A String of Pearls

Saturday, July 2, 2011

Acts 11:21 "Hand of the LORD Was With Them" July 2

Acts 11:21-25 "The Hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord.  Barnabas saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose. And a great many people were added to the Lord."  Acts 11:21 is a verse that God has brought to mind countless times over the past decades.  Steadfast Purpose. Ask. Seek.  Knock.  Oh, that we not live a day without knowing that The Hand of The LORD is with us, with accompanying Eyes that see everything that is happening to us and in us, with listening Ears that hear our every whisper and every intention, with Mighty Power so powerfully at work in each of us every single day.  May the Hand of the LORD be with you this very day!  Can you see the Grace of God towards you?

2 comments:

  1. Today, as I read, I felt like I was listening to a story my daddy might have told us, of how our ancestors came to America, how our lineage goes back many generations to several patriots who fought for our freedom.

    This is our story today: Peter, a dream, Jews who accepted, the church at Antioch where we first were called Christians--how God grafted us in the royal lineage, how God desires all to be part of His family, how His Spirit baptizes and changes every life He touches. This is our story of Gentiles finding freedom through repentance and forgiveness and love and life.

    "And they glorified God, saying,"Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life."

    On this Independence Day weekend, may we find ourselves more and more dependent on the Freedom Giver, the Lord, the Maker of Life, Who chose us and frees us from every bondage to embrace abundant Life.

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  2. I will hold today's reading so close to my heart today.

    Gentiles saved??? Oh, yes!

    I like the vision and how the sheet of the "clean" was taken back up into heaven. It reminds me of the Rapture.

    Peter went as the Spirit led him to begin the harvest of the Gentiles.

    Barnabas had a special mission from God, too. He went to find Saul in Tarsus. God works in mighty ways His will to accomplish.

    And I am a product of these miraculous beginnings of the gospel spreading to the Gentiles.

    "So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch."

    My spiritual roots are being grafted in through these Spirit-led actions of Peter, Barnabas and Saul.

    Lord, show US by the Spirit our calling in this generation. Amen.

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