Staying the Course

Scripture:

Numbers 2:34 NLT So the people of Israel did everything just as the LORD had commanded Moses. Each clan and family set up camp and marched under their banners exactly as the LORD had instructed them.

Acts 24:20-21 NLT Ask these men here what wrongdoing the Jewish high council [122] found in me, ..21.. except for one thing I said when I shouted out, ‘I am on trial before you today because I believe in the resurrection of the dead!’”

Observations:

Two texts leap out at me in today’s reading. The first is the from Numbers referring to the obedience of the Israelites. The second, is Paul’s understanding of why he is imprisoned. Here is what I see:

The obedience of the Jews is required by God, led by Moses, and respected by the people. As long as they obeyed, they progressed in their faith and journey. It is only when they disobeyed that they begin to suffer consequences.

Paul showed this kind of obedience when he preached what God asked him to preach. It caused persecution, imprisonment, and <sigh> trials (pun intended), but it also provided great opportunities. This imprisonment issue eventually led to Paul taking the Gospel directly into Rome, but we will save that for later chapters. However, as we see in today’s texts, he was able to share his faith with Felix and his wife over and over; for two years.

Application(s):

It is so easy to get discouraged, depressed, and subdued when we are imprisoned by our circumstances. But Paul never let that happen. Throughout the book of Acts, we find him singing praises and hymns while in jail, we find him ministering to broken jailers while he is still in chains, and we find him boldly professing his faith (e.g. “I believe in the resurrection of the dead”) while testifying to the high officials.

Paul does not let his circumstances dictate his mission, vision, and values. He has surrendered that to God and is unwavering in his quest to free others from the bondage of sin.

I sometimes aspire for the kind of drive and unyielding faith Paul exhibited. I long for the type of Damascus Road experience he went through – yet, strangely, I don’t know if that was a “fun” experience. I imagine, like Isaiah’s experience recorded in the sixth chapter of his book, it was terrifying. However, it certainly left a lasting impression upon those men and changed the course and velocity of their lives.

Maybe, like most of my relationships, based on the way I’m built, the slow, steady building of my relationship with God is the best approach. Maybe? Hmmm… me thinks that my Father knows best and that I should leave the course, trajectory, and velocity of our relationship in His hands.

Prayer:

Father God. I am being disobedient, on many levels. I excuse my abuses due to stress, tiredness, lack of sleep, change, kids, babies, workload, etc, et cetera. Hogwash!

It is time to repent and get disciplined. Forgive me Lord – I’m ready to move forward.

Unknown God

Scripture:

Acts 17:21 NIV..  (All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)

Acts 17:22-24 NIV  Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious.  ..23..  For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.  ..24..  “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands.

Observations:

Several things jump out at me regarding the texts above.  I believe I could write a few pages on these texts, but due to time constraints, I’ll try to capture the gist of what runs through my head (and heart) right now.

1. First, I would like to have the job that many of the Athenians had.  To sit around and discuss and think of the various ideas all day – I would love that.  The original “think-tank.” Of course, someone has to cook the meals, grow the crops, and manufacture the goods – I suppose, given the times, that was left to the women.  It was out of this environment that we know of great thought leaders like Aristotle and others.
2. Te second thing that leaped  off of the page at me was the way Paul approached these folks.  I believe there are great lessons in this speech that could serve us in our postmodern era.  We too live in a time where people are worshiping everything except the God of Creation. In 60 AD, they knew they were worshiping idols though.  Now, though people seek spiritual understanding, they often do not understand the concept of worship and are too often just following their sensual desires – the worship of self through hedonism.
3. The final potent idea that I pulled from the above texts was the idea that God does not live in an earthly building.  I didn’t know there was an actual “proof text” that I could lift up to the Pharisees and traditionalists.  I will keep this nugget tucked into my heart and not seek to antagonize others with something that would wound more than affirm.

Application(s):

Today I will focus on my second observation above.  The other two are really able to stand on their own merit, however, it is Paul’s approach to these intellectual Athenians that really intrigues me.  He is taking on the whole culture – not just a few individuals.  He is challenging the economic staple, the authority of the leadership, the product of the entrepreneurs, and the religious rites and customs of the day.

An analogy for today would be similar to a prophet challenging the stranglehold of television on the minds, eyes, and lives of viewers.  TV is so prevalent, so pervasive, and so integrated into our lives and lifestyles, that most people have no idea how much of their time and energy is sunk into this device and the culture that is promoted.

If I were to start preaching to people, in a way that took their attention off of popular media, I would have every Hollywood studio, and every enterprise that is symbiotic with those studios,  on the defense and attack.  Their wrath would be fast, furious, and focused.  Without the Supernatural power of the Holy Spirit, I would not stand a chance.

Yet Paul does it in a way that focuses on Christ and the worship of him.  This is fascinating.

Prayer:

Wow – God.  Give me insight.

gw

Openness

Scripture:

Acts 10:34-36 NIV

..34.. Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism

..35.. but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.

..36.. You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.

 

Observations:

So many people misinterpret this text to be about meat and unclean foods. But now I see how excited the gentiles were to hear the gospel. Peter starts right out addressing his own issues: “it’s against the law!” However this crowd had gathered to hear the word from Peter.

Applications:

There are people that I may have discounted that are dying to hear the Word of God spoken into their lives. I need to be open to those opportunities!

Prayer:

Father God, thank you for opening my eyes today.

Been with Jesus?

Common Ground – Daily Bible Reading

Scripture:

Acts 4:13 NIV When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.

Observations:

This is what I’m looking for. Not eloquence, great illustrations, stories, or entertainment, but rather the Spirit of God speaking out of my life because of my time with Him. This is what happened when Moses came off of the mountain of Sinai. They asked Moses to put a veil over his face because the glow was too great.

Wouldn’t that be awesome if we had that kind of glow coming out of our lives?

Applications:

The only way to get this is to spend time with Jesus. Everyday, as much as we can. There is no solution.

Prayer:

Father God, please teach me, train me, encourage me, and disciple me to spend this kind of time with you. Let people see you in me – not me.

Thanks – I love you too!

gw