God is Righteous and Just

Today in my time in God’s Word, I was presented with the righteousness and justice of God. Let’s not succumb to the idea that because God is love He is only forgiving. He does those things: loving and forgiving. However, He is also jealous and holy.

This is a hard subject to broach in today’s Christian churches. We focus on His salvation and love and caring spirit to attract others to the hope of salvation. However, if we leave out the part about separation and disobedience, what is there to be saved from? Let’s not be fooled into thinking that saying we believe in Jesus is enough. Even the demons believe in Jesus. Let’s not be fooled into thinking that God will save us and provide everything we want, just because we profess Him as Lord.

His plans are unsearchable to us. What we want may have nothing to do with His plans. As I discussed last week, our prayers need to be in line with His will. Our behavior also has to be in line with His will. His will is that we are intimate with Him. Not just saying the right things and sounding good, but truly knowing Him and serving Him. This doesn’t just happen because we prayed some prayer (although that’s a good start). Knowing Him means communicating with Him. Two-way communication. It’s not just praying to Him. And it’s not just reading His Word and listening for His Holy Spirit’s guidance. Both of those behaviors are essential for really getting to know Him.

Part of knowing Him is realizing that He’s a jealous God. He wants nothing or no one to come before Him in our lives. He does discipline those who fail to make Him the priority of their lives. I’m not just talking about those who are not Christians. He disciplines each and every one of us – possibly especially those who say they follow Him – when we don’t make Him the priority in our lives. The discipline can be harsh. In Old Testament times it meant He pruned away some of those He called His own. His character does not change. He will also prune away some of those that He now considers His own in faith. He does what is best for His plan.

I don’t pretend to understand exactly what He’s thinking. I just know He’s not easily fooled by good sounding words or self-serving service. We can volunteer at church, pray publicly in restaurants. We can proclaim Him to others, sound like we know the way. We can read His Word and study the commentators. We can be teaching Christ to our families, sharing Him with our friends. Yet we can still place other things before Him, and He will know. He is a jealous God! We need to examine our hearts and minds. We need to be doing all these things for His glory. We need to have no other “gods” before Him. He is righteous and a just judge. He will not be fooled by our thoughts, feelings, actions, or minds. He will discipline, even to the point of death, any who put other things ahead of Him.

Be Anxious for Nothing, Part 2

More thoughts from Max Lucado’s Anxious for Nothing study follow for this week’s blog article. Starting with Chapter #3 for this week, the following quotes impressed me.

“Guilt frenzies the soul. Grace calms it.” First, there’s a difference between guilt and shame. Guilt says, “I did bad, and I can do something differently next time.” Shame says, “I am bad and nothing can change that; I’m always bad to the bone.” I learned that the hard way and over a period of years. I had my doubts that they were different things. Now I see just how different they are. I would amend this quote to say, “Guilt and/or shame frenzies the soul . . .” When I feel guilt, doing what I can to make the situation better and make appropriate amends to those I have harmed does lighten the turmoil in my soul. It involves making things as right as possible, but it also involves extending grace to myself. God has forgiven me through His great mercy. I need to also do the same for myself.

“Unresolved guilt will turn you into a miserable, weary, angry, stressed-out, fretful mess.” This goes right along with the quote above. I lived for many years with a frenzied soul. I was miserable, weary, angry and fretful. I can still get that way if I don’t deal quickly and appropriately with my guilt. In AA we have a saying, “It’s better to eat crow warm.” The quicker we make amends and let God’s forgiveness wash over us, the more we can feel better about ourselves (and the quicker we can rejoice in the mercy and compassion of God).

“A happy saint is one who at the same time is aware of the severity of sin and the immensity of grace.” We wouldn’t need grace if there were no sin. And sin, I’ve found, separates me from God. My personal spiritual journey is enmeshed with severe sins and grievous missteps. I recognize I’ve been forgiven much – but all of us has regardless of the level of sin we’ve been involved in. As a result I love much. In Luke 7:47, Jesus says of the woman who anointed His feet with perfume: "For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little." When we realize the nature of our sins – whether “great” or “small” – we cannot but help but love God for His grace toward us.

“Rejoicing doesn’t always look like what we may think. It doesn’t have to be a smiling face and an upbeat personality.” Thank God! There have been many times in my life when others, and myself, would not consider my personality “upbeat.” Words that have been used to describe my personality include things like “intense” and “serious.” I thought for a long time that meant I wasn’t spiritual enough. I somehow got the wrong message that all Christians should be upbeat and happy – all the time. There is a difference between our personalities and the inner peace and joy we can have in Christ. Saying that does not excuse my pessimism or grumpiness. I need to keep Christ first and foremost in mind at all times. When I do that, I can praise God and be thankful in the midst of trials and suffering. We have a hope no one can take away from us. Rejoice in that. That kind of joy may show others there is hope no matter what our circumstances may be.

I suspect as my Bible study partner and I finish up the study of Philippians 4:4-9 next week, I will have more thoughts based on various quotes. Actually, this may go on for a few more weeks, as there is much that got my attention as we summarize the lessons in this study.

Be Anxious for Nothing

As I finish up my study of Philippians 4:4-9, several of the sentences from Max Lucado’s Anxious for Nothing are worth exploring. I have another week or two before totally leaving this study (before starting on 1 and 2 Samuel), and I may make further comments as I come up with a summary of the lessons I’ve learned. However, for now, these are my thoughts.

“Anxiety is not a sin; it is an emotion.” Emotions are tricky things for me. I’ve spent most of my life thinking that feelings are to be avoided at all costs. After years of therapy, I’m beginning to see the value of the emotional aspects of our being – aspects God created us to have. Yet, I struggle when it comes to “negative” emotions. Somehow I got it into my head that feelings such as sadness, frustration, loneliness, guilt, anger, depression, and yes, anxiety/fear are not good and we shouldn’t have them. This quote reiterates what my therapists have been telling me all along. Emotions are just information. They are not sins. God knew we would have these feelings and thoughts. What we do with them, our behavior, determines whether we sin or not.

“Have I yielded sovereignty to God?” I’ve known and understood the concept that God is sovereign over everything: creation, spiritual battles, weather, people, etc. Yet, I still tried to hold onto the idea that I was self-determined and in control of my life. That it is up to me to effectively manage my world in order to get outcomes that are positive. Wrong! Everything is in God’s hands. I am sovereign (able to rule) over nothing in this world. Yielding my self-sovereign ideas to God’s sovereignty makes life so much easier and less stressful. When I truly believe that God is able and willing to take care of everything, I can freely go about serving Him and trust Him for the outcomes according to His plans. There’s peace in that. Outcomes are not my responsibility.

“The mind cannot at the same time be full of God and full of fear.” I’ve found that to be true. In the last year or so I’ve started everyday with a focus on God. I’ve opened my day with five minutes of praise. I’ve devoted myself to the study of Scripture. I’ve started a prayer journal again. And, throughout the day, I revisit those activities as often as possible (especially the praise). I’ve found my fear to cease as I reflect on God’s power and might and love and mercy and compassion, etc. Fear comes back of course, but I pause and praise and meditate on memorized Scripture, and calm returns. Sometimes, I have to do this many times a day. I’ve found that the more God there is in my thoughts, the less fear affects my attitudes and behaviors. Ultimately, the more peace I have.

“Your anxiety decreases as your understanding of your Father increases.” That goes right along with having a mind full of God. The best (and only?) way I’ve found to truly increase my understanding of my Father is to read, study, memorize, and meditate on His Word, the Bible. I can’t think myself into understanding God. I can’t wish myself into understanding God. I can’t really get an understanding of God by listening to other people’s experiences with God. I need to spend intimate time with Him and His words in order to get to know Him. I need to give Him at least as much time as I would give a person I’m hoping to develop a friendship with. It does require quiet, purposeful discussion and conversation. I can’t really hear God without knowing His Word. Also, I don’t want to know what other people think about God. I want to personally know Him. That means personal time with Him learning about Him through His words.

Hopefully, these thoughts have given you some things to think about. They’ve been great lessons for me, and great reminders of what can happen when I apply Philippians 4:4-9 to my behavior and thoughts.

God Speaks

My Bible study partner, Kris, had a great insight as we studied Daniel 2. Daniel points out that the dream the king (Nebuchadnezzar, a Gentile) was a vision from God. This is a turning point in the history of the world that is still being seen today. God begins communicating with the world through Gentiles.

The notes, in several places, say that this is a change. Prior to this point, God spoke only through Israelites – prophets and leaders, mostly. Here God gave Nebuchadnezzar a vision while he was on his bed (not necessarily asleep, but possibly). A Gentile getting a message from God! However, Nebuchadnezzar did not understand what he saw and heard. Daniel came before the king and told him, “However, there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will take place in the latter days . . .” (Daniel 2:28a). God made the future known to a Gentile. Not just any Gentile, but a king who was caught up in worship of false gods. It doesn’t matter how far a person is from God; God can use them. If He can do that, He can use me. He can use you. He can use anyone. We all have a role in getting the word out about the greatness and power, judgment and holiness, compassion and love of God Almighty.

Nebuchadnezzar needed some insight into the full meaning of the dream. Daniel comes to the rescue. God again emphasizes the turning point between the rule of the world passing from the Israelites to the Gentiles, by the language Daniel used to tell the dream and its interpretation. The language switches in verse 4 as the Chaldeans start to speak to the king. Daniel records their words in the Aramaic language, the language they were speaking in. Much of the rest of Daniel is in Aramaic. It’s a time in history where the Gentiles begin to become the powerhouses of the world system.

It’s still that way today. Europe, the United States, Russia, and China are lead by Gentiles. The Jews and the Jewish nation play only a small role in the overall balance in the world today. Eventually that will change again – at Jesus’ second coming. We believers look forward to that time as it means we will be with Jesus and the Father again. Everyone else should get right with God before that time comes. Repent and rely on Jesus for salvation and for a standard to daily living.

Intimacy With God: Meeting a Need in My Life

Over the last 12 weeks or so, I’ve been sharing with you about the insights I’ve gotten from doing the Intimacy With God Bible study, by Cynthia Heald. I shared how my intimacy with God has grown and changed during this time (and hope continuing on from here). I can now say that my intellectual attachment to God has grown. That was always my strong suit before, and now it’s stronger. I rarely felt emotionally connected to God, but that has changed. As a result, I’m more able to see God at work in all areas of my life. I encourage everyone to develop both sides of their intimacy with God, and if you need help, invest your time and resources to studying Intimacy With God, by Cynthia Heald.

In writing my blog articles about intimacy with God, I mentioned several times how these concepts were helping me deal with the struggles in my life, as they were happening. What I didn’t tell you was what those struggles were about. I realize I’ve mentioned some of my various struggles in the past: mental illness, alcoholism, insulin-dependent diabetes, general fears, and various anxieties. However, since March, I’ve been dealing with something new: CANCER.

Follicular Lymphoma Grade IIIa, to be exact. I noticed a lump in/on my neck in late February and, after some urging from my therapist, I made an appointment to see my doctor. He thought it was “strange” also and referred me to a Ears, Nose, and Throat (ENT) specialist. After a couple of needle biopsies and a CT Scan (and lots of waiting in between each procedure), it was decided that in order to get an accurate diagnosis, some surgery was needed (on my left neck area where the lump was) to remove as much of the tissue as possible from which more biopsies could be done. That surgery happened on May 31^st. It took almost two weeks to get any results from that, but when all was said and done, it was cancer.

I was referred to Oncology (Cancer Center) and after waiting some more, and seeing a doctor there, more tests were ordered, after which there was more waiting. Those tests revealed that the cancer, as far as they could tell, was not systemic and, therefore, Stage One. The course of action would be radiation treatments. So I was referred to a Radiology Oncologist. After a few more procedures and tests and scans, a protocol was set up for my treatment and I began treatments on July 31^st. I went every weekday through September 6^th for about 10 minutes of treatment. I was able to schedule the treatments for early afternoon each day and kept my usual morning routines as much as possible.

Now that stage of my treatment is over. However, I’m finding I need even more intimacy with God to deal with the “surveillance” stage, where there’s more waiting to see if the cancer is gone, shrunk, whatever. There are more CT Scans in my future, but right now I’m just in a waiting and trusting mode. Trusting God has become easier since I’ve been getting to know Him better through greater intimacy. As I said in my last blog article, I’m continuing to do several important things for depending on God, in all His greatness, as I draw closer to Him.

Maybe that’s why He didn’t urge me to tell more people about this. He wanted me to trust Him and lean on Him. On Him alone. Not on the prayers of others. Not on the sympathy of others. Just on Him alone. I think He led my Bible study partner and me to this study just so I could enhance my walk with Him and grow closer to Him. I’m going to continue looking for examples of Jesus’ intimacy with us and I’m going to continue to work on deepening my intimacy with Him. I’m seeing it everywhere now. Like in Psalm 5:3, I will turn to Him each and every day and order my life around my trust in Him. That verse says (I quoted it last week, too):

In the morning, O Lord,

            Thou wilt hear my voice;

In the morning I will order my prayer to Thee

             and eagerly watch.

Yes! In the morning. But also throughout the day as I review and memorize Scripture, study His Word, and spend time devoted to praising Him. And, sharing as much of Him as is possible with those who need to know Him better.

What can you do to grow more intimate with God? That is my challenge to you today!

A Life of Deepening Intimacy

This week I finished the Bible study book on the topic of intimacy with God. It took all summer (12 weeks) to get to this point. However, I do not want my interest and commitment to intimacy with God to wane. I want to maintain a renewed deeper intimacy with God that this study has given me, and I want to go even deeper in feeling, knowing, and studying God’s presence in my life.

There are a few ways I intend to further enhance my connection to God: digging deeper into His Word, praising Him daily, and keep memorizing Scripture (and keep reviewing the ones I have memorized). In the conclusion of the Bible study one of the questions was, “Take some time now to reflect on your understanding and experience of intimacy as it has developed through this study. How will the insights you have gained in this study help you grow in your intimacy with God?” I thought and prayed about my response, and several things kept coming up. This is what I wrote:

This study has renewed my fervor for God . . . through Scripture memory and renewed commitment to praise. [These two things] keep me focused on God and His awesome, unique impact on this world and in my life. Only He is worthy of my dedication and devotion. Only He is caring for me in ways I cannot even imagine. Only He is worthy of praise. He has drawn me into intimacy with Him in new ways and restored my commitments to study His Word and proclaim Him whenever possible. He is opening my eyes to new (and/or previously existing) opportunities to love on and share with people who do not yet know Him. It flows out of intimacy with Him.

One of the psalms looked at this week was Psalm 5. I really like vs. 3 in the NIV:

In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice;

            in the morning I lay my requests before you

            and wait in expectation.

In the NASB the last line says, “In the morning I will order my prayer to Thee and eagerly watch.” Waiting in expectation and eagerly watching result when we trust totally in God to answer our prayers and bring about in our lives exactly what we need in order to live joyous and free lives. It reminds me of the prophetess and prophet in the temple on the day Jesus was presented there. They were eagerly watching and waiting for the Messiah’s coming. I should also be eagerly and expectantly looking for the return of Christ, however, I should also be eagerly looking and noticing God’s works in my current life. Maintaining intimacy with God motivates me to be looking with expectancy and hope. I’ve been able to see His hand in my life more readily since beginning this study. I want that to continue so I will continue to study His Word, praise Him daily, and memorize (treasure) His Word in my heart by memorization.

God is Trustworthy

I’ve known this concept for a long time: God is trustworthy. However, I have still struggled with not feeling like I can trust Him. This lesson has helped me see the many reasons and ways that David trusted God in the midst of all kinds of attacks and struggles. Psalms 31, 40, 55, and 56 address David’s trust issues and shows why he trusts God in every area of his life.

After noting many situations and David’s thoughts about those situations in Psalm 31, I noticed a pattern in the circumstances that prompt David to trust God. The circumstances (which were mostly the same in the other Psalms from this week’s study) encompassed physical, mental, emotional, and social situations in which David felt besieged. In some of the other Psalms I noticed that David was convinced he could trust God in situations where he was under military attack. David relied on God’s protection to see him through. Psalm 55 specifically addresses a situation where a very close friend of David’s betrayed him. David calls him a traitor (vs. 12-13). David is clearly heartbroken by the friend’s turning against him. David realizes that there is no one but God who is completely trustworthy to look out for his interests.

I’m not saying we should hold every friend in doubt and fear of betrayal. This passage just brings home the fact that mere men cannot always keep their words or their promises – whether out of treachery or just because they are human and make mistakes. People will, in general, fail us at one point or another just because they are human and fallible. However, God is not human and He will keep His promises He’s made to us. We can and should trust Him with every aspect of our lives.

I chose to memorize Psalm 56:3-4 this week because one of my go to emotions is fear.

When I am afraid,

I will put my trust in Thee.

In God, whose word I praise,

In God I have put my trust;

I shall not be afraid.

What can mere man do to me?

I also like what C.H. Spurgeon had to say about Psalm 56:3-4:

It is a blessed fear which drives us to trust. Unregenerate fear drives from God, gracious fear drives to Him. If I fear man I have only to trust God, and I have the best antidote. To trust when there is no cause for fear, is but the name of faith, but to be reliant upon God when occasions for alarm are abundant and pressing, is the conquering faith of God’s elect. Though the verse is in the form of a resolve, it became a fact in David’s life; let us make it so in ours. Whether the fear arise from without or within, from past, present, or future, from temporals or spirituals, from men or devils, let us maintain faith, and we shall soon recover courage. [Emphasis added]

One of the questions in the study asked, “What other aspects of the psalmist’s life were touched because of his trust in God?” I answered simply, “All areas. Relationships, health, emotions, physical protection and well-being, soul condition, spiritual condition, mental health, and vengeance upon enemies.” David’s faith and relationship with God blossomed because God has proven Himself worthy and shown His care and love for man. My trust in Him has also been growing as a result of new recognition that I can trust God for every aspect of my life – especially when I am afraid.

The Examples of Apollos: Acts 18:23-28

There are two principles in the story of Apollos found in Acts 18. First a little background on Apollos. Acts tells us about him (verse 24 – 25):

Now a certain Jew named Apollos, and Alexandrian by birth, an eloquent man, came to Ephesus; and he was mighty in the Scriptures. This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he was speaking and teaching accurately the things concerning Jesus, being acquainted only with the baptism of John . . .

Apollos was essentially speaking and teaching the characteristics of the Christ as told in the Old Testament. He knew what the Christ would be like from the Scriptures and was preaching that the Messiah was coming. Basically, he knew three things from listening to the teachings of John, the Baptist. He had learned John’s message well, but that was as far as his knowledge went. From John he had learned: 1. Forgiveness of sins on the basis of repentance, 2. Expression of repentance by baptism, and 3. One was coming who would complete their salvation. That was fine and good as far as it went.

When Priscilla and Aquila heard him preaching in Ephesus, they were impressed, but also knew his message was incomplete. So, in following the tradition, and obeying a principle we’ve seen throughout Acts, “they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately” (Verse 26). They met him where he was in his knowledge and shared with him all about Jesus. They filled him in on the happenings since John.

They did this by sharing the key elements found in the messages of Peter and Paul throughout the book of Acts. The keys to the gospel message. They shared about what was missing from his preaching and teaching. These elements should be familiar to us all because they were, and continue to be, the keys to a complete gospel message. Priscilla and Aquila, in private, explained to Apollos, 1. The Cross (Jesus’ death), 2. The Resurrection, and 3. The Holy Spirit’s Baptism.

The result was that Apollos went to Achaia (Corinth) with the blessings and letters of introduction to the Corinthian church, and “helped greatly those who had believed through grace; for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, demonstrating by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ” (Verses 27 – 28). The building up of the church in Corinth was accomplished through many, none-the-less of whom, was Apollos with a now complete message of salvation to bring to the people.

So the two principles? First, when sharing with other, we need to meet people where they are in their understanding of the gospel and the truth. Priscilla and Aquila did this by taking Apollos aside, in private, and giving him the rest of the story. And second, making sure the gospel message includes the death and resurrection of Jesus, because in doing that, we are proving that the Messiah of the Old Testament and Jesus are the same person.

Who Are We Associating With? Acts 16:16-18

In the story of Acts, we follow Paul to Europe. In Philippi, he has several encounters that lead to people coming to be followers of Jesus Christ. However, there’s one story told about a slave-girl who had a spirit of divination and “was bringing her masters much profit by fortunetelling.” (Verse 16)

“Following after Paul and us, she kept crying out, saying, ‘These men are bond-servant of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation.’” (Verse 17) She was broadcasting the truth. How could a demon possessed person be shouting out the truth? Why would the demon(s) possessing her want her to cry out about the truth? She had been doing this for many days.

However, “Paul became greatly annoyed and turned and said to the spirit [not to the girl], ‘I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!’ And it came out at that very moment.” (Verse 18) Again I ask the question, Why did Paul want the slave-girl to stop professing the truth about them? What was the harm?

There was great harm. The demon wanted to be associated with the apostles. This would discredit them from being of God, because they would be linked to the known demon in possession of the slave-girl. People can be professing truth and still not be followers of Jesus. They may do this to hopefully gain the respect of others and to give credence to their other messages (which are often false). Or they could be doing it, as in this case, to say essentially that the men of the Most High God are no different than them. Either way, it discredits the true gospel message.

If we are honest, we can see examples of this telling the truth to further evil plans in our world today. Politicians proclaim messages that sound good and will bring them followers. Marketing people do this all the time, too. Even some “pastors” of some “churches” employ this tactic. They say just enough of the truth to confuse people, to draw them into their camps, and to deceive for their own personal gain. The truth may come out later, but the “disciples” of the false teachers are already hooked and refuse to see the truth.

As a true follower of Christ, we need to scrutinize the statements of those in positions of authority, making sure they are not just taking bits and pieces of the gospel and using those pieces to try to gain an association with Christ. I know there have been times when I have been fooled by good sounding words. However, upon further study of the Word of God, the Holy Spirit has corrected me. I’ve had to publicly denounce my old beliefs and affirm the truth of Scripture. I have also had to evaluate the totality of another’s professions of telling the truth in the light of Scripture to determine what the truth really is. Sometimes my findings were that the proclamation agreed with the Word. However, there have been times when the proclamations and assertions were contrary to the Word and I’ve had to challenge those falsehoods, in my own heart and in public.

Let’s be careful to examine every claim (especially as they might relate to Jesus Christ and the truth of Scripture) by the measure of God’s Word. I think if we honestly did that today we would find that many of our leaders have false ideas and are trying to relate to Christ for their own evil uses.

Another Principle from Acts: Acts 15:1-18

At the beginning of our study in the book of Acts, we were cautioned not to base doctrine on the stories recounted in Acts. However, there are several examples of principles that we should follow. Today I will look at one of those principles. Since it’s based pretty much on the whole story told in Acts 15, I will try to give you an overview of the scene.

It starts with Paul and Barnabas in Antioch (their home church). Things are going fine; people are coming to Christ in response to the gospel message, disciples are being made through the teachings of the apostles, and elders are being appointed into places of leadership of the local church. Many Gentiles are involved in all stages of the ministry.

Then some who had been Pharisees but are now believers came to Antioch and begun teaching the brethren (especially the Gentile believers) the following: “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved” (verse 1). Paul and Barnabas did not agree and were debating with these Jewish believers. They each had their own point of view and no decision was made in Antioch. So the elders and apostles of Antioch decided the issue should be addressed by the church leaders in Jerusalem.

Paul and Barnabas, along with other believers, some of the Gentiles included, were sent to Jerusalem. Barnabas and Paul shared with the leaders and reported all that God had done with them (verse 4). The elders and apostles heard from both sides, for the sect of the Pharisee believers had also come to Jerusalem to present their side of things. So the issue was before the council in Jerusalem.

The procedure for coming to a decision is the principle here. First, they heard all sides of the issue and presented witnesses/testimony of what the experience had involved. Then Peter, an elder, reminded them of how God had worked through him in the situation with Cornelius, a Roman soldier, that had happened several years before. He was sharing another example where God had given the Holy Spirit to uncircumcised, non-Law abiding Gentiles. As a result, the multitudes listening fell silent and let Barnabas and Paul relate the signs and wonders God had done (verse 12).

Finally, James (a leader in the Jerusalem church) stood up and and said, “Simeon [Paul] has related how God first concerned Himself about taking from among the Gentiles a people for His name. And with this the words of the Prophets agree, just as it is written,” (verses 14-15). Then James quoted Amos the Prophet basically saying that the Jewish people would be restored and that God would restore the temple, “In order that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, And all the Gentiles who are called by My name.” (verses 16 -17). James says that the Gentiles were to be included all along according to the Prophets.

The key to this procedure of decision making in the early church was that they sought out Scripture to confirm every experience. Barnes (a Biblical scholar) said that everything  should always [be] compared to the truth of Scripture. Everything must be in accordance with the Bible. If not, then the ideas or experiences should be deemed false and should be vehemently opposed (notes, p. 14). It doesn’t matter if a plan or idea sounds good or not. What matters is if it is accordance with Scripture or not. This takes some effort to honestly seek the Scriptures and to be sure we are not taking concepts or principles out of context of the whole of the Bible. I think we need to do that searching more often and in many areas of our lives.

Being Available to God: Acts 9:10

So we already know that Saul/Paul was a zealot in regards to the Torah (Old Testament). However, he was caught up in believing the various commentaries by Rabbis of the past. He knew the Scriptures, but he couldn’t see how they related to Jesus the Messiah. He thought that the very idea that Jesus could be the Messiah was going against the Scriptures.

Then Saul met Jesus while he was on his way to arrest Christians in Damascus. This encounter profoundly affected Saul’s ideas about what was right and wrong about Jesus and the Scriptures. He was blinded and heard Jesus’ voice telling him what to do. After three days had passed, with Saul still blind, God sent a man to Saul to further explain the way of the gospel of Christ.

This man was Ananias. Ananias was described in Acts 22;12 as “a man who was devout by the standard of the Law, and well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there [Damascus].” Ananias was also a devout zealot of the Torah. Ananias was a man to whom Saul could relate. Ananias had the “credentials” required for ministering to Saul in a way that Saul would appreciate and be willing to listen.

I don’t think every believer needs to have “credentials” i.e. college education, years of Bible education, to witness to another person, even one “above” them in stature, but I do think we need to be sensitive to the preparedness of their hearts and minds. Saul was prepared to listen to Ananias because he had been praying and hoping for some instruction. God provided a learned man to give Saul the instruction he needed to become a full-fledged follower of Jesus Christ.

There are a couple of lessons for me in this passage. First, would I be identified as someone who is “devout by the standard of the Law? And would I be characterized as being well spoken of by those to whom I was trying to witness? Second, am I prepared and listening to God to be of service to Him, and open to sharing the gospel message with whomever God places in my life? It doesn’t matter what my schooling, or my status in life: am I willing to share Christ as I go about my daily life? All these questions need some pondering and praying about. And I need to open my heart and spirit up to God’s directions in my life and be willing to serve Him however He directs.

Being Scriptural Fact-Checkers

Now we enter into a new era in the New Testament story. Acts 9 gives us the testimony of Paul’s becoming a believer in Jesus Christ. I’ve only studied the first 9 verses so far. There were a lot of interesting things in the Scriptures, and I found out that there are some things I believed about Paul’s story that are not accounted for in Scripture.

So, mostly this section of Acts was a fact finding and fact checking experience for me. In this season of elections and debates, we are hearing a lot about fact-checking. People are digging into newspapers, previous video, social media, magazine articles, tax returns, and going to sources directly to verify what statements are true and which are false.

Where as I’m getting tired of it all in regards to the elections, I challenged to never get tired of doing it when it comes to the Scriptures. I need to be as zealous as the election fact-checkers are when it comes to knowing the truth about Jesus and His message. To do this I need to be willing, even eager, to read and study the Scriptures, to look at cross-references, to clarify and verify the things I’ve come to believe. I also have to be open to acknowledging when I’m holding onto incorrect knowledge or beliefs. I need to be willing to change those beliefs to line up with the truths found in Scripture.

I was challenged this week to be more diligent in being a Scriptural Fact-Checker. I need to be careful to know Scripture and share truth from the Scriptures, not just spouting things I believe to be true but don’t know where I learned those things. As I continue to study Acts (and any other book of the Bible after this), I will be eager to observe the truths and check them against my long-held beliefs. I think that’s something every Christian should be doing. I don’t think we do it enough.

Meet People Where They Are

Continuing my study in Acts 8 I was reminded of a principle that was taught to me early in my Christian life. We need to develop relationships with people in order to know where they are in their spiritual quest. Some may appear to be ignoring the spiritual part of their being, but even that tells us something about where they are at.

In Acts 8, Philip (the evangelist) is sent to a desert road where he meets up with an Ethiopian eunuch (a leader in his society). The Ethiopian was reading from the Scriptures in the passage we now label as Isaiah 53. This passage talks about a suffering servant whose life was removed from the earth. Philip asked the Ethiopian if he understood the passage he was reading and the eunuch said how could he if there was no one to guide him.

Acts 8:34-35 tells us how Philip responded to the Ethiopian. “And the eunuch answered Philip and said, ‘Please tell me, of whom does the prophet say this? Of himself, or of someone else?’ And Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture he preached Jesus to him.” Philip started with the questions the Ethiopian had. This is Philip meeting the person with where they are in their understanding of Scripture and God.

That’s what the women who shared with me in college about the good news of Christ started with. They had spent some time getting to know me, and figuring out where I was spiritually. I didn’t give them much to go with, but eventually, one of the women were able to speak to me in private and discovered all my doubts about the ability to be clean before God. She started from there and shared the gospel message from the Word of God, showing me from the Word, that Jesus was the only way to measure up to God’s expectations for us. Due to her meeting me where I was, she was able to present the gospel in a way that made sense to me . . . and I responded to the Word and came to believe.

I need to be that kind of person also . . . one who gets to know people, build relationships with them and, because of the knowledge of them and the leading of the Holy Spirit, share with them about Christ in a way that meets their needs. I also need to start and end with Scripture because God’s Word has all the answers to life’s questions. I, too, like Philip, need to meet people where they are.

Follow Spirit's Leading: Acts 8:26

There’s a couple of applications I got from studying this verse and its context. The verse says, “But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying, ‘Arise and go south to the road that descends from Jerusalem to Gaza (this is a deserted road)’”

I usually ask the question, “What does this verse/passage indicate I should do in my world?” We have to be careful to not take the (true) stories of the Bible’s history books, but sometimes there’s an example to follow. In this case this story is another example of the Holy Spirit directing Philip to further ministry. Philip was probably content, even excited, to be part of the Christian experience and explosion in Samaria. Things were happening there. It was an exciting place to be and there were lots of people becoming Christ-followers. Who wouldn’t want to be in on that excitement and celebration!

However, Philip was still open to the Spirit’s leading. And the Spirit (called in this passage “the angel of the Lord”) told Philip to leave the party, leave the ministry in Samaria to someone else, and go somewhere else. That somewhere else probably didn’t make a lot of sense to Philip. The Spirit told Philip to go to a deserted road where there were few, if any, people hanging around. But Philip did what he was led/told to do.

The application for me is three-fold. First, am I listening for the Spirit of the Lord? Sometimes when I’m reading the Word of God I will be pricked to do something. It’s not often but I think it probably happens more than I think and I’m just not listening. I need to pray before reading, during reading, and after reading for God’s guidance in my life.

Second, am I willing to do what the Holy Spirit tells me to do? Philip left immediately for the Gaza road. I need to be as obedient as that . . . taking action immediately. I’m not talking about leaving to go on a mission around the world (or even across the state). I’m talking about doing the things God has told us to do in His Word. I can’t just read about proper thinking and meditating (Philippians 4:8 – whatever is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, good repute, excellence . . . let your mind dwell on these things), I have to train myself to turn my thoughts to those kinds of things instead of all the negative thoughts I, naturally in my sinful nature, tend to think about. There are many other things that are clearly the will of God as explained in Scripture that I need to be doing something about.

Third, am I willing to do what the Holy Spirit tells me to do even if it doesn’t seem to make sense to me? Philip was told to go to a deserted road. Presumably there would be no people there and Philip would be all alone. What I need to remember is that God has a purpose for us doing, thinking, going to the things and places He directs us. When Philip got to the desert road, there was a God-fearing man from Ethiopia who needed to hear the whole truth about Jesus. God may be sending us out to reach one person or a multitude. Our job is to take the next step in obeying Him, be all-in, and wait expectantly for God’s purpose to show up.

Acts 6:1 -15: About Stephen

As I’ve been studying Acts 6, I was struck by two verses and their possible applications to my life. The first verse is Acts 6:7: “And the word of God kept on spreading and the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith.”

This verse comes directly after the apostles and the congregation appointed 7 men to be the distributors of the communally held assets so the Hellenistic (Greek-speaking) Jews would not be slighted. So the apostles were relieved from having to handle the daily tasks and could focus on studying and preaching the word of God. Somehow, doing this lead to an increase in disciples and impacted a great number of priests so that they came to believe.

I don’t know if the increase in disciples resulted from the apostles being freed up to preach the gospel (instead of dealing with internal dilemmas within the church). Or possibly the increase happened because these 7 men impacted the community in such a way as to draw attention and respect from the people in Jerusalem. Possibly Stephen and the others, learned valuable lessons from their service which enabled them to become exceptional preachers of the message (as seen in verses 8 and 9). It’s possible they learned from serving God in this behind-the-scenes way more about power, faith, wisdom and grace (6:3, 5, 8), which led them to be powerful and effective proclaimers of the word.

This can be applied in my life by recognizing that the seemingly menial tasks I do (especially volunteering in a couple of ministries at church, and writing my blog, and even getting healthy) may become (or are) a platform for sharing the truth of God's Word and work in our lives. I need to be faithful, diligent, and responsible for doing the tasks ordained to me by God, so the Word will be proclaimed. Specifically for me, today, this means writing my “weekly” blog article (which I haven’t done for a couple of weeks now).

Then as I finished up Acts 6 I was challenged by the second verse that stood out to me. Acts 6:15 says, "And fixing their gaze on [Stephen], all who were sitting in the Council saw his face like the face of an angel." This is an incredible description of Stephen as he's being accused in front of the Council of blasphemous acts and speech. I asked myself what a "face like the face of an angel" would look like. I also asked myself if I, in a similar situation having to defend Christ and His Word, would I have a similar countenance as Stephen did. The first question was answer by several commentators. Together they indicated that the phrase "face of an angel" could mean several things. First it could mean, "God permitted His glory to shine through the face of Stephen to convince all the people that what he had said was the truth." That's what I always believed in the back of my mind. However, other commentators said that it was not some miraculous sign of God. They tended to say that the look on Stephen's face (a face like an angel) was "denoting that {Stephen] manifested evidence of sincerity, gravity, fearlessness, and confidence in God . . . calmness and dignity and confidence in God." That led me to some possible answers to the second question (would I have a similar countenance?)

I'm not sure what my face would look like. I hope and pray I would appear to others to be calm, sincere, serious, fearless, dignified, and having confidence in God. I prayed this morning that God would develop those characteristics in me. When all is said and done, I want it to be obvious to everyone – nurse, doctor, mental health worker, policemen, family, friends – observing my dying days that I have faith in God and belief in the principles of Christ right up to the last moment I'm alive. And today, I am trying to develop that character in my life through reading and studying His Word, as a way of applying these two principles to my life.

Thoughts From Acts 2:1-13

Baptized and Filled

In Acts 2, we are introduced to the promised Holy Spirit. This promise is found in Acts 1:5 when Jesus tells the disciples, “for John baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” Jesus promised that His followers would be baptized with the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit would settle in each believer and bind the believer to Christ forever. There are several passages of Scripture that talk about the role baptism with the Holy Spirit plays in the life of a believer. One of those roles is baptism with the Holy Spirit. Baptism places every believer into the body of Christ. Every person who believes is baptized with the Holy Spirit. It marks us as Christ followers and it is by the Holy Spirit that each of us is sealed into the family of God forever. It does not involve an action on our part. It’s automatic once we believe in Christ.

However, the Holy Spirit also plays another role in believers and it is something believers should seek after. Being filled with the Holy Spirit. In Acts 2:1-3 the sealing of the Holy Spirit is described, i.e. the baptism of the Holy Spirit. But in Acts 2:4 it says the followers of Christ were filled with the Holy Spirit (“And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance”) That’s a separate role for the Holy Spirit and it has a specific purpose: power to proclaim Christ throughout the world (Acts 1:8). The filling by the Holy Spirit allows us – no propels us – to be of service for Christ.

I liked the way McGee, a theologian, explained the difference between the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the filling of the Holy Spirit:

The baptism of the Holy Spirit is not a command given to us. It is not an experience. It is an act of God whereby the believer in Jesus Christ is indwelt by the Spirit of God, sealed unto the day of redemption, and placed into the church, the body of Christ, by the baptism of the Spirit. The filling of the Spirit of God is the enablement for service. We are commanded to be filled with the Spirit.

So, what does this mean for me? It means I should be seeking and working towards the filling by the Holy Spirit in my life. As I thought about what the filling of the Spirit of God would look like in my life, I realized that it means I would be involved in meaningful service that would proclaim Christ in the world. That I would receive power and I would be His witness in my area of the world and in the world as a whole. That’s based on Acts 1:8. I haven’t been doing much of that lately. I need to pray for the filling of the Holy Spirit and be open to the service opportunities God places in front of me.

It’s not enough to be baptized by the Holy Spirit. I need His power through the Holy Spirit’s filling to be of meaningful service to Christ.

Thoughts From Acts 1

Continuing my thoughts on the book of Acts, I studied chapter 1 this last week. There were many interesting points, however, a few stuck out to me.

Acts 1:1 says, “The first account I composed, Theophilus, about all that Jesus began to do and teach . . .” Luke says that his first account was all about what Jesus did and what He taught. I asked myself if that was a pattern for us to follow: do and teach. And, possibly if that’s the order we should be doing them in. Several commentaries I read pointed out that Jesus did wonderful things, then He preached to the people who had witnessed those things. We are supposed to do as Jesus did (after Jesus washed the disciples’ feet He said, “For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you.” John 13:15). So I could conclude that we also should do (works of service) and then teach (about the source of the power to do the things we do).

Later in Acts 1 (verse 8) Jesus tells us exactly what the disciples should be doing. “but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria and even to the remotest part of the earth.” What caught my eye is that it says we are to “be [His] witnesses.” Being means much more than just talking about Jesus. Being means doing whatever we do in such a way as for it to represent what Christ would have done. It doesn’t say to go and witness to others. It says to be a witness to others. One of the commentaries I read explained it this way: “To be [Jesus’] witnesses in both word and deed means communicating the verbal content of the Gospel and living God‘s way and not our own.” [Emphasis added] We need to be about the business of doing things the way Jesus would do them.

I think doing service and acts of kindness opens doors to the gospel of Christ. Doing creates a platform for verbally sharing about Christ and salvation. I think doing for others causes them to ask, “Why are you doing this nice thing?” And then we can share that we are just doing what Christ would have us do because He loves everybody and wishes everybody to know and love Him. With this perspective in mind, my church is engaging in doing this Saturday. They call it “Outflow.” Five hundred people strong, members of our church reach out to complete projects needed doing by members of our community. The emphasis is on serving those who do not yet know Christ. Doing, in order to open doors to the verbal sharing. It’s not done with ulterior motives or to make the people doing the good works feel good (although that does happen). It is done to show the love of Christ in real, tangible ways to those who most need His love.

That’s what I think Christ’s example was to us: do and teach, be witnesses. Please pray for this outreach into our community and be a part of doing for Jesus.

Overview of the Book of The Acts of the Apostles

I started a new Bible study this week having finished studying Genesis a couple of weeks ago. Things mentioned in the commentaries about The Acts of the Apostles already intrigue me. Several of the commentaries suggested that Luke wrote the book as a continuation of the story in the gospel of Luke. They basically said that in order to understand the themes and purposes of Acts, the themes and purposes of the gospel of Luke must first be understood.

Not having the inclination or the time to do a complete study on the gospel of Luke before starting my study of the book of Acts, I read several introductions and commentaries about the book of Luke. First thing I noticed was that it is generally agreed among scholars, Luke and Acts were written by the same person. It is also generally accepted that the person was Luke. Luke was not an eye witness to the life of Jesus, so he had to do research to tell the story in Luke, while he was a companion of Paul’s and an eye witness to many of the events in Acts.

Luke wrote the gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles as an explanation or defense of the truth. He was specifically writing to someone called Theophilus (Luke 1:3, Acts 1:1). There is a lot of speculation about who Theophilus was. One theory is that Theophilus was designated as Paul’s “defense attorney” or Paul’s sponsor in Rome. He needed to know the whole story from the birth of Jesus to Paul’s various missionary journeys in order to adequately represent Paul before the rulers in Rome. Regardless of why Luke wrote these two books, they were definitely addressed to Theophilus, a Gentile.

The Ryrie Study Bible’s notes at the beginning of the gospel of Luke explain the distinctive approach Luke took in writing these books. With many references Ryrie builds his case for uniqueness of Luke’s writings. One aspect is that although it was addressed to Theophilus, it is directed toward all Gentiles. Also there’s a pattern of being interested in individuals and mentions many of them by name. Among the many people Luke mentions by name, there’s an abundance of women whose names get recorded for history. There’s an emphasis on prayer and the answers to prayer experienced by the disciples.

In the book of Acts we are given the record of the spread of the gospel starting with the Jews and including the remotest parts of the earth (Acts 1:8). The book of Acts covers approximately thirty years. It ends with Paul imprisoned in Rome awaiting his hearing before Caesar. That fact helps date the writing of this book to around A.D. 63 because if it was later than that other significant events would also have been recorded (like the martyrdom of Paul, the burning of Rome, Nero’s persecution of Christians, and the destruction of Jerusalem) which all happened within a few years of the end of this account.

The key verse for me is Acts 1:8 which says what this book is about: “but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.” The account is how the Holy Spirit is used by Jesus to get His message out to all the nations of the world. I’m looking forward to seeing that all take place as I continue in my study of Acts. My goal is to share with you the key things I learn as I go through this study.

Galatians Summary

I began a new Bible study today. It’s a new beginning. I learned a lot studying Galatians, but it’s time to move on to something new. So I’m going to the origin of everything: Genesis.

Before I start writing about Genesis, I want to write a note about what I’m taking away from my study of Galatians. The study led me to look back at the time or era in which Paul wrote to the Galatians and to whom he was writing to. The Galatians probably understood Paul’s sermon differently than we expect as we try to look at it from a modern-day perspective.

The audience for Paul’s letter is telling. He was writing to the church of Galatia. This was a church made up of three kinds of believers. 1. Jewish born who had become Christians. 2. Gentile born who had converted to Judaism then became Christians (proselytes). 3. Gentile born who became Christians and did not have to convert to Judaism in order to gain salvation.

He was not writing to or about “the world” or unsaved Gentiles. So his messages about following the law or not following the law deal with not making the gentile believers convert to Judaism. The church was made up of all three of these groups and Paul expected them to worship, study, and eat together. He chastised the proselytes who were trying to “influence” the gentile believers to convert to Judaism in order to really be a part of the church. It was, and is, not necessary to follow the parts of the Bible that tell the Jews how to behave so they are easily recognized as God’s chosen people.

Paul used “the law” to signify the traditional and ritual actions that God had assigned to the people of Israel. He’s not referring to the entire Old Testament.  And his “gospel” said that a person doesn’t have to perform the traditional and ritual laws in order to be saved by Jesus Christ. Whether one is Jewish or Gentile (circumcised or uncircumcised) is not what gains us access to God in heaven. It’s faith in Jesus Christ (the Messiah) that determines salvation.

Paul didn’t say that Jewish people (those born Jewish and the proselytes) should not follow the Torah with it’s traditions and rituals. He, being a believer, followed the law his entire life. So it’s okay to follow the Torah, especially if one is Jewish born, but doing those things is not what saves people from eternal death and separation from God. Paul even went so far as to say that Jewish people should continue to follow the Torah to set themselves apart as God’s chosen people, but doing so is not what will save them. Faith in the Messiah is the necessary ingredient.

Paul used the example of Abraham who lived before the law was given to Moses. Abraham’s salvation was reckoned to him because he believed in the coming Messiah and in the promise that God had made with him. (Romans 4, Galatians 3) Just as Abraham was saved by faith, all people are saved by believing in and following the Messiah. Paul gave the Messiah a name: Jesus Christ of Nazareth.

As an application, I am trying to be more aware of when I’m just following the rules, traditions and guidelines of the church instead of devoting myself to believing in and following Christ’s rule. His basic rule is two fold: to love God and to love your neighbor as yourself. The whole of Scripture can be summed up in those two principles, as told to us by Jesus in Mark 12:30-31: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.” So my application is to continue to learn about and put these principles into practice on a daily basis by studying His Word and serving others.

Just Some Thoughts

I’ve been sitting at my computer for an hour hoping an idea will just pop into my head. No such luck. Sometimes the well is just dry. Usually I can go to the Word and find some inspiration, something I have enough to say about so that I can write 400-700 words about for my blog article. Today that didn’t happen, even after some time praying about it and writing an email to a friend.

I did read from my list of promises (one for every day of the year) and the corresponding Scripture passage. The promise said, “I will be the voice behind you, guiding you in the way you should go.” This promise is based on Isaiah 30:21 which says, “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’” This was a promise to the Israelites, but I think Jesus made us similar promises. For instance, He promised that the Holy Spirit will dwell within us prompting us to make good choices. So possibly this promise is a good principle which does apply to us New Testament believers.

I wish my ears heard an audible word from God or the Holy Spirit, telling me exactly what I should do in each situation that comes up in my life. I have to accept the reality of that not happening (although God could communicate with me that way if He wanted to). So that’s why I try to keep myself reading portions of Scripture, having daily devotions, and working on Bible study on a regular basis. Usually God speaks to me through the messages in His written Word.

However, lately I’ve had trouble hearing God communicate with me. The primary reason is that I’m not devoting myself to the study of the Scriptures. I know I should make a concerted effort to get back into the routine, but emotionally and mentally I’m just not motivated to do so. Maybe by telling on myself, I will be motivated to be a little more consistent in doing those things. Maybe not. As I write this article, I pray for all my readers that they will be motivated and diligent in “meeting with God” on a daily basis. I know that when I’m not hearing God’s message, it’s because I haven’t been reading His Word. If you are not hearing God, maybe it’s because you are not reading His Word, either.

Okay, so there were some thoughts from me today. I hope they encourage you. Maybe by next week I will have a more developed topic in mind to write about. That will probably happen if I keep faithful to the various ways I read and study the Scriptures.