2022_02_04 Insight Post- Emma Keeton

Acts chapters 9 and 10 journeys with Peter as he travels about the country spreading the gospel. These are exciting days, the church in Judea, Galilee and Samaria is enjoying a time of peace. The number of believers are multiplying and God is strengthening them. Many people are believing in the Lord after hearing about the miracles that were being performed. Peter heals a man who was paralyzed for 8 years and he raises a dear woman named Tabitha from the dead. Next, Peter’s theology is challenged after a vision from God and this leads him to share the gospel with non-Jews for the first time. The church is growing and Peter is an integral part as he listens and responds to the Holy Spirit.

Peter’s character development is recorded wonderfully for us in the Gospels and now in Acts. Through the stories told we see that Peter was outspoken, impulsive and a denier of Christ. But we also see that he is repentant, has compassion and is a bold leader. Peter has grown because of his experiences and is transformed from his former self. There could be some lessons for our own character development here, given in Peter’s own words:

“in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. For if these qualities are yours and increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 1:5-8

Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Psalm 51:10-11

In Jesus name