Kicking Against the Goads

Song: Trust And Obey

Scripture: Acts 9:1-5

Then the Lord said, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads" (Acts 9:5).

Farmers would use goads to break in oxen to plow the ground. To kick against the goad was painful. The goad was used to prod and to prick the ox into submission.

Saul of Tarsus was resisting Jesus. In so doing he was "kicking against the goads." Jesus had been pursuing Saul, prodding and pricking him to bring him to repentance. On the road to Damascus, the stiff-neck of the Pharisee bowed.

Obedience is easy. Disobedience is hard. Stop "kicking against the goads" and obey Jesus.

Jason Cicero

Persecution and Vestavia

Song: The Gospel Is For All

Scripture: Acts 8:1-4

"Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word" (Acts 8:4).

When "a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem" the family of God increased. The Kingdom spread. The body grew and was healthy. The more intense the persecution became the more grace abounded. As grace abounded, faith increased.

Perhaps the church which is at Vestavia could benefit from some persecution...

Jason Cicero

Resisting the Holy Spirit

Song: Do All In The Name Of The Lord

Scripture: Acts 7:51-53

"You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you" (Acts 7:51).

How do folks "resist the Holy Spirit?" By not keeping the word the Spirit has revealed. From the beginning folks "have not kept" the Spirit's revealed will for their lives and in so doing have resisted Him (Acts 7:53).

Do not "resist the Holy Spirit" in your life. Submit to His will. Receive the Holy Spirit by being obedient to His commands.

Jason Cicero

A Man Full of Faith and the Holy Spirit

Song: Faith Is The Victory

Scripture: Acts 6:1-7

Stephen was "a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit" (Acts 6:5). How did the multitude know this about him? They could see the fruit of faith in his life. Stephen was convicted in his mind concerning Jesus. He trusted Jesus from the depth of his being. He surrendered his will to the will of Christ. The multitude could see his faith in his everyday life. They could also see the Holy Spirit in His life. Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control were characteristics in Stephen's life that the multitude could see (Galatians 5:22-23). In seeing these characteristics in his life, the multitude could see that he was full of "the Holy Spirit."

Jason Cicero

Hidden in My Heart

"For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, And the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings." (Hosea 6:6; NKJV)

Sunday Morning Starters

7 "Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book."

8 Now I, John, saw and heard these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things.

9 Then he said to me,"See that you do not do that. For I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God."

Revelation 22:7-9; NKJV

Honest With God

Song: Trust And Obey

Scripture: Acts 5:1-11

Ananias & Sapphira (Acts 4:32-5:11 & Nadab & Abihu (LEV 10:1-3)

In both cases God was making specific points: Obedience is important!

The Seriousness of Sin: “Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight…” (Psalm 51:4)

Ananias & Sapphira were not honest with God.

1. God sees all: The Omnipresence of God

“Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.” (Psalm 139:7-8)

“For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.” (Hebrews 4:12-13)

2. God knows all: The Omniscience of God

Heart: “…then hear from heaven Your dwelling place, and forgive, and give to everyone according to all his ways, whose heart You know (for You alone know the hearts of the sons of men)…” (2 Chronicles 6:30)

Giving: “But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:6-7)

3. The fact that God is all powerful (The Omnipotence of God) gives us hope! If we are honest with Him, He is “able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us…” (Ephesians 3:20).

Jason Cicero