1 00:00:03,840 --> 00:00:08,119 This is Living Waters of Grace, the teaching ministry of Clark 2 00:00:08,119 --> 00:00:12,240 Wofford, senior pastor of Calvary Chapel of Westmoreland, 3 00:00:12,240 --> 00:00:16,400 County of Greensburg, PA. Now here's Pastor Clark as he 4 00:00:16,400 --> 00:00:18,720 continues teaching through God's Word. 5 00:00:37,120 --> 00:00:39,480 If we sow according to the flesh, we're going to reap 6 00:00:39,480 --> 00:00:43,880 according to the flesh. It's just not if, it's just When 7 00:00:44,720 --> 00:00:49,080 it's a principle. We challenge God and we disobey 8 00:00:49,080 --> 00:00:52,560 God. God will intervene because He 9 00:00:52,560 --> 00:00:56,040 loves us, just like you. As parents, your kids do things 10 00:00:56,040 --> 00:00:58,800 you don't want them to do. You just don't turn a blind eye 11 00:00:58,800 --> 00:01:02,680 and ignore them, do you? You reach into their little 12 00:01:02,680 --> 00:01:06,960 hearts and you tell them why they need to do this versus 13 00:01:06,960 --> 00:01:09,040 that. Is a loving parrot the one who 14 00:01:09,040 --> 00:01:12,080 allows their children to do whatever they want, or the one 15 00:01:12,080 --> 00:01:14,680 who creates boundaries and teaches their children how to 16 00:01:14,680 --> 00:01:17,880 behave properly? Those children who learn how to 17 00:01:17,880 --> 00:01:20,640 behave while they're young are more likely to have good 18 00:01:20,640 --> 00:01:24,480 behavior when they're grown. In today's message from the book 19 00:01:24,480 --> 00:01:28,640 of Acts, Pastor Clark reminds you that God is a good father, 20 00:01:29,200 --> 00:01:32,040 and he will also guide and correct his children so that 21 00:01:32,040 --> 00:01:35,440 they know how to live in a way that brings glory to his name. 22 00:01:36,000 --> 00:01:40,400 Now here's Pastor Clark in Acts Chapter 5 with today's edition 23 00:01:40,640 --> 00:01:44,160 of Living Waters of Grace. Don't try to make something 24 00:01:44,160 --> 00:01:48,040 happen that God isn't in. And we all have a tendency at 25 00:01:48,040 --> 00:01:51,120 times to do certain things. And lots of times we we begin to 26 00:01:51,120 --> 00:01:54,600 do ministries in our lives. And it doesn't mean just because 27 00:01:54,600 --> 00:01:57,680 we don't see anything happening right away that God isn't in it. 28 00:01:57,680 --> 00:02:01,440 Sometimes God's testing our perseverance, our dependence on 29 00:02:01,440 --> 00:02:03,600 him. Our patients are waiting upon 30 00:02:03,600 --> 00:02:06,200 the Lord. The Bible says those who wait 31 00:02:06,200 --> 00:02:09,240 upon the Lord, right? Waiting on the Lord is a hard 32 00:02:09,240 --> 00:02:12,320 thing to do. They shall renew their strength, 33 00:02:13,120 --> 00:02:16,640 they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and 34 00:02:16,640 --> 00:02:19,160 not be weary. They shall walk and not faint. 35 00:02:19,600 --> 00:02:22,240 And you may be waiting on the Lord for something in your life 36 00:02:22,240 --> 00:02:25,080 to come to pass. Don't get discouraged and don't 37 00:02:25,080 --> 00:02:27,680 get downtrodden. Whenever God gives you a vision 38 00:02:27,680 --> 00:02:31,840 and a purpose and a plan, keep on keeping on, and in time 39 00:02:31,960 --> 00:02:35,120 you'll see the fruit come forth as He blesses what it is. 40 00:02:35,120 --> 00:02:37,200 And He's called you to put your hand too. 41 00:02:37,480 --> 00:02:41,960 Don't ever give up. And so he says with great power, 42 00:02:42,320 --> 00:02:46,360 the apostles, they give this witness nor in verse 34, nor was 43 00:02:46,360 --> 00:02:48,680 there anyone among them who lacked for all who were 44 00:02:48,680 --> 00:02:52,040 possessors of lands or houses, sold them and brought the 45 00:02:52,040 --> 00:02:54,640 proceeds of the things that were sold and laid them at the 46 00:02:54,640 --> 00:02:58,200 apostles feet and they distributed to each as anyone 47 00:02:58,200 --> 00:03:00,840 had need. Now we have a Benevolent Fund 48 00:03:00,840 --> 00:03:04,160 that part of the budget is funded by what you guys give to 49 00:03:04,360 --> 00:03:08,360 be put in crisis fund mode that when people in the body in the 50 00:03:08,360 --> 00:03:12,240 community here are in dire straits, we have resources to 51 00:03:12,240 --> 00:03:15,320 help and be part of a solution to get them through a tough 52 00:03:15,320 --> 00:03:18,760 spot. But the the the early church, 53 00:03:18,760 --> 00:03:22,280 there was crisis everywhere because a lot of the people, as 54 00:03:22,280 --> 00:03:24,280 I said, were in Jerusalem and they weren't working. 55 00:03:24,280 --> 00:03:28,360 So they they needed this stuff in order to be able to survive. 56 00:03:28,800 --> 00:03:32,840 And then it says in verse 36 and Josies, who was also named 57 00:03:32,840 --> 00:03:36,680 Barnabas by the apostles, which is translated Son of 58 00:03:36,680 --> 00:03:41,400 encouragement, a Levite of the country of Cyprus having land 59 00:03:41,400 --> 00:03:44,560 sold it and brought the money and laid it at the apostles 60 00:03:44,560 --> 00:03:46,640 feet. Now this is the first time we 61 00:03:46,640 --> 00:03:49,800 read about this man Barnabas. Barnas ended up being an 62 00:03:49,800 --> 00:03:53,360 understudy and an associate with with the Apostle Paul and the 63 00:03:53,360 --> 00:03:56,560 missionary journeys. He has given this name. 64 00:03:56,560 --> 00:04:00,960 His name is Son of Encouragement and how important it is for all 65 00:04:00,960 --> 00:04:02,800 of us to have a Barnabas in our life. 66 00:04:02,800 --> 00:04:06,120 Someone who can come alongside of us and encourage us and 67 00:04:06,120 --> 00:04:09,960 remind us that God is with us and that no matter what we might 68 00:04:09,960 --> 00:04:13,080 be going through that this person is in your life to 69 00:04:13,080 --> 00:04:16,000 encourage you. But we want to be Barnabas to 70 00:04:16,000 --> 00:04:18,320 you guys. Pastor Lewis and myself and the 71 00:04:18,320 --> 00:04:20,760 elders. We want to be encouragers to you 72 00:04:20,760 --> 00:04:25,120 guys and to serve you and, and to thank you for your labor of 73 00:04:25,120 --> 00:04:28,520 love and the Lord and your sacrifice and your commitment to 74 00:04:28,520 --> 00:04:32,120 his work and his Kingdom. We're we're so blessed by the 75 00:04:32,120 --> 00:04:35,800 body of Christ and to watch what the Lord's doing in and through 76 00:04:35,800 --> 00:04:38,960 your lives. And so this was the beginning. 77 00:04:38,960 --> 00:04:42,520 Now, nothing's being said here that this has to be done this 78 00:04:42,520 --> 00:04:45,880 way, right? It was just done in the 79 00:04:45,880 --> 00:04:51,200 beginning for a short period of time when you study the Pastoral 80 00:04:51,200 --> 00:04:55,880 Epistles by Paul and he talks about taking up the collections 81 00:04:55,880 --> 00:04:59,520 for the church that's impoverished in Jerusalem. 82 00:05:00,040 --> 00:05:03,920 Obviously the church then began to be in multiple places after 83 00:05:03,920 --> 00:05:07,360 the persecution, small assemblies here and there and 84 00:05:07,360 --> 00:05:11,080 all of our Ephesus in different communities, Colossa, Philippi, 85 00:05:11,080 --> 00:05:14,920 all those places that Paul wrote letters to and he would send out 86 00:05:14,920 --> 00:05:17,520 a letter to letting them know that, hey, there's some brothers 87 00:05:17,520 --> 00:05:20,080 and sisters in need in such and such a place. 88 00:05:20,480 --> 00:05:23,720 And we're going to give a collection such and such will be 89 00:05:23,720 --> 00:05:26,840 around to pick it up. And we'll deliver this to the to 90 00:05:26,840 --> 00:05:30,320 the Saints in this particular area that has the difficulty. 91 00:05:30,760 --> 00:05:33,560 And that's how it has gone on since that time. 92 00:05:33,880 --> 00:05:37,160 Calvary Chapel magazine often has different outreaches and 93 00:05:37,160 --> 00:05:38,880 ministries that we participate in. 94 00:05:38,880 --> 00:05:41,920 We're alerted by certain things that are happening in the world, 95 00:05:41,920 --> 00:05:45,040 whether it's a hurricane, tornado, earthquake, whatever. 96 00:05:45,320 --> 00:05:48,240 And if every church gives something to that particular 97 00:05:48,240 --> 00:05:50,840 need, then quite a bit of work can be a accomplished. 98 00:05:50,840 --> 00:05:53,960 And that's the benefit of having a lot of people on the same page 99 00:05:53,960 --> 00:05:57,640 about crisis in the world. But anyway, this guy's an 100 00:05:57,640 --> 00:06:01,720 encourager and he took his asset and he invested it in what was 101 00:06:01,720 --> 00:06:03,720 happening in early stages of the church. 102 00:06:04,160 --> 00:06:07,640 Now we continue on this and what happens is I don't think there 103 00:06:07,640 --> 00:06:10,320 was any accolades and, and Barnabas certainly wasn't 104 00:06:10,320 --> 00:06:13,640 bragging about what he did. He probably didn't want anybody 105 00:06:13,640 --> 00:06:15,440 to know about it. But it's written here that 106 00:06:15,440 --> 00:06:18,480 everybody does know what he did. And so there's other people in 107 00:06:18,480 --> 00:06:21,760 the assembly there to think, well, boy, if I can make some 108 00:06:21,760 --> 00:06:25,920 kind of movement that I'm doing something extraordinary, then 109 00:06:25,920 --> 00:06:29,560 maybe I'll have a following or maybe I'll get glory, or maybe 110 00:06:29,560 --> 00:06:32,320 I'll get whatever. You know, it's, it's, it's very 111 00:06:32,320 --> 00:06:37,400 delicate in regard to what we do when we invest in the Kingdom of 112 00:06:37,400 --> 00:06:39,840 God. There's a church group that I 113 00:06:39,840 --> 00:06:42,440 guess puts it in the bulletin, the names of the families and 114 00:06:42,680 --> 00:06:44,920 who who gives, you know, you guys probably know what I'm 115 00:06:44,920 --> 00:06:46,880 talking about. That's not the way it's to be 116 00:06:46,880 --> 00:06:49,000 done. Bible says the left hand should 117 00:06:49,000 --> 00:06:52,800 know what the right hand gives. You know, so you know we give 118 00:06:52,800 --> 00:06:56,520 unto the Lord privately in the boxes or online or however we we 119 00:06:56,520 --> 00:06:58,400 do it. And we do it for the glory of 120 00:06:58,400 --> 00:07:00,920 God, not for any kind of recognition. 121 00:07:00,920 --> 00:07:05,960 None of us want recognition, but yet God does bless us when we 122 00:07:06,200 --> 00:07:10,000 sow into His work. This is something that is very 123 00:07:10,000 --> 00:07:13,080 important. All of us should be tuned into 124 00:07:13,280 --> 00:07:15,680 investing in things that last for eternity. 125 00:07:16,360 --> 00:07:19,680 So what happens here? There's this guy Ananias and his 126 00:07:19,680 --> 00:07:23,040 wife Sapphira. I don't know what possessed them 127 00:07:23,040 --> 00:07:25,880 to behave this way or to act this way, but this is a really 128 00:07:26,440 --> 00:07:30,080 strange, strange story here. They're obviously Christians. 129 00:07:30,080 --> 00:07:31,440 They're the Holy Spirit's in them. 130 00:07:31,440 --> 00:07:33,960 They're part of this new move of God. 131 00:07:34,000 --> 00:07:37,640 It was hard to be a hypocrite in the early stages of the church. 132 00:07:37,640 --> 00:07:41,080 It was so pure that you would stick out like a sore thumb if 133 00:07:41,080 --> 00:07:43,840 you were a phony, right? And this is what begins to 134 00:07:43,840 --> 00:07:46,160 happen here in this particular teaching. 135 00:07:46,520 --> 00:07:50,760 A certain man named Ananias with Sapphira his wife sold a 136 00:07:50,760 --> 00:07:54,520 possession and he kept back part of the proceeds. 137 00:07:54,960 --> 00:07:58,440 His wife also being aware of it and brought a certain part, laid 138 00:07:58,440 --> 00:08:03,400 it at the apostles feet. So they made a determination to 139 00:08:03,400 --> 00:08:08,280 give whatever it was that they were compelled to give, but 140 00:08:08,280 --> 00:08:11,320 somehow they were portraying the fact that they were giving 141 00:08:11,320 --> 00:08:14,800 everything and they weren't. Now, no one first of all told 142 00:08:14,800 --> 00:08:18,040 him they needed to do this. This is what they were compelled 143 00:08:18,040 --> 00:08:20,800 to do. But for some reason they were 144 00:08:20,840 --> 00:08:24,600 using deception that they didn't need to even use. 145 00:08:25,000 --> 00:08:29,080 And it became very evident to Peter, this is called the word 146 00:08:29,080 --> 00:08:30,880 of knowledge or the Word of wisdom. 147 00:08:31,080 --> 00:08:34,159 Peter's given insight into something is happening in 148 00:08:34,159 --> 00:08:37,480 someone's conscience or life that this isn't right and he 149 00:08:37,480 --> 00:08:42,960 calls them out on it, right? And so Peter says, Ananias, why 150 00:08:42,960 --> 00:08:47,520 has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep 151 00:08:47,680 --> 00:08:50,160 back part of the price of the land for yourself? 152 00:08:51,200 --> 00:08:54,320 Now, it wasn't wrong for him to keep back the price, but the the 153 00:08:54,320 --> 00:08:58,000 problem was he was saying he was giving it all and he wasn't. 154 00:08:58,440 --> 00:09:01,960 That's the problem. And so the gift became corrupt. 155 00:09:01,960 --> 00:09:05,960 It wasn't used for God's glory. There was a manipulation here 156 00:09:05,960 --> 00:09:09,480 and Ananias and Sapphira's life probably wanting some kind of 157 00:09:09,480 --> 00:09:12,400 recognition of looking more spiritual than they really were 158 00:09:12,400 --> 00:09:15,240 or whatever. And so Peter says, why has Satan 159 00:09:15,240 --> 00:09:19,240 filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part 160 00:09:19,240 --> 00:09:20,640 of the price of the land for yourself? 161 00:09:20,640 --> 00:09:24,560 Question mark while remain was it not your own? 162 00:09:24,560 --> 00:09:29,720 In other words, this was your asset and you were free to do 163 00:09:29,720 --> 00:09:32,000 with it whatever you wanted to do with it. 164 00:09:32,560 --> 00:09:35,720 This wasn't a commandment to these people that they needed to 165 00:09:35,720 --> 00:09:37,600 lay everything at the apostles feet. 166 00:09:38,560 --> 00:09:43,080 And so after it was sold, was it not in your own control? 167 00:09:43,960 --> 00:09:46,200 In other words, you still had control over what it was you 168 00:09:46,200 --> 00:09:48,280 were doing. Why have you conceived this 169 00:09:48,280 --> 00:09:50,880 thing in your heart? You have not lied to men, but to 170 00:09:50,880 --> 00:09:54,200 God. Now when God makes a particular 171 00:09:54,200 --> 00:09:57,920 point of something in the Bible and, and, and shows us something 172 00:09:57,920 --> 00:10:01,880 like this, it it was meant in that early stage of the church 173 00:10:01,880 --> 00:10:06,680 to be a warning to the body, to not be deceptive, to not lie, to 174 00:10:06,680 --> 00:10:10,600 not be a con artist, to not live in wolf of hypocrisy. 175 00:10:11,640 --> 00:10:15,200 We need to be who we are and let the chips fall where they may. 176 00:10:15,200 --> 00:10:18,560 We don't need to be trying to make ourselves something we're 177 00:10:18,560 --> 00:10:21,320 not. We just need to be normal, 178 00:10:21,320 --> 00:10:26,040 average, down to earth people, humble, loving God and serving 179 00:10:26,040 --> 00:10:30,800 God and doing what it is that God's called us to do in 180 00:10:30,800 --> 00:10:34,840 obedience to Him, right? Not in obedience to anybody 181 00:10:34,840 --> 00:10:37,800 else, but to obedience to the Lord. 182 00:10:38,680 --> 00:10:40,560 That's who we're going to give an account to one day. 183 00:10:40,560 --> 00:10:44,000 But somehow Ananias and Sapphira were trying to, I don't know, 184 00:10:44,000 --> 00:10:46,560 get some kind of influence in this, in this assembly. 185 00:10:47,120 --> 00:10:51,080 Then Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and breathed 186 00:10:51,080 --> 00:10:53,920 his last. In other words, he died great in 187 00:10:53,920 --> 00:10:55,840 the presence of the church and the people. 188 00:10:56,680 --> 00:11:00,560 So great fear came upon all those who heard these things, 189 00:11:01,880 --> 00:11:06,160 and the young men arose and wrapped him up and carried him 190 00:11:06,160 --> 00:11:11,600 out and they buried him. Shocking that this occurred. 191 00:11:12,960 --> 00:11:16,920 Now one commentator said, you know, in today's modern church, 192 00:11:18,600 --> 00:11:23,240 we're singing this worship song, take my life and let it be holy, 193 00:11:23,240 --> 00:11:27,200 only used by the take my silver and my gold. 194 00:11:27,560 --> 00:11:30,840 You know, in other words, the allegiance of my life is to you. 195 00:11:31,200 --> 00:11:35,240 And so we can sing that song and meanwhile deny everything it 196 00:11:35,240 --> 00:11:38,680 says, though this is my life and what I have is mine, right? 197 00:11:38,680 --> 00:11:41,240 It's a wonder we aren't all wiped out on a Sunday. 198 00:11:41,240 --> 00:11:45,400 Don't sing that song unless the Lord ready for us to sing it. 199 00:11:45,400 --> 00:11:51,760 But you know, and what was the other song, Lord be Thou my 200 00:11:51,760 --> 00:11:54,160 vision? That's that's another powerful 201 00:11:54,160 --> 00:11:56,480 song. And and you read the lyrics, so 202 00:11:56,480 --> 00:12:00,040 you hear the lyrics on that. You have to say to yourself, am 203 00:12:00,040 --> 00:12:04,280 I really live in this right now? Is this what I really believe? 204 00:12:05,120 --> 00:12:08,120 And there's been some songs that are played that I don't sing 205 00:12:08,120 --> 00:12:11,520 them because I'm just not quite there 100% the way I need to be. 206 00:12:11,800 --> 00:12:13,600 It's not the song. Isn't nothing wrong with the 207 00:12:13,600 --> 00:12:18,160 song, but I'm convicted by what the song saying and I want that 208 00:12:18,320 --> 00:12:21,680 lyric to be real in my life. I don't want to fake it right 209 00:12:22,360 --> 00:12:26,160 And the Lords concern was when he said about people, he said 210 00:12:26,160 --> 00:12:29,040 these people worship me with their lips, but their heart is 211 00:12:29,040 --> 00:12:31,680 far from me. May that not be the case here at 212 00:12:31,680 --> 00:12:35,240 Calvary Chapel, that when we worship God, we worship Him in 213 00:12:35,240 --> 00:12:38,680 spirit and in truth, that we are loving him. 214 00:12:38,680 --> 00:12:42,120 We are repenting of things in our lives that need to change. 215 00:12:42,120 --> 00:12:44,840 And, and so we're open to the work and the conviction of the 216 00:12:44,840 --> 00:12:48,440 Holy Spirit as opposed to acting like we got it all together and 217 00:12:48,440 --> 00:12:51,320 we're just lip synching things and really not believe in them. 218 00:12:51,320 --> 00:12:53,920 Right. So then Anais, you know, after 219 00:12:53,920 --> 00:12:57,080 he falls down, he's buried. He didn't have time to give his 220 00:12:57,080 --> 00:12:59,080 wife a heads up. He didn't have a phone to text. 221 00:12:59,080 --> 00:13:01,800 Hey, they're on to us. Honey, whatever you do, don't 222 00:13:02,680 --> 00:13:05,280 you know it's too late? There's no way of communicating 223 00:13:05,280 --> 00:13:06,640 this. She's going in naively. 224 00:13:07,280 --> 00:13:10,120 About 3 hours later, when his wife came in, not knowing what 225 00:13:10,120 --> 00:13:13,760 had happened, Peter answered her, Tell me whether you sold 226 00:13:13,760 --> 00:13:17,080 the land for so much. And she said yes for so much. 227 00:13:17,440 --> 00:13:21,280 Then Peter said to her, How is it that you have agreed together 228 00:13:21,280 --> 00:13:25,160 to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look, the feet of those who have 229 00:13:25,160 --> 00:13:29,400 buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you 230 00:13:29,400 --> 00:13:32,000 out. Then immediately she fell down 231 00:13:32,000 --> 00:13:33,720 at his feet, and breathed her last. 232 00:13:33,960 --> 00:13:37,800 And the young men came in and found her dead, and carrying her 233 00:13:37,800 --> 00:13:43,520 out, buried her by her husband. So great fear came upon all the 234 00:13:43,520 --> 00:13:47,560 church, and upon all those who heard these things. 235 00:13:48,080 --> 00:13:52,920 The chastening hand of the Lord in our lives is sobering. 236 00:13:53,560 --> 00:13:55,160 We've all been chastened by the Lord. 237 00:13:55,160 --> 00:13:59,200 If we're his, we're disciplined by God, not because he's mad at 238 00:13:59,200 --> 00:14:01,000 us or, you know, particularly angry. 239 00:14:01,000 --> 00:14:05,760 He's, he's sad and he knows that if we don't make amends to the 240 00:14:05,760 --> 00:14:09,360 way we're living, we're going to cause a bad testimony to occur 241 00:14:09,360 --> 00:14:11,480 in our lives. And we're also going to cause 242 00:14:11,480 --> 00:14:15,160 problems in the home and the family work everywhere we go. 243 00:14:15,160 --> 00:14:18,400 We're going to be a train wreck waiting to occur. 244 00:14:18,640 --> 00:14:23,440 So the chastening hand of the Lord is to sober us and to cause 245 00:14:23,440 --> 00:14:29,240 us to reflect on where we are in knowing where we need to be. 246 00:14:29,840 --> 00:14:33,360 When the Lord chastens us, the Bible tells us He does it 247 00:14:33,360 --> 00:14:39,520 because he loves us, and it doesn't seem to be pleasant when 248 00:14:39,520 --> 00:14:43,200 we're being chastened. The discipline of God, however, 249 00:14:43,200 --> 00:14:45,200 he doesn't. In your life, it could be a 250 00:14:45,200 --> 00:14:47,200 health issue. It could be a financial issue, 251 00:14:47,200 --> 00:14:49,840 it could be a family issue. It could be a work issue. 252 00:14:50,160 --> 00:14:52,800 You just know that what's happening in your life at the 253 00:14:52,800 --> 00:14:57,160 present moment is not based on anything other than God catching 254 00:14:57,160 --> 00:15:00,040 up with you about something He's been talking to you about that 255 00:15:00,040 --> 00:15:02,800 you haven't been listening. Anybody understand? 256 00:15:03,360 --> 00:15:06,720 You ever been through that? You know, two people have. 257 00:15:06,720 --> 00:15:12,200 OK, yeah, we all have. So it says it's not pleasant for 258 00:15:12,200 --> 00:15:17,000 the present time, but if we're exercised by it, meaning we're 259 00:15:17,000 --> 00:15:19,960 responding to it, it'll yield the peaceable fruit of 260 00:15:19,960 --> 00:15:21,960 righteousness. We get beyond it. 261 00:15:21,960 --> 00:15:25,360 And God's, there's peace in our life again and there and there's 262 00:15:25,360 --> 00:15:27,400 unity and there there's blessings. 263 00:15:27,800 --> 00:15:29,760 And so. But in the early church when 264 00:15:29,760 --> 00:15:33,000 this happened, this put fear in the lives of the people. 265 00:15:33,520 --> 00:15:36,080 Some churches, they have testimony times and we probably 266 00:15:36,080 --> 00:15:38,880 should have a night once a month and we just have food and 267 00:15:38,880 --> 00:15:40,800 testimony. What's the Lord been up to in 268 00:15:40,800 --> 00:15:43,080 our life? Well, let me tell you where I've 269 00:15:43,080 --> 00:15:45,600 been and where God has me, you know, And all of a sudden people 270 00:15:45,600 --> 00:15:48,520 are like, wow, you know, and then all of a sudden people 271 00:15:48,520 --> 00:15:52,520 start fearing the mighty hand of God in intervening and dealing 272 00:15:52,520 --> 00:15:56,040 in lives because of inappropriate behavior, actions 273 00:15:56,040 --> 00:15:59,520 or activity. And whenever I hear a story 274 00:15:59,520 --> 00:16:02,840 about someone that did a particular thing and the 275 00:16:02,840 --> 00:16:06,440 consequence of it, if I'm involved in that kind of same 276 00:16:06,440 --> 00:16:10,200 thing, one or two things happen. I'm a fool and I don't listen. 277 00:16:10,520 --> 00:16:12,960 And I'm set myself up for the discipline, right? 278 00:16:13,600 --> 00:16:16,240 And the chastening or immediately I say, Lord, have 279 00:16:16,240 --> 00:16:19,280 mercy on me. Have mercy on me, O God. 280 00:16:19,880 --> 00:16:23,520 So the church is supposed to be continually being refined by the 281 00:16:23,520 --> 00:16:27,240 Spirit of God, washed in the power of God, in the cleansing 282 00:16:27,240 --> 00:16:31,040 blood of the Lord, so that we're being made holy as he's holy. 283 00:16:31,040 --> 00:16:35,640 The Lord desires his church to be holy, and he wants us as his 284 00:16:35,640 --> 00:16:39,720 people to be holy as He's holy. And so he does this stuff by the 285 00:16:39,720 --> 00:16:42,720 work of his Spirit. So when you read this section of 286 00:16:42,720 --> 00:16:45,480 Scripture, you might be shocked if you never read it or never 287 00:16:45,480 --> 00:16:48,880 heard about it, but it's in the Bible to the sober us to 288 00:16:48,880 --> 00:16:52,680 understand that God is not mocked, that whatever we sow, we 289 00:16:52,680 --> 00:16:55,080 we reap. If we sow according to the 290 00:16:55,080 --> 00:16:57,040 flesh, we're going to reap according to the flesh. 291 00:16:57,040 --> 00:17:02,320 It's just not if, it's just when it's a principle. 292 00:17:03,520 --> 00:17:08,599 We challenge God and we disobey God, God will intervene because 293 00:17:08,599 --> 00:17:12,079 he loves us just like you as parents, your kids do things you 294 00:17:12,079 --> 00:17:14,720 don't want them to do. You just don't turn a blind eye 295 00:17:14,720 --> 00:17:18,440 and ignore them, do you? You reach into their little 296 00:17:18,440 --> 00:17:22,520 hearts and you tell them why they need to do this versus 297 00:17:22,520 --> 00:17:25,119 that. And there needs to be more of 298 00:17:25,119 --> 00:17:28,040 that, I'm sure going on in every home in America in these days 299 00:17:28,040 --> 00:17:31,280 because of what kids are getting involved in, what they're being 300 00:17:31,280 --> 00:17:34,520 impacted by is the world, the Pagan world. 301 00:17:35,760 --> 00:17:38,960 And the more they're impacted by the Pagan world, the more 302 00:17:38,960 --> 00:17:43,600 they'll become like that world, participating in the same things 303 00:17:43,960 --> 00:17:47,520 that that world does. And so as a people of God, we 304 00:17:47,520 --> 00:17:50,240 need to pray for the kids the next door and the kids in the 305 00:17:50,240 --> 00:17:53,800 ministry and the youth that the word of God who influence them 306 00:17:53,800 --> 00:17:57,320 so that they want to have Christ supreme in their hearts and 307 00:17:57,320 --> 00:18:00,480 their lives. And that's the work of God and 308 00:18:00,480 --> 00:18:03,200 all of us. And so, and through the hands of 309 00:18:03,200 --> 00:18:06,760 the apostles in verse 12, many signs and wonders were done 310 00:18:06,760 --> 00:18:10,600 among the people, and they were all with 1 accord in Solomon's 311 00:18:10,600 --> 00:18:12,600 porch. Again, they had no physical 312 00:18:12,600 --> 00:18:15,720 facility to lease or to rent or to own at this time. 313 00:18:15,720 --> 00:18:19,120 They were borrowing this space, yet none of the rest dare join 314 00:18:19,120 --> 00:18:21,240 them. But the people esteemed them 315 00:18:21,240 --> 00:18:24,840 highly, and believers were increasingly added to the Lord, 316 00:18:24,840 --> 00:18:28,000 multitudes of both men and women, so that they brought the 317 00:18:28,000 --> 00:18:31,480 sick out into the streets and they laid them on beds and 318 00:18:31,480 --> 00:18:35,600 couches that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall 319 00:18:35,600 --> 00:18:38,560 on some of them. Also multitude gathered from the 320 00:18:38,560 --> 00:18:42,080 surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those 321 00:18:42,080 --> 00:18:46,040 who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all 322 00:18:46,040 --> 00:18:48,200 healed. Now there was no power in the 323 00:18:48,200 --> 00:18:51,480 shadow of Peter. Peter made it very clear when 324 00:18:51,480 --> 00:18:55,240 that lame man was healed. And why Look on us as though and 325 00:18:55,240 --> 00:18:57,280 by our own power we've done this work. 326 00:18:57,880 --> 00:19:02,080 It's in the name of Jesus. Jesus Christ did this healing, 327 00:19:03,240 --> 00:19:06,680 and so the power of God was on the lives of the apostles of God 328 00:19:06,680 --> 00:19:10,720 at this time in such a great way that there was these magnificent 329 00:19:10,720 --> 00:19:13,480 times of healing and the people were desperate. 330 00:19:13,480 --> 00:19:16,760 They were bringing everyone they loved, every everyone they cared 331 00:19:16,760 --> 00:19:20,680 about to this environment where they could be brought and be 332 00:19:20,680 --> 00:19:23,400 made well. What's sad is that so many 333 00:19:23,400 --> 00:19:26,840 people that were healed and made well, this got well but didn't 334 00:19:26,840 --> 00:19:29,080 follow Jesus. As we read in the Scriptures, 335 00:19:29,840 --> 00:19:32,560 the 12 lepers, you know, there was one that returned, right? 336 00:19:33,280 --> 00:19:38,240 What happened to the other 11? And so people don't get saved by 337 00:19:38,240 --> 00:19:40,920 miracles. Miracles are a testimony of of 338 00:19:40,920 --> 00:19:44,560 the greatness of God. But it's the gospel of Jesus 339 00:19:44,560 --> 00:19:47,960 Christ that saves souls. The preaching of the cross. 340 00:19:48,800 --> 00:19:52,200 The gospel is the power of God and salvation to everyone that 341 00:19:52,200 --> 00:19:55,480 believes. Healing is wonderful if you've 342 00:19:55,480 --> 00:19:57,000 been healed. I've been healed at different 343 00:19:57,000 --> 00:19:59,680 times in my life, but I eventually I'm going to die, 344 00:19:59,680 --> 00:20:02,080 right? Lazarus was healed, but 345 00:20:02,080 --> 00:20:04,400 eventually he had to die. He had to leave this earth. 346 00:20:05,000 --> 00:20:08,680 And so healing is temporal, but the gospel is eternal. 347 00:20:09,320 --> 00:20:11,640 Continue to read ahead. As you read ahead, you're, 348 00:20:11,920 --> 00:20:15,040 you're prepared to to think a little bit more about these 349 00:20:15,040 --> 00:20:19,560 things before I teach. But in these days where there's 350 00:20:19,560 --> 00:20:23,200 so much going on in the world, it's not by coincidence that 351 00:20:23,200 --> 00:20:26,760 we're in the book of the Acts and we're learning, all of us, 352 00:20:26,760 --> 00:20:29,960 that we need the empowerment of the Holy Spirit in a greater 353 00:20:29,960 --> 00:20:33,400 degree, all of us. So I want to pray specifically 354 00:20:33,400 --> 00:20:38,000 for God the Holy Spirit to encounter each of us in a very 355 00:20:38,320 --> 00:20:42,440 powerful way to help us to see what it is that God wants us to 356 00:20:42,440 --> 00:20:46,640 see and that we would become more and more like God has 357 00:20:46,640 --> 00:20:51,040 created us to be. Father God, we thank you. 358 00:20:52,360 --> 00:20:58,120 God the Holy Spirit, You're the most neglected part of the 359 00:20:58,120 --> 00:21:01,480 Trinity. So often we talk about the 360 00:21:01,480 --> 00:21:05,320 Father God, we talk about the Son, the Lord Jesus, and so 361 00:21:05,320 --> 00:21:09,440 often we are remiss in understanding that you also are 362 00:21:09,440 --> 00:21:12,280 called in Scripture God the Holy Spirit. 363 00:21:13,720 --> 00:21:17,720 So forgive us, Lord, for at times of quenching this precious 364 00:21:18,560 --> 00:21:25,600 person, the Spirit of God, of grieving him and hurting him by 365 00:21:25,600 --> 00:21:29,720 our own willfulness, of wanting our way instead of your way. 366 00:21:29,720 --> 00:21:35,520 Lord, He's gentle, the Holy Spirit, You tell us The fruit of 367 00:21:35,520 --> 00:21:40,720 the Spirit is love, that agape love and joy and peace and 368 00:21:40,720 --> 00:21:43,920 long-suffering and gentleness and goodness and meekness and 369 00:21:43,920 --> 00:21:47,800 self-control. This is what we want in our 370 00:21:47,800 --> 00:21:52,520 lives, Lord, and we know that the fullness of the Spirit comes 371 00:21:53,040 --> 00:21:57,200 by the filling of the Spirit and by surrender to the Spirit. 372 00:21:58,080 --> 00:22:01,440 And so, Lord, we pray for our church family, our church body, 373 00:22:01,440 --> 00:22:05,720 those online, those in the building today, that today would 374 00:22:05,720 --> 00:22:10,040 be a new day, a fresh day of encounter, of discovering this 375 00:22:10,040 --> 00:22:14,600 wonderful person, God the Holy Spirit, to have a relationship 376 00:22:14,600 --> 00:22:18,440 with the Holy Spirit, to cooperate with the Holy Spirit, 377 00:22:18,440 --> 00:22:22,760 and to be LED of the Spirit. You tell us that the children of 378 00:22:22,760 --> 00:22:27,560 God are led by the Spirit of Godfather. 379 00:22:27,560 --> 00:22:30,400 We pray that in the days ahead we would experience more and 380 00:22:30,400 --> 00:22:34,080 more of your leading in the church and the activities of 381 00:22:34,080 --> 00:22:37,720 your church, Lord, and the ministries as you raise people 382 00:22:37,720 --> 00:22:40,480 up to serve you in different capacities and different 383 00:22:40,480 --> 00:22:42,880 calling. That your hands would be upon 384 00:22:42,880 --> 00:22:46,080 those who have committed to certain aspects of what it is 385 00:22:46,080 --> 00:22:49,840 they believe you created them for the people that come that 386 00:22:49,840 --> 00:22:52,080 are still maybe thinking about what is it? 387 00:22:52,080 --> 00:22:54,440 That is my gift. What is it that God wants to 388 00:22:54,440 --> 00:22:56,000 use? Holy Spirit? 389 00:22:56,000 --> 00:22:59,760 You would speak to them about that and encourage them to step 390 00:22:59,760 --> 00:23:02,440 forward and what it is you might be calling them to. 391 00:23:03,600 --> 00:23:08,400 We thank you, Lord, that in this world today that things seem at 392 00:23:08,400 --> 00:23:12,840 times to be spinning out of control, but from your vantage 393 00:23:12,840 --> 00:23:15,200 point, they're completely under your control. 394 00:23:16,360 --> 00:23:19,640 And Lord, you teach us as we study the Bible that the way we 395 00:23:19,640 --> 00:23:23,720 find our way through in this life is by being men and women 396 00:23:24,200 --> 00:23:27,880 who are LED of the Holy Spirit and men and women who are filled 397 00:23:27,880 --> 00:23:32,440 by the Spirit. Lord, convict us where we need 398 00:23:32,440 --> 00:23:35,960 to be convicted. Challenge us and draw us closer 399 00:23:35,960 --> 00:23:38,760 to yourself so that we can be more like you. 400 00:23:38,880 --> 00:23:42,320 Jesus, we know it only happens by the work of the Spirit. 401 00:23:43,240 --> 00:23:45,680 So we praise you today for what you've given us and what we've 402 00:23:45,680 --> 00:23:48,440 received. And you can walk out of here 403 00:23:48,440 --> 00:23:52,760 today knowing that you are with us and that we are filled afresh 404 00:23:53,440 --> 00:23:55,400 to do whatever it is you've called us to do. 405 00:23:57,120 --> 00:24:00,400 Thanks for joining us on today's edition of Living Waters of 406 00:24:00,400 --> 00:24:03,520 Grace, a ministry of Calvary Chapel, Westmoreland. 407 00:24:04,200 --> 00:24:07,240 Today, Pastor Clark is teaching about the book of Acts. 408 00:24:07,400 --> 00:24:10,800 And as we learn more about Acts, it becomes clear that the early 409 00:24:10,800 --> 00:24:14,760 church didn't miss a single opportunity to share the gospel. 410 00:24:15,280 --> 00:24:18,840 In nearly every chapter, you see apostles like Peter and Paul 411 00:24:18,840 --> 00:24:22,640 stepping into conversations, crowds, and crises with 412 00:24:22,640 --> 00:24:26,160 boldness, ready to proclaim the name of Jesus. 413 00:24:26,640 --> 00:24:30,280 Their example challenges us to consider how we might step into 414 00:24:30,280 --> 00:24:35,040 gospel moments in our own lives. What doors might God open this 415 00:24:35,040 --> 00:24:38,720 week for you to speak truth, offer hope, or live out your 416 00:24:38,720 --> 00:24:41,000 faith in a way that points others to Him? 417 00:24:41,560 --> 00:24:44,560 The story of Acts reminds us we are part of the same mission. 418 00:24:44,560 --> 00:24:49,240 Today, let's live with eyes open and hearts ready to respond. 419 00:24:49,720 --> 00:24:52,080 We hope you are challenged by today's message. 420 00:24:52,240 --> 00:24:55,680 If you're in the Greensburg, PA area, we'd love to see you in 421 00:24:55,680 --> 00:25:01,400 person this Sunday at 10:30 AM at 400 E Pittsburgh St., Unit 422 00:25:01,400 --> 00:25:04,120 6B. For more information, visit 423 00:25:04,120 --> 00:25:08,160 calvarychapelonline.com. You could also join our e-mail 424 00:25:08,160 --> 00:25:11,880 list, give online, or submit a prayer request right from the 425 00:25:11,880 --> 00:25:14,120 site. If you can't make it in person, 426 00:25:14,120 --> 00:25:17,800 be sure to tune in on the Calvary Chapel Westmoreland 427 00:25:17,800 --> 00:25:21,120 YouTube channel. Subscribe so you never miss new 428 00:25:21,120 --> 00:25:23,400 teachings. If you're in the Greensburg 429 00:25:23,440 --> 00:25:28,600 area, you can listen to Grace FM on the new 91.7 frequency. 430 00:25:29,200 --> 00:25:32,720 Pray about helping financially support the new station that 431 00:25:32,720 --> 00:25:34,960 will reach thousands more listeners. 432 00:25:35,320 --> 00:25:41,080 Send financial gifts to Grace FMPO, Box 716, Greensburg, PA 433 00:25:41,560 --> 00:25:45,600 15601. Once again, we're so grateful 434 00:25:45,600 --> 00:25:48,800 you joined us today to be inspired by God's Word. 435 00:25:49,200 --> 00:25:52,600 Please tune in again for more Living Waters of Grace.