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<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="center">"<font size="3"><b>TWO
ARE BETTER THAN ONE" MINISTRIES</b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="center"><font size="3"><b>Jim
& Marie Watt</b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="center"><b><font size="3">Tel:
253.874.4265 -- Email: <a href="mailto:jmbetter@gmail.com">jmbetter@gmail.com</a></font></b></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="center"><b><font size="3">Web:
<a href="http://www.2rbetter.org/">www.2rbetter.org</a></font></b></p><p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="center"><b><font size="3"><a href="http://www.2rbetter.org/">2008</a></font></b></p><p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="center">
</p><p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="center"><br>
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<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="center"><font size="3"><u><b>ACTS
1-12 - OVERVIEW - T1501R</b></u></font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="center"><u>"<font size="3"><b>THE
BEGINNINGS OF THE</b></font></u><span style="text-decoration: none;"><font size="3"><b>
ek-kl</b></font></span><font size="3"><b><u>e</u><span style="text-decoration: none;">SIa
- </span><u>CHURCH</u></b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="center"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;" align="left">
<font size="3"><b>1. 1:8 (1) CHURCH AND THE HOLY SPIRIT. "But you
shall receive power, when the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and you
shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all :Judaea and
Samaria, and unto <i>the</i><span style="font-style: normal;">
uttermost of the earth. </span></b><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="">It
is through Your indwelling Spirit Father, that we the church were
birthed. He has written Your laws on our hearts! This is the New
Covenant fulfilled. </span></span><b><i>Hallowed be your :name.</i></b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;" align="left">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;" align="left">
<font size="3"><b><span style="font-style: normal;">2. 2:1-2 (2)
CHURCH: THEOLOGY OF PENTECOST. "And when the day of :Pentecost was
being fulfilled, all were together in the one </span><i>place</i><span style="font-style: normal;">.
</span><font style="font-size: 8pt;" size="1"><span style="font-style: normal;">2
</span></font><span style="font-style: normal;">And suddenly a sound
came from :heaven as of a mighty wind rushing, and it filled the
whole house where they were sitting." </span></b><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="">We
must be </span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><u><span style="">filled</span></u></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="">
and </span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><u><span style="">controlled</span></u></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="">
by Your Holy Spirit, Father. </span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><u><span style="">This</span></u></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="">
is Your Kingdom in Your Church. Forgive us for so often missing it.
</span></span><b><i>Your :kingdom come.</i></b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;" align="left">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;" align="left">
<font size="3"><b><span style="font-style: normal;">3. 4:19-20 (3-5)
CHURCH: MIRACLES AND PERSECUTION. "But :Peter and John answered
</span><i>and</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> said unto them,
Whether it is right in </span><i>the </i><span style="font-style: normal;">sight
of :God to hearken to you rather than :God, judge </span><i>you</i><span style="font-style: normal;">:
</span><font style="font-size: 8pt;" size="1"><span style="font-style: normal;">20</span></font><font style="font-size: 11pt;" size="2"><span style="font-style: normal;">
</span></font><span style="font-style: normal;">for WE cannot but
speak what </span><i>things</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> we
saw and heard. </span></b><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="">The
disciples almost </span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><u><span style="">asked</span></u></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="">
for the persecution they received, so great was their boldness and
lack of fear of man! Father, we rejoice in Your grace upon them.
</span></span><b><i>Your :will be done, As in heaven, so on earth.</i></b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;" align="left">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;" align="left">
<font size="3"><b><span style="font-style: normal;">4. 8:39 (6-8)
CHURCH GROWTH: DEACONS AND STEPHEN. "And when they came up out of
the water, </span><i>the</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> Lord's
Spirit caught away :Philip; and the eunuch saw him no more, for he
went on his :way rejoicing." </span></b><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="">Father,
</span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><u><span style="">Forgive
us</span></u></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="">
for not having that fresh expectancy of the early church at all
times. It will be this way at the end again, and as Solomon said, The
</span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><u><span style="">end</span></u></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="">
of a matter is better than the beginning! </span></span><b><i>Our
:daily :bread Give us this day.</i></b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;" align="left">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"><font size="3"><b><span style="font-style: normal;">5.
9:15-16 (9) CHURCH: PAUL AND PETER. "But the Lord said unto him,
Go: for HE is a chosen vessel to me, to bear my :name both before the
Gentiles and kings, and </span><i>the</i><span style="font-style: normal;">
sons of Israel: </span><font style="font-size: 8pt;" size="1"><span style="font-style: normal;">16
</span></font><span style="font-style: normal;">for I will show him
how many </span><i>things</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> he
must suffer for my :name. </span><i>And forgive us our :debts As we
also have forgiven our :debtors.</i></b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"><font size="3"><span style="font-style: normal;"><b>6.
10:28 (10:1-11:18</b></span></font><font size="3"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="">)
</span></span></font><font size="3"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>CHURCH
AND GENTILES. "And he said unto them, YOU know how unlawful it is
for [a man] a Jew to join himself or come unto one of another nation;
and </b></span></span></font><font size="3"><i><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>yet</b></span></i></font><font size="3"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>
to me has :God shown to call no man common or unclean." </b></span></span></font><font size="3"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="">For
a Jew, this is a remarkable revelation. But in Your grace You gave
this to Peter, Father. It is the beginning of the removal of the
middle wall of partition between Jew and Gentile. </span></span></span></font><font size="3"><i><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>And
bring us not into temptation.</b></span></i></font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><font size="3"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">7.
12:11 (11:19-12:25) CHURCH AND INTENSIFIED TROUBLE. "And when
:Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know truly, that the Lord
has sent forth his :angel and delivered me out of Herod's hand and
from all the expectation of the people of the Jews." </span></span></font></b><font size="3"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="">In
the midst of trouble, </span></span></span></font><font size="3"><span style="font-style: normal;"><u><span style="">You</span></u></span></font><font size="3"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="">
are able to deliver us, Father. We bless Your Name! </span></span></span></font><b><font size="3"><i><span style="text-decoration: none;">But
deliver us from the evil </span></i></font><font size="3"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">one.</span></span></font></b></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"><u><b><font size="3"><span style="font-style: normal;">NOTE:</span></font></b></u><font size="3"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="">
The Book of Acts is really the Acts of the Holy Spirit through the
Apostles, especially Peter - apostle to the Jews; and Paul - apostle
to the Gentiles. And - it is really an account of Jesus through the
Holy Spirit through the apostles - continuing the ministry He started
as recorded in the Gospel of Luke.</span></span></span></font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"><font size="3"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="">Luke
as a Greek convert to the beginning church through Messianic Jews, is
the only non-Jewish NT writer. As a historian his Gospel and The Book
of Acts - show his touch in the accuracy of his usage of the Greek.
The Holy Spirit is well able to use all the natural faculties of the
Bible writers, and yet ensure through Bible Numerics that God's
thinking comes through these Spirit-yielded vessels.</span></span></span></font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"><font size="3"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="">The
first 12 chapters of Acts major on the church's beginning primarily
through Messianic Jewish Congregations. We see God using Peter
however to bring non-Jewish Romans into the church as a first. The
latter half of this history majors on the apostle Paul primarily, and
his role in bringing in 14 City Churches, primarily with Gentile
converts, each composed of many local churches in the home. It is
interesting to note that Paul wrote over half the books of the NT -
14 - one for each of these City Churches. </span></span></span></font>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"><font size="3"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="">It
wasn't till a few centuries later until believers started building
local church structures with baptistries.</span></span></span></font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"><font size="3"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="">Note
too the 4 significant references in the book of Acts to the </span></span></span></font><font size="3"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="">gift</span></span></font><font size="3"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="">
(d</span></span></span></font><font size="3"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="">o</span></span></font><font size="3"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="">-reA)
of the Holy Spirit. 11 times this word is used in the Greek NT. Its
definition is established in John 4:10 - an inner artesian well. In
Acts 2:38 we have the "Peter package" of the 2 conditions of
repentance and baptism followed by the promise of this </span></span></span></font><font size="3"><span style="font-style: normal;"><u><span style="">gift</span></u></span></font><font size="3"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="">.
Acts 8:20 reveals how valuable this </span></span></span></font><font size="3"><span style="font-style: normal;"><u><span style="">gift</span></u></span></font><font size="3"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="">
is in the eyes of God, and how Simon the Sorcerer was severely
rebuked for reducing it to monetary value. Acts 10:45 and 11:17 show
how Gentiles received this </span></span></span></font><font size="3"><span style="font-style: normal;"><u><span style="">gift</span></u></span></font><font size="3"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="">
on the same basis as Jews - by grace through faith - yet apart from
circumcision and OT law regulations.</span></span></span></font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"><font size="3"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="">These</span></span></span></font><font size="3"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
12 chapters are indeed </span></span></font><font size="3"><span style="font-style: normal;"><u>rich</u></span></font><font size="3"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
in revealed truth, and provide the beginning of an overview for the
succeeding 21 epistles.</span></span></font></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;"><font size="3"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">Jim
Watt </span></span></font>
</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">
</p><p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="center"></p><p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="center"></p><p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="center"></p><p style="margin-top: 0.01in; margin-bottom: 0in;" align="center">
<br>
</p>
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