11 While the man held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon’s Colonnade. 12 When Peter saw this, he said to them: “People of Israel, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? 13 The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go. 14 You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. 15 You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. 16 By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see.

A guest preacher recently shared that in the gospels the pattern of Jesus’ ministry is of Jesus touching one person, then another person, and then another. Jesus touched the lives of individuals like Zacchaeus, the haemorrhaging woman, and the centurion. In this passage we see that Jesus’ disciples continue this, touching the life of one crippled man. The impact is quite astonishing, the miracle draws a crowd of people to hear what has happened, and Peter seizes the opportunity to preach the message of Jesus.

The question I’m faced with is if I want to impact the world, who is the one person I am touching? Who is the one person I am being God’s hands and feet to? Not in the sense that I can only reach out to one person at a time, but that it is about an individual – at work, at the shops, amongst my neighbours… I want to be the vessel God uses to touch the lives of individuals, that I would discover the needs of a person, cry out on their behalf, and see God move in their world and touch their life.

God help me to overcome my fears, and stir in me your compassion and love, that I would have the boldness to touch others. I don’t want to bottle up all that you have done for me and poured into me, but Lord may it flow out of me and into others. Amen.

Written by Beth Waugh

43 Everyone felt that God was near. The apostles did many wonders and miraculous signs. 44 All the believers were together. They shared everything they had. 45 They sold what they owned. They gave each other everything they needed. 46 Every day they met together in the temple courtyard. In their homes they broke bread and ate together. Their hearts were glad and honest and true. 47 They praised God. They were respected by all the people. Every day the Lord added to their group those who were being saved.

Verse 44 says: “And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had.” This getting together, and sharing, was one of the hallmarks of the believers at the establishment of the New Testament church. As they met together and shared – joy and generosity flowed and in verse 47 we are told: “each day the Lord added… those who were being saved.”

Out of the overflow of God’s love and generosity to them, came an overflow of love and generosity to one another, and then this overflow helped draw those who didn’t know Jesus yet – and daily people were saved and added to their community.

Oh God please help me grasp the simplicity of this and use me an “overflow-er” of your love and generosity. As we meet together and share all we have, may the overflow of your love and generosity help people around us see You and believe, and be added to Your church.

Written by Ps. Linda Quinn

29 “Brothers and sisters, we all know that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. 30 But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. 31 Seeing what was to come, he spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that he was not abandoned to the realm of the dead, nor did his body see decay. 32 God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. 33 Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. 34 For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said, “‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand 35 until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”’ 36 “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”

Here Peter explains to the crowd how God had been talking about Jesus for a long time.  That the plan for their salvation (and ours) was in place for ages.  That Jesus was spoken about by the prophets including David.  That it all had come true in front of these people that Peter was speaking too.  He was trying to help them see what was plain in front of their eyes – to remind them they were expecting something and here it was.

Sometimes it’s easy for us to miss what is right in front of our eyes too.  We also need other people to remind us of all the answers to prayers, the promises fulfilled.  kamagra soft tab We also need to be the person who does the reminding for others.  Have you reminded yourself and your loved ones lately about what God has done in your world?  To get through the next struggle we need to remember that God was there to help and support in the last one.  Remember – every day.

Written by Therese Manning

14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15 These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! 16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17 “‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. 19 I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. 20 The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. 21 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’

Here we see Peter speaking to everyone living in Jerusalem. His audience would be made up from merchants, Roman soldiers and officials, their families and slaves who were stationed in the city to keep order. The Holy Spirit gives him the words to say that would reach the crowd. His sermon is logical, powerful, and he quotes from Joel 2:28-32a. The first thing Peter does is to deny that they were drunk; it was only 9 am. On this feast day, the Jews wouldn’t eat or drink until 10 am. Peter explains what has happened, that this is the beginning of the ‘last days’. He makes it clear that the Holy Spirit is for everyone, all ethnicity, genders, age, rank or station. He explains three gifts that God would use to speak directly to people, through other people; prophesy, seeing visions and having dreams. They would not be just for special peo

ple, but now everyone would start manifesting these gifts. He also speaks about signs in nature that would announce the coming of the ‘day of the Lord’.

Peter then declares ‘that whosoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved’. This verse brings hope to the hopeless, life to those dead in sin, and forgiveness to those struggling under the burden of their sins. God’s plan of salvation is inclusive, He will save a dying thief, a prostitute, a tax cheat, hardened soldiers, self-righteous religious people, people possessed by demons, wealthy people who have everything this world can offer, absolutely everyone. Thank you Lord Jesus that you drew me to a place where I called on Your name to be saved from my sin. That you paid my price, and that You died and rose again for me.

Written by Cath Croft

2 The day of Pentecost came. The believers all gathered in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound came from heaven. It was like a strong wind blowing. It filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw something that looked like tongues of fire. The flames separated and settled on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit. They began to speak in languages they had not known before. The Spirit gave them the ability to do this. 5 Godly Jews from every country in the world were staying in Jerusalem. 6 A crowd came together when they heard the sound. They were bewildered because they each heard the believers speaking in their own language. 7 The crowd was really amazed. They asked, “Aren’t all these people from Galilee? 8 Why, then, do we each hear them speaking in our own native language? 9 We are Parthians, Medes and Elamites. We live in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia. We are from Pontus, Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia. Others of us are from Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene. Still others are visitors from Rome. 11 Some of the visitors are Jews. Others have accepted the Jewish faith. Also, Cretans and Arabs are here. We hear all these people speaking about God’s wonders in our own languages!” 12 They were amazed and bewildered. They asked one another, “What does this mean?” 13 But some people in the crowd made fun of the believers. “They’ve had too much wine!” they said.

The day of Pentecost starts with the believers all in one place in unity.  The Holy Spirit fell on them and they were filled with the Spirit and spoke in tongues, speaking out praise to God.

The people in Jerusalem were amazed at their ability to speak viagra online in languages of the region, the result of them speaking in tongues.

How often do I take the time to declare the greatness and glory of God? That is something I should often do.

Written by Ps Richard Botta