Who is Worthy?

 N.T.#855 "Who is Worthy?"

August 20, 2026 

Acts 12-Part 3

LET IT GLOW 

They looked for Peter everywhere and he was nowhere to be found. That was good for us, except not good for the guards of the prison. Letting a prisoner escape meant death to the guards. 

Herod left Jerusalem and went to Caesarea, where his other capital was. 

There was no explanation of Peter's escape but that Jesus came and set him free. 

LET IT GROW

The people paid Herod Agrippa I a visit. (verses 19-20)

Herod put on his robe made of silver and sat on his throne, speaking to the people. They shouted, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man. (verse 23)

The king did not refuse the honor, but relished and reveled in it.

Because the king did not give God the glory, the Lord smote him with worms, eating up the king. The praise due Jehovah resulted in the king receiving it and he died. 

In Isaiah 42:8, God says He will not give His glory to another. 

Instead of Peter being killed by Herod, it was Herod who was killed by Peter's God!

The Word of God grew and multiplied. (verse 24)

Barnabas and Saul took John Mark with them on their missionary journey to Antioch

People are believing in Jesus as Savior during this time. The early church was growing. 

LET IT GO

Lord, only You are worth of worship and praise

Freedom From Prison

N.T.#854 "Freedom From Prison"

August 14, 2026

Acts 12-Part 2

LET IT GLOW 

Do you feel like you are in a prison-financial, marital, family, job keeping you there? Peter must have felt hopeless, but his situation had hope., So does your, dear friend.

We left Peter in prison, chained, and between two soldiers. The church was praying for Peter, without ceasing. A guard was on the outside, also. He was waiting for trial and execution, but it was Easter, so he was waiting. Peter was definitely securely bound in prison. No escaping for him. He was doomed. 

Except, someone comes to visit Peter-an angel of the Lord (Jesus probably) showed up. /He woke up Peter, caused his chains to fall off, and told him to get dress. (verse 7)Peter followed the angel out of the prison, passed by the guards and got to the street. Peter assumed he was seeing a vision. (verse 9) Then he realized he wasn't dreaming-he was free. (verse 10)  

What a divine rescue mission!

Have you ever been rescued by the Lord? 

After surgery, years ago, I stopped breathing because of too much morphine. My lips were turning blue, my husband tells everyone. He yelled for help, a nurse yelled for help, and my family doctor and surgeon came to my rescue. Thank God my family doctor was there close by and knew what to give me. It wasn't my time to go home. Neither was it Peter's time to die.

LET IT GROW 

Peter went to the home of John Mark's mother where believers gathered to pray for him. Peter knocked at the door of the gate, (courtyard) a servant Rhoda answered. She was so overjoyed to see Peter that she left him out in the cold and ran back inside to tell everyone he was there. She forgot to let Peter in. (verse 14)

Notice the church's response:

• They had been praying for Peter, but when God miraculously answered, they couldn't believe it.
• They told Rhoda she was out of her mind-no way Peter could be standing outside.
• Peter kept knocking.
• When they opened the door, the prayer warriors were astonished. 
• Peter had come to share what had happened to him with James and the brethren, disciples.

God answers our prayers, sometimes immediately and sometimes later. Sometimes it is a no and sometimes it is a yes. 

Peter left and went to Caesarea. (verse 19) 

LET IT GO

Only Jesus paid the price for me.

Only His love could set me free.

Nobody else could open prison doors-just Jesus and nothing more.

Please set us free from our prisons, Lord Jesus.

Be a Faithful Prayer Warrior

 N.T. #853 "Be a Faithful Prayer Warrior"

August 13, 2026 

Acts 12 

LET IT GLOW 

How faithful are you in praying for others? 

Good things were happening. People were getting saved, believing in Jesus as their Savior. But a turn for the worse happened. Herod Agrippa I was the grandson of Herod the great, the cruel Roman ruler of the area. He started persecuting the church. He killed James, the brother of John, with a sword. James was the first apostle to fall victim as a martyr for the faith. (Tradition says an officer guarding James confessed Christ as Savior and was beheaded with the apostle. You can see the cruelty of those in charge. 

Since those actions pleased the Jews, Peter was arrested and thrown into prison. Since it was Easter time, they waited for his trial. 

How difficult it was to have lived in those times and be a believer in Jesus.

LET IT GROW 

Prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him (Peter)

Herod would have brought Peter to trial and execution, but something extraordinary happened while he slept between 2 soldiers, in chains and a guard standing outside the door. 

Prayer was answered, but those who prayed for Peter had a hard time accepting thier prayers were answered. We will continue the story tomorrow. 

LET IT GO

Help us trust You to answer our prayers as You see fit, Lord Jesus.

Thank You for Your everlasting love for us.

Helping Others

 N.T.#852 "Helping Others"

August 12, 2026 

Acts 11-Part 2

LET IT GLOW

We are going to help a sister church this Saturday. A small group of us are helping pain and clean up a church and parsonage that had been closed for about a year. My brother in law is taking over as pastor. They have gone from the attendance of 9 to 27 so far. It is a country church in need of help. The people are there in the area, waiting for this to happen. The Lord is blessing the work. Today's lesson is a similar situation.

Barnabus and Saul stayed in Antioch for a full year, teaching the new believers. There was a famine in the region, a drought. The church at Antioch assisted the church in Jerusalem. They gave generously to care for the needs of others. Those two delivered help.

Each person should do as he has decided in his heart-not reluctantly or out of necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver. (2 Cor. 9:7)

Do we give to the needy?

LET IT GROW

Is the Lord preparing you for some kind of ministry?

Here we read of Gentile believers in Antioch providing loving support to Jewish believers in need. Prejudices were overcome. 

How do we react with Christians of another race?

LET IT GO

Open our eyes, Lord Jesus, to see the needs of others. 

Help us to help others for Your glory.

On a Mission

 N.T.#851 "On a Mission"

August 11, 2026 

Acts 11

LET IT GLOW 

Believers in Jesus Christ come from every tongue, tribe, nation, race, and gender. We live, work, and worship together under His banner, not our own. (Tony Evans)

Back at Jerusalem, they were waiting for Peter to arrive. Both believers and unbelievers were there. So Peter explained in detail his heavenly vision, Cornelius' conversion, and the new Gentile believers. Racial divisions stand in God's way and oppose the truth of the Gospel. (Gal. 2) Christ is Lord of all, both Gentiles and Jews. 

LET IT GROW

God's mission for the church is a worldwide one. After Stephen was stoned to death, believers scattered to Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch. Jesus was preached and many turned to the Lord. (verses 19-21)

When the church at Jerusalem heard about this, they sent Barnabas to Antioch. He was a Jew from Cyprus sent to the Jews to witness to them. Many Gentiles had been saved by the grace of God. Barnabas was glad and encouraged them. He then went to Tarsus to seek Saul. They both went to Antioch, staying a whole year, teaching the people. 

A half million people lived there, including retired Roman officials. Commercial and political power was at Antioch. It was 300 miles from Jerusalem.

And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch. (verse 26)

LET IT GO

Use us as Your missionaries today.

Fill us with Your Word and love.

Do You Believe?

N.T.#850 "Do You Believe?"

August 10, 2026

Acts 10-Part 2

LET IT GLOW 

Do you have questions about God, the Word, life? So did a man in our lesson today. Read on to find how he got answers.

This man, Cornelus, was praying and fasting and the angel of the Lord appeared to him. He was told to send for Peter in Joppa. He was a Gentile, a centurion, and a God-fearing man who gave alms and prayers to God. Four days later, Peter arrives and Cornelius tells him what transpired.

What was Peter's message?

• God is no respecter of persons. (Respecter means one exhibiting partiality.) (verse 34)
• Every nation that fears God and works righteousness is accepted with God. (verse 35)
• God wants preaching of peace by Jesus Christ (He is Lord of all.). (verse 36)
• Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit and power from God, went about doing good and healing, for God was with Him. (verse 38)
• Peter was a witness of what Jesus did. The Jews slew and hung Jesus on a tree. (verse 39)
• God raised Jesus up on the third day and showed Him to others. (verse 40)
• He appeared only to certain ones chosen by God. The disciples ate and drank with the Risen Jesus. (verse 41)
• They preach and testify that God will be the Judge of quick (lively) and dead. (verse 42)
• That through His name (Jesus) whosoever believeth in Him shall receive remission of sins. (verse 43)

Friend, have you ever asked Jesus to forgive you of your sins and recognized He is the only Savior, Son of God?

LET IT GROW 

Peter was saying that God does not play favorites, Anyone from any nation may be saved, all on the same basis of faith. Gentiles are now acceptable, by the grace of God. Gentiles and Jews come to God the same way-believing in Jesus Christ, so both can be saved, the whosoever.

A one-time-only occurrence happened as the Holy Spirit fell on those believing Gentiles and they spoke in tongues. Those believers were baptized in Jesus' name. (verse 48)

LET IT GO 

Lord Jesus, help those who read this to believe in You as Savior. 

Jesus is alive! 

Help us share Your death, burial, and resurrection today.

What a Day For God to Work!

 N.T. #850 "What a Day For God to Work!"

August 7, 2026

Acts 10

LET IT GLOW

It was about ten years after Pentecost. It was time to go to the lost Gentiles with the Gospel. God had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles and bring them into His family. 

Warren W. Wiersbe's Bible Exposition Commentary gives us for acts to this wonderful drama:

1. Preparation
2. Explanation
3. Proclamation
4. Vindication.

Before God saved the Gentiles, He prepared Peter to bring the message and Cornelius to hear the message. 

Who was Cornelius? 

• He was a God-fearing Gentile and a Roman centurion.
• He gave charitably to the Jews.
• He prayed to God.
• He had a vision of an angel telling him to send for Peter in Joppa. (verses 3-6)
• He obeyed by sending his servants to bring Peter to him. (30 miles away)

It was probably just an ordinary day for Cornelius. Yet, God was about to do something extraordinary in his life. The emptiness Cornelius felt in his life was about to change. 

LET IT GROW

Meanwhile, Peter was on his roof praying at noon. Daily, he got alone with God three times a day to pray. This particular time Peter had a vision from God:

A large sheet was lowered from heaven with all kinds of animals in it that were unclean for Jews to eat. Peter was told to kill and eat those animals. Peter was hesitant because he had never eaten anything unclean to a Jew. 

What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. (verse 15)

This vision was seen 3 times for Peter to understand. In the meantime, men were at Peter's gate to see him. The Lord convinced Peter He had sent them. Lodging them, the next day Peter and the men went to Cornelius at Caesarea. 

Peter had to overcome prejudices the Jews had for Gentiles. Cornelius fell down to worship Peter, but Peter declared he was only a man, for him to stand up. The two talked together. 

God had showed Peter that he should not call any man common or unclean. (verse 28)

The people were there before Peter ready to hear what God told Peter. 

God is no respecter of persons. But in every nation he that feareth Him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him. 

What does that mean? Anyone from any nation may be saved, all on the same basis of faith. It is God's grace for us all.

Peter preached Jesus as the only way to obtain forgiveness of our sins by Holy God. Jesus, the Son of God, died, was buried, and rose from the dead, a perfect sacrifice for our sins. Many believed in Jesus and were baptized. 

LET IT GO

Help us overcome our prejudices, Lord.

Use us in kingdom work to share salvation in Jesus is for all who believe.