Brothers and Sisters 😊

Brothers and Sisters 😊

Brothers and Sisters 😊

Brothers and Sisters 😊

📖 In Acts chapter 5 today we see God’s just punishment for greed and deceit played out in the instantaneous deaths of Ananias and Sapphira…

And Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land?…Why is it that you have contrived this evil deed in your heart? You have not lied to man, but to God!” (vs 3-4).

Q. Have you ever “Withheld some of the story”, told a little white lie, or even proclaimed a complete untruth in order to appear to be more than you really are, fit in better with the crowd, or gain something that wasn’t rightfully yours?

🙏 Heavenly Father please forgive me for the times of deceitfulness, exaggeration, and outright dishonesty, seeking people’s approval and my own glory over honoring you. Thank you for your mercy and forgiveness, and for the many times I did not receive the just consequences that I truly deserved – Please cause your gracious compassion and love to fuel a deep and abiding loyalty, honesty, and devotion to you…

✝️ “God exalted the Lord Jesus at His right hand as Leader and Savior, to grant repentance and the forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him…For this reason, we are compelled to obey God rather than man.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭5:29, 31-32‬ ‭

Continue reading “Acts Chapter 5” →

Brothers and Sisters 😊

📖 In Acts chapter 4 today we see a glorious foretaste of the perfect world of kindness, generosity, selflessness, and love that awaits all who join the disciples and find…

“Salvation in no other name (but JESUS) under heaven that is given among men by which we can be saved!” (vs 12).

Q. In light of this perpetually conflicted and broken world that often seems so unfair and unkind, will you embrace the Gospel (good news) and receive God’s eternal promises by putting your trust in Christ today?

Q. If God’s guarantee of forgiveness and redemption now, and a future inheritance of unimaginable riches is true, won’t you surrender your life to God and be set free of the hopelessness of this world?

🙏 Heavenly Father thank you so much for your unbreakable promises that include our eternal citizenship with you in heaven – where all “things” are held loosely, and all PEOPLE are loved much…

✝️ “And the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul; and no one claimed that anything they owned was their own, but all things were common property to them. And with great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for all who were owners of lands, or houses, or possessions sold them and laid the proceeds at the apostles’ feet, and this was distributed to each as any had need.”

‭‭Acts 4:32-35‬ ‭

Brothers and Sisters 😊

📖 Acts chapter 3 today delivers a humbling and familiar story that is very personal to me. Many of you know my testimony of being bedridden at 18, and receiving miraculous healing by God’s gracious hand that led to my conversion and new life as a born-again believer, “Walking and leaping and praising God for His goodness” (just like the bedridden beggar at the temple gate in vs 2).

❤️ Very very thankful today remembering how God used some of you (Matt M., Keith family, and others over the years), to bring me out of the “Horrible pit and miry swamp of death”, and start me on a path toward freedom and salvation in Christ.

🙏 Heavenly Father please forgive my frequent lack of gratitude for all the blessings that you have given. Thank you so much for the miraculous physical healing you supplied all those years ago, and even much more for my spiritual adoption as your child, and the eternal healing to the hearts and souls of all those who put their trust in You.

🙏 Lord Jesus we praise you today in spirit and in truth – Please let our daily response to your amazing grace be like that of the miraculously healed man in the chapter, who you mercifully set free of his lifelong burden…

✝️ “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk! And leaping up he stood and began to walk, and went together with them leaping and praising God!”

Acts 3:6-8

Brothers and Sisters 😊

📖 In Acts chapter 2 today we see the third (but equally divine) person of the triune God at work during Pentecost, as the Holy Spirit is poured out in full measure at the temple in Jerusalem and 3000 souls are saved! (vs 41).

Q. Do you find yourself often times (as I do) not giving gratitude, praise, and worship specifically to the Holy Spirit in the same way you do to God the Father and to Jesus the Son?

🙏 Holy Spirit we humbly lift you up and exalt you today, and we thank you so much for continuing your sanctifying work in our lives…”Cut us to the heart” in conviction of our sins, and summon us quickly to repentance – Point us always to Jesus, and complete the work that you began within us, as you seal us securely unto the day of redemption, and to everlasting glory with our Father in heaven. Without you there is no regeneration from darkness to light, no discernment or understanding of the Word, no new heart or affections for Jesus, no saving faith or love for God and His people, and no trust in Christ unto salvation!…

✝️ “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you, and for your children, and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to Himself.”

Acts 2:38-39

Brothers and Sisters 🙂

📖 In Acts chapter 1 today we see the beginning of the Christian church (approximately 120 people) fully committed to a sincere love for God, love for each other, and love towards a broken world of people needy for spiritual liberation, and reconciliation with their Creator.

Although Jesus ascends into heaven, He continues his ongoing redemptive work through His faithful disciples…

“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes, and be my witnesses in Jerusalem and to all the ends of the earth” (vs 8.).

🙏 Heavenly Father thank you for exponentially growing your family, and continuing through the centuries to pursue and redeem defiant rebels and sinners like us – May our aim in every aspect of life always be toward your righteous glory, and may we consistently display hearts of gratitude because of the eternal blessings you have given us in Christ.

🙏 Lord Jesus we praise you today for this especially significant chapter to our fam, as it was the inspiration for naming our son…David MATTHIAS Swart, “Gift from God”…

✝️ “We need a man who accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus was with us…Beginning from the baptism of John until the day when Jesus was taken up from us. He will be with us a witness to Jesus resurrection. They cast lots and the lot fell upon Matthias, and he was numbered with the 11 apostles.”

Acts 1:21-22,26

Brothers and Sisters 😊

📖 As we finish the 21st chapter and amazing journey through the book of John today, we see post-resurrection Jesus graciously inviting His disciples to…

“Come and dine with me!” (Jn 21:12)

A beautiful foretaste for all believers eagerly awaiting the awesome wedding feast in Immanuel’s Country, the New Heaven and New Earth.

Q. How cool is it to know that just like the original disciples of Jesus, we are forever favored, bountifully blessed, and lavishly loved by the one who controls and restores all things?

🙏 Lord Jesus we praise you today for coming to make all things new, and for your finished work on our behalf, graciously inviting us to share in fullness of joy and eternal pleasures at our Father’s right hand forevermore…

✝️ “Hallelujah! These are the true words of God, ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb’, for the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give Him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His Bride has been made ready!”

Rev 19:7-9

Brothers and Sisters 😊

📖 In John chapter 20 today we see the empty tomb and Risen Christ, with all of the glorious implications for those that confess their need for mercy and believe that Jesus is the Son of God and Lord of all…

“But Mary Magdalene stood weeping outside the open tomb and said, ‘They have taken away my Lord and I do not know where He is.’

Then Jesus, standing behind her said, ‘Mary.’

Recognizing His voice, she turned and said to Him, ‘My Teacher and my Lord!” (vs 11,16).

Q. Is Jesus and His Glory the true answer to the question – What is the meaning of life?

Q. Where else can you go in this world (with absolute certainty), to receive irreversible redemption and forgiveness, perfect protection and guidance, lifelong identity and purpose, ultimate freedom and peace, unconditional love and approval, and eternal joy and salvation?

🙏 Lord Jesus we praise you today for your Word and the book of John, that gives such great sufficiency and clarity as to your true identity & purpose, and what we receive when we put our trust in you alone…

✝️ “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples which are not written in this book. But these things are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing in Him, you may have life in His name.”

John 20:30-31