Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. 12As a result, many of them believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men.

“Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by human design and skill. 

Lord God my Father,

Your design brings life and Peace, help me to carry your Truth without trying to understand more than I am ready for. Help me to allow your word to rest on me well and restore me to your design. You are unlike anything I can understand so help me to allow your understanding to rest on me as you desire.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. 23His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a divine promise.

The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 

The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers and sisters. Amen.

Lord God my Father,

Your design is perfect and you include me in your plan. Give me a faith that has no doubt and help me to walk in your confidence in all encounters. Protect me from my worldly desires and release your plan to me in every breath. Help my fruits to be of your desire, not mine. Your Peace is my shield, may nothing get past it.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 4who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

“The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” 

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith,

Lord God my Father,

You are the designer and perfect, you made me in your image. Your way leads to life above my understanding and protects me from the evil of this world. Your Glory is all I need to focus on, with it, all is well. Thank you for changing my life when all I did was seek you. I am no longer easy to find by the deceiver but I need constant protection from the darkness that cries out from within. The ever growing faith that restores me, is the ultimate high my desires distracted me from. Thank you for never giving up on me.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.”

You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things.

Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her.

The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. 

 “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”

Lord God my Father,

You are the answer to all things, Thank you for making it so simple, keep me from overthinking your plan. Help me to know when temptation is before me and give me strength to avoid it. Give me discernment over the darkness so popular, keep me from joining the crowd but to keep my focus on you. Help me believe, really believe.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5

As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple “Yes” or “No.” Otherwise you will be condemned.

Lord God my Father,

Your design is perfect and your way is all powerful. Help me to find joy in all struggles for the strength it will bring and the wisdom I will learn. Bring my body and spirit into a balance so your way is natural in my thoughts and actions. Keep me from placing my perspective over yours.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

“You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord? 

When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy. They began to contradict what Paul was saying and heaped abuse on him.

And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed 10and called out, “Stand up on your feet!” At that, the man jumped up and began to walk.

 “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said.

Lord God my Father,

You are my protector and creator. Protect me from the darkness I walk through every day and keep your light on my path. Keep me strong in my delight and your Truth, may your Joy be seen by those around me. Help me to see the faith in others so our strength can grow and prepare me for the hardship that is before me so your delivery reveals your Glory.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

“Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. 14And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”

But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel.16I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”

Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah.

When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. 

Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.

 “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.”

He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead.

Lord God my Father,

You are in control of all things, I ask for you to bring a Peace to my thoughts so I may hear you clearly. Quiet my mind so I may be obedient to your commands without thinking my way out. Make your message natural in my life so others can see your Truth. Keep me from fear so I trust your plan without compromise. Show me your way and make me obedient to it. Reveal your Truth through all of me.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

“Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph, they sold him as a slave into Egypt. But God was with him 10and rescued him from all his troubles. He gave Joseph wisdom and enabled him to gain the goodwill of Pharaoh king of Egypt. So Pharaoh made him ruler over Egypt and all his palace.

Moses thought that his own people would realize that God was using him to rescue them, but they did not. 

“This is the same Moses they had rejected with the words, ‘Who made you ruler and judge?’ He was sent to be their ruler and deliverer by God himself, through the angel who appeared to him in the bush.

That was the time they made an idol in the form of a calf. They brought sacrifices to it and reveled in what their own hands had made. 

While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep.

Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that he may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. 23For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.”

Lord God my Father,

You control all things. I ask you to show me how to check my emotions and not follow them but have them follow you. Connect me to the Holy Spirit living in me so your control is stronger than my desire. Bring a Peace in me that opens my eyes to your plan that is beyond my understanding. Keep me from seeing the limits of this world and allowing fear to hold you back in all struggles so wisdom and strength can come to me without my distracting emotions creating a storm in my thoughts.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. 30Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”

The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.

For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down to us.”

15All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

Lord God my Father,

You are creator and sustainer, you know all things and in Jesus I am saved. Give me strength to keep your way in my heart and actions no matter the attacks around me. Protect and amplify your spirit within me. Keep me from fear of attack for the Truth I carry in your name. Show yourself in my actions and expressions.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” 

“Now, fellow Israelites, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. 18But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Messiah would suffer. 19Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, 

When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.”

Lord God my Father,

Give me your spirit, your confidence, your Peace. Restore me to your desire and use me for your will. Keep me from my sinful way and help me to leave my past so I may live in your light and share it freely with others.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen