Thoughts From Acts 14 - Part 1

  But the Jewish leaders incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region. 51 So they shook the dust off their feet as a warning to them and went to Iconium. 52 And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.  At Iconium Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish synagogue. There they spoke so effectively that a great number of Jews and Greeks believed. 2 But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the other Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. 3 So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders. 4 The people of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews, others with the apostles. 5 There was a plot afoot among both Gentiles and Jews, together with their leaders, to mistreat them and stone them. 6 But they found out about it and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding country, 7 where they continued to preach the gospel.8 In Lystra there sat a man who was lame. He had been that way from birth and had never walked. 9 He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed 10 and called out, “Stand up on your feet!” At that, the man jumped up and began to walk.

           We are headed to Argentina for a medical mission. At the age of 70, I have to admit that going on these trips isn't as easy as when I was younger, but if I don't go it doesn't happen. They need a doctor over-seeing things. Pray that God would raise up other doctors to go in the future. We just found out that the state we intended to go to has denied our privileges to do medicine. I don't know if it is a pride thing where "We don't need the United States to help our medical needs," or a power play by the Catholic church who has great political influence in Central and South America and doesn't want evangelicals stealing people away. Anyway, we are going to leave for other regions just like Paul and the disciples had to.

         We don't get angry or doubt but praise God for an opportunity in other areas. Also, since we can't do clinics, it's been arranged that I am going to speak at a public forum on Women's healthcare and to this audience I plan to incorporate what I call "Wholistic Medicine". It's based on the 10 lepers who were healed but Jesus said to the one who came back, "!0 have been healed but you've been made Whole." That word in the Greek is sozo which means more of an inner healing or a complete integration. Hopefully my reasoning can convince some through the Holy Spirit that they need to be saved. If Paul's travels are any indication, some will believe, some will be intrigued and want to hear more, some won't believe, and a few will be so opposed that they make sure we don't speak again. I doubt we would experience physical harm and I doubt power to heal will be with us - but you never know.

       We're praying for a harvest of souls as God moves ahead of us in this area and the devil tries to stop it. May the power of the Holy Spirit overwhelm the darkness and be poured out on us.

Thoughts From Acts 13 - Part 4

 Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses. 40 Take care that what the prophets have said does not happen to you:

41 “‘Look, you scoffers, wonder and perish, for I am going to do something in your days that you would never believe, even if someone told you.’”42 As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people invited them to speak further about these things on the next Sabbath. 43 When the congregation was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who talked with them and urged them to continue in the grace of God.44 On the next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. 45 When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy. They began to contradict what Paul was saying and heaped abuse on him.46 Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: “We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles. 47 For this is what the Lord has commanded us:“‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.”48 When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.49 The word of the Lord spread through the whole region.  Acts 13:39-49

        You ever know someone who told such fantastic tales that you wanted to believe them but deep down you just couldn't because they were so over the top? Ray, a missionary in Rio told of a massive boulder on a piece of land that kept them from building a church on it and one night a lightning bolt came down and struck it blasting it into thousands of small pieces. I have a polished piece he gave me to remind me that God does the impossible. I tell that story but still am only about 80-90% sure it's true - it's just so fantastic. Wally, a guy that comes to our church's free meals for the needy, tells of being a professional wrestler along with his moniker and catch phrases in years gone by and everyone believes him - he is that big. Then he tells of fatal brain cancer and flying overseas for experimental treatment and how God healed him and it all starts to not add up. I'm 5% sure anything that comes out of his mouth is true.

         The disciples told of a man who came from Heaven where He dwelt because He is God and was born as a baby in human flesh and predicted his death on a cross and resurrection 3 days later and pulled it off for hundreds to witness. People just couldn't believe it because the tale is too fantastic, yet it 100% happened. How do we know? Because all the disciples were tortured and killed yet refused to deny what they had seen. I guess if missionary Ray's life depended on that story being true, my belief would go up to 100%. The thing is, the Jewish leaders didn't care if it was true or not. They just cared that their power and influence was being siphoned away by Jesus. They hated Jesus like Alfalfa hated Waldo for swooping in and stealing Darla with all his new things in Little Rascals. They couldn't compete so they heaped abuse on Paul and Barnabas. When people can't refute what you say or do, they usually resort to insults and going after your character.

          I'm looking forward to God doing more big things in my lifetime. Imagine the day when the trumpet sounds and millions of people all over the world just disappear. This is going to happen yet it's almost too fantastic to believe. Almost...

Thoughts From Acts 13 - Part 3

 Before the coming of Jesus, John preached repentance and baptism to all the people of Israel. 25 As John was completing his work, he said: ‘Who do you suppose I am? I am not the one you are looking for. But there is one coming after me whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.’26 “Fellow children of Abraham and you God-fearing Gentiles, it is to us that this message of salvation has been sent. 27 The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus, yet in condemning him they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath. 28 Though they found no proper ground for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have him executed. 29 When they had carried out all that was written about him, they took him down from the cross and laid him in a tomb. 30 But God raised him from the dead, 31 and for many days he was seen by those who had traveled with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now his witnesses to our people.32 We tell you the good news: What God promised our ancestors 33 he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it is written in the second Psalm: “‘You are my son today I have become your father.’34 God raised him from the dead so that he will never be subject to decay. As God has said, “‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings promised to David.’35 So it is also stated elsewhere: “‘You will not let your holy one see decay.’36 “Now when David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep; he was buried with his ancestors and his body decayed. 37 But the one whom God raised from the dead did not see decay.38 Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. 39 Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses."

      Paul's message continues. He had already established that God created man and chose the Israelites to be in a relationship with Him but because of their trespasses they couldn't be and were receiving, even right then in their oppression by the Romans, the punishment for their sins. He then goes on to tell them that John the Baptist told them that they needed to repent and show it by humbling themselves to wash in symbolic water of becoming a new Jew the way the Gentiles had to if they wanted to convert. Then he introduces Jesus, from the lineage of David whom John the Baptist introduced as greater than him because He could actually remove sins because as God, the sins were done against Him. Jesus did this by dying on the cross. He took away the sin of the world, as John the Baptist said He would by taking on the curse we deserved because "cursed is everyone who dies on a tree" and the death we deserved because "the soul that sins must die." He shed His blood for us because "without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin." He was the ceremonial scapegoat if we by faith put our sins on Him, He would take them "out of the camp." Then He rose from the dead as Isaiah said, "After He suffered He would see the light of life and God would prolong His days." Because of this when we die we too can live on by trusting in Him.

          This is the whole gospel to Jews as spelled out in the Old Testament. He spoke to them in their language. Using the New Testament we have

 "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. Rom. 3:23-25

 24 “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”  1Peter 2:24

If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. Rom.10:9,10

 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2Cor. 5:21

 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.  John 3:16

    Do you have these verses memorized or some others that at a moment's notice you can share and lead someone to Christ? Paul did and he had some for every distinct audience. We need to also.

Thoughts From Acts 13 - Part 2

  From Paphos, Paul and his companions sailed to Perga in Pamphylia, where John left them to return to Jerusalem. 14 From Perga they went on to Pisidian Antioch. On the Sabbath they entered the synagogue and sat down. 15 After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the leaders of the synagogue sent word to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have a word of exhortation for the people, please speak.”16 Standing up, Paul motioned with his hand and said: “Fellow Israelites and you Gentiles who worship God, listen to me! 17 The God of the people of Israel chose our ancestors; he made the people prosper during their stay in Egypt; with mighty power he led them out of that country; 18 for about forty years he endured their conduct in the wilderness; 19 and he overthrew seven nations in Canaan, giving their land to his people as their inheritance. 20 All this took about 450 years.“After this, God gave them judges until the time of Samuel the prophet. 21 Then the people asked for a king, and he gave them Saul son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin, who ruled forty years. 22 After removing Saul, he made David their king. God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’23 “From this man’s descendants God has brought to Israel the Savior Jesus, as he promised  Acts 13:13-23

         Paul was always ready with a sermon. Are you? I remember being in Dominican Republic on a surgical mission trip and my friend Jehosophat came running up to me and excitedly said, "Come with me!" He had somehow arranged for us to share the gospel to an assembly at the public school. He turned it over to me to preach and he would interpret. I wasn't prepared but God gave me the words to speak. I talked from the account where Jesus heals the 10 lepers but only one had healing of his soul. I related it to why we were there, not just to offer temporary healing but the healing that lasts forever. Paul was prepared for whatever audience he would come upon. When he spoke to the Jews, like in this case, we get a glimpse of his method.

       First he would build them up as Jews and get them on his side. He'd talk about them being the chosen people and their rich heritage with God fighting for them against all foes. Then he would develop their pattern of rebellion against God and their unworthiness compared to God's faithfulness and goodness to them. Certainly, unless they were in denial they would have to admit that their years of wandering in the wilderness, the age of Judges, and their choice of a king, in particular Saul, were not their finest hours. Then, after establishing that God loves them and they have failed God, he presents Jesus as the Messiah who came to fix their relationship with God.

      When we present the gospel, likewise it starts with God. Contemporary Christianity makes it all about us but that's got it backwards. God is our perfect creator who made us to be in a relationship with Him but we ruined it. Our sins separate us from a Holy God just like germs separate us from an operating room. But God sent His Son Jesus to wash away our sins with His blood on the cross - but Paul will get to that next. Suffice it to say Rom.3:23 says that we've all sinned and are separated from the glory of God. If I was sharing this to Paul's audience, I might use the example of the person who touched the ark and died, Uzziah entering the Holy place and getting leprosy, Aaron's sons getting killed for offering unauthorized fire or Moses being hidden from God's presence so he wouldn't be consumed. I would probably use Habakkuk 1:13 which says, "Your face O Lord is too holy to look on sin".

       Are you prepared to grab a mike and start preaching?

Thoughts From Acts 13 - Part 1

 When Barnabas and Saul had finished their mission, they returned from Jerusalem, taking with them John, also called Mark.  Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. 2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off. The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus. 5 When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their helper.6 They traveled through the whole island until they came to Paphos. There they met a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus, 7 who was an attendant of the proconsul, Sergius Paulus. The proconsul, an intelligent man, sent for Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God. 8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul from the faith. 9 Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas and said, 10 “You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord? 11 Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You are going to be blind for a time, not even able to see the light of the sun.”Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand. 12 When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord.

          Christianity isn't for the unintelligent. Sure, a lot of people who are simple come to Jesus because unless you become like a child you can't enter the kingdom of Heaven. It's a simple faith. When Paul came to Corinth he came with simplicity. Apollos came later with complexity and the people ate it up because they wanted the deeper things of the gospel. Here, Paul is coming with the kid gloves off. Sergius Paulus was an "intelligent man" and didn't come to Christ because of the miraculous blinding of Elymas, although I'm sure that didn't hurt, but because he was amazed by the teaching about the Lord. When Paul first arrived, as was his custom, he went to the Jews at the synagogue and taught. You know he must have used all his intellect to reason with them from the scriptures. When we look at the Church in Antioch that sent them, I see intelligent, schooled men.

      I just listened to an interview by Sean McDowell of a Mormon leader. He asked the LDS guy if he had any doubts or how he wrestles with lack of archaeological and historical substantiation of the Book of Mormon and the Book of Abraham that we have parts of the original manuscript that Joseph Smith interpreted from Cuneiform by totally fabricating. He answered, "I have faith and I have the assurance of the Holy Spirit that this is true, so I don't doubt." Christianity doesn't require that to believe the Bible. It is archaeologically, historically, and "manuscripturally" (new word) verifiable. It still does require faith to give our lives to a God who is invisible, though. Although we can't see Him, like the wind we see His effects and they are convincing. Just like Paul, Barnabas, and John got in a boat trusting it would float (because it was currently floating) and sailed to Cyprus trusting in a wind that they couldn't see to blow them there (because they saw it blowing other boats), we put our trust in a God we can't see yet know He is the Truth. We have seen His power and what He can do and he is trustworthy. Several times in the passage it says Paul taught what was right. The gospel is truth, it is right, it is the explanation of why the world and people are the way they are and gives the remedy.

       You don't have to check your brains at the door of the church. It's reality, it's comprehensible, it's reasonable and we don't have to be ashamed of it especially among the academic elite. Paul wasn't and through the power of the Holy Spirit, God can break through the hardest of hearts and minds.

Thoughts From Acts 12 - Part 3

 In the morning, there was no small commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter. 19 After Herod had a thorough search made for him and did not find him, he cross-examined the guards and ordered that they be executed. Then Herod went from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there. 20 He had been quarreling with the people of Tyre and Sidon; they now joined together and sought an audience with him. After securing the support of Blastus, a trusted personal servant of the king, they asked for peace, because they depended on the king’s country for their food supply.21 On the appointed day Herod, wearing his royal robes, sat on his throne and delivered a public address to the people. 22 They shouted, “This is the voice of a god, not of a man.” 23 Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.24 But the word of God continued to spread and flourish.  Acts 12:18-24

        There are four significant Herod's in the Bible, Herod not being a name but a title like "president" or "Pharoah". Herod the great was the Magi guy and is in the Christmas story. Herod Antipas arrested John the Baptist and crucified Jesus. Herod Agrippa I is the one here who had James killed and gets eaten by worms and Agrippa II tells Paul, "You're great learning is making you insane."

       This account is not a once upon a time story but corroborated by ancient history. Documentation of this visit to Tyre and Sidon, wealthy, proud seaport cities who had everything but grain because they were land locked during a time of famine, had to "suck up" to Herod to get food. They planned games at the arenas and made this a big "to do" and Herod agreed because his trusted aide Blastus, who had received a bribe from the cities, encouraged him to go. Josephus records that in 44AD this happened and at the end of his speech after receiving undeflected worship, he collapsed with severe abdominal pain and died 5 days later. Having done surgery in 3rd world countries I'm reminded of taking out an appendix filled with parasitic worms. What probably happened is his appendix ruptured allowing the worms and feces into his abdomen and he died of sepsis 5 days later.

       Several points here. First the Bible is accurate historically. When people say, "How can you believe the Bible is true?", you never have to apologize for or explain away the narrative. It's always proven to be accurate from outside sources and from archaeology. Second, don't mess with the Children of God. Their father won't let you get away with that. It doesn't always happen in this life but it will in the afterlife. It happened to Pharoah in Exodus, it happened to Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel, and it happened here in Acts 12. As average a Christian as I am, when people mess with me it never ends well for them over time. Third, Peter could have felt responsible for the death of the guards. Herod was completely responsible just like the Magi going home the other way weren't responsible for the death of all the children under 2, but Herod the Great was. Our obedience to Christ can rattle the beehive of the devil and the sinful world we live in. The evil is always responsible for causing more evil, not us.

      Today, I'm going to boldly obey the Lord confident that He loves me, defends me and His word is truth and rattle the devil's cage.

Thoughts From Acts 12 - Part 3

  Then Peter came to himself and said, “Now I know without a doubt that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s clutches and from everything the Jewish people were hoping would happen.”12 When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying. 13 Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer the door. 14 When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, “Peter is at the door!”15 “You’re out of your mind,” they told her. When she kept insisting that it was so, they said, “It must be his angel.”16 But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. 17 Peter motioned with his hand for them to be quiet and described how the Lord had brought him out of prison. “Tell James and the other brothers and sisters about this,” he said, and then he left for another place. Acts 12:11-17

           I was amazed by the power of angels when I read chapter 12. They treat our total reality like it's nothing. They break all the physical rules that we live by. They appear out of nowhere and then just disappear. They could be in my room right now and I wouldn't know. Is that why my dog is barking at apparently nothing? The chains on Peter just fell off. They weren't unclasped with his superhuman strength like Samson would have done but the metal became air for a second and fell right through the wrists. If I were Simon the Sorcerer, that's the trick I'd pay for. The clanging of chains falling didn't wake up the guards so it appears the angel had put them into a deep sleep so obviously he could mess with their minds like a Jedi master. He had a physical presence because he poked Peter in the side to wake him, yet he didn't push the iron gate open, but it just opened by his thought. Ebony Maw, the Voldemort looking guy on the side of Thanos in the Avengers comes to mind, but he had a physical substance that could be punched. I feel like a punch would pass right through an angel.

         When people doubt the Bible because of miracles it shows that their minds are enslaved to the rules of nature that we are bound to. Isn't it possible that if there is a God that transcends these and servants not bound to the laws of science, that miracles aren't even miracles for God? It's just Him doing what He wills whether it fits our planet or not. The Christians praying for him expected God to act according to the rules of Earth. That's why, even though they were in a prayer meeting praying for his deliverance, they didn't let him in because they didn't believe it was him. Lack of faith? Yes, in the fact that they thought God had to abide by the rules He created. Maybe He'd use an earthquake, but they didn't feel one. Maybe Simon the Zealot would mount a rescue extraction except he is here praying with us. Maybe the people would ask for Peter's release or Herod would change his mind, but an angel recue wasn't on their BINGO sheet.

       When we pray we need to remember this; God is not limited to solving problems in ways that we can conceive of. No problem is too big. No answer is impossible. He's the same God and He doesn't change.