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PENTECOST

50 Day by day Devotions


TurningPoint CHURCH Reading Plan #4 2014
Compiled by Foa Elia

Monday 28th April Monday 16th June

50 DAYS OF PENTECOST
Day 1 - No Holds Barred 28th April 2014 Reading Luke 24: Scripture: Jesus commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, which, He said, you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now. Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? And He said to them, It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. Acts 1:4-8 Jesus purposefully did not speak in parables to His disciples during His last day on earth with them. I believe He wanted His message to be clear and easily understood by His disciples at that time and to each of us today. Here is a summary of what Jesus said: Stay where you are, and wait for the Holy Spirit to work. Stop trying to predict and control what falls under Gods authority. Be prepared to receive the Spirits power when it comes upon you. Be a witness to Jesus wherever you are, wherever you go, and wherever He sends you. Sometimes its hard to wait on the Lord. Sometimes we lose sight of the Holy Spirits power and depend on our own strength instead. Sometimes we try to forecast the future rather than seek God and ask for His direction, His wisdom, and His perfect plan. And sometimes, we dont bear witness to Jesus because of fear, pride, guilt, and insecurity. Today you can be strong, selfless, secure, and confident in your future knowing the power of the Holy Spirit is upon you. The Holy Spirit gives you the power to be a witness to Jesus - no holds barred. Prayer: Lord we pray for patience and endurance today, we pray that anything that challenges us today causes us to react in seeking your guidance and to fulfil your will and that it is your Holy Spirit that is our main supply.

2 Corinthians 2:14 God who manifests through us TurningPoint Church 5996 3048

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50 DAYS OF PENTECOST
Day 2 - In One Accord 29th April 2014 Reading Acts 1: Scripture: When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit Acts 2:1-4a The verses at the beginning of Acts chapter 2 are some of the most dramatic in all of Scripture. Jesus had promised He would send a Counsellor. His followers believed Him, and after His ascension they came together with one accord in one place to pray for one thing the promised Counsellor, the Holy Spirit. When you pray, do you first ask God how He would like you to pray? When you are in a group praying for something or someone, do you seek to be in accord with each other? Try it. You may be surprised by what God will do! Prayer: Lord we pray that our time of prayer is as your will and not ours, we pray that our words are in accordance with your words.

2 Corinthians 2:14 God who manifests through us TurningPoint Church 5996 3048

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50 DAYS OF PENTECOST
Day 3 - Waiting on the spirit 30th April 2014 Reading Acts 2: Scripture Acts 2:1 - When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. How many times have you been asked to wait? Its very hard to wait for something when you really want it, isnt it? Today we read about Jesus disciples and more than 100 followers who loved the Lord very much. Jesus asked them to wait in Jerusalem to receive a very special promise. They were going to receive the Holy Spirit who would give them power to live for Him. How the gift of the Holy Spirit was going to change their lives forever! The Holy Spirit was going to help them to become very strong Christians and do some wonderful things for His kingdom. They didnt even know all the great things the Lord was going to do through their lives. The disciples werent sure what was going to happen next. Jesus had left to go back to the Father. They were alone and may have even been a little frightened. But remember Jesus promise? He told them that He would not leave them alone. He said He would send the Holy Spirit to them to help them. What we read about today is called the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Jesus sends the Holy Spirit to come upon His believers to help them to tell others about Him. When the Holy Spirit comes they begin to speak in many different languages. They were not trained in how to speak the languages. Remember, they are from Galilee. They tell the people gathered for the Feast of Pentecost of the works of God, each in their own language. It was a miracle. Isnt God amazing? As believers in Jesus we are indwelled by the Holy Spirit. That means the Holy Spirit lives inside of our hearts. He helps us and teaches us things about Jesus and the Bible. But God also has a plan and a purpose for our lives. He wants us to tell others about Jesus. So we can ask Him to baptize us with the Holy Spirit to be able to live for Him and tell others about Him. We can then be used by the Lord to do great things for Him just like the disciples did in our story. It is a great honour to be used by God to help others. Prayer: Lord we pray for the baptism of the Holy Spirit upon us today so that we are able to live for you daily.

2 Corinthians 2:14 God who manifests through us TurningPoint Church 5996 3048

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50 DAYS OF PENTECOST
Day 4 - A Map and a Guide 1st May 2014 Reading Acts 2: Again Text: Acts 2:38 - then Peter said to them, Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. If you have ever gone camping in the wilderness then you know how easy it is sometimes to lose direction. Do you know of anyone who has ever gotten lost before? What a scary thing to be out in the wilderness all by yourself. When people go camping or hiking in the woods, they will usually take along maps to help them to know where they are and which direction they should go in. Even when you know a wilderness area and have been there before, a map is good to have with you. Every year brings something new. Perhaps a tree fell that is on the map and would be a good place to use for a starting point. Maybe a creek dried up that you wanted to walk along. It also helps to have someone along with you, a guide to help out, one who knows what is coming ahead and whether there is any danger. Living in the world is kind of like hiking in a wilderness. The world is dark and can sometimes be scary. We need a map to help us to stay on the right course. The Bible is our map that we can use every day for our direction in life. It shows us where our hearts should be in order to be more like Jesus. It helps us to know if we need to change direction so that we can stay out of danger. We also need a guide to help us through this life. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to be our guide. He is going to help us to understand the map, the Bible. He will also point us into the right direction. He will speak to us along the way and encourage us to keep following Jesus. What a blessing that we have not been left alone in this world. The Lord is so good to us. Lets get our maps out every day and ask our guide, the Holy Spirit to help us go in the right direction. Prayer: Lord we pray that today we are guided by the Holy Spirit. We pray that it is in our heart to let the Holy Spirit lead us.

2 Corinthians 2:14 God who manifests through us TurningPoint Church 5996 3048

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50 DAYS OF PENTECOST
Day 5 - Power to Change a Life 2nd May 2014 Reading Acts 9: Text: Acts 9:17b - Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit. John tried to make friends with Michael at school, but each time John tried Michael would say something mean, or laugh at him. John saw Michael once with his little brother helping him at the playground, so he knew Michael could be a nice guy. Michael laughed at John because he loved Jesus and brought his Bible everywhere he went. John had almost given up telling Michael about the Lord, but he did continue to pray for him. One day John was thinking about Michael and realized that he hadnt seen him at school for a long time. He asked his teacher about Michael and was told that Michael was very sick. When Michael came back to school, John still tried to avoid him. He didnt want to be teased again. But after a few days he noticed there was something very different about Michael. He wasnt always making faces at him or talking mean to the other kids. He was very nice and quiet. John finally asked Michael how he was. Michael told him he was doing OK, but he had hanged. While he was sick, he learned about Jesus and asked Him into his heart. What a surprise for John! He knew Jesus could do it, and he learned about the power of the Holy Spirit to change a life. Michael and John began to study the Bible together and John learned a lot of things through Michael about the Lord and how the Holy Spirit can change a life and make it new again. In our reading today, we learn about Saul. We see the power of the Holy Spirit working to change a very mean and hardened man who hated Jesus into a man who loved Jesus very much. He lived through the greatest of hardships, prisons and even torture to tell people about the love of Jesus Christ. Saul was very mean and even took part in helping others to kill Christians for their belief in Jesus. Saul was at the stoning of Stephen and held the coats of those who threw the stones. But God totally changed him through the power of the Holy Spirit into a godly man who was determined to die to self and live only for Jesus. What can the Holy Spirit do in our lives? Prayer: Lord we thank you for your Holy Spirit and the chance to become new again. We pray that through your Spirit we find strength and power to speak into others lives just like John did with Michael.

2 Corinthians 2:14 God who manifests through us TurningPoint Church 5996 3048

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50 DAYS OF PENTECOST
Day 6 - Obedience: A Lifetime Relationship 3rd May 2014 Reading 2 Corinthians 9:7 Scripture: Then those who gladly received his word were baptized And they continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers... and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily. Acts 2:41-47 Many pastors use this passage to support why every person should be involved in a small group. While I believe every person needs to be part of a small group to grow in their relationship with Jesus and enjoy Christian fellowship, I also see how these verses demonstrate the importance of obedience. Obedience is something God does unto us. God works in us both to will and to do His good pleasure. (Phil. 2:13) Obedience is also something we do unto God. If you love Me, you will obey My commands. (John 14:15) By choosing to obey God, we demonstrate how much we love Him. When a person is baptized, they are responding to Jesus, choosing to obey Him, and demonstrating they love Him. Now baptism is just the first step. These new believers continued to follow the Apostles teaching, meet each others needs, celebrate communion, pray together, eat together, and worship together. Gods Spirit was working in them to obey. They responded by choosing to obey. And their obedience was not a one-time event, but a life-time relationship. Two times in this passage we see the word continued or continuing. How does God bless their obedience? They had favour with all the people, and the Lord added to the church daily. By choosing to obey God as a lifetime relationship and not a one-time event, you too will see great things happen in your life! Prayer: Lord we pray that it is in our hearts to obey you and not just once, but to obey continually. We thank you for your continuous blessings upon our lives.

2 Corinthians 2:14 God who manifests through us TurningPoint Church 5996 3048

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50 DAYS OF PENTECOST
Day 7 - A New Purpose In Life 4th May 2014

Reading Acts 3: Scripture: A certain man lame from his mothers womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate to ask alms from those who entered the temple; who, seeing Peter and John asked for alms. And fixing his eyes on him Peter said, Look at us. So he gave them his attention... Then Peter said, Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up... So he, leaping up, stood and walked into the temple with them - walking, leaping, and praising God. Acts 3:2-8 Imagine you are the man sitting at the gate. Day after day, your life consists of being picked up and carried to the edge of town, where you lie down and ask everyone passing if you can have a few pennies. You are trapped in an endless cycle: a life with no surprises, no hope and no purpose. Then one day, a stranger looks tenderly into your eyes and sees your emptiness. He tells you that he doesnt have what you are asking for but will give you what he can. You hear the name of Jesus and a command to rise and walk. Suddenly you are yanked to your feet. And surprise! you now have new hope and a new purpose. Moments before you were burdened with despair - without hope. Now, realizing Jesus has healed you, you immediately step into a new purpose for life. You no longer need to be carried; you can walk and leap. You are no longer an outsider; you are part of a new family. You are no longer a beggar; you are a worshiper. When does this new purpose begin? The moment you realize all Jesus has done for youthe moment you start giving thanks. How can you fulfill your new purpose of thanking God today? Prayer: Lord we thank you today for all that you have done for us. Thank you for giving us a new hope and purpose which is to follow your word.
2 Corinthians 2:14 God who manifests through us TurningPoint Church 5996 3048

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50 DAYS OF PENTECOST
Day 8 - Being Bold For Jesus 5th May 2014 Reading Acts 4: Scripture: Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, Rulers of the people and elders of Israellet it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole...Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marvelled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus. Acts 4:8-13 Its amazing how many people are bold for things that wont count for eternity. For example, if you go to a football match you see so many people bold about cheering their team on; just think If these fans can be so bold about something most people will forget in 48 hours, I need to be bold for Jesus who saves for all eternity. Peter and John had this reputation of being bold for Jesus. Even the rulers of the people and elders of Israel saw it. The locals of their town knew they were brave enough to stand for Jesus. What a great reputation to have! Their boldness caught everyones eye even though they were perceived as uneducated and untrained. When was the last time you were bold for Jesus? What made Peter and John so bold? What will make you bold? They had been with Jesus. Spend time with Jesus; remember how He died for you; reflect on how much He loves you; ask Him to make you bold. Then those around you will shake their head in amazement and realize youve been with Jesus. Prayer: Lord we pray that today we are bold for you. Thank you for dying on the cross for us and loving us.

2 Corinthians 2:14 God who manifests through us TurningPoint Church 5996 3048

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50 DAYS OF PENTECOST
Day 9 Earthquake 6th May 2014 Reading 2 Corinthians 1: Scripture: And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and spoke the word of God with boldness. Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all. Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, and laid them at the apostles feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need. Acts 4:31-35 What happens when Gods people pray? An earthquake - the place where we assemble is shaken, and everybody knows God is at work. We become so full of the Spirit we are emptied of self. Men and women, young and old start sharing the gospel with boldness. There is exponential growth from 120 people to nearly 5,000 men (Acts 1:15; 4:4). There is supernatural unity - the church is of one heart and one soul. There is a voluntary ban on the words my or mine - all selfishness and possessiveness vanish. Powerful miracles are used as a platform to bear witness to Jesus resurrection power. There is a revival of grace and a revival of giving. No one lacks; everyone overflows. When you see someone fix themselves a bowl of ice cream you cant help but say, I want some of that! When you read Acts 4, you cant help but say, I want some of that! we should have that same attitude we had towards the ice cream towards Gods word. God says, You want it? Pray for it! Prayer: Lord we pray that we have a longing for your word daily and we strive to fulfil your plan on our lives.
2 Corinthians 2:14 God who manifests through us TurningPoint Church 5996 3048

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50 DAYS OF PENTECOST
Day 10 - No Squatters Allowed 7th May 2014 Reading Acts 5: Scripture: But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession. And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles feet. But Peter said, Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God. Then Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and breathed his last. So great fear came upon all those who heard these things. Acts 5:1-5 Have you ever lied to anyone? You feel really sorry afterwards, especially if you are a believer and have the Holy Spirit in your heart. The instant you lie, you are convicted by the Holy Spirit in you. Peter confronted Ananias directly Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit? Satan can only fill a heart that is empty. Ananias went to church and pretended to be like the other believers, but his heart had never been occupied by the Holy Spirit. Satan filled his empty heart so he lied to the Holy Spirit and died. Gods severe punishment of Ananias, and later his wife, protected the church from false followers and filled it with true believers: none of the rest dared join themand believers were increasingly added to the Lord. (Acts 5:13-14) The Holy Spirit does not sublease what He owns. If you ask the Holy Spirit to reside in your heart, He owns it - all of it. He will encourage you, guide you, protect you, convict you, and prevent any squatters from taking up residence in your heart. Are there any squatters trying to get a foothold in your heart today? Ask the Holy Spirit to chase them away so your heart is sold out to Him only. Prayer: Lord thank you for your Holy Spirit that has come to guide and protect us. Help us fill our hearts with your goodness leaving no gaps for the devil to get in.

2 Corinthians 2:14 God who manifests through us TurningPoint Church 5996 3048

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50 DAYS OF PENTECOST
Day 11 - Non-Negotiable 8th May 2014 Reading Luke 11: Scripture: One came and told them, saying, Look, the men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people! Then the captain went with the officers and brought them And set them before the council. And the high priest asked them, Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: We ought to obey God rather than men And when they had called for the apostles and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus. So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ. Acts 5:25-29,40-42 There are Christians who argue that by not using the name of Jesus one has a better chance to share the gospel later, becoming all things to all men to win them. Thats not what the Bible teaches. The name of Jesus is a nonnegotiable. It was a non-negotiable for Peter and John. The Jewish leaders in their day were very offended because they used His name. It was perfectly acceptable for them to use God or Lord, not Jesus. But Jesus had commanded Peter and John to be a witness to Him, not to be politically correct. There will come a time when you will have to choose to obey your boss, your teacher, your public official, or Jesus. Peter and John were put in prison, taken to court, beaten, and nearly killed for insisting on using the name of Jesus. May the Holy Spirit give us the courage today to boldly say, I must obey God rather than men, and to rejoice in what happens next. Prayer: Lord we pray that we are confident in your name to stand against anyone or anything that says otherwise.

2 Corinthians 2:14 God who manifests through us TurningPoint Church 5996 3048

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Day 12 - Who Me? 9th May 2014 Reading Acts 6: Scripture: Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word. Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith. Acts 6:1-4,7 These verses remind us that the church today has a lot in common with the early church. It is hard to keep everyone happy. In Acts 6 we learn an important lesson: We must be ready to serve when asked. Lets put ourselves into this story. We are part of the growing number of disciples. We know that the Greeks (Hellenists) are not happy with the aid their widows are receiving. So the Apostles bring everyone together to tell them that they will continue to preach the Word, but we, the group, need to seek out seven (for our purposes - men, women, boys, and/or girls) whom they could appoint to take care of the need. There we are standing in the crowd, and one of the Apostles, maybe Peter, has just asked us to seek out seven people of good reputation and full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom to take care of the problem. What might be going through our minds? Prayer: Thank you Lord, I pray that your Holy Spirit will help us and to show us how to serve you humbly and faithfully, through the church, families and into every places we go.

2 Corinthians 2:14 God who manifests through us TurningPoint Church 5996 3048

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Day 13 - Power to Forgive 10th May 2014 Reading Acts 6:1-15; also Acts 7:54-60 Scripture Acts 7:55 - but he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. Stephen was a man who was bold in his faith in Jesus. He was one of the first leaders in the brand new church after Jesus ascended into heaven. We learn that Stephen was a man who was full of faith and the Holy Spirit. We will learn today that it was through the power of the Holy Spirit that Stephen was able to stand out from others. The apostles chose Stephen to be a leader in the church because they could see that he was a man who was full of the Holy Spirit. The Bible tells us twice Stephen was full of faith and that he had the power to do wonders and miracles. Even Stephens enemies could not argue with him, so they made up a lie about him. They took Stephen to the religious leaders. The Bible tells us that even though the people lied about him, Stephen had something special that made him calm and able to speak the truth to the powerful religious leaders. He was not afraid of them. We are told that Stephens face appeared to be as an angels face and that Stephen was bold as he preached to the leaders. Even when they were questioning him, Stephen was brave. He preached to the men who would sentence him to death by stoning. What a scary place to be in! But remember that He was filled with the Holy Spirit. That is what made him strong. As he was being stoned to death, Stephen asked God not to charge them with his murder. Stephen could forgive them for killing him even as they stoned him. He was able to have a different view of his enemies, one that gave him great love for them. And Stephen saw heaven before he got there. The difference in Stephens life was the Holy Spirit. He can make the same difference in our life. He will help us to tell others about Jesus, even when it may be difficult. He will be with us no matter what! Prayer: Lord show me where to forgive as you forgave. So that Ill be able to leave a lasting influence into other peoples lives as you r servant Stephen did. We pray that your Holy Spirit will help us share the truth about you today in our workplaces and at school.
2 Corinthians 2:14 God who manifests through us TurningPoint Church 5996 3048

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Day 14 - Not Running on Empty 11th May 2014 Reading Acts 7:1- 29 Scripture: And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. Then there arose some from what is called the Synagogue of the Freedmen (Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and those from Cilicia and Asia), disputing with Stephen. And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke. Then they secretly induced men to say, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God. And they stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes; and they came upon him, seized him, and brought him to the council And all who sat in the council, looking steadfastly at him, saw his face as the face of an angel. Acts 6:812,15 What happens when you are running low on petrol and you have no money to fill your car up yet you need to be somewhere? You keep on driving hoping for the best. What a picture that is - our self-effort trying to make the car do something it wasnt designed to do - run on empty. However, when the tank was full, we drove with confidence because we knew we would get to our destination. Think about this as you read this passage about Stephen. He is a good example to us on how we can minister at our best - on full and not on empty. Stephen had to minister in the middle of a heated argument, while people were spreading lies about him, under false arrest, and facing lot of angry stares. And yet he ministered with the face of an angel. What was his secret? We are first introduced to Stephen as a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit. (Acts 6:5) Stephens life ran on full and not on empty. We too can minister with the power Stephen did if we let God fill us with His Holy Spirit and not flirt with how long we can go without being filled. Prayer: Lord I pray that you fill us with your Holy Spirit today, so that we will be confident enough to do wonders and miracles to glorify you.
2 Corinthians 2:14 God who manifests through us TurningPoint Church 5996 3048

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Day 15 - Look! 12th May 2014

Reading Acts 7:29-60 Scripture: When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God! Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord; and they cast him out of the city and stoned him They stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, Lord, do not charge them with this sin. And when he had said this, he fell asleep. Acts 7:54-60 If you have ever seen the ocean, your first words may have been, Look how big it is! We simply want others to share in how marvellous a sight it is, calling their attention to it by saying, Look! Stephen had seen something grand and glorious - a glimpse into heaven where he saw the blazing glory of God with Jesus standing at His right hand. The first word he uttered was, Look! - An invitation to share what he was seeing. At this point the listeners had a choice. Unfortunately, they had already made up their minds. They had just heard Stephen tell them how they had betrayed Jesus. They knew if they admitted Stephens vision was true, they would have to admit their sin and accept Jesus as their Lord. It was a difficult choice. So they chose something else. They chose not to look to stop their ears, reject Jesus, and stone Stephen. To see God in our lives, we must first accept Jesus as Lord just as Stephen had done. Then when God moves in grand and glorious ways, even in the midst of persecution, we can be like Stephen and say, Look! Is Jesus your Lord? What is He doing in your life that you can say, Look! Prayer: Father help us to share your word today and to tell the world about you. I pray that more people will declare you to be their Lord and Saviour today. Amen

2 Corinthians 2:14 God who manifests through us TurningPoint Church 5996 3048

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Day 16 - You Cant Scare Me! 13th May 2014 Reading Acts 8:1-25 Scripture: As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison. Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word. Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralysed and lame were healed. 8 And there was great joy in that city. Acts 8:3-8 Imagine the situation the church was in during this time. We do not face the same problems they did. People do not come bursting into every house on the street dragging out Christians and taking them to jail. We should praise God for that! I am sure though, if that was going on today, we would be nervous and scared. However, the Christians mentioned in Acts 8 did not respond the way I would have. See what the Scripture says? Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word. They were so full of the Holy Spirit, they went away, not scared, but preaching the gospel! How awesome is it that God would use such a potentially scary thing to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ. As these Christians went around sharing, people started to listen and miracles began to happen. Demons were sent home packing, the lame were sent home dancing, and there was great joy in that city. Where did all this joy and passion come from? Was it because the believers were proud of themselves? No! I think it was because they were joyful in Jesus. They knew that Jesus had endured even worse trials for them and that God had used His suffering to bring about the most amazing of miracles: Eternal life. Prayer: I praise You and thank you for the victory that you have won for us. Thank you for the authority that you have given us over everything. Thank you Lord that even demon are scared of us because of the authority that you gave us.

2 Corinthians 2:14 God who manifests through us TurningPoint Church 5996 3048

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Day 17 - True Success 14th May 2014 Reading Acts 8:26-40 Scripture: Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza. This is desert. So he arose and went. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authorityhad come to Jerusalem to worship Then the Spirit said to Philip, Go near and overtake this chariot. So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, Do you understand what you are reading? And he said, How can I, unless someone guides me? And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him. Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him. Acts 8:26-31,35 As we think about this account of Philip and his encounter with the Ethiopian eunuch, his ability to hear Gods voice is, respond with unquestioning obedience, and as a result, be used of God to accomplish His purposes is impressive. How can we be like Phillip? PREPARATION + OPPORTUNITY = SUCCESS. So, what was the key to Philips success? 1. PREPARATION - He knew Gods voice distinct from all the other voices in his life. He spent time with Him, spoke with Him, knew His heart and was committed to His purposes as his own. 2. OPPORTUNITY - The more prepared he became, the more opportunities God provided for Philip to join Him in His work. 3. SUCCESS - Knowing the will of the Father, recognizing His voice and seeing Him at work, Philip responded with immediate obedience, as he simply opened his mouth andpreached Jesus. It is the same Spirit who speaks to me and you today giving each of us the opportunity to hear, to respond, and to preach Jesus. We simply need to be prepared. Therein lays true success. Prayer: Father we pray that you will help us to be more successful today. Help us to be strong and be faithful to share your word to others today. Let your Holy Spirit speak through us so that more souls will be save today.
2 Corinthians 2:14 God who manifests through us TurningPoint Church 5996 3048

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Day 18 - A Complete 180 15th May 2014 Reading Acts 9:1- 9 Scripture: Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3 As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. 4 Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? 5 And he said, Who are You, Lord? Then the Lord said, I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads. 6 So he, trembling and astonished, said, Lord, what do You want me to do? Acts 9:1-6a Have you ever done a complete 180? Youre headed one way only to turn around and start going in the opposite direction. That was Saul. The leader of the Jews, named Saul, became the Apostle to the Gentiles, named Paul. The one-time enemy of Christ became the all-time missionary for Christ. The man who killed Christians became the man killed as a Christian. We can appreciate Sauls conversion more so by better understanding his mindset. He firmly believed he was serving God by helping Him eliminate the early Christians. He was outraged that these early Christians were defiling the Jewish religion by their blasphemous beliefs about a risen Christ. This was why he was traveling to Damascus. As we read about his transformation, three important reminders come to mind: Jesus pursues us, and never gives up on us, even when we persecute Him. The Spirits power is real and can change your direction immediately. Once we experience Jesus Christ, our first response should be as simple as Sauls - Lord, what do You want me to do? Each and every day God offers us an opportunity to experience Jesus Christ to feel the presence of the Holy Spirit, and be transformed by His light. Are you ready and willing for God to work in you a complete 180? Prayer: Lord help us to experience and to feel your presence today. Encourage us not to give up but to be willing to serve you in every days of my life.

2 Corinthians 2:14 God who manifests through us TurningPoint Church 5996 3048

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Day 19 - Here I Am, Lord 16th May 2014 Reading Acts 9:10-43 Scripture: Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Here I am, Lord. So the Lord said to him, Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus... Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem... But the Lord said to him, Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine And Ananias went and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit. Acts 9:10-17 Hes never mentioned again in the Bible except here. His name is Ananias. All we know about him is this: He was a disciple who was available - Here I am, Lord. God guides those who are available. Jesus called Ananias by name. He told him the specific street (Straight), home (house of Judas), and person (Saul of Tarsus) he was to go to. Do you want to hear more specific direction from the Lord? Just be available to Him. God challenges those who are available to Him. Be careful what you say after God calls your name. God would ask Ananias to visit one of the most notorious enemies of the church, a cold-hearted murderer of believers. God said, Go. Ananias said, Whoa! God said, Go! Ananias didnt say, No. He obeyed God precisely and immediately. God uses the person who is available to Him. Ananias laid his hands on a killer. He called his enemy, Brother. He opened the eyes of a man who had papers to arrest him. He introduced the least likely to believe to Jesus and the Holy Spirit. The rest is history. Saul became Paul and spread the gospel all over the world. It all started with an otherwise insignificant, yet available, disciple who said, Here I am, Lord. Prayer: Here I am Lord, use me as an instrument to spread your word into the community. Lord right now I commit myself to serve in everyday of my life. Amen
2 Corinthians 2:14 God who manifests through us TurningPoint Church 5996 3048

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Day 20 - Up On the Housetop 17th May 2014 Reading Acts 10: Scripture: Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour. Then he became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they made ready, he fell into a trance and saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth. In it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. And a voice came to him, Rise, Peter; kill and eat. But Peter said, Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean. And a voice spoke to him again the second time, What God has cleansed you must not call common. Acts 10:9-15 We have always found this story of Peter being confronted by his own prejudices, humbling. We have both caught ourselves judging others based on our sometimes un-Christ-like attitudes only to be ashamed and corrected by the Lord. But that is not what the Spirit put on our hearts as we read these verses. We were struck by Peters prayer habits and realized we could learn from it. First, Peter found a quiet place to pray away from the hubbub of the house activities. He went to the roof. We can only imagine how peaceful that might have been for Peter as he was praying. But Scripture says that it was not a commotion around him that distracted him from prayer but his own pangs of hunger. He wanted to eat. He knew it was mealtime and could smell supper being prepared downstairs. We might have headed for the kitchen. But Peter stayed on the roof, obviously still and very connected to God, because he then fell into a trance and received an important lesson from God. Are we quick to be distracted from our prayer time? Do we break that connection before God has been able to deliver His message to us? In our prayer time away from the interruptions of those around us, may we put aside our own physical and mental distractions and wait and receive what the Holy Spirit has for us Prayer: Father help us not to be prejudice in serving you but to put aside our own things and wait to hear what your spirit has for us.

2 Corinthians 2:14 God who manifests through us TurningPoint Church 5996 3048

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Day 21 - Get Out of the House 18th May 2014 Reading Acts 11: Scripture: Now those who were scattered after the persecution that arose over Stephen travelled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to no one but the Jews only. But some of them were men from Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they had come to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord. Then news of these things came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent out Barnabas to go as far as Antioch. When he came and had seen the grace of God, he was glad, and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord. Acts 11:19-23 What persecution have you suffered lately? Has your boss (or parents) yelled at you? How do you feel when a friend tells you they are tired of hearing you talk about your faith? When we are under persecution, we have a choice of either feeling sad and afraid or getting out of the house to do something for someone else. After witnessing the stoning of Stephen, the followers of Christ decided that they would go into the world and spread the gospel. This was inspired by the Lord, as a great number were saved. They had a choice of being afraid the same thing would happen to them or going out and becoming a force to be reckoned with. They chose the latter, and this provided them purpose of heart to continue with the Lord. The next time you are sad and afraid of the persecution that surrounds you, listen for the Lords direction. It may be time for you to get out of the house and do something for someone else. You may not always know where you are going, but if you rely on the Holy Spirits leading, you can be sure that you will be exactly where you are supposed to be. Prayer: Lord lead us the right way that you want us to go. We pray that Your Holy Spirit will help us overcome every problem we face.

2 Corinthians 2:14 God who manifests through us TurningPoint Church 5996 3048

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Day 22 - The Power of Persistent Prayer 19th May 2014 Reading Acts 12:1-11 Scripture: Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church. Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword. And he proceeded further to seize Peter also Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison. Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, Arise quickly! And his chains fell off his hands. Acts 12:1-7 One day George Mueller began praying for five of his friends. After many months, one of them came to the Lord. Ten years later, two others were converted. It took twenty-five years before the fourth man was saved. Mueller persevered in prayer until his death for the fifth friend. For fifty two years, he prayed for this man! His tenacity was rewarded. Soon after Muellers funeral, his fifth friend was saved. Muellers friends situation seemed hopeless. They were kept in a spiritual prison, bound by Satan, facing eternal death. They needed a miracle. Their only hope - persistent prayer. In our story, Peter in no way was going to make it out of that cold dark prison without Divine intervention. His friend James had just been killed. He was bound with chains, sleeping between two soldiers in a maximum security prison. How could Peter get out of this situation? He needed a miracle. His only hope persistent prayer. But constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. The church didnt pray for a few minutes or even a few hours. They prayed all through the night. They prayed constantly even though their previous prayers for James seemed to go unanswered. Is there anyone you know who is in a hopeless situation? Start praying and keep on praying. The chains will fall off, and the prison doors will open. Prayer: Father help us encourage those who are in needs and help us not to give up but pray constantly in every situation we face.

2 Corinthians 2:14 God who manifests through us TurningPoint Church 5996 3048

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Day 23 - God Answers Prayer! 20th May 2014 Reading Acts 12:11- 25 Scripture: So, when he had considered this, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying. And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a girl named Rhoda came to answer. When she recognized Peters voice, because of her gladness she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter stood before the gate. But they said to her, You are beside yourself! Yet she kept insisting that it was so. So they said, It is his angel. Now Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. But motioning to them with his hand to keep silent, he declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. Acts 12:12-17 Have you ever had someone tell you God didnt answer your prayers because you lacked faith? If you just had more faith, God would have healed you, blessed you financially, gotten you that job, saved your marriage, etc... This story gives Oh-Me-of-Little-Faith great hope. The church had many prayer warriors but zero faith heroes. When the answer to their prayer came knocking at the door, they told poor Rhoda she was crazy and then dismissed Gods miracle as an optical illusion. Before we are quick to criticize these believers, lets reflect on how often we do the same. We ask God for something, but deep down we dont really expect Him to answer our prayers. Thank God that the answers to our prayers depend more on His faithfulness than ours. There are two secrets to seeing answers to our prayers: Peter continued knocking. Jesus said, Keep knocking and the door will be opened to you. (Matt. 7:7). The church opened the door. When we open up our hearts to Gods unconditional love and awesome power, well see a lot more miracles taking place right under our very noses. And we will be astonished by Gods mighty work. To Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all we ask or think, to God be the glory! (Eph. 3:20) Prayer: Thank you Father for hearing our prayer, no matter what we do you have always been there for us.

2 Corinthians 2:14 God who manifests through us TurningPoint Church 5996 3048

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Day 24 - Prayed Up and Powered Up 21st May 2014 Reading Acts 13:1-41 Scripture: Now in the church that was at Antioch there were certain prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them. Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away. So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there to Cyprus. And when they arrived in Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. They also had John as their assistant. Acts 13:1-5 Try and picture the situation as if it were happening today. The religious landscape is this: Jesus has been crucified just thirty years earlier. Many of your fellow believers are already being persecuted and martyred for their faith. Preaching Jesus in Jewish synagogues means signing your own death warrant. The Jewish leaders of these synagogues will be the most difficult and potentially most dangerous to reach. Everywhere you go, you will be walking into the lions den. So what made Saul and Barnabas go? They were prayed up. The leaders of the church gathered to worship, fast, and pray. No specific occasion was needed, they simply loved Jesus. As they were prayed up, they were powered up. Paul and Barnabas knew the Spirit had not just spoken to them but to every church leader. They also knew they were being set apart and sent by the Holy Spirit. That gave them the courage they needed and the peace to go without hesitancy or worry. They recognized and understood the power of the Holy Spirit relying on that power to sustain and guide them. Barnabas and Saul did not self limit the power of the Holy Spirit. How often do we try and put limits on the power of the Holy Spirit? The power of the Holy Spirit is real, is trust-worthy, is all-powerful, and has no limits. Prayer: Lord lead us with your Holy Spirit and give us power to spread your word in to every corners of the earth.

2 Corinthians 2:14 God who manifests through us TurningPoint Church 5996 3048

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Day 25 - Up to the Challenge 22nd May 2014 Reading Acts 13:42-52 Scripture: So when the Jews went out of the synagogue, the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath... On the next Sabbath almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God. But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy; and contradicting and blaspheming, they opposed the things spoken by Paul. Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first; but since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles. And the word of the Lord was being spread throughout all the region. Acts 13:42-49 Paul has an opportunity to preach at the synagogue in Antioch. And preach he does, of Jesus who offers forgiveness and eternal life to all who believe in Him! That day the Gentile converts to Judaism in the synagogue heard this: God loves you! And through Jesus there is salvation and peace with God without the rules, rituals, and traditions of the Jewish religion. Its no wonder they wanted to hear this message again. Word got out, and almost the whole city showed up on the following Sabbath. The Jews not only argued against what Paul was preaching; they blasphemed Jesus. Paul and Barnabas responded by boldly speaking truth to the Jews who rejected Jesus. They made it clear the Lord had sent them to be a light to the Gentiles for salvation. Could we do what Paul and Barnabas did? Could we talk about Jesus to a large crowd? Could we handle interruptions, verbal attacks, contradictions, even swearing? Paul might have argued or debated with the Jews, but he did not. He simply spoke the truth. Thats all we need to do. We are all missionaries. Let us pray that through the Holy Spirit we will be ready to share our faith in Jesus and speak the truth of Gods Word when challenged. Then may many believe in Jesus, and may the Word of God spread Prayer: Father help us face any challenges in life, and help us overcome it so that we will be able to glorify you.

2 Corinthians 2:14 God who manifests through us TurningPoint Church 5996 3048

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Day 26 - The Message Must Get Delivered 23rd May 2014 Reading Acts 14: Scripture: Now it happened in Iconium the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brethren And when a violent attempt was made to abuse and stone them, they fled to Lystra Then Jews from Iconium came there; and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. However, when the disciples gathered around him, he rose up and went into the city. And the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe. And when they had preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, saying, We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God. Acts 14:16,19-22 Herodotus wrote about the Persian Wars that lasted from 500-449 BC. He told about Persias mounted postal couriers whose sole task was to transport important messages to their war leaders. The United States Post Office has unofficially adopted the following motto written by Herodotus: Neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds. This is testimony to the perseverance of the postal workers who deliver our important messages no matter what obstacles are in their way. One could compare the Apostle Paul to those Persian postal couriers and our postal couriers of today. Paul had what is considered the most important message of all time - The Good News of Jesus Christ. Neither plots, nor threats, nor tribulations, nor stones, nor peril of death kept Paul from the swift completion of his appointed rounds. As you follow Pauls journeys to all the cities he visited you cant help but think he understood this motto. What a challenge that is to us! We have the same most important message to give, but how faithfully do we deliver it? Let nothing stop us. Lets all adopt the motto of the Persian couriers, the Postal Service and the Apostle Paul as we take out the most important message ever - The Good News of Jesus Christ. Prayer: Lord teach me to develop the boldness in us to deliver your message to the wilderness.
2 Corinthians 2:14 God who manifests through us TurningPoint Church 5996 3048

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Day 27 - Change of Course 24th May 2014 Reading Acts 16:1-15 Scripture: they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them. So they came down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, Come over to Macedonia and help us. Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them. Therefore, sailing from Troas, we ran a straight course to Philippiof Macedonia And on the Sabbath day we went out of the city to the riverside, where prayer was customarily made. Acts 16:6-13 Usually when we go on trips, we have somehow mapped out a course, and perhaps with the aid of a GPS, we eventually make our destination. In Pauls case, his travels preaching the gospel had many course corrections. How did he know where to go? Paul had the help of the Holy Spirit, who guided him by either closing off potential destinations or clearly providing a clear route. A glance at an Old Testament map of the area shows that it would have been an easy thing to go into Asia or Bithynia, but the Holy Spirit would not permit it. We dont know how, but at each point where it was impossible to enter, Paul was at a crossroads. Somehow he could not go where he intended, but the Holy Spirit provided a clear option, and Paul went forward. If you look at the course the Holy Spirit took Paul on, you could point out potential travelling difficulties. Yet Paul had no trouble getting to where the Holy Spirit wanted him. Sometimes the crossroads we face can have barriers to the easy path, pointing only to the difficult path to travel. But with the help and guiding of the Holy Spirit, we can be sure that we will get to where we need to go. Will you trust the guiding of the Holy Spirit even when road blocks arise? Prayer: Father send your Holy Spirit to guide us into the right path for us that lead to success.
2 Corinthians 2:14 God who manifests through us TurningPoint Church 5996 3048

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Day 28 - Fellowship of Suffering 25th May 2014 Reading Acts 16:16-24 Scripture: Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit met us This girl followed us, and cried out, saying, These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation. And this she did for many days. But Paul turned and said to the spirit, I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out that very hour. But her masters seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to the authorities Then the multitude rose up together against them; and the magistrates tore off their clothes and commanded them to be beaten with rods. And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison. Acts 16:16-23 When you first read this passage it is easy to become defensive on behalf of Paul and Silas. After all, they were doing nothing wrong. They were traveling around the town of Philippi, where many had come to know Christ. They were praying! Then, they were patient for MANY days by allowing some strange young woman to follow along and loudly shout the same thing over and over again. So why would God allow them to be thrown into prison? What had they done wrong? Absolutely nothing! Paul sheds light onto this subject when he writes a letter to the church in Philippi. He says to them in chapter 1, For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake Look at HOW Paul suffered. He was dragged; a crowd was stirred against him, was stripped, beaten with rods, and ended up with wounds like stripes. Then, Paul and Silas were thrown into prison. Does any of that sound familiar? Sounds almost exactly like how Jesus suffered. Hopefully, we will never face those kinds of physical dangers, but the Bible encourages us that suffering for/with Christ helps us grow closer to Him. May we never seek to avoid the fellowship of His suffering. Prayer: Lord we pray for our fellowship brothers and sisters who suffering that nothing will hold them back from serving you.

2 Corinthians 2:14 God who manifests through us TurningPoint Church 5996 3048

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Day 29 - How Amazing is That? 26th May 2014 Reading Acts 16:25-40 Scripture: But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquakeand immediately all the doors were opened and everyones chains were loosed. And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself. But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, Do yourself no harm, for we are all here. Then he fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? So they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household. and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household. Acts 16:2534 Consider this: falsely accused, arrested, stripped, severely beaten, put in stocks and confined to the inhumane conditions of the inner prison. In response to this, Scripture says Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God. I dont know about you, but I can see myself running out of fear from the mere threat of such conditions, let alone praising God in the midst of them. It is evident that knowing Jesus intimately, Paul and Silas had a healthy fear of Him which overshadowed any unhealthy fear of man. And the result? The earth shook, prisoners were set free, and people were saved. How amazing is that? Now consider this: Fear gives power over us to that of which we are afraid. Think about it. If we fear man (apprehension, terror, dread) and what he can do to us, we will run from him, hide and succumb to his power over us. If, however, we fear God (reverence, awe, trust) and how He can deliver us, we will run to Him, praise Him in the most difficult of circumstances and be used of Him to accomplish His saving work. How amazing is that? So, what or who are you afraid of? Prayer: Father help us to be overcomers in this world. Help us to fear you more and run closer with you.

2 Corinthians 2:14 God who manifests through us TurningPoint Church 5996 3048

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Day 30 - Tenacious Love 27th May 2014 Reading Acts 17:1-15 Scripture: They came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ.And some of them were persuadedBut the Jews who were not persuaded, becoming envious, took some of the evil men from the marketplace, and gathering a mob, set all the city in an uproar Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so. Therefore many of them believed Acts 17:1-5, 10-12 Are we moved by Pauls tenacity in his desire to share the gospel? Can you imagine how frustrating it must have been for Paul when he visited the town of Thessalonica? For three solid weeks, he reasoned with Jews trying to persuade them of the truth that Jesus is the Christ, the risen Son, spoken of repeatedly by the Old Testament prophets. True, he did experience some success. However, by the third week of sharing the gospel, he became such a target of opposition that he had to escape the town during the night to avoid being persecuted. Did Paul (and Silas) give up? Absolutely not! They knew Gods power would sustain them, Gods plan would overcome evil, and sharing the gospel was paramount to life itself. Berea was a smaller, out-of-the-way town, about forty miles southwest of Thessalonica. There, people listened readily and studied steadily. The result was astounding. In Thessalonica only some were persuaded. In Berea, many believed. Pauls focus, drive, and commitment came from a firsthand love relationship with Jesus and the Holy Spirit. His tenacity paid off. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you a tenacious love to share the gift of Jesus Christ with others. Prayer: Father we pray that your Holy Spirit give us a tenacious love to share the gift that you gave us with others.
2 Corinthians 2:14 God who manifests through us TurningPoint Church 5996 3048

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Day 31 - That Really Ticks Me Off! 28th May 2014 Reading Acts 17:16-34 Scripture: Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him when he saw that the city was given over to idols. Therefore he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and with the Gentile worshipers, and in the marketplace daily with those who happened to be there Then Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are very religious; for as I was passing through and considering the objects of your worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you Acts 17:16-23 What really ticks you off? Is it when someone cuts you off in traffic, or when you are overcharged on my monthly phone bill, or when your two precious pets wont stop barking, or when someone steals your parking space, or when your kids dont save any of the ice cream for you? The word used for provoked is where we get the word paroxysm from. It means a sudden outburst of emotion or action. Paul had a sudden outburst of emotion- his spirit was provoked. What infuriated him so? He saw how the city was given over to idols. Does the idolatry we see around us - the love of money and things, the rat-race of success, an obsession with childrens sports, the self-esteem/self-help craze, workout-aholism, extreme religiosity-provoke our spirits? Paul followed up his sudden outburst of emotion with sudden action. He started making a difference in the religious institution of his day (the synagogue), in the workplace (the marketplace), and in the public arena (the Areopagus). The end result was that some sneered, some remained curious, but some actually believed In Jesus. Pauls spirit was provoked with the right things, because he let the Holy Spirit provoke his spirit. May our spirits be moved with what stirs the heart of Jesus. Then may our outbursts of emotions be followed by an outburst of action. Prayer: Dear Lord I pray that everyone will put their words in actions. Help us to show the world your love so that more souls will be saved for your kingdom.
2 Corinthians 2:14 God who manifests through us TurningPoint Church 5996 3048

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Day 32 - Laying and Obeying 29th May 2014 Reading Acts 18: Scripture: Paul departed from Athens and went to Corinth. And he found a certain Jew named Aquila, who had recently come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla So, because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them and worked; for by occupation they were tentmakers. And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded both Jews and Greeks. When Silas and Timothy had come from Macedonia, Paul was compelled by the Spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ. But when they opposed him and blasphemed he departed from there and entered the house of Justus, one who worshiped God, whose house was next door to the synagogue. Then Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his household. And many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized. Acts 18:1-8 These verses are full of action. Paul moves about fifty miles from Athens to Corinth. Then he connects with a Jewish couple recently thrown out of Rome and joins them in making tents. Next, he shows up at the synagogue every week to reason and persuade. Paul was laying down the pieces from Scripture of Jesus Messiah-ship and building relationships with the Jews and the Gentile God-fearers who belonged to the synagogue fellowship. When Silas and Timothy arrive, the Holy Spirit impresses upon Paul to state plainly, Jesus is the Messiah. Oh, what a reaction! Most of the Jews opposed and blasphemed Jesus. So Paul moves his preaching to the house next door where many come to Jesus, including the leader of the synagogue and his family. Paul was willing to spend time laying the groundwork for the truth of Jesus. Then, when the Spirit prompted him, he obeyed and shared Jesus clearly and boldly. May we intentionally lay the groundwork for sharing the gospel and quickly obey when the Spirit says it is time to declare the truth of Jesus to someone. We might see rejection at first, but God may also later reveal a completely different and wonderful plan. We just need to be obedient. Prayer: Lord Jesus give us the spirit of obedience to serve You through the church and in every places we serve. Amen
2 Corinthians 2:14 God who manifests through us TurningPoint Church 5996 3048

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Day 33 - Head or Heart Knowledge 30th May 2014 Reading Acts 19: Scripture: Now a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures, came to Ephesus. This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things of the Lord, though he knew only the baptism of John. So he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. And when he desired to cross to Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him; and when he arrived, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace; for he vigorously refuted the Jews publicly, showing from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ. Acts 19:24-28 In the Greek language there are two different words used for knowledge. One is used to describe a factual knowledge. We would call this type a head knowledge. A second is used to describe an experiential knowledge. We would call this type a heart knowledge. Is one better than the other? It depends on what you are trying to accomplish. If you are taking a test, you want more of the factual knowledge of the material you are being tested on. But if it is building a relationship with a person, you want more experiential knowledge of that person. Aquila and Priscilla understood this difference when it came to knowing Jesus. They understood that knowing Jesus with your head or by facts was good, but there is a much better way to know Jesus. Apollos had a great deal of head knowledge about Jesus and even spoke and taught accurately the things of the Lord. But apparently there was something missing. This is where Aquila and Priscilla step in and explain to him the way of God more accurately. What was missing? The heart knowledge of Jesus. While knowing the facts about Jesus is great, knowing Jesus with your heart is when your relationship with him begins to grow. Do you have head knowledge or heart knowledge about Jesus Christ? Prayer: Father fill us with the spirit of knowledge so that we can spread our head and heart of knowledge about you into the wilderness.

2 Corinthians 2:14 God who manifests through us TurningPoint Church 5996 3048

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Day 34 - Receive and Believe 31st May 2014 Reading 1 Corinthians 12: Scripture: Paulcame to Ephesus. And finding some disciples , he said to them, Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed? So they said to him, We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit. And he said to them, Into what then were you baptized? So they said, Into Johns baptism. Then Paul said, John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. Now the men were about twelve in all. Acts 19:1-7 Have you ever opened a gift thinking it was for you not knowing you had opened someone elses gift and your gift was in a different place? You open the gift and find it isnt something you like? You would have been disappointed in thinking you had received that gift, but the gift had not really been received. When Paul asked the Ephesians if they had received the gift of the Holy Spirit from the Lord, they were surprised to find that they were supposed to receive the gift. Paul then questioned what they believed and explained that it is in the name of the Lord Jesus that their belief was based but they had not gone on to receiving the Holy Spirit. Once they clearly understood, they believed and Paul laid hands on them the Holy Spirit came upon them. The gift of the Holy Spirit is ready to be received by anyone who believes on the name of Jesus Christ as the Son of God and trusts in Him as their Saviour. We receive the gift of the Holy Spirit when we ask. It is a free gift that is available to all who will seek after Him. Prayer: Father I pray as we receive the gift of your Holy Spirit, we believe that you will use us for greater purpose in the future.

2 Corinthians 2:14 God who manifests through us TurningPoint Church 5996 3048

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Day 35 Namedroppers 1st June 2014 Reading 1 Corinthians 14: Scripture: Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches. Also there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so. And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you? Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. This became known both to all Jews and Greeks dwelling in Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. And many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds. Acts 19:13-18 Have you ever met someone who likes to drop names? Youd think they were best friends with some big name celebrity, a professional athlete, or a high-ranking official. Sometimes, its true. More often than not, they are just trying to sound important. We can usually see through namedroppers. Satan sure can. The Seven sons of Sceva didnt really know Paul. Oh, they had heard him preach in their synagogue. They didnt agree with much of his teaching but were fascinated by his powerful miracles, casting out demons, and healing many sick people. They also didnt really know Jesus. They had heard the gospel but had never truly surrendered their life to Christ. They had no personal relationship with Jesus. They decided instead to drop a few names. It didnt work out too well for them. Satan knew and feared Paul. The host of hell knows and trembles at the name of Jesus. But these men were simply a bunch of namedropping wannabes. The end result: they fled the house overpowered, overcome, and underdressed. Instead of dropping Jesus name, why not trust Him today? Many in Ephesus did - an awe of God fell on them, the name of Jesus was magnified, and they believed in Christ, confessing their sins. When it comes to Jesus, be a Nametruster, not a Namedropper. Prayer: Lord I pray that today will be the day when people stop mocking and stop making jokes about your name, and this day will be the day that every knee will bow and worship in the name of Jesus.

2 Corinthians 2:14 God who manifests through us TurningPoint Church 5996 3048

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Day 36 - Waking the Dead 2nd June 2014 Reading Acts 20 Scripture: Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight. There were many lamps in the upper room where they were gathered together. And in a window sat a certain young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep. He was overcome by sleep; and as Paul continued speaking, he fell down from the third story and was taken up dead. But Paul went down, fell on him, and embracing him said, Do not trouble yourselves, for his life is in him. Now when he had come up, had broken bread and eaten, and talked a long while, even till daybreak, he departed. And they brought the young man in alive. Acts 20:7-12 What do you do with long-winded preachers? Do you get bored? Well Paul preached six hours before the incident and then six more afterwards! The young man Eutychus had everything going for him: he was surrounded by committed disciples, hearing powerful preaching, receiving communion, and dwelling in a place full of light. Still, he had drifted: in a window sat a certain young man. He had dozed: sinking into a deep sleep. He had been defeated: he was overcome by sleep. He had dropped: he fell down from the third story. He was dead: and was taken up dead. Does this sad spiral describe your teenager today? Its never too late! Paul went down to him: no matter how low they fall, go to them. He fell on him: cover them in prayer! He embraced him: let them know you still love them. He preached hope: do not trouble yourselves, for his life is in him. If your friend/companion has trusted Christ, they may drift, doze, drop, even die. Do not trouble yourselves: the abundant, eternal life of Jesus is still in them. Go down to them, pray for them, embrace them, speak hope to them. You will bring them back in alive. Prayer: Father give me revelation today so that we will be able to go out and share a word of hope and speak a word of encouragement to them today.

2 Corinthians 2:14 God who manifests through us TurningPoint Church 5996 3048

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Day 37 - SeekListenFollow 3rd June 2014 Reading Acts 21 Scripture: On the next day wecame to Caesarea, and entered the house of Philip the evangelist And as we stayed many days, a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. When he had come to us, he took Pauls belt, bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus says the Holy Spirit, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles. Now when we heard these things, both we and those from that place pleaded with him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. So when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done. Acts 21:8-14 Do you ever put yourself in Pauls shoes? Have you ever been given clear direction from the Holy Spirit to do something which seems to go against conventional wisdom and against the advice of others? Do you sometimes believe that following the direction of the Holy Spirit will guarantee you a pleasant pathway, an easy journey, or even a safe outcome? In this passage, the prophet Agabus did not come bearing great news. The Holy Spirit was literally telling Paul that he would be bound and delivered to the Gentiles. So, why didnt Paul hesitate? Why did he obediently follow the prompting of the Holy Spirit? Paul had such a heart for following the teachings of Jesus Christ. He also truly understood the perfect direction and power of the Holy Spirit. Then he embraced the fact that his future was already determined - life eternal, even if it meant temporary pain and suffering here on earth. What decisions are you facing today? Do you really believe in your heart that the Holy Spirit is all-powerful, allknowing, and will guide you before, during, and after all your decisions and journeys? Seek the direction of the Holy Spirit today, listen to His direction, and follow His guidance. Prayer: God give me the discretion and wisdom to deal with whatever life throws at me. Give us direction, for us to be able to follow
2 Corinthians 2:14 God who manifests through us TurningPoint Church 5996 3048

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you. Day 38 - Sometimes You Just Cant Win 4th June 2014 Reading Jude Scripture: Then Paul took the men, and having been purified with them, entered the temple the Jews from Asia, seeing him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd, crying out, Men of Israel, help! This is the man who teaches all men everywhere against the people, the law, and this place... And all the city was disturbed; and the people ran together, seized Paul, and dragged him out of the temple... Now as they were seeking to kill him, news came to the commander of the garrison that all Jerusalem was in an uproar. He immediately took soldiers and centurions, and ran down to them. And when they saw the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul the multitude of the people followed after, crying out, Away with him! Acts 21:26-36 Sometimes you can do everything right and still have it turn out all wrong. Paul had gone to Jerusalem to celebrate Pentecost in obedience to the Holy Spirit - a good thing. He had submitted to the leaders in the church there - a good thing. He had agreed to pay 8 lambs, 4 rams and 4 baskets of grain for the men who had taken a vow - a good thing. He was trying to promote unity in the church and the gospel to the Jews - a good thing. He stayed with these men seven days, was purified with them, and was going into the temple to worship - a good thing. So good things will happen, right? Not always. Jews from Asia stirred up the crowd with lies against Paul; he was violently grabbed by a mob; he was dragged out of the temple; people were trying to kill him; the entire city was in an uproar; and it took an entire garrison of soldiers to get the crowd to stop beating Paul. What do we do when bad things happen to us even though we try to do the right thing? Find comfort in that you are being like Jesus. He did everything right and was crucified. When the crowd shouted at Paul, Away with him! perhaps he remembered the crowds that followed Jesus and said the exact same thing. Prayer: Father help us to be calm no matter what life throw at
2 Corinthians 2:14 God who manifests through us TurningPoint Church 5996 3048

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Day 39 - Father Knows Best 5th June 2014 Reading Acts 22: Scripture: Now it happened, when I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, that I was in a trance and saw Him saying to me, Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, for they will not receive your testimony concerning Me. So I said, Lord, they know that in every synagogue I imprisoned and beat those who believe on You. And when the blood of Your martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by consenting to his death, and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him. Then He said to me, Depart, for I will send you far from here to the Gentiles. And they listened to him until this word, and then they raised their voices and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth, for he is not fit to live! Acts 22:17-22 Roman soldiers had just saved Paul from an angry Jewish crowd at the Temple. Paul was being led away to relative safety, yet he asked the Roman leader if he could speak to the crowd one more time. Perhaps he thought: I may still be able to win a few Jews to Jesus. In verses 17-21 Paul finishes his speech. He tells the crowd that, years before, God had told him to no longer take the gospel to the Jews but to start taking it to other nations. The Jews became more angry and violent than ever, demanding Pauls death. .The Roman soldiers quickly took Paul into the fortress to protect him. We are sometimes like Paul, striving to do a hard and unproductive ministry of reaching Jews while forgetting Gods call to a more productive ministry of reaching Gentiles. Like Paul, we might feel uncomfortable leaving the harder work to do an easier ministry for Jesus even if God tells us to do so. In Pauls case, his loving Father graciously took control. He was in the hands of Roman authorities and would soon begin his trip to Rome away from the Jews to reach more Gentiles. May we always guard against a pride in what we are currently doing for the Kingdom that blinds us to the Fathers will for our lives. Prayer: Lord we pray that we focus not on what we want to rather on what you want us to do.
2 Corinthians 2:14 God who manifests through us TurningPoint Church 5996 3048

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Day 40 - Where Is Your Citizenship? 6th June 2014 Reading Romans 8:
Scripture: The commander ordered him to be brought into the barracks, and said that he should be examined under scourging, so that he might know why they shouted so against him. And as they bound him, Paul said to the centurion who stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman, and uncondemned? When the centurion heard that, he went and told the commander, saying, Take care what you do, for this man is a Roman. Then the commander came and said to him, Tell me, are you a Roman? He said, Yes. The commander answered, With a large sum I obtained this citizenship. And Paul said, But I was born a citizen. Then immediately those who were about to examine him withdrew from him; and the commander was also afraid after he found out that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him. Acts 22:24-29

As Australian citizens, we are protected by certain rights the Constitution affords us. We were born free, but it came at a great price. The Roman Centurion knew the price of freedom. He had fought many battles, maintained his allegiance to Rome and to Caesar, and had paid a huge sum of money to be a citizen of Rome (v.28). Paul on the other hand said, I was born free. Paul, by physical birth, understood what it meant to have freedom and guaranteed rights as a citizen of Rome. This birth right protected him from the Romans torturing him. But I believe Paul had another kind of freedom and citizenship in mind too. He was using his physical birthright to help us understand about our spiritual birthright. First, we become born again and set free by the blood of Jesus Christ as John 8:36 says, Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. Second, our citizenship in Gods family is free! We dont have to buy our freedom like the Roman centurion did. Romans 6:23 says, For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. And last, our spiritual birth guarantees us a new home. For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 3:20 Prayer: Lord thank you that it is by your blood we are free. Thank you for sending your son to give us another chance at eternity with you.
2 Corinthians 2:14 God who manifests through us TurningPoint Church 5996 3048

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Day 41 - A Guide through Our Mistakes 7th June 2014 Reading Acts 23: Scripture: Then Paul, looking earnestly at the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day. And the high priest Ananias commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth. Then Paul said to him, God will strike you, you whitewashed wall!... And those who stood by said, Do you revile Gods high priest? Then Paul said, I did not know, brethren, that he was the high priest; for it is written, You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people. But when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am being judged! And when he had said this, a dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees; and the assembly was divided. Acts 23:1-7 Paul had been doing quite well presenting before the Council up until this moment. He had been in control of his actions. But Paul was not at his best when he started calling the High Priest names. When Paul was rebuked for being disrespectful to the High Priest, he immediately corrected his own actions. The Holy Spirit guided him to quickly own up to his mistake. It would seem that everyone was against him now. In grace, the Holy Spirit guided Paul through his mistake. The Spirit helped Paul to perceive he was speaking to a mixed group of Sadducees (who didnt believe in the resurrection) and Pharisees (who did). Paul then declared, in the Spirit, that he was on trial for the hope and resurrection of the dead. He not only affirmed there was eternal life to be had and judgment to be avoided, he opened the door to Jesus as the Hope of the resurrection. He was graciously spared as now half of the assembly supported him. Because Paul knew how human he was, he relied heavily on the guiding of the Holy Spirit into all truth, whether he was publically humiliated or graciously spared. We, too, can trust the guiding of the Holy Spirit even when we make mistakes. Prayer: Lord we pray today that we focus not on the mistakes we made but on the fact that your Holy Spirit will guide us onto the right path.

2 Corinthians 2:14 God who manifests through us TurningPoint Church 5996 3048

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Day 42 - Be of Good Cheer! 8th June 2014 Reading Acts 13:1-41 Scripture: The following night the Lord stood by him and said, Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome. And when it was day, some of the Jews banded together and bound themselves under an oath, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul... So when Pauls sisters son heard of their ambush, he went and entered the barracks and told Paul. Then Paul called one of the centurions and said, Take this young man to the commander, for he has something to tell him. So the commander called for two centurions, saying, Prepare two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen to go to Caesarea Then the soldiers, as they were commanded, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris. Acts 23:11-31 Talk about a momentum stopper! Paul has just been given a vision from the Lord that without a doubt encouraged him for a couple of reasons: He was in prison! When someone is in prison, they hope for many things, but the main one is that they will be able to go where they want, when they want. Paul had desired to go to Rome. At this point in chapter 23, he has already written the book of Romans and in it, he had communicated his desire to visit them. How exciting this vision must have been, then! However, the very next morning Paul is alerted to a plot to take his life. That seems to have ruined everything. But God has bigger plans. Paul tells the commander of the prison about the plot, and he is taken that very night, under heavy guard to Caesarea, a town north of Jerusalem. Caesarea is a town right on the sea from which Paul will eventually set sail for and arrive at Rome. From a plot to take his life, to the fulfilment of this very encouraging vision, God used a scary situation to accomplish His good purpose. Do you know that God is doing the same for you? Be of good cheer! Prayer: Lord thank you that although we face scary situations we are able to say that you are working through us and leading us on the trail you have planned for each of us.

2 Corinthians 2:14 God who manifests through us TurningPoint Church 5996 3048

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Day 43 - An Inconvenient Truth 9th June 2014 Reading Acts 24: Scripture: And after some days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. Now as he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and answered, Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you. Meanwhile he also hoped that money would be given him by Paul, that he might release him. Therefore he sent for him more often and conversed with him. But after two years Felix, wanting to do the Jews a favour, left Paul bound. Acts 24:24-27 Nobody likes to be inconvenienced. Your boss dumps a huge project on you at the last minute. The family sits down to dinner, and a telemarketer calls. Your child lets you know the night before he has an exam that he needs your help. You get to the airport only to find your flight has been delayed or cancelled. You sit down to relax on the couch and watch your favourite TV show, and the doorbell rings. Felix found the gospel an inconvenience: Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you. To accept the gospel would make him unpopular with the Jewish people. To believe in Jesus would endanger his marriage with his Jewish wife. To embrace Gods grace meant hed have to face his own lack of righteousness and self-control. Felix was more afraid of how other people might judge him if he trusted Jesus than of how God would judge him if he did not. He listened to Paul for two years and pretended interest in hopes he could get something out of the gospel. In the end, it wasnt convenient to his way of life so he left the situation unchanged. Paul was left bound in chains, and Felix was left bound for hell. In the end, it is far more inconvenient to reject the gospel than to receive it. And the most convenient time for anyone to trust in Jesus is right now. Prayer: Lord we pray for strength today, that we will know when to act on your word at the right time.

2 Corinthians 2:14 God who manifests through us TurningPoint Church 5996 3048

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Day 44 - I Appeal to Jesus 10th June 2014 Reading Acts 25: Scripture: But Festus, wanting to do the Jews a favor, answered Paul and said, Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and there be judged before me concerning these things? So Paul said, I stand at Caesars judgment seat, where I ought to be judged. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as you very well know. For if I am an offender, or have committed anything deserving of death, I do not object to dying; but if there is nothing in these things of which these men accuse me, no one can deliver me to them. I appeal to Caesar. Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, You have appealed to Caesar? To Caesar you shall go! Acts 25:9-12 Paul had nowhere else to turn, so he appealed to Caesar. His chances with Caesar were pretty slim, but they were far better than his current situation. We have someone far more kind and compassionate and understanding than Caesar. His name is Jesus. When you have a need, appeal to Jesus. When your prayers are not being answered, appeal to Jesus. When you fear judgment for committing a terrible sin, appeal to Jesus. He died for you. He lives to make intercession for you. He pleads for you before His Father. When you appeal to Jesus, no one can deliver you to your enemy, Satan. No one can bring a charge against you. No one can condemn you. Whenever you appeal to Jesus, your Father says, You have appealed to Jesus? To Jesus you shall go! And when you go to Jesus, the One who died for you, your chances are very, very good you cant lose! Prayer: Lord thank you that we are able to come to you when we have nowhere else to turn. We pray that it is in our heart to put you as number one above all else.

2 Corinthians 2:14 God who manifests through us TurningPoint Church 5996 3048

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Day 45 - I Saw the Light! 11th June 2014 Reading Acts 26: Scripture: I myself thought I must do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. and many of the saints I shut up in prisonand when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. And I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities. As I journeyed to Damascus along the road I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun... And when we all had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads. So I said, Who are You, Lord? And He said, I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. Acts 26:915 Have you ever been convinced you are in the right only later to discover you couldnt be more in the wrong? Or blamed other people for misunderstandings only to discover later you were the one who miscommunicated? You feel rather silly afterwards dont you. Thats exactly what Paul experienced. He thought he was doing the right thing by putting saints imprison, voting to have them executed, torturing and compelling them to blaspheme the name of Jesus. He thought his rage was justifiable and his zeal to foreign cities was commendable. Until, he saw the light. Once Paul saw the light, he did something he had never done before: he fell to the ground. He heard something he had never heard before: the voice of Jesus. He experienced something he had never experienced before: God speaking to him by name in a language he could understand. He felt something he had never felt before: pure love and grace and forgiveness for all his sins. He responded in a way he had never responded before: he called Jesus, Lord. He met someone he had never met before: I am Jesus.May you see the Light - Jesus. And may you never be the same again! Prayer: Lord we pray that we have a heart like Paul to turn away from any sin that may fill our hearts and to correct others according to your word and not our own.
2 Corinthians 2:14 God who manifests through us TurningPoint Church 5996 3048

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Day 46 - Beyond Your Personal Testimony 12th June 2014 Reading Galatians 2: Scripture: King Agrippa to this day I stand, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than those which the prophets and Moses said would come - that the Christ would suffer, that He would be the first to rise from the dead, and would proclaim light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles. Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, you are beside yourself! Much learning is driving you mad! But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus, but speak the words of truth and reason King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you do believe. Then Agrippa said to Paul, You almost persuade me to become a Christian. And Paul said, I would to God that not only you, but also all who hear me today, might become both almost and altogether such as I am, except for these chains. Acts 26:19-29 This is Pauls fourth opportunity to preach before unbelieving audiences in or near Jerusalem: to the crowd near the foot of the Tower of Antonia in Acts 22; before the Sanhedrin in chapter 23; in the Court of Felix in chapter 24; and now, finishing up his speech to Governor Festus, King Agrippa, and their entourage. We can learn much from what Paul says and how he says it. When accused of being mad, he respectfully addresses the governor, most noble Festus, but firmly refutes the charge. When Agrippa says he was almost convinced, Paul responds with a passionate desire for Agrippa and all those in the room to become believers like himself. After telling his story, Paul firmly grounds his faith in Gods Word saying he has simply been bearing witness to what was already foretold by the prophets and Moses. It is as if he saysAnd if my personal testimony is not enough, go read it in the Bible for yourself. We all have our stories about how we encountered Jesus, and He changed our lives. But do we know Gods Word well enough to say to someone, Let me also tell you how the Jewish prophets foretold all about Jesus hundreds of years before He was born. Prayer: Lord we pray that we have the determination to seek more of your word, that we grow passionate desires in our hearts to know the details of your word.

2 Corinthians 2:14 God who manifests through us TurningPoint Church 5996 3048

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50 DAYS OF PENTECOST
Day 47 - Are You Ready to Give Up the Ship? 13th June 2014 Reading Acts 27: Scripture: a tempestuous head wind arose And because we were exceedingly tempest-tossed, the next day they lightened the ship. On the third day we threw the ships tackle overboard with our own hands Neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest beat on us Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the skiff and let it fall off So when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship and threw out the wheat into the sea... And they let go the anchors and left them in the sea, meanwhile loosing the rudder ropes ...they ran the ship aground the centurioncommanded that those who could swim should jump overboard first and get to land, and the rest, some on boards and some on parts of the ship. And so it was that they all escaped safely to land. Acts 27:14-44 Have you ever been on a boat or a ship in the middle of a terrible storm? Some people get sick with just a little bit of sea motion. Imagine how Paul and the entire ship of 276 passengers, mostly convicted criminals, felt being caught in this terrible storm for days, even weeks! Their only hope was to lighten the ship. Notice how they first got rid of the cargo, then the tackle, then the lifeboat, then the food, then the anchors, then the rudder, and then finally gave up the whole ship. God desires to bring each of us to the place where we are willing to give up anything and everything for Him. Usually we start with the expendables in our life - the cargo and the tackle. Then as things become more desperate, we are forced to give up what we had once thought was essential the lifeboat and our daily food. As trials continue, we find ourselves giving up control of that which anchors us and directs our course. And finally we give up everything, the ship. When we do, we are saved. Are you in the middle of a storm? What are you holding on to right now that needs to be given over to Jesus? Prayer: Lord we pray for understanding. Please help us put aside everything that may distract us from you, and put you first in everything we do.
2 Corinthians 2:14 God who manifests through us TurningPoint Church 5996 3048

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50 DAYS OF PENTECOST
Day 48 - Make Jesus Your Lifeboat 14th June 2014 Reading Romans 12: Scripture: All hope that we would be saved was finally given up. But after long abstinence from food, Paul stood in the midst of them and said, Men I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you. For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve, saying, Do not be afraid, Paul indeed God has granted you all those who sail with you. Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me And as day was about to dawn, Paul implored them all to take food, saying, I urge you to take nourishment, for this is for your survival, since not a hair will fall from the head of any of you. Then they were all encouraged, and also took food themselves. Acts 27:20-25, 33-36 When all hope is lost, Jesus is your Lifeboat. Sometimes we think there is no place to turn; no way out of the circumstance Were in. There doesnt seem to be any hope. Paul should have felt this way because he was lost at sea and without direction. The angel from God encouraged him and gave him strength and hope. Through this, he was able to offer the men encouragement in their time of despair. His message was simple: No one is going to die. Even though the situation seemed grim, the angel affirmed that all would be saved. Your life circumstances may have led you into the depths of despair where you think all hope is lost. You may be an emotional wreck. Your relationships may be tattered, your finances in ruins, and your stomach in a knot. Pauls writing offers words of comfort: In your time of need; do not be afraid. Jesus will restore you when you turn to Him and listen to His voice. He will comfort you and guide you to a safe haven. If youre feeling lost today without a compass, please listen for Gods guidance and direction from the source He sends to you. Prayer: Lord thank you that you are our lifeboat. Thank you that although we face tribulations we are comforted in you for you are always there to pick us up and cover us with your love.

2 Corinthians 2:14 God who manifests through us TurningPoint Church 5996 3048

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50 DAYS OF PENTECOST
Day 49 - Unusual Acts of Kindness 15th June 2014 Reading Acts 28: Scripture: Now when they had escaped, they then found out that the island was called Malta. And the natives showed us unusual kindness; for they kindled a fire and made us all welcome, because of the rain that was falling and because of the cold. But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat, and fastened on his hand. So when the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he has escaped the sea, yet justice does not allow to live. But he shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm. After they had looked for a long time and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god. Acts 28:1-6 Paul found himself shipwrecked, along with over 200 convicts, on a remote island. The natives were extremely kind to Paul and every passenger on the ship. These complete strangers even went as far as making a fire for people they didnt know. This kindness had a huge impact on Paul and the others. Keep in mind these were barbarous people and not Christians; they didnt have the Holy Spirit of God living in their hearts. Yet we still see they made a great effort to put others first with kindness. Although we have read this story many times, we notice the kindness of the natives. John Wooden, a legendary basketball coach once said, You cant live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you. Isnt that true! Doing something for someone who cant repay you - sounds like something Jesus would do. While we may not be able to change the world, we can start by changing our world. Over the next week, put others before yourself. Do one kind thing for someone else each day and ask God to work through your kindness to lead others to Jesus. Prayer: Lord today we pray that we put others before us. We pray that our kindness leads people to know you.

2 Corinthians 2:14 God who manifests through us TurningPoint Church 5996 3048

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50 DAYS OF PENTECOST
Day 50 - Leaving the Results to Him 16th June 2014

Reading Philippians2:
Scripture: So when they had appointed him a day, many came to him at his lodging, to whom he explained and solemnly testified of the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets, from morning till evening. And some were persuaded by the things which were spoken, and some disbelieved. So when they did not agree among themselves, they departed after Paul had said one word: The Holy Spirit spoke rightly through Isaiah the prophet to our fathers, saying, Go to this people and say: Hearing you will hear, and shall not understand; And seeing you will see, and not perceive; For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them. Acts 28:23-27 Sometimes when we share Gods word with others they turn their back, no matter how much we try to help them see the light they just refuse. Todays reading reminds us that it is not us, but the Holy Spirit, that changes hearts. Even Paul had those he had shared the gospel with who still chose to disbelieve. Whatever the results, we dare not take credit for those who receive and likewise not take the blame for those who do not. It is ours simply to obey and be used by the Holy Spirit to do what only He can do. So, today, take joy in simply being used by the Master and leave the results up to Him. Prayer: Lord we thank you that although it may seem hard to bring the lost to you, you will never fail us. Please fill our hearts with joy as we work to increase your kingdom.

2 Corinthians 2:14 God who manifests through us TurningPoint Church 5996 3048

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2 Corinthians 2:14 God who manifests through us TurningPoint Church 5996 3048

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