Christians

Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul,
and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch.

So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church
and taught great numbers of people.

The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.

Observation
• Christ has crossed all races, cultures and languages and has united all believers.
• Praise the Lord that He does not leave you in the state he found you.
• Stay committed to growing in your faith and followship.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, I come into your presence with thanksgiving in my heart.
I thank you for not leaving me in the condition in which you found me.

I pray that you will continue to work in and through me.
Help me to grow in my faith and continue to become stronger and stronger.

I desperately need you today Lord to help me move forward in faith.
Open the right doors and lead me to the right people.
May this week be a breakthrough week.

In Jesus Name, Amen!

The Holy Spirit

The circumcised believers who had come with Peter
were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit
had been poured out even on the Gentiles.

For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.

Then Peter said,
"Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water?
They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have."

Observation
• God reaches those who want to know Him.
• You will meet people this today that are eager to believe.
• Be open to the full work of the Holy Spirit in your life.

Prayer
Father, I thank you for opening my eyes to see who Jesus really is.
I will live by your Word and not by my feelings.

I want a know so life and not a hope so life.
I want to face the day with confidence and courage.
I want to walk in truth and victory.

So Lord, I ask that you guide my decisions.
Give me peace and assurance...Insight, wisdom and understanding.

In Jesus Name!

I am Jesus

He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him,
"Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"

"Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked.
"I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied.

"Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."

Observation
• Your eyes are open when you know the real Jesus.
• God will use your past and present so we may serve Him in the future.
• A relationship with God will produce in you obedience.

Prayer
Father, I thank you for opening my eyes to see who Jesus really is.
I will live by your Word and not by my feelings.

I want a know so life and not a hope so life.
I want to face the day with confidence and courage.
I want to walk in truth and victory.

So Lord, I ask that you guide my decisions.
Give me peace and assurance...Insight, wisdom and understanding.

In Jesus Name!

Do You Understand

Then Philip ran up to the chariot
and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet.
"Do you understand what you are reading?" Philip asked.
"How can I," he said, "unless someone explains it to me?"
So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

Observation
• Have people in your life that can help you grow in God's Word.
• God Word is applicable to all people in all situations.
• Be ready to give a reason for the hope that is in you.

Prayer
Father, I thank you for those who have taught me your Word.
I thank you for their insights and inspiration.

Help me to be ready to share your Word with those seeking you.
Help me to be a minister of hope, help and healing.

I pray for understanding and insight in dealing with life.
I look to you for wisdom and guidance.

Continue to bring the right people into my life as I move forward in faith.
In Jesus Name, Amen!

The Glory of God

But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit,
looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God,
and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.

"Look," he said, "I see heaven open and
the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."

Observation
Continue to honoring the Lord through your conduct and words.

• Believe that those who oppose you now, may become believers later.

• Keep your eyes open to the glory of God displayed around you.

Prayer
Father, I desire to be full of the Holy Spirit.
Open my eyes that I might see your wonders and amazing work.
Help me to see Jesus at work in my life and others today.

Give me a boldness to stand up and not sit back.
Give me courage to take the next step.
Give me peace to move forward without fear.

I declare you are Lord of my life.
I will soar with like eagles.
Amen!

The Word of God Spread

So the word of God spread.
The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly,
and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.

Observation

• The Word of God always influences people when they read or hear it.

• Never feel that your part in declaring the Gospel is insignificant or unimportant.

• Expect people to be impacted when you share the Word of the Lord.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, I thank you for your Word that is live and light.

Help me to be bold and brave in sharing the truth of your Word.
May my life be a living Bible to those who know me and meet me this week.

I pray that your church will continue to grow and expand.
May we see the lost found, the prodigals come home and the believers revived.
In Jesus Name, Amen! Amen!

Discipleship

"Therefore go and make disciples…”

Matthew 28:19

Discipleship is a substantial part of the Great Commission and is to be a compelling force of all of us in ministry. When a person receives Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, a wonderful process begins of growth and maturity. We as ministers are to be about this process.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer in his classic, The Cost of Discipleship, states, “Discipleship is not an offer that man makes to Christ.” Discipleship is Christ’s invitation to us to become like Him. Our mission is to assist followers of Christ to become fully devoted and firmly planted.
Recently, I had a very intriguing conversation with a young millennial (a 20-something) who wanted to talk about discipleship. He expressed concern about the lack of a system in his own church for helping people grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus. He indicated that it appeared that the church he attended was more about fellowship than discipleship. He said, “Don’t get me wrong, Pastor Bill, I think fellowship is important! But I worry that people are not growing in their faith.” We talked through some of his expressed angsts and discussed some ways he might help positively transform the culture of the church.
Let me be honest with you. My millennial friend is on to something. Regrettably, many churches seem to have unintentionally failed to develop or maintain an effective discipleship plan. Because this is a desire of all of us, I would encourage us to pause and reconsider ways we can provide a better discipleship plan in our local churches here in Oregon.
This is a perfect time to develop a new plan and set into motion a pathway for growth and maturity.

Step 1: Develop a New Plan
Step 2: Engage the Plan
Step 3: Make Discipleship Again a Major Component of Your Mission

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.

2 Peter 3:18

Proclaiming the Good News

The apostles left the Sanhedrin,
Rejoicing because they had been counted worthy
of suffering disgrace for the Name.

Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house,
they never stopped teaching and proclaiming
the good news that Jesus is the Christ.

Acts 5:41-42

Observation

Prayer

Father, I thank you for the Good News that changed my life.
I thank you, to those who have taught me your Word.

Help me be a proclaimer of your love through my actions and words.
I pray that I will fearlessly and faithfully live my faith out loud.

I refuse to be intimidated or silenced.
I will stand up and speak up for you Lord Jesus.

Amen! Amen! Amen!

They Saw the Courage

Salvation is found in no one else,
for there is no other name under heaven given to men
by which we must be saved."

When they saw the courage of Peter and John
and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men,
they were astonished and they took note
that these men had been with Jesus.

Observation
• A changed life convinces people of Christ's power.
• Jesus will take an ordinary life and make it extraordinary.
• Jesus is the only way to be saved.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, I thank you for my salvation. I confess with my mouth and believe in my heart that Jesus is Lord! I pray that my life will be a brilliant light of your grace and love. Turn the ordinary in my life into the extraordinary. Today, may someone be compelled to follow you by my life.
Amen! Amen! Amen!

In the Name of Jesus

Then Peter said,
"Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you.
In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk."

Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up,
and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong.

He jumped to his feet and began to walk.
Then he went with them into the temple courts,
walking and jumping, and praising God.

Observation
• There is power, wonder working power in the name of Jesus
• Don't settle for just what you want, anticipate that God will give you what you need.
• Keep praising the Lord and others will also be in awe of God's power.

Prayer
Gracious Father, I thank you for the signs, wonders and miracles you have performed.
I thank you for giving me strength to walk, leap and run.
I thank you for releasing me from those things that crippled me.

I pray today that you will be safe, strong and sure.
I will believe you for better days ahead.
I will stand up and walk into a new season of liberty and praise.
In the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen!

Power

He said to them:
"It is not for you to know the times or dates
the Father has set by his own authority.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you;
and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem,
and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

Acts 1:7-9

Observation
• Be excited that God has an important life assignment for you.
• You will need the power of the Holy Spirit to fulfill God's call on your life.
• Boldly look for opportunities to share God love with others.

Prayer
Father, I thank you for sending your Spirit to empower me.

Help me now to tap into the power of your Spirit.
Guide my words, my actions and my dreams.

I refuse to step back or retreat from your plan and purpose for my life.
I will walk in faith and power. I will let my life shine.
I will accomplish great things in your name.

Amen! Amen!

Thriving Where God has Placed You

Call to me and I will answer you…

Jeremiah 33:3

Successful businessman Ray Kroc once said, The quality of a leader is reflected in the standards they set for themselves. This is certainly true of those of us who have been called and trusted with the awesome responsibility of declaring the gospel to the non-believers and discipling believers.

What does it take to thrive and not just survive in ministry today? Here are six guidelines that I believe can help a leader thrive where God has placed them.

1. Make prayer a priority in your life. It is amazing how taking time to pray about everything will provide direction and dynamic as a leader.

‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’

Jeremiah 33:3

2. Maintain a compelling vision. Make sure you know the direction you are going. Make it known with purpose and passion.

And the Lord answered me, and said, 'Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.'

Habakkuk 2:2

3. Manage your time wisely. This may be the most challenging of the guidelines; learning to develop a life calendar that helps you use the 168 hours a week that God has given you. This will help you find the balance of labor and leisure.

Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Psalm 90:12

4. Measure criticism sensibly. Like you, I have little time for negative critics. However, I have learned a few things from people who have been able to provide insight and correction. Learn to listen and then ask the Holy Spirit to help you filter out the bad and embrace the good.

Whoever heeds life-giving correction will be at home among the wise.

Proverbs 15:31

5. Manifest a spirit of joy. Joy is contagious as well as discouragement is contagious. As a leader choose the joy of the Lord. Yes, weeping may endure for a night, but joy will come in the morning!

A happy heart makes the face cheerful…

Proverbs 15:13

6. Move in faith, not fear. Leadership often calls on us to go places we have not necessarily gone before. Don’t allow fear to keep you from the opportunities and new experiences that God has for you.

By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.

Hebrew 11:8

I am praying this will be your most fruitful and fulfilling season of ministry. Stay firm in the faith and thrive.

Call to me and I will answer you…

Jeremiah 33:3