Acts 17

 

Where do you want to preach? Personally, I would like to preach in an Acts 2 environment than in the Acts 17 setting.  In Acts 2, we see a people that God had prepared for generations and they reacted in a life-changing way. In Acts 17, Paul is preaching in Athens where ideas are free-flowing and rarely considered concrete enough to change your life. In Acts 2, thousands are saved. In Acts 17 a number are saved but not a great number like at Pentecost. So why point this out? I point this out because there are places where we may see great numbers responding to the gospel. After all, God has prepared the ground and there are other places where we are preparing the ground. Or to say it as Paul did in 1 Corinthians 3:6-8 "I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor" (NIV). We shouldn't worry about the results just be faithful doing what God has given us to do. 

Photo by Hưng Nguyễn Việt on Unsplash

Psalm 33

 If Psalm 33 had been written today, the Psalmist might have said, "A fighter jet is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength, it cannot save." We work really hard in our world to protect ourselves and that isn't necessarily a bad thing. The problem comes when we depend on what we have done and not God. I have seen signs saying things like "God, guns, and the constitution," the problem is only one of those can ultimately be trusted and it isn't the last two. God is the one who will ultimately save us from our troubles. It is God who works the bad to good, who rescues the martyred by leading them into paradise. It is God who opened doors we can't and stops the enemy of our soul at times we don't even know about. A gun may have some strength. The U.S. Constitution may protect some freedoms (but what about the rest of the world?), but it is God who always saves.  

Photo by Bermix Studio on Unsplash

Exodus 36

This last year Selma Christ Church helped the city by storing much of what had been given to those who had been devastated by the tornado. We quickly realized that we had far more than we needed and called other communities nearby and asked if they needed what we had too much of which was almost everything. We had to quickly put up signs saying we were not accepting any more donations of food, clothing, and other supplies. We had way too much. It was amazing. At that time, I could understand Moses trying to tell people, "Please, quit giving." There were actually people upset that they couldn't give but the needs as the community leaders saw at the time were met. They were sure as I was that there would be other needs later but there was no place to store it all. It was great to see. 

It is a reminder that when people have something they believe in and they can help, people do. 

Side note: The extras, it was decided by those in charge (not me thankfully) were to be dispersed among other charitable agencies that could use them. 

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦 on Unsplash

Exodus 35

 I notice that God didn't just give talent to Bezalel and Oholiab but God also gave them the ability to teach. The work that needed doing was greater than the two of them could do alone so God wanted them to teach others and share the load. This applies to us today because the work of God is greater than any one or two of us can do alone. It is important not just to do work but to be willing to share the knowledge with others so the work of God can be accomplished. A refusal to share the load is an example of pride and selfishness which should never be in the life of a believer. 

Photo by Masjid MABA on Unsplash

Isaiah 41

 The king coming from the north is according to many scholars Cyrus. Cyrus would be the king who allowed the Jews to return from Babylonian captivity to rebuild the temple giving the people the opportunity to worship God as they had before. Since this was prophecied years before it took place, it was to give proof that God was true and real, unlike the gods of the pagans.  This however as with many other things God did to prove himself didn't convince everyone of the power and presence of God. Even today if God did some mighty act there would be those who refuse to believe, but God is not like other gods he fulfills His promises. 

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

Job 36

 

In verse 15, Elihu says that God "by means of their suffering, he rescues those who suffer. For he gets their attention through adversity" (NLT). I have to agree with Elihu, God often gets our attention when things go wrong. This is why it is often said that someone has to hit rock bottom before they will look up. There are times when adversity is the only thing that will get our attention or correct our behavior. I think of the people who ignore their doctor until something goes wrong and then all of a sudden they are willing to listen. It is the same with God. In fact, I would say that in this affliction may be our friend and a gift from God.  Aleksandr I. Solzhenitsyn (The Gulag Archipelago 1918–1956) said “Bless you prison, bless you for being in my life. For there, lying upon the rotting prison straw, I came to realize that the object of life is not prosperity as we are made to believe, but the maturity of the human soul.” 

Sometimes the greatest pain gives the greatest good when God is in it. 

Photo by Kirk Cameron on Unsplash

Acts 16

 

We see here that there are times when God stops us from doing good work. Where do you say? Paul and his compatriates were planning to preach through Asia (Asia Minor, we would call it), but as good as that may have been it wasn't where God wanted them to go. Paul when God first prevented them didn't stop and do nothing we can assume he used their minds and thoughts and went to the next obvious place but God stopped them again. I noticed both Paul's unwillingness just to wait (God didn't tell him to do that) and Paul's complete willingness to allow God to change his plans.  

Today, I have seen both extremes. People doing nothing but waiting around until God gives them the vision and the perfect plan before they even start doing anything and those who once start on a plan won't stop even if it's clear God isn't in it. God has given us abilities and passions and we need to use them in the ways He would. He gave you the tools to use them. However, some get their ideas on what needs to happen and ignore God. They are the opposite because they have a plan and want God to bless it even when He has been saying STOP. Let's use Paul's example and find the balance. 

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash