The Gospel Message Carries Power - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, and majestic in his radiant splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Acts 10:39-43,

"We are witnesses of everything he [Jesus] did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a tree, but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen—by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."
 
As I read about Peter preaching the gospel message to Cornelius and his household, there are a couple of things that come to my mind.

The first is that Peter claimed to be an eyewitness to Jesus’ resurrection and is now giving his testimony of that. This testimony is documented by Luke here in Acts and also elsewhere in Peter’s writings.

Peter makes reference to the testimony of “all the prophets” as well as God’s chosen “witnesses”. Today, we have the benefit of all of this testimony in Scripture.

Secondly, as Peter does, Paul speaks of the inherent power of the gospel message itself, “I am not ashamed of the gospel because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes…”, Romans 1:16.

This power is on display as the gospel makes its inroad to the Gentiles in this event captured for us in the book of Acts, as Cornelius and his household embrace our Lord through faith upon hearing the gospel message.

The gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is imbued with power by God! What a message to share!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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God's Love: Available To All Mankind - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, and majestic in his radiant splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Acts 10:34-35,

“I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.”

In this passage, Peter says he now realizes this truth, that God's love is available to all mankind. This was a foreign thought to the early church, comprised of only Jews: Gentiles could be saved!

This chapter is of huge importance to me as a Gentile! One of the most moving passages of all Scripture to me is, “It will happen that in the very place where it was said to them, 'You are not my people,' they will be called 'sons of the living God.'” Romans 9:26 (where Paul quotes Hosea 1:10).

How wonderful it is that our merciful heavenly Father has included all mankind in the pursuit of his redemptive purposes!

There is no group, no demographic, no cultural segment that is excluded from God’s love, from his wonderful invitation, from eternal life, from the promises he made to Abraham! All mankind is free to embrace the Son of his love, whom he sent for us out of his kindness, love and mercy!

What a wonderful God we have!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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God Invites All Mankind! - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, and majestic in his radiant splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Acts 10:9-16,

"About noon the following day as they [Cornelius' messengers] were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles of the earth and birds of the air. Then a voice told him, 'Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.' 'Surely not, Lord!' Peter replied. 'I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.' The voice spoke to him a second time, 'Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.' This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven."

 
What a vision! In it, the Lord tells Peter that he intends that the Gentiles be called through the gospel message, it is not for the Jews only. Using the concepts of "clean" and "unclean" relative to dietary restrictions imposed by the law God gave Moses, he explains that all men of the earth are invited to the kingdom of God. No one is to be considered unworthy of the gospel - we are all unworthy!

As Peter says later about this vision, “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.” Verses 34-35.
 
As a Gentile, that includes me! How wonderful that God does not show favoritism, but has called all mankind! I take this for granted so easily - but not so the first believers who were all Jews: it wasn’t clear to them at all that anyone outside the Jewish nation would be invited to God's family for all eternity.
 
And to think, it didn’t have to be this way. God could have called only the Jews. But, as we read in John 3:16, “for God so love the world…”! I am also reminded of Paul’s speech at the Areopagus in Athens in Acts 17:30, “now he commands all people everywhere to repent”!
 
What a wonderful God we have that has called all people to himself through his gospel message! He loves us all and he wants us all! All he asks is that we put our trust in him by embracing him in faith!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Who Are You, Lord? - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, and majestic in his radiant splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Acts 9:1-5a,

“Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’ ‘Who are you, Lord?’ Saul asked.”

We are introduced to Saul at the beginning of chapter eight, where Saul attended the stoning of Stephen as a participant in witnessing his death. Following, we read that Saul “began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.” Acts 8:3. After the killing of Stephen, Saul had become obsessed with crushing this new movement in its infancy. In my own speculation, I suspect Saul (who would later be renamed “Paul”, selected by the Lord to be an apostle to the Gentiles and who would go on to establish fellowships throughout the Mediterranean and southern Europe and write half of the books of our New Testament), was beguiled by the experience he had on the day Stephen was martyred.

We are told on that day the Sanhedrin looked “intently at Stephen” and saw his face was like the face of an angel, Acts 6:15. Stephen very boldly indicted the entire leadership of the nation of Israel and all of its forefathers: “You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers…” Using their own Scriptures against them he proved incontrovertibly they had persecuted every prophet God had sent them. Not only that, but they had betrayed and murdered the very one the prophets spoke of who was to come! We read that Stephen exclaimed to Saul, and the others, that he was looking into heaven itself, seeing the glory of God and Jesus standing at his right hand! As they stoned Stephen Saul heard him ask the Lord not to hold this sin against them – a plea for Saul’s own benefit.

Without overlooking the assumption that the spiritual dark side must have influenced Saul prior to Jesus confronting him, I don’t think you just go home after a day like that and not reflect on it. As I say, I think it must have been something that Saul struggled with and at some point it became the source of his obsession with destroying the church. Either everything Stephen said was true, or he represented a very malicious new threat against the leadership of Israel. Either way Stephen represented something very dangerous from Saul’s perspective. Unfortunately for Saul, he interpreted things exactly the wrong way and set out to crush the church. And now this! In his further efforts to rape the bride of Jesus Christ, he is brought to his knees as a bright light flashed around him with a voice that spoke to him from heaven!

When Saul asks the pregnant question, “Who are you, Lord?” it becomes the question of the ages. Many may assume they know who Jesus Christ is, but as Saul found out, all assumptions will be confronted with the truth, either today or at the end of the age. Woe to the man who does not gain the truthful answer to this all-important question while it is still today!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Life: Centered On Jesus Christ, Not Me- Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, and majestic in his radiant splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Acts 9:1-2,

“Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.”

We live in a day where from many corners of the church what gets preached is that God will rescue you from all your troubles. Are you in debt? God can take care of it. Are you sick? God will heal you. Is your marriage on the rocks, your spouse sleeping around? Are your kids in trouble with the authorities? God can give you the victory! It is all about my happiness in this life and what God can bring to the table to help me achieve that.

I’m reading and re-reading the book of Acts to see how God catered to the personal success and happiness of the believers in the early church but I keep running into passages like the above. They faced real persecution because they were believers, not because they ran up credit card debt with irresponsible spending habits. They faced imprisonment because they were active in promoting the gospel wherever they went, not because they were cheating on their taxes. They faced threats and expulsion from their society not because they were sleeping around or insisting their religious symbols be displayed in the public square but because they continued to proclaim that Jesus was the Christ, sent to save them from God’s wrath for the sin in their lives. They were scattered not over a quarrel amongst themselves over what color to paint the church nursery but because the religious authorities sought to stamp out the early church as the gospel was being spread.

Despite the threats and persecution the early church faced we are told, “It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord.” Acts 9:31. What I see in the lives of the early church is a group of folks who had a focus on God’s agenda and what God wanted accomplished. They lived in the fear of the Lord. I am convinced that a good view of God brings to us a new outlook: he is the center of life, not me. His agenda is what counts in this life, not my own personal happiness and fulfillment. Possibly this is why we are told, “Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess.” Hebrews 3:1. And, “Set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” Colossians 3:1b-2.

Our God is our magnificent, majestic and multi-splendored Creator worthy of our fear, respect and reverence, full of love, mercy and kindness! He is not my errand boy to provide for however I might define a life of success and personal fulfillment for myself. I suspect this might be a difference between the folks I read of in the book of Acts and what I see that passes for "successful Christians living today."

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Encountering God And Rejoicing - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, and majestic in his radiant splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Acts 8:36-39,

“As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, ‘Look, here is water. Why shouldn't I be baptized?’ And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing.”

As the gospel began to spread, we read of an Ethiopian eunuch that Philip shared the gospel with. While we find the circumstances surrounding the account to be astonishing, there is an observation here to be made that I never want to lose sight of.

An angel of the Lord tells Philip to go down a certain road. That is pretty amazing by my standards. I don’t know that I have ever heard an angel speak to me. Then the Holy Spirit talks to Philip and tells him to go to a certain chariot, in which this Ethiopian eunuch is riding. Likewise, I don’t know that the Holy Spirit has ever audibly told me to do something as specific as to go to a vehicle.

Then, following the exchange between the two of them, we are told that the “Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away” and was next seen in Azotus. It makes me think of the “transporter” in the Star Trek series. Quite an astonishing account! But what grabs my attention is the heart and soul of the account: the Ethiopian eunuch went on his way rejoicing because of what happened to him!

The passage of Scripture the eunuch asked Philip to explain was from Isaiah 53. In that passage we are told, “He [the “servant”, Jesus Christ] was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.” Just like us, this eunuch was lost in his sin, estranged from God and facing God’s certain judgment. Now that he had heard the good news contained in Isaiah’s prophecy and explained by Philip, this man had found forgiveness for his sin, a healing in his standing before God and the promise of a wonderful hope in the resurrection! This man went on his way rejoicing!

We go on our own way rejoicing as well! We have received everything this eunuch received and have every cause for rejoicing as he did. It is only when I allow the things of this life to crowd out my clear view of the wonderful hope I have, that my rejoicing dims. What an important point to pray for today: Lord, help me to set my heart and my mind on things above where Jesus Christ is seated at the right hand of God! Help me to fix my eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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God Provides For The Proclamation Of The Gospel - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, and majestic in his radiant splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Acts 8:4-8,

“Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ there. When the crowds heard Philip and saw the miraculous signs he did, they all paid close attention to what he said. With shrieks, evil spirits came out of many, and many paralytics and cripples were healed. So there was great joy in that city.”

As the gospel message began its march from Jerusalem out to the rest of the world, Samaria was its next destination. As Jesus gave direction prior to his ascension into heaven, he said, “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.” Now, following the proclamation of the gospel in Jerusalem on Pentecost and the days following, at the temple and to the Sanhedrin, and the nation, the gospel moved on to Samaria.

I note the Lord provided a great persecution in Jerusalem to help scatter the believers with the gospel message. He also provided well equipped folks, like Philip, who were instrumental and effective in proclaiming the message. Miraculous signs: paralytics and cripples were healed and evil spirits were driven out of many. The Lord also provided the approval, endorsement and authority of the new fledgling community of believers in Jerusalem to the gospel message, in the sending of key leaders, Peter and John, to Samaria.

This is what I see in this passage: God provides! Despite whatever our agenda is in this life from day to day, God has his own agenda of having the gospel proclaimed to the world. Here we see clearly how he provides in the accomplishment of it. He has chosen to carry on his purposes in a fascinating collaboration with believers, using them as the vehicle to take his message to the world and providing them with all they needed to accomplish just that, and sometimes in surprising ways.

How wonderful our Lord has decided to include us in his purposes, to make us his partners in what he is doing in the world. And what is even more wonderful, is the many ways in which he provides us all we need to accomplish what he desires in the proclamation of his gospel message!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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