“As they observed the confidence of Peter and John and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed, and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus.”Acts 4:13

To the Jewish rulers, Peter and John were “uneducated” people without special abilities. The Greek word, used here for the only time in the Bible, indicates that they had received no official instruction. They even were considered illiterate. They also were “untrained.” They were not considered intelligent or qualified to be leaders. Yet how could they explain the amazing things these men had done? They knew the impact of Peter’s amazing speech on the Day of Pentecost, and the thousands who responded. They knew these men preached with boldness and authority, and how many had been healed. In fact, a healed man stood beside them, providing evidence they could not deny. The one thing that stood out was that they had “been with Jesus.” They had whatever He had. Many people today have developed stereotypes about who can be used by God. Like those religious leaders who judged Peter and John, some assume that He only uses people who have had formal training, worldly credentials, and impressive resumes. Faced with these stereotypes, some feel intimidated and not qualified to be used by God. But the example of Peter and John reminds us that God can use anyone. Young or old. Educated or illiterate. Rich or poor. But we cannot do this in our own strength. We need to draw on the presence of the Holy Spirit and on our personal relationship with Jesus. Brothers & Sisters do you want to be used by God? First, seek to deepen your personal relationship with Jesus. Learn from Him. Love and study His Word, and be continually filled with the Holy Spirit. Learn to be sensitive to His presence. Let Him direct and guide you. Be confident in Him.

“My soul is satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth offers praises with joyful lips. When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches, for You have been my help, and in the shadow of Your wings I sing for joy.”Psalm 63:5-7

In the midst of the moment, we might feel that our experiences are so vivid that we will recall every second of every event. But, in fact, our minds are like sieves, forgetting much of those experiences. People of all ages often forget or lose perspective on events of the distant past. As we age, we tend to associate important events with events from our younger years. And what we think of as our happiest or saddest moments may be a “product of memory,” not really what happened. These results should help remind us that our minds and memories are faulty. We don’t remember things perfectly. Tomorrow we might forget the pains of today, and can reshape our own recollection of events and experiences. Yet our faulty memories can impact our spiritual lives, and our attitudes toward life, and God. We can allow our thoughts to be shaped by the way we remember things, not by His timeless Word. We might remember difficulties but forget how He delivered us. We see these patterns when David was in the wilderness of Judah, facing enormous problems. Instead of thinking about the troubles he faced, he focused on God, meditating on Him “in the night watches.” As a result, God transformed his life. Then, as David looked back, he realized that God had helped and saved him. Brothers & Sisters today, remember that your memories are imperfect. Instead, focus on God and His Word. It always is true. Stand on His Promises. You can depend on Him!

"Behold, God is my salvation , I will trust and not be afraid; 'For the LORD JEHOVAH, is my strength and song; He also has become my salvation (Jesus). Therefore with joy you will draw water from the springs of salvation (Jesus)."Isaiah 12:2-3 ; "On the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If any man thirsts, let him come to Me, and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, "out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water."John 7:37-38

During the Feast of Sukkot, the Jewish people took part in a water drawing ceremony on the last day of the feast. They would go down to the Pool of Siloam, draw water and bring it to the Temple Mount. Then they would pour out the water and recite Isaiah 12, "and with joy you shall draw water out of the wells (springs) of salvation." In Hebrew, the word salvation and Jesus, in Hebrew, are the same. Imagine the scene at the time of Jesus' appearance. It is likely that in the midst of this ceremony, He stood up and proclaimed, "If anyone is thirsty, let Him come to Me and drink." He who believes in Me as the Scripture said, "from His innermost being shall flow rivers of living water." Brothers & Sisters, this promise is true for us today. Our Messiah is the same yesterday, today and forever. He did not promise a sprinkling or a tiny stream. He promised rivers of living water. Claim this promise today -- claim the fullness of life in Him. Draw from Him the peace that passes all understanding. Draw from Him pure love -- agape love. Draw from Him the joy that makes the trees clap. Draw all that you need, but in order to draw from Him -- you must go to Him. One cannot draw water from a spring unless one goes to the spring. Go to the spring that never runs dry -- go to your spring of Jesus! DRAW FROM THE WELLS OF JESUS!

“When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, ‘Is this you, you troubler of Israel?’”1 Kings 18:17

A “troubler.” That was how King Ahab felt about Elijah, the prophet of God—just someone who stirred up trouble. Ahab was content with his life. He didn’t want anyone to suggest he might be doing something wrong. He just wanted to do anything he pleased—anything that brought him momentary satisfaction and pleasure. The king didn’t want anyone confronting him about God or His standards. Nor did he want to consider that there were consequences to his actions, or that he would be judged someday. Ahab was uncomfortable with Elijah, and he wished the prophet would just go away, keep his mouth shut, and not speak out. But Elijah refused to back down. Ahab was like many people in the world today. To them, Christians seem like sources of irritation—nuisances trying to stop them from having fun. When we declare Bible standards, they accuse us of being prejudiced. When we talk about sin, they accuse us of hate. When we say God’s standards never change but are eternally true, they accuse us of being old-fashioned and out of step with the times. If we speak out, people may ridicule us, mock us, or lash out at us. Some even may seek to silence us and keep us from sharing our testimonies. Some want to pass laws limiting our freedoms. Some even seek to take our lives, hurt us financially, or cripple our freedoms. Brothers & Sisters if you stand for God, believe in His Word, and speak out about Biblical values, you, too, may be accused of being a troublemaker. If this happens to you, remember to react like Elijah. Don’t back down or compromise. Be resolute to stand for truth. Get involved. Pray. Vote. Never waver in your commitment to God and His Word.

"Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, "I am the Light of the world: he that follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but will have the Light of life."John 8:12 ; "Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight a cry was heard: 'Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!' Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' But the wise answered, saying, 'No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.' And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut."Matthew 25:1-10

"Be thou praised, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, who makes light and causes darkness, who makes peace and creates all: the light of the world as the treasure of life…" Jesus said, "I am the Light of the world." God is Light, He loves light, He creates light, He sheds light, He desires light. Lamps with oil produce light, both for those who carry them and for those who see the light bearers. "You are the light of the world", He said. So the Lord also expects light from and His people. The light of God in our lives comes from His Holy Spirit, and oil has always been associated with the Spirit's ministry in the lives of believers. Burning oil produces light. If we are spiritual "virgins"because we are betrothed to one Heavenly Husband, we ought to bear His light in this dark world. Yet He has told us that some virgins will not have the wisdom to do it, so it is a warning to us; a warning not to quench the Spirit, but be filled with Him and be the light of the world. Brothers & Sisters, some of us, though virgins, have been walking in darkness. This could change. The choice to light our lamps belongs to us. The gift of the Holy Spirit has been given to all true virgins. The wise among us will "buy oil" and maintain our lamps thoroughly filled. To "buy oil" means to "spend time" with the One who supplies it, asking Him to fill us up, and to clean out the impurities in our "lamps". You know what this means for you personally, and I know what it means for me. We ought to think about the joy of the wedding, and prepare our hearts with His light... illuminated beautifully for all the world to see, and to be ready! At midnight, when the Bridegroom suddenly appears, our joy will be unspeakable. FILL UP YOUR LAMP!

“The lips of an adulteress drip honey and smoother than oil is her speech; but in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword. Her feet go down to death.”Proverbs 5:3-5

Perhaps no creature is more associated with honey than the bear, “honey is mostly sugar.” Overflowing with sugar, honey becomes irresistible to bears and other animals. This appeal helps us understand why honey can symbolize the attraction of temptations. From a human perspective, we are tempted by things that offer benefits that seem irresistible. Like the pleasures promised by an “adulteress.” The Hebrew word here means “strange” or “stranger,” and suggests the excitement that can accompany something new and different. These pleasures can seem to drip like honey—just like the appeal of honey to a bear. But the Bible urges us to think about the consequences of our choices. Temptations might seem to promise new and exciting experiences. But the end result is bitterness, not endless pleasures. They cut deep into our hearts and minds, leading us not toward life but death. These principles apply to every form of temptation. Pride or power. Bad habits or the pleasures of the flesh. Gluttony or selfishness. In fact, anything that displeases God. The Bible urges us to avoid the things that tempt us and stay away from situations where we’re prone to be tempted. We need to remember that the promises of temptation can seem alluring, only to realize that, after we yield, we have been deceived: “You groan at your final end, when your flesh and your body are consumed.” Brothers & Sisters in your life, don’t be confused by the seductive promises of “honey.” When you are tempted, call upon God. Confess His Word. And remember that He is with you. He is faithful and “will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure” (1 Corinthians 10:13). You can live in victory!

"Then He entered into one of the boats, which was Simon's, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat. When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, "Launch out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch." But Simon answered and said to Him, "Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing, nevertheless at Your word I will let down the nets." When they had done this, they caught such a great quantity of fish, and their nets began to break; so they signaled to their partners in the other boat that they should come and help them. And they came and filled both of the boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' (Jesus') feet, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!" For he was astonished, and all that were with him, because of the catch of the fish which they had taken, And so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, "Fear not, from now on you will catch men." So when they brought their ships to land, they forsook all and followed Him."Luke 5:3-11

We read in Luke that Jesus told His disciples to go into the deep waters and let down their nets for fish. When they did, their nets were filled up with fish to the point of breaking. Being fishermen and businessmen, they may have been tempted to start doing business. I mean, think how much they could make! But God had a different purpose. The disciples' occupation as fishermen was just a vehicle for God to demonstrate His great power and love. He wasn't blessing them with fish so that they would get excited about fishing -- He was blessing them with fish so that they could get their eyes off their fishing and on to the greater call He had for them! Thankfully, they left the fishing business and went off with the Lord to do great and mighty things. Let's make sure we're not getting up wrapped up in fish! We seek the Lord for His blessings, prosperity, and success. But true discipleship is focusing not on the blessings of the Lord, but on the Lord of the blessings! Brothers & Sisters, we can rejoice in our blessings, but let's not dwell on them! Let's set our eyes on the Lord and the calling He has for us. When He sees that we have pure and willing hearts, He will be faithful to use us to accomplish His glorious plan! LOOK TO THE LORD OF BLESSINGS!