From the desk of Pastor Edd

  Scriptures: Acts 15: 10 "So, I suggest we   not create tension for God   by requiring other people to conform to a law that we could not even live up to or find any significant gain from.   Acts 15:1 At one point, teachers arrived in Antioch saying, "You cannot be saved without following the customs of Moses, including being circumcised." 2 Paul and Barnabas refuted this teaching and spent long periods of time debating this question with them. The followers in the gathering in Antioch decided this matter needed to be settled by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem, so they sent a group there to resolve this matter.   Disputes happen, even in the church today. The question comes up often, should there be disagreements between believers? Well, I can tell you that arguments carry great benefit if handled in the right way. If it becomes a time when we say all sorts of things we probably should not have said, we can end up having deep scars, growing bitterness, and...

   Scripture:  Acts 16:25 Paul and Silas were still praying and singing hymns around midnight and all of the prisoners were listening to their witness. Acts 16:1 When Paul arrived in Derbe and Lystra he met a disciple by the name of Timothy, whose father was Greek and mother was Jewish. 2 He was known throughout the region and treated with respect in Lystra and Iconium. 3 Paul wanted him join with them in the ministry and circumcised him because of the many Jews in the area who were aware his father was Greek. 4 They continued through many cities and told the believers about the letter from their meeting with the apostles and elders in Jerusalem. 5 All of the believers found great strength and encouragement in these words and the numbers of followers increased daily.   6 Paul and Silas sensed that the Holy Spirit was blocking their way into Asia, so they continued to teach as they went through the regions of Phrygia and Galatia. 7 They arrived in Mysia thinking they ...

  Scripture:   Acts 14:3    speaking with the boldness of the LORD and relying on Him to perform miracles and offer proof of His existence.   Paul and Barnabas continued their journey of sharing the Word of the Lord.   Acts 14:1 They went straight to the synagogue when they came to Iconium.    After speaking with the people, many chose to believe in Jesus, some Jews and some Greeks. 2 Again, there were Jews who did not believe and began to stir things up. Soon there was a bitter battle between those who believed and those who did not.   Dissension has existed between people for as long as there have been people. Dissension in the church continues to exist even today. In this case the discord was centered around Jesus and whether the words Paul was speaking were true or not.   Discord can distract us from the work of the Kingdom or cause us to be more focused on what the work truly is. Paul and Barnabas used this discord as an opportunity...

  Scripture:   Acts 13:18 "It took about 40 years, as you well know, for us to get through the wilderness, and the Lord was faithful.     Paul, Barnabas, and John left the island of Cyprus and sailed up to the southern shores of Turkey where they continued their pattern of visiting the synagogues each week with the message of good news. Even though they were in the land of the Gentiles, they were going to the synagogues and speaking mostly to those of the Jewish faith.     Acts 13:13 Paul and those with him set sail from Paphos and landed in Perga, a town in Pamphylia. John left them at this point and returned to Jerusalem. 14 The others continued their journey to the town of Pisidian Antioch, and on the Sabbath day, entered the synagogue and joined in the morning reading. 15 The synagogue officials noticed they were present and after the readings of the Law and the Prophets, they invited them up to share something to the people.   It must have been ob...

  Scripture:   Acts 13:2 These gathered one day for prayer and fasting and during their time received a message from the Holy Spirit,     Acts 13 opens with the beginning of missionary work by the church. The disciples were told by Jesus,  “You are to concentrate on telling people about Me once you have received the power of the Holy Spirit, and you will take My message to people in Jerusalem, and on to Judea and Samaria, and even to the ends of the world." (Acts 1:8 EBV)  That statement is now becoming a reality almost 15 years later in the town of Antioch.   Acts 13:1 The church in Antioch had a variety of prophets and teachers; Barnabas, Simeon (Niger), Lucius from Cyrene, Manaen who was close friends with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2 These gathered one day for prayer and fasting and during their time received a message from the Holy Spirit, "I am calling Barnabas and Saul to a special work, let them go." 3 They continued to pray and when they ca...