God of the Impossible - Westminster Calvary

Decisions

May 26, 2024 • Jeff Cramer • Acts 16:1–15

In these verses the Holy Spirit was forbidding Paul and the team to preach the word. This is an important topic to discuss with growing believers because we need to recognize the value of open & closed doors. Think about your life and discover where God is leading you. Look around and see where God is forbidding you. When we try to push through a closed door, it results in frustration, irritation, & unexplained problems. The ministry team was staying flexible between the open and closed doors! This is a great example of directed service here where God was leading the way and showing them where to go & what to do.

Don't Stop The Momentum

May 19, 2024 • Jeff Cramer • Acts 15

As we come in Acts 15 Paul & Barnabas had returned to Antioch of Syria from their first missionary trip with excitement & celebration of what God had done. The Church was onboard and things were looking good, but then a crack in the unity erupted. A group of people, some pharisees, wanted to manage the work of God by placing rules around the moving of God’s Spirit. While there’s much to learn in the book of Acts, 85% of this chapter is spent on dealing with the cracks of unity and then another 10% on division between Paul & Barnabas. We read about two major arguments in this chapter; first about God’s grace & second about God’s goals.

Who Wants To Be A Christian?

May 12, 2024 • Jeff Cramer • Acts 14

As we come to (Acts 14) Paul & Barnabas continue to take the Gospel into remote areas where both Jew & Gentiles lived. But, they kept getting run out of town. Literally each town they visited had some people come to faith, but many others rejected them & stirred up riots which forced Paul & Barnabas out of town. They were forced out of Antioch of Pisidia. Then down to Iconium, and further south and preached at Lystra and into Derbe. There are some who accept the message, but others were skeptical, rejected, and even mocked the message, making ministry very difficult!

He Who Has Ears To Hear

May 5, 2024 • Jeff Cramer • Acts 13:13–52

The mission goes on with Paul & Barnabas making their way to Antioch of Pisidia. Which you and I would recognize in our Bibles as the region of Galatia. The people in this area were known to be impetuous, fickle, and loved new things. Basically, they had a reputation for being uncommitted. The Gospel is spreading rapidly, and people are getting saved!

Let the Mission Begin

April 21, 2024 • Jeff Cramer • Acts 13:1–13

We arrive at chapter 13 where the ministry of the church takes on a new shape. Men are selected, empowered by the Spirit, and sent out. We can recognize that he church is made of many parts with differing gifts; Jew, Gentile, men, women, free, and slaves. These men were ministering to NKJV (OR) worshiping the Lord NLT and all of a sudden… God gave a word of prophecy which directed the ministry beyond Antioch. Under Peter & persecution the Gospel spread north out of Jerusalem. Now God was going to use Paul to take it to the western world.

Persecution, Prayer, & Parasites

April 14, 2024 • Jeff Cramer • Acts 12

As we continue our study thru Acts, we arrive at chapter #12, which is often labeled as a parenthetic chapter. Meaning, we get a look behind the scenes into details of other events happening simultaneously. In this case… there’s persecution of the church leadership in Jerusalem. The Church was ministering to hurting & hungry people by lifting the weight of oppression in the name of Jesus. People were coming to a right understanding God’s grace thru Jesus and his coming Kingdom. Exactly what we want today - people pressing into Jesus above the politics of the moment.

Against All Odds

April 7, 2024 • Jeff Cramer • Acts 11

Today we arrive at chapter 11 where the expansion of the Gospel is chronicled and where the Apostle Paul is added to the scene. When we study our bibles, sometimes the teachings are inspirational and other times they’re simply instructional. This chapter gives us a behind the scene view of ministry as God advances His mission to the Gentile world, and the message is simply instructional. We see critics & opposition, persecution that spreads the work, and the power of the Spirit at work in the unity of the Church!

A Growing Ministry

March 24, 2024 • Jeff Cramer • Acts 10

The scene is chapter 10 takes places about 10-years after the birth of the church. God was at work, but it took some time to prepare human hearts. Salvation is always a work of God’s grace and He uses believers to diffuse His work among people. What we see here is God working out the details of faith behind the scenes. This chapter opens with a Roman Centurion – Cornelius who was given a vision from God. On the other end, God was also preparing Peter to take steps of faith!

Mimic Me

March 17, 2024 • Jeff Cramer • Acts 9:31–42

Acts records about 30-years of the early church (through snap-shot narratives) as the Holy Spirit births the church, nurtures the church, and multiplies Gods work on earth. Now the two primary characters: are Peter & Paul as they’re led by the Holy Spirit in advancing the Gospel. Today the Church reads and studies the book of Acts to be stirred into a greater faith as we learn how to advance the Gospel under the Holy Spirits leading.

The Evidence of Change

September 17, 2023 • Jeff Cramer • Acts 9:17–31

After we read about Saul’s conversion, God recorded the very practical advancement of ministry. We have a picture of an older believer wrestling to obey God (Ananias) as he steps out to serve a younger believer - Saul. Saul was 28 - 31 yrs. old at this point. Some think this Ananias was a leader in the church at Damascus at the time. With a simple observation we learn in vv.10-12 God was at work on both sides of the meeting between Saul & Ananias. In a vision Ananias was told to visit Saul and in a vision Saul was told ABOUT a visit from Ananias. When God calls us to step out we can trust that He has already prepared the details on the other side.

Instant Change

September 10, 2023 • Jeff Cramer • Acts 9:1–16

The Church was being persecuted & the believers had been scattered out of Jerusalem and into the surrounding areas. Which partially fulfills (Acts 1:8) as the church becomes witnesses of Jesus. Today, our study adds a new character to God’s unfolding plan for the spread of the Gospel. Saul of Tarsus, a persecutor of the Church was headed to Damascus to arrest scattered Christians. However, in spite of all the persecution from Saul, Jesus said he was “a chosen vessel” (Acts 9:15). God chose Saul to expand the Gospel message around the known world. To this day, every believer is still playing a part in this mission. Acts 9 is know as the Damascus Road Conversion!

The Word Unleashed

August 27, 2023 • Jeff Cramer • Acts 8:26–40

At the end of Acts 8, we see a deacon in charge of bread distribution program who spoke up during persecution as an evangelist, and now is being used on a special assignment. He had been led by God to different areas in his country to proclaim the message about Christ to the people he found himself around. We can take Philips example of witnessing to others for ourselves and the interesting thing was that it was such a simple process that we often times overcomplicate.

Expansion of Ministry

August 13, 2023 • Jeff Cramer • Acts 8:1–25

God accomplishes His plan in spite of the most unlikely circumstances & events. Things that seem ridiculous to us are often His finger prints upon our lives. In fact, the Bible says (Isa. 55:8-11) NLT God's ways are above our ways. As we look into our study, remember who the opening character is in (v.1). Saul who persecuted believers, the same man later known as Paul the Apostle.

A Perfect Plan

July 16, 2023 • Jeff Cramer • Acts 7

Let’s back up to (Acts 1:8) where Jesus tells His disciples the scope of the mission – they’re to be witnesses. This is key for understanding Stephen’s life in this chapter. The greek word for witnesses = martus (mar-toos) [G-3144]. Defined as: “One who believes so strongly in his faith, that he would give his life for what he believed.” This chapter is the transition between the birth of the church & the second phase of God’s plan for the church – evangelism. Stephen's mention in scripture starts at (Acts 6:5) & quickly ends in (Acts 8:2). It gives us a glimpse of the man he was – Stephen was: (Acts 6:3) “full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom…” (Acts 6:5) “full of faith and the Holy Spirit…” (Acts 6:8) “full of faith and power…” This becomes important because we learn from the impact of the early church - Everyday people who were relying on the abilities of God over self.

Par For The Course

June 18, 2023 • Jeff Cramer • Acts 6:8–15

The Bible says in (2 Tim. 3:12) that all Christians will endure persecution. Because in the last days the heart of man will become more defiant and rebellious against God (2 Tim. 3:1-5). In (Acts 6 – 7) we have a record of the first martyr in the church – Stephen. He knew what he believed AND in (Acts 6:10) it says no one could stand against him. And, just like Stephen we’re bringing the hope of Christ to minds that are warped / closed / & confused. So we must remember that god has given us holy spirit power to overcome, our lives are the platforms on display, while His promise is with us to the end!