Ironworks

                          The book of Acts tells of the infancy of the church of Christ. In this record, we will find certain individuals who were not Christians that interact with members of the church. Gamaliel is one such character that we come across as we study Acts. He is in reality a very minor character who had an impact on Apostles as they stood before the Jewish council in Acts 5. Who Was Gamaliel? Gamaliel is described as a Pharisee and doctor of the law. He was a man with a good, and respected reputation (cf. Acts 5:34). We are told later that His influence and teaching helped to develop a young Saul of Tarsus. “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, at the feet of Gamaliel, instructed according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God, even as ye all are this day” (Acts 22:3). What we can gather is that Gamaliel influenced many. Wha...

     For Father’s Day, my wife and the kids gifted me with a little gadget called a “Tile.”  It is a little key tag that you can attach to your keys and with the app on your phone you can locate your keys if you misplace them. If you misplace your phone you can click the tag and find your phone also. It is pretty neat.. I can think about all the times I have been delayed, frustrated, and upset because I did not have my keys. As the church we need to remember the significance of the keys which are in the Lord’s hands.  “The Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven” “I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Matthew 16:19      The authority to lay the terms and conditions of entrance into the kingdom of heaven are Christ’s alone. He gave His Apostles those keys to the kingdom which they subsequently preached in J...