We are Better together

How does God speak?

Through the Holy Spirit (impressions)

Through the bible

Through prayer

Through circumstances

Through the church

The Story of Peter and his visions

Acts 10:19 TEV

19 Peter was still trying to understand what the vision meant, when the Spirit said, “Listen! Three men are here looking for you.

Here we see that God was making an impression on Peter.

What was the impression??

Go with these men

What backed that up? - The vision he had.

We see this looking backward - we have the word of God explaining it to us

The apostles had to rely on things like visions - there was no New testament at the time

Now notice verse 23

Acts 10:23 CEB

23 Peter invited them into the house as his guests. The next day he got up and went with them, together with some of the believers from Joppa.

Notice other believers went along.

Why?

Acts 11:2–3 NLT

2 But when Peter arrived back in Jerusalem, the Jewish believers criticized him. 3 “You entered the home of Gentiles and even ate with them!” they said.

The bible says the Peter told the story and I’m sure the “witnesses confirmed it

Acts 11:18 TEV

18 When they heard this, they stopped their criticism and praised God, saying, “Then God has given to the Gentiles also the opportunity to repent and live!”

What happen?

God spoke to Peter - follow these people and preach the gospel to the gentiles

It was confirmed by the church.

The church increases and gospel spreads

Why the church is so important

Because you are not meant to live life all alone

You were meant to live life in relationship to other people

You have an idea - an impression

You want to start ______________________________?

Underline this

You go and ask other believers

You go and ask other believers

eBecause you arlloe not meant to live life all alone

If you want to save some misery

Ephesians 3:10 NLT

10 God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.

The very purpose of the church

So you have an idea?

Sit in seat

God lays something on your heart

Pastor I think we should do this...

Sure sounds like a great idea you are in charge of it.

Why do I do this?

A little inside baseball (ministries)

It grows you not me

Go back to What did the church do? They praised God

Why? - because what Peter had done was confirmed by other believers

What to look out for

God puts something on your heart

But you don’t want to tell anybody about it.

You keep a secret and hide it

Proverbs 11:19 TEV

19 Anyone who is determined to do right will live, but anyone who insists on doing wrong will die.

Proverbs 11:9 TEV

9 You can be ruined by the talk of godless people, but the wisdom of the righteous can save you.

If mature believers question it, you should question it too.

If you ask a 100 people you are going to find someone to agree with you. Don’t do that

This why it is so important for us to work together.

We truly are better together