Philippians Chapter 1:1-2 16-18 One day, on our way to the place of prayer, a slave girl ran into us. She was a psychic and, with her fortunetelling, made a lot of money for the people who owned her. She started following Paul around, calling everyone’s attention to us by yelling out, “These men are working for the Most High God. They’re laying out the road of salvation for you!” She did this for a number of days until Paul, finally fed up with her, turned and commanded the spirit that possessed her, “Out! In the name of Jesus Christ, get out of her!” And it was gone, just like that. 19-22 When her owners saw that their lucrative little business was suddenly bankrupt, they went after Paul and Silas, roughed them up and dragged them into the market square. Then the police arrested them and pulled them into a court with the accusation, “These men are disturbing the peace—dangerous Jewish agitators subverting our Roman law and order.” By this time the crowd had turned into a restl

Bible References: Acts 16: 11-15; Philippians 1-2 The Message Version: 11-12  Putting out from the harbor at Troas, we made a straight run for Samothrace. The next day we tied up at New City and walked from there to Philippi, the main city in that part of Macedonia and, even more importantly, a Roman colony. We lingered there several days. 13-14  On the Sabbath, we left the city and went down along the river where we had heard there was to be a prayer meeting. We took our place with the women who had gathered there and talked with them. One woman, Lydia, was from Thyatira and a dealer in expensive textiles, known to be a God-fearing woman. As she listened with intensity to what was being said, the Master gave her a trusting heart—and she believed! 15  After she was baptized, along with everyone in her household, she said in a surge of hospitality, “If you’re confident that I’m in this with you and believe in the Master truly, come home with me and be my guests.” We hesitat

Bible References: Acts 26:22-23 New International Version (NIV) 22 But God has helped me to this very day; so, I stand here and testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen— 23 that the Messiah would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would bring the message of light to his own people and to the Gentiles.” Bible References:   Ephesians 6:19 New International Version (NIV) “Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel,” What does it mean to bring Shalom? (God’s Peace) To bring God’s Peace is to bring His story – that great story of redemption. The story of how God chose the Hebrew people, the Jews and set them apart as his treasured possession.   A nation that was to live in such in a way that they would be a light to the nations and make God’s name known to all nations.   Then people would be blessed and the world

Bible reference:  Romans 8; 2 Corinthians 13:4-6 Jesus ministered among people in all different ways.   When we try to fit people into a box, it doesn't work as we are all different.   Put yourself to the test, to see if we're in the faith.  Jesus won the victory,  we need to know live with Christ. Romans 8:1-17 Where do you reside?  Live by the Spirit; put to death the misdeeds of the sinful nature. If we are God's children, then we are heirs in Christ. Believers will be disciplined by the Lord. It will happen first in Gods house.  We're not talking about condemnation but discipline. By our faith in Christ,  we are secure.  You cannot change by self-will.  The Spirit must work in you.  Corruption of the world or grace of God. By which of these are we governed? God turned his face from his Son on which the condemnation of the world was put on him.  Cross reference: Genesis 6 (corruption of the world) God's divine nature was satisfied by the death of Chris

Hebrews 20:21. Read full story of Moses. Being Sent To Preach You are created to go and all to be saved and all to know the Truth.   Jesus came to earth for all. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Jesus comes and meets with you and speaks with you personally.  He reveals himself personally to each of us. He reveals who he is to us.  You move from being a creation of God to being a child of God.   God is God and will reveal himself.   He reveals what we are able to do and what we will do.  The journey ahead is like a moulding.  God doesn't just want you saved by grace but he wants to mold you.  Ephesians 2:10 God calls you to be a priest. A Priest is like a bridge builder. We're to help build the road across the gulf to show people Jesus. Jesus teaches us to be fishers of men.  The disciples entered into a molding process.   They left all behind and followed Jesus.   You cannot walk with Jesus Christ without leaving everything. In the molding process,

Bible References: Acts 20:24; Acts 1:5; Isaiah 61:1; Luke 4:16-20; Matthew 5:3; Matthew 5:4; John 8:32; Ephesians 1:3 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.  He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor  and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn,  and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise     instead of a spirit of despair.  They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor. Isaiah 61:1-5 In this prophetic scripture, we see the ministry of Christ attributed to the work of the Holy Spirit when it says, “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed Me.” By the empowering of the Spirit, Jes

Bible References:  Psalm 63:1; Psalm 42:1-2; John chapter 4; Jeremiah14:1-3; 1 Samuel 23 and 24 Water.  An essential part of life.  For people, for animals and for plants.  Water is even essential for fish and marine life. Water is often spoken about in the Bible.  Sometimes water is referred to as life giving, refreshing.  Sometimes it’s referred to as being in cisterns.  What is a cistern?  It’s a  storage facility to hold water.  Places that have cisterns hold the water for the dry times, or times of siege. Cisterns are not life giving.  They often hold stale, still, stagnant water. “…In the Middle East, water is scarce and precious, and very much needed for survival. Only a few months of the year does rain fall in Israel, and the rest of the time the ancient peoples survived on stagnant water that was stored in cisterns in the ground. When rain does fall after many months of clear blue skies, it seems to be a miraculous gift from God. The difference with or without rain in I

What do you believe?   What do you value? Recap:   Unity, liberty and charity (love) are important as we establish the essentials of what we believe. Unity – as a body of believers in Christ Jesus – Ephesians 4:4-6 tells us, “There is one body [of believers] and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when called [to salvation]— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of us all who is [sovereign] over all and [working] through all and [living] in all.” (AMP) Liberty -   Romans 14:1,12, 22 says “…As for the [a]one whose faith is weak, accept him [into your fellowship], but not for [the purpose of] quarreling over his opinions.” (v12) “…So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God…” (v22) “…The faith which you have [that gives you freedom of choice], have as your own conviction before God [just keep it between yourself and God, seeking His will]. Happy is he who has no reason to condemn himself for what he approves.” Charity (love) 1