Author: Jim Cantelon

Key Verse: Acts 24:26 “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.” She was just a nice little old lady. She came to our door in Jerusalem, out of breath, and clutching a large notebook and a beat-up tape recorder. She said she wanted to talk to me about Jesus, and “would you mind if I tape our conversation? I’d like to write and article for a Canadian magazine.” “No problem”, I said, and I even let her use my tape-recorder when hers malfunctioned....

Key Verse: Acts 23:6c “I stand on trial because of my hope in the resurrection of the dead.” (NIV) Paul’s troubles in Jerusalem continues. Even though he was now in the care of the Roman commander, he still had to face the hostility of the people. This time it was the commander himself who was catalyst to the problem. He “wanted to find out exactly why Paul was being accused by the Jews” (22:30a), so he “ordered” the chief priests and all the Sanhedrin to assemble and brought Paul and had him stand before them” (v.30b, c). Paul had no sooner begun...

Key Verse: Acts 21:28 “Men of Israel, help! This is the man who teaches all men everywhere against the people, the law, and this place; and furthermore he also brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled the holy place.” Have you been feeling sorry for yourself lately? Are your friends (the ones who should know better) misunderstanding you? Your enemies misrepresenting you? People taking you totally the wrong way — some even wanting to harm you? Are you fed up with the mixed signals, the lies, and the anger of everybody around you? Do your need someone out there who will...

Key Verse: Acts 20:9a “And in a window sat a certain young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep.” Did you hear the story about the young Dutch boy whose family had just emigrated to America? The only church in their town was a vigorous, outgoing little community of committed believers who had an equally energetic pastor. When he preached, he use to wave his arms, full-length, and take large draughts from a pitcher of water place to one side of the pulpit. The first Sunday the new Dutch family was in attendance, the pastor was especially animated — shouting,...

Key Verse: Acts 18:28 “For he vigorously refuted the Jews publicly, showing from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.” Paul’s second missionary journey begins in Acts 15:36 and his third in 18:23. It’s difficult remembering all the towns and cities he visited. But it’s not so tough to remember that his ministry focused mainly on what is now Western Turkey and Greece. Antioch was his “gentile” home base, Jerusalem his Jewish. Nor is it difficult to remember that, although Paul ministered mainly in the gentile world, he usually went first to the synagogues...

Key Verse: Acts 16:30 “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” There aren’t many places in Acts where Luke includes himself in the narrative, but here’s one occasion when he does. “Once when we were going to the place of prayer,” he recounts, “we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling” (v.16). He goes on to say the this girl, “followed Paul and the rest of us shouting, ‘These men are servants of the most High God, who are telling you...

Key Verse: Acts 14:15 “…We also are men with the same nature as you, and preach to you that you should turn from these vain things to the living God…” Perhaps you’ve noticed that people whom God has gifted with a genuine ministry of “signs and wonders” are generally pretty self-effacing about it. They keep saying things like, “I didn’t do this, God did…” or, “this is God’s doing, I’m just an instrument in His hand…” You might think it’s wonderful to have such gifts. Think again. It’s a...

Key Verse: Acts 13:32,33a “And we declare to you glad tidings — the promise which was made to the fathers. God has fulfilled this for us their children, in that He has raised up Jesus.” Paul made three missionary journeys. In this chapter we see him travelling from Antioch to Derbe and back, by way of Seleucia, Cyprus, Attalia, Perga, Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. The Antioch church had a remarkable group of people prophesying and teaching. Men like Barnabas, Simeon, Lucius, Manaen (a one-time friend of the Tetrarch, Herod), and Saul. During a prayer time, the Holy...

Key Verse: Acts 12:15 “You’re out of your mind’, they told her.” (NIV) Imagine that your local church suddenly came under intense persecution. The laws of the land had changed. Whereas once it had been legal to worship God, now suddenly, anyone caught worshipping God was thrown into prison. The obvious target for the authorities was pastors. Yesterday they imprisoned your pastor. So they church board called an all-night prayer meeting. Because it was dangerous to use the church building, they asked if it might be held at your house. You agreed. Tonight your house is full...