​

CURRENT RADIO SERIES Dare to Believe   CURRENT TV SERIES Choices

Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. Acts 4:32-35 Have you ever looked up in the sky and watched a flock of birds as they flew over you? The formation you see when you look up depends on how far the birds are traveling. Flocks that are only going a short distance appear as a mass of birds heading in the same general direction. But flocks that appear in that signature “V” formation are the ones making the long haul.  The reason for the “V” formation is that it reduces the amount of wind resistance on each bird except for the one at the front. So when the front bird becomes exhausted, he changes places with another bird to rest and the flock keeps moving. Over the journey, each bird in the flock will spend time in the front. This is exactly what the early church looked like. Every time there was a need, the people of the church responded and that need was met by every person in the group. What a testimony to the unity of God’s people! God wants you to have intentional relationships among the Body of Christ and to care for your brothers and sisters in the faith. Living a life in isolation is not just unhealthy, it’s unbiblical! So live your life in the Body and care for other believers. Make every effort to stay connected with and care for other believers. Praying for a Nation by Dr. Paul Chappell “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.” 1 Timothy 2:1–4 On April 18, 1775, Paul Revere made his famous “midnight ride” to warn that the British troops were leaving Boston to try to confiscate the colonist’s weapons. His special purpose was to alert two men, Samuel Adams and John Hancock. These prominent leaders of the cause of American independence were special targets of the British raid, with soldiers purposing to bring back the bodies of Adams and Hancock. That night, Adams and Hancock had met, not to plan a political rally or write a treatise demanding independence, but to pray for God’s help and blessing. When Revere reached Lexington, he found them sleeping in the house of a local pastor, Reverend Clark, and alerted them to the danger in time to flee. Many people find it easy to criticize presidents, politicians, and judges. Few take the time to pray for them, or seek God’s direction and guidance on those He has chosen to set in authority. In reality, no politicians of our day compare to the wickedness of the Emperor Nero—the ruler of the Roman Empire when Paul penned the instructions to pray for those in civil authority (1 Timothy 2). We must never forget that human government is instituted by God, and He has the ultimate say both over who leads nations and how they lead. Our assignment is to regularly and faithfully pray for those leaders, whether they are the ones we would prefer or not.   Today’s Growth Principle:  If we are not praying for our nation and our leaders, we are failing our responsibility as Christians.