PERSONALLY ACQUAINTED WITH GOD

Posted on January 18, 2018 by randscallawayffm

ACTS – The Acts of God

We humans are story tellers by nature. We tell what happened in the past, what is happening right now and what we imagine to happen in our futures as we tell our goals and aspirations. Some of us are quiet, but all of us have a story. What is your story?

Paul is in trouble with the Jewish council of priests. The story of Jesus is still being told and people are flocking to be personally acquainted with God through Jesus’ work on the Cross for all sin. The council’s power is threatened. They thought with the crucifixion of Jesus, it would put a stop to this new, upside down Kingdom of God thinking that was sweeping the country. But that was not God’s plan, of course.

Paul, born a Roman citizen, taught by the best concerning God’s Law, was zealous in helping to rid the world of Jesus’ disciples who taught and those who believed and followed. UNTIL Jesus stopped him. Paul tells the story of his conversion to those questioning his new life in Christ as one who is “personally acquainted with God” and obeys Him as passionately now as he once fought Him. We can learn from Paul! We see how to tell The Story of Jesus, how He loves and transforms us and how much God delights in having a close personal relationship with us.

Paul Tells His Story
Acts 21:40 Standing on the barracks steps, Paul turned and held his arms up. A hush fell over the crowd as Paul began to speak. He spoke in Hebrew.

Acts 22, The Message
1-2 “My dear brothers and fathers, listen carefully to what I have to say before you jump to conclusions about me.” When they heard him speaking Hebrew, they grew even quieter. No one wanted to miss a word of this.

2-3 He continued, “I am a good Jew, born in Tarsus in the province of Cilicia, but educated here in Jerusalem under the exacting eye of Rabbi Gamaliel, thoroughly instructed in our religious traditions. And I’ve always been passionately on God’s side, just as you are right now.

4-5 “I went after anyone connected with this ‘Way,’ went at them hammer and tongs, ready to kill for God. I rounded up men and women right and left and had them thrown in prison. You can ask the Chief Priest or anyone in the High Council to verify this; they all knew me well. Then I went off to our brothers in Damascus, armed with official documents authorizing me to hunt down the followers of Jesus there, arrest them, and bring them back to Jerusalem for sentencing.

6-7 “As I arrived on the outskirts of Damascus about noon, a blinding light blazed out of the skies and I fell to the ground, dazed. I heard a voice: ‘Saul, Saul, why are you out to get me?’

8-9 “‘Who are you, Master?’ I asked.

“He said, ‘I am Jesus the Nazarene, the One you’re hunting down.’ My companions saw the light, but they didn’t hear the conversation.

10-11 “Then I said, ‘What do I do now, Master?’

“He said, ‘Get to your feet and enter Damascus. There you’ll be told everything that’s been set out for you to do.’ And so we entered Damascus, but nothing like the entrance I had planned—I was blind as a bat and my companions had to lead me in by the hand.

12-13 “And that’s when I met Ananias, a man with a sterling reputation in observing our laws—the Jewish community in Damascus is unanimous on that score. He came and put his arm on my shoulder. ‘Look up,’ he said. I looked, and found myself looking right into his eyes—I could see again!

14-16 “Then he said, ‘The God of our ancestors has handpicked you to be briefed on his plan of action. You’ve actually seen the Righteous Innocent and heard him speak. You are to be a key witness to everyone you meet of what you’ve seen and heard. So what are you waiting for? Get up and get yourself baptized, scrubbed clean of those sins and personally acquainted with God.’

17-18 “Well, it happened just as Ananias said. After I was back in Jerusalem and praying one day in the Temple, lost in the presence of God, I saw him, saw God’s Righteous Innocent, and heard him say to me, ‘Hurry up! Get out of here as quickly as you can. None of the Jews here in Jerusalem are going to accept what you say about me.’

19-20 “At first I objected: ‘Who has better credentials? They all know how obsessed I was with hunting out those who believed in you, beating them up in the meeting places and throwing them in jail. And when your witness Stephen was murdered, I was right there, holding the coats of the murderers and cheering them on. And now they see me totally converted. What better qualification could I have?’

21 “But he said, ‘Don’t argue. Go. I’m sending you on a long journey to outsider non-Jews.’”

A Roman Citizen
22-25 The people in the crowd had listened attentively up to this point, but now they broke loose, shouting out, “Kill him! He’s an insect! Stomp on him!” They shook their fists. They filled the air with curses. That’s when the captain intervened and ordered Paul taken into the barracks. By now the captain was thoroughly exasperated. He decided to interrogate Paul under torture in order to get to the bottom of this, to find out what he had done that provoked this outraged violence. As they spread-eagled him with thongs, getting him ready for the whip, Paul said to the centurion standing there, “Is this legal: torturing a Roman citizen without a fair trial?”

26 When the centurion heard that, he went directly to the captain. “Do you realize what you’ve done? This man is a Roman citizen!”

27 The captain came back and took charge. “Is what I hear right? You’re a Roman citizen?”

Paul said, “I certainly am.”

28 The captain was impressed. “I paid a huge sum for my citizenship. How much did it cost you?”

“Nothing,” said Paul. “It cost me nothing. I was free from the day of my birth.”

29 That put a stop to the interrogation. And it put the fear of God into the captain. He had put a Roman citizen in chains and come within a whisker of putting him under torture!

30 The next day, determined to get to the root of the trouble and know for sure what was behind the Jewish accusation, the captain released Paul and ordered a meeting of the high priests and the High Council to see what they could make of it. Paul was led in and took his place before them.

Acts 22 rise up

Think About It…
–What is our conversion story? Do we tell it readily? Do we live it outwardly? Do others see how we are personally acquainted with God? How do they know if we do not tell them? Just being known as a “good and kind person” is not enough. It is a matter of life or death to those who do not have a personal intimate relationship with Jesus Christ.
–I am convicted. What is my story of Christ and my personal relationship with Him?
–What is your story of His Story in you?

Dear Heavenly Father,
Paul was your close, personal friend as well as your servant. He was ready to tell Your Story of redemption and freedom in You at a moment’s notice. Help us to make the most of every opportunity today to tell Your story of our relationship with You. I love you, Lord, with all my heart, mind and soul. 
In Jesus Name, Amen

Posted in ACTS, Blessings, Christian Living, Christian Perspective, Embrace, Encouragement, Faith, Forgiveness, Grace, harvest, heaven, Holy Spirit, Hope, hospitality, insight, investments, Jesus, joy, Leadership, Listen, lost but found, Love, Macedonian Call, marriage, Mercy, ministry, Praise, Prayer, Salvation, Searching, Teaching, Thanksgiving, Training, Transformation, trust in God, Truth, Uncategorized, Unconditional love, waiting on God, wisdom | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

TROUBLE AHEAD…

Posted on January 17, 2018 by randscallawayffm

ACTS – Acts of God

You step out of comfort, headed to a new journey and others come to you with warnings of danger ahead. The warning signs are there but God is leading so you go anyway. Are the risks worthy the cost? If it is of God, led by His Holy Spirit. Yes. Just ask Paul. He is not stubborn or arrogant, just led by God, totally sold out to the Master Jesus.

Acts 21, The Message
Tyre and Caesarea
21 1-4 And so, with the tearful good-byes behind us, we were on our way. We made a straight run to Cos, the next day reached Rhodes, and then Patara. There we found a ship going direct to Phoenicia, got on board, and set sail. Cyprus came into view on our left, but was soon out of sight as we kept on course for Syria, and eventually docked in the port of Tyre. While the cargo was being unloaded, we looked up the local disciples and stayed with them seven days. Their message to Paul, from insight given by the Spirit, was “Don’t go to Jerusalem.”

5-6 When our time was up, they escorted us out of the city to the docks. Everyone came along—men, women, children. They made a farewell party of the occasion! We all kneeled together on the beach and prayed. Then, after another round of saying good-bye, we climbed on board the ship while they drifted back to their homes.

7-9 A short run from Tyre to Ptolemais completed the voyage. We greeted our Christian friends there and stayed with them a day. In the morning we went on to Caesarea and stayed with Philip the Evangelist, one of “the Seven.” Philip had four virgin daughters who prophesied.

10-11 After several days of visiting, a prophet from Judea by the name of Agabus came down to see us. He went right up to Paul, took Paul’s belt, and, in a dramatic gesture, tied himself up, hands and feet. He said, “This is what the Holy Spirit says: The Jews in Jerusalem are going to tie up the man who owns this belt just like this and hand him over to godless unbelievers.”

Acts 21 will be done12-13 When we heard that, we and everyone there that day begged Paul not to be stubborn and persist in going to Jerusalem. But Paul wouldn’t budge: “Why all this hysteria? Why do you insist on making a scene and making it even harder for me? You’re looking at this backward. The issue in Jerusalem is not what they do to me, whether arrest or murder, but what the Master Jesus does through my obedience. Can’t you see that?”

14 We saw that we weren’t making even a dent in his resolve, and gave up. “It’s in God’s hands now,” we said. “Master, you handle it.”

15-16 It wasn’t long before we had our luggage together and were on our way to Jerusalem. Some of the disciples from Caesarea went with us and took us to the home of Mnason, who received us warmly as his guests. A native of Cyprus, he had been among the earliest disciples.

Jerusalem
17-19 In Jerusalem, our friends, glad to see us, received us with open arms. The first thing next morning, we took Paul to see James. All the church leaders were there. After a time of greeting and small talk, Paul told the story, detail by detail, of what God had done among the non-Jewish people through his ministry. They listened with delight and gave God the glory.

20-21 They had a story to tell, too: “And just look at what’s been happening here—thousands upon thousands of God-fearing Jews have become believers in Jesus! But there’s also a problem because they are more zealous than ever in observing the laws of Moses. They’ve been told that you advise believing Jews who live surrounded by unbelieving outsiders to go light on Moses, telling them that they don’t need to circumcise their children or keep up the old traditions. This isn’t sitting at all well with them.

22-24 “We’re worried about what will happen when they discover you’re in town. There’s bound to be trouble. So here is what we want you to do: There are four men from our company who have taken a vow involving ritual purification, but have no money to pay the expenses. Join these men in their vows and pay their expenses. Then it will become obvious to everyone that there is nothing to the rumors going around about you and that you are in fact scrupulous in your reverence for the laws of Moses.

25 “In asking you to do this, we’re not going back on our agreement regarding non-Jews who have become believers. We continue to hold fast to what we wrote in that letter, namely, to be careful not to get involved in activities connected with idols; to avoid serving food offensive to Jewish Christians; to guard the morality of sex and marriage.”

26 So Paul did it—took the men, joined them in their vows, and paid their way. The next day he went to the Temple to make it official and stay there until the proper sacrifices had been offered and completed for each of them.

Paul Under Arrest
27-29 When the seven days of their purification were nearly up, some Jews from around Ephesus spotted him in the Temple. At once they turned the place upside-down. They grabbed Paul and started yelling at the top of their lungs, “Help! You Israelites, help! This is the man who is going all over the world telling lies against us and our religion and this place. He’s even brought Greeks in here and defiled this holy place.” (What had happened was that they had seen Paul and Trophimus, the Ephesian Greek, walking together in the city and had just assumed that he had also taken him to the Temple and shown him around.)

30 Soon the whole city was in an uproar, people running from everywhere to the Temple to get in on the action. They grabbed Paul, dragged him outside, and locked the Temple gates so he couldn’t get back in and gain sanctuary.

31-32 As they were trying to kill him, word came to the captain of the guard, “A riot! The whole city’s boiling over!” He acted swiftly. His soldiers and centurions ran to the scene at once. As soon as the mob saw the captain and his soldiers, they quit beating Paul.

33-36 The captain came up and put Paul under arrest. He first ordered him handcuffed, and then asked who he was and what he had done. All he got from the crowd were shouts, one yelling this, another that. It was impossible to tell one word from another in the mob hysteria, so the captain ordered Paul taken to the military barracks. But when they got to the Temple steps, the mob became so violent that the soldiers had to carry Paul. As they carried him away, the crowd followed, shouting, “Kill him! Kill him!”

37-38 When they got to the barracks and were about to go in, Paul said to the captain, “Can I say something to you?”

He answered, “Oh, I didn’t know you spoke Greek. I thought you were the Egyptian who not long ago started a riot here, and then hid out in the desert with his four thousand thugs.”

39 Paul said, “No, I’m a Jew, born in Tarsus. And I’m a citizen still of that influential city. I have a simple request: Let me speak to the crowd.”

Paul Tells His Story
40 Standing on the barracks steps, Paul turned and held his arms up. A hush fell over the crowd as Paul began to speak. He spoke in Hebrew.

Think about it…
–Did warnings from others stop you from doing what you thought God was asking you to do? What were the results?
–What do we tell God?
–If we say no, will He use us again? Yes, He will. Along as we are alive on this earth, there is always time to learn and grow.
–It is good to listen to many advisers, as Soloman wrote in Proverbs, but ultimately you take all the warnings to prepare you for where God is leading with resolve.

THERE is much more to this continuing journey of Paul…Tomorrow!

Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for the wisdom to know when warnings are ways to prepare us for hard times ahead. Thank you for always being with us. Thank you for protection. Thank you for opportunities to speak even in hard times. Thank you for saving us. Thank you for blessings galore, too many to count, but we will try to list them all. There is deep joy in obedience to your will.
In Jesus Name, Amen

Posted in ACTS, Blessings, Christian Living, Christian Perspective, Embrace, Encouragement, Faith, Forgiveness, Grace, heaven, Holy Spirit, Hope, hospitality, Jesus, joy, Leadership, Listen, lost but found, Love, Macedonian Call, marriage, Mercy, ministry, Praise, Prayer, Salvation, Searching, Teaching, Thanksgiving, Training, Transformation, trust in God, Truth, Uncategorized, Unconditional love, waiting on God, wisdom | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

WHAT MATTERS MOST…

Posted on January 16, 2018 by randscallawayffm

ACTS – The Acts of God

There is no doubt that God spoke through Paul to help gatherings of people find and follow Jesus. Paul expresses what matters most in life. Read prayerfully and carefully, letting God’s Holy Spirit who lives in us, speak to us this morning. What matters most? Right now.

Acts 20, The Message
On to Jerusalem
17-21 From Miletus he sent to Ephesus for the leaders of the congregation. When they arrived, he said, “You know that from day one of my arrival in Asia I was with you totally—laying my life on the line, serving the Master no matter what, putting up with no end of scheming by Jews who wanted to do me in. I didn’t skimp or trim in any way. Every truth and encouragement that could have made a difference to you, you got. I taught you out in public and I taught you in your homes, urging Jews and Greeks alike to a radical life-change before God and an equally radical trust in our Master Jesus.

22-24 “But there is another urgency before me now. I feel compelled to go to Jerusalem. I’m completely in the dark about what will happen when I get there. I do know that it won’t be any picnic, for the Holy Spirit has let me know repeatedly and clearly that there are hard times and imprisonment ahead. But that matters little. What matters most to me is to finish what God started: the job the Master Jesus gave me of letting everyone I meet know all about this incredibly extravagant generosity of God.

25-27 “And so this is good-bye. You’re not going to see me again, nor I you, you whom I have gone among for so long proclaiming the news of God’s inaugurated kingdom. I’ve done my best for you, given you my all, held back nothing of God’s will for you.

28 “Now it’s up to you. Be on your toes—both for yourselves and your congregation of sheep. The Holy Spirit has put you in charge of these people—God’s people they are—to guard and protect them. God himself thought they were worth dying for.

29-31 “I know that as soon as I’m gone, vicious wolves are going to show up and rip into this flock, men from your very own ranks twisting words so as to seduce disciples into following them instead of Jesus. So stay awake and keep up your guard. Remember those three years I kept at it with you, never letting up, pouring my heart out with you, one after another.

32 “Now I’m turning you over to God, our marvelous God whose gracious Word can make you into what he wants you to be and give you everything you could possibly need in this community of holy friends.

33-35 “I’ve never, as you so well know, had any taste for wealth or fashion. With these bare hands I took care of my own basic needs and those who worked with me. In everything I’ve done, I have demonstrated to you how necessary it is to work on behalf of the weak and not exploit them. You’ll not likely go wrong here if you keep remembering that our Master said, ‘You’re far happier giving than getting.’”

36-38 Then Paul went down on his knees, all of them kneeling with him, and prayed. And then a river of tears. Much clinging to Paul, not wanting to let him go. They knew they would never see him again—he had told them quite plainly. The pain cut deep. Then, bravely, they walked him down to the ship.

Acts 20 grace of GodThink about it…
–What matters most today to you…to me?
–Fall on our knees asking God for help and guidance, protection and focus.
–God can shape us into what he wants us to be and give us everything we could possible need in this work.
–God is God and we are not.
–Sometimes there are hard times. Always God is with us.

 

 

 

Dear Heavenly Father,
Continue to speak to my heart about what matters most to you. Make Your desires be mine. Give us this day, words to say that will be helpful and necessary, possibly life changing for someone else. Change me. Transform my life to be and you intended for me to be.
In Jesus Name, Amen

Posted in ACTS, Blessings, Christian Living, Christian Perspective, Embrace, Encouragement, Faith, Forgiveness, Grace, harvest, heaven, Holy Spirit, Hope, hospitality, insight, investments, Jesus, joy, Leadership, Listen, lost but found, Love, Macedonian Call, marriage, Mercy, ministry, Praise, Prayer, Salvation, Searching, Teaching, Thanksgiving, Training, Transformation, trust in God, Truth, Uncategorized, Unconditional love, waiting on God, wisdom | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

ENCOURAGEMENT GIVES LIFE

Posted on January 15, 2018 by randscallawayffm

ACTS – Acts of God

“There is a time for everything under the sun” proclaims the lamenting wisdom in Ecclesiastes. Most times, we all need encouragement in staying physically, emotionally and spiritually fit for God’s invitations to His work. We need encouragement while we are at the beginning, in the middle of it all and as we come close to the finish line in life’s journey. There is never a bad time to encourage someone else.

Words of positive encouragement give life to a tried soul and a wondering mind, wondering if you are still doing the right thing. Encouraging words can heal a worn out spirit. Encouragement with a loving smile can put a spring back into the steps of one who is passionately trying to be a difference for God in this world.

Paul tells us often to encourage each other in God’s church. Do we? Paul’s greatest work with the churches he personally visited was to encourage the people in the what they were already doing. Many times, as we do our work, just one person with a kind affirmation of who we are in Christ and what we are doing for Him, is all it takes. Yes, sincere encouragement gives life…more than you will ever know.

Read this next passage and what how God works through Paul to encourage and give life in many ways…even to a boy who fell asleep during his sermon and fell out the window!

Acts 20, The Message
Macedonia and Greece
20 1-2 With things back to normal, Paul called the disciples together and encouraged them to keep up the good work in Ephesus. Then, saying his good-byes, he left for Macedonia. Traveling through the country, passing from one gathering to another, he gave constant encouragement, lifting their spirits and charging them with fresh hope.

2-4 Then he came to Greece and stayed on for three months. Just as he was about to sail for Syria, the Jews cooked up a plot against him. So he went the other way, by land back through Macedonia, and gave them the slip. His companions for the journey were Sopater, son of Pyrrhus, from Berea; Aristarchus and Secundus, both Thessalonians; Gaius from Derbe; Timothy; and the two from western Asia, Tychicus and Trophimus.

5-6 They went on ahead and waited for us in Troas. Meanwhile, we stayed in Philippi for Passover Week, and then set sail. Within five days we were again in Troas and stayed a week.

7-9 We met on Sunday to worship and celebrate the Master’s Supper. Paul addressed the congregation. Our plan was to leave first thing in the morning, but Paul talked on, way past midnight. We were meeting in a well-lighted upper room. A young man named Eutychus was sitting in an open window. As Paul went on and on, Eutychus fell sound asleep and toppled out the third-story window. When they picked him up, he was dead.

10-12 Paul went down, stretched himself on him, and hugged him hard. “No more crying,” he said. “There’s life in him yet.” Then Paul got up and served the Master’s Supper. And went on telling stories of the faith until dawn! On that note, they left—Paul going one way, the congregation another, leading the boy off alive, and full of life themselves.

13-16 In the meantime, the rest of us had gone on ahead to the ship and sailed for Assos, where we planned to pick up Paul. Paul wanted to walk there, and so had made these arrangements earlier. Things went according to plan: We met him in Assos, took him on board, and sailed to Mitylene. The next day we put in opposite Chios, Samos a day later, and then Miletus. Paul had decided to bypass Ephesus so that he wouldn’t be held up in Asia province. He was in a hurry to get to Jerusalem in time for the Feast of Pentecost, if at all possible.

Acts 20 encouragement

Actions steps…
–Think of who has encouraged you in a special way that pumped new life into your soul and work. Thank God for them. Pray for them. Praise God for them for they were sent by God to you at the special time and place.
–Think of a person today who YOU can sincerely encourage and affirm. Then, with the power of the Holy Spirit guiding you, DO IT!

Dear Heavenly Father,
You have invited us into a ministry of encouragement and we accept. Lead us to those who need it most. Help us to see others they way You see them. Help us to look for the good works You are doing through them and encourage with kind, loving words of affirmation. Thank you, Lord for the example of Paul as an encouragement to Your church.
In Jesus Name, Amen

Posted in ACTS, Blessings, Christian Living, Christian Perspective, Embrace, Encouragement, Faith, Forgiveness, Grace, harvest, heaven, Holy Spirit, Hope, hospitality, hugs, insight, investments, Jesus, joy, Leadership, Listen, lost but found, Love, Macedonian Call, marriage, Mercy, ministry, Praise, Prayer, Salvation, Searching, Teaching, Thanksgiving, Training, Transformation, trust in God, Truth, Uncategorized, Unconditional love, waiting on God, wisdom | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

WHEN FAITH UNDERCUTS THE PROFIT

Posted on January 14, 2018 by randscallawayffm

ACTS – Acts of God

They came to town council asking for a license to serve alcohol so they could open a country music hall and bar that would bring in headliners from across the country. One of our pastor friends sat on that council. Seeing he was outnumbered, he voted yes with the rest. Whiskey River came to town and opened it’s doors with huge crowds. This establishment sat across the street from our church. The only course of action we had was to refuse the parking of their cars on our lot. They did anyway. We had them towed off. Randy stood his ground and told patrons that you can visit your bar but you cannot park on ground dedicated to God. Surprisingly, the patrons understood. “You’re right.”

After much prayer, and loss of revenue over their “headliners” not showing up because of various reasons, Whiskey Rivers closed it’s doors almost as quickly as they opened them. Some of you will say, “What a witness you could have had.” It’s hard to reason with a person fully loaded with alcohol. But standing our ground on holy ground seemed, at the time many years ago, to be the best course of action.

I am reminded of this episode in our ministry journey as we read what happened when Paul’s preaching began to undercut the profits of a local idol making business. A riot ensued. One person stood up told them how to take care of their grievance in an orderly manner. God intervened. All settled. God’s work progressed.

Acts 19, The Message
The Goddess Artemis
21-22 After all this had come to a head, Paul decided it was time to move on to Macedonia and Achaia provinces, and from there to Jerusalem. “Then,” he said, “I’m off to Rome. I’ve got to see Rome!” He sent two of his assistants, Timothy and Erastus, on to Macedonia and then stayed for a while and wrapped things up in Asia.

23-26 But before he got away, a huge ruckus occurred over what was now being referred to as “the Way.” A certain silversmith, Demetrius, conducted a brisk trade in the manufacture of shrines to the goddess Artemis, employing a number of artisans in his business. He rounded up his workers and others similarly employed and said, “Men, you well know that we have a good thing going here—and you’ve seen how Paul has barged in and discredited what we’re doing by telling people that there’s no such thing as a god made with hands. A lot of people are going along with him, not only here in Ephesus but all through Asia province.

27 “Not only is our little business in danger of falling apart, but the temple of our famous goddess Artemis will certainly end up a pile of rubble as her glorious reputation fades to nothing. And this is no mere local matter—the whole world worships our Artemis!”

Acts 19 theater28-31 That set them off in a frenzy. They ran into the street yelling, “Great Artemis of the Ephesians! Great Artemis of the Ephesians!” They put the whole city in an uproar, stampeding into the stadium, and grabbing two of Paul’s associates on the way, the Macedonians Gaius and Aristarchus. Paul wanted to go in, too, but the disciples wouldn’t let him. Prominent religious leaders in the city who had become friendly to Paul concurred: “By no means go near that mob!”

32-34 Some were yelling one thing, some another. Most of them had no idea what was going on or why they were there. As the Jews pushed Alexander to the front to try to gain control, different factions clamored to get him on their side. But he brushed them off and quieted the mob with an impressive sweep of his arms. But the moment he opened his mouth and they knew he was a Jew, they shouted him down: “Great Artemis of the Ephesians! Great Artemis of the Ephesians!”—on and on and on, for over two hours.

35-37 Finally, the town clerk got the mob quieted down and said, “Fellow citizens, is there anyone anywhere who doesn’t know that our dear city Ephesus is protector of glorious Artemis and her sacred stone image that fell straight out of heaven? Since this is beyond contradiction, you had better get hold of yourselves. This is conduct unworthy of Artemis. These men you’ve dragged in here have done nothing to harm either our temple or our goddess.

38-41 “So if Demetrius and his guild of artisans have a complaint, they can take it to court and make all the accusations they want. If anything else is bothering you, bring it to the regularly scheduled town meeting and let it be settled there. There is no excuse for what’s happened today. We’re putting our city in serious danger. Rome, remember, does not look kindly on rioters.” With that, he sent them home.

EPILOGUE…
Acts 20, The Message
1-2 With things back to normal, Paul called the disciples together and encouraged them to keep up the good work in Ephesus. Then, saying his good-byes, he left for Macedonia. Traveling through the country, passing from one gathering to another, he gave constant encouragement, lifting their spirits and charging them with fresh hope.

Think about it…
–We don’t need to attack the world, but we need to stand for Truth and speak Truth in love always.
In Jesus Name, Amen

Posted in ACTS, Blessings, Christian Living, Christian Perspective, Embrace, Encouragement, Faith, Forgiveness, Grace, harvest, heaven, Holy Spirit, Hope, insight, investments, Jesus, joy, Leadership, Listen, lost but found, Love, Macedonian Call, marriage, Mercy, ministry, Praise, Prayer, Salvation, Searching, Teaching, Thanksgiving, Training, Transformation, trust in God, Truth, Uncategorized, Unconditional love, waiting on God, wisdom | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

WHEN GOD IS IN IT, IT’S REAL

Posted on January 13, 2018 by randscallawayffm

ACTS – The Acts of God

You can plan and prepare a great work but if God is not guiding the plan and preparing your heart then it is all you. It might turn out okay but not as good as if God were in it. As leaders, we have a scary temptation to see and hear a great speaker and decide to copy every word and deliver it ourselves to get the same results. That typically doesn’t work and you are disappointed and blame your listeners. Don’t get me wrong gleaning learning from a great speaker is good but what if God is telling YOU to take what you have learned as a way to do what HE wants to say and do through you?

When God guides the strategy for the best outcomes, He will top what you think will happen with even greater power and glory with actions that are beyond our imaginations and expectations. That’s how He works. He is not to be taken for granted. God is sovereign. God’s thoughts are higher than any man or woman could think. He even takes the bad missteps in our judgement and turns it to good to complete His best work. God is amazing. God is Creator. There is no one like our God.

So, don’t try to be God. Don’t try to copy God in someone else for your own glorification. Don’t mess with God. Even the evil spirits know you are a fake when you try to be someone you are not. Be whom God created you to be as a redeemed person of God.

The first sentence in our passage today stands out to me like a billboard in the sky. “God did powerful things through Paul, things quite out of the ordinary.” God was in Paul. Paul become popular because of what God did. Others try to copy Paul’s actions. Let’s see what happens to them…

Acts 19, The Message
Witches Came out of the Woodwork
11-12 God did powerful things through Paul, things quite out of the ordinary. The word got around and people started taking pieces of clothing—handkerchiefs and scarves and the like—that had touched Paul’s skin and then touching the sick with them. The touch did it—they were healed and whole.

13-16 Some itinerant Jewish exorcists who happened to be in town at the time tried their hand at what they assumed to be Paul’s “game.” They pronounced the name of the Master Jesus over victims of evil spirits, saying, “I command you by the Jesus preached by Paul!” The seven sons of a certain Sceva, a Jewish high priest, were trying to do this on a man when the evil spirit talked back: “I know Jesus and I’ve heard of Paul, but who are you?” Then the possessed man went berserk—jumped the exorcists, beat them up, and tore off their clothes. Naked and bloody, they got away as best they could.

17-20 It was soon news all over Ephesus among both Jews and Greeks. The realization spread that God was in and behind this. Curiosity about Paul developed into reverence for the Master Jesus. Many of those who thus believed came out of the closet and made a clean break with their secret sorceries. All kinds of witches and warlocks came out of the woodwork with their books of spells and incantations and made a huge bonfire of them. Someone estimated their worth at fifty thousand silver coins. In such ways it became evident that the Word of the Master was now sovereign and prevailed in Ephesus.

acts 19 20Think about it…
–God was in Paul. Paul obeyed God’s lead. God did powerful things through Paul. Paul’s heart and soul completely belonged to God.
–Be the person God created and redeemed you to be.
–See what God will do in and through you (and I).
–“Curiosity about Paul developed into reverence for the Master Jesus.” SEE the difference? What Paul did led to others seeing and knowing Jesus. God was in it. It was real.

Dear Heavenly Father, 
We repent of seeing the success of others and wanting to copy what they do. Show us Your will for our lives. Be our strength. Help us to obey as we are challenge to do God directed, new things that you give us to do. Help us to learn and grow in reverence for You. May YOU be in all we think, say or do. Thank you Holy Spirit for directing, convicting and guiding our thoughts today. And always.
In Jesus Name, Amen

Posted in ACTS, Blessings, Christian Living, Christian Perspective, Embrace, Encouragement, Faith, Forgiveness, Grace, harvest, heaven, Holy Spirit, Hope, hospitality, hugs, insight, Jesus, joy, Leadership, Listen, lost but found, Love, Macedonian Call, marriage, Mercy, ministry, Praise, Prayer, Salvation, Searching, Teaching, Thanksgiving, Training, Transformation, trust in God, Truth, Uncategorized, Unconditional love, waiting on God, wisdom | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

DID HE GET INSIDE YOU?

Posted on January 12, 2018 by randscallawayffm

ACTS – The Acts of God

There are many in this world who gather one day a week as God’s people in a building built to worship and teach/disciple. Of those, only 6% live with a Biblical worldview. Are you shocked? A survey of churches in the United States was meticulously given and evaluated by George Barna and his team. In his book, Think Like Jesus, he gives us the grim results of the survey. I had the opportunity to hear George Barna speak and reveal those results, in a broken voice at times, early in 2000. As one passionate about mentoring and discipleship, I listened to his report…and wept.

But there is good news! There is a way to lead us back to Jesus, the think like Jesus, to behave in the manner in which we say we believe. Barna also researched churches who were successful in leading their congregations to live with a Biblical worldview versus a worldview. He outlines what they are doing to help people find AND follow Jesus…not be merely impressed by Jesus.

Paul asked the same poignant questions of the disciples of Ephesus in his day that Barna asked of us today as God’s church. “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed? Did you take God into your mind only, or did you also embrace him with your heart? Did he get inside you?” Barna used other phraseology, but the point is similar!

Acts 19 3 in oneActs 19, The Message
1-2 Now, it happened that while Apollos was away in Corinth, Paul made his way down through the mountains, came to Ephesus, and happened on some disciples there. The first thing he said was, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed? Did you take God into your mind only, or did you also embrace him with your heart? Did he get inside you?”

“We’ve never even heard of that—a Holy Spirit? God within us?”

3 “How were you baptized, then?” asked Paul.

“In John’s baptism.”

4 “That explains it,” said Paul. “John preached a baptism of radical life-change so that people would be ready to receive the One coming after him, who turned out to be Jesus. If you’ve been baptized in John’s baptism, you’re ready now for the real thing, for Jesus.”

5-7 And they were. As soon as they heard of it, they were baptized in the name of the Master Jesus. Paul put his hands on their heads and the Holy Spirit entered them. From that moment on, they were praising God in tongues and talking about God’s actions. Altogether there were about twelve people there that day.

8-10 Paul then went straight to the meeting place. He had the run of the place for three months, doing his best to make the things of the kingdom of God real and convincing to them. But then resistance began to form as some of them began spreading evil rumors through the congregation about the Christian way of life. So Paul left, taking the disciples with him, and set up shop in the school of Tyrannus, holding class there daily. He did this for two years, giving everyone in the province of Asia, Jews as well as Greeks, ample opportunity to hear the Message of the Master.

What do we learn?
–The evil one does NOT want us to learn to think like Jesus.
–There will be blockers to discipleship. Let God remove those blocks. Know the blocks and go around them.
–Seek God first and you will find Him. The Holy Spirit will guide you into all good teaching and lead you to develop the mind of Christ more and more.
–Know the whole story. Jesus redeemed us by dying for our sin. No one else could do that. Only Jesus saves us.
–Point the way to Jesus. Help others find and follow Him.

Dear Heavenly Father,
Don’t allow us to fall into deathly worldview traps that entangle us and bind us to be of no use to you. You have freed us! We are a redeemed people. Show us how to live like it. Continue to transform us to think and behave like You taught us, dear Jesus. May Your power living in us energize us. May Your glory be seen in us. YES, YOU are inside me, Lord and I will never let you go because Your grip on me is too secure! I love you, Lord with all my heart, mind and soul.
In Jesus Name, Amen

Posted in ACTS, Blessings, Christian Living, Christian Perspective, Embrace, Encouragement, Faith, Forgiveness, Grace, harvest, heaven, Holy Spirit, Hope, hospitality, hugs, insight, investments, Jesus, joy, Leadership, Listen, lost but found, Love, Macedonian Call, marriage, ministry, Praise, Prayer, Salvation, Searching, Teaching, Thanksgiving, Training, Transformation, trust in God, Truth, Uncategorized, Unconditional love, waiting on God, wisdom | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

THE REST OF THE STORY

Posted on January 11, 2018 by randscallawayffm

ACTS – The Acts of God

Paul Harvey was a great story teller. We trusted him as listeners because we felt he told us the truth. He was an American radio broadcaster for the ABC Radio Networks. He broadcast News and Comment on weekday mornings and mid-days, and at noon on Saturdays, as well as his famous The Rest of the Story segments.

What caused us to listen to him was his tenacious efforts to dig deeper into the story and discover the “back story” with reasons why an event happened or what the people were like that led to the event. He always closed with “and now you have the rest of the story.” And we felt satisfied to have all the news.

I think of that when I read about Apollos, a gifted, passionate speaker who loved Jesus but didn’t have “the rest of the story”. We thank and praise God that he was a willing listener to those “in the know” to hear and understand the whole story of Jesus. Can you imagine only knowing that Jesus was a great prophet and was baptized but not knowing He was the Messiah that took away the sins of the world?

Acts 18 they took ApollosActs 18, The Message
Ephesus
18 Paul stayed a while longer in Corinth, but then it was time to take leave of his friends. Saying his good-byes, he sailed for Syria, Priscilla and Aquila with him. Before boarding the ship in the harbor town of Cenchrea, he had his head shaved as part of a vow he had taken.

19-21 They landed in Ephesus, where Priscilla and Aquila got off and stayed. Paul left the ship briefly to go to the meeting place and preach to the Jews. They wanted him to stay longer, but he said he couldn’t. But after saying good-bye, he promised, “I’ll be back, God willing.”

21-22 From Ephesus he sailed to Caesarea. He greeted the church there, and then went on to Antioch, completing the journey.

23 After spending a considerable time with the Antioch Christians, Paul set off again for Galatia and Phrygia, retracing his old tracks, one town after another, putting fresh heart into the disciples.

24-26 A man named Apollos came to Ephesus. He was a Jew, born in Alexandria, Egypt, and a terrific speaker, eloquent and powerful in his preaching of the Scriptures. He was well-educated in the way of the Master and fiery in his enthusiasm. Apollos was accurate in everything he taught about Jesus up to a point, but he only went as far as the baptism of John. He preached with power in the meeting place. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and told him the rest of the story.

27-28 When Apollos decided to go on to Achaia province, his Ephesian friends gave their blessing and wrote a letter of recommendation for him, urging the disciples there to welcome him with open arms. The welcome paid off: Apollos turned out to be a great help to those who had become believers through God’s immense generosity. He was particularly effective in public debate with the Jews as he brought out proof after convincing proof from the Scriptures that Jesus was in fact God’s Messiah.

Think about it…
–God led his people to give the whole story of Jesus to one of his best speakers and influencers. Can you imagine who powerful Apollos became knowing and preaching the whole Truth of Jesus!

–Don’t you love HOW they told him…privately…in their home in an encouraging way?

Dear Heavenly Father,
Continue to teach us, taking us deeper into Your Word so that we may discover back stories that lead to more understanding of how You work, who You are, what You have done, are doing and will do. We need all the information possible so that we may speak Your Truth only.
In Jesus Name, Amen

Posted in ACTS, Blessings, Christian Living, Christian Perspective, Embrace, Encouragement, Faith, Forgiveness, Grace, heaven, Holy Spirit, Hope, hospitality, hugs, insight, Jesus, joy, Leadership, Listen, lost but found, Love, Macedonian Call, marriage, Mercy, ministry, Praise, Prayer, Salvation, Searching, Teaching, Thanksgiving, Training, Transformation, trust in God, Truth, Uncategorized, Unconditional love, waiting on God, wisdom | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

GOD SEES OUR FRUSTRATION

Posted on January 10, 2018 by randscallawayffm

ACTS – The Acts of God

It happens to all of us who are passionate about pointing people to Jesus, desiring that they find and follow them for themselves. When all our words and actions, giving and caring seem to be in vain, we become frustrated and wonder if it is worth our effort. When we come to the end of ourselves, God speaks through His Holy Spirit who lives in us to remind us He is always at work.

We only see what is in front of us. God sees the hearts of all mankind. He knows whose hearts are His and those who are not. God’s Holy Spirit comes to Paul in a dream to remind him in his frustrations of ministry in Corinth that “no matter what happens, I’m with you.” Wow, just those words alone are a comfort and joy. We are mere humans, trying to be obedient to God. It is God who finishes what we begin in us and is always with us! That alone is enough for me to “stick with it”.

Acts 18, The Message
Corinth
18 1-4 After Athens, Paul went to Corinth. That is where he discovered Aquila, a Jew born in Pontus, and his wife, Priscilla. They had just arrived from Italy, part of the general expulsion of Jews from Rome ordered by Claudius. Paul moved in with them, and they worked together at their common trade of tentmaking. But every Sabbath he was at the meeting place, doing his best to convince both Jews and Greeks about Jesus.

5-6 When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was able to give all his time to preaching and teaching, doing everything he could to persuade the Jews that Jesus was in fact God’s Messiah. But no such luck. All they did was argue contentiously and contradict him at every turn. Totally exasperated, Paul had finally had it with them and gave it up as a bad job. “Have it your way, then,” he said. “You’ve made your bed; now lie in it. From now on I’m spending my time with the other nations.”

7-8 He walked out and went to the home of Titius Justus, a God-fearing man who lived right next to the Jews’ meeting place. But Paul’s efforts with the Jews weren’t a total loss, for Crispus, the meeting-place president, put his trust in the Master. His entire family believed with him.

8-11 In the course of listening to Paul, a great many Corinthians believed and were baptized. One night the Master spoke to Paul in a dream: “Keep it up, and don’t let anyone intimidate or silence you. No matter what happens, I’m with you and no one is going to be able to hurt you. You have no idea how many people I have on my side in this city.” That was all he needed to stick it out. He stayed another year and a half, faithfully teaching the Word of God to the Corinthians.

12-13 But when Gallio was governor of Achaia province, the Jews got up a campaign against Paul, hauled him into court, and filed charges: “This man is seducing people into acts of worship that are illegal.”

14-16 Just as Paul was about to defend himself, Gallio interrupted and said to the Jews, “If this was a matter of criminal conduct, I would gladly hear you out. But it sounds to me like one more Jewish squabble, another of your endless hairsplitting quarrels over religion. Take care of it on your own time. I can’t be bothered with this nonsense,” and he cleared them out of the courtroom.

17 Now the street rabble turned on Sosthenes, the new meeting-place president, and beat him up in plain sight of the court. Gallio didn’t raise a finger. He could not have cared less.

Acts 18 with youWhat do we learn?
–Stick with what God has invited you to do. Let Him do the rest.
–Don’t worry or fret over how many you can convince to follow Christ. Speak when He tells you to speak. Let God do the rest.
–Don’t wonder how many. God knows hearts. He knows how many are with Him and how many are not. “You have no idea how many people I have on my side in this city.”
–“Keep it up, and don’t let anyone intimidate or silence you.” The evil one will work hard to put negative thoughts that lead to frustrations in our heads. Fight this off with a prayer…Deliver us from all evil and evil’s schemes to bring us down, in the Name of Jesus Christ. God will answer this prayer in nano seconds. He has for me.
–Corinth was 5 times larger than Athens. They also worshiped many gods, including Aphrodite which led to much sexual sin.
–Paul’s influence led to his many letters to Corinth which are probably the most read scriptures used today in weddings and communion. Corinthians is also used to explain orderly, God-honoring worship. (1 Cor 13) (1 Cor 11)

“That was all Paul needed to stick it out.”

Dear Heavenly Father, 
Defeat the foe that lies in wait with words of discouragement, lies, and other ways to stop Your work. 
In the Name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, Amen. I believe.

Posted in ACTS, Blessings, Christian Living, Christian Perspective, Embrace, Encouragement, Faith, Forgiveness, Grace, harvest, Holy Spirit, Hope, hospitality, hugs, insight, Jesus, joy, Leadership, Listen, lost but found, Love, Macedonian Call, marriage, Mercy, ministry, Praise, Prayer, Salvation, Searching, Teaching, Thanksgiving, Training, Transformation, trust in God, Truth, Uncategorized, Unconditional love, waiting on God, wisdom | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

THE UNKNOWN NOW KNOWN

Posted on January 9, 2018 by randscallawayffm

ACTS – The Acts of God

We want others to know Christ. We love Jesus and we are passionate about others knowing Him as well. But how do we tell them? Getting angry at other’s follies in life because they do not know Christ and telling them, “So, how’s that working for you” in a sarcastic way does not show God to them. God is not sarcastic. God is love. We need to love them like Jesus loves us with all our own faults. We need to keep our opinions of their lifestyle to ourselves and center our message solely on Christ. Make Christ the Center and the Known.

Paul did just that as a great example. Notice that as he strolls Athens he is angry by the many shrines of gods he sees but does not express it openly. It is okay to be angry at sin. Jesus was. But it is not okay to “set them straight” in an angry way.

Paul settles his thoughts and controls his emotions as he asks them to tell him about their gods and idols to them. “It is plain to see that you Athenians take your religion seriously.” He changes his tone from anger to fascinated which amuses and teaches me.

He introduces Truth by beginning where they are. Brilliant! Then when he has a listening, interested audience, off he goes!

Acts 27 GodActs 17, The Message
Athens
16 The longer Paul waited in Athens for Silas and Timothy, the angrier he got—all those idols! The city was a junkyard of idols.

17-18 He discussed it with the Jews and other like-minded people at their meeting place. And every day he went out on the streets and talked with anyone who happened along. He got to know some of the Epicurean and Stoic intellectuals pretty well through these conversations. Some of them dismissed him with sarcasm: “What an airhead!” But others, listening to him go on about Jesus and the resurrection, were intrigued: “That’s a new slant on the gods. Tell us more.”

19-21 These people got together and asked him to make a public presentation over at the Areopagus, where things were a little quieter. They said, “This is a new one on us. We’ve never heard anything quite like it. Where did you come up with this anyway? Explain it so we can understand.” Downtown Athens was a great place for gossip. There were always people hanging around, natives and tourists alike, waiting for the latest tidbit on most anything.

22-23 So Paul took his stand in the open space at the Areopagus and laid it out for them. “It is plain to see that you Athenians take your religion seriously. When I arrived here the other day, I was fascinated with all the shrines I came across. And then I found one inscribed, to the god nobody knows. I’m here to introduce you to this God so you can worship intelligently, know who you’re dealing with.

24-29 “The God who made the world and everything in it, this Master of sky and land, doesn’t live in custom-made shrines or need the human race to run errands for him, as if he couldn’t take care of himself. He makes the creatures; the creatures don’t make him. Starting from scratch, he made the entire human race and made the earth hospitable, with plenty of time and space for living so we could seek after God, and not just grope around in the dark but actually find him. He doesn’t play hide-and-seek with us. He’s not remote; he’s near. We live and move in him, can’t get away from him! One of your poets said it well: ‘We’re the God-created.’ Well, if we are the God-created, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to think we could hire a sculptor to chisel a god out of stone for us, does it?

30-31 “God overlooks it as long as you don’t know any better—but that time is past. The unknown is now known, and he’s calling for a radical life-change. He has set a day when the entire human race will be judged and everything set right. And he has already appointed the judge, confirming him before everyone by raising him from the dead.”

32-34 At the phrase “raising him from the dead,” the listeners split: Some laughed at him and walked off making jokes; others said, “Let’s do this again. We want to hear more.” But that was it for the day, and Paul left. There were still others, it turned out, who were convinced then and there, and stuck with Paul—among them Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris.

Think about it…
–How is our witness about Christ? Is it all about Him or about how we feel people should behave?
–Paul followed the leading of the Holy Spirit. He was intimate with God. God spoke through Paul in a way the people could understand.
–When we get too emotional, people on see that and not the Savior we are trying to tell them about.
–Tell the Truth…in love.
–Begin where your audience is and allow the Holy Spirit to say what is next.

Dear Heavenly Father,
We have opportunity to speak today. We are Yours. Put Your Message on our lips today. Help us to love like You love.
In Jesus Name, Amen

Posted in ACTS, Blessings, Christian Living, Christian Perspective, Embrace, Encouragement, Faith, Forgiveness, Grace, heaven, Holy Spirit, Hope, hospitality, insight, investments, Jesus, joy, Leadership, Listen, lost but found, Love, Macedonian Call, Mercy, ministry, Praise, Prayer, Romans, Salvation, Searching, Teaching, Thanksgiving, Training, Transformation, trust in God, Truth, Uncategorized, Unconditional love, waiting on God, wisdom | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment