While the man held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Soloman's Colonnade.
When Peter saw this, he said to them: "Fellow
Israelites, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?
By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus' name and the faith that comes through Him that has completely healed him, as you can all see." Acts 3:11-12,16 NLT
The first apostles. Mighty men of God. Bold preachers. Bold teachers. Miracle-working evangelists.
Men who had walked with Jesus and talked with Jesus. Men whose hearts burned with passion for God and compassion for the lost and hurting.
Men who healed. Men who saved. Men who delivered.
M
en who consistently and without fail pointed people to Jesus.
People astonished at a healing? The apostles pointed them to Jesus:
It is Jesus' name and the faith that comes through Him that has completely healed him...
People arguing over whose teaching was better? The apostles pointed them to God: It is God who brings the increase...
No matter where they went. No matter what they did. Their one purpose, their one goal was to give glory to God and reconcile people to Him through Jesus.
May our lives, our passion, our purpose be the same.
After all, who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only God's servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us. I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow.
It's not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What's important is that God makes the seed grow. 1 Corinthians 3:5-7 NLT
God has given each of you a gift from His great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God Himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to Him forever and ever! Amen. 1 Peter 4:10-11 NLT
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