23:1 - Ahhh...to be able to say this would be beautiful. Unfortunately I cannot. But I can choose to live each day from this into the future in all good conscience before God. It's a great motto to live life by...it's my mission not to please people or be loved or make money or gain power, but to live my life before God with all good conscience.
23:5 - Perfect example of knowing who people truly are by their words and actions. Paul calls the high priest a hypocrite and the other Jews around ask him, "How dare you speak against the High Priest?" Paul basically says, "Oh, since he was a lying, hypocrite that was speaking evil against Jesus Christ the Son of God and the Lord and King of the Jews...I had no idea he was the High Priest. I didn't think High Priests were supposed to do stuff like that." Ouch. Our words and actions flow from the overflow of our hearts, and I hope that we are so focused on being filled with Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit, that living the Way becomes more and more natural for us as the years roll on.
23:12 - This reminds me of a vow that King Saul made (I Samuel 14:24ff)...a vow of stupidity, pride and anger. He tried to take his destiny in his own hands as opposed to trusting in God and he nearly killed his son and eventually lost the throne because of his arrogance. These men refuse to see the truth behind the words of Paul and the authenticity of the person of Jesus Christ as their Messiah...they choose instead to allow their own anger and fear dominate their lives. They make a stupid, prideful, angry vow - and if they held to it, they died of starvation. Starvation and death is the end result when we choose to turn our backs on God an go our own way. We become starved and emaciated spiritually without the living water we so desperately need. We live a life filled with the stench of death - hopelessness...lost in sin...unable to climb out of the hole we have dug for ourselves. Let's not go there.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Monday, April 14, 2008
Acts Chapters 21 and 22 - April 14, 2008
21:5,6 - I think this is such a beautiful picture of what Christianity should look like. As families, they walk the brothers out of town and they all kneel together and pray for each other. What a great goodbye. It seems like we are so overly-connected through phones, computers and the ease of travel (Though you could say we have substituted technological connection for real relationship sometimes, but that is a different topic) - that we take parting someones company for granted...we are just gonna see them or talk to them tomorrow anyway. I think we are missing out. I think we should take more opportunities to prayerfully say goodbye, because in all reality we never know when or if we will ever see anybody again. Do we live like that? Do we pray like that?
21:13 - All of us do this...we allow our own frailty, fear and selfishness to become an obstacle for ourselves and others when it comes to giving everything to God and stepping out boldly in his name. I love the question that Paul gives them, "Why do you break my heart...why do you cry for me...don't you know that I am willing to go to jail or even die for Jesus?" Is that the attitude that we bring into our own lives...into the lives of our families...our kids? It's scary to think about - but if we really believe it has to come into play.
21:22ff - This sounds strange when you first read it...why is Paul going through these Jewish law rituals when he has already made it clear that he knows it is not the law that saves, but Jesus Christ. The Jewish council has voted and decided that Gentiles do not have to follow the law and get circumcised to be Christians. Why does Paul go through with what the leaders want him to do and bow to the requirements of the law in Jerusalem? (See I Corinthians 9:20) He is staying consistent to the message that he preaches throughout the New Testament. He does not want to be a stumbling block...he will become all things to all people (With the exclusion of blatant sinning - he's not going to do heroin to reach drug dealers), to further the message of Jesus Christ. Do I have the same attitude? Do you? Or do we, like the Jewish Christians, want others to do Christianity exactly like us, or not come to Christ at all?
Chapter 22 - There are some aspects of who Paul is that really jump out at me in this chapter, and I think they set a great example for what Christians are supposed to look like when we walk through this world. We are supposed to be bold. Check out the end of chapter 21 and the beginning of chapter 22...Paul has almost been torn apart by an angry mob, yet he immediately asks if he can go and address the same crowd that was calling for his head. That is bold. He has a message that he wants them to hear. As Christians I hope that we can bring that same boldness to the table. Do you love the lost people of this world enough to boldly chase after them? Paul did. We are supposed to tell our story. Paul gets up in front of a group of people that want his head, and he starts to tell them the story of his life. That sounds really awkward and weird, but he connects to them using their language and he tells them how he came in contact with the Way and how it changed him. We also need to be telling the story of how God has changed our lives. We also need to speak to the people we come in contact with using their language. We are supposed to be intelligent. Paul is strapped up and about to be flogged when he decides to let the guards know that he is a Roman citizen, and they really have no right to do that to him. He is not manipulating...he is not conning anybody...he is using his knowledge of the world he lives to the advantage of his life and the advance of the kingdom. There seems to be a belief in the world that Christians are delusional simpletons that answer any question about their faith with, "Because the bible says so." We need to know our faith and know our world and use the knowledge that we have to our advantage and to advance the kingdom, just as Paul did.
21:13 - All of us do this...we allow our own frailty, fear and selfishness to become an obstacle for ourselves and others when it comes to giving everything to God and stepping out boldly in his name. I love the question that Paul gives them, "Why do you break my heart...why do you cry for me...don't you know that I am willing to go to jail or even die for Jesus?" Is that the attitude that we bring into our own lives...into the lives of our families...our kids? It's scary to think about - but if we really believe it has to come into play.
21:22ff - This sounds strange when you first read it...why is Paul going through these Jewish law rituals when he has already made it clear that he knows it is not the law that saves, but Jesus Christ. The Jewish council has voted and decided that Gentiles do not have to follow the law and get circumcised to be Christians. Why does Paul go through with what the leaders want him to do and bow to the requirements of the law in Jerusalem? (See I Corinthians 9:20) He is staying consistent to the message that he preaches throughout the New Testament. He does not want to be a stumbling block...he will become all things to all people (With the exclusion of blatant sinning - he's not going to do heroin to reach drug dealers), to further the message of Jesus Christ. Do I have the same attitude? Do you? Or do we, like the Jewish Christians, want others to do Christianity exactly like us, or not come to Christ at all?
Chapter 22 - There are some aspects of who Paul is that really jump out at me in this chapter, and I think they set a great example for what Christians are supposed to look like when we walk through this world. We are supposed to be bold. Check out the end of chapter 21 and the beginning of chapter 22...Paul has almost been torn apart by an angry mob, yet he immediately asks if he can go and address the same crowd that was calling for his head. That is bold. He has a message that he wants them to hear. As Christians I hope that we can bring that same boldness to the table. Do you love the lost people of this world enough to boldly chase after them? Paul did. We are supposed to tell our story. Paul gets up in front of a group of people that want his head, and he starts to tell them the story of his life. That sounds really awkward and weird, but he connects to them using their language and he tells them how he came in contact with the Way and how it changed him. We also need to be telling the story of how God has changed our lives. We also need to speak to the people we come in contact with using their language. We are supposed to be intelligent. Paul is strapped up and about to be flogged when he decides to let the guards know that he is a Roman citizen, and they really have no right to do that to him. He is not manipulating...he is not conning anybody...he is using his knowledge of the world he lives to the advantage of his life and the advance of the kingdom. There seems to be a belief in the world that Christians are delusional simpletons that answer any question about their faith with, "Because the bible says so." We need to know our faith and know our world and use the knowledge that we have to our advantage and to advance the kingdom, just as Paul did.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Acts Chapter 20 - April 10, 2008
20:4 - Everywhere Paul goes he raises up disciples. He does ministry like Jesus, he invites people to journey with him in faith. Are you doing the same?
20:9 - I guess I can't be too hard on the sleepy Sunday morning kids...none of them have ever fallen off the choir risers and almost died. Maybe I can take a hint from Paul...even incredible speakers like him (Not putting myself in that category...just saying he's incredible) can ramble on a little too long...I'll try to keep it simple, although I will be rolling out about 40 minutes on Sunday.
20:23 - Paul is such a great example...knowing that he is heading into pain and persecution, he walks the path anyway. He is willing to do hard things because his belief in Jesus is so life-changing and real...how about you...how about me?
20:28 - This is a really powerful charge to leaders and ministers. Sometimes I get so caught up in the minutia of my job: scheduling, planning, preparing, brainstorming, etc...that I lose sight of what it is really all about. "Pay careful attention to the flock, in which you have been made overseers by the Holy Spirit, to care for the church that Jesus paid for by His blood." Do I love Him? Feed His sheep. Do you love Him? Feed His sheep.
20:9 - I guess I can't be too hard on the sleepy Sunday morning kids...none of them have ever fallen off the choir risers and almost died. Maybe I can take a hint from Paul...even incredible speakers like him (Not putting myself in that category...just saying he's incredible) can ramble on a little too long...I'll try to keep it simple, although I will be rolling out about 40 minutes on Sunday.
20:23 - Paul is such a great example...knowing that he is heading into pain and persecution, he walks the path anyway. He is willing to do hard things because his belief in Jesus is so life-changing and real...how about you...how about me?
20:28 - This is a really powerful charge to leaders and ministers. Sometimes I get so caught up in the minutia of my job: scheduling, planning, preparing, brainstorming, etc...that I lose sight of what it is really all about. "Pay careful attention to the flock, in which you have been made overseers by the Holy Spirit, to care for the church that Jesus paid for by His blood." Do I love Him? Feed His sheep. Do you love Him? Feed His sheep.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Acts Chapter 19 - April 9, 2008
It's my mom's birthday - happy birthday mom!
19:2 - They believed in God, and they believed in the baptism of John, meaning they also believed the time of the Messiah was at hand, but even with their belief, because they did not know about the Holy Spirit, they had not yet been given the Holy Spirit. I wonder if the Christian Church as a whole is so obsessed sometimes with being "non-charismatic" that we don't fully teach the theology of the Holy Spirit and hamstring our people when it comes to the power of the Spirit? Our people are saved by their belief in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ the son of God and baptized into the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, but maybe they are lacking in some of the power they can tap into because they don't know what to expect. They don't know that the power of Jesus Christ resides within us - a counselor, helper, friend, that we can rely on for strength to overcome obstacles and live boldly for God. I just think the Spirit part of the God gets the attention He is due.
19:10 - This ties back into Acts 16:6, where the Holy Spirit blocks Paul from going into Asia, because he sets in in Ephesus and helps to spread the gospel through all of Asia as people come in to town and take the truth out with them. Because the Holy Spirit stopped Paul, these people were given a chance to step out in faith and do powerful ministry themselves. Pretty cool, huh? What has God given you His Spirit and His word to accomplish?
19:15 - This reminds me of the demons in the gospel who understand that Jesus is the Son of God. The demons could understand something the Pharisees couldn't see. The demon recognizes the name of Jesus and the name of Paul, but it beats the Jewish exorcists down who call on the name of Jesus, because it doesn't recognize their power. Even demons understand what true power is. True power is found in God - period. The exorcists were trying to impress the demon by using popular names and powerful words...but it isn't the names and words that bring the power it is the belief in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, which they didn't have.
19:25-26 - Sadly enough there are many times that the Christian population in America makes no negative impact on the idol worship going on in the US. Many times we buy in to ungodly movies, music, celebrities, clothing, etc. I don't see any movie companies or record labels standing up and railing against Christians because they are losing money due to our stand against supporting anti-God products...maybe that's because we often drink it in like everybody else. Would you say you support idol worship in America? What do your actions say?
19:2 - They believed in God, and they believed in the baptism of John, meaning they also believed the time of the Messiah was at hand, but even with their belief, because they did not know about the Holy Spirit, they had not yet been given the Holy Spirit. I wonder if the Christian Church as a whole is so obsessed sometimes with being "non-charismatic" that we don't fully teach the theology of the Holy Spirit and hamstring our people when it comes to the power of the Spirit? Our people are saved by their belief in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ the son of God and baptized into the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, but maybe they are lacking in some of the power they can tap into because they don't know what to expect. They don't know that the power of Jesus Christ resides within us - a counselor, helper, friend, that we can rely on for strength to overcome obstacles and live boldly for God. I just think the Spirit part of the God gets the attention He is due.
19:10 - This ties back into Acts 16:6, where the Holy Spirit blocks Paul from going into Asia, because he sets in in Ephesus and helps to spread the gospel through all of Asia as people come in to town and take the truth out with them. Because the Holy Spirit stopped Paul, these people were given a chance to step out in faith and do powerful ministry themselves. Pretty cool, huh? What has God given you His Spirit and His word to accomplish?
19:15 - This reminds me of the demons in the gospel who understand that Jesus is the Son of God. The demons could understand something the Pharisees couldn't see. The demon recognizes the name of Jesus and the name of Paul, but it beats the Jewish exorcists down who call on the name of Jesus, because it doesn't recognize their power. Even demons understand what true power is. True power is found in God - period. The exorcists were trying to impress the demon by using popular names and powerful words...but it isn't the names and words that bring the power it is the belief in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, which they didn't have.
19:25-26 - Sadly enough there are many times that the Christian population in America makes no negative impact on the idol worship going on in the US. Many times we buy in to ungodly movies, music, celebrities, clothing, etc. I don't see any movie companies or record labels standing up and railing against Christians because they are losing money due to our stand against supporting anti-God products...maybe that's because we often drink it in like everybody else. Would you say you support idol worship in America? What do your actions say?
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Acts Chapter 18 - April 8, 2008
18:2 - Why did Claudius expel the Jews from Rome? Because riots had been breaking out between Christians and Jews and he was tired of dealing with it. The Jews were violently opposing the followers of Christ and Claudius just kinda swept the whole thing under the rug - out of sight, out of mind. The audacity of Christianity when lived out truly seems always to rub people the wrong way - claims like "there is only one way" and "no one can save themselves" do not sit well with people deeply ingrained in a worldly ethos. But truth is truth and as followers of Christ we cannot live a lie just so that people will be comfortable with our beliefs.
18:17 - I wonder why the Jews grabbed the synagogue leader (Also a Jew) and beat him after the court ruling didn't go their way? I remember as a very jerky young boy, hitting my sisters hard on the arm when I failed miserably while playing a video game - just because I wanted to take my frustrations out on somebody...they were there, so it had to be their fault that Mario fell into the crevice and died! Maybe the Jews were so frustrated that they took their anger out on the synagogue leader...I mean, he hadn't been able to out-argue Paul, so it must be his fault, right? Hopefully you and I will refuse to give in to the urges of the sinful self to take our frustrations out on other people.
18:18 - Usually cutting hair for a vow would come about at the end of the vow. So because Paul cuts his hair after leaving Corinth, it may be safe to assume that his vow had something to do with his ministry there. Most likely he vowed to do ministry in the corrupt and dangerous city of Corinth, come-what-may...and God protected him. Many times the Jews after shaving their hair for a vow, would take the hair to the temple and give it as an offering to God. I love Paul's example of stepping out in faith...how often do we vow to do incredible things for God and follow through? When is the last time you said, I want to do this hard thing for you Lord and the only way it is going to be possible is through your strength and protection? I hope it was recently. I hope that I will be a man throughout my life who vows to live boldly for God and is willing to sacrifice for Him.
18:25 - Even people new to Christianity and fairly immature in their walk, can step out in faith and live out the truth they understand. If you are waiting to do great things for God until you are ready...until your knowledge is great enough...until you are mature enough...you will always wait. The Christian faith is a process of always growing towards Jesus Christ...always taking that next step, and no matter where you are in your walk you can love God and love people and live that out.
18:17 - I wonder why the Jews grabbed the synagogue leader (Also a Jew) and beat him after the court ruling didn't go their way? I remember as a very jerky young boy, hitting my sisters hard on the arm when I failed miserably while playing a video game - just because I wanted to take my frustrations out on somebody...they were there, so it had to be their fault that Mario fell into the crevice and died! Maybe the Jews were so frustrated that they took their anger out on the synagogue leader...I mean, he hadn't been able to out-argue Paul, so it must be his fault, right? Hopefully you and I will refuse to give in to the urges of the sinful self to take our frustrations out on other people.
18:18 - Usually cutting hair for a vow would come about at the end of the vow. So because Paul cuts his hair after leaving Corinth, it may be safe to assume that his vow had something to do with his ministry there. Most likely he vowed to do ministry in the corrupt and dangerous city of Corinth, come-what-may...and God protected him. Many times the Jews after shaving their hair for a vow, would take the hair to the temple and give it as an offering to God. I love Paul's example of stepping out in faith...how often do we vow to do incredible things for God and follow through? When is the last time you said, I want to do this hard thing for you Lord and the only way it is going to be possible is through your strength and protection? I hope it was recently. I hope that I will be a man throughout my life who vows to live boldly for God and is willing to sacrifice for Him.
18:25 - Even people new to Christianity and fairly immature in their walk, can step out in faith and live out the truth they understand. If you are waiting to do great things for God until you are ready...until your knowledge is great enough...until you are mature enough...you will always wait. The Christian faith is a process of always growing towards Jesus Christ...always taking that next step, and no matter where you are in your walk you can love God and love people and live that out.
Monday, April 7, 2008
Acts Chapter 17 - April 7, 2008
17:5 - The Jews when things weren't going the way they wanted them to, turned to violent and ungodly men to stir up trouble for the early Christians. Their jealousy blinded them from the truth that was right before their eyes, and they turned to sinful, worldly means of defiance. Don't we sometimes do that too? We talk a good game about being Christ followers, but sometimes when the Way of Christ doesn't seem to mesh with the way we want to do things or the way we want things to turn out, we turn to ungodly behavior. Examples: Something doesn't go our way - so we let loose with a string of expletives or resort to anger. Purity just seems too difficult to chase after so we turn to lust or pornography. Like the Pharisees, jealousy causes you to torpedo the ministry of others. Fill in the blank that applies to your life. What can we do to fight our tendencies to revert the ways of the world as opposed to the Way of Christ?
17:16 - Have you ever experienced what Paul was experiencing here? Actually feeling the spiritual oppression of a place that you have visited? Spiritual warfare is real and Paul through the power of the Holy Spirit could feel the spiritual oppression in Athens due to all the idol worship going on. This summer, for the first time in my life, I will be going to country that is almost completely non-Christian. Thailand is 98% Buddhist. I wonder if our group will be able to feel the spiritual oppression brought on by a country that has worshipped idols for thousands of years. I hope that we can make a positive impact through God in the short time that we are there.
17:19 - Sometimes we need to remember that the gospel of Jesus is so radical and different when actually lived out, that there will be people naturally drawn to it. Paul comes into town with a new message and a new style of teaching and people flock to him, curious about what he has to say. What new style are we bringing to the table as Christians? Do we look like the rest of the false religions of the world as we try to argue people or guilt people in believing, or do they know we are Christian by our love? What is the message of your life? What are you teaching? What am I teaching?
17:22-24 - I love how Paul addresses the people...he doesn't belittle them for worshipping idols, he actually compliments them for being such religious people. He uses their frame of reference to reach them. He says, "I see that you guys have an idol for everything, you must be super-religious (A compliment in the Athenian world), but what really interested me was that you have this idol to the unknown God over here...I know you guys just placed this idol here so you wouldn't accidentally insult some God you didn't know about, but this is actually the God I want to introduce you to. It is this unknown God that is actually the only God." We live in a world of distractions, surrounded by idols around every corner - God please let us see you in the midst of the chaos a Paul did. God let us reach into our culture and find the aspects that guide people towards you as Paul did.
17:16 - Have you ever experienced what Paul was experiencing here? Actually feeling the spiritual oppression of a place that you have visited? Spiritual warfare is real and Paul through the power of the Holy Spirit could feel the spiritual oppression in Athens due to all the idol worship going on. This summer, for the first time in my life, I will be going to country that is almost completely non-Christian. Thailand is 98% Buddhist. I wonder if our group will be able to feel the spiritual oppression brought on by a country that has worshipped idols for thousands of years. I hope that we can make a positive impact through God in the short time that we are there.
17:19 - Sometimes we need to remember that the gospel of Jesus is so radical and different when actually lived out, that there will be people naturally drawn to it. Paul comes into town with a new message and a new style of teaching and people flock to him, curious about what he has to say. What new style are we bringing to the table as Christians? Do we look like the rest of the false religions of the world as we try to argue people or guilt people in believing, or do they know we are Christian by our love? What is the message of your life? What are you teaching? What am I teaching?
17:22-24 - I love how Paul addresses the people...he doesn't belittle them for worshipping idols, he actually compliments them for being such religious people. He uses their frame of reference to reach them. He says, "I see that you guys have an idol for everything, you must be super-religious (A compliment in the Athenian world), but what really interested me was that you have this idol to the unknown God over here...I know you guys just placed this idol here so you wouldn't accidentally insult some God you didn't know about, but this is actually the God I want to introduce you to. It is this unknown God that is actually the only God." We live in a world of distractions, surrounded by idols around every corner - God please let us see you in the midst of the chaos a Paul did. God let us reach into our culture and find the aspects that guide people towards you as Paul did.
Friday, April 4, 2008
Acts Chapter 16 - April 4, 2008
16:3 - Interesting...we know from chapter 15 that Paul understands that circumcision is not necessary for salvation, so why does he circumcise Timothy? I believe that Timothy allowed himself to get circumcised so that it would not impede the gospel presentation to the Jewish people they came in contact with. Beautiful example of being willing o make sacrifices yourself so as not to be a stumbling block for non-Christians or baby Christians (Ex. Abstaining from alcohol as a minister, not because it is wrong, but because it might destroy your credibility with immature believers).
16:6 - I am at home and not at work where my research materials are, so I have an unanswered question here. Why did the Holy spirit forbid Paul from going into Asia? My first guess would be that Asia was not ready for the message and that Paul would have certainly been killed, and God still had a lot for him to do. What do you think?
16:13 - Freakishly enough, I just listened to Rob Bell talk about this passage yesterday. "House of prayer" is a term used to describe a synagogue...so basically Paul has showed up in Macedonia and he instantly starts looking for the religious people. What he finds is a group of Gentiles that have been so impressed by the one true God of Israel that they are true worshippers. Wouldn't it be beautiful to be known like Lydia - known as a worshipper of God...that you live such a sold out life, that the first thing that comes to peoples' minds is that you are a God worshipper. That is what I want - I love that.
16:17 - Another interesting question - why does Paul get so annoyed that this girl is following them around and saying "this man is a servant of the most high God and he will show you the way to salvation?" That sounds good, right? Well, she is a demon possessed girl who is used as a fortune teller for the pagans in the area...probably not the kind of publicity that Paul is looking for. He wants o distance himself from worldly influence and allow the word of God to speak for itself. Something I think all church leaders should keep in mind (Myself included).
16:28 - Do you remember in chapter 12 what happened to Peter when he was in prison? An angel came and freed him and he fled immediately. Paul is miraculously freed and he chose to stay in the jail when he could have just walked out. Why the difference? I think Paul had a heart for Gentiles and a calling to Gentile ministry. He was a Roman, and he knew that if he left, the guard would be killed for failing his job. This is why we need so many different types of sold-out Christ followers in this world, because everyone has different knowledge and perspective and they can reach people others couldn't. There are people I can connect with that you can't and vise versa. Trust in God and live boldly the faith you claim.
Peace be with you.
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Acts Chapter 15 - April 4, 2008
15:9-10 - We cannot save ourselves. There is no amount of dressing up, service, study, sacrifice, etc. that a person can do to save themselves. The early Jewish Christians were trying to shackle the new Gentile Christians with circumcision, although the Gentiles had already experienced the circumcision of the heart (The part that really mattered). It was unnecessary. In fact, they were calling God's grace into question by saying that the only way the Gentiles could receive salvation was through circumcision. They were trying to put God's vast grace into a little box and that doesn't work. What are some of the things that modern Christians have tried to force on new believers?
15:24 - This really cracked me up when I was reading it - "We have heard that some persons have gone out from us and troubled you with words, unsettling your mind..." If I was an uncircumcised 30 year old man in Antioch where they did surgery with a flint stone knife...I'd be a little unsettled too, by what they were trying to force them to do! Unsettled is putting it a little lightly!
15:29 - They withdraw their demand that the Gentiles be circumcised, but they do have some really good and God honoring instruction for them: don't eat food sacrificed to idols, don't drink blood or eat bloody food, don't eat animals that were strangled, and flee from sexual immorality. All of these things were tied into religious cults. The early Christians understood that what they allowed into their lives would shape who they were. They wanted to separate themselves as far from false gods and cultic behavior as they possible could. Do we maintain those same guidelines in our lives? Do we fight against the influences in our lives that would shape us into thinking or acting in and anti-God fashion?
15:24 - This really cracked me up when I was reading it - "We have heard that some persons have gone out from us and troubled you with words, unsettling your mind..." If I was an uncircumcised 30 year old man in Antioch where they did surgery with a flint stone knife...I'd be a little unsettled too, by what they were trying to force them to do! Unsettled is putting it a little lightly!
15:29 - They withdraw their demand that the Gentiles be circumcised, but they do have some really good and God honoring instruction for them: don't eat food sacrificed to idols, don't drink blood or eat bloody food, don't eat animals that were strangled, and flee from sexual immorality. All of these things were tied into religious cults. The early Christians understood that what they allowed into their lives would shape who they were. They wanted to separate themselves as far from false gods and cultic behavior as they possible could. Do we maintain those same guidelines in our lives? Do we fight against the influences in our lives that would shape us into thinking or acting in and anti-God fashion?
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Acts Chapter 14 - April 2, 2008
14:15 - Turn from death to life. Turn from worshipping statues and worship a truly living God. Everything else is just a dull empty pursuit compare to the life that comes through the one and only God. I can't help but think of the CapitalOne Visa commercial tag line, "What's in you wallet?" (Hopefully you just read that with a Viking accent!) When you look introspectively at your life, "What do you worship?"
14:19 - Paul and Barnabus experience what it is like to truly walk in the footsteps of Jesus. The people of Lystra go from wanting to sacrifice bulls to Paul and Barnabus, thinking they are Zeus and Hermes, to being influenced by the unbelieving Jews to stone Paul and drag him outside the city. Sounds pretty similar to Jesus being worshipped as the conquering king during the triumphal entry and subsequently being crucified for "theoretically" not living up to his billing. Sometimes people want what they want so badly that they will not even accept the truth when it is right in their face.
14:22 - Living as disciples of Christ we are going to go through some tough stuff as we bring the Kingdom of Heaven into contact with the Kingdom of this world. I always appreciate that the bible never candy-coats faith...this isn't easy...nobody ever said it was going to be...what they said was that it would be worth it, and it is.
14:19 - Paul and Barnabus experience what it is like to truly walk in the footsteps of Jesus. The people of Lystra go from wanting to sacrifice bulls to Paul and Barnabus, thinking they are Zeus and Hermes, to being influenced by the unbelieving Jews to stone Paul and drag him outside the city. Sounds pretty similar to Jesus being worshipped as the conquering king during the triumphal entry and subsequently being crucified for "theoretically" not living up to his billing. Sometimes people want what they want so badly that they will not even accept the truth when it is right in their face.
14:22 - Living as disciples of Christ we are going to go through some tough stuff as we bring the Kingdom of Heaven into contact with the Kingdom of this world. I always appreciate that the bible never candy-coats faith...this isn't easy...nobody ever said it was going to be...what they said was that it would be worth it, and it is.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Acts Chapter 13 - April 1, 2008
13:10 - This will be the next memory verse that I teach Dane (Joke.). Stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord...what a great motto to live life by...stop making crooked the straight paths of God. There is truth - there is black and white - there is a way that we should follow, and I want to stop taking detours and walk the path of the Lord.
13:12 - The Roman proconsul witnesses the Spirit of God blind the false prophet Bar-Jesus, and he becomes a believer, but look at why it says he became a believer. "Then the proconsul believer...FOR he was astonished at the teaching of the Lord." He didn't become a believer because of the incredible power of God to blind a man - he was astonished by the power of the truth of God. Sometimes we get caught up in the physical miracles of the NT - the healings, tongues of fire, blindings, etc...but the most incredible power lies in the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We have access to that...we have at our fingertips the word of God...we have inside us the counselor who is teaching us and guiding us daily. The astonishing power to change the world is in our grasp and we want to see more of a show. In this cynical day and age, I think physical miracles would be explained off by most people, but when a soul comes face to face with the reality of the way of Jesus Christ - with the reality of unconditional love and sacrifice...that is when we see astonished people and miraculous life-change.
13:15 - Interesting - the Jews ask Paul to speak in the synagogue...maybe the news had not gotten around that he was a Christian yet, but the one time Christian killer was given a stage and he rocked the house!
13:22 - Does God find in me a man chasing after His own heart?
13:52 - Beautiful verse - no matter what happens...no matter how intense the persecution against them becomes, they focus on the good that God is doing and revel in that. If I had just laid down an incredible testimony about the gospel of Jesus Christ and the power for it to change lives, and then been run out of town on a rail...I don't know if I would have been filled with joy. I love the challenging example that the early Christians set for me to constantly see God at work and take joy in that.
13:12 - The Roman proconsul witnesses the Spirit of God blind the false prophet Bar-Jesus, and he becomes a believer, but look at why it says he became a believer. "Then the proconsul believer...FOR he was astonished at the teaching of the Lord." He didn't become a believer because of the incredible power of God to blind a man - he was astonished by the power of the truth of God. Sometimes we get caught up in the physical miracles of the NT - the healings, tongues of fire, blindings, etc...but the most incredible power lies in the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We have access to that...we have at our fingertips the word of God...we have inside us the counselor who is teaching us and guiding us daily. The astonishing power to change the world is in our grasp and we want to see more of a show. In this cynical day and age, I think physical miracles would be explained off by most people, but when a soul comes face to face with the reality of the way of Jesus Christ - with the reality of unconditional love and sacrifice...that is when we see astonished people and miraculous life-change.
13:15 - Interesting - the Jews ask Paul to speak in the synagogue...maybe the news had not gotten around that he was a Christian yet, but the one time Christian killer was given a stage and he rocked the house!
13:22 - Does God find in me a man chasing after His own heart?
13:52 - Beautiful verse - no matter what happens...no matter how intense the persecution against them becomes, they focus on the good that God is doing and revel in that. If I had just laid down an incredible testimony about the gospel of Jesus Christ and the power for it to change lives, and then been run out of town on a rail...I don't know if I would have been filled with joy. I love the challenging example that the early Christians set for me to constantly see God at work and take joy in that.
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