A Devotional Study of the Living Word of God

Psalm 119:65 The expectation of what to expect always occurs before the coming event. Expectations seldom play out and most always we go away from the event a bit empty! It is different with God, we can always know that He will deal with us according to His Word.

Good Morning

The Great Depression was a worldwide economic meltdown starting in most places in 1929 and ending at different times in the 1930s for different countries. It was the largest and most important economic depression in world history, and is used in the 21st century as a benchmark on how far a modern economy could possibly fall. The Great Depression originated in the United States; historians most often use as a starting date the stock market crash on October 29, 1929, known as Black Tuesday. The end of the depression in the U.S. is associated with the onset of the war economy of World War II, beginning around 1939.[1] The Great Depression ended at different times in different countries; for subsequent history see Home front during World War II. The majority of countries set up relief programs, and most underwent some sort of political upheaval, pushing them to the left or right. In some countries, the desperate citizens turned toward nationalist demagogues - the most infamous being Adolf Hitler - setting the stage for World War II in 1939.

Allowing myself to take the position of being an alarmist, pessimist or whatever you choose to call me really makes no never-mind to me. I am reminded from scripture (Matthew 16:1-4) that Jesus is critical over the fact that we are a forgetful and a knowingly ignorant people. The world is searching for another demagogue, his biblical title is “Antichrist” Another biblical translation of the Greek word antichristos can be substitute Messiah. As the world rejects God, there will have to be a substitute or counterfeit Messiah. The good news is; that Jesus is the Christos or The Messiah. Peter makes this confession, can you? (Matthew 16:13-20)

Acts 19

Acts 19:1-10 I sense that during the years following the resurrection and Ascension of Jesus that there were several groups of believers in Jesus Christ who needed a better understanding of the grace of God. Apollos is strengthened in the Word by Priscilla and Aquila, now the apostle Paul meets these twelve. Should we consider that this could still be true today? I am reminded of the dead church in Revelation 3:1-6. The church of Sardis is dead because it does not have the power of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 19:11-20 Many of us desire the spiritual works that produce healing, speaking and confronting evil. The reasons we desire these works are many and we've no time to cover them, but this I know! If anyone pursues a work of the Holy Spirit that God has not a need of in your local assembly, that person is opening the door for an attack from Satan that they are not equipped to deal with.

Acts 19:21-23 Everything is open to becoming corrupted. I would like to end today with the thought of why we do not hear more about, “The Way” as the gospel is titled here in these last two chapters. I sort of like the the term, but today the term, “The Way” is associated with an immoral cult that is very popular in Europe. While stationed in Spain some years ago, I had opportunity to run into a group of people belonging to that cult. All they had to say sounded good, but their agenda was right out of the pit of hell.