 Timothy 1:9: Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
There is a key connection between the Bible and people. That connection is life. People endeavor to live their life to its fullest and the Bible teaches how to live a full life.
Who is the liaison between people and the Bible as far as living life? The Lord Jesus Christ! Without Him life is only a fleeting existence while with Him is the more abundant life. "...I am come that you might have life and have it more abundantly" (John 10:10). Jesus Christ leads man to God, the Heavenly Father. He so declared that he was not only "the way, the truth and the life, [but] no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." John 14:6.
Once a person comes to the Father, a whole new life begins. He see himself as "a new creation in Christ" as shared in II Corinthians 5:17. How can the believer now experience this new life and have it fully manifested in his life? Here is a suggestion by way of the acronym LIFE:
L - Recognize God's unconditional LOVE. After recognizing it then exercise it. I Corinthians 13:1-8.
I - Be Inspired by who you are in Christ. Think like Christ thought. Philippians 2:5.
F - Feed on the life giving food of God's Word. "Man cannot llive by bread,but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." Matthew 4:4.
E - Exercise your spiritual muscles. We have 9 manifestations of the spirit. I Corinthians 12::7-11. These include speaking in tongues, tongues with interpretation, prophecy, word of knowledge, word of wisdom, discerning of spirits, faith, miracles and gifts of healing. God wants every believer to operate them.
As we live our new life in Christ, let's really tap into God's love, being inspired to think like our Lord and Saviour thought. Let's feed on God's Word and continue to exercise ourselves by doing all of the manifestations of the spirit.
Agape,
Bob
Awe! My thoughts have been most entertaining lately: A mound of vanilla ice cream with fudge cascading all around it. I wish my other senses would kick in and taste my thoughts!
Isn’t amazing what thoughts we have from time to time. Controlling them is the challenge.
As Christian believers God encourages us to take charge of our thoughts.
II Corinthians 10:5:
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the
knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of
Christ;
“...bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” It is this kind of thinking that allows us to walk in victory.
I wonder what our Heavenly Father is thinking about? What is it that dominates His thoughts?
Psalms 119:17 & 18a:
How precious also are Thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of
them!
If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand:
Oh how wonderful and precious is our Father! The best place for my thoughts are in Christ and in God’s Word.
Psa 19:7 – 9: (ASV)
The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is
sure, making wise the simple;
the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the
LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes;
the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true,
and righteous altogether.
Agape,
Bob