Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

June 18
Thursday


PASSIONATE
BOLDNESS

READ:
Acts 4:5-13
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A young man was preaching to the passersby in Hounslow, on the outskirts of London, England. Most ignored him, a few ridiculed, and several stopped to listen. But regardless of the reaction of the people, he was undeterred. With a strong voice and clear resolve, he poured out his heart--not with the words of an angry prophet, but with deep concern for the men and women on that street. His eyes, facial expressions, and tone of voice revealed an attitude of compassion, not condemnation. In it all, he boldly shared the love and grace of Jesus Christ.

In Acts 4, when the church was still new, Peter and John also boldly addressed the people of their generation. The response of the leaders of their day? "Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus" (v.13). That boldness was not the fruit of ministerial training but of much time spent in the presence of the Master. As a result, they had become passionate about what concerned Christ--the eternal destiny of men and women.

That same passionate boldness was on the face of the young man in Hounslow. Do people see it in us? __Bill Crowder
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````````````````````Will you be bold in your witness```````````````
```````````````````By giving lost sinners God's Word?`````````````
``````````````````````Jesus will honor you service.```````````````
````````````````And sinners will surely be stirred. __Bosch`````````
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A Christian is an ambassador
who speaks for the King of Kings.

*************Today's Bible Reading __ acts 4:5-11****************

5 And it came to pass, on
the next day, that their
rulers, elders, and scribes,

6 as well as Annas the high
priest, Caiaphas, John, and
Alexander, and as many as
were of the family of the
high priest, were gathered
together at Jerusalem. 7 And
when they had set them in
the midst, they asked, "By
what power or by what
name have you done this?"

8 Then Peter, filled with
the Holy Spirit, said to
them, "Rulers of the people
and elders of Israel: 9 If we
this day are judged for a
good deed done to a
helpless man, by what
means he has been made
well, 10 let it be known to
you all, and to all the
people of Israel, that by the
name of Jesus Christ of
Nazareth, whom you
crucified, whom God raised
from the dead, by Him this
man stands here before you
whole. 11 This is the 'stone
which was rejected by you
builders, which has become
the chief cornerstone.'

12 Nor is there salvation in
any other, for there is no
other name under heaven
given among men by which
we must be saved."

13 Now when they saw the
boldness of Peter and John,
and perceived that they
were uneducated and
untrained men, they
marveled. and they realized
that they had been with
Jesus.


>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

John had run from Jesus during His arrest. Peter had denied Christ
three times before the cock crowed. Now they witnessed with
boldness (vv.8-13). What made the difference? Clearly, it was the
fulfillment of Christ's promise: "But you shall receive power when
the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to
Me..." (1:18). __Dennis Fisher