04-27-24 Unstoppable_The Three Moves

Unstoppable! 'The Three Moves in Conversion' — Acts 8:14-17 Saturday, April 27, 2024 When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that the people of Samaria had accepted God's message, they sent Peter and John there. As soon as they arrived, they prayed for these new believers to receive the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them, for they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John laid their hands upon these believers, and they received the Holy Spirit. — Acts 8:14-17 NLT Key Thought Notice three key moves that occur in conversion. We find these moves repeatedly in Acts:* Turning in faith to follow Jesus. Submitting to baptism in Jesus. Receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit from Jesus. Today, missionaries and evangelist see these three steps as an indication that a person has committed to following Jesus. While each of the three is rooted in faith, each is actually a gift of grace given to or done for the one coming to Jesus as Lord. * See the examples in the first set of Related Scripture Readings. TODAY'S PRAYER O Father, may I be an instrument you use to bless and bring others to faith in Jesus as your Spirit works to open their hearts, cleanse them of sin, and make each of them your child. I ask this in Jesus' name, Amen. RELATED SCRIPTURE READINGS Acts 2:38-41, 16:13-15, 22-34; 22:6-16 Galatians 3:26-29; Titus 3:3-7