Renewing Your Mind with the Word of God Podcast

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In this episode, we continue our verse-by-verse study of Acts 8; specifically, verses 9–17, where the gospel reaches Samaria. We meet Simon the sorcerer, whose counterfeit power is confronted by the true power of Jesus Christ through Philip’s preaching. As the Samaritans believe and are baptized, we explore the difference between outward belief and genuine saving faith, and why God uniquely delayed the coming of the H...

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What happens when the Jesus' followers are attacked instead of applauded?

In this episode, we step into Acts 8:1–8, where the violent death of Stephen ignites a fierce wave of persecution against the early church. Saul—the man we will later know as the apostle Paul—emerges as a central figure, relentlessly hunting down believers and dragging men and women into prison. The Jesus' believers are scatte...

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In this episode, we conclude Acts chapter 7 by walking verse by verse through Acts 7:51–60, one of the most powerful and sobering passages in the Book of Acts.

Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit, turns from defending himself to delivering a bold, prophetic indictment of Israel’s leaders. Drawing on Israel’s own history, he exposes a repeated pattern: resisting God, rejecting God’s messengers, and ultimately...

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In this week’s episode, we step into Stephen’s powerful defense before the Sanhedrin as he weaves together Israel’s early history to show that true worship of God long predated Moses, the Law, and even the Temple itself. You’ll hear how Stephen quotes Amos 5:25–27 to draw a bold parallel between Israel’s idolatrous ancestors—who worshiped the golden calf, Molech, and the “star of their god Rephan”—and his own contempo...

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We continue our verse-by-verse, chapter-by-chapter journey through the Book of Acts with an in-depth look at Acts 7:30–41.

Stephen stands before the Sanhedrin, defending himself against false accusations of blasphemy against God, Moses, the temple, and the Law. In his response, Stephen boldly argues that God has never been confined to a temple or tradition. He reminds them that God appeared to Moses not in Jerusalem, b...

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We continue our verse-by-verse, chapter-by-chapter journey through the Book of Acts. In this episode, we dive deeper into Stephen’s powerful defense against the false accusations of blasphemy against God and Moses. Stephen turns once again to Israel’s history to demonstrate how the people repeatedly rejected God’s chosen messengers—including Moses, the very prophet he is falsely accused of dishonoring.

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We continue our verse-by-verse, chapter-by-chapter study of the Book of Acts.  In this episode, we explore Acts 7:1–15, where Stephen presents his defense against accusations of blasphemy against God and Moses. Brought before the Jewish ruling council, the Sanhedrin, Stephen begins his response by recounting Israel’s history—emphasizing how God’s chosen leaders were frequently rejected by the very people they were sen...

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We continue our verse-by-verse, chapter-by-chapter study of the Book of Acts.  In this episode, we explore Acts chapter 6, where the early church faces growing pains and responds with wisdom. As the number of disciples increases, so do challenges, including complaints of unfair treatment between the Greek-speaking widows and the Hebrew-speaking widows in the daily distribution of food.  We’ll unpack how Jesus' ap...

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We continue our verse-by-verse study of Acts, chapter 5, focusing on verses 34–42 as we close out the chapter. This passage picks up during the trial of Jesus’ apostles, who were once again arrested for teaching that Jesus died for the sins of humanity.

After Peter boldly explained to the high council why they continued to proclaim Jesus, the council became enraged and wanted to put the apostles to death. How...

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We continue our study of Acts chapter 5. We look at verses 17-33. We examine that the apostles are arrested once again for teaching the people about Jesus, repentance, and forgiveness of sin.  An angel breaks them out of jail before they are tried before the religious leaders' high council.   The angel instructs them to return to the temple to continue to teach about Jesus.  The high council does not know that th...

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In this episode we start our look at chapter 5, verses 1-16, of the Book of Acts.  As chapter 4 ends with the story of Barnabas selling his land to support other believers in need, chapter 5 opens with the story of a married couple, Ananias and Sapphira, who sell their land but lied to God about giving all of the proceeds from the sale to the apostles to help support other believers in need. As a result, they both los...

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We finish chapter 4 of the Book of Acts. We look at verses 23-37.  John and Peter were arrested for teaching people about Jesus. After being freed, they tell the other disciples about being arrested for teaching about Jesus.  Then Jesus' disciples pray for boldness to continue to teach about Jesus in the face of persecution.  God answered their prayer as the place where they were  miraculously shook, and they con...

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We start chapter 4 of the Book of Acts. We look at verses 1-22.  The religious leaders have Peter and John arrested for telling the crowd about Jesus after the healing of the crippled man at the Jewish Temple.  Peter, who once was afraid of the religious leaders, but who is now empowered by the Holy Spirit, boldly tells the religious leaders that they killed Jesus. He tells them that God raised Jesus from the dead and...

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We continue and finish our look at chapter 3 of Acts. Specifically, verses 11-26, where Peter takes the opportunity to witness about Jesus to the crowd that gathered after the crippled man was healed at the Jewish Temple. Peter tells the crowd that he did not heal the crippled man, but God did to bring glory to Jesus.  Peter explains to this Jewish crowd that they shouldn't be surprised by this because their prop...

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We finish chapter 2 and begin chapter 3 of the Book of Acts.  In chapter 2, verses 42-47, after 3000 were saved following Peter's speech about Jesus and the Holy Spirit, many of the new believers stayed in Jerusalem to devote themselves to the apostles' teaching about Jesus.  In doing so, they created a community of unity and sharing.  We learn that the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. I...

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In this episode, we continue to look at Peter preaching to the crowd after he and his fellow Jesus followers received the Holy Spirit as promised by Jesus.   Specifically, we look at verses 24-41 from Acts chapter 2.  We see Peter quoting from Psalm 16:8-11 to prove to the Jewish crowd that King David prophesied about Jesus.   David had written in Psalm 16 hundreds of years earlier that God would not leave His Holy On...

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In this episode, we start chapter 2 from the Book of Acts.  We cover verses 1-24. We see the Holy Spirit come to start His earthly ministry as promised by Jesus.  After the Holy Spirit comes and fills Jesus' believers during Pentecost, they are empowered by the Holy Spirit to speak in languages previously unknown to the believers.   A crowd of Jews who spoke different languages, who had come from different parts ...

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In this episode, we continue our study of the Book of Acts.  Specifically, chapter 1, verses 12-26.   After Jesus ascends back into Heaven, having appeared to His followers for 40 days after His resurrection from the dead, Jesus' followers are still in Jerusalem waiting for the Holy Spirit per Jesus' instruction.  While they wait, Peter tells the other disciples that per Psalm 109:8, "‘Let someone else ...

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In this episode, we start our study of the Book of Acts. Specifically, we cover chapter 1, verses 1-11.  Acts is written by Dr. Luke. It was written about 63. Acts covers a period of approximately 30 years. In Acts we see the prominence of the Holy Spirit.  In verses 1-11, we are told that during the forty days after Jesus' resurrection from the dead, He appeared to the apostles from time to time, and He proved t...