Daily Manna (Coffee with Jesus)

It happened years ago, but every year about this time as we celebrate Jesus resurrection; I remember.  Answering the call of God, Randy and I left our home state so he could attend seminary in another state about a thousand miles away.  He also said yes to pastoring a small country church a new miles away.  Moving to another place filled with cultural differences and traditions were challenging but we thought we were working through it all—until Randy failed, as pastor, to put up the cross with the purple cloth, two weeks before Easter Sunday. 

Randy was never told there was a cross to be put up or where it was.  So, the church went through Holy Week without it.  We didn’t have a clue.  We were busy with all that goes with Holy Week; extra sermons, finals for classes, Maundy services, a community sunrise service as well as teaching prep for Sunday School classes.  If you’re a pastor or the spouse—you know.

As we greeted people for Resurrection Sunday, we noticed that one life long member was not only frowning but would not say a word, and even turned her back on us when we greeted her.  Her body language clearly showed her anger.  We didn’t know why—for weeks!  Finally, in a church meeting, she expressed what she felt, “We have always put up the cross and draped the purple cloth around it and we did not this year and I want to know why.”  It was an ah-hah moment for Randy and I.  The cross was stored in a basement area we didn’t even know existed.  No one had said anything about it.  But our belief in Jesus was judged for not knowing about that cross!

Seems silly, doesn’t it?  If you are a church leader, you get it.  We do this often, led by a spirit not of God.  “All sin and fall short of the glory of God.”  So, we readily understand Peter’s passionate plea to the traditionalists; “Why are your trying to out-god God?” Why are we loading new believers down with crushing rules of tradition? 

Why do we get bent out of shape over a misplaced cross that represents the cruel death of Jesus while our focus is distracted from why He offered His body as a living sacrifice for our sins and then rose again in victory?  “Don’t we believe that we are saved because the Master Jesus amazingly and out of sheer generosity moved to save us?”

Acts 15, The Message

To Let Outsiders Inside

^1-2 It wasn’t long before some Jews showed up from Judea insisting that everyone be circumcised: “If you’re not circumcised in the Mosaic fashion, you can’t be saved.” Paul and Barnabas were up on their feet at once in fierce protest. The church decided to resolve the matter by sending Paul, Barnabas, and a few others to put it before the apostles and leaders in Jerusalem.

³ After they were sent off and on their way, they told everyone they met as they traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria about the breakthrough to the non-Jewish outsiders. Everyone who heard the news cheered—it was terrific news!

^4-5 When they got to Jerusalem, Paul and Barnabas were graciously received by the whole church, including the apostles and leaders. They reported on their recent journey and how God had used them to open things up to the outsiders. Some Pharisees stood up to say their piece. They had become believers, but continued to hold to the hard party line of the Pharisees. “You have to circumcise the pagan converts,” they said. “You must make them keep the Law of Moses.”

^6-9 The apostles and leaders called a special meeting to consider the matter. The arguments went on and on, back and forth, getting more and more heated. Then Peter took the floor: “Friends, you well know that from early on God made it quite plain that he wanted the pagans to hear the Message of this good news and embrace it—and not in any secondhand or roundabout way, but firsthand, straight from my mouth. And God, who can’t be fooled by any pretense on our part but always knows a person’s thoughts, gave them the Holy Spirit exactly as he gave him to us. He treated the outsiders exactly as he treated us, beginning at the very center of who they were and working from that center outward, cleaning up their lives as they trusted and believed him.

^10-11 “So why are you now trying to out-god God, loading these new believers down with rules that crushed our ancestors and crushed us, too? Don’t we believe that we are saved because the Master Jesus amazingly and out of sheer generosity moved to save us just as he did those from beyond our nation? So what are we arguing about?”

^12-13 There was dead silence. No one said a word. With the room quiet, Barnabas and Paul reported matter-of-factly on the miracles and wonders God had done among the other nations through their ministry. The silence deepened; you could hear a pin drop.

^13-18 James broke the silence. “Friends, listen. Simeon has told us the story of how God at the very outset made sure that racial outsiders were included. This is in perfect agreement with the words of the prophets:

After this, I’m coming back;
    I’ll rebuild David’s ruined house;
I’ll put all the pieces together again;
    I’ll make it look like new
So outsiders who seek will find,
    so they’ll have a place to come to,
All the pagan peoples
    included in what I’m doing.

“God said it and now he’s doing it. It’s no afterthought; he’s always known he would do this.

^19-21 “So here is my decision: We’re not going to unnecessarily burden non-Jewish people who turn to the Master. We’ll write them a letter and tell them, ‘Be careful to not get involved in activities connected with idols, to guard the morality of sex and marriage, to not serve food offensive to Jewish Christians—blood, for instance.’ This is basic wisdom from Moses, preached and honored for centuries now in city after city as we have met and kept the Sabbath.”

^22-23 Everyone agreed: apostles, leaders, all the people. They picked Judas (nicknamed Barsabbas) and Silas—they both carried considerable weight in the church—and sent them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas with this letter:

From the apostles and leaders, your friends, to our friends in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia:

Hello!

^24-27 We heard that some men from our church went to you and said things that confused and upset you. Mind you, they had no authority from us; we didn’t send them. We have agreed unanimously to pick representatives and send them to you with our good friends Barnabas and Paul. We picked men we knew you could trust, Judas and Silas—they’ve looked death in the face time and again for the sake of our Master Jesus Christ. We’ve sent them to confirm in a face-to-face meeting with you what we’ve written.

^28-29 It seemed to the Holy Spirit and to us that you should not be saddled with any crushing burden, but be responsible only for these bare necessities: Be careful not to get involved in activities connected with idols; avoid serving food offensive to Jewish Christians (blood, for instance); and guard the morality of sex and marriage.

These guidelines are sufficient to keep relations congenial between us. And God be with you!

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

There is disagreement but there is also communication with truth, spoken in a spirit of love.  Love God.  Love Others.  These two commandments of God are instilled the minds of the apostles and followers so that others will know, believe, and follow Jesus, too.  Guided by the Holy Spirit, Peter is given the right words to say that will pull everyone back in unity.  “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!” Psalm 133:1, NIV  When we bring the conversation to the Table in open dialogue, not to get our way, but to respond according the The Way of Jesus, God smiles!  We can learn much from this example, dear leader friends.

We must relinquish all control to the Master Jesus who by God’s Holy Spirit will lead us in all we think, say, and do that is right, pure, holy and benefits all who believe in Him. (Romans 12:1-2)  This is The Way to knowing God’s perfect and pleasing will for us.

We must believe, really believe that God created all, is in all, and for all who believe in Jesus and trust in Him. Redemption trumps tradition and culture.

Jesus came to fulfil every Law that God handed down to Moses for the spiritual, physical, mental, and emotional health of His people.  The top two are the “bare necessities” in which, according to Jesus, “all the other laws” are derived:  Love God with all your heart, mind, and soul.  Love others they way God loves us. 

Because of God’s love, He sent His One and Only Son, Jesus to save us from eternal death and destruction caused by our sins.  Whoever believes and repents in Jesus Name is indeed saved from all sin and made new with a new life.  Eternal life, a gift from God, is for all who believe Jesus. (John 3:16-17)

These are the bare necessities.  If we get this right, we are made righteous by God through believe Jesus, His Son.  Don’t out-god God.  It will not go well for us.

May God be with us all!

Lord,

Thank you for daily cleansing my heart, renewing my mind, transforming my behaviors, refreshing my soul with your new mercies, and restoring the joy and peace of you in me and me in you.

In Jesus Name, Amen

I hate to break this to you, but…  The rest of the sentence is personal and hard to hear.  When we hear it, we feel our entire body bracing for the gut punch as we ready ourselves to hear bad news.  Our flight or fight response is rising to the surface.  Our minds race with possible solutions for whatever problems lie ahead before the words are completely said. 

Then we hear the rest of the sentence; and we are in shock with disbelief.  Depending on the news, we sit still for a few seconds to take it all in.  Non-believers in Jesus experience hard times in life.  Believers in Jesus also experience hard times in life.  This is due to living in an imperfect world corrupted by the sins of mankind since Adam.  The difference maker for believers is the power and wisdom given readily in abundance to us from the Way Maker.  We are reading and seeing God’s power and wisdom demonstrated through the Acts of God and His Holy Spirit through His Apostles and followers who live Jesus.  May we see the acts of God at work in us!  Even today!

Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Peter, and now Paul, to name just a few of the headliners will write about it as they live it.  They will be beaten unmercifully, (as Jesus foretold), for preaching life-change in Jesus.  They will be jailed many times but the power and wisdom within them does not allow for the work in Jesus Name to stop—because Jesus never fails, never gives up, never stops loving us and helping us!

Choose this day whom you will serve.  Hard times will come either way.  But wouldn’t we rather have the Compassionate Creator of all, the passionate Savior and Lord along with the power of His Holy Spirit in us taking us by the hand and walking us through it all?  Can I get Yes and an amen?!

Acts 14, The Message

Plenty of Hard Times

^21-22 After proclaiming the Message in Derbe and establishing a strong core of disciples, they retraced their steps to Lystra, then Iconium, and then Antioch, putting grit in the lives of the disciples, urging them to stick with what they had begun to believe and not quit, making it clear to them that it wouldn’t be easy: “Anyone signing up for the kingdom of God has to go through plenty of hard times.”

^23-26 Paul and Barnabas handpicked leaders in each church. After praying—their prayers intensified by fasting—they presented these new leaders to the Master to whom they had entrusted their lives. Working their way back through Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia and preached in Perga. Finally, they made it to Attalia and caught a ship back to Antioch, where it had all started—launched by God’s grace and now safely home by God’s grace. A good piece of work.

^27-28 On arrival, they got the church together and reported on their trip, telling in detail how God had used them to throw the door of faith wide open so people of all nations could come streaming in. Then they settled down for a long, leisurely visit with the disciples.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

When hard times come, seek God first before reacting.  This will take the power of God in us to accomplish.  Ask God for wisdom. Ask God for help. Ask God for the good He will do from the bad you are experiencing.  This will lighten the impact of the hard times when you know God knows and has a plan with way around it, over it, or right through it!  I cannot count the many times God has stepped in to help me and our family—even while we are praying in Jesus Name!  Sometimes God met our needs before we even knew we had them!  Sometimes we must wait on the answer, but as we wait our faith becomes stronger and our resolve greater still when we trust God to do what only God can do.  Nothing is impossible with God.  Take this to heart!

Stay attached!  “Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.  “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” –Jesus, John 15:4-5 NIV 

When hard times come, staying attached to the power of God’s Holy Spirit, praying in the Name of Jesus who saved us from all our sins, is the foundation of our faith that cannot be moved.  “Our Hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness!”  (Not just hymn of words but of Truth!)

By staying attached through the hard times, God’s character begins to become a part of our lives!  We begin to reflect Jesus, His Son who had the same traits.  We soon realize that we who believe, also begin taking on the traits of our Father in heaven!  We have His eyes to see life with new perspectives, His heart that feels the pain of others, and His mind to think higher and nobler.  Yes, just like Jesus!   Paul gives us a list of those traits of behavior that we can look forward to acquiring—

“…the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking, and envying each other.” Galatians 5:22-26, NIV

And when do these traits come to fruition, realized by us, and seen by others?      –They come as we respond to hard times in Jesus Name!

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”  James 1:2-5, NIV 

“In the good times, praise His Name; in the bad times, do the same! In everything, give God thanks.” (A song I sing in my heart often.)

Lord,

Thank you, indeed, for teaching me great lessons in and through the hard and challenging times of this brief journey on earth.  Without them, I would not now how precious life is and how grateful I still need to become.  You are Provider, Healer, Protector, Sustainer, Creator as well as Savior and Lord.  You loved us before we knew to love you back.  While we were sinners, you died for us.  As believers, you are our Hope of eternal life!  Thank you, thank you, thank you for not giving up on me and keeping me fully attached to you!

In Jesus Name, Amen

Higher than the mountains that I face
Stronger than the power of the grave
Constant through the trial and the change
One thing remains, yes, one thing remains

Your love never fails
It never gives up
It never runs out on me …

“If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet.” –Jesus, Matthew 10:14

Sometimes, we’ve just got to pick ourselves up, shake the dust off our feet, and move forward to go and tell the Good News of Jesus.

Acts 14, The Message

^1-3 When they got to Iconium they went, as they always did, to the meeting place of the Jews and gave their message. The Message convinced both Jews and non-Jews—and not just a few, either. But the unbelieving Jews worked up a whispering campaign against Paul and Barnabas, sowing mistrust and suspicion in the minds of the people in the street. The two apostles were there a long time, speaking freely, openly, and confidently as they presented the clear evidence of God’s gifts, God corroborating their work with miracles and wonders.

^4-7 But then there was a split in public opinion, some siding with the Jews, some with the apostles. One day, learning that both the Jews and non-Jews had been organized by their leaders to beat them up, they escaped as best they could to the next towns—Lyconia, Lystra, Derbe, and that neighborhood—but then were right back at it again, getting out the Message.

Gods or Men?

^8-10 There was a man in Lystra who couldn’t walk. He sat there, crippled since the day of his birth. He heard Paul talking, and Paul, looking him in the eye, saw that he was ripe for God’s work, ready to believe. So he said, loud enough for everyone to hear, “Up on your feet!” The man was up in a flash—jumped up and walked around as if he’d been walking all his life.

^11-13 When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they went wild, calling out in their Lyconian dialect, “The gods have come down! These men are gods!” They called Barnabas “Zeus” and Paul “Hermes” (since Paul did most of the speaking). The priest of the local Zeus shrine got up a parade—bulls and banners and people lined right up to the gates, ready for the ritual of sacrifice.

^14-15 When Barnabas and Paul finally realized what was going on, they stopped them. Waving their arms, they interrupted the parade, calling out, “What do you think you’re doing! We’re not gods! We are men just like you, and we’re here to bring you the Message, to persuade you to abandon these silly god-superstitions and embrace God himself, the living God. We don’t make God; he makes us, and all of this—sky, earth, sea, and everything in them.

^16-18 “In the generations before us, God let all the different nations go their own way. But even then he didn’t leave them without a clue, for he made a good creation, poured down rain and gave bumper crops. When your bellies were full and your hearts happy, there was evidence of good beyond your doing.” Talking fast and hard like this, they prevented them from carrying out the sacrifice that would have honored them as gods—but just barely.

^19-20 Then some Jews from Antioch and Iconium caught up with them and turned the fickle crowd against them. They beat Paul unconscious, dragged him outside the town and left him for dead. But as the disciples gathered around him, he came to and got up. He went back into town and the next day left with Barnabas for Derbe.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Paul and Barnabas are now going beyond Jerusalem to deliver The Message to those who have never heard and to those who know enough to be against them.  We remember that Jesus prepared His disciples and all who would follow them, like Paul and Barnabas.  Jesus not only warned them about what His enemy would do against them, He told them how to hang on to His peace, joy, and wisdom in doing the work.

Jesus trained his followers how to “go and make disciples” with this warning of wisdom: “Stay alert. This is hazardous work I’m assigning you. You’re going to be like sheep running through a wolf pack, so don’t call attention to yourselves. Be as shrewd as a snake, inoffensive as a dove.  “Don’t be naive. Some people will question your motives, others will smear your reputation—just because you believe in me.”  Matthew 10:16-17, MSG

Led by the God’s Holy Spirit, the work of Jesus, Son of God, continues to preach salvation with the gift of eternal life because of the sacrifice made by Jesus.  As promised by Jesus, the Holy Spirit leads them where to go with what to say and when to say it. He also taught them (and us) that the enemy will try to stop The Message from changing lives from death to life! 

Don’t look around the next time you go to church to judge who is on God’s side and who is on the enemy’s side, but know this:  both are in the room as we worship God, relate to each other, sing songs of praise, hear the Message of salvation with the right ways to live, and prayer in the Name of Jesus.  What was clear to Paul and Barnabas was the “whispering campaign” against them.  Avoid being caught us in whispering campaigns.  Gossip maims, hurts, and can easily stop what God is doing among his believers.

We must daily examine ourselves and realize that what we think, say and do may help someone else find and follow Jesus OR drive them away.  Prayerfully pause to let that sink in. Ask Jesus in prayer, “Am I a Judas who is led of the enemy to betray with thoughts of trying to stop The Message, Lord”?  “Is it me?”

How do we know for sure?  Paul, so passionately led by the Holy Spirit, will write letters to the churches later explaining what helps and what hurts.  Here is an example:

“So let’s not sleepwalk through life like those others. Let’s keep our eyes open and be smart. People sleep at night and get drunk at night. But not us! Since we’re creatures of Day, let’s act like it. Walk out into the daylight sober, dressed up in faith, love, and the hope of salvation.”

“God didn’t set us up for an angry rejection but for salvation by our Master, Jesus Christ. He died for us, a death that triggered life. Whether we’re awake with the living or asleep with the dead, we’re alive with him! So speak encouraging words to one another. Build up hope so you’ll all be together in this, no one left out, no one left behind. I know you’re already doing this; just keep on doing it.”

The Way He Wants You to Live

“And now, friends, we ask you to honor those leaders who work so hard for you, who have been given the responsibility of urging and guiding you along in your obedience. Overwhelm them with appreciation and love!”

“Get along among yourselves, each of you doing your part. Our counsel is that you warn the freeloaders to get a move on. Gently encourage the stragglers, and reach out for the exhausted, pulling them to their feet. Be patient with each person, attentive to individual needs. And be careful that when you get on each other’s nerves you don’t snap at each other. Look for the best in each other, and always do your best to bring it out.”

“Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live.”

“Don’t suppress the Spirit, and don’t stifle those who have a word from the Master. On the other hand, don’t be gullible. Check out everything, and keep only what’s good. Throw out anything tainted with evil.”

^“May God himself, the God who makes everything holy and whole, make you holy and whole, put you together—spirit, soul, and body—and keep you fit for the coming of our Master, Jesus Christ. The One who called you is completely dependable. If he said it, he’ll do it!” 1 Thessalonians 5:7-24, MSG

Even today, people will try to put pastors on a pedestal, thinking they are gods OR they will run them out of town for preaching Jesus in ways that convict their souls.  Whispering campaigns are the work of the Enemy.  God knows what is inside all hearts.  He is always at work and will always make a way for The Message to be heard.

Jesus also said; “You can be sure that on Judgment Day they’ll be mighty sorry—but it’s no concern of yours now.”  (Matthew 10:15) Move on, like Paul and Barnabas, as the Holy Spirit leads.  Again, the response of people is not up to us.

Jesus teaching in Matthew 10 is such wisdom for the journey of Paul and Barnabas and for all of us who believe.  As we go and tell The Message of Jesus salvation for all.  Jesus also delivers this encouragement;

“Don’t be intimidated. Eventually everything is going to be out in the open, and everyone will know how things really are. So don’t hesitate to go public now.  “Don’t be bluffed into silence by the threats of bullies. There’s nothing they can do to your soul, your core being. Save your fear for God, who holds your entire life—body and soul—in his hands.” –Jesus, Matthew 10:26-28, MSG

How comforting and encouraging!  As we walk in His Steps, we are in His Hands!

Lord,

Thank you for your message of salvation that saved me and made me whole. Thank you for daily cleansing my heart, renewing my mind, refreshing my soul and restoring the joy and peace of you in me and me in you!  Thank you, thank you, thank you!

In Jesus Name, For Your Glory, Amen.  I believe.

We who sit in the United States take many things for granted. In fact, most of us admittedly, have developed attitudes of entitlement.  “We deserve for you to give to me” seems to be the attitude that is popular among the masses.  From the poorest among us to those who seem to have it all, we expect to be served perfectly well, significantly catered to as highly important with magnificent gifts that honor us. We are spoiled.

When this arrogant attitude enters our homes among “our own people”; real and lasting troubles begin. Arguments through the day are over who is taking out trash, picking up after themselves, making the beds, mowing the lawn and other chores.  We keep score.  We tally who is doing the least and the most and rank each other accordingly. We are spoiled. 

This entitlement attitude also includes those of us who attend church on any given Sunday, who critically judge what is done for us.  We expect the music to be delightful and full of energy—above merely “making a joyful noise unto the Lord”!  But it cannot be a “performance.”  Worship must come for the heart, we say, but who decides what is in our hearts? Most assuredly, we expect people to notice us and be glad we came.  We expect the sermon to be witty and entertaining but also meaningful so our hearts are stirred and we leave feeling good about God and the stuff God does.  We expect all humans to do what we “pay them” to be and do; and what we expect them do is for us.  We are spoiled.

We want life to be what we expect it to be.  But the real message of Jesus changes everything.  Believe Him or not, our lives will never be the same when we accept the realty of Jesus as the Savior of our sins and begin to live expectantly seeking Him daily as the Lord of our lives.  This attitude shift is serious and happens only by grace.  We cannot make it happen ourselves. 

God knows exactly what we need and gives Jesus, His Son as a gift.  Who we need is a Savior who wants and fully deserves to be Lord of our lives.  Jesus has done for us what we do not deserve and cannot possible provide for ourselves.  Jesus died for our sins and rose victoriously over death in resurrection power.  Only Jesus.

Paul has been given that same “resurrection power” to preach Jesus to God’s chosen.  Most will believe.  The spoiled will hold fast to their self-serving entitlement stance.

Acts 13, The Message

Don’t Take This Lightly

^13-14 From Paphos, Paul and company put out to sea, sailing on to Perga in Pamphylia. That’s where John called it quits and went back to Jerusalem. From Perga the rest of them traveled on to Antioch in Pisidia.

^14-15 On the Sabbath they went to the meeting place and took their places. After the reading of the Scriptures—God’s Law and the Prophets—the president of the meeting asked them, “Friends, do you have anything you want to say? A word of encouragement, perhaps?”

^16-20 Paul stood up, paused and took a deep breath, then said, “Fellow Israelites and friends of God, listen. God took a special interest in our ancestors, pulled our people who were beaten down in Egyptian exile to their feet, and led them out of there in grand style. He took good care of them for nearly forty years in that godforsaken wilderness and then, having wiped out seven enemies who stood in the way, gave them the land of Canaan for their very own—a span in all of about 450 years.

^20-22 “Up to the time of Samuel the prophet, God provided judges to lead them. But then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul, son of Kish, out of the tribe of Benjamin. After Saul had ruled forty years, God removed him from office and put King David in his place, with this commendation: ‘I’ve searched the land and found this David, son of Jesse. He’s a man whose heart beats to my heart, a man who will do what I tell him.’

^23-25 “From out of David’s descendants God produced a Savior for Israel, Jesus, exactly as he promised—but only after John had thoroughly alerted the people to his arrival by preparing them for a total life-change. As John was finishing up his work, he said, ‘Did you think I was the One? No, I’m not the One. But the One you’ve been waiting for all these years is just around the corner, about to appear. And I’m about to disappear.’

^26-29 “Dear brothers and sisters, children of Abraham, and friends of God, this message of salvation has been precisely targeted to you. The citizens and rulers in Jerusalem didn’t recognize who he was and condemned him to death. They couldn’t find a good reason, but demanded that Pilate execute him anyway. They did just what the prophets said they would do, but had no idea they were following to the letter the script of the prophets, even though those same prophets are read every Sabbath in their meeting places.

^29-31 “After they had done everything the prophets said they would do, they took him down from the cross and buried him. And then God raised him from death. There is no disputing that—he appeared over and over again many times and places to those who had known him well in the Galilean years, and these same people continue to give witness that he is alive.

^32-35 “And we’re here today bringing you good news: the Message that what God promised the fathers has come true for the children—for us! He raised Jesus, exactly as described in the second Psalm:

My Son! My very own Son!
Today I celebrate you!

“When he raised him from the dead, he did it for good—no going back to that rot and decay for him. That’s why Isaiah said, ‘I’ll give to all of you David’s guaranteed blessings.’ So also the psalmist’s prayer: ‘You’ll never let your Holy One see death’s rot and decay.’

^36-39 “David, of course, having completed the work God set out for him, has been in the grave, dust and ashes, a long time now. But the One God raised up—no dust and ashes for him! I want you to know, my very dear friends, that it is on account of this resurrected Jesus that the forgiveness of your sins can be promised. He accomplishes, in those who believe, everything that the Law of Moses could never make good on. But everyone who believes in this raised-up Jesus is declared good and right and whole before God.

^40-41 “Don’t take this lightly. You don’t want the prophet’s revelation to describe you:

Watch out, cynics;
Look hard—watch your world fall to pieces.
I’m doing something right before your eyes
That you won’t believe, though it’s staring you in the face.”

^42-43 When the service was over, Paul and Barnabas were invited back to preach again the next Sabbath. As the meeting broke up, a good many Jews and converts to Judaism went along with Paul and Barnabas, who urged them in long conversations to stick with what they’d started, this living in and by God’s grace.

^44-45 When the next Sabbath came around, practically the whole city showed up to hear the Word of God. Some of the Jews, seeing the crowds, went wild with jealousy and tore into Paul, contradicting everything he was saying, making an ugly scene.

^46-47 But Paul and Barnabas didn’t back down. Standing their ground they said, “It was required that God’s Word be spoken first of all to you, the Jews. But seeing that you want no part of it—you’ve made it quite clear that you have no taste or inclination for eternal life—the door is open to all the outsiders. And we’re on our way through it, following orders, doing what God commanded when he said,

I’ve set you up
    as light to all nations.
You’ll proclaim salvation
    to the four winds and seven seas!”

^48-49 When the non-Jewish outsiders heard this, they could hardly believe their good fortune. All who were marked out for real life put their trust in God—they honored God’s Word by receiving that life. And this Message of salvation spread like wildfire all through the region.

^50-52 Some of the Jews convinced the most respected women and leading men of the town that their precious way of life was about to be destroyed. Alarmed, they turned on Paul and Barnabas and forced them to leave. Paul and Barnabas shrugged their shoulders and went on to the next town, Iconium, brimming with joy and the Holy Spirit, two happy disciples.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

In obedience to the Holy Spirit, Paul and Barabas preach Jesus in the meeting places of the Jews first.  But as the prophets foretold, when they deliver the Good News of Jesus, the One promised, as the One who saved us from our sins, the entitled Jewish leaders became jealous and closed their hearts and minds to this “living in and by God’s grace.”  They are clung tightfisted to their self-serving, entitled ways and did not want to change.

This does not discourage Paul and Barnabas.  They did what the Holy Spirit told them to be and do.  When some refused Jesus, they merely “shrugged their shoulders” and moved on… “brimming with joy and the Holy Spirit.” 

Church leader friends, take this inside your hearts, the response of people to Jesus is between the Savior and those who accept Him—or not.  We cannot and should not force, coerce, trick, coax, or cajole people to come to Jesus.  It’s more a matter of holy, loving persuasion from hearts who have decided unreservedly to follow Jesus as Lord of our lives.  God’s spirit does the rest.

Be encouraged!  When we speak Truth in love for God and others, guided by His Holy Spirit living in and through us, people are more likely to see Jesus’ light emanating from us.  But if not, we move on, because there are millions who need to consider Jesus as our Savior and Lord.  Pray for those who refused. They may come around later. 

Don’t take this message lightly, preaches Paul, we’re telling you about a seriously Savior—graciously Lord who is the One who died and rose again because God “so loved us all”.  Jesus is our Hope of life eternal.  Jesus delivers all we have looking for and have needed all long.  We only need to believe, repent, and accept all He has to offer us freely and relentlessly.  Look nowhere else—you won’t find it.

Lord,

I believe.  Cleanse our hearts, renew our minds, refresh our souls and restore the joy and peace of you in us and us in you.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!

In Jesus Name, For Your Glory, Amen

“In this world you will have trouble,” said Jesus, “but not to worry, I have overcome the world.” 

“…the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” –Jesus (John 16:33 and 1 John 4:4)

“Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

“If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.” –Jesus, John 14:11-17 

“…You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8

How many times in one day of living do we ask for God’s Holy Spirit to lead us where to go and guide us with what to say and do?

Holy Spirit living is the way of life for the apostles called, trained, and commissioned by God, through Jesus, His Son.

Acts 13, The Message

Barnabas, Saul, and Doctor Know-It-All

^1-2 The congregation in Antioch was blessed with a number of prophet-preachers and teachers:

Barnabas,

Simon, nicknamed Niger,

Lucius the Cyrenian,

Manaen, an advisor to the ruler Herod,

Saul.

One day as they were worshiping God—they were also fasting as they waited for guidance—the Holy Spirit spoke: “Take Barnabas and Saul and commission them for the work I have called them to do.”

³ So they commissioned them. In that circle of intensity and obedience, of fasting and praying, they laid hands on their heads and sent them off.

^4-5 Sent off on their new assignment by the Holy Spirit, Barnabas and Saul went down to Seleucia and caught a ship for Cyprus. The first thing they did when they put in at Salamis was preach God’s Word in the Jewish meeting places. They had John along to help out as needed.

^6-7 They traveled the length of the island, and at Paphos came upon a Jewish wizard who had worked himself into the confidence of the governor, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man not easily taken in by charlatans. The wizard’s name was Bar-Jesus. He was as crooked as a corkscrew.

^7-11 The governor invited Barnabas and Saul in, wanting to hear God’s Word firsthand from them. But Dr. Know-It-All (that’s the wizard’s name in plain English) stirred up a ruckus, trying to divert the governor from becoming a believer. But Saul (or Paul), full of the Holy Spirit and looking him straight in the eye, said, “You bag of wind, you parody of a devil—why, you stay up nights inventing schemes to cheat people out of God. But now you’ve come up against God himself, and your game is up. You’re about to go blind—no sunlight for you for a good long stretch.” He was plunged immediately into a shadowy mist and stumbled around, begging people to take his hand and show him the way.

¹² When the governor saw what happened, he became a believer, full of enthusiasm over what they were saying about the Master.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

“Liar, Liar, pants on fire!”

We are lied to many times a day without realizing it until it touches our lives directly.  And wouldn’t be awesome for liars’ pants to really catch fire for everyone to see! —Until we are caught in a mistruth, leave out important details to cover up, or just plain lie!

God provides Truth and guides us into all Truth courtesy of His Holy Spirit living in us!

“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth.”—Jesus, (John 16:13)

We’re off the see the Wizard…as the wizard is off to kill the Message

Barnabas and Saul, along with John Mark are commissioned to spread the Good News in Cyprus.  But, get this—NOT until God’s Holy Spirit gave them direction with a plan!  How many times, dear church friends, do we gather in various places, endure long-winded chatter in laborious committee meetings to form our next plan of action THEN pray, “God, bless our plans”?  We can learn from the acts of the apostles and disciples of Jesus: “As they were worshiping God—they were also fasting as they waited for guidance”—then the Holy Spirit spoke—and gave them God’s plan!

After our plans fail, we can almost hear God say, “Can you hear Me, now?” 

We also remember what Jesus taught; SEEK GOD first…just like Jesus did. Jesus didn’t do anything without first going to His Father for direction with His Plan. Are we better than the Son of God that we don’t need to go to God’s first and listen as the early apostles did with “intensity and obedience”?  “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” –Jesus, Matthew 6:33 Jesus is telling us to stop worrying about the details of life and seek first God’s ways of Kingdom thinking and living.  Do we think we can do life better the Creator of Life?  Mm, I don’t think so.

God’s Holy Spirit sent them to Cyprus.  The “first thing” they did was to preach Jesus as directed.  Along comes a Jewish wizard, consumed by the devil enemy of God, to distract and deceive by redirecting the minds of those hearing the Good News of salvation in Jesus.  Mm, still happening today, right?  The enemy’s weapons of massive destruction have not changed.

Saul, (now called Paul), “full of the Holy Spirit”, looked Dr. Know-It-All right in the eyes and with boldness, in Jesus Name, declares the wizard’s sin against God.  The wizard is already blinded from Truth spiritually and mentally—now he is physically blinded so he is no longer a distractor.  God wins—again!

Does this not parallel the time Jesus blinded the eyes of Saul on his road to persecuting believers?!  (Acts 9:3)  The former persecutor is a preacher—transformed by Jesus, his Savior and Lord!  A soul once consumed by the enemy has now, in Jesus Name, led by the power of God’s Holy Spirit. defeated the enemy of God! 

“When the governor saw what happened, he became a believer, full of enthusiasm over what they were saying about the Master.”

There is indeed, power in the Name of Jesus and power in God’s Holy Spirit living in us!  Run to God, fall at the feet of Jesus, believe, repent, and be filled by His Holy Spirit.  Life will never be the same!

Lord,

Thank you for sending a Helper in the form of Your Holy Spirit to live inside us to guide and direct and correct our thinking.  Our response is to listen to Your Voice with “intensity and obedience.  Thank you for knowing we would need your help to combat our real enemy. Thank you reminding us that the war has already been won by you. These are mere skirmishes of the enemy to draw us away from you, distract us from truth with deceptive lies so we will stop believing you.  I believe and trust you with all that is in me!

In Jesus Name, Amen

We humans are flawed.  “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). It seems we can so easily swing from one side to the pendulum of humility to complete arrogance in record time as soon as the sin of pride enters our hearts.  We might do something good and immediately think we’re the best—while giving no credit to God who made us and shaped us. 

We become political beings.  Have you noticed how politicians who boast the loudest; “I’m not a politician, I’m not the same as my opponents, I will solve all the problems and do what is best for the people” are the very ones who, when elected, almost immediately fall to pleasing only the people who paid to get them in office.  This problem is ages old.  Nothing new to see here!

Many people who rise to power in any group, with the ability to make positive changes, are soon caught up with only being powerful people because of position who change little to nothing.  They fill the room with a lot of hot air that exposes their arrogant thinking that leads nowhere.  The only changes made are within themselves.

These seeds of arrogance grow and blossom into such pride that we think we rival God.

But God has no rivals!

Acts 12, The Message

The Death of Herod

^20-22 But things went from bad to worse for Herod. Now people from Tyre and Sidon put him on the warpath. But they got Blastus, King Herod’s right-hand man, to put in a good word for them and got a delegation together to iron things out. Because they were dependent on Judea for food supplies, they couldn’t afford to let this go on too long. On the day set for their meeting, Herod, robed in pomposity, took his place on the throne and regaled them with a lot of hot air. The people played their part to the hilt and shouted flatteries: “The voice of God! The voice of God!”

²³ That was the last straw. God had had enough of Herod’s arrogance and sent an angel to strike him down. Herod had given God no credit for anything. Down he went. Rotten to the core, a maggoty old man if there ever was one, he died.

²⁴ Meanwhile, the ministry of God’s Word grew by leaps and bounds.

²⁵ Barnabas and Saul, once they had delivered the relief offering to the church in Jerusalem, went back to Antioch.This time they took John with them, the one they called Mark.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Avoid pride at all costs.  Do we really want to become like Jesus, reflecting His character?  To become more like Jesus we must humble ourselves as He did. 

Philippians 2, written by Saul who become Paul, explains how to keep followers of Jesus in check:

“Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.

Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God
    as something to cling to.
Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;
    he took the humble position of a slave (servant)
    and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God
    and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor
    and gave him the name above all other names,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord,
    to the glory of God the Father.  Philippians 2:1-11, NLT

Enough said, now let us worship the King, the One and Only God—

You were the Word at the beginning
One with God the Lord Most High
Your hidden glory in creation
Now, revealed in You our Christ

What a beautiful Name it is, what a beautiful Name it is
The Name of Jesus Christ my King
What a beautiful Name it is, nothing compares to this
What a beautiful Name it is, the Name of Jesus

You didn’t want heaven without us
So Jesus, You brought heaven down
My sin was great, Your love was greater
What could separate us now?

What a wonderful Name it is, what a wonderful Name it is
The Name of Jesus Christ my King
What a wonderful Name it is, nothing compares to this
What a wonderful Name it is, the Name of Jesus
What a wonderful Name it is, the Name of Jesus

Death could not hold You, the veil tore before You
You silenced the boast of sin and grave
The Heavens are roaring the praise of Your glory
For You are raised to life again

You have no rival, You have no equalNow and forever, God, You reign
Yours is the Kingdom, Yours is the Glory
Yours is the Name above all names

What a powerful Name it is, what a powerful Name it is
The Name of Jesus Christ my King
What a powerful Name it is, nothing can stand against
What a powerful Name it is, the Name of Jesus…

(“What a Beautiful Name,” By Brooke Ligertwood and Hillsong)

Lord,

Save us from our sins of pride and arrogance that block our view of you.

In Jesus Name, Amen

Jesus called, equip, and sent Simon the fisherman to “go and make disciples” along with the rest of those who followed Jesus devoutly for three years while learning and watching the Master daily.  Jesus poured His life into followers who loved him back with all their hearts, minds, and souls.  But it was Simon Peter who stood up to firmly declare Jesus the Messiah, the Son of the living God. 

Peter who watched Jesus be thrown to the wolves of unbelief, and who denied him three times himself so he could stay close to Jesus to see what would happen to him, is now in jail for doing what Jesus told him to do—build his church of believers by preaching what Jesus has done for all people—forgive them of all their sins. Peter has grown in his faith and followership from denying to proclaiming Jesus without fear.

Peter is not perfect but is perfectly forgiven.  We remember the time Jesus took Peter aside to reinstate him after his denials and disobedience to teach him how to love Him back by feeding God’s lambs and sheep who were precious to The Lamb of God. (John 21:15-18) This is what matters most to God.  Do what matters most, Peter, says Jesus, three times for emphatic emphasis!  So, Peter does.

We also remember that Jesus called Simon to be Peter, the Rock, unmoved by circumstances, a strong foundation upon which to build His church as the Holy Spirit gathers all believers.

“My Father in heaven, God himself, let you in on this secret of who I really am. And now I’m going to tell you who you are, really are. You are Peter, a rock. This is the rock on which I will put together my church, a church so expansive with energy that not even the gates of hell will be able to keep it out.  “And that’s not all. You will have complete and free access to God’s kingdom, keys to open any and every door: no more barriers between heaven and earth, earth and heaven. A yes on earth is yes in heaven. A no on earth is no in heaven.” –Jesus, Matthew 16:17-19, MSG

Did Jesus know Peter would be thrown in jail, shackled to two guards, for doing what Jesus called him to be and do?  Absolutely!

Did Peter know this what not the end?  Is that why he slept like a baby in peaceful slumber?  Probably!  Because Jesus is…

Way maker, miracle worker, promise keeper
Light in the darkness
My God, that is who You are
You are
Way maker, miracle worker, promise keeper
Light in the darkness
My God, that is who You are

Acts 12, The Message

Peter Under Heavy Guard

^1-4 That’s when King Herod got it into his head to go after some of the church members. He murdered James, John’s brother. When he saw how much it raised his popularity ratings with the Jews, he arrested Peter—all this during Passover Week, mind you—and had him thrown in jail, putting four squads of four soldiers each to guard him. He was planning a public lynching after Passover.

⁵ All the time that Peter was under heavy guard in the jailhouse, the church prayed for him most strenuously.

⁶ Then the time came for Herod to bring him out for the kill. That night, even though shackled to two soldiers, one on either side, Peter slept like a baby. And there were guards at the door keeping their eyes on the place. Herod was taking no chances!

^7-9 Suddenly there was an angel at his side and light flooding the room. The angel shook Peter and got him up: “Hurry!” The handcuffs fell off his wrists. The angel said, “Get dressed. Put on your shoes.” Peter did it. Then, “Grab your coat and let’s get out of here.” Peter followed him, but didn’t believe it was really an angel—he thought he was dreaming.

^10-11 Past the first guard and then the second, they came to the iron gate that led into the city. It swung open before them on its own, and they were out on the street, free as the breeze. At the first intersection the angel left him, going his own way. That’s when Peter realized it was no dream. “I can’t believe it—this really happened! The Master sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s vicious little production and the spectacle the Jewish mob was looking forward to.”

^12-14 Still shaking his head, amazed, he went to Mary’s house, the Mary who was John Mark’s mother. The house was packed with praying friends. When he knocked on the door to the courtyard, a young woman named Rhoda came to see who it was. But when she recognized his voice—Peter’s voice!—she was so excited and eager to tell everyone Peter was there that she forgot to open the door and left him standing in the street.

^15-16 But they wouldn’t believe her, dismissing her, dismissing her report. “You’re crazy,” they said. She stuck by her story, insisting. They still wouldn’t believe her and said, “It must be his angel.” All this time poor Peter was standing out in the street, knocking away.

^16-17 Finally they opened up and saw him—and went wild! Peter put his hands up and calmed them down. He described how the Master had gotten him out of jail, then said, “Tell James and the brothers what’s happened.” He left them and went off to another place.

^18-19 At daybreak the jail was in an uproar. “Where is Peter? What’s happened to Peter?” When Herod sent for him and they could neither produce him nor explain why not, he ordered their execution: “Off with their heads!” Fed up with Judea and Jews, he went for a vacation to Caesarea.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

And the church prayed in unity for his safe release!  But when it happened…

Dr. Luke includes a humous, (and so human), antidote of the church’s unbelief of God actually answering their prayers while they are praying!  A servant girl is the only one who hears Peter knocking.  Peter knows the danger of being seen in the street!  She is the first to believe but is so excited she leaves him waiting outside! The others stop their praying and cannot believe God has answered.  “You’re crazy” the tell the poor girl.  Fortunately, the girl stuck to her story.  Peter comes in and the crowd goes wild!    

We read this and think how silly their reaction was, but we do the same!  We pray, wait, watch and then when God answers in His timing in His way, we are surprised and in awe!  “Wait, what?!”  “How can this be, that is so amazing!”  “I can’t believe it!”  Instead, a more appropriate response is, “Thank you, God, we know that was You!”  As humans, we are often too hung up on the details. How did this happen?  What did you do to make this happen?  We seem compelled at times to explain miracles when we would be better off to relax, be still, and trust the Miracle Worker with thanksgiving and praise!

God is obviously not finished with Peter yet.  They both know it.  Peter slips out of town to continue the work.  Herod is so confused he goes on vacation—often a more human response from unbelief and the frustration of living on the “dark side.”  God is not finished with Herod, either…there’s more about hm tomorrow.

We learn that when we pray—God works, He is always at work.  When we pray in Jesus Name, we pray with power that is beyond humans.  The same power that raised Jesus from death to life is available to us when we call on His Name. 

Prayer to God, in Jesus Name, holds His church together with one heart, one mind for God’s purpose—so others will know and believe Jesus—our One Lord.  Rejoicing in unity is so sweet and pleasing to God, our Father!  This is what makes God smile!

Know this and internalize:  God sees our life from beginning to end. He may lead us through a storm at age 30 so we can endure a hurricane at age 60. God is not finished with us until we see Jesus face to face in all His glory! 

Be a Rhoda who runs to answer the knocking door in faith; coupled with the excitement to tell others about what Jesus has done.  And don’t forget to let people in who are the answer to your prayers!  (Smiling.) 

As a result of our faith, relatives may give us a hard time or friends might write us off as crazy. Remember that we are following Jesus’ footsteps. Pray for the joy that overcomes troubles, given by God, that is “unspeakable and full of glory.” God delivers.

“You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy.” 1 Peter 1:8, NLT

Lord,

Thank you for delivering me from sin and self, from overthinking, trying to explain the unexplainable.  Thank you for your joy and peace that comes from a cleansed heart, transformed mind and refreshed soul by you in me and me in you—trusting who you are and what you say.

In Jesus Name, For Your Glory, Amen

Even when I don’t see it, You’re working
Even when I don’t feel it, You’re working
You never stop, You never stop working
You never stop, You never stop working

Way maker, miracle worker, promise keeper
Light in the darkness
My God, that is who You are…

Imagine going to party to honor someone you’ve only heard about from what others have said as being someone impressive and important.  You accept the invitation out of curiosity.  You then wonder what you should bring to the party as a hospitable gift of thanks.  You decide to bring your special “pigs in the blanket” hoping everyone will like your popular family recipe. You arrive and hand them what you have.  Some of the attenders are a bit surprised at your offering.  You can tell by the eye rolls, ever so slight, but you saw and felt it. 

Then the guest of honor arrives!  Everyone smiles and honors him with applause and praise.  He accepts all the food on the table and thanks everyone for their contribution.  But what happens next leaves you in a state of awe and wonder.  The guest of honor announces that he has brought a gift to every single person who came—a gift so exquisite that no amount of money could purchase such a gift!  Many are stunned.  They came expecting to give not to get a gift! 

Every person invited to the party, especially those in the back who served, was offered the greatest gift in the world.  The Guest of honor then spent precious moments of time with each one who received his gift.  No one expected that in coming to a gathering would they see this honored guest offer the gift of a lifetime—eternal life!   

Acts 11, The Message

God Has Broken Through

^1-3 The news traveled fast and in no time the leaders and friends back in Jerusalem heard about it—heard that the non-Jewish “outsiders” were now “in.” When Peter got back to Jerusalem, some of his old associates, concerned about circumcision, called him on the carpet: “What do you think you’re doing rubbing shoulders with that crowd, eating what is prohibited and ruining our good name?”

^4-6 So Peter, starting from the beginning, laid it out for them step-by-step: “Recently I was in the town of Joppa praying. I fell into a trance and saw a vision: Something like a huge blanket, lowered by ropes at its four corners, came down out of heaven and settled on the ground in front of me. Milling around on the blanket were farm animals, wild animals, reptiles, birds—you name it, it was there. Fascinated, I took it all in.

^7-10 “Then I heard a voice: ‘Go to it, Peter—kill and eat.’ I said, ‘Oh, no, Master. I’ve never so much as tasted food that wasn’t kosher.’ The voice spoke again: ‘If God says it’s okay, it’s okay.’ This happened three times, and then the blanket was pulled back up into the sky.

^11-14 “Just then three men showed up at the house where I was staying, sent from Caesarea to get me. The Spirit told me to go with them, no questions asked. So I went with them, I and six friends, to the man who had sent for me. He told us how he had seen an angel right in his own house, real as his next-door neighbor, saying, ‘Send to Joppa and get Simon, the one they call Peter. He’ll tell you something that will save your life—in fact, you and everyone you care for.’

^15-17 “So I started in, talking. Before I’d spoken half a dozen sentences, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as he did on us the first time. I remembered Jesus’ words: ‘John baptized with water; you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ So I ask you: If God gave the same exact gift to them as to us when we believed in the Master Jesus Christ, how could I object to God?”

¹⁸ Hearing it all laid out like that, they quieted down. And then, as it sank in, they started praising God. “It’s really happened! God has broken through to the other nations, opened them up to Life!”

^19-21 Those who had been scattered by the persecution triggered by Stephen’s death traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, but they were still only speaking and dealing with their fellow Jews. Then some of the men from Cyprus and Cyrene who had come to Antioch started talking to Greeks, giving them the Message of the Master Jesus. God was pleased with what they were doing and put his stamp of approval on it—quite a number of the Greeks believed and turned to the Master.

^22-24 When the church in Jerusalem got wind of this, they sent Barnabas to Antioch to check on things. As soon as he arrived, he saw that God was behind and in it all. He threw himself in with them, got behind them, urging them to stay with it the rest of their lives. He was a good man that way, enthusiastic and confident in the Holy Spirit’s ways. The community grew large and strong in the Master.

^25-26 Then Barnabas went on to Tarsus to look for Saul. He found him and brought him back to Antioch. They were there a whole year, meeting with the church and teaching a lot of people. It was in Antioch that the disciples were for the first time called Christians.

^27-30 It was about this same time that some prophets came to Antioch from Jerusalem. One of them named Agabus stood up one day and, prompted by the Spirit, warned that a severe famine was about to devastate the country. (The famine eventually came during the rule of Claudius.) So the disciples decided that each of them would send whatever they could to their fellow Christians in Judea to help out. They sent Barnabas and Saul to deliver the collection to the leaders in Jerusalem.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

BE INFORMED!

There are no outsiders to God.  All are welcome and loved by God. All are “in” who believe in Jesus and accept his gift of redemption from sins.  All who receive this gift will not perish but have eternal life.  (John 3:16)

All nations, all races, all languages; ALL people created and so loved by God are welcome to receive the gift Jesus has provided.  God gave John a vision of this gathering of all—

“After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice:

“Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”          Revelation 7:9-10, NIV

Peter had nothing to fear from the uninformed critics. After all, he had only followed orders from the Lord, and the Spirit had clearly confirmed the salvation of the Gentiles. Peter reviewed the entire experience from beginning to end, and, when he was finished, the Jewish legalists dropped their charges and glorified God for the salvation of the Gentiles.

Christians, believers of Jesus, are to receive one another and not dispute over cultural differences or minor matters of personal conviction. Some of the Jewish Christians in the early church wanted the Gentiles to become Jews, and some of the Gentile believers wanted the Jews to stop being Jews and become Gentiles! This attitude can create serious division in the church even today, so it is important that we follow the example of verse 18; “God has broken through to the other nations, opened them up to Life!” 

How do we respond?

Pause and prayerfully examine our hearts:

Is there someone, anyone, with whom we would be uncomfortable or even refuse to worship alongside today?  If the answer is yes, I pray you would allow God to breakthrough all the barriers of uninformed thinking that would exclude anyone from being loved, appreciated, welcomed and acceptance into the Holy Presence of God, Savior, and Lord. 

Afterall, God accepted you and I—sinners saved by grace!

Lord,

May all we learn sink deep within our souls.  I pray unity through your Holy Spirit within all our churches to prevail over comparing, competing, judging, and all other unloving behaviors that drive people away from your saving grace.  Forgive us, Lord.  May we love like you love us.  Use us to encourage others as we share all you have so freely given to us.

In Jesus Name, Amen

.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”—Jesus, John 3:16

Background and Update—for understanding as we move forward in our Acts journey:

Acts is usually understood as the “actions” of the apostles. But some scholars have said that it would be better named “The Acts of the Holy Spirit,” because the central character who is manifested is the third person of the Trinity.  The Holy Spirit enables, empowers, and who leads God’s church into its earliest period of expansion.

Acts was written by Dr. Luke, a physician by trade, who wrote the gospel of Luke. He did not stop with his eyewitness accounts of Jesus.  It is as if Dr. Luke merely pauses from completing his gospel to dip pen to ink so he can continue to tell the world how the work Jesus began and then continues in the lives of those He trained and commissioned.  Luke carries on the narrative history of the early church to tell us how the church grew and expanded from the inside out and outside in.

We remember that before He left earth, Jesus gave His Great Commission to His disciples “to go and make disciples, teaching them, baptizing them in His Name” (Matthew 28:20). Jesus also told them to wait for His Spirit then begin in Jerusalem. 

“…you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8, NLT

In what part of Palestine do we find Jerusalem? It is in Judea, in the southern part of the country. And Galilee is in the north. The northern part of the country is separated, or divided, from the south—which is Judea—by Samaria. Jesus basically commands the church to move out from the center in concentric circles, so that the ministry of the newborn church, begins in Jerusalem, then moves out to the circle of Judea, and then goes and incorporates Samaria, and from there, to all the world into the uttermost parts of the earth.  God always knows what He is doing!  Those of us who love a strategy love the way God thinks and works in our lives—trust Him!

Luke is telling us what is happening in the primitive church in Jerusalem in the early chapters and now we begin to hear of its expansion into Judea, then to Samaria. Later we will follow the missionary journeys of the Apostle Paul, (formerly Saul the persecutor), who will take the gospel to the Gentiles— (anyone not a Jew), “to the uttermost parts of the earth.”

In this passage, the Holy Spirit comes to broaden the scope of God’s strategic mission by opening the heart and stretching the mind of Peter, a Jew by birth, a passionate follower of Jesus by rebirth who is called to preach the Good News to the world God so loves—Jews and non-Jews. God is for everyone who believes in Jesus!

Acts 10, The Message

Peter’s Vision

^1-3 There was a man named Cornelius who lived in Caesarea, captain of the Italian Guard stationed there. He was a thoroughly good man. He had led everyone in his house to live worshipfully before God, was always helping people in need, and had the habit of prayer. One day about three o’clock in the afternoon he had a vision. An angel of God, as real as his next-door neighbor, came in and said, “Cornelius.”

^4-6 Cornelius stared hard, wondering if he was seeing things. Then he said, “What do you want, sir?”

The angel said, “Your prayers and neighborly acts have brought you to God’s attention. Here’s what you are to do. Send men to Joppa to get Simon, the one everyone calls Peter. He is staying with Simon the Tanner, whose house is down by the sea.”

^7-8 As soon as the angel was gone, Cornelius called two servants and one particularly devout soldier from the guard. He went over with them in great detail everything that had just happened, and then sent them off to Joppa.

^9-13 The next day as the three travelers were approaching the town, Peter went out on the balcony to pray. It was about noon. Peter got hungry and started thinking about lunch. While lunch was being prepared, he fell into a trance. He saw the skies open up. Something that looked like a huge blanket lowered by ropes at its four corners settled on the ground. Every kind of animal and reptile and bird you could think of was on it. Then a voice came: “Go to it, Peter—kill and eat.”

¹⁴ Peter said, “Oh, no, Lord. I’ve never so much as tasted food that was not kosher.”

¹⁵ The voice came a second time: “If God says it’s okay, it’s okay.”

¹⁶ This happened three times, and then the blanket was pulled back up into the skies.

^17-20 As Peter, puzzled, sat there trying to figure out what it all meant, the men sent by Cornelius showed up at Simon’s front door. They called in, asking if there was a Simon, also called Peter, staying there. Peter, lost in thought, didn’t hear them, so the Spirit whispered to him, “Three men are knocking at the door looking for you. Get down there and go with them. Don’t ask any questions. I sent them to get you.”

²¹ Peter went down and said to the men, “I think I’m the man you’re looking for. What’s up?”

^22-23 They said, “Captain Cornelius, a God-fearing man well-known for his fair play—ask any Jew in this part of the country—was commanded by a holy angel to get you and bring you to his house so he could hear what you had to say.” Peter invited them in and made them feel at home.

God Plays No Favorites

^23-26 The next morning he got up and went with them. Some of his friends from Joppa went along. A day later they entered Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had his relatives and close friends waiting with him. The minute Peter came through the door, Cornelius was up on his feet greeting him—and then down on his face worshiping him! Peter pulled him up and said, “None of that—I’m a man and only a man, no different from you.”

^27-29 Talking things over, they went on into the house, where Cornelius introduced Peter to everyone who had come. Peter addressed them, “You know, I’m sure that this is highly irregular. Jews just don’t do this—visit and relax with people of another race. But God has just shown me that no race is better than any other. So the minute I was sent for, I came, no questions asked. But now I’d like to know why you sent for me.”

^30-32 Cornelius said, “Four days ago at about this time, midafternoon, I was home praying. Suddenly there was a man right in front of me, flooding the room with light. He said, ‘Cornelius, your daily prayers and neighborly acts have brought you to God’s attention. I want you to send to Joppa to get Simon, the one they call Peter. He’s staying with Simon the Tanner down by the sea.’

³³ “So I did it—I sent for you. And you’ve been good enough to come. And now we’re all here in God’s presence, ready to listen to whatever the Master put in your heart to tell us.”

^34-36 Peter fairly exploded with his good news: “It’s God’s own truth, nothing could be plainer: God plays no favorites! It makes no difference who you are or where you’re from—if you want God and are ready to do as he says, the door is open. The Message he sent to the children of Israel—that through Jesus Christ everything is being put together again—well, he’s doing it everywhere, among everyone.

^37-38 “You know the story of what happened in Judea. It began in Galilee after John preached a total life-change. Then Jesus arrived from Nazareth, anointed by God with the Holy Spirit, ready for action. He went through the country helping people and healing everyone who was beaten down by the Devil. He was able to do all this because God was with him.

^39-43 “And we saw it, saw it all, everything he did in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem where they killed him, hung him from a cross. But in three days God had him up, alive, and out where he could be seen. Not everyone saw him—he wasn’t put on public display. Witnesses had been carefully handpicked by God beforehand—us! We were the ones, there to eat and drink with him after he came back from the dead. He commissioned us to announce this in public, to bear solemn witness that he is in fact the One whom God destined as Judge of the living and dead. But we’re not alone in this. Our witness that he is the means to forgiveness of sins is backed up by the witness of all the prophets.”

^44-46 No sooner were these words out of Peter’s mouth than the Holy Spirit came on the listeners. The believing Jews who had come with Peter couldn’t believe it, couldn’t believe that the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out on “outsider” non-Jews, but there it was—they heard them speaking in tongues, heard them praising God.

^46-48 Then Peter said, “Do I hear any objections to baptizing these friends with water? They’ve received the Holy Spirit exactly as we did.” Hearing no objections, he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.

Then they asked Peter to stay on for a few days.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

God plays no favorites—I’m glad, how about you?!

It is clearly God who prepares our hearts to receive the news of what Jesus did to take away our sins. 

The Holy Spirit of God moves in mighty ways to impress upon the minds of humanity that God is for all and in all who believe in Jesus.  There is nothing we have done that He will not forgive.  There is no one on earth who believes that He will not welcome into His Kingdom.

We are not separatists, we are includers if we know and love like God. 

“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” 1 John 4:7-8

“This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God.” 1 John 4:13-15

“God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus.” 1 John 4:16-17

“We love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.”  1 John 4:20-21

Truth:  Everyone, anyone, and whoever believe are called children of God—and he does not play favorites.  Do we?  Pause to examine and evaluate our hearts.

Lord,

Thank you for the Plan that saved all who believe on Your Name and follow you with all that is in them.  Thank you for being the God of all you created. Thank you for not playing favorites as you demonstrate your love to us and work in us so that we love like you love us.  Thank you for cleansing our hearts of favoritism, transforming our minds, refreshing our souls, and restoring the joy of you in us and us in you daily.  You are not finished with us until we see you face to face!  Thank you for not giving up on me!

In Jesus Name, For Your Glory, Amen.

“For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps.”—Peter, 1 Peter 2:21

To walk in the steps of Jesus, we must do what He did.  Jesus always went to be with God first before doing anything of significance. The gospels burst with true stories of how Jesus moved into the neighborhood of humanity and brought God’s Love and Light to the darkness that had overwhelmed His people for centuries. Through Jesus’ sacrificially work of dying for our sins then rising to life, defeating death; God demonstrated His glory and power and relentless love for us—so others may believe, be transformed, and love Him back. 

Peter was a life changed so dramatically and transformed powerfully by Jesus who he came to know and love.  Peter left home to give his all to the One who would teach and equip him while walking with Jesus for three years.  Through Peter, “in Jesus Name,” the work Jesus began in the lives of people, is not only continuing but as Jesus promised, even “greater things are happening” ! 

“Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” –Jesus, John 14:12-14

Peter walks in His steps, in His Name, for God’s glory!  His message:  Believe and follow Jesus!

Acts 9, The Message

Tabitha

^32-35 Peter went off on a mission to visit all the churches. In the course of his travels he arrived in Lydda and met with the believers there. He came across a man—his name was Aeneas—who had been in bed eight years paralyzed. Peter said, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and make your bed!” And he did it—jumped right out of bed. Everybody who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him walking around and woke up to the fact that God was alive and active among them.

^36-37 Down the road a way in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha, “Gazelle” in our language. She was well-known for doing good and helping out. During the time Peter was in the area she became sick and died. Her friends prepared her body for burial and put her in a cool room.

^38-40 Some of the disciples had heard that Peter was visiting in nearby Lydda and sent two men to ask if he would be so kind as to come over. Peter got right up and went with them. They took him into the room where Tabitha’s body was laid out. Her old friends, most of them widows, were in the room mourning. They showed Peter pieces of clothing the Gazelle had made while she was with them. Peter put the widows all out of the room. He knelt and prayed. Then he spoke directly to the body: “Tabitha, get up.”

^40-41 She opened her eyes. When she saw Peter, she sat up. He took her hand and helped her up. Then he called in the believers and widows, and presented her to them alive.

^42-43 When this became known all over Joppa, many put their trust in the Master. Peter stayed on a long time in Joppa as a guest of Simon the Tanner.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Churches are popping up everywhere as groups of believers gather in Jesus Name!   Peter, led by God’s Holy Spirit is going to visit and encourage these new believers.  Jesus, who promised God’s Holy Spirit to help the disciples has now taken up full residence in the life of Peter.  Peter is doing what Jesus did, walking in the steps of Jesus as His representative, asking for healing in Jesus Name, so that God will be glorified and others will know and follow Jesus. 

God is alive and active among the new believers.  Churches are forming all over the region beyond Jerusalem—even during persecution for believing!  God is doing exactly what Jesus said He would—and the gates of hell will not stop God’s church from spreading the Good News of redemption in Jesus.  Peter has been called, equipped and sent by Jesus as “the one whom He would build his church upon.”  So, we should not be surprised by the healings that take place in Jesus Name!  (Matthew 16:18)

Peter, who has learned from previous failures and missteps, now applies all that Jesus taught him to be and do life so that others will turn from darkness and put all their love, faith and trust in Jesus who has saved them from sin.  Peter always will be the first to tell all who will listen, “This is not me doing the healing, it is the Master.”  Like Jesus gave glory to God, Peter gives glory to God in Jesus Name.   All is done in Jesus Name so others will know and believe Jesus is Savior and Lord!

Peter, former impetuous fisherman, now boldly and unashamedly preaches Jesus—

“He personally carried our sins
    in his body on the cross
so that we can be dead to sin
    and live for what is right.
By his wounds
    you are healed.
    who wandered away.
But now you have turned to your Shepherd,
    the Guardian of your souls.

1 Peter 2:24-25, NLT

Peter is a life who was transformed for God’s glory by Jesus so others will believe. 

Jesus does the same for you and I. Turn to the Shepherd who guides our steps.

How do we respond today?  Pause to be still.  Prayerfully and honestly consider answers to these life changing questions…

Am I a life transformed by Jesus? 

Is all my hope and trust in Jesus? 

Do I believe what He says to be really real for my life? 

Do I seek God first as I walk in Jesus steps, in His way, being before doing anything in His Name? 

Do I seek glory or live to glorify God? 

Do I seek what God wants or what I want Him to bless?

Am I walking in His steps for His glory in Jesus Name?

Lord,

We relate to Peter because we have messed up before your message in us transformed our lives.  I am a life that was changed by you for your glory.  I am still a work in progress—as we will read Peter and others were as well—so we ask you to daily cleanse our hearts, renew our minds, refresh our souls with your new mercies, and restore the joy of you in us and us in you.  We will seek to be before we do anything in your Name for your glory so others will know of your saving grace!

In Jesus Name, Amen.  I believe.