July 25
Bible Reading: Acts 9:26-31
Acts 9:31, “And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, (the church) multiplied.”
John MacArthur, who has faithfully served for 55 years as senior pastor of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, has said, “You take care of the depth of your ministry, and let God take care of the breadth.” That’s the dynamic that is evidenced here.
Our text lays out the simple formula for church growth, and it’s not as we might expect. Despite continual opposition and intense persecution, the church multiplied! It didn’t just survive; it thrived. Having burst forth from the confines of Jerusalem, it expanded throughout “all Judea and Galilee and Samaria” (Acts 9:31). It did so “in the comfort of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 9:31).
As previously noted, the church did not grow or expand because of any earthbound planning or effort. It prospered because of the working of the Spirit. Jesus had foretold of such things, saying: “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper” (John 14:16). The term translated “Helper” (akin to the term “comfort” found here) means literally “one called alongside to help.” He is the enabler; the One who supernaturally enables us to do any of that to which we are called. Without Jesus, we have no ability to do anything, but with the Spirit, who is responsible for mediating the presence of Jesus in and through us (John 16:14), we are empowered to go beyond the boundaries of what we believe is possible (Ephesians 3:20).
The same principle that worked to grow and expand the church is at work in the life of every believer, for the Spirit indwells every believer. Spiritual prosperity, in whatever way we choose to measure it, is a heaven-borne reality for those yielded to the Spirit, thus allowing Him the freedom to work in our lives in supernatural fashion.
Take care of the depth of your walk with Jesus, and God will take care of the breadth of its influence.
THE COMFORTER HAS COME
O spread the tidings ‘round
Wherever man is found,
Wherever human hearts and human woes abound;
Let every Christian tongue proclaim the joyful sound:
The Comforter has come!
Refrain:
The Comforter has come, the Comforter has come!
The Holy Ghost from heaven, the Father’s promise given;
O spread the tidings ‘round wherever man is found:
The Comforter has come!
The long, long night is past, the morning breaks at last,
And hushed the dreadful wail and fury of the blast,
As o’er the golden hills the day advances fast!
The Comforter has come! [Refrain]
Lo, the great King of kings with healing in His wings,
To every captive soul a full deliverance brings;
And through the vacant cells the song of triumph rings;
The Comforter has come! [Refrain]
O boundless Love divine! how shall this tongue of mine
To wondering mortals tell the matchless grace divine:
That I, a child of hell, should in His image shine!
The Comforter has come! [Refrain]
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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