DIY

It's always interesting to me what is NOT mentioned in the Bible...

Simon said, "Pray to the Lord for me, that none of the things which you've spoken may come upon me." Acts 8:24

The Bible doesn't say whether or not Peter and John did what the magician had asked them to do. The very next verse just says they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans. (Acts 8:25)

Peter had told Simon to repent and pray to the Lord for forgiveness. But instead of doing what they him to do, Simon responded by saying, no, you do that for me. 

What would you do?

What would you do if you told someone how to receive a precious gift, but then they just responded, no, you do it for me? 

Would you just keep on walking to your destination telling the good news to everyone else you see along the way?

Jesus told the twelve apostles, "if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town." (Matthew 10:14)

So in other words, Peter and John did what Jesus told them to do. 

Context

Philip brought many Samaritans to Christ, and many of them were healed. Even Simon, the magician, became a believer and was baptized. But since they didn't receive the Holy Spirit, Peter and John went there to lay hands on the Samaritans and pray for them to receive the Holy Spirit. When the magician saw that they received the Holy Spirit after laying hands on and praying for them, Simon tried to buy that power so he could perform that wonderful miracle too. (Acts 8:4-19)

The problem is you can't buy with money that which is freely given.

Yes, you have to believe. But that's not all.

"Even the demons believe... and shudder!" (James 2:19)

Peter said his heart was not right with God. Peter said he had to repent and ask God to forgive him. (Acts 8:20-23)

But Simon couldn't do that. He wanted someone else to do that for him.

Repent - apologize, be sorry, regret, have remorse, be ashamed, be humbled, ask for forgiveness

We each have to be accountable for our own repentance. No one can do that for you. 

God knows our heart and our thoughts. That relationship is between you and God alone. 

You can't earn it with good works. You can't buy it with money. You just have to ask for it and it will be freely given to you, if you believe and repent.

Sinner's Prayer:

Dear God, I acknowledge my sins before You. I believe You sent Your Son Jesus to die on the cross to take the penalty for my sins so I could be forgiven. I am sorry for my sins and I want to live the rest of my life the way You want me to. Now I turn away from my sin and turn to Jesus, my Lord and Savior. Thank You Jesus. Please fill me with Your Holy Spirit. Amen."

Are you a good person? Will you go to heaven?

Keep Doing Your Part

Then, when you tell other people the good news, you can't beg them or push them. It has to be their own belief, their own faith, and their own personal relationship with God. You did your part by telling them and praying for them. You keep doing your part. Let them do their part. Let God do His part.  

Easier said than done though, am I right?

Especially when it's someone you love and care for. You can't stop loving them no matter what.

They will know us by our love for each other. 

Seems like prayers aren't working or not enough. 

But praying to God is the absolute best thing you can do for them. God loves them too, just as much if not more. I know He is working things out for good. I trust Him because God loves us. We have to keep on praying and keep on praying for our loved ones. We can't beg them or push them, but we can give them to God. 

When I keep on praying for my loved ones, all I hear from God is...

"Be still and know that I am God."

Strangely that is extremely comforting to me and fills me unexplainable peace from God.

God's got this. 

Thank you Lord in advance for answering my prayers and bringing my loved ones to you. Please Lord soften their sweet precious heart, hold them, let them feel your loving presence, grace and mercy. 

Let Go, let God. 

Stephen

The apostles were so busy spreading the gospel, they delegated some of their responsibilities to several men who were chosen to be leaders because they were faithful, reputable, and filled with the Spirit. (Acts 6)

If you are faithful with little, then you will be faithful with much. 

One of these chosen leaders, Stephen, was doing great wonders and signs among the people. He was so full of grace and power that those who opposed what he was doing could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking... Consequently, they instigated and stirred up the people, so that they could bring him before the council, and then even went so far as to set up false witnesses against him and against Jesus. But all the council saw was the face of an angel. (Acts 6)

No matter what they did to Stephen, it didn't work. The light of Jesus was shining too brightly in Stephen.

Stephen told them about everything that God had done... that what God had foretold came true, about God's fulfilled promise, about how God rescued Joseph, that God brought something amazingly good out of what men meant for harm out of jealousy, about about how God used Moses, who was rejected and exiled from his home... and yet these stiff-necked people still resisted the Holy Spirit. (Acts 7)

Stephen told them the truth. The truth pierced their hearts with conviction, and they didn't like it.

These people were so outraged that they threw stones at Stephen. As they were stoning him, Stephen, said that he saw the heavens opened up and that he could see Jesus standing at the right hand of God. As they were still stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit," falling to his knees, crying, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." Then he fell asleep. (Acts 7)

Unbelievable. How in the world was he able to forgive them, even as they were torturing him to death?

Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit, actually saw Jesus with his own eyes at the right hand of the Father in heaven. Hence, even though he was being beaten to death, he asked God to forgive his tormenters. 

Ironically, Stephen ended up being like Joseph and Moses, the very people he was just talking about. 

"We know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28

God is working, even though we can't see it. God is good. God doesn't make the bad things happen. He has a plan and a purpose for good things. 

God uses bad things that have happened as opportunities to work in us and through to bring something. God. 

When something unexpectedly good happens, that's how you know it's God. That's how God works. He wants you to pray, seek him for help, and He wants to help you. He deserves all the honor, glory, and praise.  

God can bring something good out of what men meant for evil.

Stephen had tremendous faith and amazing courage. He wasn't afraid because he knew God was with him and would deliver him. Stephen's incredible faith helped him so that he could surprisingly forgive those that hurt him. 

Dear Lord, my Creator, you are good, you are in control, and I trust you that you are working things out for the best. 

Please Lord, fill me with your Holy Spirit, help me to have faith and courage, give me your strength to forgive as you have forgiven me through your son Jesus. Thank you Lord. 

Let your light shine

"All who sat in the council, looking steadfastly at him, saw his face as the face of an angel." Acts 6:15

Stephen was full of faith and power as he did great wonders and signs among the people. They weren't able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke. So they spread false rumors about him so they could seize him and take him to the council. But everyone on the council saw the face of an angel when they looked at him. Stephen was so full of the Spirit that everyone could see the light of Jesus in him.

Similarly, the face of Moses of shining when he came down the mountain after talking with the God. (Exodus 34:29-30)

God's light is so bright that Moses was only allowed to look at him through the cleft of a rock. (Exodus 33:22)

Jesus is the Light of the World. (John 8:12)

I only hope that everyone can see the light of Jesus in me, just like that song we sang when I was a child...

"This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine. Hide it under a bushel, no! I'm gonna let it shine. Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine." 

That line about hiding the light under a bushel reminds me of this verse...

Jesus said, "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lap and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." Matthew 5:14-16

I am not the light...no, but, Jesus is the light, and He is shining His light through me. 

We are to let Jesus' light shine through us so that others will see. 

The problem is that we have to let Him. 

Let... That little word has a huge meaning.  

Let - to not prevent, to not forbid; to allow, to permit, to give permission to, to enable, to agree to

Yes, I have free will. I have to surrender, to submit, and to obey the Lord. I have to let God work in me and through me. I have to let the Lord shine through me.

We can be afraid and try to hide His light that is in us. Or we can ask God to give us His strength, boldness, and courage to let Him work through us. 

I'm also reminded of another song, "Shine Jesus shine" by Graham Kendrick... "As we gaze on your kingly brightness, so our faces display your likeness, ever changing from glory to glory, mirrored here may our lives tell your story, shine on me."

We have to turn our eyes to Jesus so that he can shine through us. 

We are ambassadors for Christ... in Christ we become the righteousness of God." (2 Corinthians 5:20-21)

We are only a vessel for God to use, if we make ourselves available and submit to His authority.

Just like Moses had to put a veil over his face, the enemy is putting a veil over the unbelievers trying to blind them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ Jesus, who is the image of God... For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 4:3-6)

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:5

Putting a veil over the light does not completely hide the light. Even in the blackest darkest room, the tiniest speck of light can pierce the darkness. 

Dear Lord, let your light shine through me! I pray that you fill me with your Holy Spirit. Fill me overflowing. I pray that people see the love of Jesus in me. Give me your words to speak. Give me your love for others. Thank you Lord. 

Saints

People who accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior are called...

Christians 

Believers 

Followers 

Disciples 

Brothers and Sisters 

Paul addressed the Corinthians as Saints. This is an interesting word that I never considered before. I always thought a saint was a holy person who was dead. But Paul said that Believers in Jesus are called to be saints. 

1 Corinthians 1:2 says those sanctified in Christ Jesus are called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Saint 

1. a person acknowledged as holy or virtuous and typically regarded as being in heaven after death.

saint"

2. a very virtuous, kind, or patient person.

I never thought of myself as a saint before. But I guess that makes sense according to the second definition. 

I am a sinner saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior. 

As believers in Christ, we are called to be virtuous, kind, and patient. But I can't do that alone. I need to walk in the Spirit. 

I am not perfect, but Christ in me, I ask daily to be filled with the holy spirit. 

The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Galatians 5:22-25

God knows

A Levite had given all that he had, but another deceitful man gave only a portion and hid the rest for himself. (Acts 4:32-5:2)

"Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men, but to God." Acts 5:4

God knows everything. You can't hide anything from God. God knows our deeds, our thoughts, and our hearts. You can't lie to God. Only God knows the truth.

So just because someone says something, doesn't mean it is true. We need to listen to God and what He tells us. This is where righteous judgment comes in.

God owns everything. We are just stewards of what God has given to us. 

You can't cheat God, because it's all His anyways. You can't keep what wasn't yours to begin with. If you are not a faithful steward with what He has given you, then God will just take it back and let someone else be His steward. 

"Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty; for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head over all. Both riches and honor come from you, and you reign over all. In your hand is power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. Now therefore, we thank you our God and praise your glorious name." 1 Chronicles 29:11-13

Thank You Lord for all that You have given us, and please help us to be good stewards with what You have entrusted to us. 

Boldness

When Peter healed the lame beggar, he did it in the name of Jesus. When the people asked him about it, Peter gave the glory to God, stating the man was healed by faith in Jesus. Then he preached the gospel to them as an eyewitness of how Jesus fulfilled everything God foretold, and telling them to repent and believe. (Acts 3)

About 5000 people became believers that day because of it. (Acts 4:4)

The religious leaders were annoyed and asked Peter where this boldness came from. Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit, and all the credit for healing the beggar was given to Jesus.  (Acts 4 1-12)

"Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished, and they recognized that they had been with Jesus." Acts 4:13

The religious leaders couldn't deny that the man had indeed been healed, but they were afraid and warned Peter and John not to speak in Jesus' name anymore. (Acts 4:14-18)

So Peter and John told their friends how they were threatened... so they all prayed together, praising the Creator, lifting their voices together to cry out to God for help. (Acts 4:23-24)

"Now Lord, look on their threats and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your Word by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Jesus. When they had prayed, the place where they assembled was shaken and they were filled with the Holy Spirit and they spoke the Word of God with boldness." Acts 4:29-31 

They all believed and they were all in agreement.

God answered their prayers. 

They prayed for boldness, then they spoke with boldness.

The men were uneducated and common. The boldness came from being filled with the Holy Spirit and praying by faith in the name of Jesus. 5000 people were saved because of Peter and John's faith in Jesus.

We need to pray for boldness. We need to pray to be filled with the Holy Spirit. We need to believe. We need pray in the name of Jesus. We need to have faith in the Lord. 

Dear Lord, please give me the boldness to speak to others about You. I pray that others are healed and saved through the power of the name of Jesus, that they might know Your love, mercy, and saving grace.

Thank you Lord, Amen.