2020 for JESUS - Day 184: JESUS is GOD... THE LORD... THE TRUTH...

Acts 5:1-11 

Ananias and Sapphira

1 "Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. 

2 With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet.

3 Then Peter said, 

'Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to THE HOLY SPIRIT and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? 

4 Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to GOD.'

5 When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened. 

6 Then some young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him.

7 About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 

8 Peter asked her, 

'Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?'

'Yes,' she said, 'that is the price.'

9 Peter said to her, 

'How could you conspire to test THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD? 

Listen! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, 

and they will carry you out also.'

10 At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 

11 Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events."

2020 for JESUS - Day 183: JESUS is GREAT POWER... THE RESURRECTION... LORD JESUS... GOD's GRACE...

Acts 4:32-37

The Believers Share Their Possessions

32 "All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. 

33 With GREAT POWER the apostles continued to testify to THE RESURRECTION of the LORD JESUS. And GOD's GRACE was so powerfully at work in them all.

 34 that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 

35 and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.

36 Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”), 

37 sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet."

2020 for JESUS - Day 182: JESUS is GOD... SOVEREIGN LORD... THE LORD... HIS ANOINTED ONE... YOUR HOLY SERVANT JESUS... LORD... YOUR WORD... THE WORD OF GOD...

LORD GOD, the year 2020 has come to it's halfway point! 

What a year!  YOU have our attention!

We want to learn more of YOUR will and YOUR way through YOUR written word, the Bible.  

Thank YOU, that as we've read this year, we have already found 432 names and/or descriptions of JESUS.  

May we continue to learn about JESUS and from JESUS... 

In the NAME OF JESUS, we pray this prayer.

Acts 4:23-31

The Believers Pray

23 "On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 

24 When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to GOD. 

'SOVEREIGN LORD,' 
they said, 

'YOU made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. 

25 YOU spoke by THE HOLY SPIRIT through the mouth of YOUR servant, our father David:

'Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?
26 The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together
against THE LORD and against HIS ANOINTED ONE.'

27 Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against YOUR HOLY SERVANT JESUS, WHOM YOU anointed. 

28 They did what YOUR power and will had decided beforehand should happen. 

29 Now, LORD, consider their threats and enable YOUR servants to speak YOUR WORD with great boldness. 

30 Stretch out YOUR hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of YOUR HOLY SERVANT JESUS.'

31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with THE HOLY SPIRIT and spoke THE WORD OF GOD boldly."

2020 for JESUS - Day 181: JESUS is JESUS CHRIST OF NAZARETH... GOD... THE STONE YOU BUILDERS REJECTED... THE CORNERSTONE... SALVATION... NO OTHER NAME UNDER HEAVEN GIVEN TO MANKIND BY WHICH WE MUST BE SAVED...

Acts 4:1-22

Peter and John Before the Sanhedrin

1"The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. 

2 They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people, proclaiming in JESUS the resurrection of the dead. 

3 They seized Peter and John and, because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. 

4 But many who heard the message believed; so the number of men who believed grew to about five thousand.

5 The next day the rulers, the elders and the teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. 

6 Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and others of the high priest’s family. 

7 They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: 

'By what power or what name did you do this?'

8 Then Peter, filled with THE HOLY SPIRIT, said to them: 

'Rulers and elders of the people! 

9 If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, 

10 then know this, you and all the people of Israel: 

It is by the name of JESUS CHRIST OF NAZARETH, whom you crucified but whom GOD raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. 

11 JESUS is

‘THE STONE YOU BUILDERS REJECTED

which has become THE CORNERSTONE.’

12 SALVATION is found in no one else, for there is NO OTHER NAME UNDER HEAVEN GIVEN TO MANKIND BY WHICH WE MUST BE SAVED.'   

13 When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with JESUS. 

14 But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say. 

15 So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together. 

16 'What are we going to do with these men?' they asked. 

'Everyone living in Jerusalem knows they have performed a notable sign, and we cannot deny it. 

17 But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, 

we must warn them to speak no longer to anyone in this name.'

18 Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of JESUS. 

19 But Peter and John replied, 

'Which is right in GOD’s eyes: to listen to you, or to HIM? 

You be the judges! 

20 As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

21 After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising GOD for what had happened. 

22 For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old."

2020 for JESUS - Day 180: JESUS is THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, ISAAC, AND JACOB... THE GOD OF OUR FATHERS... THE HOLY AND RIGHTEOUS ONE... THE AUTHOR OF LIFE... GOD... HIS MESSIAH... THE LORD... THE MESSIAH... THE LORD YOUR GOD... A PROPHET... ABRAHAM'S OFFSPRING...

Acts 3:11-26

Peter Speaks to the Onlookers

11 While the man held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon’s Colonnade. 

12 When Peter saw this, he said to them: 
'Fellow Israelites, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? 

13 THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, ISAAC, AND JACOB, 
THE GOD OF OUR FATHERS,  
has glorified HIS servant JESUS. 

You handed HIM over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let HIM go. 

14 You disowned THE HOLY AND RIGHTEOUS ONE and asked that a murderer be released to you. 

15 You killed THE AUTHOR OF LIFE, but GOD raised HIM from the dead. 
We are witnesses of this. 

16 By faith in the name of JESUS, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is JESUS’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see.

17 “Now, fellow Israelites, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. 

18 But this is how GOD fulfilled what HE had foretold through all the prophets, saying that 
HIS MESSIAH would suffer. 

19 Repent, then, and turn to GOD, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from THE LORD, 

20 and that HE may send THE MESSIAH, WHO has been appointed for you—even JESUS. 

21 Heaven must receive HIM until the time comes for GOD to restore everything, as HE promised long ago through HIS holy prophets. 

22 For Moses said, 

'THE LORD YOUR GOD will raise up for you A PROPHET like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything HE tells you. 

23 Anyone who does not listen to HIM will be completely cut off from their people.’

24 “Indeed, beginning with Samuel, all the prophets who have spoken have foretold these days. 

25 And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant GOD made with your fathers. HE said to Abraham, 
'Through your (Abraham's) OFFSPRING all peoples on earth will be blessed.’

26 When GOD raised up HIS servant, HE sent HIM first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.'"

2020 for JESUS - Day 179: JESUS is JESUS CHRIST OF NAZARETH... GOD...

Acts 3:1-10 

Peter Heals a Lame Beggar

1"One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon. 

2 Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. 

3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. 

4 Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, 

'Look at us!' 

5 So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.

6 Then Peter said, 

'Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of JESUS CHRIST OF NAZARETH, walk.” 

7 Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. 

8 He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising GOD. 

9 When all the people saw him walking and praising GOD, 

10 they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him."

2020 for JESUS - Day 178: JESUS is GOD... THE LORD...

Today's reading comes after our 2 days of reading about 

 the Day of Pentecost, when:

• There were people in Jerusalem "from every nation under heaven".
• The Holy Spirit enabled the apostles to speak/teach those people in their own languages that the apostles had never learned to speak...
• 3,000 repented of their sins and were baptized into CHRIST...

Now let's look at what happened next...

Acts 2:42-47

The Fellowship of the Believers

42 "They devoted themselves to 

• the apostles’ teaching and 
• to fellowship, 
• to the breaking of bread and 
• to prayer. 

43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles.

44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 

45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 

46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 

47 praising GOD and enjoying the favor of all the people. And THE LORD added to their number daily those who were being saved."