Apostolic Purpose

In this session we move deeper into Luke 7 and 8, and we see Jesus continue to challenge us and challenge our expectations. Have we truly felt the force of Jesus’ words and deeds? A PDF handout is attached and will help you follow along with us. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nickuva.substack.com

In this session in our verse-by-verse study in Luke, we explore Jesus’ “Sermon on the Plain,” with its challenging commands and its call to examine ourselves. Are we judging with righteous judgment? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nickuva.substack.com

Continue with us as we journey through Luke’s Gospel verse by verse. In this session we see Jesus calling Peter, and then defying manmade traditions that keep us from caring for people. Listen with us! Class notes available here: This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nickuva.substack.com

Continue with us in our journey through the Gospel of Luke! In this session we explore the temptation of Jesus by Satan, and witness the beginning of Jesus’ ministry in Galilee. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nickuva.substack.com

Join us for this week’s session of our study in the Gospel of Luke, as we encounter the young Jesus in the Temple, and see the powerful ministry of John the Baptist. Class notes for this session are available here: This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nickuva.substack.com

In this week’s session, we talk about the birth of John the Baptist, and the birth of Jesus. Jesus is announced as Savior, Christ, and Lord. Join us! (NOTE: We apologize that the very beginning of this session was cut off.) Class notes that go with this session are attached here. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nickuva.substack.com

In this week’s session of our verse-by-verse study in Luke, we explore key events leading up to the birth of Jesus, including the Annunciation to Mary and Mary’s song of praise, the Magnificat. See the class notes in the attached PDF. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nickuva.substack.com

Join us for the next session of our study in the Gospel of Luke. We begin to study the text itself, and encounter Zacharias, who receives an angelic message that he will become the father of the Lord’s forerunner. A PDF of the class notes is available here: This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nickuva.substack.com

Join us as we begin a new series on the Gospel of Luke, studying verse by verse. In this episode, we introduce this, the Third Gospel. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nickuva.substack.com

I hope you will enjoy this sermon from Luke 1 about the story of Zacharias, called "When God Begins To Speak Again." Delivered on December 21, 2025. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nickuva.substack.com

We’re in the midst of a course on Spiritual Warfare, and this particular topic always generates interest. There’s a YouTube playlist where you can watch all sessions. This session was followed by a lengthy Q&A session. We apologize that the audio is a bit low for a few minutes at the start of the recording. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nickuva.substack.com

Here’s a sermon I preached on August 31 taken from Psalm 119:9-16:9 BETH. How shall a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to Your Word. 10 I have sought You with my whole heart; O, do not let me wander from Your commandments. 11 Your Word have I hid in my heart, so that I might not sin against You. 12 Blessed are You, O LORD; teach me Your statutes. 13 With my lips I have declared all the judgments of Your mouth. 14 I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, as much as in all riches. 15 I will meditate in Your precepts, and have respect for Your ways. 16 I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your Word.We can discern here that King David had a fivefold approach to the Word: * Rejoice in the Word* Meditate in the Word* Have respect for the Word* Delight yourself in the Word* Don’t forget the Word.This is obviously a big topic, but we hope that something in this message will inspire you to a greater enjoyment of and consistency in your time spent in the Word of God. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nickuva.substack.com

Join us for a sermon addressing common questions about fasting, and encouraging people to observe God's "chosen fast." This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nickuva.substack.com

This was my Pentecost Sunday sermon. Some will be interested in the subject (the Baptism in the Spirit and speaking in tongues), while some will not. I hope it encourages, or at least sparks fruitful discussion. A PDF handout is available here. Thanks for listening and/or reading.Text: Acts 1:4-8; 2:1-18, 37-39As we begin Acts chapter 1, Jesus is with His disciples after rising from the dead, and is about to return to the Father.4 …being assembled together with them, He commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “You have heard from me.” 5 For John truly baptized with water; but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”6 When they therefore came together, they asked him, “Lord, will You at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?” 7 And He said to them, “It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father has put in his own authority.8 But you shall receive power after the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”Let’s go to the beginning of Chapter 2, and see what happened 10 days later.ACTS 2:1-18, 37-381 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.5 And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. 6 And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language.7 Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.” 12 So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “Whatever could this mean?”13 Others mocking said, “They are full of new wine.” 14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said to them, “You men of Judea, and all you who dwell at Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to my words: 15 For these are not drunken, as you suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.16 But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel; 17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy…Peter now explains that Jesus has ascended to Heaven and has poured out the Holy Spirit. He tells them that God has made Jesus Lord and Messiah. Skip down to verse 37.37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said to Peter and to the rest of the apostles, “Men and brothers, what shall we do?”38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is to you, and to your children, and to all who are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.”On this Pentecost Sunday, I want to share a message entitled, “When the Spirit Comes Upon You.”Last week, Pastor Glenn launched a new sermon series, called “Sowing to the Spirit.” In the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Galatians, he says, “…walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh...” (see Galatians 5:16-18).We may have a sincere desire to be good, but if we’re honest we’ll admit that just wanting to be good is not enough to empower us to overcome sin and live a victorious Christian life. So, how can we make sure we’re walking in the Spirit and not according to our sinful nature?Paul goes on to say, “Don’t be deceived: God is not mocked. For whatever a person sows he will also reap, because the one who sows to his flesh will reap destruction from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit. Let us not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up” (6:7-9 CSB).How do we overcome our sin nature and live a victorious life? We need to develop a dynamic partnership with the Holy Spirit. We need to sow to the Spirit.Paul paints a picture of a farmer sowing seed. Just like a farmer, I need to cast my seed in a good field, one that will give me a good crop. Sowing to the Spirit means I expend my time and my energy in ways that will be spiritually fruitful. Sowing to the Spirit means we’re investing the moments and the hours of our lives into things that strengthen our faith, and our relationship with Christ.This summer, we’re going to look at some important spiritual disciplines, each one a different way that we can sow to the Spirit. And that leads us to Pentecost.Pentecost SundayWhat is Pentecost? Some call it the “birthday” of the Church, but maybe it’s better to say that the mission of the Church is what began on Pentecost. It’s the day the Church began to tell the world that Jesus is Lord, and started bringing souls into His Kingdom.The word Pentecost means “fiftieth.” We call it that because it comes 50 days after Easter. Pentecost was one of the important festivals that God had commanded the Jewish people to celebrate. And it brought pilgrims to Jerusalem from all over the world.At the end of Luke’s Gospel, Jesus told His disciples to wait in Jerusalem because they would soon be “clothed with power” (Luke 24:49). What an awesome picture: clothed with power! They obeyed the Lord’s command and launched a 10-day prayer meeting. It culminated in the outpouring of the Spirit on Pentecost morning.Pentecost marks the beginning of the harvest season, and for sure, the disciples got to witness the start of God’s great harvest. By the end of the day, the church was 25 times bigger than when the day started! ** From that small beginning, there are now two and a half billion people who claim to be Christians, and millions more who’ve gone home to be with Jesus!Jesus’ first disciples knew Him as the Passover Lamb who had taken away their sins. But then they came to know Him as the One who clothed them in power. God knew they needed to experience Pentecost… as well as the Passover. They became a people of God’s Presence, and a people of God’s power.We, too, need to be a people of His Presence and His power. The needs of the hour are great; the harvest that’s in front of us is great; and the challenges we face in our own lives are great as well. We need to seek the power of God from Heaven!It’s only people who know His Presence and His power who can live a victorious life, and carry His message to nations. Jesus said, “Without me, you can do nothing.” It’s time to take Him at His word, and receive the gift He offers us: the Gift of the Holy Spirit.All four Gospels describe Jesus as the one who baptizes people in the Spirit. That means He immerses us and saturates us in the Spirit — just like we’re immersed in water when we get water baptized!To be clear, we believe every Christian has the Holy Spirit living inside them. But… there’s a deeper dimension of life in the Spirit that we can enjoy — and it’s more than what some have experienced. Maybe it’s more than what you’re experiencing!Jesus spoke of knowing the Spirit in three different dimensions. And He made it easy for us to understand. He used three simple words to talk about our relationship with the Spirit: with, in, and upon.Before He died, Jesus told His disciples, “…you know Him [the Spirit]; for He dwells with you, and shall be in you” (John 14:17). So, the Spirit does lives inside a Christian, but perhaps not all of us are experiencing His power upon us.When the Spirit came upon the first Christians, the effect was dramatic. First, the supernatural Gifts of the Spirit began to operate in their lives. God used them to heal, to prophesy, and to cast out demons. As God demonstrated His power, the church grew like wildfire. They were clothed with power, and they boldly proclaimed, “Jesus is Lord!”Second, when the Spirit came upon people, their own, personal faith was also strengthened. One reason why is that is that they received the ability to speak in other tongues, languages that they had never learned.Acts chapter 2 says they began to “speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance [or speech].” The Holy Spirit gave them words to speak, words that went directly to their spirits, bypassing their mind.When this happens, it may be a human language, just like we saw in Acts 2. But the Bible hints that it may also be an angelic language. That’s why people call tongues a “heavenly language.”Tongues is the unmistakable sign of being baptized in the Spirit. We believe that when you’re baptized in the Spirit, you will speak in tongues – maybe not right away, but you’ll certainly be capable of doing so. In fact, whenever people received the Holy Spirit in the Book of Acts, they either spoke in tongues, or else the Bible implies that they did (see Acts chs. 2, 8, 9, 10, 19).Nor was this a one-time experience. Speaking in tongues, often called praying in the Spirit, was a powerful tool from God to help them in their daily living. That’s because when we pray this way, we build ourselves up on our faith. We receive spiritual strength from God.And tongues was a powerful way that believers sowed to the Spirit. Sowing to the Spirit that way, they reaped a harvest of life and power from Him.Hundreds of millions of Christians have discovered this blessing over the last century. Receiving the Baptism of the Spirit and praying in the Spirit has been a vital part of our growth here at Harvest Time. We’ve been stronger and more effective because of it. Many people here could testify of how God has empowered them through praying in the Spirit.But maybe you’ve wondered how this works. Maybe you’ve heard people speaking in tongues and wondered what’s happening.What’s happening when we speak in tongues?First, when you speak in tongues, you’re the one speaking, not the Holy Spirit. He doesn’t take over people’s bodies. The Bible says “they… began to speak… as the Spirit gave them utterance.”You’re the one speaking, but you’re speaking a stream of words that comes from the Holy Spirit into your spirit, your inner person. You’re not speaking words that originated in your own mind. Paul talks about this in First Corinthians chapter 14. He says, “…if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful...” (14:14). You see, his spirit is praying something that his mind didn’t produce and doesn’t understand.Modern science has demonstrated that when people speak in tongues, the language centers of their brains are relatively quiet. It’s somehow different from normal speech.Second, speaking in tongues is an act of our own will; it’s under our control. Paul said, “I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also; I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also….” (14:15). Notice: Paul could choose when he would speak in tongues. To say it a little more crudely, if you’ll forgive me, he could turn it on, and he could turn it off.Jesus said that when we receive the Spirit, rivers of living water will flow out of hearts, out of our innermost being. If you’ve been baptized in the Spirit, there’s a river inside of you now, and a flow of speech that you can release out of your mouth. It doesn’t come from your mind; it comes out of that River of God’s Presence that He placed inside us!We’re going to pray today to receive the Holy Spirit, but before we do, let’s dig in a little deeper. I’m going to quickly share five reasons why you should sow to the Spirit by speaking in tongues. Here are a few reasons why you should you speak in tongues and pray in tongues. First:1. Speak in tongues to enjoy continual fellowship with the Lord.Paul teaches us quite a bit about tongues in his First Letter to the Corinthians. I’d encourage you to read it on your own: First Corinthians 12 through 14. You’ll discover that the Corinthians spoke in tongues a lot! In fact, they did it so much that it’s pretty much all they did!Paul corrected them, because of course they needed all the different elements of Christian worship, not just tongues. He didn’t say they were wrong to speak in tongues; the problem was that they were misusing tongues in their public worship. Tongues can be used in public, and Paul told them how. But we learn in those chapters that Paul used tongues extensively in his own, personal times with the Lord.Paul shows us that speaking in tongues is a way to fellowship with the Lord continually, and to pray without ceasing. The Bible says we should “pray without ceasing.” But maybe you’ve asked yourself, “How in the world can I pray without ceasing? I’d have to quit my job.” I believe praying in other tongues was a way that Paul prayed without ceasing.This great apostle valued tongues tremendously. In fact, he told the Corinthians, “I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all…” (1 Cor. 14:18). Now, remember, these are the Corinthians he’s talking to, who had turned their church services into “tongues services.” And yet Paul still says he spoke with tongues more than all of them.This means Paul spoke in tongues a great deal when he was not in church. He must have been doing it all the time! If this apostle, who accomplished so much for God, felt that tongues were that important, it should demonstrate their value to us as well.Now, we certainly need to pray to God in our own language, and Paul does say that he prays with his spirit and his understanding, his mind.But speaking in tongues is a unique way to keep communing with the Lord throughout the day. It’s something you can do on the go, and when you’re in between things. You can do it when you’re busy, and you only have a few minutes. You can do it even when you’re busy doing other things, things that may not require your focused, mental attention.Any time, day or night, you can simply say, “Holy Spirit, I’m yielding my tongue and my spirit to you right now – pray with me, and pray through me,” and then begin to fellowship with Him, supernaturally.It’s something God gave us so we could keep on releasing those rivers of living water into our environment—releasing the River of His Presence easily, and constantly. Why not begin to speak in tongues as a way to enjoy continual fellowship with the Lord?Here’s another reason you should speak in tongues:2. Speak in tongues to be built up in your inner man.In First Corinthians 14:4, Paul says, “He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself.” In the Greek, that word “edify” means to build or construct something, like when someone builds a house. But it was also used as a figure of speech to talk about building up and strengthening a person.Somehow, speaking in tongues causes God’s power to be released within us. Remember, Jesus said that the Spirit would flow out of us like rivers of living water. So when we speak in tongues, we’re being refreshed by His Presence; His power is being released within us, and out of us.The Apostle Jude says much the same in his Letter. Jude says, “…you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God…” (20-21a).Tongues builds me up on the inside, so I’m more ready to minister, more ready for what comes my way. Praying in tongues helps me stay conscious of the Spirit’s Presence and activity – what He’s doing, how He’s moving. I become more sensitive to the Spirit. I can better partner with Him.Many would suggest that the more we speak in tongues, the more we’ll see the other Gifts of the Spirit operating in our lives—healing, prophecy, and so on—because we’re more yielded to the Lord. That also makes us more ready to minister. In terms of our personal challenges, it makes us more conscious that the Lord is near — more aware of His ability to help me, when I’m facing temptation.Speak in tongues, and do it often, as a way to be built up in your inner man!Another reason to speak in tongues is this:3. Speak in tongues to receive revelation from Heaven.In First Corinthians 14:2, Paul says, “…he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries.” In the Bible, a mystery isn’t something that we need to figure out, like Sherlock Holmes. In the Bible, a mystery is something that’s been hidden by God, until He decides to reveal it to us.Paul says no one understands our heavenly language. That’s intriguing. Many believe that includes the Devil and his servants as well. But God understands it. After all, when we’re speaking in tongues, He’s the one who gave us those words to pray in the first place.So, as we pray in the Spirit, God is downloading His mysteries to us, causing us to say and pray things that only He knows. But over time, you may find Him unpacking some of these mysteries into your conscious mind. Over time, you may notice God giving you fresh spiritual insights, or helping you see new connections in His Word. Confusing situations may become clearer; you may become wiser than before. Paul says, “we have the mind of Christ,” and this is a powerful way to seek God for the wisdom of the Lord.Paul himself had so much revelation, and remember: he spoke in tongues more than all the Corinthians. I think there’s a connection between his frequent tongues speaking and the great insight he possessed. Speak in tongues, to receive fresh revelation!Here’s another reason to speak in tongues:4. Tongues helps us to excel in our worship.Speaking in tongues enables us to worship in a way that surpasses the limits of our human mind and emotions. It can help us worship in an unhindered way.Tongues are very often expressions of praise. On the Day of Pentecost, tongues were used for praise, not for preaching. We read how the crowd said, “…we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God” (Acts 2:11b).In First Corinthians 14, Paul mentions singing with the spirit! I wish we had time to go deeper into that. He also talks about blessing or giving thanks with the spirit. He says when you do this, you’re giving thanks well, as long as it can be interpreted for the benefit of others. (I’ve never seen somebody give thanks in tongues for the Thanksgiving turkey, but maybe someday I will.)Remember, Paul said the person who speaks in tongues isn’t speaking to men, but to God. There’s an old hymn says, “Oh, for a thousand tongues to sing my great Redeemer’s praise!” Maybe you’ve wished you had a thousand tongues to praise Jesus! Tongues can enable you to express your joy in an unhindered way, a way that goes beyond articulate speech. Words of Earth are inadequate to sing His praises, so I think He gives us words from Heaven to help!So, singing, worshiping, giving thanks in tongues – these allow us to release our praises in a greater way, when we don’t have the right words—or perhaps enough words—to praise our Savior. Tongues helps us to worship beyond the limitations of our humanity!One more reason why you should pray in tongues:5. Tongues can revolutionize your prayer life!Speaking in tongues helps us pray for things we’re not aware of, and helps us to partner with the Holy Spirit in new ways. In Romans chapter 8, Paul talks about a way the Spirit prays through us. He says:“…Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God” (Romans 8:26-27 ESV).So, while Paul doesn’t explicitly use the word “tongues” here, I believe his language includes tongues also. Notice, he says the Spirit helps us in our weakness. That word help means to work together with someone on a problem. For example, if I were pulling a heavy object with a rope, and you came along and grabbed that rope and pulled with me, that’s the word Paul’s using. It means we’re pulling together against something.So, Paul says we don’t know what to pray, but the Spirit intercedes for us with groanings. The prayers we speak in those times are really coming from the Spirit. After all, the only mouth He has to work with down here… is yours!And notice that it’s not a matter of how to pray, but what to pray. It’s not about the style of your prayer; it’s about the content of our prayers. There are times we simply don’t know what to pray. So this is a great blessing from the Lord.This kind of praying enables you to pray for things you know nothing about, because the Spirit is giving you content; He’ll give you the words to pray.When we pray in tongues, we speak… as the Spirit gives us the words to speak.And according to Paul, the Father understands the heart of the Spirit when the Spirit prays. That’s a great encouragement. It lets me enter a new realm of prayer in which I can benefit from the fact that the Holy Spirit has perfect knowledge of God’s Will. This means we’re praying, as Paul says, "according to the will of God.”That’s why some people call praying in tongues a “perfect prayer,” because we’re literally praying exactly what God wants us to pray in that situation. By praying this way, I can also avoid selfishness in my prayers; I can avoid praying for what I think somebody needs, instead of praying for what God knows they need. Church, so many people have wonderful testimonies of miraculous answers to prayer that came this way.Go the Lord and invite His help in praying this way. When we don’t know how to pray or what to pray, the Holy Spirit knows how to pray God’s Will. Spend time praying in the Spirit for that person, or for that difficult problem. The Spirit desires to help us: He wants to come alongside you, grab a hold of that difficulty with you, and pull on it together with you. What a blessing!Incorporate this into your prayer life! Take advantage of the fact that by praying in the Spirit, you can release prayers that have been crafted according to the perfect will of God. Remember, Paul seems to have thought it was so important to speak in tongues that he did it more than anybody else in the church!I like to think of it as cheating! God is giving us the advantage in prayer. Think about it:You have a perfect prayer partner living inside of you. He goes wherever you go.He’ll pray with you and for you, whenever you need, whenever you want.He never gets tired, and He never gets tired of you. He never says, “Oh, sorry, something came up. I can’t pray with you tonight.”What’s more, He always prays the Father’s heart for you, always prays the will of God.Let’s take full advantage of our relationship with the Holy Spirit, our Heaven-sent, perfect prayer partner.Today, we seen five reasons why you should speak in tongues and pray in tongues.· It’ll revolutionize your prayer life.· It’ll help you to worship, and receive revelation.· It’ll build you up, and help you enjoy continual fellowship with Jesus.It’s a powerful way to sow to the Spirit, and experience God’s victory – a way to sow that’s always available.Through the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, Jesus makes all these blessings available to His Church. Today, on Pentecost Sunday, have you been baptized in the Spirit? Have you experienced His rivers of living water? Let’s seek Him today for a powerful outpouring of the Spirit. We want to be a people who can pray in the Spirit, and be clothed with His power.You shall receive power… when the Spirit comes upon you! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nickuva.substack.com

We can make the cry of that Jerusalem crowd—“Hosanna! ​‘​Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’ ​​The King of Israel!”—but with a fuller understanding of the mission of Christ.Enjoy this Palm Sunday sermon! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nickuva.substack.com

Becoming confident to pray and move in the Gifts of the Spirit is just a part of Christian living. Another key component of last-days living is dealing with pressures we face in the inner man. Listen with us as we complete our Life in the Spirit course. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nickuva.substack.com

Love, forgiveness, and unity are all related. Taking heed to them will help you to grow spiritually, better and faster than almost anything. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nickuva.substack.com

Love, forgiveness, and unity are all related. Taking heed to them will help you to grow spiritually, better and faster than almost anything. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nickuva.substack.com

Love, forgiveness, and unity are all related. Taking heed to them will help you to grow spiritually, better and faster than almost anything. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nickuva.substack.com

The most troublesome muscle in your body is the one that hangs out between your teeth. Let's explore improper speech, how to respond to it, and how we should speak in order to be like Jesus. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nickuva.substack.com

How does God want to guide us, and how can we discern what we believe we’re hearing from Him? How can we better partner with Him? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nickuva.substack.com

The religious spirit is the enemy of grace. Are you flowing in God's grace, or are you at risk of coming under the influence of a religious spirit? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nickuva.substack.com

What is the mysterious sevenfold working or anointing of the Holy Spirit? Learn how God wants to empower you for life and ministry through these overlooked dimensions of the Spirit's activity. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nickuva.substack.com

This is a special double-length seminar on some more advanced issues in the healing ministry. In these sessions we review some basics about our giftedness from God, then discuss blessing and cursing, how can we develop a greater sensitivity to the Holy Spirit, and how we can see more people healed under our ministry. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nickuva.substack.com

In our last session we looked at the concept of meditating in the Scriptures. Join us as we now explore the beautiful discipline of praying God’s Word. Have you ever prayed God's Word? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nickuva.substack.com

We’re taking a couple of sessions now to share about our devotional life in God’s Word. That may not strike you as having a strong connection to “life in the Spirit,” but we want to be responsible builders in Christ. If you know anything about construction, then you know you can't go high if you haven’t gone deep. Plenty of people go high – but they don't stay high. If you want to walk on a higher level, you need to keep going deeper as well. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nickuva.substack.com

Pursuing Christ is about living out, in an ever-increasing way, the First Commandment. Jesus said: “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one. And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment” (Mark 12:29-30). This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nickuva.substack.com

Click here to view or download class notes for this session (PDF).Tonight we are kicking things off and kicking off the year with a look at fasting. Fasting has always been a powerful spiritual discipline for believers. Many can testify to its benefits, but in my opinion the most important reason to fast is to strengthen our relationship with the Lord! There’s nothing wrong with fasting to seek God’s help, but we should learn to see fasting as a way to connect with Him. We should see it as something that changes me, rather than something that causes God to do things for me. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nickuva.substack.com

We wrap up “Life in the Spirit Course One” with a look at what it means to be spiritual and how we can be “edified” for the long haul. Life in the Spirit will return next month with a second course that covers new topics and goes deeper into topics we’ve already looked at. Click here to view or download class notes for this session (PDF).EXCERPT: The more you love, the more you will be like Christ, because God is love. When you don’t know what to do, love reveals the best strategy; love is the best strategy. The way of love is the highest wisdom. Paul says if we don’t have love, then, no matter how great our gifts, we’re just noisy gongs. Love will make you strong in faith. The Bible says faith works by love – and the great work of the Spirit is to produce the love of God within us. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nickuva.substack.com

As our “Life in the Spirit” series draws to a close, we look behind the veil at the reality of the spirit world, and discuss the race of spirits that God has made called angels.Click here to view or download class notes for this session (PDF).EXCERPT: The Bible presents a universe in which there is not only a Supreme Being but also many non-material beings of different types. These beings are neither tangible nor visible, nor can they be communicated with, at least in the ordinary course of events. The Bible also presents a universe in which there is active evil, not just evil as the absence of good, but evil that is actively working. This is also offensive idea to many people. In modern society people will allow you to speak of psychological defects but not moral defects! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nickuva.substack.com

Continuing on with our “Life in the Spirit” series, you’ll enjoy this longer session in which we dig deeper into the ministry of prophecy today. How can we begin to move in prophecy and, if God speaks apart from His Word, how will I know it’s Him?Click here to view or download class notes for this session (PDF).EXCERPT: We can define New Testament prophecy as simply reporting something that God has spontaneously brought to your mind. It has its origin in the mind of God, not the mind of man. It’s not the same thing as preaching or teaching, which can certainly be anointed by the Spirit, but which results mostly from human preparation. The word “propheteia” in the Greek simply means speaking on behalf of another. In the New Covenant, prophecy is not equivalent to Scripture. They are not on the same level. Prophecy doesn’t carry the same authority as God’s Word. In fact, Scripture warns us that we know in part, and prophesy in part (1 Corinthians 13:9).In spite of how we commonly use the word prophecy in modern English, prophecy is not necessarily about foretelling things, but about “forthtelling”. That means speaking forth what God tells us, regardless of whether the message is predicting anything.The Bible says, “…he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men” (1 Corinthians 14:3). These are the three ordinary and customary purposes of prophecy in the Church: to edify (build up or strengthen); to exhort (encourage); and to comfort – not necessarily to predict the future. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nickuva.substack.com

In this session, we begin to explore the prophetic, with a look at discerning of spirits, and the variety of way in which God speaks to His people. Our God is a speaking God! Join us for this key session.Click here to view or download class notes for this session (PDF).EXCERPT: Discerning of spirits alerts us to the activity of the enemy in Christian settings. In the past generation, we’ve seen a tremendous upsurge in occult activity in the Western world. We need to guard against it making further inroads into the Church. We need to be obedient to the Scriptures and be wise, giving no place to the devil.The fact that a particular spiritual practice “works” is irrelevant. Instead, we need to ask: “Why does it work?” And, “Who is making it work?” Remember, just because something is supernatural doesn’t mean it’s from God.After all, Satan and his messengers can also perform supernatural signs. Jesus said that at the end of the age, false Christs and false prophets would arise and do great signs and wonders (see Matthew 24). Because false miracles are a possibility, the Bible commands us to test the spirits to see whether they are from God (1 John 4:1)! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nickuva.substack.com

In this session, we give an introduction to the ministry of deliverance and possible gateways to demonic harassment, as well as how to identify and deal with demonic harassment in people.Click here to view or download class notes for this session (PDF).EXCERPT: Few people discuss this, but for hundreds of years after Christ, Christian leaders spoke boldly and publicly about the ability of ordinary Christians to cast out demons and do miraculous signs.The Early Church Father Tertullian, who died in the year 220 A.D., said that the greatest proof of Christianity was the truth of God’s Word. But he said that the second greatest proof of our faith was the testimony of the demons who have been conquered by Jesus!Tertullian wrote, “Let a demoniac therefore be brought into court, and the spirit which possesses him be commanded by any Christian to declare what he is, he shall confess himself as truly to be a devil as he did falsely before profess himself a god” (Apologia, ch. 23 [Reeve, trans.]) . This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nickuva.substack.com

In this session, we talk about the power of Jesus' Name, the privilege we have to use it, and much more. Join us for this key teaching!Click here to view or download class notes for this session (PDF).EXCERPT: You can see in the passages we read that people in Jesus’ day not only understood that one person could use another person’s name, but that names could carry another person’s spiritual power. This is why the religious leaders asked Peter and John that unusual question in Acts chapter 4: "By what power, or by what name, have you done this?"As I said earlier, they might have been asking: By what kind of power or what kind of name have you healed this man? In other words, you are using a kind of power or a kind of name that is different, and unfamiliar to us. (And, by the way, they were shocked to see ordinary men wielding such power. In the Greek it was emphatic; they said, “By what kind of name have you people done this?” Remember that religious people will always be shocked to see God using regular people like you.)But pay close attention to what these leaders believed. They believed that when somebody got healed, there were two ways it could have happened. One way was by the exercise of power. The other way was using a name. They believed that you could be healed by the authority that was carried in someone’s name. That may sound strange to us, but for them it was normal. And, by the way… it’s also correct! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nickuva.substack.com

In this week’s session, we shared about how to minister healing to people, including good protocols for ministering to people in general, and learning to pray for the sick using the Five-Step Healing Prayer Model. Following the teaching time we released people to pray for one another for healing.Click here to view or download class notes for this session (PDF).EXCERPT: If you’ve been filled with His Spirit, you’re not only eligible, but also able to do what Jesus did. Now, it’s true that we might not do it as powerfully. Christian author and teacher Jack Deere said, “[T]here was only one Person who had the character to bear the power of the Spirit without limit…” So, maybe we won’t move in the supernatural as successfully as Jesus, but yes, we are able to do His works through Him, and Jesus said so. Ask God for a fresh filling of His Spirit today, and remember that Jesus, who cannot lie, said this: “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” (Luke 11:13) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nickuva.substack.com

In this week’s session, we explored the challenging biblical truth that God commanded His people to actively pursue spiritual gifts. We also began to discuss the tangible power of God and provided an introduction to the topic of healing.Click here to view or download class notes for this session (PDF).EXCERPT: Contrary to what our traditions might have told us, even Pentecostal traditions, God tells us to be zealous to have the Gifts of the Spirit operating in our lives. In his teaching on the Gifts, Paul uses a certain Greek word three times to emphasize this. It’s the word zeloo, which means to be zealous. In fact, it’s where we get our English word zeal. So, Paul says:• “earnestly desire the best gifts” (1 Cor. 12:31)• “desire spiritual gifts but especially that you may prophesy” (1 Cor. 14:1)• “desire earnestly to prophesy” (1 Cor. 14:39)We must become convinced that the choice between fruit and gifts is a false choice, a choice God doesn’t ask us to make. He wants us to have both, so He can extend His Power through us. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nickuva.substack.com

In this double-length session, we began by focusing on powerlessness in the Church, the doctrine of cessationism, and an overview of the Gifts of the Spirit. In the second half, we examined the Baptism in the Holy Spirit and definitions of the Gifts of the Spirit, as well as speaking in tongues, and praying in the Spirit. We concluded our time together by praying for people to be baptized in the Spirit. Don't miss this important teaching, and step deeper into the River of God's Presence and blessing. Click here to view or download class notes for this session (PDF).EXCERPT: Religious thinking causes people to set up false choices that God has not asked them to make. These can become strongholds that reinforce people’s fears, inadequacies, or prejudices. This can prevent them from moving in supernatural ministry. For example:1. The Word vs. the Spirit2. Purity vs. Power3. The Fruit of the Spirit vs. The Gifts of the Spirit4. Seeking the Gifts vs. seeking the Giver All of these are false choices that God has not asked us to make. Each one of these is a religious deception. Each one of these is a marriage, but religion tells people to “divorce them for the sake of the kids.”Contrary to that kind of thinking, the Bible commands us to pursue both the Gifts and the Giver. If you want to know the truth, it’s actually the Giver who’s telling us to go after the Gifts! Learn what the Apostle Paul said, “Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy” (1 Corinthians 14:1). This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nickuva.substack.com

In this session, we explore the work of the Holy Spirit in bringing people to salvation. What are some ways that we can pray for people to come to faith in Christ?Click here to view or download class notes for this session (PDF).EXCERPT: In general, we say that the Spirit works to draw the unsaved person to faith in Christ. If anyone is to be saved it will only ever be because the Holy Spirit drew them and pointed them to the salvation that God offers us through Christ. Jesus said, “No man can come to me, unless the Father who has sent me draws him…” (John 6:44) And the Father accomplishes this by the power and the activity of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the agent of God, sent to fulfill God’s purposes in salvation. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nickuva.substack.com

In this session, we discuss praise and worship. What does the Bible say about this important topic, and what does it mean to "minister to the Lord?"Click here to view or download class notes for this session (PDF).EXCERPT: Thanksgiving is the gateway into God’s Presence.Why thanksgiving? Two reasons. First, thanksgiving forces me to acknowledge God as my Creator and Sustainer. I’ve heard it said that a proud man can’t thank God, but a humble man can’t help it. If you want to enjoy God’s Presence in your life and catch His attention, start thanking Him.Psalm 138:6 says: “Though the LORD is high, yet He has respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knows afar off.” We don’t want to be afar off. We want to be near. God says in Isaiah 57, “…I dwell in the high and holy place, [and also] with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit…” A second reason to begin with thanksgiving is this: when you thank Him in humility, He draws nears to you. God is attracted to humility. And as you keep thanking Him, a sense will arise in your heart that you’re engaging the Presence of His Spirit. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nickuva.substack.com

In this session in our course on the Spirit’s transforming power, we explore Jesus' description of the Holy Spirit's special ministries, found in John chapters 13–17. We also discussed how we can grow in friendship with the Spirit. We closed with a time of prayer to experience His ministries in these ways.Click here to view or download class notes for his session (PDF).EXCERPT: The Holy Spirit is the Teacher of the Church. He is the author of the Scriptures. The Bible tells us that the Scriptures were “breathed by God,” and we understand that the Holy Spirit is the One who did the breathing!He teaches us the Word. Never read the Bible without inviting the Spirit to teach you. In those moments when the Word makes sense to you and it all just clicks, that wasn’t because you’re so smart. It’s because the Spirit of God supernaturally opened your mind to His. When the resurrected Christ appeared to the disciples on the road to Emmaus, the Bible says He opened their understanding, and the Spirit wants to do the same for you and for me. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nickuva.substack.com

“Life in the Spirit” is a course I designed to help people experience and move in the Holy Spirit's transforming power through teaching and hands-on training. I believe God wants us to walk in daily partnership with the Spirit. It’s a hard thing for us to process, but Jesus actually said it was to our advantage that He left, so that He might send the Spirit. The first Christians enjoyed a sense of the nearness of the Holy Spirit, as well as His empowering. That can be our experience, too! Listen along with us.Click here to view or download class notes for his session (PDF).EXCERPT:The Holy Spirit is not some kind of “junior God.” He is not just the power of God, nor is He simply the love that the Father and the Son have for each other, as we sometimes hear people say. He is a distinct person.* The Holy Spirit is called God (Acts 5:3-4).* The Holy Spirit is called the eternal Spirit (Hebrews 9:14).* He is omnipresent (Psalms 139).* Jesus said to baptize people in the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19).The entire Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—works together for our salvation and for our spiritual growth. Paul says: “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons” (1 Corinthians 12:4-6). This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nickuva.substack.com

This is a sermon I brought recently on Hebrews chapter 7, on how Jesus is “a priest forever, "according to the order of Melchizedek.”Melchizedek is a mysterious figure. Indeed, the Bible says almost nothing about him. We meet him only once, way back in Genesis chapter 14, some 1850 years before Christ. There we read how Abraham fought to rescue his troublesome nephew Lot from captivity. When Abraham returned victorious from that battle, Melchizedek went out to greet him. The Bible describes their meeting in just three short verses:“Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. And he blessed him and said: ‘Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, ​​Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.; And he gave him a tithe of all” (Genesis 14:18-20).That’s the only historical reference to Melchizedek in the Scriptures; however, his name shows up again centuries later, in a psalm of King David, Psalm 110. Understanding Psalm 110 will help us unlock Hebrews 7, and the author’s rather dense teaching on how Jesus Christ is a superior—and forever—High Priest for the people of God. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nickuva.substack.com

Thanks for being a part of our verse-by-verse study in Acts over these last six months! In this final session, we see Paul and his companions surviving shipwreck and arriving in Rome. As the book closes, we see the Gospel being shared boldly and without hindrance. Watch with us, and if you enjoy these teachings, kindly share them to a friend.Class notes are available here as a PDF.If you like, you can also watch on my YouTube channel.EXCERPT:We know that Paul had a first defense before the Emperor or the Emperor’s designate. At some point he was re-arrested and in his second imprisonment, shortly before his death, he also wrote 2nd Timothy.He would preach to the guards and no doubt he saw some of them saved as well. To the Philippians he wrote, “All the saints greet you, but especially those who are of Caesar’s household” (Philippians 4:22). Right there in the Emperor’s house, Paul was a light!It’s long been believed that Paul was martyred in the persecution that arose against Christians once Nero began to deteriorate mentally and morally, perhaps around the year 64 A.D.But even though Paul’s light was put out, the Gospel is still going forth and reaching people and places those first apostles never dreamed of. Jesus said we would receive power after the Holy Spirit came upon us, and we would be His witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. We’ve seen that gradually unfolding as we’ve journeyed through Acts. But the 28 chapters of Acts were really just the beginning, and Jesus said that before the end comes the Gospel will be preached in all the world as a witness! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nickuva.substack.com

This is the next-to-last session in our study in the Book of Acts. (Sorry, I couldn’t bring myself to type “penultimate” today.) In this session, we see Paul making his defense and explaining his calling before the elites of this world. His appeal to Caesar will now send him on his way to Rome itself. Watch with us, and if you enjoy these teachings, kindly share them to a friend.Class notes are available here as a PDF.If you like, you can also watch on my YouTube channel.EXCERPT:Paul is going to present his testimony again: his career, his calling, and his commission. This is the third time we see his story, which indicates to us how important it is for Luke and for the story of Acts.You can see here that in contrast to the way he spoke to the Romans, Paul is emphasizing the truths of Scripture to King Agrippa. He begins by getting straight to the point: he’s always tried to live as a strict and faithful Jew.Now he’s being judged for the essence of Judaism – which for Paul was not about ethics or even laws, but the promise of God that would be realized through the coming of the Messiah and the resurrection. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nickuva.substack.com

We’re approaching the end of our study in the Book of Acts. Join us for this session as we see Paul return to Jerusalem, where he is rescued by the Romans and then placed under arrest, beginning a new phase of his life and ministry. Watch with us, and if you enjoy these teachings, kindly share them to a friend.Class notes are available here as a PDF.If you like, you can also watch on my YouTube channel.EXCERPT:Why would Paul agree to go to the Temple and pay for these men sacrifices? People have debated whether he was right to do this. Certainly, Paul didn’t believe that Jews or anybody else could be saved by keeping the Law. Even James and the other Messianic believers didn’t believe that. It seems that Paul was willing to go along with this for the sake of unity.In 1 Corinthians 9, Paul tells us his guiding principle: “…to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law… I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.” (See 1 Cor. 9:19ff.) For the sake of the Gospel, Paul would make accommodations if he could, so long as he didn’t compromise the message of salvation by the grace of Christ.So, Paul agreed to go to the Temple with the men on the required days and go through the required rituals. It would show that he was a faithful Jew who still honored the ancient customs. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nickuva.substack.com

Thanks for hanging with us as we begin to approach the end of the Book of Acts. In this week’s session of our study, we dig into the most fruitful period of Paul’s ministry, as he and his co-workers spread the Gospel in the occult stronghold of Ephesus, one of the Roman Empire’s largest cities. Watch with us, and if you enjoy these teachings, kindly share them to a friend.Class notes are available here as a PDF.If you like, you can also watch on my YouTube channel.EXCERPT:Apparently, Paul has already been receiving prophecies everywhere he goes to the effect that he will soon be in chains. However, he is determined regardless to go on and complete the ministry Jesus gave him, to share the Good News of the Gospel of grace.Paul has done his best to share everything God gave him to share – the full counsel of God – so that he is now guiltless. Now it falls to the next generation to stand and safeguard the flock of God. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nickuva.substack.com

In this session of our Acts Bible Study, we explore chapters 17 and 18, traveling with Paul and his team through the major cities of Greece: Thessalonica, Athens, and Corinth. Be a Berean and join us! Watch with us, and if you enjoy these teachings, kindly share them to a friend.Class notes are available here as a PDF.If you like, you can also watch on my YouTube channel.EXCERPT:At Corinth, Paul didn’t even have to defend himself. Proconsul Gallio decided that he didn’t want to bother with something he saw as an internal Jewish matter.This was a momentous decision because it gave Paul freedom to keep operating. Remember that the Jews had a privileged status: the Romans saw Judaism as a religio licita – a permitted religion. That made Jews exempt from some of the religious obligations that others had to follow. By making this ruling, Gallio was saying that as far as Rome was concerned, Christians were not different from any other Jews. That gave Paul, for the time being, protected status.That wouldn’t last very long, and we know that the Romans viciously persecuted believers in Jesus on and off for centuries. But for the time being, the plan of the Jews at Corinth had backfired, and the Christians were free to live out their faith without government persecution. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nickuva.substack.com

In this week’s session of our Bible study, we discuss the momentous Church Council at Jerusalem, and see the beginning of Paul’s Second Missionary Journey in Acts chapters 15 and 16. Watch with us, and if you enjoy these teachings, kindly share them to a friend.Class notes are available here as a PDF.If you like, you can also watch on my YouTube channel.EXCERPT:The story of Paul and his team deciding to turn into Greece is a wonderful example of how we need to stay in close communication with the Holy Spirit. When we have decisions to make, we need to make it a matter of constant prayer, constant seeking of God's face. We don’t know how the Spirit told them not to remain in Asia, nor go towards the Black Sea, but somehow, He made it clear. Perhaps it was through an inner witness, a lack of peace, or through a prophetic word. In any case, Paul’s vision of a Macedonian leads them to make the fateful decision to bring the Gospel into Europe for the first time.Next to the decision of Jerusalem Council, this is the most historic decision anybody makes in the Book of Acts. God ordained, for reasons known only to Him, that the Gospel should go first to Europe, and then spread from that base to most of the world across the centuries. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nickuva.substack.com

In this week’s session of our Bible study, we look at Paul’s famous First Missionary Journey in Acts chapters 13 and 14. The Gospel begins to move out farther from its home in Jerusalem, and Gentiles begin to come to faith in large numbers. Watch with us, and if you enjoy these teachings, kindly share them to a friend.Class notes are available here as a PDF.If you like, you can also watch on my YouTube channel.EXCERPT:As you read Acts, notice that Paul's preaching varies depending on the audience and the context. Here in Acts 13, he’ll be preaching in a synagogue to an audience of people who already know the Bible. He will be using Scripture and presenting Jesus to them as the fulfillment of the promises God has made to Israel. This is very different from the way he will later present Jesus to pagans. However, as we’ve seen before in Acts, healings and miracles will often create opportunities for the apostles to share the Gospel. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nickuva.substack.com

In this week’s session of our “Acts” Bible study, we see how believers began to deliberately reach out to Gentiles with the Good News for the first time, and Gentile churches began to be planted. We also get our final story focused mainly on Peter, as the emphasis shifts to Paul and his missionary activities. Watch with us, and if you enjoy these teachings, kindly share them to a friend.Class notes are available here as a PDF.If you like, you can also watch on my YouTube channel.EXCERPT:The Jewish-Roman historian Josephus has his own version of this story, and it’s similar. According to Josephus, Herod didn’t rebuke the people who called him a god, and he was struck with intense pain in his stomach that gripped him for five days before he finally died. We do believe the Bible’s version, of course, but it’s interesting that even a secular historian of the time seems to attribute Agrippa’s death to this arrogant blasphemy. Agrippa was eaten by worms, but the Word of God grew and multiplied. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nickuva.substack.com