Mr. Tertullus, a lawyer hired by Paul’s opponents lashed out against Paul and Christianity. He said,

“We have found this man to be a troublemaker, stirring up riots among the Jews all over the world. He is a ringleader of the Nazarene sect and even tried to desecrate the temple; so we seized him” (Acts 24:5-7). Paul shunned Tertullus, but tactically defended his faith in the court. Paul articulated his speech and said to the judge, “…But this I confess to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect, so I worship the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law and in the Prophets. I have hope in God, which they themselves also accept, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust. This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men” (Acts 24:14-16).

Lesson:

Christianity has always faced opposition from unbelievers (and it would continue to face it). God is well and able to defend us if we are challenged. Inasmuch there is God on the throne, there is no force of any kind that can overpower us. We Christians are children of light, and no darkness can prevail over us. We are not ordinary people; we are God’s servants, and we have been anointed by Jesus Christ to proclaim his good news to the ends of the earth. Meanwhile, believers cannot afford to sit around unreasonable opponents and waste precious time needed to further gospel evangelization. Christians should avoid wasting time with people who are adamant in their archaic way of thinking and would not consider the benefits of the gospel. Believers should concentrate their efforts on sharing the gospel with people, and pay due attention to their willing audience. Also, we must follow up with people and ensure they remain consistent in their faith with the Lord. Our Christian efforts must be productive in all ramifications. As it is necessary, we must be prayerful to receive God’s grace and strength to keep standing in faith at all times.

Prayer:

In the name of Jesus Christ, I receive power and grace to continue preaching the irresistible gospel. I receive Christ’s anointing to share his gospel to every land, nation, and tongue. I receive the power of the Holy Spirit to stand firm in faith and be resilient in my confession of Jesus Christ. In the name of Jesus Christ, I reaffirm my authority over the devil and all his agents and instrument: I command them to bow in the name of Jesus Christ! I frustrate every power of the enemy that is set out to silence me. I command Satan to get lost from every aspect of my life so that I can continue to shine gospel light to the ends of the earth. For in the name of Jesus Christ I exercise my authority! Amen!

God designed the present earth to exist temporarily. He will remove it from existence as the scripture emphasized,

“I will utterly consume everything from the face of the land,” Says the Lord; “I will consume man and beast; I will consume the birds of the heavens, the fish of the sea, and the stumbling blocks along with the wicked. I will cut off man from the face of the land,” Says the Lord” (Zephaniah 1:2-3).

However, Jehovah promised to replace our corrupt earth with a better one that would be a perfect habitation for his saints. Only God’s saints will qualify to enjoy the new earth! God said,

“Then I will purify the lips of the peoples, that all of them may call on the name of the Lord and serve him shoulder to shoulder. From beyond the rivers of Cush my worshipers, my scattered people will bring me offerings. On that day you, Jerusalem, will not be put to shame for all the wrongs you have done to me, because I will remove from you your arrogant boasters. Never again will you be haughty on my holy hill. But I will leave within you the meek and humble. The remnant of Israel will trust in the name of the Lord. They will do no wrong; they will tell no lies. A deceitful tongue will not be found in their mouths. They will eat and lie down and no one will make them afraid.” (Zephaniah 3:9-13).

Lesson:

The present earth will not last eternally, but it will come to an end at God’s appointed time. Jehovah will establish new earth that is void of wickedness and corruption. Only those who have faithfully served God and believed in the testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ will qualify to enter the new earth and new heaven to be established. All workers of iniquity will not qualify to partake in paradise (new earth). Wicked people will be shut out of it, but they will have their portions in the lake of fire (Revelation 21:1-3).

Prayer:

Dear God, please make me qualify for your kingdom. Keep my feet firm within your gate by living a lifestyle that meets your standard. Let your Holy Spirit guide me into all righteousness so that my name can be written in the book of life. For in the name of Jesus Christ I make my requests. Amen.

Anti gospel people planned to kill Paul in an attempt to silence his campaign, but God frustrated their efforts. The scripture reported,

“Then the commander took him by the hand, went aside, and asked privately, “What is it that you have to tell me?” And he said, “The Jews have agreed to ask that you bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though they were going to inquire more fully about him. But do not yield to them, for more than forty of them lie in wait for him, men who have bound themselves by an oath that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him; and now they are ready, waiting for the promise from you.” So the commander let the young man depart, and commanded him, “Tell no one that you have revealed these things to me” (Acts 23:19-22).

 

Lesson:

People who aim at attacking God’s servants in an attempt to stop gospel expansion are just wasting their time. The Gospel of Jesus Christ cannot be stopped, since it is led by the Spirit of God. Meanwhile, those who persecute God’s servants are hurting God, and they will pay for their mistakes unless they repent. Instead of hurting God’s servants, we can choose to support and encourage them in their good works. We can pray for God’s servants and offer them the needed resources to continue to promote God’s interests in this world. God’s divine blessings will reign in our lives as we honor his ministers.

Prayer:

Dear God, I understand that your servants deserve honor, and I want to start honoring them. Please forgive me of any improper way that I have handled your servants in the past. Help me to start to do things rightly. I will start to pray for your servants and offer them every needed help so that they can continue to promote your interest in whatever capacity that you have positioned them. Please give me a loyal heart to keep supporting your gospel, so that your good works can be promoted in people’s lives locally and globally, and for your kingdom to be populated. For in the name of Jesus Christ I make my requests. Amen.

King Manasseh of Judah cared less about God, but focus on serving idols. He promoted idolatry to a great extent. He sacrificed his own children to an idol (as a human sacrifice). He also sponsored other evil practices such as witchcraft, sorcery, and spiritism. The scripture recorded about King Manasseh:

“And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord. Also, he caused his sons to pass through the fire in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom; he practiced soothsaying, used witchcraft and sorcery, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke Him to anger. He even set a carved image, the idol which he had made, in the house of God, of which God had said to David and to Solomon his son,

“In this house and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put My name forever; and I will not again remove the foot of Israel from the land which I have appointed for your fathers—only if they are careful to do all that I have commanded them, according to the whole law and the statutes and the ordinances by the hand of Moses.” So Manasseh seduced Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to do more evil than the nations whom the Lord had destroyed before the children of Israel” (2 Chronicles 33:5-9).

 

God punished King Manasseh for his evil deeds: Invaders captured and transported him to Babylon as a prisoner of war. However, the king later repented, and God forgave him of his sins It is reported,

“Now when he was in affliction, he implored the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before God of his fathers” (2 Chronicles 33:12).

God restored Manasseh and gave him another opportunity to do damage control.

Lesson:

God will forgive our sins if we repent from them. There is no sin too big for him to forgive. Once we show true humility and genuine repentance, he will forgive us. Meanwhile, the Creator expects us to make definite improvements after repentance. He wants us to disengage from our old and sinful ways. He wants us to work in a just path that is fit for his kingdom. The scripture emphasized, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Prayer:

Dear Jesus Christ, you have done enough job to save my life. You sacrificed your life and die for my sins on the cross. I repent from my sins today. I confess them and forsake them. I accept you, Jesus Christ, as my personal Lord and Savior. From now on, I am determined to start working newly with you – and I forsake my old way of life. My total life is committed to you from today, and forever! Amen.

Paul intelligently defeated his opponents by referencing scriptures to support his arguments. Two organized Jewish sects (Pharisees and Sadducees) that collaborated to persecute him for his ministerial activities became confused when Paul argued they were just harassing him based on the subject matter that some of them believed. (Pharisees believed in the resurrection but Sadducees did not). Paul – a lawyer turned preacher – demonstrated his skills as the scripture reported, “When Paul perceived that one part (of the opposing sects) were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council,

“Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee; 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. For Sadducees say that there is no resurrection—and no angel or spirit; but the Pharisees confess both. Then there arose a loud outcry. And the scribes of the Pharisees’ party arose and protested, saying, “We find no evil in this man; but if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him, let us not fight against God” (Acts 23:6-9).

Lesson:

Christians are not naive, but we are intelligent people showcasing the glory of God. Believers have natural abilities and inbuilt skills to preach the gospel wherever we go. Our skills must manifest to motivate other people to be in touch with God. The Creator has raised and trained us under different circumstances. He has dispersed us into various disciplines to develop the skills and strength needed to propagate the gospel. Every Christian has one ability or the other needed to aid the gospel and help populate God’s kingdom! Therefore, no Christians should complain of a lack of resources as an excuse for not preaching the gospel. Christians of every profession are expected to bring out their best for God. People of special expertise should propagate the gospel – whether lawyer, doctor, engineer, architect, nurse, pharmacist, journalist, carpenter, mechanic, accountant, housekeeper, janitor, cashier, clerk, secretary, politician, and others. All people must rise up to the task of preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. Without reservations, we must preach the gospel to people of various cultures and backgrounds. If we obey God, the devil’s kingdom will suffer losses and God’s kingdom will be populated.

Prayer:

Dear God, please make me a useful vessel for you. Give me the strength to use my natural ability (my gifts and my talents) to preach your gospel. Please use me to lead as many people as possible to your kingdom. I also pray for my fellow believers throughout the world that you grant them the courage to keep preaching your gospel. Let brethren keep preaching about you so that people can escape the punishment of hell and be qualified for heaven. Let the devil be put to shame and glory be given to your name through our effective evangelism! For in the name of Jesus Christ I make my requests. Amen.

Christians are required to give due honor to God; we must not take him for granted, but we must give all it takes to make him happy with our faithful living. The Creator reserves measurable punishments for any of his children that deviates from the truth. It is written,

“God is jealous, and the Lord avenges; The Lord avenges and is furious. The Lord will take vengeance on His adversaries, and He reserves wrath for His enemies; The Lord is slow to anger and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked. The Lord has His way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of His feet. He rebukes the sea and makes it dry, and dries up all the rivers. Bashan and Carmel wither, and the flower of Lebanon wilts. The mountains quake before Him, The hills melt, and the earth heaves at His presence, Yes, the world and all who dwell in it. Who can stand before His indignation? And who can endure the fierceness of His anger? His fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by Him. The Lord is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him. But with an overflowing flood He will make an utter end of its place, and darkness will pursue His enemies” (Nahum 1:2-8).

 

Lesson:

God’s goodness is ever available to overflow his children. He will go the extra mile to defend his names in their lives. However, the scriptures warn us to be careful in how we deal with God. We are not allowed to misuse his benefits; we must make every effort to appreciate him with godly living. If we do things right and serve him well, the Creator will increase his goodness in our lives, and he will decorate us with more honor.

Prayer:

Dear God, please give me the grace to walk in your ways always. Do not let me take your benefits for granted, but help me to be appreciative of them. Empower me to live an acceptable life before you always, and please multiply your benefits in my life, so that I can share the testimony of your goodness every day of my life. For in the name of Jesus Christ I make my requests. Amen.

God was dissatisfied with a woman who mocked King David after he danced and praised him. David had thrown a party for God and he had invited everyone to watch him dance before the Ark of God; however, David’s wife (Michal) despised and mocked him. She believed that the king had stooped too low to perform in such an event. Michal eventually confronted David and said,

“…How glorious was the king of Israel today, uncovering himself today in the eyes of the maids of his servants, as one of the base fellows shamelessly uncovers himself! (2 Samuel 6:20).” However, God and David were upset with Michal’s behavior; therefore, Michal was barren. The scripture reported, “So David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, who chose me instead of your father and all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the Lord, over Israel. Therefore I will play music before the Lord. And I will be even more undignified than this, and will be humble in my own sight. But as for the maidservants of whom you have spoken, by them I will be held in honor.” Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death” (2 Samuel 6:21-23).

 

Lesson:

No one should mock God and his servants. God is too significant to be mocked, and his servants are honorable! We should not be surprised to see God reacting to any irresponsible behavior that anyone demonstrates towards him and his servants. Therefore, everyone ought to be careful not to provoke God’s wrath! Meanwhile, Jehovah reserves blessings for people who honor him and give due respect to his servants. Anyone who recognizes God’s dignity and respects his servants are due for blessings.

Prayer:

Dear Lord, I prefer to receive little blessings than to receive huge curses. Therefore, I am determined to honor you and respect your servants so that I can prosper. Please do not let me take you or your servants for granted, but help me to give due honor to whom it belongs so that I can prosper in the land of the living. For in the name of Jesus Christ I make my requests. Amen.

Paul transformed from being a church persecutor to become a churchgoer. He had an encounter with God and converted to Christianity. Paul recounted his story and said, “I persecuted this Way (Christianity) to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women, as also the high priest bears me witness, and all the council of the elders, from whom I also received letters to the brethren, and went to Damascus to bring in chains even those who were there to Jerusalem to be punished.

“Now it happened, as I journeyed and came near Damascus at about noon, suddenly a great light from heaven shone around me. And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ So I answered, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting” (Acts 22:4-8). 

Lesson:

God is always willing to see a sinner repents of his/her sin and accepts the salvation offer of his Son Jesus Christ. Christ’s salvation is available to everyone. It is precious but free! Christ will accept anyone who comes to him. No matter how filthy someone’s life is, Christ will clean him/her up. He will repair damaged life and restore a beautiful future for anyone that comes to him. No religion is restricted, people of other faith can also come to Jesus Christ. He will accept everyone that comes to him – whether, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, traditionalist, or other. There is no other alternative means of obtaining eternal salvation than through Jesus Christ. People who currently practice other religions are expected to change their courses and become followers of Jesus Christ. All people must confess Jesus Christ as Lord to be saved. Jesus Christ said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

Prayer:

I have decided to follow Jesus; I have decided to follow Jesus; I have decided to follow Jesus. No turning back; no turning back! Today, I (mention your name) declare Jesus Christ as my Lord; I confess my sins and repent from them. I dedicate my complete life to Jesus Christ, and I will serve you for the rest of my life. No more sin! No more devil’s games! My life belongs to Jesus Christ from today, and forevermore! Amen.

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