Never A Dull Moment With God! - 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 14:26-27,

“From Attalia they sailed back to Antioch, where they had been committed to the grace of God for the work they had now completed. On arriving there, they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.”

Here we have the conclusion of the first mission Paul and Barnabas undertook. They were assigned to the task by the Holy Spirit, Acts 13:2, committed to the work by the grace of God, 14:26, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, Acts 13:4, and had their message of salvation confirmed by the Lord who enabled them to do “miraculous signs and wonders”, Acts 14:3.

Paul and Barnabas encountered opposition from a sorcerer on the island of Cyprus, Acts 13:8, they were abandoned by Mark, their helper, in Perga, Acts 13:13, they encountered opposition from the Jews in Pisidian Antioch who were jealous of them, Acts 13:45. They also encountered persecution from the “God-fearing women of high standing” in that same city and were expelled, Acts 13:50. They encountered opposition from the Jews in Iconium who poisoned the people's minds against Paul and Barnabas and developed a plot to mistreat and stone them, Acts 14:2-5. In Lystra Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and stoned Paul.

Also on this trip we find that Paul and Barnabas preached the gospel wherever they went. On Cyprus, Acts 13:5, the proconsul believed their message. Many Jews and Gentile converts to Judaism followed them in Pisidian Antioch, Acts 13:43, where Gentiles believed, Acts 13:48. The gospel message spread throughout the region of Pisidian and we are told the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit, Acts 13:52. In Iconium a “great number” of Jews and Gentiles believed. In Derbe Paul and Barnabas “won a large number of disciples”, Acts 14:21, and when they returned to Antioch they were able to report all that God had done through them and how “he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles, Acts 14:27.

From this account we find their trip was anything but uneventful. God was with Paul and Barnabas and astonishing things happened. Both horrible as well as wonderful things happened. Their mission was productive and fruitful as well as painful. They told the folks in Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God”, Acts 14:22.

The account of this trip reflects so much of what I see about God as revealed throughout Scripture. When God moves, all kinds of things happen – incredible things. It seems as though there is never a dull moment.

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 Kindness Speaks Of His Existence - 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 14:15b-17,

“We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and everything in them. In the past, he let all nations go their own way. Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.”

As Paul and Barnabas preached the good news to the folks in Lystra, they pointed out something all can relate to. Life itself is evidence that God exists. The blessings people have as seen in the weather that makes food crops possible speaks to the existence of God and demonstrates his kindness.

God is the source of the food we eat and the source of the joy we experience. That which is good in life, that which we consider to be blessing speaks to God’s very existence and his kindness toward mankind.

Although mankind is not worthy of the kindness of God – only worthy of his wrath for sin and rebellion against him - he nevertheless leaves his fingerprints in the world on those things we enjoy in life.

For those who try hard at not finding evidence of God’s existence, there is much they have to look past. For those who do not believe in God, one day they will find that God doesn’t believe in them either (their delusion that is), as he has provided them plenty to consider. Not that he has had to… but in that he has, he further expresses his kindness to mankind.

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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The Hand Of God: Excitement And Astonishment - 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 14:1-3,

“At Iconium Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish synagogue. There they spoke so effectively that a great number of Jews and Gentiles believed. But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to do miraculous signs and wonders.”

There are those these days who mistakenly believe that during the apostolic days of the book of Acts, Paul, Peter and other apostles and disciples were able to perform miracles and healings whenever they wanted. In their attempts to mimic a misperception they have of the miraculous within the early church by the Holy Spirit, they betray a lack of understanding in this regard of the Scriptures.

Consider the case of Epaphroditus in Paul’s letter to the Philippian church. Paul felt a great anxiety that Epaphroditus might die in his illness as he served Paul as a gift from the church in Philippi. What was the cause of Paul’s anxiety? That Epaphroditus might die in service to the work of Christ by meeting Paul’s needs. It wasn’t that Epaphroditus lacked faith or had sin in his life, as is often offered as reasons why someone may not receive a healing these days. Paul holds him up as an example to the church: “honor men like him”, Philippians 2:29. The account can be read in Philippians 2:25-30.

Then there is Timothy who suffered “frequent illnesses”, 1 Timothy 5:23. Paul advised him to look to the medicinal qualities of “a little wine”. I’m certain if Paul had the ability to heal whenever he wanted, he certainly would have healed Timothy.

We read of James encouraging those who are sick to call the elders - not to a “healing service” but to prayer. We see the Holy Spirit performing miracles through the apostles and disciples at certain times and not at others.

What is my point here? As we read of Paul and Barnabas in this passage, Peter and John in Acts 3 and of other healings and miracles that took place in the book of Acts, I think we lose an important perspective of the activity of the Holy Spirit and the great faith of these early believers if we simply assume that there was something of a blanket enablement by the Holy Spirit to perform such deeds. As I read these accounts, I sense these wonderful folks of God might have woken up each morning not knowing what to expect that day. They lived their lives on the edge, not knowing what might happen from day to day.

I don’t think there was anything automatic, assumed or expected in those early days relative to miracles and healings as the gospel advanced. I suspect Paul, Barnabas, Peter and others were just as astounded and excited as anyone when these special events took place.

When God, in the person of the Holy Spirit, invaded planet Earth and confirmed the gospel message as the disciples took it to the world, it was just as exciting and fresh to them as it would be today.

How can anyone not be excited and astonished to see the hand of God reach out and act in a very visible way in our presence at any point in time?

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 Gives Us Free Will (And A Lot Of Responsibility!) - 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 14:1-2,

“At Iconium Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish synagogue. There they spoke so effectively that a great number of Jews and Gentiles believed. But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers.”

There is an underlying truth in these verses about the way God has wired us that is quite sobering to me. It is that God has given each of us a free will. In these two verses we see people who have exercised their own volition to bring about two very different outcomes of many people.

As I think of salvation, I think of that which determines the destiny of each one of us. Will we spend an eternity in the agonizing torment of the Lake of Fire or will we enter into the resurrection of life and spend an eternity in the endless pleasures of enjoying our Lord God and all he has created us for?

As Paul and Barnabas take the gospel message to Iconium, this is what lies in the balance for each of the individuals they had the opportunity to reach. I recognize that God gifted Paul and Barnabas with those things that would enable them to take the gospel to previously un-reached regions and that the Holy Spirit himself commissioned Paul and Barnabas to just this task at hand. But there is something to notice in this passage.

We are told that there were “a great number of Jews and Gentiles” that believed the message that Paul and Barnabas brought. The cause for it, according to Acts 14:1, was that Paul and Barnabas “spoke so effectively”. Certainly this is an exercise of the gifts the Holy Spirit had endowed them with, but just as certain was the willingness and effort these two men took in order to speak effectively.

Just because we are gifted by God to serve him with the work he wants us to do does not mean it happens automatically, or that we will even comply with what God wants done. This is why Peter exhorts his readers to use the gifts given them to serve others, 1 Peter 4:10. Why exhort readers to use the gifts they have received from God unless a choice needs to be made to do so? I see a wonderful coming together of the Holy Spirit and the commitment of two godly men that result in the saving of many in Iconium. While other disciples might be discussing theology in the coffee shop, Paul and Barnabas are out making things happen for the Kingdom of God because they made a choice to do so.

Another thing I notice is the opposition to Paul and Barnabas by those “who refused to believe”. They made their choice and the text could not be clearer. They themselves refused to believe. They were culpable for the choice they made. It was not made for them. They made a conscious decision to refuse the gospel message.

Free will is an awesome thing. With it we can serve our God and participate with him in the change of outcomes of many: from eternal damnation to eternal life. Also with it, we can refuse our God and suffer the consequences that such a horrific choice will certainly bring, and possibly influence others to do so as well.

God has given us a wonderful thing in providing us with free will. But, as I say, how sobering it is to consider the responsibility and eternal destiny that flows from the exercise of it.

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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Complete Forgiveness Through Jesus Christ - 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 13:38-39,

“I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Through him everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the Law of Moses.”

It is the law that condemns us to an eternity in hell. God gave the law through Moses and it shows us how unlike God we are, as it expresses the nature and character of God.

Jesus taught us how to apply the law to our lives in the Sermon on the Mount. In Matthew 5:21-22 we read that, let alone murder, anger toward our brother is enough to cast us into the “fire of hell”. He told us if we have looked at a woman “lustfully” we have already committed adultery with her in our heart, Matthew 5: 27-28.

In Matthew 5:17-18 Jesus said that he had not come to abolish the Law but to fulfill it and that nothing will be taken away from the Law until “everything is accomplished”. This leaves us all condemned to an eternity in hell.

That is the bad news.

But the good news, the gospel, is that through Jesus Christ we will be forgiven for “everything you could not be justified from by the Law of Moses”.

All of us who have embraced Jesus Christ in faith will be forgiven of all the sins we have ever committed. Every thought, every feeling, every word, every action that has violated the Law will be forgiven.

Every man, every woman and every child who has come into the world stands condemned before our holy and righteous God. But, because of our wonderful Savior, who has paid the price for all of our sins, we now have a certain future of eternal blessings.

Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man.” John 5:24-27.

Just how wonderful is that?!

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 Boundless Love Makes Forgiveness Possible! - 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 13:38-39,

"Therefore, my brothers, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Through him everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the law of Moses."
 
When Paul and Barnabas got to Pisidian Antioch they went to the synagogue and proclaimed the gospel to the folks there.

At the heart of his message, as always, was his point that through Jesus Christ the forgiveness of sins is available by faith (alone). Earning forgiveness by serving God by the law will never bring justification.

As the judge of all creation, God’s justice always prevails, and we all face a certain fate of eternal death because of sin.

But now, through Jesus Christ’s death on the cross, we have forgiveness of sins for everyone who embraces him in faith.

How remarkable that God would choose to send his Son to take our punishment! What a boundless love that is expressed here!

Today I worship our God of boundless love that has provided us believers forgiveness of sins and eternal life with him!

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 Always Fulfills His Promises! - 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 13:32-33,

“We tell you the good news: What God promised our fathers 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.’”

As Paul addressed the synagogue in Pisidian Antioch, he related the gospel message with a truth about God that has withstood the test of all mankind’s entire experience: “What God promised our fathers he has fulfilled…”!

Faith is predicated on the notion of fulfilled promise. Will our Creator do what he says he wil dol? The answer to that question is as certain as our very existence itself: what God promises, he will do. He told Adam and Eve, if they ate from the tree in the garden they would die. He promised to send his Savior to the world and he did. God has made promises, and he always, without fail, thoroughly fulfills every one of them!

The basis of our salvation is faith. Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness, Romans 4:3, 4:9, 4:22, Galatians 3:6. Paul brings this out clearly in Romans 4:19-22, “Without weakening in his faith, he [Abraham] faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah's womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. This is why ‘it was credited to him as righteousness.’”

Just as Abraham’s faith in God’s promises was rewarded, so is ours today, as Paul goes on to explain in Romans 4:23-24, “The words ‘it was credited to him’ were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.”

Nothing in all of life is more certain than the fulfilled promises of God!

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!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.