Many, O Lord my God, are Your wonderful works
Which You have done;
And Your thoughts toward us
Cannot be recounted to You in order;
If I would declare and speak of them,
They are more than can be numbered.
He has put a new song in my mouth—
Praise to our God;
Many will see it and fear,
And will trust in the Lord.
God can give us new songs
After all, it is only right for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 7and to grant relief to you who are oppressed and to us as well. This will take place when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels 8in blazing fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
Day of reckoning
but when Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia (northern Greece), Paul began devoting himself completely to [preaching] the word, and solemnly testifying to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed).
Devoted to
And he departed from there and entered the house of a certain man named [b]Justus, one who worshiped God, whose house was next door to the synagogue. Then Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his household.
When Silas and Timothy had come from Macedonia, Paul was compelled by the Spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ.
14The secret of the Lord is for those who fear Him, And He will make them know His covenant.
Psalms 25:14 | NASB
To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
O my God, I trust in You;
Let me not be ashamed;
Let not my enemies triumph over me.
Indeed, let no one who [g]waits on You be ashamed;
Let those be ashamed who deal treacherously without cause.
This is Jacob, the generation of those who seek Him,
Who seek Your face. Selah
Lift up your heads, O you gates!
And be lifted up, you everlasting doors!
And the King of glory shall come in.
Seek and be filled with God
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies
Mordakai
The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
Provision
But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some brethren to the rulers of the city, crying out, “These who have turned the world upside down have come here too.
We are supposed to make an impact in the world around us
Yes, again and again they tempted God, And limited the Holy One of Israel. Psalm 78:41
And He could not do any miracle there except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. Mark 6:5
It is possible to limit God! You
And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”
The vision was from God and what was seen was a man, but the fruition of the vision was a woman called Lydia
But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.
But = in spite of circumstances
The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul.
God needs to open hearts
6Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in [a]Asia. 7After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the [b]Spirit did not permit them. 8So passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas. Acts 16
Keep going
But Paul went down, fell on him, and embracing him said, “Do not trouble yourselves, for his life is in him.” Acts 20:10 NKJV
Christ in you.
You can stop fasting when your troubles have ceased.
For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, he began to seek the God of his father David; and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, the wooden images, the carved images, and the molded images. 2 Chronicles 34:3
You can start seeking GOD at a young age; he was 16. (Enoch was 65).
“Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Matthew 9:12 ESV
Those were sick need a doctor
Those who need an operation need a surgeon
Luke 9:29 | NKJV
As He prayed, the appearance of His face was altered, and His robe became white and glistening.
Prayer changes us
And the following day they entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was waiting for them, and had called together his relatives and close friends. Acts 10:24 NKJV
Timeline example
Monday 3pm Cornelius visitation
Tuesday 12pm Peter vision
(Wednesday 9am – Peter could have reached Cornelius)
Thursday 3pm Peter at Cornelius’s place
Cornelius & co had to wait possibly 30 hours extra before Peter reached them.
In my first book, O Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach Acts 1:1 AMP
Do and Teach in that order.
Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and the news about Him spread throughout the surrounding region. Then Jesus came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. As was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath. And when He stood up to read, the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. Unrolling it, He found the place where it was written: “The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. Luke 4:14-18 BSB
The person who has been anointed becomes aware of it.
Then the LORD said to Noah, “Enter the ark, you and all your household, for you alone I have seen to be righteous before Me in this generation. Genesis 7:1 NASB
What a commendation from GOD Himself!
But Peter put them all out, and knelt down and prayed. And turning to the body he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. Acts 9:40 NKJV
Remove unbelief while praying.
Then he said, ‘The God of our fathers has chosen you that you should know His will, and see the Just One, and hear the voice of His mouth. Acts 22:14 NKJV
Know Will
See Jesus
Hear Jesus
For You cast me into the deep, Into the heart of the seas, And the floods surrounded me; All Your billows and Your waves passed over me. Jonah 2:3 NKJV
Deep calls to deep at the sound of Your waterfalls; All Your breakers and Your waves have passed over me. Psalm 42:7 NASB
Both the Prophet who was running away from GOD and the GOD Seeker echo the same words.
I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. John 10:10 NKJV
Life implying Eternal Life
Abundant = superabundant (in quantity) or superior (in quality)
A person on a ventilator or in a coma has life but not abundant life. A person with a Rolls Royce may be said to be living the life. But what about a person with a 1000 Rolls Royces? Likewise abundant life.
For we have been sold, my people and I, to be destroyed, to be killed, and to be annihilated. Had we been sold as male and female slaves, I would have held my tongue, although the enemy could never compensate for the king’s loss.” Esther 7:4 NKJV
The destruction of Jews would cause world economies to be turmoil.
For Mordecai was great in the king’s palace, and his fame spread throughout all the provinces; for this man Mordecai became increasingly prominent. Esther 9:4 NKJV
How he became great
Bringing up Esther in a godly way
Not bowing down to ungodliness
Taking a stance when Jews were to be destroyed
Fasting 3 days and night as Esther advised
Then Esther said, “If it pleases the king, let it be granted to the Jews who are in Shushan to do again tomorrow according to today’s decree, and let Haman’s ten sons be hanged on the gallows.” Esther 9:13 NKJV
Enemies killed
13th December: 500 in Shushan 75000 elsewhere
14th December: 300 in Shushan
Enemies in higher positions attacked for longer periods of time for full elimination. The bigger the problem, the more we need to persevere.
Read: How to Fight
When they heard this, they were furious and plotted to kill them. Acts 5:33 NKJV
Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury, and the expression on his face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. Daniel 3:19 NKJV
But when Herod the tetrarch was reprimanded by him regarding Herodias, his brother’s wife, and regarding all the evil things which Herod had done, Herod also added this to them all: he locked John up in prison. Luke 3:19-20 NASB
Political Correctness & “Wisdom” may not be relevant when it has to do with obeying GOD.
But at night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, “Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life.” … But when the officers came and did not find them in the prison, they returned and reported, saying, “Indeed we found the prison shut securely, and the guards standing outside before the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside! Acts 5:19,22 BSB
GOD can make you invisible to others. Likewise, He can make the invisible (ignored, looked down) you visible.
“Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? … But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men. Acts 5:28-29 BSB
Any decree that is in opposition to GOD’s instructions is to be disobeyed.
Read: A PROPHETIC STORY
Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. Acts 5:31 NKJV
When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified God, saying, “Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life.” Acts 11:18 NKJV
Repentance is given by GOD.
So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. Acts 5:41 NKJV
Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Matthew 5:11-12 NKJV
Suffering for Christ a reason to Rejoice. Not everyone gets this “privilage” as its objective is greater reward in Heaven. Not a reason to ask for suffering though.
And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ. Acts 5:42 NKJV
There is a place for both Public Ministry as well as Door to Door Evangelism.
So in the present case, I say to you, stay away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or action is of men [merely human in origin], it will fail and be destroyed Acts 5:38 AMP
Conversely, any plan or action that is of GOD will stand.
If it pleases the king, let a decree be written that they be destroyed, and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver into the hands of those who do the work, to bring it into the king’s treasuries.” Esther 3:9 NKJV
One Talent = 30 Kilos
Kilo of Silver = £781
30 x 10,000 = 300,000 Kilos
Total value £243,000,000
What a price one agent of the devil would pay to destroy Christians.
“Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a Man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know Acts 2:22 NKJV
Miracles, Signs & Wonders – proof of GOD’s attestation.
You have made known to me the ways of life; You will make me full of joy in Your presence.’ Acts 2:28 NKJV
You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Psalm 16:11 NKJV
Fullness of joy in GOD’s Presence
who by the mouth of Your servant David have said: ‘Why did the nations rage, And the people plot vain things? Acts 4:25 NKJV
When you spend time with God, God speaks through you.
Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before unknown men. Proverbs 22:29 NKJV
Excels = is prompt in his business
Ruth 5:12 . May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.”
You can be the blessing you pray about.
9Joshua therefore came upon them suddenly, having marched all night from Gilgal. 10So the Lord routed them before Israel, killed them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, chased them along the road that goes to Beth Horon, and struck them down as far as Azekah and Makkedah. 11And it happened, as they fled before Israel and were on the descent of Beth Horon, that the Lord cast down large hailstones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died. There were more who died from the hailstones than the children of Israel killed with the sword.
God works simultaneously with us
Then he dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.
And He said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”
Jesus is the Ladder.
But he said to me, ‘Behold, you shall conceive and give birth to a son, and now you shall not drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing, for the boy shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb to the day of his death.’”
Parents may have to make sacrifices so that their children may be spiritual.
God’s blessing in secular job
Three Bible characters who teach us about how a Christian should be in their workplace.
Jacob – God prospered him even though Jacob worked for a very wicked boss called Laban.
Joseph – God gave Joseph understanding and knowledge that made him indispensable. His boss Pharaoh would rather give relocation expense to Joseph’s entire tribe than let go of Joseph.
Daniel – Being a prime minister to various kings did not take Daniel’s focus away from the King of Kings. He found time to pray 3 times a day in his busy schedule.