ACTS of the Apostles

Tuesday, May 3

ACTS of the Apostles

Learning How to be Daring and Dynamic

Read Acts 5:12-16

Focus Verse: Acts 5:12

And many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands of the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon’s Portico.

Dare to live life with boldness….being all that Christ calls you to be. Don’t let threats, fears or temptations stop you. I am thankful that Luke keeps reminding us in Acts of how the Holy Spirit powerfully came upon the apostles and the church so they could be the hands and feet of Jesus, serving, teaching, healing, loving others.

Satan’s efforts to divide and decrease the early church were turned upside down. As a matter of fact, the church triumphed over the attacks of Satan. As Warren Wiersbe points out in his book Be Dynamic, the people were unified (Acts 5:12), magnified (5:13) and multiplied (5:14). MULTITITUDES were added to Jesus!!!

God’s power was so evident with early Christians that people from areas surrounding Jerusalem wanted to get close and be a part of what was going on. They brought their sick and afflicted people to where Peter and the apostles were in hopes that “at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by” (Act 5:15) and they would experience healing powers.

I’m not sure how to explain the details around people’s desire to be in Peter’s shadow. Some say it shows respect; others think it’s a figure of speech. The beliefs go on and on. What it does demonstrate to me is the momentum of the believers in early days, the excitement of new believers, the hunger for the things of God, the desire for unity and the spreading of the Good News. It’s a matter of ordinary people from all over hearing about the miracles of God and having faith and believing that God can do amazing things. The most important (of those amazing things) is not the healing of the afflicted but the winning of lost souls. That’s the greatest miracle- the transformation of a lost sinner into a child of God by the grace of God.

Let’s act out of expectation and faith rather than fear and uncertainty. Let’s look forward to greater things promised by God. Let’s believe that with God anything is possible. And…Let’s allow the Holy Spirit to work through us so others will be touched with God’s love and His fellowship will continue to multiply.

Dear Sovereign Lord,

Thank you for your miraculous power, amazing presence, gift of salvation and over-flowing Spirit that is alive in us today. May our eyes be open to who needs to be touched with your love. Use us so that our words and actions can play a part in an individual’s healing process all according to your will and to GLORIFY YOU. Amen