Thoughts From Acts 2 - Part 1

 2 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”  Acts 2:1-12

     I remember being with some Assemblies of God teens up north at a lake and the discussion turned to tongues. I had never spoken in tongues and they were amazed and somewhat aghast. They gathered around me to pray, and nothing happened. At a later date, another Charismatic friend who I got together with and prayed on a weekly basis prayed for me to receive the gift of tongues. Once again nothing happened. They would say that I resisted the Holy Spirit and maybe they're right because I really didn't want it. For one, it would mean my cessasionist framework of understanding scripture was wrong and secondly, I really didn't want to be babbling in a non-sensical language.

       Whether tongues are for today or not, I yet remain to be convinced but here in this passage, language of angels is not going on. What we see here is religious people gathered together for a yearly pilgrimage according to the rules of the Old Covenant, and they were about to be introduced to the prophesied Messiah who fulfilled the Law and turned religion into relationship. But in order to do that, they needed to hear it in their own language. God gave those in the upper room the gift to speak in languages they didn't know.

       A friend of mine who is a pharmacist, was on a medical mission trip where at one moment he had no interpreters and he needed to convey instructions on how to take this medicine that was essential and dangerous if you took too much. He found himself communicating with the man in an unexplainable way. His wife witnessed it and she said, "How did you do that?" He replied, "I don't know." That's the kind of tongues I want! That's the kind of tongues they got.

      One more thought before I move on, 15 years ago I read a book about a mission plan where you could just train locals and send them out rather than the $70,000 a year cost of sending an American missionary who were unfamiliar with the land, culture, and language. This was especially effective in India. I mentioned it to David Crane, an American missionary to Kenya while I was over there, and he was familiar with the book. His take was that when the Massai see a white man drive through the tundra to their village in a Toyota and preach to them in their language, it brings crowds from everywhere and makes an impact that no indigenous person could have made. They come to see the white man who speaks Massai. That certainly is what's going on here. There's the spectacle not of dust and rumbling of the Toyota engine but rather the noise of the rushing wind of the Holy Spirit and there were Galileans speaking in Arabic, Swahili, Aramaic, Greek, Coptic, and every other language assembled. People rushed to the spot and were ready to hear what the fisherman from Galilee who spoke their language was about to say.

       May we, like Peter, through the empowering of the Holy Spirit use every opportunity where we've got a crowd assembled to tell the good news of Jesus in words that make sense to them.

Thoughts From Acts 1 - Part 4

  Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus was living among us, 22 beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection.”23 So they nominated two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. 24 Then they prayed, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen 25 to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.” 26 Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles. Acts 1:21-26

the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. 11 It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. 12 It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. 13 There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west. 14 The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. Rev. 21:10-14

       Acts is a difficult book to apply to our lives because it's difficult to know how much is prescription and how much is description. What I mean is should we pray about decisions then roll dice and go with it? I guess the Urim and Thummim were something like that but that was before the Holy Spirit lived in people. Should they have added a twelfth apostle to replace Judas or let God replace him with someone "abnormally born." Will Matthias' name really be etched into the foundations of the New Jerusalem? I guess he played as big a role as James son of Alphaeus or James the Less, but I would almost expect to see Paul's name amongst the other 11.

       Sometimes I think Acts is a book describing the fledgling church taking off in spite of a bunch of numskulls not because of. Yes, they were filled with the Holy Spirit and He was guiding them, but just like today in our churches, a lot of it is trial and error. My wife is constantly saying about our church's plans, "That will never work!" Although that pretty much is her first response to everything, in her defense she does see the whole picture while a group of men in charge often don't. I see Peter leading business meetings in that sort of light - the blind leading the blind. Suddenly an impulsive fisherman is being a moderator of a meeting.

      It's interesting to note that some had been with Jesus from the start but weren't added to His 12. Why 12? Why not, "OK, you are all my disciples, males, females, everyone who is following me."? Numbers are significant to God. That's one thing I always liked about math - there was one right answer just like reality. Jesus is the only way, the only right answer. Things like literature, philosophy, etc. had answers that could all be correct no matter how diverse. God wanted twelve disciples and that was it. I don't know why but He has a reason. The latter part of Exodus spells out the exact dimensions that God wanted everything in the tabernacle to adhere to. If you continue to read about the New Jerusalem, all its dimensions are spelled out. Why? When you read about the temple at the end of Ezekiel, there are cubit measurements galore. Why? I don't know but numbers are significant to God.

      History tells us certain things about Matthias that he ministered in Judea and Turkey and was probably stoned to death and then beheaded. So you want to be a disciple? It reminds me of when the disciples James and John asked to sit next to Jesus in His kingdom and His answer was classic - "Those seats are taken but you will suffer like me." Not much of an incentive to disciplehood but when you think about eternity and having your name etched on the foundations of the New Jerusalem, it's a small price to pay. What legacy are you trying to leave? Are you after comfort, safety and ease or are you ready to say, "Here am I, pick me"!

Thoughts From Acts 1 - Part 3

  In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty) 16 and said, “Brothers and sisters, the Scripture had to be fulfilled in which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus. 17 He was one of our number and shared in our ministry.”18 (With the payment he received for his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out. 19 Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this, so they called that field in their language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)20 “For,” said Peter, “it is written in the Book of Psalms:

“‘May his place be deserted;
    let there be no one to dwell in it,’

and,

“‘May another take his place of leadership.’ Acts 1:15-20

Even my close friend,
    someone I trusted,
one who shared my bread,
    has turned against me. Ps. 41:9

If an enemy were insulting me,
    I could endure it;
if a foe were rising against me,
    I could hide.
13 But it is you, a man like myself,
    my companion, my close friend,
14 with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship Ps. 55:12-14

 I told them, “If you think it best, give me my pay; but if not, keep it.” So they paid me thirty pieces of silver.13 And the Lord said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—the handsome price at which they valued me! So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them to the potter at the house of the Lord. Zech. 11:12,13

May their place be deserted;
    let there be no one to dwell in their tents. Ps.69:25

May his days be few;
    may another take his place of leadership. Ps.109:8

In the previous passage we saw the prophecy around 500BC given that Jesus was coming back someday as the King of the World arriving on the Mount of Olives. Today, Peter quotes 2 of the at least 5 prophecies about Judas, some going back to 1000BC.

Out of all the Holy Books written, what makes the Bible unique? There are so many factors but the one that stands out to me is the prophecy in it. If it is claimed to be written by God inspiring human authors, then since God is outside time, we would expect the Bible to be outside time, and it is. What do I mean by that? Imagine a blimp over the Macy's Day parade. The occupants would see the beginning of the parade and the end of the parade all at the same time. That's like God being outside time. The blimp occupants could tell the onlookers at 26th street what is happening at 72nd street, 42 blocks before it reaches them. That's the Bible. David writes in the year 1000BC what Judas is going to do in 32AD with such detail that it can't be denied. Then Zechariah writes in 500BC things that will happen in 32AD and as we saw previously, things that will happen that haven't yet! And unlike today's charlatans, all the prophecies are true.

In our day, we have seen certain prophecies being fulfilled, the main one being Israel re-formed as a nation. I believe most of the others we will not be privy to as we are going to be raptured before the Antichrist coming on the scene and all the end-times prophecies, but one thing's true - they will happen because the God who sees the end and the beginning at the same time, has told the authors of the Bible what to write down. I may be sitting at 2026 but there's something coming in 2072, 46 years down the line that He has already seen coming. I'm overwhelmed to think that He calls me His child. What an amazing God!

Thoughts From Acts 1 - Part 2

 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.

10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”12 Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from the city. 13 When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. 14 They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers. Acts 1:9-14

                                     500 years earlier Zechariah wrote

"3 Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights on a day of battle. 4 On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south. 5 You will flee by my mountain valley, for it will extend to Azel. You will flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with him.6 On that day there will be neither sunlight nor cold, frosty darkness. 7 It will be a unique day—a day known only to the Lord—with no distinction between day and night. When evening comes, there will be light.8 On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half of it east to the Dead Sea and half of it west to the Mediterranean Sea, in summer and in winter.9 The Lord will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one Lord, and his name the only name."

       The angel said to the disciples to stop staring into Heaven, Jesus is gone. But He isn't gone for good - He's coming back at a later time to be King over the whole earth. The disciples, as seen in the previous verses, thought Jesus, the long-awaited Messiah, was going to set up His throne now but now they are finally going to realize there are two comings of Jesus - one to die and save (the Lamb) and one to conquer, punish, and reign (the Lion).

      We still await the second coming 2000 years later and the angel would tell us the same thing - be encouraged, Jesus is coming back and we win! In the meantime, though, meet together, pray together and then get out there and reach the world for Christ. How much time do we spend praying together? It makes no earthly sense, but I'm convinced that from my experience of personal revival with power from on high, that meeting together for prayer will be what changes the world. It's not hiring firms to come up with a marketing and growth plan, it's not bringing in special speakers to draw people in, it's groups of 2-4 meeting at 6AM to pray for 45 minutes before the day starts. I dare you - do that for a year and see what happens!

Thoughts From Acts 1 - Part 1

 In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 3 After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. 4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”6 Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But 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 1:1-8

        When Jesus died on the cross He exclaimed, "It is finished." What was finished? The redemption of mankind by His death on the cross for us who by faith receive it. It's sort of like when our last child moved out we could say "we're done." But were we? Only that part of raising children was finished. Now we are involved in training grandchildren.

       Luke starts out with saying that in his previous book he documented what Jesus began to do and teach. Obviously, when Jesus cried out "It is finished" only that part was - he is still at work today doing and teaching. It's cool to think that when Luke penned this 2000 years ago, he was foreshadowing that Jesus would be doing through you and me and teaching you and me today. As I demonstrate and speak Christ to my hometown, Knoxville, Memphis, Atlanta, California and in September, South America, I through the Holy Spirit am continuing the work of Christ.

       Unlike Muhammed, Buddha, and others who are in their tomb, Jesus is alive and still working, and it's a good thing because in our own power we would mess everything up. The disciples, after spending three years being taught by Jesus, still didn't get it. They still thought that Jesus came to deliver them from the Romans and set up an earthly kingdom, the very thing He wasn't doing. No wonder he replied something like, "wait for Pentecost to go out and speak because without me living in you, you will get it all wrong."

      I pray today on our 45th anniversary in Memphis that Jesus would continue to work through my wife and me. He's only just begun.

Thoughts From Philippians 4 - Part 7

  To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.21 Greet all God’s people in Christ Jesus. The brothers and sisters who are with me send greetings. 22 All God’s people here send you greetings, especially those who belong to Caesar’s household.23 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.  Phil. 4:20-23

        Paul has focused a lot on rejoicing, contentment, unity and not being discouraged or discontent in this chapter even while writing from prison. He has said over and over that the key to being joyful and content and looking past the stressors of the day is not to be secure financially, go shopping, get drunk, go on vacation, go to therapy, read books on the power of positive thinking, but rather focus on Heaven. Jesus is coming back soon to get you and you're going to live forever with all the benefits of a child of the King. If you live in that frame of mind, how can anything bring you down as Satan attempts to make you the typical Christian who is surviving, not thriving. I just saw that a kid in Texas led 895 of his classmates to the Lord. If that's true, I bet he didn't go around anxious about acne.

       Paul ends that "the grace of Christ might be with their spirit." What's grace? Getting what we don't deserve. So instead of punishment for our sins, we get adoption into the family of God. Friends of God! Co-heirs with Christ. He's saying, let that elevate your spirit even though you may be going through trials. He starts out with "To our God and Father..." We belong to God! And we belong to each other. We never need to feel alone. Paul says that we now have "brothers and sisters" that love us even though we've never met them. I was at a University of Memphis vs. Arkansas football game sitting in the Arkansas section and when Arkansas scored the woman next to me hugged me and her husband was sitting right behind her. Just imagine the hugs we will get from belonging to team Jesus! As I walked to my place in Memphis, I was greeted cordially by an immigrant picking up trash and then walked past a $350,000 Bentley convertible in a driveway. Imagine for a moment that in one block both of these people were my brothers in Christ. Paul says that his fellowship there consisted of prisoners all the way to the household of Ceasar. That's how diverse the kingdom is. I'm about to go to a Forrest Frank concert in Nashville and there will be 75,000 family members I get to hug, sing with dance with, worship with and these are all brothers and sisters - I never need to feel alone.

      Loneliness, anxiety, depression - Satan, we're on to your game and you can't have us!

Thoughts From Philippians 4 - Part 6

  Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles. 15 Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; 16 for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid more than once when I was in need. 17 Not that I desire your gifts; what I desire is that more be credited to your account. 18 I have received full payment and have more than enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. 19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. Phil. 4:14-19

        I remember as a kid at Crescent Lake Bible Camp in Rhinelander Wisconsin, a preacher challenged us to name the top 10 chapters in the Bible. I suppose now you would just ask AI and get a pretty good list. Of course, Psalm 23, Isaiah 53, Genesis 1, Exodus 20, John 3 immediately come to mind but in that top 10 he included Philippians 4. There are a lot of classic verses like 4, 6-8, 13, and finally 19 that I memorized as a child. How do I know they were as a child - they are all in King James. Verse 19 is the second of the two verses that I alluded to in the previous blog as being taken out of context.

       It says that God will meet all your needs basically because He owns everything and because of Christ's sacrifice, you are in His family, and He will take care of you. I fully endorse that interpretation and believe it to be on point. So how are people misinterpreting it? I think that in context, Paul is thanking the church in Philippi for their financial support. Paul refers to their gifts as a sacrifice so I would take that it wasn't out of their abundance but was a strain on their finances to give. I think of the land that David bought from Arunah as the death angel stopped at his plot of land. Arunah said, "Take it, it's yours!" David said, "I will not offer to God that which cost me nothing" and paid a large fee. This is, I believe, the sacrificial style of giving that the Philippians participated in.

        When Paul pens the famous verse 19, what he is getting at is that as we give to the Lord in such a manner that it hurts, God won't let you starve or be homeless - He will meet those needs. Charlatans have abused this principle to say that God will give it all back to you with interest but actually it just says that He promises to meet your needs. Does that mean that God will meet your needs even if you don't give sacrificially because you are His child? I don't think we can assume that from these verses. I have a friend who struggles with just one verse in the Bible, "I've never seen the righteous forsaken or their seed begging for bread." He says, but I have! Maybe taking this verse along with Paul's verses, the righteous are the ones who are giving sacrificially? Just a thought.

       I tend to not give sacrificially. We probably give close to 25%, maybe more maybe less (I don't want to reap the consequences of Ananias and Saphyra if I exaggerate) but it doesn't hurt. We need to give more. I feel like my needs are met by my savings not supernaturally by the Lord. I realize though that the savings are a gift from Him as He has given us everything, but I don't want that to serve as a cop-out either. What about you? Do you give sacrificially or out of your excess? Don't say, "I can't give because I won't have enough to get by" - that is what Paul is saying is a flawed statement.