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Living Waters of Grace 11.11.25 · Living Waters of Grace / Calvary Chapel of Westmoreland Sunday Services

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This is Living Waters of Grace, the teaching ministry of Clark
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Wofford, senior pastor of Calvary Chapel of Westmoreland,
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County of Greensburg, PA. Now here's Pastor Clark as he
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continues teaching through God's Word.
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So these guys are in one of the most difficult places in their
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lives. They don't know if they're going
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to live or. Die instead of complaining,
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they're praying, which we should do when we're in tough
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situations that we don't like, we should pray.
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Cause the power of prayer and power of praise is a releasing
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power and delivering power from the things that are in our lives
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that we don't like. And I'm sure you've experienced
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that when you pray, when you're in tough situations, things
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begin to change. This life is full of challenges.
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More often than we'd like, we're faced with situations that are
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too big for us to handle on our own.
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But those times are opportunities for us to trust in
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God and have faith that He has a solution for us that we couldn't
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have seen coming for ourselves. In today's message, Pastor Clark
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teaches you about how Paul and Silas praised God even when they
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were put in prison. They didn't yet know how it was
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going to happen, but they had faith that the Lord would set
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them free. Now, here's Pastor Clark in Acts
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chapter 16 with today's edition of Living Waters of Grace.
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When you think about Paul and Barnabas and Timothy and Paul
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was eventually martyred, we get like this inside.
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Look at what it was like to live as these pioneers.
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We get to read it and participate in it and for
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reflect on it and meditate on it.
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And perhaps somehow living in a small way in the areas that we
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live and where we come from, because there's unreached people
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group right in Greensburg, PA, There's people, believe it or
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not that know nothing about Jesus Christ.
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And you might say, well, how in America could you be here and
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not know anything about the gospel?
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What's because of where we are today as a nation, people and
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these young people? When I grew up as a Pagan, at
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least I knew that there was a God.
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I believe that there was a Jesus.
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I believe that the Bible was true, but I wasn't born again
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yet. But I had that basic worldview.
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Now you talk to young people. Do you know anything about Jesus
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Christ or the Bible or God or the Trinity or the the cross or
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the resurrection? They look at you like deer in
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the headlight. They have no idea what you're
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talking about. So you're starting back to
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square 1 and it can be dangerous, especially now if you
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aggressively proclaim the gospel.
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There's beginning to be persecution in our country.
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In Canada, pastors that preach out against abortion or same sex
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marriages are being imprisoned. How soon will that be here in
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our country? This is all involved in this
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missionary vision. So Paul is going to go to
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Macedonia now. And we continue in verse 11,
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this woman by the name of Lydia, she's baptized at Philippi.
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Philippi is a wonderful region, opportunity for a new church.
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Not a whole lot of Jewish people.
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There was no synagogue there because you needed ten men who
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were part of the synagogue in order to have a legitimate
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synagogue. So you'll see, it's interesting
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here that there is no synagogue. They're meeting down by the
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river. So therefore sailing from Troas,
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we ran a straight course as a moth, and the next day came to
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Neopolis and there to Philippi, which is the foremost city of
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that part of Macedonia, a colony.
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So they're in Greece now, and we were staying in that city for
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some days, and on the Sabbath day we went out of the city to
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the Riverside. Now, normally in the Sabbath
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day, Paul and Silas and Timothy would have gone into the
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synagogue to preach, but there was number synagogue there.
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So they went out of the city to the Riverside, where prayer was
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customarily made, and we sat down and spoke to the women who
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met there. Now, the rabbi said it's better
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to have the law burned and to deliver the Torah to women.
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That's how discriminating and discussing the culture was
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toward women at the time, especially in Judaism and the
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rabbi's. There was a low level of esteem
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for women, which Paul certainly doesn't have here.
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And now a certain woman named Lydia heard us.
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She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyrotyra, who
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worship God. Thyrotyra is this community, the
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city that's known for development of purple and dyed
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material, garments and clothing. And so she's probably got an
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office down here now in Philippi, following up that
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she's a very successful businesswoman.
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And they're down there worshipping God, but they're not
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worshipping the truth about God yet because they don't know it,
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But they're there in their religious form of trying to
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develop this encounter with the living God of Abraham, Isaac,
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and Jacob. And then it says the Lord opened
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her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul.
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So Paul's preaching the gospel and all of a sudden she's
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recognizing that there's something missing.
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And her understanding of God and her heart became convicted, and
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she began to become drawn to the gospel.
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And the Lord opened her heart to heed, to obey, to follow the
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things spoken by Paul. And it's like anywhere you go
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here today, your home, your community, your workplace, you
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share the Lord with people as you have opportunity to, and the
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Lord opens doors for you. You can't make anybody believe.
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You can't force anybody to understand the truth.
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You have to have patience and you have to understand that only
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the Lord can open the heart for people to believe.
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That's our job. We're to pray and pray, Lord,
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open the hearts of those who come here to hear your voice, to
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believe Your word, to follow you.
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And the Lord will do that. His word is not without power.
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It's sharper than any 2 edged sword.
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It's able to divide us under the soul and the spirit and is very
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discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
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Even today your mind might be drifting.
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You're thinking about all kind of things, but God will take
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something from His Word and Pierce your heart with it.
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Convict you, challenge you, make you think about Him more, make
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you love Him more, make you want to follow Him more.
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Maybe put a burden on your heart for someone you care about that
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you want to tell them about what He's done for you.
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A host of things that can happen, but the Spirit is the
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one that interacts with the Speaker of the Word and the
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Hearer of the Word. There's a divide between me and
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you today. I'm speaking, you're listening,
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but there's someone in between what's happening here today.
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And that's God the Holy Spirit that knows what it is you need,
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what it is I need. And He's the one will give you
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what it is you need to know about the truth.
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And this is what he did for Lydia here.
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And she believed, and it says in verse 15, and when she and her
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household were baptized, she begged us, saying, if you have
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judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.
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So she persuaded us. So a big party here.
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All these people are baptized. She wants to bless them, and she
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now wants to give of herself to them because they have given
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themselves to her and her friends.
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And now they're having this Christian fellowship.
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And they stayed with her for a while.
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And verse 16, now it happened as we went to prayer that a certain
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slave girl possessed with the spirit of divination met us who
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brought our masters much profit by fortune telling.
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So in between the time of them staying at this home, there's
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more work to be done, more ministry.
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So they're praying, they get together and pray about, OK,
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God, what's your plans? What's next?
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What do we do next? Where do you want us to go?
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And there was a certain slave girl, she's demon possessed.
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And this is what she's doing in verse 17.
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This girl followed Paul and us and cried out, saying these men
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are the servants of the Most High God who proclaimed us the
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way of salvation. And this she did for many days.
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Now everything she's saying here obviously is true.
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Even though she's demon possessed, the Bible says the
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demons know the truth and they fear the truth because they know
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it's the truth. But they've already committed
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themselves to the Prince of the power of the air of the devil.
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They're demonic beings that serve him.
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But she's crying out saying these men are the servants of
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the most high God, which is true, who proclaim to us the way
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of salvation, which is true. But Paul and Silas and Timothy
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weren't saying, boy, this is great, isn't it?
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We have this marketing person here advertising for us, getting
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everybody interested and crowds coming, that kind of stuff.
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And she's doing this, this not once in a while, this like over
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and over and over again. And then Paul, it says here, but
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Paul greatly annoyed. It got to him so much.
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I can't deal with this anymore. He turned and said to the
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Spirit, I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out
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of her. And he came out that very hour.
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So this woman no longer was going to be saying what she was
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going to be saying. Obviously in her right mind.
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Now the demon is not possessing her to cause her to 'cause this
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rift in regard to what Paul's proclaiming in regard to the
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power of the spirit versus demonic activity, she has no
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ability to do this anymore. And so verse 19, when her Master
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saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and
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Silas and dragged them into the marketplace of the authorities.
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These guys owned this woman and they made a lot of money because
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of what she was doing. And so every time she's out
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there, she's getting crowds for all kind of different reasons.
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Now she doesn't have this spiritual power and influence
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anymore. So they're upset, their profits
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gone. So they grab Paul and Silas and
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drag them into the marketplace of the authorities and they
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brought them to the magistrates and said these men being Jews,
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exceedingly trouble our city. And they teach customs which are
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not lawful for us being Romans to receive or observe.
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So they're basically accusing these missionaries as being cult
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people, pushing lies, teaching things that aren't true.
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Of course, Roman empires basically Pagan and they were
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into mythology, they weren't into truth.
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So anything that countered their worship of of Pagan gods would
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be not received well. And so they're approaching this
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from a legal point of view. They're saying this is not
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lawful for this to be occurring. So the multitude rose up
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together against them and the magistrates and tore off their
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clothes and commanded them to be beaten with rod.
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So this problem occurs. There's this insurrection of the
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community and these magistrates, and they are not even listening
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to anything Paul or Silas might say.
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They automatically think these guys are evil and that they're
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bad news and they need to be dealt with, so it says.
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And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them
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in the prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely.
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So not even a fair case here. This is just ridiculous.
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And this is unfortunately what happens in many parts of the
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world even today. People just genuinely caring
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about the world, loving people, telling them about Jesus Christ
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and the gospel. And this is the kind of
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treatment that many people receive, missionaries,
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especially in these countries that are Antichrist.
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And so after they beat them, they throw them in jail.
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Having received such a charge, verse 24, he put them in the
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inner prison and fastened their feet in the stalk so they
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couldn't even move around. They were stuck in one position.
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But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying verse 25, and
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singing hymns to God. What kind of guys were these
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men? They weren't complaining, saying
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I need legal justice, We're treated unfairly.
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Get someone up here immediately. Take these stalks off of us.
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We're uncomfortable, we're hungry.
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This isn't fair. That's normally the approach
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that most people would have, but they're singing and worshiping
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the Lord, praying and singing hymns to the Lord.
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So these guys are in one of the most difficult places in their
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lives. They don't know if they're going
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to live or die. Instead of complaining, they're
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praying, which we should do when we're in tough situations that
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we don't like, we should pray. Cause the power of prayer and
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power of praise is a releasing power and delivering power from
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the things that are in our lives that we don't like.
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And I'm sure you've experienced that when you pray when you're
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in tough situations, things begin to change.
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But they're not any praying, they're they're singing and
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worshipping God, singing hymns to God.
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God inhabits the praises of his people.
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I sense wherever we've been during the week, whatever
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challenge, whatever adversity or difficulty we might be
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encountering, when we're worshipping God and our eyes are
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on the Lord and we're sensing the presence of the Holy Spirit,
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things start happening inside of us that are supernatural.
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They release strongholds, they break bondages, they deliver us
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from sin. I mean, this wonderful healing
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power because of prayer and worship.
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And we want to be known as a church that teaches a word,
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praise the Word, and worships the Lord so that we can all stay
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in a place of spiritual growth and spiritual health and
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spiritual development. And so what's happening though,
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is they're doing this and they're not doing this to get a
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show. You know, we don't like this,
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but let's like, let's act like we like it or we're OK.
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And maybe we can be a testimony here.
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There was none of this stuff in their heads.
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They were just doing what came to them by the work of the
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Spirit, it says. And the prisoners were listening
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to them. How about you and me?
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When you're going through tough times, difficult things, things
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that aren't fair or whatever, and people who know you or watch
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your life or you know, examine how you handle things, keep in
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mind that people are always watching your life and how you
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handle what it is that you're going through.
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And these prisoners, as they were listening to them,
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something was happening to them as well.
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Suddenly there was a great earthquake, verse 26, so that
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the foundations of the prison were shaken and immediately all
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the doors were open and everyone's chains were loose.
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Now, how in the world can that happen except a miracle of God?
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Right when you pray, things happen.
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And the keeper of the prison, awakened from sleep and seeing
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the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his
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sword and was about to kill himself.
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This guy's ready to commit suicide.
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He knew that if this went down wrong and these people escaped,
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he would be held responsible and they would end up killing him.
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That would be worthy of a crime against the government.
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But Paul called with a loud voice saying, do yourself no
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harm for we are all here. This guy probably can't believe
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it. I mean, if you're a prisoner,
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all you're thinking about is escaping from jail, right?
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You read about these guys have come up with these elaborate
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ideas of how to dig tunnels and get special tools to take
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handcuffs off or whatever and hide, you know, the hole that
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they're making and work on it for months and months and
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months. And finally they find a way to
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get out. They get out.
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They're usually caught again, but it's something inside a
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prisoner's mind. They don't like to be
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restrained. They're looking to get out.
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This is what happened, the opportunity to get out.
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And Paul says we're all here, So even these prisoners, no one
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left. Then he called for a light and
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he ran, and he fell down trembling before Paul and Silas.
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And he brought them out and said, sirs, what must I do to be
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saved? That's an interesting question
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There. Was he asking them, what must I
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do to be saved so that they don't come and kill me if these
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people, you know, escape? Or is he genuinely asking the
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clear question that every human being needs to ask that was
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without Christ, without hope in the world, what must I do to be
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saved? Aren't we glad that Paul didn't
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say, well, first of all, you need to be circumcised, That's
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not for me, I'm not interested. Paul certainly gave him the
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truth of the gospel. He said believe on the Lord
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Jesus Christ and you will be saved.
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You and your household doesn't mean that the people that were
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part of the family were automatically saved because this
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guy became a believer. But what was going to happen was
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the whole family was going to hear the gospel.
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And according to this and the understanding of this is that
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the whole family became believers in Jesus Christ.
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These are adult people. This wasn't a, a special little
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verse in here now that we're going to say, well, the babies
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will be baptized and they'll be saved and all that kind of
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stuff. No, there's one Lord, 1 faith,
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one baptism, one God and Father who is above all and in all
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through all. And you have the one baptism,
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which is the water baptism that adult believers, people who are
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at the age of accountability to understand their need of a
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Savior. They're believing in Christ and
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then obedience to the Bible and what Jesus said to baptize them
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in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
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So this is a move of God's Spirit in this whole family.
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And then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who
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were in his house. So everybody got to hear the
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gospel and he took them the same hour of the night and wash their
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stripes. So this man was so thankful for
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what Christ had done to save him that he wanted to, you know,
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help this bleeding and bandage him up and clean, make sure
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there's no infection and, and the beating that Paul and Silas
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had received. And immediately he and all his
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family were baptized. So after he ministered to Paul
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and Silas, then Paul and Silas baptized the whole family and
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the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, because now they
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were part of the body of Christ. And now when he had brought them
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into the house, he set food before them, and he rejoiced,
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having believed in God with all his household.
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And So what a beautiful thing it says.
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This is the end of this chapter. And when it was day, the
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magistrate sent the officer saying Let those men go.
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So the keeper of the prison reported these words to Paul,
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saying, the magistrates have sent to let you go now therefore
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depart and go in peace. But Paul said to them, they have
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beaten us openly, uncondemned Romans and have thrown us into
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prison. And now do they put us out
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secretly? No, indeed, let them come
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themselves and get us out. These guys are freaking out.
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It's a crime against the Roman Empire and the truth of the
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Roman government that you do not beat Roman citizens.
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And so they're already culpable of a crime.
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These magistrates, Paul's making it clear now what you guys did
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to us was unlawful. And he said, no, we want these
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guys to come themselves and recognize their wrongdoing and
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get us out. So the officers told these words
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to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that
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they were Romans. Then they came and pleaded with
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them and brought them out and asked them to depart from the
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city. So they went out of the prison
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and entered the House of Lydia. So they didn't leave right away.
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They want to fellowship more with Lydia at her house.
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And when they had seen the brethren, they were with the
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rest of the new believers. They encouraged them, and then
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they departed. So I just find it so encouraging
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to read these truths from the book of the Acts.
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The work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of the apostles and
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the believers and the work of the Holy Spirit continues today
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in your life and mine. God's called everyone of you for
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a purpose, everyone of you, and you have the authority and the
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anointing of God to do the ministry and the work of God
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with the truth of the Word of God.
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Because you have the Word of God in your hands, you have it in
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your mind, you have it in your heart, and God is looking for
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opportunities to use your life as you just step up and make
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yourself available to Him. Amen.
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Christianity is not a spectator sport, is it?
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We're all to be active participants in the work of the
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ministry. The purpose of the church is to
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equip the Saints, and that's you guys for the work of the
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ministry. You'll go out, you'll rub
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shoulders with people. Many of them don't even know
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what you know. Pray and ask the Lord to give
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you an opportunity, an open door to plant a seed, to give a
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testimony, to tell someone what the Lord's done for you.
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And you never know what God might do.
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He might open their heart like he did for Lydia and they might
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become believers, right? And I'm sure most of you guys
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have encountered that. You shared your faith with
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someone and because of that, they've become believers in
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Jesus Christ. So if you've never put your
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faith in Christ, the word says to you, you can say the same
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question, what must I do to be saved?
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Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, believe on him, and you
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will be saved. Lord, I'm a Sinner.
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I've messed up. I've done things I wish I
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wouldn't have done. I'm still a Sinner and I still
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mess up. But God Forgives us, doesn't He?
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He forgives us. He's the only perfect one.
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We're all imperfect, but God's perfect, and He chooses to use
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imperfect people to accomplish His perfect will.
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Isn't that awesome? You or I?
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None of us have a right to stand up here and proclaim anything
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about ourselves. We preach Jesus Christ and Him
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crucified. Amen, because He's the 1:00 we
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put our trust in. Thanks for joining us on today's
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edition of Living Waters of Grace, a ministry of Calvary
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Chapel, Westmoreland. Today, Pastor Clark is teaching
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about the book of Acts. And as we learn more about Acts,
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it becomes clear that the early church didn't miss a single
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opportunity to share the gospel. In nearly every chapter, you see
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apostles like Peter and Paul stepping into conversations,
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crowds, and crises with boldness, ready to proclaim the
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name of Jesus. Their example challenges us to
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consider how we might step into gospel moments in our own lives.
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What doors might God open this week for you to speak truth,
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offer hope, or live out your faith in a way that points
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others to him? The story of Acts reminds us we
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are part of the same mission. Today, let's live with eyes open
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and hearts ready to respond. We hope you are challenged by
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today's message. If you're in the Greensburg, PA
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area, we'd love to see you in person this Sunday at 10:30 AM
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at 400 E Pittsburgh St. Unit 6B.
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For more information, visit calvarychapelonline.com.
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You could also join our e-mail list, give online or submit a
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prayer request right from the site.
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If you can't make it in person, be sure to tune in on the
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Calvary Chapel Westmoreland YouTube channel.
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Subscribe so you never miss new teachings.
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If you were in the Greensburg area, you can listen to Grace FM
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on the new 91.7 frequency. Pray about helping financially
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support the new station that will reach thousands more
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listeners. Send financial gifts to Grace
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FMPO Box 716, Greensburg, PA 15601.
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Once again, we're so grateful you joined us today to be
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inspired by God's Word. Please tune in again for more
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Living Waters of Grace.