In Acts 12, Herod Agrippa I (the father of Herod Agrippa II, who was “almost” persuaded to become a Christian in Acts 26:28) “laid violent hands” on some members of the church, “killed James the brother of John,” and “arrested” Peter and “put him in prison” (12:1-3). While Peter was “kept in prison,” “constant” (NKJV) and “earnest” (ESV) “prayer for him was…

Over time, most people change. Some for the better. Some for the worse. As an indication of this, sometimes a statement will be made about another person–“Oh, well, he’s not the same man he used to be!” That could be a negative statement (referring to a person’s failure), but let’s focus on the positive. When someone becomes a Christian, “He’s not the…

If you could have any Bible name that you wanted, which one would you choose? Well, of course, “David” is a great name. In the Bible, David was a man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22), and the name itself means “beloved.” Hard to get any better than that. Right? But, what about Theophilus? How would you like to have that name?…

The Lord selected, prepared and commissioned the prophet Jeremiah to go to the stubborn, rebellious nation of Israel and to proclaim the Word of the Lord to them. Jehovah knew that there would be opposition against Jeremiah and His message, so He reassured him, “I am with you” (Jer. 1:18-19). So, Jeremiah went! The Lord selected, prepared and commissioned the apostle Paul…

When you speak to someone face-to-face and then later speak on the phone, are you the same person? When you email or text someone, are you the same person as when you speak to someone in person? When you deal with a salesman or a less-than-impressive person in customer service, are you the same person as when you speak to a widow…

In Acts 16:14, there are four things stated about a woman, in order to describe her to the reader. First, her name was Lydia. If that was all we knew, we wouldn’t actually know her. Second, she was from the city of Thyatira. Now you know a little more, but not much. Third, she was a seller of purple. Now you know…

Working as a team can be tough. Not everyone thinks like you. Not everyone has the same skills as you. Not everyone works the same way as you. Not everyone sees things like you. So, when you are on a team, you have to decide: (1) how much you will press your wishes, (2) when to back off and let others have…

In your opinion, what is the best thing about living in America? Freedom of speech? Freedom of religion? The abundance of food available? The advanced technology all around us? There are many great things about living in this country! But, if your favorite thing(s) disappeared or was taken away, would that mean that living here would not be worthwhile? May I get…