#ACTs

[the-mortuary-witch]

TYPES OF DEVOTIONAL ACTS

FOR LOVE/BEAUTY DEITIES: 

Skin care.

Do your makeup (or embrace your natural beauty).

Paint your nails.

Dress up a little.

Write love letters.

Masterbate.

Change your bed sheets/clean up your room/space.

Listen to love songs/songs about sex/loving yourself.

Having sex.

Read romance novels.

Play interactive romance novels/romance games (stardew valley, dream daddy, The Arcana, etc).

FOR WAR DEITIES: 

Listen to angry music.

Advocate for yourself.

Reinforce your boundaries.

Cut out the negative people in your life.

Feel your anger, recognize your anger, don't force it down, but don't lash out to others. "I am angry. This thing made me angry. It's okay that I am angry, it is not okay to cause harm to those who do not deserve it." Etc etc.

Read biographies or accounts of war, or dystopian novels (accounts of war like Night by Elie Weisel, dystopian like Divergent or Hunger Games).

Learn self defence.

Learn about how your area was used in past wars.

Play fighting games (call of duty, mortal combat, etc).

FOR MUSIC/ART DEITIES: 

Create! Learn an instrument, draw, etc.

Write a song.

Paint for them.

Listen to experimental or storytelling music. All music is art, so find a vibe for your deity.

Take pictures of nature, art is everywhere in nature, from the paintings on butterfly wings to the sunset.

Read/write poetry.

Read poetry books, or books about music or art (think biographies from musicians/artists, or books like Guitar Notes by Mary Amato or such) (guitar notes is a mid-grade book but it's the only one I could think of the name of).

Visit galleries or local shows, support local artists.

FOR WISDOM DEITIES: 

Read books, any type, but mostly classics like Sherlock Holmes or Jane Austen.

Watch documentaries.

Take free online courses on subjects that interest you.

Visit and support your local libraries and independently owned bookstores.

Find old unloved books at thrift stores.

Learn a new skill.

Listen to music from different time periods.

Visit museums.

Play strategy games (chess, supreme commander, etc).

Do puzzles.

FOR NATURE DEITIES: 

Raise a plant or a garden.

Listen to nature sounds, or music with nature sounds.

Observe nature persevering, vines crawling up a building, dandelions in cracks in the pavement.

Read wilderness guides.

Learn about your area's native flora and fauna.

Visit local parks.

Open windows and let the fresh air in.

Scavenge/forage (in safe areas).

Play cozy games (animal crossing in a good example).

FOR DEATH DEITIES: 

Visit local graveyards/cemeteries (don't forget to be mindful and conscious of others and the spirits there).

Listen to music by artists who have passed on, or music about death.

Learn about different cultures' funeral practices.

Safely move roadkill out of the road, leave a small offering if possible (again, do so SAFELY).

Read books that have death themes (like Edgar Allen Poe, Wuthering Heights, or They Both Die In The End).

Think about how you want your body to be treated in death. Do you want to be buried, cremated, donated to science?

FOR HOME/HEARTH DEITIES: 

Read cozy books.

Play cozy games (sims, animal crossing).

Make your house seem warm and inviting to visitors.

Learn how to bake, either from scratch or a box, both are acceptable.

Learn how to sew or knit or crochet.

Watch cozy movies.

Light candles if you don't have a fireplace.

Listen to soft music.

Visit your friends or family and bring them baked goods.

FOR STRONG PARENTAL DEITIES:

Take care of your friends. 

Make sure your friends eat and are drinking water, do the same for yourself. 

Tell the people in your life you love them, you're proud of them, they're doing a good job. 

Read books about found family, self help books. 

Listen to music that makes you feel safe and loved. 

Carry a figure that represents them. 

Take care of yourself the way that they would take care of you.

Cook for yourself. Make yourself feel safe and loved.

FOR HEALTH DEITIES: 

Carry bandaids, Tylenol, and extra pads/tampons for people who may need them.

Learn about the human body and how it works.

Take your meds.

Make art out of old pill bottles for them.

Know and respect your limits.

Watch documentaries about doctors or health sciences.

Research holistic remedies and see if any might be of use to you (DO NOT SUBSTITUTE THEM FOR MODERN MEDICINE) be careful of misinformation, and any interactions that certain things might have with your meds.

FOR SEA/OCEAN/WATER DEITIES: 

Have a small fountain in your home (you can find them at some dollar stores, or if you're mechanically savvy, make your own).

Salts in your baths.

Visit local streams, creeks, rivers, or beaches.

Read about marine life/river life.

Read about your local water sources, learn about the water cycle.

Collect rain water.

Stand in the rain, feel it on you, let it ground you.

Listen to music about water/with water sounds/the ocean/the beach

Have pictures in your home/space of the ocean.

If you visit the ocean, collect some water and sand and seashells (make sure you follow your own personal gratitude system) to have in your home.

Don't fret if you're landlocked, your practice is valid, you don't need to be at the ocean all the time to feel it's presence. The rain clouds blow in from hundreds of miles away. The ocean is always with you.

Drink water.

Carry a small vial of water with you (could be ocean water, river water, or tap water with or without salt in it) you can keep it in your car, in your pocket, or wear it as a necklace, etc.

Carry a small vial of salt with you (could be hand harvested from the ocean, table salt, or any kind of off the shelf salt).

FOR SKY/WIND/AIR DEITIES: 

Let the air in, open windows when possible

Offerings of air, such as burning incense, smoking tobacco, or using essential oils.

Reading poetry, mythology, or other writings about the deity.

Let yourself be free.

Sit outside for a few minutes a day, or longer.

Playing wind instruments, like flutes or panpipes.

Making offerings of feathers, wings, or other things related to birds or mythical sky beings.

Participating in sky-related activities, such as skydiving, flying, or hot-air balloon rides, to feel closer to the sky deity.

Building or using a wind chime or wind sculpture to connect with the energies of the sky and the wind.

Engaging in outdoor activities like biking, sailing, or kite flying to appreciate the gift of air and sky.

Flying kites or sky lanterns. 

FOR TRAVELER DEITIES: 

Pick something up for them on your travels, could be a rock, could be a souvenir.

Put a symbol of them in your car.

Wear shoes that are good for walking.

Drive/walk around to explore new places (you don't even have to leave your town).

Take backroads.

Be a respectful tourist in every new place that you visit, don't be afraid of looking stupid.

FOR QUEER DEITIES:

Educate yourself on queer history.

Express yourself truthfully.

Listen to queer music.

Read queer books.

Embrace your identity.

Read queer poetry, like that of Sappho.

Keep yourself safe in spaces that are less open to identities.

Support local queer owned businesses or artists.

Queer art.

Love yourself and take care of yourself.

Go to drag shows.

Relish in the fact that queerness has been around since the very first civilizations.

[littlealienproducts]

Animal Stack Set of 3 Art Print A5 Illustration cute by SoCuteCompany

[heart-for-god]

Acts 10:43

[aodh-screaming]

been thinking about the Ethiopian Eunuch™ and how they're specifically reading Isaiah when Philip comes up to them

it makes me very happy to think that maybe after meeting Philip and being baptised (HUGE) they went back to their chariot thing

and maybe picked up their book

and a few chapters later they might have read:

"I will give them [eunuchs] a name better than sons and daughters".

gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous moment. UGH.

[bro-god-is-good]

The story of Stephen in Acts Chapter 7 is awe inspiring.

Stephen: a man appointed by the apostles to spread the gospel, who was described as full of grace and power, died a horrible death following God till the end.

As Stephen is spreading the gospel, people are getting angry at him and creating lies forcing him in front of the council to defend himself.

Stephen uses the Holy Spirit and speaks wisdom telling the story of how the Old Testament connects to Jesus, but still he is not believed and is stoned to death.

As Stephen is being killed, his last words are a crying out to God telling Him to not hold the people’s sins against them.

Stephen : the first martyr of Christianity stayed true to Christ till the very end. ♥️

[thelordismylightandmysalvation]

Verse of the Day - Acts 20:24

[godslove]

[stoicmike]

You can’t trust someone based on mere words. -- Michael Lipsey

[master-jarrus]

So I'm a christian and I have been trying to read my bible more often

Acts 2:44 the very beginning of the church the new followers (the disciples had for the most part already done this) sold all of their possessions and rejoiced in simplicity while working in a community to provide for each other

This is something Jesus calls his followers to do

He says this many many times

👀 and elder members of church wonder why today's youth is so "radical"

[heart-for-god]

Acts 20:24

[gabebrodudeman]

You can't be a nobody AND believe in Jesus at the same time, it's impossible.

Acts of the Apostles 1:7-8 NLT

[7] He replied, “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know. [8] But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

This was after Jesus had spent three years with the disciples, teaching them and guiding them for three years. He taught them everything he thought they needed to know. He spent everyday with them leading by example, performing miracles, raising the dead, healing disease, comforting the hurt, forgiving the sinners, giving sermons, teaching them all kinds of truth, trying to show them the right way, always. Patiently. Gently. With grace and mercy. Always trying to nug them in the right direction.

Then he said this to them after 3 years. After having been shocked by the crucifixion. The state of total disarray, panic, not understanding what's going on, but now the resurrection has come and this is what he says to them, he says,

'Now look, you go sit down in the city of Jerusalem, sit down in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.'

He's trying to tell them in Acts 1:7-8 that, "you may have heard all this, you may have seen all this, you may have witnessed all the things I have done, but you're still not ready to do the work I have called you to do, not until the 'spirit of God' indwells you.

Now in the Old testament the Holy Spirit would come down on God's servants and it would come and it would go, but on Pentecost it came down onto this Earth so that it indwelled all believers on this Earth so that from that point on every single person who is a child of God is indwelled by a person of the trinity called the Holy Spirit.

Some people, all they get out of the Bible is knowledge. They go to Sunday school, the teacher teaches a lesson and that's it.

But who's the teacher? The Holy Spirit. Who's the equipper? The Holy Spirit. Who gives interpretation of the word of God? The Holy Spirit.

Listen, it is the power of the Holy Spirit within you. That's why he told them "you're not ready until the spirit of God comes upon you," and then, it is the authority of the Spirit, the power of the Spirit, the unction of the Spirit that is what teaches through the Sunday school teacher, the pastor, the evangelist, sings through a musician, you name it.

God intends for all of us to do our work in his power and his energy in his strength and by his authority. What is done apart from the holy spirit is flesh, its mans own human effort. We can never carry out spiritual work, God's work, and the flesh in our own energy apart from the Holy Spirit. That is one of the prime reasons he sent the Holy Spirit.

You may be a pastor and think "well, I study and I pray and God gives me a message and I just get up and do it" and you ignore the Holy Spirit. You're not relying upon him for wisdom, you're not relying upon him for courage, you're not relying upon him for inspiration, you're not relying upon him for motivation, you're not relying upon him for interpretation, you're not relying upon him for power, you're not relying upon him for authority. You cannot do what God has called you to do the way He intendeds for you to do it apart from the Holy Spirit.

That's who He is, that's why He came, and there is no substitute for the Holy Spirit. You can't put enough PhDs, ThDs, RfDs, or any other kind of D behind anybody's name and make them adequate to do the work that God has called them to do. You cannot do it.

Romans 8:26 NLT

[26] And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.

"at a critical moment in my life I was praying one night and the Lord spoke to my heart and he said crystal clear I'll never forget it, "whatever you accomplish in life you will have to accomplish on your knees in prayer, not by education, not by talents, not by might, not buy gifts, but by calling out to me, by crying out to me, it has to be on your knees" because God knew that that meant for me 'total dependence on the Holy Spirit.'" -Dr. Charles Stanley.

Listen when you and I are praying He is involved. One of his responsibilities is here in Romans 8:26, the Holy Spirit prays for us with us, and through us, he intercedes for us because we don't even know what to pray for sometimes. Have you ever been on your knees and crying out to God, and you don't know what to ask, you just know they're in trouble you don't even know what to say you just ask "God help them." You just say "Lord I trust your work in their life" whether you're praying for yourself or someone else, the Spirit of God is taking your prayers and He interprets it personally and perfectly before the Father because He knows our heart. The trinity knows everything at all times in every given circumstance and he works on your behalf. You are a part of that trinity, you are what makes it complete, that spirit that dwells within you makes you a somebody. Somebody with purpose and with reason.

John 15:26 NLT

[26] “But I will send you the Advocate —the Spirit of truth. He will come to you from the Father and will testify all about me.

The Holy Spirit is conviction. It will convict you to lead a life apart from others. It will convict you to abandon the darkness and to embrace the light. It will guide you and teach you how to become a light. The Holy Spirit is a person. He is a Helper, an Advocate. Someone on your side rooting for you at all times, always there to comfort you, always there to hear your cries, always there to lend a helping hand in any way he can.

We need to walk in the spirit.

We need to understand this

To walk in the Spirit, or by the spirit, is to live moment by moment in dependency on him, sensitive to his voice, and in obedience to him.

Those three things:

Dependence

Sensitive

Obedience

Everyday of our life, moment by moment, as a believer we are to walk aware of the spirit of God in our life. That is the Christian life.

May God bless you, always. 🤍

[garden-of-thoughts-fruit-of-lips]

For instance, while passing along and carefully observing your objects of veneration, I found even an altar on which had been inscribed ‘To an Unknown God.’ Therefore, what you are unknowingly worshipping, this I am declaring to you. The God who made the world and all the things in it, being, as he is, Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in handmade temples

Acts 17: 23,24

[saltoftheearth5x2]

Acts Ch 1

I decided to start reading through the book of Acts, and I'd like to share a few notes that I have here.

Background knowledge:

Acts was written by Luke in the years around 60-90 CE.

He wrote the book of Acts for Theophilus (who I believe was a Roman Governor), who wanted to know more about what the big deal was about with Jesus and the Christians.

It is a historical record of the beginning of the church and Saul's conversion

Acts 1 (NIV)

Jesus Taken Up Into Heaven

1 In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 3 After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. 4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

If you have accepted Christ, then you have been gifted (baptized in) the Holy Spirit. With this gift, you should let the spirit lead to baptize others.

6 Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”

7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

(Verse 7) God has a plan for you. He may not have revealed it to you, but there is still a plan. So do not be worried when things seem to go "off course", because things are going exactly how God wants them to.

9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.

10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

We spend to much time looking back to Jesus instead of looking ahead to where he's going to be. We focus on his work in the past, and not the promise of his work in the future. He is coming, so why do you live in the past and not the present? He us coming, so why do you sit and wait? He is coming - and soon.

Matthias Chosen to Replace Judas

12 Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from the city. 13 When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. 14 They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

It is important to pray on big decisions that you're going to make. Look for guidance from the Lord, so that you'll chose his path.

15 In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty) 16 and said, “Brothers and sisters, the Scripture had to be fulfilled in which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus. 17 He was one of our number and shared in our ministry.”

Just like how the predictions of Jesus's life came true, so will the predictions of his return. I recommend reading Revelations; there's a lot of good knowledge in there.

18 (With the payment he received for his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out. 19 Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this, so they called that field in their language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)

No sin shall be left unpunished. Though the punishment may not be immediate, it is still going to come. However, Jesus died on the cross to take that punishment for us. Praise the Lord.

20 “For,” said Peter, “it is written in the Book of Psalms:

“‘May his place be deserted;

let there be no one to dwell in it,’

and,

“‘May another take his place of leadership.’

21 Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus was living among us, 22 beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection.”

23 So they nominated two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. 24 Then they prayed, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen 25 to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.” 26 Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles

(Verse 24) The Lord knows our hearts. He knows every thought, every desire, every feeling. He knows us wholly and fully. He knows our best and our worst, and he still loves us completely.

And that's all I have in Acts 1.

I hope you enjoyed this mini Bible study with me. If this gets enough interest, I may continue through the book of Acts.

If you have any questions regarding the Christian faith, please ask me in my ask box. I am not a perfect person, but I will try and answer your questions as best as I can. We all have much more to learn, myself included. So please, do not be shy.

God bless!

[many-sparrows]

17 “‘In the last days, God says,

    I will pour out my Spirit on all people.

Your sons and daughters will prophesy,

    your young men will see visions,

    your old men will dream dreams.

Acts 2:17, a verse I am thinking a lot about lately. Could also be:

Your children will speak to you with wisdom and will challenge your rulers with justice

Your young people will glimpse at the glory of heaven,

And your old will remain full of hope and will dream new dreams