Foundation and Fire

'Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take … Continue reading “Begin Again”: A Weekly Devotional for a New Year, Week 20 →

'“Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about Paul and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.” But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim … Continue reading “Begin Again”: A Weekly Devotional for a New Year, Week 19 →

'Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. As he neared Damascus on … Continue reading “Begin Again”: A Weekly Devotional for a New Year, Week 18 →

'Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone … Continue reading “Begin Again”: A Weekly Devotional for a New Year, Week 17 →

"When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria. When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit had not yet fallen on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the … Continue reading “Begin Again”: A Weekly Devotional for a New Year, Week 16 →

"And Saul approved of their killing him." Acts 8:1 How does it get to that point? A person does something we deeply disagree with, and the thought occurs to us: "It would be great if he just went away, and never came back." How can frustration reach so far into our hearts that we - … Continue reading “Begin Again”: A Weekly Devotional for a New Year, Week 15 →

'Then the high priest asked Stephen, “Are these charges true?” To this he replied: “Brothers and fathers, listen to me! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Harran. "Leave your country and your people," God said, "and go to the land I will show … Continue reading “Begin Again”: A Weekly Devotional for a New Year, Week 14 →

'Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people. Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue ... who began to argue with Stephen. But they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke. Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, … Continue reading “Begin Again”: A Weekly Devotional for a New Year, Week 13 →

'In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews, that is, Jews who had adopted the Greek language and culture among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be … Continue reading “Begin Again”: A Weekly Devotional for a New Year, Week 12 →

'Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out. “Go, stand in the temple courts,” he … Continue reading “Begin Again”: A Weekly Devotional for a New Year, Week 11 →