Daily Inspirations

   Good morning. There was not a needy person among them, for all who were owners of land or houses would sell them and bring the proceeds of the sales and lay them at the apostles’ feet, and they would be distributed to each as any had need. I don’t know if these were houses that they currently lived in or if they were investment homes. Now Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), who was called that by the apostles, and who owned a tract of land, sold it and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet. He was born on the island of Cyprus, which will come into play later. He was probably mentioned because he would later be a companion of Paul, and as a contrast to what was to follow. But a man named Ananias, with his wife, sold a piece of property, and kept back some of the price for himself, with his wife’s full knowledge, and bringing a portion of it, he laid it at the apostles’ feet. He knew that everyone would think that he had given all of the money to help t...

  Good morning. In the prayer that they just finished, they were not pleading for mercy or asking God to remove all conflict from them. They were placing their trust in God, and asking that they might speak His word with confidence. And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness. How about them apples? That must’ve been some prayer meeting for the place to be shaken! Here is another instance where after being filled with the Holy Spirit people began to say something. And the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul. If only we had that today. And not one of them claimed that anything belong to him was his own, but all things were common property to them. Now that is something that won’t happen in America under the current circumstances. It probably occurs in other countries where Christians do not have anything. We are too “things“ or...

  Good morning. So what happened when Peter and John returned to their companions? For truly in the city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur. They thought they were in control of the situation, but they were not – God was. There is a lot of controversy about the term predestination; however, predestination is a part of God’s plan. As individuals, were some predestined to be saved, and some pre-destined to not be saved? If it is totally predestination, then where is the free will? The different ones just mentioned were all free to choose whether or not to crucify Jesus; however, God predestined before the creation that Jesus would be crucified in the manner in which He was. Each person made choices prior to this instance that pre-determined that they would be a part of the story and behave the way they di...

  Good morning. And when they had summoned them, they commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said to them, whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; but we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard. These do not sound like the words of some poor fisherman. That’s because they are the words of the Holy Spirit, since Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit before he spoke. We should have the same attitude, as long as we are filled with the Spirit. When they had threatened them further (they were afraid to do anything more), they let them go (finding no basis on which to punish them) on account of the people, because they were all glorifying God for what had happened; for the man was more than 40 years old on whom this miracle of healing had been performed. Have you ever thought about that? Supposed today a 40-year-old person who had never walked had some sort ...

  Good morning. Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed, and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus. Of course they didn’t have schools like we do. The average person did not need to know a lot of things; especially women. John probably had more than most since his father was well enough off to hire workers to fish for him, and John was known by the high priest’s servant. They were probably talking about untrained in the rabbinical school concerning Scriptures. Notice that they recognized them as having been with Jesus. Can people say that about us? And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they had nothing to say in reply. How could they? It was impossible to argue with success! But when they had ordered them to leave the council, they began to confer with one another, saying, what shall we do with these men? For the fact that a noteworthy miracle has taken place ...

Good morning. So Peter and John are standing before the high priests. When they had placed them in the center, they began to inquire, by what power, or in what name, have you done this? In other words, who said you could? They did not really care that a man was made whole. Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them (remember that I said that when the Bible says someone was filled with the Holy Spirit that they usually said something afterwards),  Rulers and elders of the people. If we are on trial today for a benefit done to a sick man, as to how this man has been made well, let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead – by this name this man stands here before you in good health. In other words, you might’ve thought “you done away with Him”, but He is still on the scene and very active! He is the stone which was rejected by you, the builders, but which beca...