From Pastor's Desk

The Spirit of God was still in action in the life of Saul, the great blasphemer and opposer of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you recall in Scene 17, Saul, while on his way to Damascus for the sole purpose of persecuting those who called on the name of Jesus, had an experience with the Holy Ghost (the spirit of God in action), leading to, among other things the loss of his sight. Then a certain disciple, Ananias, became convinced that the Lord would work through him to bring total conversion to Saul. The scripture says that Ananias went to the place where Saul was staying, put his hands on him and said, "Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that...

In our lesson today, we have high drama on the Jerusalem to Damascus highway. Dr. Luke records the conversion of Saul, one of the most strident opposer of the Apostolic doctrine in the year AD 33.This man Saul was  from sect of the Pharisee, and was very learned in all aspects of Judaism. He led a campaign of vehement opposition to the disciples and converts since the day of Pentecost.The scripture says that he breathed out threatening and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, and he went to the high priest and sought of him letters to the synagogues of Damascus, that if on his way to Jerusalem, he found any of the Jesus name folks, men or women, he...

In one of the most dramatic scene in the book of Acts, Dr. Luke recorded an amazing work of the Spirit of God in action through the Evangelist Philip. The spirit of God used an angel of the Lord to speak to Philip directly commanding him to get up and go toward a city called Gaza which was in a dessert place. The Bible says that Philip arose immediately and followed the direction of the Spirit and he saw a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians. This man was the Chancellor of the Treasury and he came to Jerusalem to worship and was on his way back to Ethiopia.He was in his chariot...

The scripture gives us once again a fast moving scene of the Spirit of God in action. In this scene, while Philip was still in Samaria, there was a famous man in the city named Simon, who used sorcery to bewitch the people. Many in the city held him in high regard because of his sorceries, and believed that he was the great power of God. The bible says that when Evangelist Philip preached the message of salvation in the name of Jesus Christ, many of the Samaritans were baptized, including this Simon the sorcerer. Dr. Luke says that Simon wondered at the miracles that were wrought by the Spirit of God in action through Philip. The good news of the...

In this week’s lesson, Dr. Luke gives us a detailed account of individual persecutions as a result of the Spirit of God in action. The anointed Deacon Stephen who vigorously defended and spiritually explained to the Sanhedrin Council, the workings of the Spirit of God, was now dead, because what he spoke was contrary to what the "established order" wanted to hear. One of Stephen’s chief opponent was a rabbi named Saul. He consented to his death, and stirred up the Judeaizers in a new wave of persecutions against the Apostolic doctrine in Jerusalem. This resulted in a scattering of the disciples to the regions beyond Judaea and Samaria, where they brought with them the same message of this pulsating, radiating,...

Greetings! Once again the scene changes rapidly as Deacon Stephen was brought before the Sanhedrin Council to answer "trumped-up" charges against him. This account in Acts 7 records one of the most compelling arguments in jurisprudence by a non-lawyer - Deacon Stephen, before an ancient religious court of law. The spirit of God in action caused Stephen to present in a logical, analytical and impressive manner, his defense for his actions as a result his belief in Jesus Christ. Deacon Stephen who was filled with the spirit of God articulated the history of the Jewish people and their relationship with God from the call of Abraham to the physical manifestation of God in the flesh through Jesus Christ. Dr. Luke recorded...

Greetings! Once again the scene changes and we see the spirit of God in action upon a single individual, Stephen, one of the appointed Deacons, who had being given the responsibility of taking care of the daily needs of this growing and vibrant Apostolic church. The scripture records that Stephen was full of faith and power, and did great wonders and miracles among the people as the spirit in action controlled his every movement. Stephen demonstrated one of the criteria for the Spirit of God to move in his life – Faith – in the power of God. The scripture declares plainly, that Faith is the basis of all man’s relations to God. Without Faith it impossible to please God, because...

The Bible records in this scene, because the Holy Ghost was in action in the lives of the Apostles and disciples, they were able to withstand the persecutions of the establishment. This power of the God spread like wild fire in the entire city of Jerusalem and engulfed the adjoining cities and villages. After being severely beaten and being commanded not to preach in name of Jesus, the disciples rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the name of Jesus. The Apostles received renewed strength from the Spirit in action and they quickly resorted again to the teaching and preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ daily in the temple.Dr. Luke records in Acts 6, that, in those days...

In this week's scripture, the Apostles new found "stardom" among the people, as a result of the Holy Ghost in Action, created jealously among the ruling elites in Jerusalem. Dr. Luke recorded that the high priest and all that were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), were filled with indignation (jealously), and proceeded to lay hands on the Apostles and put them in a public jail. But, the angel of the Lord by night (the Spirit of God in Action) opened the prison doors, brought them forth and gave them a command to go into the temple and speak to the people all the words of life. This diabolical act of Satan to try to hinder the work...

In the continual moving of the Holy Ghost, the scene shifts to another part of town where the power of God was in was in divine action. This power was so dynamic and convicting that all that heard the word of God sold their possessions and brought the proceeds to the Apostles' feet. Men and women were so affected that they gave up their possessions, stop attending to their routine daily chores and work habits, considered themselves as nothing in this world as the Holy Ghost moved on their hearts. This is how efficacious the Holy Ghost is, when one allows Him to have total and absolute control in their lives. The Bible records that in this text, a certain man...