Gotta Tell Somebody

By Emily Wooten

Mark 16:15-16 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 

2 Timothy 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.

In Acts 7 we see that Stephen wasn’t shy and did not hesitate to share the good news. Stephen had already laid down his life in service to God before they started questioning him about his belief in Jesus. He understood there was no more important thing he could do than share what God had done for us. When the religious rulers of the day asked Stephen to explain why he believed in Jesus, he started with the story of Abraham. He told them how God had appeared to Abraham and promised him that he would raise up a ruler from his seed. Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness. Because Abraham trusted God, he became a part of God’s plan to bring a savior and king into the earth, even tho there was no king in Israel when God made a covenant with Abraham. 

Stephen told them how God gave Abraham and Sarah a son and they called him Isaac. He showed them how Isaac had Jacob and then he shared with them how Jacob’s little boy, Joseph faced hardships. He explained how God caused Joseph to prosper and blessed everything he put his hand to. 

Stephen showed them how Israel came to live in Egypt with Joseph as a leader there. As time passed, Israel was being treated poorly and God raised up a another leader, named Moses. He told them about the miracle of Moses being found by Pharaoh’s daughter and how he was raised in a king’s palace. Stephen shared the story of how God appeared to Moses and called him to lead his people to freedom. He explained how Joseph’s descendant, David the shepherd boy became King David. Line upon line Stephen laid out the gospel, how God made covenant with Abraham and worked with humans throughout the years to bring Jesus into this earth to redeem humans from sin. 

We have the privilege of sharing the same gospel. We can tell others that Jesus came to save us. 

Luke 2:10-11 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 

We can tell them how Jesus said he would send Holy Spirit to help us. 

John 2: 16  I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever…

Growing Up Spiritually-Part 2

By Emily Wooten
John 3:3… Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Jesus told Nicodemus it was impossible to see the kingdom of God if you haven’t been born of the Spirit. When a human accepts Jesus as Lord, the Holy Spirit creates in that human a new spirit. That spirit is alive and connected by the Holy Spirit to God. There is no more separation from God. That human spirit is a baby in Christ. If the spirit is fed, it will develop and grow more mature. If the newborn is never fed the word of God, they can be a physically mature person but still have a baby spirit.
1 Corinthians 2:9-14 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God has revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searches all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? Even so the things of God knows no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Spirit teaches; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness to him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
Thank God! Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to teach us. As we study to show ourselves approved, a workman that needs not be ashamed (2 Timothy 2:15), we grow spiritually learning how to see (perceive and understand) the things of the kingdom of God.
Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
It is God’s desire that we look to find his way of doing things so he can help us with all the things we need.
1 Corinthians 2:15 But he that is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
We have available to us the Holy Spirit. We are born of his spirit and God wants us to labor to enter in by studying and doing his word.
1 Corinthians 3:1-2 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
Paul continued to tell them they were babies; unable to receive the mature words or doctrine. As we hear the word, lets receive it as doctrine to live by and apply it to our behavior as we do we grow!

God is Bigger!

by Emily Wooten

For all the situations life presents God is El Shaddai. The word El Shaddai (Lord God Almighty) is first seen in Genesis 17:1 and is used 48 times in scripture.

God announced to Abram that he, God, was almighty or All-Powerful.
Romans 8: 31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?


If the all-powerful, almighty creator is for us there is no force or circumstance that can prevail. What are the qualifications for tapping into the resources of an almighty, self-existing deity?

1. Romans 8:11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

We have to first understand that we didn’t get good enough to be saved and it wasn’t because of works that we were welcomed into the family or kingdom of God. We shouldn’t get the idea that we can work our way into access.

2. Ephesians 2: 8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Christ died for us, taking our place. Now with God’s help, we can live in the benefits Jesus provided. That includes health, provision, boldness and deliverance. All the blessings offered under a covenant with God Almighty is already included.

Galatians 3:13-14 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

If the blessings of Abraham are ours through faith, we need to find out what those blessings are before we can lay claim to them. Deuteronomy 28: 1-14 explains the blessings or covenant rights of a born-again Christian. God tells us clearly what he expects and what he is willing to do for us.

3. Deuteronomy 28: 1 And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:

He is just getting started. Pray in the spirit daily and listen for God to reveal himself to you through his word.