SCRIPTURE: Acts 3
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord [Acts 3:19]
As long as we remain closed to God, we will experience misery.
The suffering in this world, including this man’s being crippled, is the consequence of our having turned away from God.
If we walk away from the fire, we will lose the benefit of its light and warmth, and we will wander in darkness.
But if we turn back…

To repent is to change one’s direction, to make a u-turn.
Every step we take away from God increases our guilt and our misery; every step we take towards God increases our refreshing.

God has entered this dark world through Jesus, and has opened the way for us to turn to God.
God demonstrated the refreshing possible through Jesus with the miracles that He and His followers performed.
The miracles were signs pointing to the refreshing available to all who turn back to God.

By accepting Jesus as God’s messiah, by surrendering our lives to Him as our Lord and Saviour, we enter into the eternal kind of life.
Our guilt is wiped away and we are transformed by the Spirit of Jesus into world-changing agents of the kingdom of God.
Not with silver, not with gold, but in the name of Jesus we demonstrate in word and deed the eternal kind of life, the refreshing kind of life.
We are both refreshed, and refreshing. We are blessed, and we are a blessing.

The key is surrender to Jesus.
Not just making a faith declaration, but living a life that reflects that confidence.
Jesus is Lord, I am forgiven and free, I have His Spirit at work in me.
I am refreshed, and I can refresh others.
Like Peter and John, I can offer what I have – the power of confidence in Jesus’ name.
With my words and my actions, empowered by the Spirit of King Jesus, I can help and heal and refresh others.
This is the life!

Again and again I must turn around (repent), admit where I am straying, and take firm and decisive steps towards God, towards living for Jesus.
If I spend time alone with Jesus, He makes it clear to me where I am straying.
His Spirit is convicting me as I type.
Will I repent? Will I act?
My response will determine whether I am refreshed, and others refreshed through me.

PRAYER:
Lord, what am I waiting for? I want to be refreshed, and I want to refresh others. I want to bring the kind of joy this crippled man experienced.

SCRIPTURE: Acts 2
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off–for all whom the Lord our God will call. [Acts 2:38-39]
The good news is that the message is for everyone, for sons and daughters, young and old men, women and men, for adults and for children.
This is a gift of grace, undeserved favour! Continue reading Spirit-empowered witnessing

SCRIPTURE: Acts 1
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit. [Acts 1:5]
The book of Exodus finishes with the tabernacle being ‘baptized’ (filled, covered, anointed) by the glory cloud that represented God [Exodus 40:34-38].
God’s presence and power among them led and empowered them through the wilderness and into the promised land. Continue reading spiritual heart transplant needed

SCRIPTURE: Exodus 40
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counsellor to be with you forever — the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. [John 14:16-17]
The cloud that filled the temple and led the people through the wilderness symbolizes the Holy Spirit.
The Tent of Meeting and its furnishings symbolizes the restored personal relationship we can have with God through Jesus, by the Spirit.
• Tent of Meeting: we meet face to face with God, through Jesus
• ark of the Testimony: God’s communication of truth, of Himself
• altar of incense: our communication of faith, prayer
• altar of burnt offering: the sacrifice for atonement, Jesus’ death
• water for cleansing: baptism, for forgiveness and renewal
• anointing oil: the Holy Spirit renewing, sanctifying us
We may meet with God, hear God and talk with God because of Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf, baptized in water and in the Holy Spirit. Continue reading the Spirit of glory

SCRIPTURE: Exodus 39
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labour or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these. [Matthew 6:28-29]
What a lot of attention is given in Exodus 38-39 to the temple furnishings and the priestly garments.
It makes you wonder why God makes a big deal of clothes here, and yet Jesus seems to have a different spin. Continue reading dressed like Jesus

So here are two videos, one by a Christian who hates “religion”, and the second by a Muslim who challenges the Christian view of Jesus.
Each one makes you think, each one provokes a response.
I would love your comments!

This first one is by a Christian…

This next one is by a Muslim…

I got this as an email forward, kind of cute, whether it’s real or not…

This was written by an 8-year-old named Danny Dutton, who lives in Chula Vista , CA . He wrote it for his third grade homework assignment, to ‘explain God.’ 

EXPLANATION OF GOD

‘One of God’s main jobs is making people. He makes them to replace the ones that die, so there will be enough people to take care of things on earth. He doesn’t make grownups, just babies. I think because they are smaller and easier to make. That way he doesn’t have to take up his valuable time teaching them to talk and walk. He can just leave that to mothers and fathers.’ Continue reading a little boy’s explanation of God

SCRIPTURE: Exodus 38
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. [Mathew 6:19-20]
Moses provides us with a very detailed list of the valuables used to build the tabernacle.
But where is it now?
What is left of these ‘treasures’? Continue reading moth and rust and thieves

SCRIPTURE: Exodus 37
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath. [Mark 2:27-28].
As I read this list of furnishings being made for the tabernacle, I think about a high school friend whose mother kept the living room immaculate.
She even had plastic on the chairs.
I once sat on it, when his mom wasn’t at home, but that was exceptional – normally it was reserved for only special company, if ever. Continue reading enjoying God’s furniture

SCRIPTURE: Exodus 36
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well [Matthew 6:33].
If we put God first, He will provide everything we need to fulfill His purpose.
The “all these things” that Jesus refers to are the daily things we think we need to survive (food, clothing, work, health).
The promise is this: God will provide us everything we need to do everything He asks of us. Continue reading more than enough