5.12-Passionate faith in Jesus is healthy for us and for our family.
5.12-
Principle #11
We desire to be a part of the few people
who are passionate, 100% followers of Jesus rather than the crowd of people who
are known as religious, but not known as passionate for Jesus Christ. We have lost our lives in the larger cause of
Jesus Christ and His work of spreading the good news all over the world.
We have seen that the most important
impact of our mother and father is their positive impact on their family for
God. We and our siblings have been
greatly impacted by them and for us this seems like influenced in a good way.
Acts 4.
4 The
priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter
and John while they were speaking to the people. 2 They
were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people,
proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. 3 They
seized Peter and John and, because it was evening, they put them in jail until
the next day. 4 But many who heard
the message believed; so the number of men who believed grew to about five
thousand.
5 The next day the rulers, the elders and
the teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. 6 Annas
the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and others of
the high priest’s family. 7 They had
Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: “By what power
or what name did you do this?”8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! 9 If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, 10 then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. 11 Jesus is
12 Salvation is
found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind
by which we must be saved.”
13 When they saw the courage of Peter
and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were
astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. 14 But since they could see the man who had been
healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say. 15 So they ordered them to withdraw from the
Sanhedrin and then conferred together. 16 “What
are we going to do with these men?” they asked. “Everyone living in Jerusalem
knows they have performed a notable sign, and we cannot deny it. 17 But to stop this thing from spreading any further
among the people, we must warn them to speak no longer to anyone in this name.”18 Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! 20 As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”
21 After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened. 22 For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old.
The Believers Pray
23 On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. 25 You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David:
“‘Why do the nations rage
and the peoples plot in vain?
26 The kings of the earth rise up
and the rulers band together
against the Lord
and against his anointed one.[b]’[c]
and the peoples plot in vain?
26 The kings of the earth rise up
and the rulers band together
against the Lord
and against his anointed one.[b]’[c]
27 Indeed Herod and
Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this
city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. 28 They did what your power and will had decided
beforehand should happen. 29 Now, Lord,
consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great
boldness. 30 Stretch out your hand to
heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant
Jesus.”
31 After they prayed, the place where
they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and
spoke the word of God boldly.The Believers Share Their Possessions
32 All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. 33 With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all 34 that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35 and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.36 Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”), 37 sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.
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