Acts 12: Fervent Prayer

When I was writing about the Book of Acts, I did not write anything specific about Acts 12. Here are some thoughts I had as I was rereading this portion of Acts this week.

Most of Acts 12 gives us an account of a miracle involving Peter. Herod Agrippa I, the grandson of the Herod the Great who ruled at the birth of Jesus, was now ruling in Jerusalem. He was supposedly a “zealous practicer of Jewish rites and a religious patriot (Ryrie Study Notes).” In Acts 12 he was busy rounding up the believers still in Jerusalem “in order to mistreat them (vs. 1).” “And he had James the brother of John put to death with a sword (vs. 2).” The mistreatment seemed to please the Jews so he also had Peter arrested and thrown in jail.

Peter was chained to guards and other guards were blocking the doorway. Just before he was to be brought to Herod for judgment, the miracle happened. An angel came and broke the chains, opened the doors and escorted Peter out of the prison. Once free, Peter realized just what God had done by sending an angel to rescue him. Peter went to a specific house where he had probably been many times. We can assume he knew people would be there praying.

In verse 5, we have a description of what was going on in that house: “So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to God.” This is a challenge to me. Is my prayer “fervent?” Is the prayer being made in my church “fervent?” According to Merriam-webster.com, fervent is defined as: “exhibiting or marked by great intensity of feeling: zealous.” Great intensity. Can my prayer life be described as having great intensity? I think I’ve rarely been in a situation where I would describe the prayer as being fervent.

At an Easter Sunday service at my church recently, the Pastor was explaining the gospel message tracing Jesus’ role from Genesis to Revelation. There was an opportunity for people to come forward if they had made a decision to follow Christ during the last year or if they were making first time decisions right then. This was a cause for fervent prayer. Throughout the services, there were people praying – individually and in small groups. I think I experienced fervent prayer as I was part of one of those small groups. However, it was relatively short-lived compared to the all-night praying of the early church for Peter’s situation.

I also wonder if we prayer fervently for those in our world today who are imprisoned for the sake of the gospel. I’m convicted by my lack of knowledge of such people around the world. I know there are some, possibly many, but I just don’t know any specifics about them or their situations. I do, however, have first hand experience with situations in Haiti involving social unrest, poverty, health concerns, and educational issues. I can be fervently praying for the people I met and those who are on the front lines trying to minister in those difficult situations. I need to do more of that. I think we also should all do some research into which and where people are imprisoned or under persecution for proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I think there’s a place for fervent prayer in our world today. Maybe even more so as the time of Christ’s return is closer everyday. Am I, are you, praying angels into situations where believers need divine help? I’m going to start doing more of that kind of praying.

Acts Review: Chapters 15-28

Continuing my review of Acts, I found that many of the applications from chapters 1-14 can also be made based on the themes and principles in the last 14 chapters as well. There were a couple of additional ones which I will highlight. In addition to possible application questions I will look at several summary passages of Scripture found throughout Acts. I think you will be able to determine the key points of the book of Acts as a result of looking at these verses.

Application Questions:

       7.     Am I ready to give a response for the hope and belief I have in Jesus? Am I prepared to share my sorrows and my joys? Do I tell others the good things God has done for me? Do I make it clear that His blessings far outweigh life’s difficulties? Do I use every opportunity, every hardship, every struggle as a platform for sharing Christ? Is Christ the center of my conversations and in my writings? Do I make bold and faithful appeals? Do I see my limitations as the means for spreading the gospel truth?

            References: 2:14-15; 16:25; 20:18; 25:23; 26:30-32; 28:18

       8.     Do I share possessions to care for others? Do I consider how I may encourage and build up the body of Christ for the betterment of all? Do I encourage my local church to have the characteristics of a thriving congregation (unified, devout, attentive, and teachable)? How do we be unified in Christ as believers? Do I let others in the church help me and encourage me? Do I help other believers see and listen to God as He is working in our lives?

            References: 2:1; 2:46; 10:33; 10:45; 20:31

       9.      Do I keep myself pure from the things in this world that can be considered idolatry? Do I hold onto evil things . . . even those things in my thoughts and emotions? Is there spiritual fruit in my life? Do I do my best to “maintain always a blameless conscience both before God and before men?”

            References: 15:20; 16:33; 19:19; 19:37; 21:19

       10.     Do I take comfort in Christ’s presence even when I feel and think I’ve come to a standstill? Do I believe God has a purpose for my life? Do I consider persecution and trials as blessings from God? Do I rejoice in these blessings? Do I act as if God will not give up on me even if He has to repeat lessons multiple times?

            References: 5:41; 10:16; 20:18; 23:11; 25

Did any of those spark your interest? Make a plan and begin to change one area of your life today. It’s never too late to get started on transforming your life.

Now for the key summary verses found throughout Acts. I will just quote each one and summarize them all at the end. There are six of these verses.

                    1.       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.”

                    2.      Acts 9:31       “So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace, being built up; and, going on in fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to increase.”

                    3.      Acts 12:24      “But the word of the Lord continued to grown and to be multiplied.”

                    4.      Acts 16:5      “So the churches were being strengthened in the faith, and were increasing in number daily.”

                    5.      Acts 19:20      “So the word of the Lord was growing mightily and prevailing.”

                    6.      Acts 28:31      “[Paul continued] preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all openness, unhindered.”

What are the common factors in all these verses? First I go back to the commission Jesus gave the disciples. The commission was found in Acts 1:8. “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 summary verses state how that command was being fulfilled in the lives of the disciples. For me, these summaries tell us what happened in the early church. They tell us that the spread of the gospel and the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ had begun. It’s up to us to continue the work begun in Acts. It’s our turn to spread the gospel and bring glory to the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Acts Review: Chapters 1 -14

Primarily my review involves looking at the various applications I listed as possibilities for each section of Acts that I studied. I’m finding there are several reoccurring themes that I would like to think more about, pray more about, and apply to my life more than I have in the past. Some of these will be reminiscent of previously talked about thoughts from Acts, and some may be new. However, I’m going to try to highlight the most repeated applications (in the first 14 chapters of Acts; I’m sure they will also show up in the last 14 chapters). I think the best way to do this and include various references to where it came from is to list them with their references. [All references are in Acts and are based on the New American Standard Bible unless otherwise noted.]

      1.      Do I expect and hope in the coming of the eternal kingdom? Do I expect answered prayer?    In other words, do I believe God will fulfill His promises?

            References: 1:6; 7:17; 7:55-56; 10:31

      2.      Am I continually devoted to prayer? Am I involved in earnest prayer? Do I pray with others and not just in isolation?

            References: 1:12-15; 2:42; 7:55; 9:11; 10:31; 12:5; 12:15

      3.      Am I filled by the Holy Spirit for service? Do I have the proper attitude about service? Do I have my priorities straight? Do I use my Spirit-given gifts for service?

            References: 2:4; 5:29; 9:43; 11:27; 13:45

      4.      Does my gospel message include the death of Christ, the physical resurrection of Christ, and the manifestations of Christ in our daily lives? In other words, am I involved in witnessing and am I including all the pertinent points?

            References: 2:40; 2:31; 4:1-2; 8:4; 13:38-31; 14:3; 14:19

      5.       Do I make it clear where my “miracles” or “ministry” come from” From whose authority do I speak? Do I meet people where they are in their spiritual journeys? Do I show tenderness, compassion, and love in sharing the gospel?

            References: 3:12-13; 3:16; 3:17; 7:17-18; 7:55-56; 8:13; 8:30; 8:35; 10:29; 12:23; 13:28; 14:7

      6.      Am I intentional in my ministry? Do I hear and respond to God’s call or take advantage of the Holy Spirit’s opportunities? Do I bravely and boldly share the gospel even in the face of threats or skepticism or rejection? Do I get defensive in those situations?

            References: 4:20; 8:4; 8:26; 9:10; 13

Remember, these are just from the first 14 chapters. Stay tune for next week for the rest. In the meantime, does any one of these areas prick your hearts? Is there something you could be or should be doing better? Don’t wait until next week to take action. It’s in the taking action that our lives are transformed into the likeness of Christ. It’s also where we begin to see growth and change. It’s also what sets us apart from those who have not yet been saved. I call to mind Jesus’ words in John 14:21:

He who has My commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves Me; and he who loves Me shall be loved by My Father, and I will love him, and will disclose Myself to him.

Just the Beginning: Acts 28

This week we finished the chapter-by-chapter study of the Book of Acts. Chapter 28 gave us the account of how God got Paul and his companions to Rome. First in verses 1-16 they are in Malta after the shipwreck. There God used Paul and Luke to proclaim the gospel and to heal and cure all who came to them with ailments. There’s also a few verses that tell of a snake biting Paul and Paul not having any ill effects from it.

But, in Rome, once they got there, Paul first went to the Jewish community, as was his custom. He was able to speak to the Jewish leaders. He gave an account of what happened in Jerusalem, explained his work, and tried to use the Scriptures to persuade them to listen to his message. He appealed to them that Jesus was the promised Messiah. Verse 24, says, “And some were being persuaded by the things spoken, but others would not believe.” That’s the way it goes, even in this day and age. Paul fulfilled his responsibilities in sharing with the Jews, and when the Jews became divided, he also shared with the Gentiles. He actually told the Jews: “Let it be known to you therefore [because they had closed their eyes to the truth], that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will also listen (vs. 28).”

And that’s exactly what Paul did. He preached while he was being held under arrest, chained to a soldier, awaiting to speak to Nero. Acts doesn’t tell us about that encounter. There’s a lot of extra-Biblical writings that have accounts of Paul’s life after this point, but they don’t agree with each other. We do know that while he was waiting he was able to preach the gospel message unhindered (presumably by the Jews or the Roman government). The book ends by saying, “And he stayed two full years in his own rented quarters, and was welcoming all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all openness, unhindered (vs. 30-31).”

One of the commentators said that Acts doesn’t have an obvious ending, wrapping up Paul’s life – or even his presentation to Nero – because Acts really continues today as Christians today continue the spread of the gospel message. The job is not over. It won’t be until Christ comes again in all His glory. Until that day, we must use every opportunity as a platform for the gospel – in our deeds, in our love, in our words. We are to be Christ among the people. We cannot separate ourselves from non-Christians so we may be kept “pure” and “perfect.” Paul’s example is of going to the people, mingling with them, getting to know them, and sharing with them the judgment to come and the mercy we can have in Christ, now and forever.

Next week I will do some summarizing and looking back at the possible applications I wrote down. I believe there will be some reoccurring themes in those applications.

Praise and Thanksgiving: Acts 27:35

Last week I talked about being calm in the storms of life because we believe God from Acts 27. Today I’m going to look at another example Paul left us in Acts 27. This example convicts me. I fear I am too timid and too afraid to be an effective witness for Christ. However Acts 27:35 gives us an example of Paul being bold and sharing his normal practices before the people on the floundering ship.

“And having said this, he took bread and gave thanks to God in the presence of all; and he broke it and began to eat.”

Paul was unafraid, and even determined, to give the glory to God. This prayer of thanksgiving was probably the Jewish traditional prayer that is said before eating. It gives thanks to God and was in the customs that Jesus kept throughout His earthly existence. Everything Paul did had a purpose, and that purpose was to bring attention to the glory and love of God. However, here, Paul does this traditional praising and thanking in “the presence of all.” All those on the ship: sailors, soldiers, prisoners, and the few Christians on board. He did not shirk from his routine of bringing glory to God even though the believers on the ship were far outnumbered by those who worshiped idols (if they worshiped anything at all).

So, what’s this passage calling me to do? To not shrink back from talking about the great things God, in Christ, has done and is doing for me. That’s part of the evangelism process. Sharing from our natural lives is a great way to witness. We need to be authentic when we are doing it, and not just trying to sound righteous or religious. It needs to be filled with love and gentleness. However, it needs also to portray God as the mighty power He is. We need to be able to pray in such a way that uses the language that everyday people understand. Religious words and phrases don’t make sense to unbelievers (phrases like “washed in the blood of the lamb” may actually gross some people out; it would have grossed me out).

Therefore, believers need to use common language, not filled with religiosity, and let loose our praise and thanksgiving to God, even in public forums. This challenges me to pray in public, in the presence of all. It can be just a part of conversation with another, or it can be by myself. Giving glory to God is my aim and I will try to do whatever God calls me to do even if it means praying, praising and thanking in public.

Shipwreck!! Acts 27

Luke, the writer of Acts, who accompanied Paul on many of his missionary journeys, writes an accurate account of sea travel of ancient times. He used many details and navigation terminology. The details could’ve been used as the ship’s log. And, it is proof that Luke was there on the voyage with Paul as was stated early in the chapter (verse 2). All the information given by Luke lends credibility to the story and the truth of the occurrences described in the text.

All that being said, the key for me in this chapter is Paul’s trust and reliance on God’s promises. Paul had the promise from God that he would preach before kings and that he would be preaching in Rome. That had not yet happened, so Paul was confident that in spite of the devastating storm they were caught up in, it would not kill them. Verses 21-26 is a record of Paul reporting a visit from an angel of God, while being tossed about on the ship in the raging storm. He is again promised to survive to go to Rome and preach to Caesar. Paul reports the angel’s words: “Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar; and behold, God has granted you all those who are sailing with you.” (vs. 24)

The storm did not abate; in fact, they were in greater danger of being shipwrecked. In fact, Paul says in verses 25-26, “Therefore, keep up your courage, men, for I believe God, that it will turn out exactly as I have been told. But we must run aground on a certain island.” This verse contains the key verse for me: “keep up your courage . . . for I believe God.” O to have the same unshakable confidence in God!

This so obviously relates to my life right now. No matter what the future holds for me, I can have courage and confidence in God’s promises in my life being kept by God. There are many other places and people in Scripture that tell us to have courage and be of good cheer, however, Paul’s example here, in the face of a deadly storm where even the seasoned sailors were preparing to die, shows me an example of someone doing that. I can do it, too. There’s no reason to be downcast or depressed. There’s God and I believe Him. No matter what the future holds, even if it should be death, I believe God will do what He has said. My eternal salvation is secure forever.

Sharing Our Stories: Acts 26

This chapter, 26, in Acts is a recounting of Paul making his defense before the Roman appointed Jewish king, Agrippa II. However, Paul was not required to give a defense before the king since he had already appealed to Caesar. He used this opportunity to lay out the plan of salvation to the king and the powerful people living in Caesarea.

I heard once that we should use every opportunity and every situation as a platform for the gospel. Paul does that here. He doesn’t really address the charges the Jews made against him. He shares his story of his life before (being a committed Jew persecuting Christians), his encounter with the living Jesus (on the road to Damascus), and the commission Christ gave him to preach to the Gentiles about the resurrection of Jesus Christ. That was his story and he used this opportunity to point to the wonderful, powerful, life-changing experience he had had with Jesus. The same experience of complete change each of us can have.

So, in view of some unsettling news from a doctor this week, I realized that I have not been diligent or faithful in boldly sharing my faith journey with the people in my life. I have not seen it as urgent. I put it off to a more opportune time. I rationalized that praying for those I come in contact with was enough. I haven’t been carrying God’s truths to those I love the way I should’ve always been doing.

I had that zeal once upon a time. When I first had my encounter with the saving power of Jesus Christ, I wanted to tell everyone – friends, foes, strangers, etc. Somewhere along the way I lost that zeal and got out of the practice of speaking out for Christ. I now feel a return of the urgency and the zeal, attitudes I should have had all along. I’ve had a wake-up call and it’s time to get busy finding out where other people are in their faith journeys, and sharing mine when the opportunity comes (every time the opportunity comes). I need to boldly speak for Christ and His salvation. I wish none to perish without my giving them the chance to choose a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Where are you in your faith journey? Do you have one? Have you had an encounter with the Savior, Jesus Christ? Do you believe in His resurrection? Do you believe He is in ultimate control? If you have questions about any of these things, contact me and I will try to meet you where you are at and share what Christ has done for me. Don’t wait. You are not guaranteed a tomorrow.

Ponderings: Acts 25

As I studied and discussed Acts 25 with my friend this week, a question kept coming to my mind. Some background first.

In Acts 25, Paul makes his defense in front of Festus, leader appointed by the Romans to oversee affairs in Judea. Festus assumes and states at several places that the quarrel seemed to be within the Jewish faith, and not a question for the Romans to deal with. Festus saw the situation between Paul and the Jews as an internal, faith, religion-based, problem. His assumption was that Paul was a Jew and anything he professed and practiced was a question for his fellow-Jews to deal with. Basically, Festus viewed Paul’s profession of belong to the Way as a sect or part of Judaism, not a separate or new religion. Believing that gave certain protections to the Christians because they were part of the Jews who were the only religious group tolerated by the Romans (other than worshipping the Caesar).

So, the Romans viewed Christianity as part of Judaism. Paul also viewed it that way. We see several places in Paul’s letters to various churches where he made it clear that he was still a practicing Jew. He tells the Jews and the Gentiles he ministers to that he faithfully practiced all the laws of the Jews. Paul was Torah (the Jewish Law) observant throughout his life. This did not change when he became a Christian. He did say that a Gentile believer did not need to align him/herself with the Torah to receive salvation and the Holy Spirit. However, he never forbade it. He did try to make it clear that following the Law was not the way to salvation. That only comes through believing in Jesus Christ.

So, this brings me to my question – which I do not have an answer for: When did it become a Christian against Jews world? Eventually it did. Everything is separate now. Christians don’t mingle with Jews and Jews tend to avoid Christians. Why did this happen? When did it happen? And, how should we be responding to the nation of Israel now? How should we fellowship with Messianic Jews (Jewish Christians/believers)?

As I said, I don’t have answers for my ponderings. If someone does, feel free to comment or message me on Facebook. However, whether there are answers to these questions or not, I think it’s good to consider our relationships with our brethren in Christ of all backgrounds. I think we also need to be praying for them. That’s the only application I can come up with from these thoughts this week.

Opportunities in Disguise: Acts 25

Paul is still imprisoned, but now he’s being held captive by Festus, Felix’s successor. Felix probably left a note explaining the charges against Paul, but he decides to hear from Paul himself, after the Jews he met with in Jerusalem asked for Paul to stand trial in Jerusalem. (Meanwhile, the Jews were setting up an ambush to kill Paul on the journey between Caesarea and Jerusalem.)

Festus, wisely says, that they are free to bring charges against Paul in the Roman court in Caesarea. Possibly Festus had an inkling that all was not kosher with the Jews’ request. Just like Felix, Festus could not determine any Roman law that Paul had broken – especially not a crime deserving death. Paul’s defense clearly outlines his belief in the resurrected Jesus, but Festus didn’t see any significance in it. So, he sent the Jews away empty-handed, but only because Paul made an appeal that he have his citizenship Roman right to be heard in Rome by the emperor.

Festus kept Paul waiting for transport to Rome. While this waiting was going on, Festus hosted Agrippa II in his court. Agrippa knew the Jewish laws and policies better than Festus, so when Festus had an opportunity, he asked Agrippa for some guidance. Agrippa wanted to hear directly from Paul. This gave Paul another opportunity to address rulers and kings as was prophesied back in Acts 9:15. And Paul took the opportunity.

While we might be tempted to say, “Poor Paul. Locked in prison for years,” God was setting the stage for Paul to fulfill the call on his life. As far as we can tell, Paul did not complain or get sullen. He took the opportunities God gave him to share the message of Christ. The challenge is for us to view our struggles as opportunities to share Christ.

One commentator put it this way: “Rather than complain about your present situation, look for ways to use every opportunity to serve God and share Him with others. You problems may be opportunities in disguise.” I actually remember a time one summer when I was in college going to a summer long training with the Navigators’ college ministries. There was a guest speaker who said exactly these words to us. He was undergoing treatment for cancer, probably a fatal cancer. Instead of acting pitiful and hopeless, he was celebrating the opportunities to be joyful and would share his hope with everyone he came in contact with: doctors, nurses, radiologists, ministers, family, friends, other patients, etc.

One thing he said still rings true and sticks with me today: “Use every opportunity as a platform for the gospel.” I can do this by keeping the salvation hope alive in my thoughts. I know that death is not the end for me. I have promises of a life to come. So, I’m trying to use some medical issues I have going on right now as platforms for joy which, in turn, may impress upon someone that my life is different. Maybe they will ask why or maybe I will be able to share parts of my testimony (as Paul did on several occasions). Either way, I keep looking for opportunities to witness for Christ and I start each day off with that as my prayer.

God's Will: Acts 23-24

Basically I can sum up my thoughts this way: Having suffering, turmoil, dangers in our lives does not mean we are out of God’s will for our lives. This can be seen throughout Paul’s missionary trips and now his situation in Jerusalem and Caesarea.

Paul had been told by Jesus that he would be a witness for Him to all men of what you have seen and heard. Specifically, in Acts 23:11 “the Lord stood at his side and said, “Take courage, for as you have solemnly witnessed to My cause at Jerusalem, so you must witness at Rome, also.” Yet, disaster after disaster came upon Paul. Some would say this was proof that Paul was not doing the will of God.

In many cultures around the world, people believe that if bad things happen to people, they must have sinned or taken a wrong turn somewhere; that God’s favor had been removed from them. Yet, Paul, in the midst of suffering arrest and imprisonment, had God come to him and stood by him, telling him that His plans for Paul were not yet complete. To me, this says, Paul was doing exactly as God wanted him to do. God told Paul to not be dismayed or depressed. He would continue to witness for Jesus’ cause and even end up in Rome, somehow, to witness to the rulers and kings residing there.

We should never assume we or anyone else is not doing God’s will when bad things happen in their lives. It’s possible, just like God promised Paul, that God intends these things to happen so we can be witnesses of Him to the people around us. He may even be using our struggles to show others of His love, grace, power, and mercy. Are we ready to take up that challenge and be prepared to be witnesses for Christ whatever our circumstances or situations?

I pray daily that God would show me where I need to take action for Him and speak for Him. Even in the midst of my various struggles with bipolar disorder, alcoholism, and managing my diabetes, God may want to use me to encourage other believers or to be His witness to those who don’t know Him. My latest struggle, an unidentified mass in my neck, may open doors for me to share with a variety of people. I pray God would give me opportunities to demonstrate the hope we can have in Him. I can practice serenity in the midst of the concerns, because I know Who is ultimately in control. I pray I will see the opportunities and take them to be a witness for Christ. God has me just where He wants me. I need to look expectantly for how He will use me in this situation.

God's Protection: Acts 23:10-35

We all know that God’s protection is always available to us, but sometimes we just don’t understand how He’s going to get us out of certain situations or circumstances. Paul must have been wondering some of those things as he was imprisoned in Jerusalem with the Jews out to get him. The Jews had tried to kill him once already during this, his final, stay in Jerusalem. They wouldn’t give up and Paul was at the mercy of the Roman commander and his soldiers. How was God going to get him out of this mess?

We’ve seen in the past that Paul was miraculously rescued from other prisons by angels. God sent His divine messengers and soldiers to break Paul’s chains and open prison doors. Would He do that this time? Or would He use some other means for protecting Paul from the Jewish mob and assassins?

In a rather long accounting of the events in Jerusalem Luke tells us how God worked in this situation. Acts 23:10-35 tells the story of Paul’s rescue from the mob and the people God used to accomplish this. First, the army gets involved. The commander saw the commotion going on in the Temple courtyard and went to investigate. Usually the Romans just let the Jews handle Jewish things on their own, but the commander (Lysias) saw that a riot was beginning to form and felt he needed to do something about it. So, upon finding Paul being attacked, he sent his soldiers into the fray and had them pull Paul out so an orderly hearing could take place. The commander tried to have a peaceful hearing, but the Jews again became agitated at Paul’s explanation of his life and ministry, and the commander had to rescue him a second time. So, God used the Roman soldiers to protect Paul.

During Paul’s night in the barracks of the Romans, he had a vision or an encounter with Jesus Christ. Acts 23:11 says, “But on the night immediately following, the Lord stood at his side and said, ‘Take courage; for as you have solemnly witnessed to My cause at Jerusalem, so you must witness at Rome, also.’” So, Paul was encouraged through a miraculous appearance of Christ as he wondered what was going to become of him. It’s possible Paul was feeling defeated, depressed, self-incriminating because he failed to fully proclaim the resurrection message to the Jews of Jerusalem; he may have been wondering if God would still use him or if this was the end. But, Jesus told him to “buck up,” “take courage,” “be of good cheer” (depending on the translation looked at). God was still in the busy of miracles and he was not using angels this time.

He was using people. Acts 23:16 tells us of a young man (possibly a child) who overheard the Jewish plan to assassinate Paul, and reported it to Paul. (The Scriptures tell us the young man was Paul’s sister’s son.) Paul then sent the boy to the commander and the commander took immediate action to get Paul out of the city and to Caesarea where the governor, Felix, held court. The accusers would have to go to Caesarea to present their side of the story to Felix. (They probably did that in short order; we’ll see what happens in Acts 24 when I get there.) So, God used a child and the Roman commander, again, to protect Paul from the zealots in Jerusalem. Not only did the commander send Paul away but he sent an armed guard of about 472 men, including most of the cavalry. And they put Paul on a horse to expedite matters. They moved swiftly away from the city in the middle of the night and were more than halfway to Caesarea (more than 60 miles from Jerusalem) by morning.

God’s protection doesn’t end there. Felix saw fit to hear the case and put Paul under guard in Herod’s Praetorium until the trial could be held. Still protecting Paul (although not as respectfully as the commander in Jerusalem had treated him). Of course, Paul is away from the rabble-rousers in Jerusalem, but the trial was yet to be held. That takes place in Acts 24 so I’m excited to see how everything turns out. Maybe I’ll write about that next week.

18 Years: Acts 22

This week I celebrate 18 years of continuous sobriety. That’s a milestone for a couple fo reasons. First, it’s always a milestone to have another year under my belt. Second, the longest stretch of continuous sobriety I had before was 17 years. This comes with mixed feelings and many thoughts.

I owe a large part of this accomplishment to having a relationship with a Higher Power. My Higher Power is Jesus. I’m not ashamed of that. Another part of my success this time around has been the principles of Alcoholics Anonymous, especially the experiences provided to me by the various groups and relationships I’ve been a part of. Remembering what life was like before, the situations around my getting sober, and what life has been like since getting sober mirror my salvation story to a great extent. And, that story or testimony follows a pattern long established by the apostle Paul in Acts 22.

There are three parts to Paul’s testimony as stated in Acts 22. Basically the three parts can be outlined like this:

1. Acts 22:3 – Paul’s explaining that he was born a Jew and had the best Jewish education available. His life before Christ.

2.  Acts 22:4-16 – The circumstances of his conversion and reasons why he believed he was called to preach the gospel to the Gentiles.

3.  Acts 22:17-21 – Why he went to Gentiles; vindicating his conduct among the Gentiles.

This is Paul’s salvation story: Before, how salvation came, life since.

My salvation story can follow this pattern. Salvation from sins and salvation from alcohol. Basically I was depressed and filled with total despair. I was without hope or plans for the future. I drank to avoid feeling the emotions and experiencing the thought that my life’s purpose was over. I was lonely and had no close friends. I felt separated from God and from other people. I thought there was nothing to live for and was suicidal. I first got sober (in 1978) because someone introduced me to Jesus and that relationship with Him turned my life around. At that time, I now had a relationship with another person (Jill, who shared with me about Jesus) and with Jesus (a loving, caring, helping, all-powerful God). In late 1998, another woman (Cathy) reminded me of that relationship and became a human friend. It took me until the spring to really embrace those relationships, but when I finally did, I was able to stop drinking again and start dealing with the issues plaguing my life. And since then, my relationships with God and other people have continued to develop (with the help of some therapy) and usually I can find hope in the midst of internal turmoil. I also have a sense of purpose I didn’t have before. I can be of aid to others – in their spiritual walks and/or in their recovery from alcoholism. God has used me in the past and I have a certain amount of security as I believe He will use me in the present and future.

There are many other details to the story, but the basics are all there. As I think back on some of the details, I see how God was orchestrating the events in my life to bring me back to Him and to prepare to use me to help others.

So today, as I look back, I also look forward and rejoice in the ways God can use me, if I’m open to His leading and obedient to His Word.

Using Our Gifts, Acts 21:10-11

Sometimes I wonder if I’m doing all I can for God and for furthering His message of love and salvation. Scripture tells us that we all have received gifts of the Holy Spirit to be used for the building up of the body. We find a list of spiritual gifts and their overall purpose in 1 Corinthians 12:7-11:

⁷ But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. ⁸ For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; ⁹ to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, ¹⁰ and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. ¹¹ But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.

The purpose: for the common good. It is clear that not everyone is given the same gift. Each is given a gift that they may be part of the edification of the church. In Acts 21:10-11, we see one example of one man’s giftedness.

As we were staying there for some days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. ¹¹ And coming to us, he took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands, and said, “This is what the Holy Spirit says: ‘In this way the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’”

I came to question whether or not I was using the gifts the Holy Spirit has given me. Here’s a man, Agabus, exercising the gift of prophecy. Basically he proclaimed the truth already told to Paul, that he would suffer many trials in his work for Christ. This is not a new prediction in the sense that it’s something no one’s ever heard before. God gave this message to Agabus to prepare Paul for the specifics of what was to come. So, what is the definition of a modern day prophet? In looking at various sources the most simple, and I believe very accurate, description said, “I think in over-simplistic terms, you could say a prophet is a truth teller.” Agabus was certainly that.

Back to the question of whether or not I am using the gifts God gave me . . . through various people and various gifts of the spirit inventories, I’ve been called a modern day prophet. My first impulse is to run and hide. Telling the truth to people who don’t necessarily want to hear it can be a rough job. However, another way to look at it, is that I’m just repeating the truth of Scripture as the Holy Spirit leads. I don’t usually know when I’m doing it. I just share from what God’s been showing me, and somehow it ends up being the truth someone in the “audience” needed to hear. So, in a way, as was pointed out to me by a friend, I am using that gift through this blog and through the notes I send to people via snail mail and technology. So, running and hiding is not really an option the Holy Spirit has given me.

I may also have other gifts (we all usually have at least a couple), but this one scares me the most. It’s a big responsibility to regularly/always tell the truth. Fortunately for me, I have a truth-guide. I have the Word of God. If I’m just saying what the Word says, I’m assured of telling the truth. I have to be careful to accurately handle the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15) and I need to rely on the Holy Spirit for guidance as what to share. Like I said, I often don’t even know when I’m doing it. That’s all the work of the Holy Spirit. I don’t set out to preach specific messages to specific people. I let God make all those arrangements.

What are your spiritual gifts and are you open to using them for God’s glory and for the building up of the church? Just something to think about.

What's Real Fellowship Look Like? Acts 20:36-38

At the end of Paul’s time with the Ephesians’ leaders before Paul left on his final leg of the journey to Jerusalem, a couple of things took place that indicated to me that true fellowship involves focus on Christ and prayer. These leaders were greatly moved by Paul’s message to them and greatly saddened by the fear that they would no longer have an opportunity to fellowship with and learn from Paul. They would miss Paul immensely. There was real affection and care for Paul on the part of these elders. There was also great affection and care for the Ephesians on the part of Paul. A mutually loving and caring relationship existed between the believers.

Acts 20:36-38 describes the relationship and gives us some ideas for improving our fellowship.

And when he [Paul] had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. And they began to weep aloud and embraced Paul, and repeatedly kissed him, grieving especially over the word which he had spoken, that they should see his face no more. And they were accompanying him to the ship.

First off, they had been listening and discussing Paul’s ministry among them. That’s the “these things” the passage was talking about. Paul had covered several key points in his longest recorded message to Christians. He discussed four concepts with them:

1.  Paul’s ministry as an example to them (vs. 18-21)

2.  Paul’s future prospects (vs. 22-27)

3.  Warnings of coming heresies (vs. 28-31)

4.  Proper attitudes toward material goods (vs. 32-35)

Having finished the discussion, Paul, and presumably the rest of the elders, knelt down to pray together. I know we say a prayer at the end of the sermon on Sunday mornings, but for many of us (myself included) that is the only time we engage in group, corporate prayer. I feel this was a pattern in Paul’s life: to pray whenever meeting with believers. I find that is an, often overlooked, aspect of the times we get together for what we call fellowship. I try to involve prayer with others in my activities with others, but I’m not always successful. Maybe that’s because what we are doing is not actually “fellowship.” Maybe it’s just having fun with other Christians.

I also find it interesting that they knelt to pray. This is from Acts so it’s not a “rule” or “commandment” for us to follow. And I’m not going to say that we always need to be in a kneeling position when we pray. However, Paul left us with that example of reverence and respect, an we should make sure we pray from a position of reverence and respect. Kneeling is one way of doing that. I know that it is not always possible to position ourselves in such a way (I can’t get up after kneeling and my husband can’t kneel due to knee surgeries), but we should, at the very least, position ourselves in a way that shows reverence and respect to God.

I noticed their attitudes when parting with Paul became eminent. They were weeping aloud and embracing Paul. There was grieving over the possibility of never seeing Paul again. Do I feel anything like that when leaving the presence of fellow-believers? Probably not because I have a reasonable assurance that I shall see them again. But that’s taking a lot for granted. I should not be so cavalier because it’s quite possible that those we part with may never be seen again. We should make sure they know we will miss their fellowship and that we will be praying for them.

Finally, parting should be hard to do. The elders wanted every last minute with Paul so they accompanied him to the ship he would be sailing on. I confess, sometimes my attitude is “will they ever leave?” It may be hard to find closure for our fellowship times, yet if we have shared Scripture, prayed and loved on each other, the parting may be less traumatic than it was for these believers.

I’m going to try to pray more with the groups (or individuals) I meet with. I think we need to include more prayer into our meetings and partings.

Turning to God: Acts 20:1-16

Several thoughts came to mind while studying this section of Acts. And, it just so happens, my Quiet Time (based on the Our Daily Bread guide), also addressed some of these same issues. Primarily, the thoughts were about turning to God in times of struggle.

Just like David, Paul had trials and tribulations to deal with. Some of the struggles were from without. In David’s case, these without struggles were often about trying to deal with the death threats and persecution from King Saul. Paul’s struggles were often with the non-believing Jews he encountered on his various missionary journeys; they wanted to kill him and squash his message. I have external conflicts I have to deal with also. And, like David and Paul, when I turn to God and try to do things in a way pleasing to Him, sometimes things get better and sometimes things get worse. We can’t control what other people do or say in response to us no matter how kind and compassionate we tried to be. In those situations, my peace comes from knowing that my salvation is not reliant upon the actions of other people. It’s dependant only upon God’s love for me and my response to Him.

However, both David and Paul had their inside struggles to deal with. These internal struggles seem to be conflict with who they are and who they want to be. Those struggles often lead to what appears to be a depressed state in both of those leaders. I can also relate to those struggles. I like Psalm 30:1-5, one of David’s songs to God, because it talks about how we may feel we are without hope, but then there’s God:

I will extol Thee, O Lord, for Thou hast lifted me up,

And hast not let my enemies rejoice over me.

O Lord my God,

I cried to Thee for help, and Thou didst heal me.

O Lord, Thou hast brought up my soul from Sheol;

Thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.

Sing praise to the Lord, you His godly ones,

And give thanks to His holy name.

For His anger is but for a moment,

His favor is for a lifetime;

Weeping may last for the night,

But a shout of joy comes in the morning.

David says he was in a state where he needed help and healing. He felt his soul was in Sheol (Hell) and he was afraid he would go down to the pit if it weren’t for God’s hand on his life. He indicates that weeping was a part of his life. Yet, despite his depression thoughts and feelings, he knew the remedy was to turn to God. He says that God has kept him alive, that God has healed him. And he focuses his attention on God. He sings praise to the Lord and gives thanks to His holy name.

In Acts 20, we find a situation where Paul also may have been feeling alone, afraid, in the pit, and there were times of weeping (Acts 20:19 says, “. . . serving the Lord with all humility and with tears . . .”). It is speculated by several commentators the Paul experienced depression, yet he kept proclaiming the message of Christ in the midst of that. At one point in Acts 20 (verse 13) Paul chooses to go by land while the rest of his team went by ship to a designated place of meeting. There are lots of possible reasons why Paul decided to do this, none of which are explained in the Scriptures. However, I like what Spurgeon had to say about this walk: “A quiet lonely walk of twenty miles suited Paul, it would give him space for prayer and meditation, and help him to shake off some of the depression which had gathered over his mind while he waited in Philippi. Those who labor much for the Lord must have their times of retirement for self-examination, prayer, communion with God, and preparation for future efforts.” Again, I want to say that we don’t know why Paul, in this particular situation, decided to go by land because the Scriptures don’t explain it. However, I like to think Paul was communing with God and praising Him (as David did when he was down).

I see that as the way out of my depressions. When I get my eyes set on Jesus’ sacrifice and God’s great power, I feel loved and cared for. That goes a long way towards lifting the depression, at least for a period of time. Then it’s good for me to keep praising God and giving thanks for His compassion, love and care for me, each day to maintain a spirit of hope. It works for me if I let it. Maybe it can work for you.

Sharing Truth: Acts 19:35-40

We can learn several things from the town clerk’s message as he tried to quiet the mob in Ephesus, which were inciting violence against the Christians, especially against Paul. The clerk, once he quieted the rioters, made 6 main points about the accusations against the Christians. Basically he said that the assembled citizens of Ephesus were creating a riot over nothing and that the rioters were in danger of breaking the Roman laws.

I want to specifically look at one of the things the clerk said because it tells us about Paul and the other Christians in Ephesus. Acts 19:37 records one part of the clerk’s message: “For you have brought these men here who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of our goddess . . .” The point the clerk was trying to make was point number four: “The persons accused were not guilty of breaking the civil laws.” What does this tell us about Paul and the other disciples who were preaching the Messiah message throughout Ephesus?

It tells us that Paul did not go about offending the inhabitants of Ephesus by forcibly destroying their goddess’s temple (Ephesus was the main place where the worship of Artemis was strongest) or ridiculing the people for their beliefs. What Paul and the others preached was the truth about Jesus Christ. And the truth was changing the people’s hearts. It wasn’t by force that the exorcists and evil-doers repented of their sins (see Acts 19:17-20 where it says that the “word of the Lord was growing mightily and prevailing.”) It was the message, the truth, and the God-ordained miracles Paul was espousing. No one was forcing them or directly confronting their goddesses and gods. They were just reasoning and speaking the truth to the people and those people responded favorably to the message.

(One statement made by Paul may have been directly aimed at the concept of multiple gods and goddesses. In verse 26, one of the rabble-rousers gave an example of Paul’s examples to the people: “. . . this Paul has persuaded and turned away a considerable number of people, saying, ‘that gods made with hands are no gods at all . . .” So Paul was questioning the reality of man-made gods, but he didn’t directly attack Artemis.)

This passage impressed upon me the idea that we need not be destructive or confrontational with unbelievers as we try to reason with them and show them the truth. We do not have to become aggressive and harsh. We do not need to ridicule sinners to get them to see the error of their ways. We can speak boldly with love and compassion. And, most importantly, we can speak the truth of Jesus’ death on the cross, His resurrection, and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers. None of those key truths attack anyone else. It’s just the sharing of the truth. It’s up to God’s Holy Spirit to convict and change people’s hearts.

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.

What is Our Role in Spread of the Gospel? Acts 17

The question came to me while having my Quiet Time this morning. The reading was from 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10 with verse 8 saying, “For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you [Thessalonians], not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone forth, so that we have no need to say anything.” Paul had written to the Thessalonians, where he had established a church and where Timothy and Silas had stayed on to help the fledgling church mature, this letter of encouragement for them to keep doing what they had been doing. The account of Paul’s time with the Thessalonians is in Acts 17 (along with the accounts of his time in Berea and Athens).

In Thessalonica, Berea and Athens, Paul preached the gospel (starting in the synagogues) and got varying results. In Thessalonica there were many who came to Christ, but there was also a great amount of persecution from the non-believing Jews of the city. However, there were many believers as the result of Paul’s preaching. Paul continued his missionary journey, leaving Thessalonica before the mob could accost him and drag him before the judges of the city, and went to Berea. Paul again preached in Berea, starting in the synagogue. Acts 17:11-12 tells us what happened there:

Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily, to see whether these things were so. Many of them therefore believed, along with a number of prominent Greek women and men.

Paul, due to the agitation and instigation of the Jews from Thessalonica, who had pursued Paul to Berea, left Berea and went to Athens. Silas and Timothy stayed in Berea (vs. 14) and continued teaching and preaching, but Paul’s message went on to another city, Athens.

In Athens, Paul preached in marketplaces and eventually, in front of the philosophers and scholars of Athens. The Athenians were much more reluctant to believe, and this probably discouraged Paul. Yet, he kept preaching and trying to spread the word of the Lord.

This brings us to the title question. What is our role in the spread of the gospel? Our role is to keep preaching no matter where God leads us. There may be tremendous success with many converts or there may be dismal effect with few coming to Christ. Either way, just like Paul, we are to spread the gospel message as best as we can. One commentator, Michael Fronczak, wrote: “Even if only a few believe, it’s worth the effort.” That seems to be the principle that Paul lived by.

We also, need to be sharing the gospel to those around us, whether there is good fruit or no fruit. The results of our sharing are in God’s hands. We do not save people; God does through the workings of the Holy Spirit in people’s lives. Our job is to present the truth to others and give them hope for a better life and an eternity with the comfort of God. So, let’s share some aspect of Christ today with someone else. Whether it’s a smile at the grocery store showing kindness, or a full-fledged gospel presentation, the Holy Spirit can use us to proclaim the gospel to our world.

Hallmarks of Conversion: Acts 16:11-40

In Acts 16 we read the story of Paul and Silas being miraculously loosed from their chains in the jail in Philippi. The jailer is ready to kill himself, fearing that the prisoners had escaped and that he would have to serve the punishment for all the escaped prisoners. However, Paul and Silas and all the other prisoners were still in the jail. They hadn’t left, so the jailer’s life was spared.

The jailer’s response was to ask Paul and Silas, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” [vs. 30] The disciples responded with the gospel message: “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved you and your household” [vs. 31]. And, that’s exactly what the jailer did and his whole household came to believe, also.

How do we know that the jailer believed? His behavior toward the disciples drastically changed. Where, on his first encounter with Paul and Silas, he had bound them with chains and thrown them in the innermost dungeon of the prison, he was now taking them home and taking care of their wounds and needs for nourishment [vs. 33]. One commentator, Barnes, said, “Often one of the most striking changes that occurs in conversions is seen in the disposition to be kind and humane to the suffering.” There was also a cross-reference to James 1:22 which says, “This is pure and undefiled religion in the sight of God and Father, to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.”

So I asked myself the following questions: How am I doing in these areas? What opportunities have I let slip by? I can think of times in my past where I’ve cared for the needs of others, those suffering in some way, but I couldn’t think of anything current. I decided to pray for opportunities. As of writing this, I still have not seen any opportunities to directly help orphans and widows, but I have been able to contribute to the finances of our church as they have reached out to ministries in Haiti that work with orphans. I plan on praying more for those ministries this year. And, I’ll keep praying for the eyes to see where there is suffering and how I can help relieve it in the lives of people I come into contact with.

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.