Proverbs 31:13 She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.
A virtuous individual is one who is diligent. When others look at you, do they understand you to be a diligent individual or do they think you are lazy. In Proverbs 6, we are instructed to look towards the ant to see diligence. […]

Proverbs 22:29 Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.
God expects you to be diligent. If you are diligent, HE will reward you. In 2 Peter 1:4-7, we are told about eight precious promises that you can obtain. The eight precious promises are […]

John 8:5-6 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
The scribes and the Pharisees came to Jesus […]

John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
Jesus paid the ultimate sacrifice when HE voluntarily allowed mankind to nail HIM to the cross so that you might have the option of confessing your sins and drawing closer to God. No one made Christ die […]

Acts 8:20 But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.
Simon had been saved and baptized through the preaching of Philip. The apostles in Jerusalem heard that the Lord was working in Samaria so they sent Peter and John. Peter […]

Acts 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.
Peter and John had healed a lame man who had been lame from birth. They then used the attention that they received […]

Acts 4:21 So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people: for all men glorified God for that which was done.
Peter and John had healed a lame man and because of the boldness of their sharing the gospel with the people in […]

Acts 4:19-20 But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.
The religious leaders recognized that God had performed a mighty miracle through Peter […]

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.
You do not need to be well educated in order to be used of God. Peter and John were not educated […]

Acts 4:7 And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, by what power, or by what name, have ye done this?
Peter and John had just spent a night in prison. The religious leaders then brought the apostles out and asked them by what power they healed the man who was lame from […]

Acts 3:12 And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? Or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?
Peter and John went to the temple at the hour of prayer. […]

Matthew 26:41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. When HE reached the garden, HE had HIS disciples wait for HIM but requested that Peter, James and John continue with HIM. Jesus then told HIS three disciples that they were to watch as HE prayed. HE then went a little further and fell down on HIS face and prayed. After praying for one hour, Jesus came back to the place where HE requested HIS three disciples to wait and found them asleep. Jesus asked Peter why he could not watch for one hour.

Matthew 17:1 And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,

Jesus had 12 disciples and many followers. However, HE only allowed Peter, James and John to see HIM transfigured. This was a special thing and Jesus selected three of HIS closest disciples to experience this mountain top experience. However, just because they saw this great thing of the Lord, they were charged that they were not allowed to tell anyone until after Jesus was raised from the dead.

In the same way that Jesus worked with each of HIS disciples differently, so too does HE work with each member of HIS church in a different manner. Just because you are in the midst of a trial, it does not mean that those around you are in a trial. Just because you are on a mountaintop and you see and hear God�s voice so clearly, it does not mean that God has led those around you into a mountaintop experience.

Matthew 14:16 But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat.

The disciples understood that the people had a need. They saw that the people were hungry and that it was getting late. The disciples ask Jesus to stop ministering to the multitudes and send them away so that the people could minister to their need for food. However, Jesus had another lesson for the disciples to learn. Rather than see a need and be courteous in allowing the people to meet the need, the disciples learned an important lesson in allowing God to meet a need through them. The disciples did not have much, but what they had God was able to use to meet the needs of others.

Acts 8:18 And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles� hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,

Philip went to the city of Samaria. At Samaria there was a sorcerer named Simon. The people had been deceived by Simon and thought that he had power from God. When Philip preached the gospel of Jesus, the people including Simon believed. The apostles in Jerusalem heard that of the believers in Samaria and they sent Peter and John to give the people the Holy Ghost.

Simon may have been a newborn Christian but that does not mean that he had developed the mind of Christ and added virtue to his life. Simon was use to being a powerful figure in the town. Simon saw that there was power that Peter and John possessed that he desired. Rather than seek the Lord to change his heart and mind so that he too could be used of God, Simon reverted back to his old ways where he attempted to receive what he wanted by whatever means possible.

Acts 4:9-10 If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole; Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.

Peter and John went to the temple and as they were entering, a lame man asked for some money. Instead of giving the lame man what he asked for, by the power of Christ, they gave him more then what he asked and enabled him to walk. Because this man had been lame all his life, everyone was astonished and Peter and John had an audience that was causing the priests to become jealous.

Mark 9:23-24 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.

Jesus, Peter, James and John just came off the mountain in which Jesus� disciples saw Jesus speaking with Elijah and Moses. A father then came to Jesus asking Jesus to heal his son who had a dumb spirit. This father told Jesus that his son often would cast himself into the fire or into water. Jesus told that father that it was possible for his son to be healed if only he believed. The father replied that he believed but at the same time he acknowledged his lack of faith.

John 5:30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

It is so easy to look at the life of Jesus and say that the reason HE had the ability to perform so many miracles was because HE was the Son of God. While Jesus is the Son of God, HE HIMSELF recognized that HIS power did not come because of who HE was, but that HIS power came as a result of HIS seeking to do the will of God while on this earth. The difference between Jesus� ability to perform many mighty miracles and your ability comes from Jesus superior understanding of the power HE possessed because HE was doing the will of God. Once the disciples understood the will of God and the power they possessed by doing the will of God, they were able to perform many of the same miracles Jesus performed while on this earth.

Jesus is the perfect example for your life. HE came to this earth and lived a life without sin. Jesus did not come to this earth to draw attention to HIMSELF, but HE was here for the purpose of doing HIS Father�s will. By laying aside HIS own will and seeking to do the will of HIS Father, Jesus lived a life without sin and lived a life full of the power of God. If Jesus had strived to do HIS own will, HE would have failed to fulfill HIS purpose for coming to this earth.

Jesus authority to perform miracles came because HE sought to do the will of God. Jesus is your ultimate example. Jesus faced many difficult trials and was able to overcome them because HE lived HIS life not for HIMSELF but lived HIS life for the Lord. Because Jesus followed the will of HIS Father, God was able to work through HIS Son to reach the world with the truth.

Just as God sent HIS Son to this world for a purpose, so too did HE place you here on this earth for a reason. God gave HIS Son direction as to what HE desired Jesus to do and Jesus obeyed HIS Father. God too is giving you direction as to what HE desires you to do, the question you must answer is whether you will obey your Creator and do HIS will.

Jesus is your example of faith. Faith at times seams like a complex subject. However, in reality, all you really need to understand about faith is that you must take the time to hear God�s will for your life and then you must do it. You cannot allow yourself to be caught up in all the distractions of life. You cannot afford to start doing God�s will your own way. Instead, if you desire to live a life that truly affects those around you, then you must be like Jesus and understand that the power of your life comes from God as you learn to do what HE desires you to do.

It is easy for you to say that God can do the impossible through you. However, do you really have the faith to believe your own words? God has a purpose for your life and HE desires to use you to do many wonderful things for HIM. However, in order for you to have the power of God in your life, you must follow the example of Jesus and first yield your own right to do your own will and instead seek to do the will of your Father. As you allow God�s power to work through your life, you will see yourself doing things that you never thought possible. Remember you do not deserve the credit for God working through you but you must give God the glory for rewarding your faith.

Acts 4:32 And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.

After Peter and John healed the lame man and were threatened by the rulers, they returned to the believers and told them what had happened. The believers upon hearing how God rewarded Peter and John�s faith gave praise to God with one accord. After they prayed, God was so well pleased that HE filled the assembly with the Holy Spirit. Because of the faith of Peter and John, the assembly was united in one heart.

Acts 4:19-20 But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye, for we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.

Peter and John had just performed the miracle of healing the lame man. They were then punished for their good work and spent the night in prison. They were admonished not to speak about Jesus. Peter and John with boldness replied to the rulers that what they spoke was the truth and that they had to obey God not man.

Peter and John had experience Jesus. They knew the power in their life was not of their own accord but was from God. As they obeyed God and did what HE desired they do, they saw God work many miracles. They may have just been punished for doing good, but Peter and John had faith in God that if God desired they continue to preach HIS name, that HE would take care of them.