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| Welcome to Killen UMC |
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| 211 J C Mauldin Hwy Killen, Alabama 35645 Email: mcintyrefamily@yahoo.com Office: 256 757-2148 Cell: 256 757-0704 |
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| The Change
By Bro Bryan Acts 4:13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus. It's hard to believe that a few weeks before this event Peter and John, along with the other remaining disciples, were all tucked away in a locked room trembling with fear. They had all forsaken Jesus when He was arrested in the garden and literally ran for their lives. Peter went as far as to deny three times that he even knew who Jesus was! All they had experienced with Jesus up to this point, the miracles, the healings, the feeding of the five thousand, and even the raising of Lazarus from the dead, was not enough for them to muster up the courage and faith they needed to stay with Jesus to the very end. But then, just a few weeks later we see Peter and John and the other disciples confounding the Jewish leaders by their boldness and sudden fearlessness despite the continued warnings and threats of the Sanhedrin counsel. Something had dramatically changed; but what changed them? I believe this dramatic change happened not as a result of being witnesses to the resurrection of Christ but as a result of experiencing the power of the resurrection within themselves! I believe that it wasn't just seeing Jesus alive after the resurrection that made them change. The true change that seemed to transform them came after they were endued with power from on high! (Luke 24:49) The Holy Spirit filled them and brought with this indwelling the real and living presence of God into their heart and soul. It was this power that gave them boldness and courage to be His witnesses wherever they went. Being filled with His presence, the disciples went far beyond mere human courage to face trials, struggles, persecutions, and even death. This power is ours to have if we too allow the Holy Spirit to fill us each day with His presence. We must be alert not to grieve the Holy Spirit by filling our lives with things that can quench the full potential and reign of the Holy Spirit in us. We can experience the changes that will bring us boldness and courage that will confound our world, leaving them to conclude that we too have been with Jesus! May His power reign in you today! Bro Bryan |