Acts 25:11b - “I appeal unto Caesar.”
In Chapter 25, Paul is disgusted with the legal maneuvering and political manipulation of the entire judicial system. He has grown weary of being a political pawn, being moved back and forth to different locations, to be seen and heard by those who wish to sit in judgment of him. He said, “Enough is enough, I have done nothing wrong. I appeal to Caesar.”
Paul, being well educated in his legal rights as a Roman citizen, knew he could make this appeal and that it would trump any other attempt to judge him. Just as Paul knew his legal rights as a Roman, so we, as Americans, need to know our legal rights and freedoms as Christians and exercise them before they are legislated away.
As Sir Edmund Burke put it , “All that is needed for evil to prevail, is for good men to do nothing.” When good men do nothing, they get nothing good done. The Lord commands his people to do good (Luke 6:35; Eph. 2:10). Christ "gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works" (Titus 2:14).
The Truth
"Be not deceived; God is not mocked; for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap" (Gal. 6:7).
May we sow to righteousness. Blessings to all.
Friday, July 18, 2014
Thursday, July 17, 2014
Guilty Of Following - "The Way"
Acts 24
In this chapter Paul was given a chance to defend himself against the accusations of the high priest Ananias; that he caused sedition among the Jews world wide, was a ring leader of the sect of the Nazarenes and that he had profaned the temple. Paul defends himself by professing his guilt.
"But this I confess unto thee, that after "the way" which they call heresy, so I worship the God of my fathers. Believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets. And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both the just and unjust." (Acts 24:14)
In other words, the only thing Paul is guilty of is: 1) Being a follower of Jesus. 2) A believer in the Scriptures and 3) Waiting for the Resurrection. These beliefs kept Paul in jail for another 2 years.
Today, in many countries around the world, Christians are still being persecuted for their beliefs; jailed, banished, tortured and even executed. May God give them strength to stand in the face of those who would take their life. May the Spirit remind us to pray for the persecuted church around the world - and may we be found guilty of .... following "The Way."
The Truth
"Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or death. For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain." (Phil. 1:20-21)
In this chapter Paul was given a chance to defend himself against the accusations of the high priest Ananias; that he caused sedition among the Jews world wide, was a ring leader of the sect of the Nazarenes and that he had profaned the temple. Paul defends himself by professing his guilt.
"But this I confess unto thee, that after "the way" which they call heresy, so I worship the God of my fathers. Believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets. And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both the just and unjust." (Acts 24:14)
In other words, the only thing Paul is guilty of is: 1) Being a follower of Jesus. 2) A believer in the Scriptures and 3) Waiting for the Resurrection. These beliefs kept Paul in jail for another 2 years.
Today, in many countries around the world, Christians are still being persecuted for their beliefs; jailed, banished, tortured and even executed. May God give them strength to stand in the face of those who would take their life. May the Spirit remind us to pray for the persecuted church around the world - and may we be found guilty of .... following "The Way."
The Truth
"Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or death. For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain." (Phil. 1:20-21)
Wednesday, July 16, 2014
Be Of Good Cheer
Acts 23:11
And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, "Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome."
In Paul's darkest hour the Lord meets him again, in a jail cell and lifts him up with these words of promise and encouragement. The promise, "you will bear witness of Me in Rome," meaning Paul will not die in his current circumstance - he is just in protective custody so to speak. The encouragement, not only did our LORD stand by him but spoke to him, "be of good cheer."
I'm sure, as you look carefully back over your lifetime, you could find an example of, "divine protection" - an outcome you just can't explain or, maybe you witnessed this in the life of someone else. I have witnessed many of these kinds of moments, both in my life and the lives of brothers and sisters in the body of Christ. In those moments, God meets with us - He stands by us and gives us hope and encouragement.
As here (in our text) with Paul, our Lord frequently becomes most real to us when we're in the midst of darkness - when we are discouraged and defeated, when things appear hopeless. It is during these times that I have seen the Lord most clearly. So, be of good cheer brothers and sisters. Even in our darkest hours, He is faithful still, for He can not deny Himself (2 Timothy 2:13). God is on the throne.
The Truth
"The LORD is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one." (2 Thessalonians 3:3)
And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, "Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome."
In Paul's darkest hour the Lord meets him again, in a jail cell and lifts him up with these words of promise and encouragement. The promise, "you will bear witness of Me in Rome," meaning Paul will not die in his current circumstance - he is just in protective custody so to speak. The encouragement, not only did our LORD stand by him but spoke to him, "be of good cheer."
I'm sure, as you look carefully back over your lifetime, you could find an example of, "divine protection" - an outcome you just can't explain or, maybe you witnessed this in the life of someone else. I have witnessed many of these kinds of moments, both in my life and the lives of brothers and sisters in the body of Christ. In those moments, God meets with us - He stands by us and gives us hope and encouragement.
As here (in our text) with Paul, our Lord frequently becomes most real to us when we're in the midst of darkness - when we are discouraged and defeated, when things appear hopeless. It is during these times that I have seen the Lord most clearly. So, be of good cheer brothers and sisters. Even in our darkest hours, He is faithful still, for He can not deny Himself (2 Timothy 2:13). God is on the throne.
The Truth
"The LORD is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one." (2 Thessalonians 3:3)
Monday, July 14, 2014
What Shall I Do Lord?
Acts 22:10a - "And I said, "What shall I do Lord?"
Have you ever asked the Lord, "What shall I do?" "Where should I serve?" If you've spent time in prayer, in His word, seeking His guidance and waiting for Spiritual direction only to find, you're not sure you've got it right - join the club. Sometimes we can get clear direction as how/where we should serve, like Paul did (Acts 22:10b); while other times, it may not seem as clear. So, what shall we do then? How should we move forward into service?
The Christian life should be lived: by taking steps of faith (without being foolish) but, being willing to pull back if God is not in it. Steeping out in faith becomes our "direction barometer" to determine if we should continue down the chosen path. Not being sure how things will go is not a reason to remain uninvolved. If we knew how things would workout- it would not be faith. If we had it all mapped out- it would not be faith. If we knew where the money and supplies would come from - it would not be faith. Faith is believing that God will be there to guide our steps, open or close doors as we walk in service to Him. So step out - but if you get a feeling that the Lord is not in it, regroup, see what else He might want to do.
Remember, even our Lord was a servant. What better example do we need.
The Truth
"The Son of man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." (Matthew 20:28)
Have you ever asked the Lord, "What shall I do?" "Where should I serve?" If you've spent time in prayer, in His word, seeking His guidance and waiting for Spiritual direction only to find, you're not sure you've got it right - join the club. Sometimes we can get clear direction as how/where we should serve, like Paul did (Acts 22:10b); while other times, it may not seem as clear. So, what shall we do then? How should we move forward into service?
The Christian life should be lived: by taking steps of faith (without being foolish) but, being willing to pull back if God is not in it. Steeping out in faith becomes our "direction barometer" to determine if we should continue down the chosen path. Not being sure how things will go is not a reason to remain uninvolved. If we knew how things would workout- it would not be faith. If we had it all mapped out- it would not be faith. If we knew where the money and supplies would come from - it would not be faith. Faith is believing that God will be there to guide our steps, open or close doors as we walk in service to Him. So step out - but if you get a feeling that the Lord is not in it, regroup, see what else He might want to do.
Remember, even our Lord was a servant. What better example do we need.
The Truth
"The Son of man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." (Matthew 20:28)
Saturday, July 12, 2014
Away With Him
Acts 21:36b
"For a multitude of people followed after, crying out, "Away with him!"
I am so blown away at Paul's courage, character and total surrender to our Lord - even in the face of those who would want to kill him. Remind you of anyone? Faithful unto death, even the death of the cross. Of whom else did a crowd say, "away with Him"? Paul was truly a mans man. Here the Jews were out to kill him yet, he still wanted to speak to them. But, where was the church? The same place the disciples were when Jesus was taken....a far off.
In these last days, as we see the signs of His return, may we not be a far off but, ever closer to Him.
The Truth
"And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them from fear and expectation of those things which are to come on the earth, for the powers of heaven will be shaken." (Luke 21:25-26)
"For a multitude of people followed after, crying out, "Away with him!"
I am so blown away at Paul's courage, character and total surrender to our Lord - even in the face of those who would want to kill him. Remind you of anyone? Faithful unto death, even the death of the cross. Of whom else did a crowd say, "away with Him"? Paul was truly a mans man. Here the Jews were out to kill him yet, he still wanted to speak to them. But, where was the church? The same place the disciples were when Jesus was taken....a far off.
In these last days, as we see the signs of His return, may we not be a far off but, ever closer to Him.
The Truth
"And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them from fear and expectation of those things which are to come on the earth, for the powers of heaven will be shaken." (Luke 21:25-26)
Wednesday, July 9, 2014
Do Not Be Afraid
Acts 18 (v.9-10)
In our text, the Lord gave Paul this promise, " do not be afraid for I am with thee". So too our Lord has given us over 3,000 promises in His Word. All that remains for us is to believe them. We don't need to be on an emotional roller coaster - it's our choice. We can be established and strenghtened in His promises or can fret and fear needlessly. Read the Word and look for His promises, as you rest in His presence. Blessings to all.
The Truth
"Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises and faithful in all he does." (Psalm 145:13)
“Now I am about to go the way of all the earth. You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the Lord your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed." (Joshua 23:14)
In our text, the Lord gave Paul this promise, " do not be afraid for I am with thee". So too our Lord has given us over 3,000 promises in His Word. All that remains for us is to believe them. We don't need to be on an emotional roller coaster - it's our choice. We can be established and strenghtened in His promises or can fret and fear needlessly. Read the Word and look for His promises, as you rest in His presence. Blessings to all.
The Truth
"Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises and faithful in all he does." (Psalm 145:13)
“Now I am about to go the way of all the earth. You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the Lord your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed." (Joshua 23:14)
Monday, July 7, 2014
Beaten Up
Acts 16:22-25
"The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them."
In our text, Paul and Silas were beaten, bruised and bloodied for their beliefs. How did they react in the trial? They started singing and praising God. You'll never know how far you are in the maturation process as a Christian until you get beaten up. Trials do not make us or break us, they simply reveal what is going on inside us. So, being "beaten up" brings an opportunity to reveal what the Lord has accomplished in our lives - it reveals where we are at.
It has been said that Christians are like tea bags, meaning....we'll never know what flavor we are until we are placed in hot water. It's the unexpected trial that will reveal our flavor. But, weather we are beaten up or beaten down by the trials of life, we can rejoice because Satan has been beaten back by the back of Jesus. He bore our punishment, our griefs and our sorrows.(Isaiah 53:4-6)
The Truth
"But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed." (Isaiah 53:5-6)
"The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them."
In our text, Paul and Silas were beaten, bruised and bloodied for their beliefs. How did they react in the trial? They started singing and praising God. You'll never know how far you are in the maturation process as a Christian until you get beaten up. Trials do not make us or break us, they simply reveal what is going on inside us. So, being "beaten up" brings an opportunity to reveal what the Lord has accomplished in our lives - it reveals where we are at.
It has been said that Christians are like tea bags, meaning....we'll never know what flavor we are until we are placed in hot water. It's the unexpected trial that will reveal our flavor. But, weather we are beaten up or beaten down by the trials of life, we can rejoice because Satan has been beaten back by the back of Jesus. He bore our punishment, our griefs and our sorrows.(Isaiah 53:4-6)
The Truth
"But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed." (Isaiah 53:5-6)
Friday, July 4, 2014
From the Archives
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2013
Speak Encouragement
A modern parable has been written about the tools of the enemy that I believe we can really learn from.
“Some time ago, an advertisement appeared in which the devil was putting all his tools up for sale. On the day of public inspection, each one of his tools was marked with its selling price: Hatred, Envy, Jealousy, Doubt, Lying, Pride, and so on, were each on the block. Set apart, however, from all the rest of the pile, was a harmless-looking tool, well-worn, but priced very high — it was discouragement!
Someone asked the devil, ‘why is that one priced so high?’ He replied, ‘Ah, that one is more useful to me than all the rest. With it I can pry open a man’s heart and enter, when I cannot get near him with any other tools. Once inside, I can lead him any way I choose. The tool is very worn because I use it on almost everyone, since few people know it belongs to me.’”
The enemy loves to sow discouragement — but believers have a tool much more powerful — encouragement! We can speak a word into the lives of those who desperately need to hear it: to the college student adjusting to his new environment; to the missionary who may feel alone in the harvest field; to the forgotten servants of God who labor in an obscure and difficult ministry; to the orphans and the widows; to all those who need to hear a word in due season!
Inspire one another with words of encouragement! It costs nothing, and reaps an eternal reward. Merry Christmas.
The Truth
A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word spoken in due season, how good it is! (Proverbs 15:23)
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