In Acts 8:4–25, following Stephen’s murder, a wave of persecution scattered the believers throughout Judea and Samaria.

Philip preached the Good News of Jesus Christ and many people believed and were baptized, including Simon, a Samaritan Sorcerer, known for amazing crowds with his magic.

When Peter and John arrived to confirm the authenticity of the conversions, Simon revealed his lust for power by attempting to buy the Spirit’s power. Peter rebuked him, and told him to repent.

This story highlights the advancement of the unstoppable Kingdom of God, and serves as a warning against using God’s gifts for personal gain.

In Acts 6:7 “God’s message continued to spread. The number of believers greatly increased in Jerusalem, and many of the Jewish priests were converted, too.” This reveals God’s love and grace for all people, even towards His enemies, the Jewish priests. Stephen, a Greek-speaking Jew described as full of faith, the Holy Spirit, grace, and power, boldly performed miracles and proclaimed Christ, but faced fierce opposition from religious leaders who falsely accused him of blasphemy. In his defense, he recounted Israel’s history to show that God’s people repeatedly rejected His messengers, climaxing with their betrayal and murder of Jesus—the fulfillment of the Law and the Temple. Enraged, the leaders stoned Stephen after he declared he saw Jesus standing at God’s right hand, yet he responded with Christlike forgiveness, praying for his executioners. His martyrdom sparked widespread persecution that scattered the church beyond Jerusalem into Judea and Samaria! What can we learn from the way Stephen responded to his murderers? Is it possible for us to do the same for our enemies?

AW Tozer said, “What comes to mind when you think about God is the most important thing about you.” This is true because what you believe about God shapes your entire life; the way you relate with God, yourself and the world around you!

The Good News is that we don’t have to guess what God is like, the Bible gives us a clear picture of Who God is and how he feels about you and me. God is a perfect father that loves his children unconditionally, and He is delighted and pleased with each one.

How can God be delighted and pleased with us when we still struggle with sin?

How do we get the truth of God’s incredible love from our heads to our hearts?

Listen to the message to find out!

“Where there is No Vision the people perish - If people Can’t See What God is Doing they Stumble all over themselves.” Prv. 29:18 KJV & MSG The principle is, when you don’t have a clear vision, you struggle and stumble through life unnecessarily. Most people don’t want to stumble through life; they want to be fully alive and attentive to what God is doing each day. The Good News is “When people attend to what God reveals they are Happy, Joyful, Most Blessed.” Prv. 29:18 KJV ESV NLT MSG.

Being blessed by God doesn’t mean having a life free of problems and pain. It’s a life that is God-backed, where God is on your side, present with you and helping you in the details. Developing a God-Inspired Personal Vision is the way to experience this kind of life. Listen to the message to learn how to develop a personal vision that is surrendered to The Lord Jesus Christ

This time of year we dream, plan, and imagine what we want to see happen next—but if we’re not careful, our dreaming can shift from gratitude to discontentment. Our wants easily become needs, fueled by FOMO and entitlement. Moses warned Israel that the most dangerous moment isn’t when life is hard, but when life is good—when we’re full, prospering, and settled—because that’s when it’s easy to forget what God has done. Remember the Lord your God. He is the source of your life; your salvation, protection, provision and blessing! Before you look ahead into the new year, take some time to look back, and praise God for all He did for you last year.

The Good News is that the Promises of Advent give us Unshakable Peace today and forever, starting with the first promise at Jesus’ birth where Emmanuel—God with us—offers His presence as the true source of peace, not our circumstances. Scripture reminds us that Christ is with us in every valley, that He lives in us as the hope of glory, and that His Spirit produces peace that is beyond understanding, giving us steady confidence even in disappointment, pain, or loss. His peace is unshakable because it depends on His power, not our control—He has overcome the world, holds all creation together, and sustains everything by His command—freeing us to release worry, stop trying to hold everything together, and trust Him while doing our part. The second promise points us forward to Jesus’ future return, when the Prince of Peace will establish a kingdom where His peace never ends, allowing all who know Him to look ahead with joy, hope, and unshakable confidence in the world to come.