Category: Spiritual

Luke 3:7-8, NLT

When the crowds, many being Pharisees and Sadducees, came to John to be baptized, he called them a brood of snakes, wanting to know who warned them to flee the coming wrath – God’s holy anger against sin (Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary) (v.7). These religious leaders opposed the prophet and failed to accept God’s call for spiritual change. Repent and turn from your evil ways to the righteousness of God for the forgiveness of your sins. Then be baptized as an outward show of your inward change. 

John probably saw them as a brood of snakes because they behaved like Satan’s unbelieving offspring who doubted God’s word. They mirrored the craftiness of Satan in Gen. 3 when he disguised himself as a serpent, causing the woman to doubt and disobey God’s word. He commanded them in v.8 to prove by the way they lived that they have repented of their sins and turned to God. King James Version commanded: “Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance…” The point is that saying you have repented is not enough; action must follow your confession. “Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones.” Therefore, just being God’s chosen people was not enough to save them. He declared that all people would see the salvation of God (v.6), who is Jesus Christ. He is coming, and His eternal wrath will fall on the ungodly – Jew and Gentile. 

Today, will you choose to honor God and bring forth fruits worthy of repentance? Raise your voice and shout, “Yes!”

Luke 3:2b-6, NLT

The word of God came to John, the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness of Judaea (v.2b). He went throughout the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins (v.3). When John was just an infant, Zacharias prophesied: “for you will go before the face of the Lord, to prepare his ways (1:76b), To give knowledge of salvation to His people 
By the forgiveness of their sins (1:77).” 

 Luke 3:2b-6 prophesied of the promise of a voice crying out in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. His message was that repentance had to come before their sins would be forgiven. The Greek word for repentance, metanoia, involves a change of mind, turning from sin to God. The baptism of repentance John preached called for a spiritual change of mind for the forgiveness of sins with the purpose of living a life of faith – a life committed to God. And water baptism would symbolize outwardly that you have changed inwardly, accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior.

Luke spoke figuratively of making preparation for the coming of Christ in verses 4-6. “’Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming! Clear the road for him (v.4)! The valleys will be filled, and the mountains and hills made level. The curves will be straightened, and the rough places made smooth (v.5). And then all people will see the salvation sent from God (v.6).’”

Give God glory for His salvation!

Acts 9:19-22, NKJV

Saul, now being spiritually transformed, trusted, and obeyed the Lord. After fasting and praying three days and the return of his sight, Saul got up and was baptized. 

He ate some food and was strengthened. Then he spent some days with the disciples at Damascus (v.19). He openly proclaimed first to those at Damascus, then at Jerusalem and throughout the region of Judea, and even to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, doing deeds and living lives which are consistent with repentance (Acts 26:20, AMP). Saul immediately went to the synagogues and preached “Jesus is the Son of God” (v.20). 

All who heard were amazed, and said, “Is this not he who destroyed those who called on this name in Jerusalem, and has come here for that purpose, so that he might bring them bound to the chief priests (v.21)?” They had heard of Saul’s history of wreaking havoc on Christians in Jerusalem – how he tried to destroy the church of God. “But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this Jesus is the Christ” (v.22). Recall that when Ananias laid hands on Saul, the Lord Jesus restored his sight and filled him with the Holy Spirit” (v.17). No longer would he zealously persecute Christians; God converted him for His purpose – a voice to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ to set sinners free.

No matter what your history is, today God is waiting on you to accept His call to repent and turn to Him. Clap your hands and shout, “Glory!”

Acts 9:15-18

After Saul’s life-changing meeting with Jesus, the Lord told a certain disciple named Ananias in a vision to arise and go lay his hand on Saul so that he might receive his sight. Ananias protested this frightening assignment; he had heard of the havoc this man caused in the lives of Christians in Jerusalem. However, God is sovereign; His purpose for Ananias would prevail. In v.15 God told him to go because He had chosen this Jesus persecutor as a vessel of His to carry His name and proclaim Christ to both Jews and Gentiles. Also, in v.16, He said that He will show Saul how many things he must suffer for His name’s sake. Romans 8 says that theSpirit assured believers that they are children of God (Rom. 8:16). We are His heirs and fellow heirs with Christ [sharing His spiritual blessing and inheritance], if indeed we share in His suffering so that we may also share in His glory (Rom. 8:17).

Ananias obeyed the Lord. He went to Judas’ house on the street called straight. He went in and laying his hands on Saul: “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit” (v.17). “Immediately something like scales fell from his eyes; he received his sight; and he arose and was baptized” (v.18). Ananias hesitated to meet Saul, but he obeyed God and fulfilled his mission. Thank God for his obedience.

Happy Resurrection Sunday!

Acts 9:10-16

God is purposeful and leaves no stones unturned. In a vision at Damascus, He spoke to a certain disciple named Ananias (v.10) and told him to get up and go to the street called Straight. There, at the house of Judas, ask for Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying (v.11). I imagine he was thanking God for breaking the shackles of bondage to Satan and turning him to The Way of God by believing in the same Jesus he had been persecuting. At the same time God prepared Saul for Ananias’s visit, showing him in a vision that Ananias was coming in and putting his hand on him so that he might receive his sight (v.12). 

Ananias did not want this mission; he was frightened by it. He told the Lord that he had heard from many about this man and how much evil he had committed against saints of God at Jerusalem (v.13). Here he is in Damascus with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who “confess You as Savior” (v.14). However, the Lord told Ananias to go, saying that He had purposely chosen Saul as His vessel to bear His name before Gentiles, kings, and the sons of Israel (v.15). The Lord declared that He would show Saul how many things he must suffer for His name’s sake (v.16).

Like Ananias, you may have been given a mission and are afraid. Today, put your trust in God; He’ll give you what you need to fulfill His purpose. 

Clap your hands and shout, “Glory!”