Jim Humphrey Consulting


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Faith & related words in Acts

Volume 4, Number 1

Faith in the Book of Acts:Having completed our study in the Gospels we move on to the book of Acts, studying the words regarding faith and believe that appear therein:1. The Greek word Pistis, usually, but not always translated “faith,” found 16 times in Acts (244 total in NT, Smith’s Greek-English Concordance # 4002.)2. The Greek Pistos, usually, but not always translated “faithful,” found 4 times in Acts (66 total in NT, Smith’s # 4003.)3. The Greek Pisteuo, unusually, but not always translated “believe,” found 39 times in Acts (248 total in the NT, Smith’s # 4000.)4. Oligopistos is always... Continue reading →

The Pentecostal Church vis a vis The Body of Christ

Volume 4, Number 2

Faith in Acts: The Pentecostal Church vis a vis The Church, The Body of Christ:Before continuing our examination of “faith” in Acts, a review of the make up and characteristics of the Pentecostal Church described in the first chapters of the book of Acts compared to The Church, the Body of Christ that exists today is in order. The foundation for that Pentecostal church is actually found in the book of Leviticus, which contains God’s instructions to Israel for seven feasts/ festivals to be celebrated every year. Each was significant both in regards to the Lord’s provision for Israel and... Continue reading →

The Holy Spirit's Work in Stephen & others

Volume 4, Number 3

Faith in the Book of Acts:Our last study compared the Jewish Pentecostal Church in Jerusalem that came into existence shortly after Jesus ascended into heaven (approx. 29 AD) to the church, the Body of Christ as revealed to the Apostle Paul in about 37 AD and thereafter. Today, we’ll consider the history of the Holy Spirit’s work and gifts leading up to and bestowed upon the Pentecostal church. Our study of faith brings us to this subject found in the sixth chapter of Acts where one of the Holy Spirit’s gifts is faith, the other two being wisdom and power.... Continue reading →

The Holy Spirit's work - Kingdom vs Grace

Volume 4, Number 4

Faith in the Book of Acts - The Gifts of the Holy Spirit: Wisdom, Faith & Power:The word “faith” is found 3 times in the sixth chapter of Acts. In two verses, Acts 6:5 & 8, we learn that Stephen was full of faith, power and the Holy Ghost. (Note: in the King James Version, the Greek word “pneuma,” is found 385 times in the New Testament [NT] and is usually translated “Spirit.” However, it is translated “Ghost” 89 times when used with the word “Holy,” as in “Holy Ghost.”) Acts 6:7 reports a great number of priests were obedient... Continue reading →

Stephen - the point of change from Kingdom to Grace Gospel

Volume 4, Number 5

Faith in the Book of Acts - Stephen - Acts 6 & 7:Many only think of Stephen as one of seven deacons who distributed aid to poorer members in the “early church,” and who happened to be the first martyr. However, he was much more. His martyrdom actually changed the course of history in regards to God’s dealing with mankind. First, the “church” of which Stephen was a part needs to be identified for what it was, because it was not the same as The Church, The Body of Christ that exists today. The Greek word “ekklesia” (G1577) is found... Continue reading →

Man's communication with Heaven - real and phony

Volume 4, Number 6

Faith: Communicating with Heaven - Part 1: The ancients who had no faith in God built a Tower called Babel to reach the heavens to show their independence from God and make themselves a name. They were united in effort because everyone spoke the same language, so to end their folly God gave them different languages, thus they scattered throughout the earth, Genesis 11:1 - 19. It’s taken a long time to overcome the language-communication problem but finally, over the last 100 years or so, mankind has been able to communicate instantly around the globe. And in the last 50... Continue reading →

The Lord's communications to Paul - the Gospel of Grace

Volume 4, Number 7

Faith: Communications with Heaven re. “The Son of Man” - Part 2: Our last Study listed 23 instances in the New Testament (NT) where people had communication, either directly or by vision or dream with either angels or The Lord Jesus Christ in heaven. All were Jews, confirming what Paul wrote in Romans 3:1 & 2 that Jews have many advantages but most importantly because they were entrusted with the utterances of God. This is noteworthy when we note that many false prophets since NT times have been Gentiles. Our last study covered Jesus Christ’s heavenly persona revealed to 3... Continue reading →

Stephen & The Son of Man in Heaven

Volume 4, Number 8

Faith: Communications with Heaven - The Apostle Paul - Part 3:We’ve been studying instances in the New Testament when individuals received direct communications from the Lord Jesus Christ and today we consider the Apostle Paul’s experience. He was formerly a Pharisee named Saul and it’s clear it was not on his own initiative that he came to believe in The Lord Jesus Christ as his Savior. That is, he was not convicted of his sin and saw his need for a Savior on his own or by attending a church service or because another person shared the gospel with him.... Continue reading →

Abraham's Faith - Works required under the Law of Moses

Volume 4, Number 9

Abraham’s Faith:Comments and feedback including divergent opinions are appreciated and today’s study is based on an observation from a reader regarding the last Faith Study (Vol. 4, No. 8). He wrote in part: “... Paul states in Romans 4 that justification is by faith - as evidenced in how God dealt with Abraham, the father of faith. I don't think salvation from the penalty of sin was ever by faith and works. Salvation from the unbelieving nation's condemnation required baptism and repentance.” I wrote back asking where in the study he is referring and he answered: “In the... Continue reading →

Acts - The book of Transition

Volume 4, Number 10

Faith in Acts - The Book of Transition:A great deal of anxiety exists today because of uncertainty and violence throughout the world. Many ask what happened to the manifestations of great power working though men such as Moses, Gideon, Samson, David and others on behalf of God’s People Israel, and, what happened to the miracles in the Pentecostal church described in the first part of Acts; communicating with each other regardless of language, healings, opening the doors of prisons, etc. (see Vol 4, No 2) Sir Robert Anderson published a book in the early 1900’s titled “The Silence of God”... Continue reading →

Barnabas - the transition from Law to Grace

Volume 4, Number 11

Faith in Acts - Barnabas in the Transition:Today we come to the 6th occasion of the word faith in Acts where Barnabas is referred to as “... a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith ...,” Acts 11:24a. As far as I can determine, only Stephen (Acts 6:5) and Barnabas are described as being “full of the Holy Spirit and faith.” They were Jews and along with the rest of the Pentecostal church in Jerusalem, believed Jesus Christ was Israel’s Messiah; had received the gift of the Holy Spirit; sold all their possessions and lived from... Continue reading →

Abraham - the father of our Faith

Volume 4, Number 12

Vol 4 - No 12, September 20, 2016Abraham’s DNA - Or - Abraham, the Father of Our Faith:I’m trying something new with this Faith Study because I put a lot of time into this presentation at the West Valley Grace Fellowship (WVGF) in Sun City West, Arizona on Sunday, September 18, 2016 and didn’t have time to study anything else.By clicking on one of the following two links or copying and pasting them to your browser should provide access to this study.I have another study to present orally this coming Sunday but after that I will return to the regular... Continue reading →

Sermon - Abraham's DNA

Volume 4, Number 13

Your browser does not support the audio element.Dear Friends,This Faith Study is my presentation at West Valley Grace Fellowship (WVGF) in Sun City West, Arizona on Sunday, September 18, 2016.This first link takes you to the sermons posted on the WVGF website and you can either click on the link or copy and paste it in your browser. This study is titled "The Transition in the Book of Acts" September 25, 2016..http://new.westvalleygf.comThe same study is posted on SoundCloud, which can be accessed by either clicking on or copy and pasting the following link:https://soundcloud.com/user-854534204/the-transition-all-for-us-not-all-to-usPlease let me know if you have a... Continue reading →

The faith of the lame man in Lystra

Volume 4, Number 14

Faith in Acts - Paul perceives the Faith of a Man:We continue tracing the Greek word “Pistis” through Acts, where it is translated “faith” 15 times and “assurance” once in the King James Version. Today we find Paul preaching on his first missionary journey with Barnabas, Acts 14:6 & 7: “And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother's womb, who never had walked: The same heard Paul speak: who steadfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed, Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy... Continue reading →

Jesus Christ's Faith introducted in Acts

Volume 4, Number 15

The Gift of Jesus Christ’s Faith Introduced in Acts:When the word “faith” is found in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John it normally is used in reference to the faith of an individual or a group of people and so the phrases “thy faith,” “little faith,” “no faith,” “their faith,” “great faith,” etc., are found frequently. However, I’ve not been able to find in the King James Version (KJV) of those books the phrase “the faith,” whereas it is found in Acts and the books following it. “The faith” first appears in Acts quoting the Apostle Peter who was addressing Jews... Continue reading →

The word "faithful" in Acts

Volume 4, Number 16

Faithful in Acts:We’ve examined the Greek word “pistis,” usually translated “faith” in Acts and now move on to “pistos,” usually translated “faithful” to learn what it teaches. Pistos is found 66 times in the New Testament (NT) and in the King James Version (KJV) it is translated “faithful” 53 times and with various other words the remaining 13. Its only found 4 times Acts; translated “faithful” once, “believe” twice and once as “sure.” Strong defines it as “objectively trustworthy; subjectively trustful; believe (-ing); faithful (-ly), sure, true.” The Greek Lexicon indicates it is derived from another Greek word that means,... Continue reading →

Introduction of the word "Believe" in Acts

Volume 4, Number 17

Introduction to “Believe” in Acts:The Greek word Pisteuo occurs 248 times in the New Testament (NT). In the King James Version (KJV) it’s translated “believe” 239 times and with 9 various other words. It occurs most frequently in the Gospel of John at 100 with second place going to Acts where it occurs 39 times. The word “believe” describes the primary action on the part of mankind in regards to God’s Word required throughout the ages in order to be saved to eternal life. During the three years Christ was on earth God’s Word to the Jews was to repent... Continue reading →

Jerusalem Temple necessary for Israel's Kingdom Gospel

Volume 4, Number 18

Believe in Acts, Part 2 - Israel and Their Temple in Jerusalem:The third time the Greek word “pisteuo,” translated “believe” is used in Acts is in the context of additional believers being added to the Jewish Pentecostal church. That church met on Solomon’s porch in the Temple in Jerusalem and were all in one accord; many signs and wonders were done among them by the 12 Apostles to the point that people with unclean spirits were brought in from around Jerusalem to be healed and the sick were laid outside their homes, all of whom were healed when Peter’s shadow... Continue reading →

Israel's revealed program vs. Paul's secret program

Volume 4, Number 19

Believe in Acts, Part 3 - Israel’s Revealed Program vs Paul’s Secret Program - The transition in Acts:Your browser does not support the audio element.Today's Faith Study was presented as a sermon last Sunday, February 26, 2017 at 10:30 AM at West Valley Grace Fellowship. It is titled "Israel's Revealed Program" vs "Paul's Secret Program." In this study I tried to demonstrate that although the Gospel the Lord Jesus Christ revealed to the Apostle Paul was God’s secret until He revealed it to Paul, nevertheless God used His dealings with Israel as types or shadows of the Gospel of Grace... Continue reading →

The vain belief of Simon

Volume 4, Number 20

Vol 4 - No 20, March 27, 2017Believe in Acts, Part 4 - Vain Belief:We’ve been studying each occurrence of the Greek word “pisteuo,” translated “believe” in the book of Acts and now arrive at the 5th and 6th occurrences thereof in chapter 8, about a man who believed - but he really didn’t. Chapter 8 begins with Saul giving consent to the stoning death of Stephen and generally creating havoc by entering the homes of Jews who believed Jesus was their Messiah and carrying them away to prison, Acts 8:1 - 3. But God had a purpose even in... Continue reading →

The Etheopian Eunich & the Gospel of the Kingdom

Volume 4, Number 21

Believe in Acts, Part 5 - The Gospel of the Kingdom Proclaimed:We’ve been studying the use of the Greek word “Pisteuo” in the book of Acts where it is translated “believe” 38 times and “believer” once and so far have observed that the believers alluded to in the first chapters of Acts were Jews who believed Jesus was their Messiah. From Jesus’ teaching, they understood the next thing to happen would be the Tribulation period, followed by Jesus Christ’s Second Coming, i.e., His return to establish His Kingdom on earth, Matthew 24:3 - 44; Mark 13:3 - 37; Luke 21:7... Continue reading →

Numbers in Acts - Peter & Paul

Volume 4, Number 22

Believe in Acts, Part 6 - Significant Numbers:Continuing our study of the Greek word “Pisteuo,” normally translated “believe” in the New Testament (NT), found most frequently in the Gospel of John (100) and second most often in Acts (39). Why 39? We’ve studied the first 8 occurrences in Acts and found they reference Jews who believed the Gospel of the Kingdom preached by Christ’s 12 Apostles. That Gospel is encapsulated in Peter’s sermon to the Jews in the Temple: “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from... Continue reading →

Men & Women Named In Acts - List of those raised from Dead

Volume 4, Number 23

Believe in Acts, Part 7 - The Three women in Acts 1 - 9:In the first nine chapters of Acts the Apostle Peter stands out prominently as God’s representative to the Jews in the Pentecostal church in Jerusalem. Many men are mentioned by name in these chapters while only three women are named. None of the women preached the Gospel of the Kingdom and only four men are named as doing so:•Peter is named 12 times in the first nine chapters of Acts as having preached, judged, used to the heal the sick and blessed people with the Holy Spirit,•John... Continue reading →

Micacles By Peter to the Saving of Cornelius

Volume 4, Number 24

Believe in Acts, Part 8 - the Gospels of the Kingdom Then & Future & the Grace of God for almost 2000 years:Our last study referenced the 10th occasion of the word “believe” in the book of Acts, i.e., 9:36 - 42 where many believed in the Lord in the area around Joppa after the Apostle Peter was used to raise from the dead a Jewish woman named Tabitha, also known as Dorcas. Today we’ll visit that incident again, but this time consider it in relation to the miracle recorded immediately prior to it and what is recorded immediately after... Continue reading →

Peter's Kingdom Gospel To Paul and Barnabas Gospel of Grace

Volume 4, Number 25

“Believe” in Acts - Part 9 - Occasions 13 & 14:Our last study examined a series of four events in Acts that picture the transition from the Gospel of the Kingdom that God promised Israel in the Old Testament, taught by Jesus Christ during His earthly ministry and presented by Peter and the 12 Apostles at Pentecost --- to the Gospel of the Grace of God that the Lord Jesus Christ from Heaven committed to the Apostle Paul for Gentiles as well as Jews. The last of the four events we examined in the last study involved the Jewish leaders... Continue reading →

Satan - The Biggest Scammer in History - sermon

Volume 4, Number 26

Your browser does not support the audio element.Today’s study is a message I presented at the West Valley Grace Fellowship on Sunday, October 8, 2017. The following link should take you to the recording on our church’s web site:https://soundcloud.com/user-854534204/the-biggest-scammer-in-history-eph-21-3If this link will not work by clicking on it, try copying and pasting it in your browser. Or, you can go to our church website, http://www.westvalleygf.com/Home_Page.php and go to the “listen to sermons” section and click on the October 8, 2017 message.Please let me know if you have any trouble finding and/or listening to this recording, or if you have any... Continue reading →

Ordained - Predestinated - Appointed

Volume 4, Number 27

“Believe” in Acts: Part 10: What is it to be Ordained, Determined, Appointed, Addicted or Disposed to Believe?:In Faith Study Vol 4, No 25 we examined the 14th occasion of the word “believe” in Acts when the Apostle Paul pronouncing temporary blindness on the Jewish false prophet/ magician Barjesus, or Elymas, who was associated with Sergius Paulus, the Roman Governor of the Island of Crete. Sergius Paulus was a prudent man who called for Barnabas and Saul to tell him about the Word of God but Barjesus Elymas withstood Barnabas and Saul, trying to turn Sergious Paulus away from the... Continue reading →

The Signs of Paul's Apostleship

Volume 4, Number 28

“Believe” in Acts: Part 11:For those new to these studies, my basic methodology has been to trace the subject of faith, along with related words such as believe, etc., through the Bible. We are presently in Acts and having already examined the 16 occasions of “faith” we continue here with the word believe, found 39 times in Acts.Our last study found Paul and Barnabas in Antioch, the Capital of the Roman colony Pisidia where Paul successfully ministered on two Sabbath days but then when a group of Jews turned against the Word and blasphemed, he announced that although it was... Continue reading →

God's Kingdoms

Volume 4, Number 29

“Believe” in Acts: Part 12: God’s Kingdom/s:God the Father “... hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:” Colossians 1:13 & 14. The Apostle Paul wrote this blessed assurance to believers almost 2000 years ago and it still applies. Today we will compare the Kingdom of His Dear Son with others mentioned in the New Testament (NT), i.e., The Kingdoms of Heaven, of God, of David and of Christ.A Kingdom is an area or sphere where... Continue reading →

Acts - Transition from Kingdom Gospel to Grace Gospel

Volume 4, Number 30

Study of the word "Believe" in Acts: Part 13 - the 20th, 21st and 22nd Occurrences:The 20th occasion of the word believe in Acts occurs in chapter 15, verse 5: "... there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them and to command them to keep the law of Moses." So we ask, what exactly did those Pharisees believe and who did they think should be circumcised and be commanded to keep the Law of Moses? This matter came up some time after Paul and Barnabas had returned to... Continue reading →

Acts - Transition from Kingdom Gospel to Grace Gospel

Volume 4, Number 31

"Believe" in Acts: Part 14 - Continuing the transition from the Gospel of the Kingdom to the Gospel of the Grace of God:We observed in our last study that the Apostle Peter's statement recorded in Acts 15:11: "But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they," is the first time in Scripture mentioning it is the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ that saves. The "we" to whom Peter refers was he, with the 11 Apostles and elders in the Jewish Pentecostal church in Jerusalem. The "they" to whom he... Continue reading →

Resurrection Sunday Sermon - April 1, 2018

Volume 4, Number 32

Faith Study Special Edition: Resurrection (Easter) Sunday Message:Greetings everyone, I've spent some time working on the message I presented today (Resurrection Day) at West Valley Grace Fellowship (WVGF) in Sun City West, AZ and present it herewith to you as my Faith Study. It is titled "I AM the Alpha and Omega." If you have time and wish to listen to it, just click on the following link, or copy and paste it to your browser, which should open the message on WVGF's website: https://soundcloud.com/user-854534204/i-am-the-alpha-and-omega Please feel free to let me know what you think if you wish and/or ask... Continue reading →

Paul at Thessalonica & Berea

Volume 4, Number 33

“Believe” in Acts: Part 15 - Paul at Thessalonica and Berea:After a short hiatus to study for sermons presented on Palm and Easter Sundays, I’m back to our study of the 39 passages the Greek word “pisteu’o,” usually translated believe, are found in the book of Acts. We’ve already examined the 23rd and 24th occasions, both of which reference the Philippian jailer who, in Acts 16:30, asked Paul and Silas what he needed to do to be saved and they answered him in Acts 16:31 “... Believe (23rd occasion) on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and... Continue reading →

Paul in Athens

Volume 4, Number 34

Dateline: Jerusalem, Israel“Believe” in Acts: Part 16 - Paul in Athens: Our last study found Paul and his group in the town of Berea (Greece), where, as was his custom, he taught in the Jewish Synagogue, Acts 17:10. He found “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Therefore, many of them believed; also of honorable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.” Acts 17:11 & 12. (This is the 25th instance of the Greek word... Continue reading →

Part 1 or Slide Show of Israel Tour - May 2018

Volume 4, Number 35

Greetings to All:This issue of my Faith Study is a slide show: Part 1 of observations made during my recent tour of Israel. If you were at my church, West Valley Grace Fellowship on May 27th, you have seen it.You should be able to view it by clicking on the following link or copying the link and pasting it in your browser.Its about 50 minutes in length if you do want to take the time to watch and listen to it. Please note there is a slight pause between each slide, but it will go the next one by itself... Continue reading →

Part 2 of Slide Show of Israel Tour - May 2018

Volume 4, Number 36

Part 2 Slide Show of Tour of Israel May 8 - 17, 2017:Greetings to All:This issue of Faith Studies is slide show: Part 2 of observations made during my recent tour of Israel. If you were at my church, West Valley Grace Fellowship on June 3rd, you’ve seen it.You should be able to view it by clicking on the following link or copying the link and pasting it in your browser. It’s about 46 minutes in length if you do want to take the time to watch and listen to it. Once you start the movie, it proceed through the... Continue reading →

Corinth - The Lord Jesus Christ's Words in Acts

Volume 4, Number 37

“Believe” in Acts: Part 17 - Paul in Corinth and The Lord Jesus Christ’s Words:The last two Faith Studies published (Vol 4, Nos 35 & 36) were narrated slide shows of observations made during my tour of Israel in May. Prior to that, we were examining the Greek word “pisteu’o,” usually translated believe, found 39 times in the book of Acts. Faith Study Vol 4, No 34 (emailed from Israel in May, incorrectly dated April 14th) covered the 26th occasion of “believe” in Acts, dealing with Paul’s ministry in Athens, Acts 17:15 - 34. From Athens, Paul traveled to Corinth... Continue reading →

Corinth - Paul’s Ministry to Kings, Jews & Gentiles

Volume 4, Number 38

“Believe” in Acts: Part 18 - Corinth - Paul’s Ministry to Kings, Jews & Gentiles:Upon arrival in Corinth from Athens, Paul met a Jew named Aquila and his wife Priscilla. Aquila was born in Pontus, which is an area along the south coast of what is now the Black Sea, where many Jews took up residency when Israel was driven from their land in the dispersion. (Acts 2:8 indicates there were Jews from Pontus in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost and Peter writes to Jews scattered throughout Pontus and other countries, 1 Peter 1:1.) Aquila and Priscilla had been... Continue reading →

Announcing New Faith Studies Website

Volume 4, Number 39

Announcing new Faith Studies Website.But first, I’d like to recognize and thank Mr. David Kinkead, Chairman of the Board at Grace Bible Church, Phoenix, AZ for creating the website I’ve used for many years. He has faithfully maintained it and answered my questions about its intricacies. Thank you very much David, I appreciate your friendship and assistance through the years.The old web site will be operational for a few days but the new website is operational, as follows:https://www.faith-studies.comThe new website is titled “Jim Humphrey Consulting - Author of Faith Studies - Investigator/ Consultant.”Below that title are 3 tabs: on the... Continue reading →

The Transitional Nature of the Corinthian Church

Volume 4, Number 40

“Believe” in Acts: Part 19 - “The Transitional Nature of the Corinthian Church”:First, let me advise that I misspelled Samson’s name on my website, which was announced in the last Faith Study. I had it spelled Sampson and am surprised that only one reader caught the error. Thanks to that one reader, the error has been corrected on the website.Today’s study was presented at the West Valley Grace Fellowship in Sun City West on October 14, 2018. The video is 55 minutes long and can be viewed from the website below, or downloaded directly using the following link.Video unsupportedhttps://www.faith-studies.com/videos/18-10-14-corinthians-transition.mp4... Continue reading →

29th Occasion of Believe in Acts & The Apostle Apollos:

Volume 4, Number 41

We’ve studied the context of the 27th and 28th occasions of the word “believed” in Acts where used in regard to Paul’s ministry in Corinth: “And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed (27th occasion) on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, (28th occasion) and were baptized.” Acts 18:8. Today, we’ll cover the 29th occasion, also involving Corinthians who “believed,” but this time used in relation to the Apostle Apollos’ follow-up ministry there: “And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who,... Continue reading →

30th, 31st & 32nd Occasions of Believe in Acts - Paul in Ephesus:

Volume 4, Number 42

Like Corinth, Ephesus played a key role in the Apostle Paul’s ministry. It was a seaport on the Mediterranean, bustling with commerce and religion but the religion was idolatry. One temple after another to the pagan goddess Artemis (or Diana, as identified in Acts) had been built, destroyed and rebuilt. During Paul’s time that temple was a magnificent marble structure, one of the 7 wonders of the ancient World. Artemis/Diana was the goddess of fertility, its idol was the figure of a woman with multiple breasts and eggs hanging from her body. The temple and city ruins have been partially... Continue reading →

Paul's 3rd & Last Recorded Missionary Journey - Money Collected for the Poor Jewish Saints in the Jerusalem Church:

Volume 4, Number 43

Our last study examined the 19th chapter of Acts, which documents Paul’s visit to Ephesus. The 30th and 31st occasions of the word “believe” in Acts occurs there describing believers in Ephesus who were not aware of the gift of the Holy Spirit prior to Paul’s arrival, Acts 19:2 and Acts 19:3 - 4. The 32nd occasion refers to those in Ephesus who burned their pagan/cultic books worth 50,000 pieces of silver, Acts 19:18 - 19. Chapter 20 does not contain the word believe. This study will document the timeline of events recorded in Acts 19 & 20 by comparing... Continue reading →

Paul's Epistles and the Book of Acts:

Volume 4, Number 44

The following audio clip is a recording of a talk I presented at West Valley Grace Fellowship in Sun City West on Sunday, January 20, 2019. Included is a map of the Mediterranean countries through which Paul traveled, outlining his travels. You can view the map as the study progresses to better understand Paul’s travels and ministry.This study presents a basic timeline of events recorded from about the 17th to the 20th chapters of Acts recording part of the Apostle Paul’s second missionary journey and into his third. The events and places in these chapters are compared to the epistles... Continue reading →

Believe in Acts (33 & 34) - Elders, Disciples, Brethren, Evangelists and Saints:

Volume 4, Number 45

Elders - The 20th chapter of Acts closes in the City of Miletus (on the Mediterranean coast of modern-day Turkey) with the Apostle Paul saying goodbye to the Elders from Ephesus who had traveled there to meet with him. They were in tears knowing they would never see him again as they prayed and accompanied him to his ship, Acts 20:17 - 38. The Greek word translated Elders is “presbuteros” (Greek # 4145) found 66 times in the New Testament (NT); most often in Acts with 18, Matthew with 13 and 12 in Revelation. Obviously, our English word Presbyterian comes... Continue reading →

35th Occasion of Believe in Acts - Paul sent to the Gentiles - his attempt to reach Israel thwarted:

Volume 4, Number 46

Our last study concluded with the Apostle Paul accompanying four Jewish men into the Temple at Jerusalem, having taken a Nazarite vow with them (as decreed in the Law - Numbers 6:1 - 21). James and the Jewish Elders had asked Paul to do this to prove to the Jews in Jerusalem who believed Jesus was their Messiah that Paul followed the Law of Moses, Acts 21:18 - 26, as did they while they waited for the Tribulation, as prophesied in the Old Testament as well as by Jesus when He was on earth, Matthew 24:3 - 28. They rightfully... Continue reading →

36th Occasion of Believe in Acts: Paul rescued from Jerusalem and testifies he believes the entire Old Testament Scriptures:

Volume 4, Number 47

We last read about the Apostle Paul reasoning with a mob of his Jewish countrymen while standing on the steps of the Roman fortress next to the Temple in Jerusalem, Acts 22:1 - 20. The mob had seized, carried him out of the Temple, and attempted to kill him, Acts 21:27 - 31 when Claudius Lysias, Acts 23:26, the Chief Captain of the Roman soldiers stationed in Jerusalem, Acts 21:31, got word and rescued him, Acts 21:32. (The title “Chief Captain” is translated from the Greek “chiliarchos,” (G5506) found 22 times in the NT, meaning a commander of 1000 soldiers.)... Continue reading →

The Significance of: The power of death; The Woman’s seed; Fathers and Blood

Volume 4, Number 48

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37th & 38th Occasions of Believe in Acts: Paul Witnesses to King Agrippa, Bernice and Governor Festus:

Volume 4, Number 49

The study before last (Vol 4, No 47) documented the incident when the Chief Priests and Elders, along with 40 men who had taken an oath not to eat or drink until they killed Paul came to Caesarea from Jerusalem to accuse him before the Roman Governor Felix. They brought a spokesman named Tertullus to state the charges, Acts 23:12 - 35 and Acts 24:1 - 4; that Paul: 1) was pestilent. The Greek word translated “pestilent” is only found two other places in the New Testament (NT) where it is translated “plague.” So, their claim was that Paul was... Continue reading →

39th & Last Occasion in Acts of the Greek word pisteuo, i.e., believe: The Kingdom Gospel to Israel set aside with the preaching of the Gospel of God’s Grace to Gentiles and Jews alike:

Volume 4, Number 50

Our last study closed with King Agrippa telling Governor Festus that if Paul had not appealed to Caesar, he would have been set free because he had done nothing wrong, Acts 26:31 - 32. But Paul didn’t make a mistake in doing so because the Lord had a plan for him, and Paul’s appeal got him an armed escort voyage to Rome. The Lord Jesus Christ had appeared to Paul more than 2 years prior and told him that just as he had testified about Him in Jerusalem, he would do so in Rome, Acts 23:10 - 11. A Centurion... Continue reading →