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Many Christians start their spiritual journey well but not all end it well. Why is this? Why do some live their entire Christian lives being faithful to God, but others live in spiritual infidelity? Do we have a different faith? The Bible says that our faith is the same as that of the apostles (2 Peter 1:1). However, the way we live that faith varies with the person. The goal of every Christian should be to be faithful to God all his life. How can we achieve this? This is what we want to talk about today. We will learn of a king named Azariah (”Jehovah has helped”) or Uzziah (”Jehovah is my helper”) who “did what was right in the sight of Jehovah,” but who made a serious mistake that cost him his faithfulness to God. From him we will learn how to be a faithful Christian to God. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit despond.substack.com

It seems that Paul was always on the move, but he was not. This morning’s passage shows us how Paul lived for Christ and did His will in “any place” and in “a place.” This teaches us that, like Paul, all of us must also live out God’s call to be his witnesses in “any place” and in “a place” as God leads us. Also, one thing Paul had was that he was attentive to every event, every circumstance, every guidance that God gave him to follow the way of His will. On this path things happened where God used Paul. The challenge this morning as we conclude the book of Acts is that, if you are one who likes “a particular place” and doesn’t want to move, you must open your heart to God’s movement especially as we consider our current situation in this building. Perhaps you are very comfortable thinking that it is here in this place that you will fulfill or finish your American dream. You must be open to what God commands you to do. In America, to do what is comfortable is a very easy to do. I think most of us in the church are in this category. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit despond.substack.com

What difference does Easter make in our lives? What difference does the resurrection of Jesus from the dead make in our lives as Christians? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit despond.substack.com

This morning we will learn that God is sovereign over our lives and circumstances. that He will fulfill His will for our lives and that in the process we must trust His sovereignty, be wise in our decisions trusting that He will use us to help in the crises of other Christian pilgrims and to testify of God’s power to those who do not know the gospel. This was the case with Paul in Acts 27. God had promised Paul that He would witness in Rome (Acts 23:11) and He sets out on His journey. But it wouldn’t be an easy journey. It was an extremely dangerous journey. However, God uses his servant Paul to bear witness to his faith in Christ, and to serve people who do not know him in times of crisis. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit despond.substack.com

Este pasaje nos muestra tres personajes y la multitud en conexión con lo que creían acerca del Señor. Todas sus reacciones y decisiones giran alrededor de los que creían acerca del Señor. La mayoría de ellos negaron que Jesús es era el Salvador que vino para morir por nosotros los pecadores y darnos la vida eterna en Él. Todos tuvieron oportunidades para creer la verdad de Dios, pero aun con todo esto la rechazaron. Nos muestra como el corazón humano es duro y pecaminoso, ciego y rebelde a la verdad de Dios. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit despond.substack.com

In today’s passage we look at how Paul bears witness to King Agrippa of how the Lord called him to salvation and how he gave him the call to serve Him (for which he is imprisoned). In all of this, Paul says that he was obedient to this call. God has called us too. If you are a Christian, have believed in Christ as your Lord and Savior, He has called you. If you haven’t given your life to Christ, God is calling you today. Open your heart to what Paul shares with Agrippa. It’s for you too. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit despond.substack.com

There are prisoners. Some are in jail, but others are out. There are guilty prisoners. There are prisoners at large. The prisons of some are made of iron and walls, the prisons of others are mental, habitual controlling their will. This morning we look more at the free prisoner in Christ and the prisoners of his sin who want to kill him. Paul has already been imprisoned for 2 years. It is easy to feel sorry for Paul. "Poor man," we say, "What an injustice!" Yes, it is. Yes, it was. But this was God's plan for their lives. These men were free in Christ and used their freedom not to pity themselves but to share the gospel of Christ. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit despond.substack.com

The episode that the book of Acts shows us in chapter 24 shows us three people that we can find outside and inside the church.As we talk about them, think which one would you identify with and make the necessary changes. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit despond.substack.com

In this section we find that the Apostle Paul, prisoner of Christ is sovereignly protected by God amidst a plot of forty men who bowed to kill him. God is in control. The enemies of the Gospel are well and alive and will go to any length to stop those who serve the Lord. Yet God is sovereign and will let nothing happen outside of his plan. This applies to us as we are also called to to complete surrender to Christ’s authority, living in obedience, humility, and service. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit despond.substack.com

“To all appearance, the present year will be more perilous than any I have seen; but if I live to complete the Persian New Testament, my life after that will be of less importance. But whether life or death be mine, may Christ be magnified in me! If he has work for me to do, I cannot die. This has often been paraphrased as “I am immortal till Christ’s work for me to do is done.” “– - Providence by John Piper This was the case with Paul in this passage. We know that Paul fulfilled his mission and that it was not easy. We also know that he was eventually killed by Emperor Nero. But God cared for him until he fulfilled the mission of his calling. All of this shows us that God has a plan for us and in the meantime, God has a plan for your life and you are immortal until you fulfill it, He will take care of you. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit despond.substack.com

Up to this point in the book of Acts, Paul has arrived in Jerusalem and has been taken prisoner. He is accused of teaching against Judaism (wanting to undo the Jewish religion), against the temple and even polluting it (Acts 2:29) by bringing in Greeks. This trial period will last two years.  All this was false. However, the wish they had to kill them was serious. But even with all this, Paul remains determined to share the gospel with everyone. In this case he does it through his testimony. This is something that all of us should know how to do (in 5 minutes). This sermon will help us learn it from Paul. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit despond.substack.com

The book of Acts shows us that persecution is part of the life of the believers (the church) when they are committed in sharing the Good News of Jesus. We have seen it at least six times (Acts 8, 12, 13-14, 16, 17, and 19). Two of them are against the church as a whole and the others against Paul. Some of these affected the churches that he planted.  We know that the church has always been unjustly persecuted because when she lives for Jesus and shares Jesus. Our association with Jesus makes us a target for Satan and those who follow him. This will continue until Jesus comes back. Paul experiences this in this chapter. This will lead to his imprisonment that will last for over two years. It all starts here. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit despond.substack.com

Are you ready to die for the Lord? This question is one everyone hates to answer because it is hypothetical. I would venture to say that most of us here would say “yes” without thinking it through like Peter did when our Lord told they would all run away when he was arrested. This may […] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit despond.substack.com

Why does the Church matters even in the 21st century? It is important for us as well as we begin a new year, perhaps a very decisive year as a church. This is why I decided that we need to address this because we need to align ourselves with what God says about the church. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit despond.substack.com

Let’s look at Joseph’s dilemma (he was between the ages of 18-20), how God ruins his plan and what his response was to what He intended to do in his life. This will help us respond to God’s leading our lives even when we don’t think it is the path we want to go.   […] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit despond.substack.com