Firefighter

Last night I led the mid-week prayer meeting and Bible study, and firefighter Romildo brought an good study from the Book of Acts. Sister Maria gave a testimony, Vasti and Espedita sang solos and Deacon Dedé led the praise and worship.

I have now written résumés of half the chapters of the Book of Acts and have just completed Paul and Barnabas's first missionary journey as recorded in chapters 13 and 14, so that leaves 14 chapters to go.

Yesterday I did Pilates in the morning and aquarobics in the afternoon as I keep my physical exercise up regularly. I really enjoy both these regular activities.

Acts 15 (résumé): The Council at Jerusalem

 Acts 15 tells how some men were teaching that nobody can be saved without circumcision, so Paul and Barnabas strongly disputed this and went to Jerusalem to discuss the matter with the apostles. Peter addressed them pointing out how God had given the Holy Spirit to converted Gentiles just he had with Jews. So, he said, don't put a yoke on their necks because "it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are". The whole assembly was gripped in silence as they listened to all that Barnabas and Paul told about God's blessing on the Gentiles through their ministry. Then James replied saying: "It is my judgement that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God... and we should abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from strangled animals and blood". Then the Council sent a letter to Antioch with Paul, Barnabas, Judas Barsabbas and Silas saying what James and Paul had earlier declared. The Antioch church was very pleased with the letter's encouraging and embracing content, and Paul and Barnabas stayed there for some time. Later Paul and Barnabas decided to go ministering around the young churches established here and there, but they had a sharp disagreement as to who to take with them so Paul ended up going in one direction with Silas and Barnabas went in another direction with Mark.

Acts 14 (résumé): In Iconium

Next Paul and Barnabas were in Iconium where "a great number of Jews and Gentiles believed", however many Jews resisted the Gospel and stirred up Gentiles against Paul and Barnabas. When they discovered that there was a plan to stone them Paul and Barnabas went to preach in Lystra and Derbe. When Paul healed a cripple he was acclaimed as a god, but they told them to stop it saying "we too are only men, human like you". However eventually the Jews won over the crowd against Paul and Barnabas and stoned Paul leaving him for dead, but he survived and he and Barnabas left the next day for Derbe where they preached with much fruit. They then returned to towns previously evangelized appointing elders in each church established and preaching the word. Then they sailed back to Antioch from where they had been sent in mission and reported everything to the brethren, and they stayed there a long time.  

Acts 13 (résumé): Paul's first missionary journey

Whilst the church at Antioch was worshipping and fasting the Holy Spirit indicated that Barnabas and Saul should be separated and sent out in service. They first sailed to Cyprus, with John with them as a helper, and they travelled through the whole island preaching the gospel. At Paphos they met a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus (Elymas) who worked for the proconsul who was very interested in the gospel. However Elymas did everything he could to combat his conversion and Saul, "who was also called Paul", condemned him as "a child of the Devil" and he became temporarily blind, and "when the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord". From Paphos Paul and his companions sailed to Perga in Pamphylia, but John returned to Jerusalem. From Perga they went to Pisidian Antioch where Paul preached a long detailed message tracing the hand of God on his people through Egypt and Canaan and then sharing the gospel about Jesus' death and resurrection. Interest was great so that many invited Paul and Barnabas to preach more the following Saturday, and on that day nearly the whole city came to hear the gospel which filled the Jewish leadership with jealousy. So Paul and Barnabas made it clear that in the light of such rejection of the gospel by the Jews, the gospel and the church were now more that open to the gentiles. And "the word of the Lord spread through the whole region... but the Jews stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas and expelled them from the region... but the disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit".

Green Pastures

Liz went out to Green Pastures to take 3 sacks of cement for maintenance work and repairs to the conference centre drainage system with the pastors conference later this month and a big youth conference at the end of October. The drought is biting very hard with only 7 mm of rain over the last 125 days and with heat in the mid-to-high thirties every day. 

QPR beat Cardiff 2 x 1 at home at Loftus Road yesterday, meaning we are in second place in the Championship, so back in the automatic promotion segment once again. This is a very good start to the season. 😀

I did a great deal of administrative work yesterday.

Acts 12 (résumé): Peter's miraculous escape from prison

King Herod was persecuting the church and had James, the brother of John, "put to death with the sword". Then he arrested Peter and put him under extremely heavy guard in prison with the intention of bringing him to public trial after the Passover. However in the night an angel of the Lord came and woke Peter in the middle of 2 guards, and freed him of the chains on his wrists. He told Peter to dress and then follow him, and he whisked him past guards and through gates and out into the street. Only when the angel left him did he realize that he hadn't been dreaming and that he was really outside the jail! So Peter went to Mary the mother of John's house and the servant who answered the door was so overjoyed to see Peter that she ran inside to tell everyone and left him standing! Eventually he was let in and he was able to tell them what God had done for him. Then next morning Herod executed the guards. Then Herod made a public speech wearing his royal robes and the people hailed him as a god! Herod lapped it up so "an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died". But the word of God increased and spread. 

Acts 11 (résumé): Peter explains his actions

Word soon reached the apostles and brothers in Jerusalem about gentiles receiving the Holy Spirit in the house of Cornelius and this generated criticism from the circumcised believers. So Peter set about explaining about his vision and how he had been sought out my representatives of Cornelius who had also had a vision. So, said Peter, "who was I to think that I could oppose God?" Peter's explanation satisfied the circumcised and they praised God that the Gospel was now open to the gentiles. And so the gospel spread to Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch initially to Jews but then also to Greeks and "a great number believed and turned to the Lord". So the Jerusalem church sent Barnabas to check things out and he was happy to see the move was of God, and many more there came to Christ under his ministry. Barnabas then sought out Saul at Tarsus and they came to Antioch and ministered there for a year, and "the disciples were first called Christians at Antioch". Then Agabus prophesied through the Spirit that there would be a famine in the Roman world and so the Christians helped the brethren living in Judea and they sent gifts to help through Barnabas and Saul.