INVINCIBLE!

June 28

Bible Reading: Acts 5:32-37

Acts 5:38-39, “If this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them.  You might even be found to be opposing God!”

The religious leaders conspired to have Jesus put to death.  But they were powerless to keep Him entombed.  The risen Christ sent forth His Apostles to bear witness of Him, but the religious leaders kept trying to stop them.  They were “enraged and wanted to kill them” (Acts 5:33).  “But a Pharisee in the council named Gamaliel” spoke up and intervened on their behalf (Acts 5:34f).

Gamaliel was a “teacher of the law” and was “held in honor by all the people” (Acts 5:35; 22:3).  He suggested that the Council carefully weigh its decision regarding the apostles, reminding them of other previous revolutionaries that had risen only to perish.  So he counseled the Council to take care. His reasoning?  “If this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; but if is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them.  You might even be found to be opposing God” (Acts 5:38-39)!  After they warned the apostles and had them beaten, the religious leaders “let them go” (Acts 5:40).

“If it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them,” Gamaliel said (Acts 5:39).  So, it has been as Gamaliel predicted, and more importantly, as Jesus Himself had promised: “I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18).  History has proven that which Jesus declared.  In the centuries following the church’s inception, it has witnessed countless spurious causes and even world-wide revolutions taking place.  Some of these revolutions have ascended to incredible heights of authoritative power and influence.  But their man-made causes proved unsustainable—worthless relics in the trash heap of history.  Not so Biblical Christianity.  Despite persecution and opposition, the church continues.  The Roman Empire tried to extinguish its light, but the witness could not be silenced.  The Protestant Reformation burst forth despite intense resistance.  In recent centuries, communist governments sought to eradicate Christianity, only to see the church persevere and grow under oppression.  Even today, in countries around the world, the persecution of Christians only works to strengthen the resolve of Christ’s followers.  It is as the 2nd-century Church Father Tertullian once said, “The blood of martyrs is the seed of the Church.”

Secular elitists are working to this day to silence the testimony of Bible-believing Christians.  The prince of the power of the air leads many minions (Ephesians 2:2; 2 Timothy 2:26).  Redefining sin and silencing the gospel are their key objectives.  Many are yielding to the pressure to compromise.  But Christ’s true church will never falter or fail (Romans 8:31, 37).  His Word cannot be imprisoned (2 Timothy 2:9).  His plans cannot be thwarted.  Don’t let the growing choir of secular voices that speak ill of His church or His Word alarm you.  The Lord lovingly and faithfully provides for and protects His Church.  He is even now preparing it for His return. The day is coming when the “great Church victorious” will be “the Church at rest!”

“I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” – Matthew 16:18

THE CHURCH’S ONE FOUNDATION
The Church’s one foundation
Is Jesus Christ, her Lord;
She is His new creation
By water and the Word:
From heav’n He came and sought her
To be His holy bride;
With His own blood He bought her
And for her life He died.

Elect from every nation,
Yet one o’er all the earth,
Her charter of salvation:
One Lord, one faith, one birth;
One holy name she blesses,
Partakes one holy food;
And to one hope she presses,
With every grace endued.

‘Mid toil and tribulation
And tumult of her war,
She waits the consummation
Of peace forevermore;
Till with the vision glorious
Her longing eyes are blest,
And the great Church victorious
Shall be the Church at rest.

Yet she on earth has union
With God, the Three in One,
And mystic, sweet communion
With those whose rest is won;
O happy ones and holy!
Lord, give us grace that we
Like them, the meek and lowly,
On high may dwell with Thee.

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Author: looking2jesus13

Jerry L. Conklin was born and raised in Hillsboro, Oregon. After graduating from high school, he enlisted in the United States Navy and served for six years in the Navy’s Nuclear Power Program. He was assigned to the USS *Omaha* (SSN-692), a nuclear-powered fast-attack submarine, where he served as a reactor-plant electrical operator. His military service took him to ports and locations throughout the world and provided extensive technical training, leadership experience, and an enduring appreciation for those who serve in the Armed Forces. Following his Navy service, Jerry earned a bachelor’s degree in Nuclear Technology from Thomas Edison State University. He worked at the Trojan Nuclear Plant near Rainier, Oregon, first as a reactor operator and later as a training specialist. After sensing God’s call to pastoral ministry, he left the nuclear-power industry and earned a master’s degree in theology from Western Conservative Baptist Seminary in Portland, Oregon. Jerry served for twenty-seven and a half years as senior pastor of Lewis and Clark Bible Church in Astoria, Oregon. During those years, he preached and taught the Scriptures, provided pastoral counseling, performed weddings and memorial services, trained church leaders, and served individuals and families throughout the community. He also served as a fire department chaplain and participated in a variety of community ministries. After retiring from full-time pastoral ministry, Jerry and his wife, Laura, moved to Heppner, Oregon. There he served for approximately four years as a chaplain with Pioneer Memorial Home Health and Hospice, providing spiritual and emotional support to more than 150 patients and their families. In 2023, the Oregon Association for Home Care honored him as its Chaplain of the Year. Jerry also helped establish South Morrow County Seniors Matter, a nonprofit organization created to address the needs of older adults following the COVID-19 pandemic. As chairman, he worked with community leaders and volunteers to develop a weekly senior meal program, a monthly veterans’ lunch, and other activities and services. The organization served hundreds of seniors, mobilized more than 200 volunteers, and received statewide and national recognition. In 2025, Jerry was named Heppner’s Man of the Year, and his community service was later recognized by United States Senator Jeff Merkley. International missions have also been an important part of Jerry’s ministry. He has made ten trips to Uganda, where he has taught at pastors’ conferences, preached in churches, participated in Bible-school graduations, distributed Bibles and Christian materials, and encouraged local pastors and ministry leaders. He developed the discipleship booklet *First Steps with Jesus* to help new believers understand and grow in their faith. Jerry is the author of numerous books, Bible studies, devotionals, and teaching resources, including works centered on prayer, Christian hope, spiritual growth, and the person of Jesus Christ. His decades of preaching and teaching reflect his commitment to presenting biblical truth clearly, practically, and faithfully. Jerry and Laura were married for nearly forty-two years and raised four children. They were also blessed with three grandchildren. Laura passed away in August 2025 following an eight-and-a-half-year battle with cancer. Jerry currently lives in Hillsboro, where he helps care for his elderly father. He continues to preach, teach, write, and serve others through pastoral and community ministry.

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