"wash away your sins". Ananias encouraged Saul of Tarsus to be baptised and declare publicly what had happened to him. You begin by trusting in the secret of your own heart, but what you have done must be evidenced. Not to 'nail your colours to the mast' makes it easier to fall away when temptation, ... Read more
"a fountain opened ... for sin and for uncleanness". This prophecy and promise was given to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. This was the chosen people of God that the prophet knew. We now look back to the fulfilment of these words when Jesus died on the cross. His shed ... Read more
"But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven". The Holy Spirit did not merely enable Stephen to bravely face the mob that was about to stone him. The indwelling Holy Spirit gave Stephen a vision of heaven. The Holy Spirit will give that same vision to all who look with the eye ... Read more
"a great multitude, which no man could number". The multitude in heaven praising the Lord will be too great to number. 'The Father's house will be filled,' is what Jesus said. I recall preaching on that text to a small congregation in a Greek village many years ago. After the service a lady came to ... Read more
"I have compassion on the multitude". Jesus came not to judge the world but to save it, and as He mingled with men and women compassion for the multitudes was engendered in His heart. Compassion is something the world needs more than sympathy. Sympathy is being sorry for: compassion is the same and doing something ... Read more
"The Lord is my shepherd". Not the testimony of those who do not recognise themselves to be as sheep needing a shepherd. But to those who know themselves to be wandering and to all who find it impossible to return to the fold unaided, it is the blessed description of One Who says, 'I am ... Read more
"a great voice, as of a trumpet". The word 'great' occurs many times in the Book of the Revelation. There is great tribulation, a great sword, a great earthquake, a great star, a great furnace and the great river Euphrates, to mention but a few. In this verse it is the greatness of His voice ... Read more
"Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach his statutes". Ezra studied his subject before presenting it. When he found what was demanded of him by the law of the Lord, he did it. Once practising it in his own life he was able ... Read more
"(Ananias) stood beside me and said, 'Brother Saul, …' ". He was renowned for his hatred and persecution of the followers of Jesus; he supported the stoning of Stephen; he came to Damascus intending to commit disciples to prison. Yet Ananias addressed him, 'Brother Saul'! Ananias walked in the Spirit. He recognised that the vision ... Read more
"You have defied the word of the Lord". Life is littered with people who have taken the wrong turning. This happens in all sorts of ways and in many different departments of life. The Lord told a prophet from Judah that he should not eat or drink in any home in the northern kingdom. He ... Read more