Jesus Christ Transforms Us! - 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 22:4-5,19-20, "I persecuted the followers of this Way to their death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison, as also the high priest and all the Council can testify. I even obtained letters from them to their brothers in Damascus, and went there to bring these people as prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished"… "I went from one synagogue to another to imprison and beat those who believe in you [Jesus]. And when the blood of your martyr Stephen was shed, I stood there giving my approval and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him." Paul was an enemy of Jesus Christ and persecuted the church horribly when it was in its infancy. But this man had gone through a transformation! The man who once was raping the bride of Christ had now become Christ's servant! “You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I came into the province of Asia. I served the Lord with great humility and with tears and in the midst of severe testing by the plots of my Jewish opponents. You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus." Acts 20:18-21. What a change! What brought this transformation? Jesus Christ! He has the ability to change us inside out! In Paul’s own words, we become a “new creation” when we become his, "So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!" 2 Corinthians 5:16-17. What a change! What a Savior! 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.

God Speaks To Us - 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 22:14-15, “The God of our fathers has chosen you [Paul] to know his will and to see the Righteous One and to hear words from his mouth. You will be his witness to all men of what you have seen and heard.” These are the words the Lord gave Ananias to speak to Paul. While he was persecuting the members of the early church, Paul had been confronted by the Lord on the road to Damascus and it turns out the Lord had some things for Paul to do. Ananias told Paul that God chose him to know his will, to see Jesus Christ and to hear words from his mouth. Paul was to testify to all of what he had seen and heard. We are told that the Son of God is the creative agent within the godhead. “Through him [the Word] all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.” John 1:3. To think that our Creator God would speak to us is just an amazing thought to me. The Creator of the galaxies, the entire universe! The one who created all living things, including mankind, all plant life! He who created the fireball we call our sun and set all of the planets spinning in their appointed courses. This is the one speaking to Paul! This is the one who speaks to us through Paul! Paul wrote half of the New Testament books in thirteen letters. Jesus Christ has much to say to us in them, as well as the remaining fourteen books and the Old Testament. How astonishing we have a sacred library from God in the pages of the very Bibles that sit on our coffee tables! It makes you want to just pick it up and see what it has to say, doesn’t 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! 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.

God Can Use Anyone (Including You And 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 22:3-5, “I [Paul] am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city. Under Gamaliel I was thoroughly trained in the law of our fathers and was just as zealous for God as any of you are today. I persecuted the followers of this Way to their death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison, as also the high priest and all the Council can testify. I even obtained letters from them to their brothers in Damascus, and went there to bring these people as prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished.” Paul was a fulfillment of the words of Jesus, “They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God. They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me.” John 16:2-3. Paul was a blasphemer and a violent man, as he confesses in 1 Timothy 1:12-14, but he was shown mercy and appointed to serve the Lord. "I [Paul] thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service. Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus." Our Lord is able to use anyone. What I find fascinating about Paul’s life is that the Lord utilized Paul’s education and zeal for the law as an effective tool in Paul’s work as an apostle. Inspired by the Holy Spirit to draft a letter such as Romans that has served the church so effectively for millennia, Paul’s great training in the Scriptures under Gamaliel was invaluable. Certainly, while under the tutelage of Gamaliel, Paul had no idea that one day this training would provide for him a resource the Holy Spirit would use in his life as he reasoned and persuaded from the Scriptures from synagogue to synagogue throughout the Diaspora. I am sure much of just this kind of thing goes on today: the Lord prepares us all for the things he wants to do through us in ways we would never imagine! 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.

Our God Is Intolerant Of Any Other Path To Him! - 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 22:3, “Then Paul said: ‘I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city. Under Gamaliel I was thoroughly trained in the law of our fathers and was just as zealous for God as any of you are today.’” As Paul addressed the Jews who had attacked him at the temple, he began to explain himself. As he told them who he was, he explained to them that he was trained in the law under the great rabbi Gamaliel, and that he was “just as zealous for God as any of you are today.” As I consider what Paul says here, I am reminded of how skewed theology has become in many quarters. The notion that unsaved, unregenerate people never have any impulse or interest in the things of God betrays an ignorance of both the history provided us in the Scriptures and an awareness of the culture around us. Prior to Paul’s encounter with the Lord on the way to Damascus, Paul lived as one among many who were unsaved, unregenerate and yet very zealous for God. Likewise, today we live in a culture that strives to find spiritual truth and any evidence of God himself. With all of the “isms”, “schisms”, cults, eastern mysticism, New Age nonsense, etc. we acknowledge that many are very zealous in their quest for God. A danger here is that often, when someone is encountered who has not embraced Jesus Christ in faith but yet is searching for the things of God, that person may be considered close to finding the Lord and just needs a little time, etc. and will find their way to him. After all, he has a zeal for God, right? As Paul describes himself as an unregenerate, unsaved individual, zealous for God himself, we need to recognize that his zeal placed him no closer to God. It was Paul himself who said, “It is by grace you have been saved through faith”, Ephesians 2:8. He did not say, “it is by grace you have been saved through zeal”, or “your interest in God and the things of God.” We would be foolish to not recognize that there are a vast number of people existing under God’s condemnation and his judgment of the Lake of Fire even though they may have a zeal for God and the things of God. Many may have a zeal for God or an interest in the things of God, or a dedication to some path they may follow that they think leads to him, but God makes it very clear that he will only accept those who embrace Jesus Christ in faith. Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6. Peter said, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12. Our God is an intolerant God who will accept no other path to him. He will be found to be a wrathful God at the end of the age for all who do not embrace Jesus Christ, as we read of him in Revelation 19:11-16, “I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. ‘He will rule them with an iron scepter.’ He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.” 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.

The gospel: Too Important To Squander - 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 21:20-24, “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law. They have been informed that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or live according to our customs. What shall we do? They will certainly hear that you have come, so do what we tell you. There are four men with us who have made a vow. Take these men, join in their purification rites and pay their expenses, so that they can have their heads shaved. Then everybody will know there is no truth in these reports about you, but that you yourself are living in obedience to the law.” Following his missionary efforts, when Paul got to Jerusalem he met with James and the elders of the church and gave them a detailed account of his successful ministry among the Gentiles. After they praised God on the accounts Paul provided they made this statement to Paul. As we read the rest of the story we see that Paul complied the very next day. Paul apparently continued to live out his Jewish heritage when and where possible. Paul wrote to the Galatian believers, “All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.’ Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, ‘The righteous will live by faith.’ The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, ‘The man who does these things will live by them.’ Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.’ He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.” Galatians 3:10-14. Keep the law or not keep the law? Clearly Paul taught that righteousness is not obtained by keeping the law. The mission to the Jews was very active and highly successful as “many thousands” of Jews had believed in Jesus Christ. Jewish identity and culture was built around the law and the leaders of the early church wisely observed that the issue in coming to Christ for potential converts needed to be Jesus Christ himself, not in challenging cultural distinctives, including those of the Jews themselves. The message of Jesus Christ is too important to be squandered over peripheral issues. How wonderful it would be today if we observed the wisdom of the early church! 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.

To Be With Christ Is Better By Far! - 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 13-14, “Paul answered, ‘Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.’ When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, ‘The Lord's will be done.’” Paul was ready and willing to give his life for the Lord. He knew some things about the Lord that provided him a perspective that lent itself to his outlook on leaving this world behind, to join the Lord. Paul told the Philippian church, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far…” Philippians 1:21-23. Possibly his perspective was shaped by the experiences he had with the Lord. He says of one occasion, “I know a man [Paul himself] in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows. And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows— was caught up to paradise. He heard inexpressible things, things that man is not permitted to tell.” 2 Corinthians 12:2-4. I suspect Paul shared the same understanding as David in Psalm 16:11, “You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” One thing is certain: Paul had such a heart for the Lord due to the Lord’s mercy, kindness and love he had expressed to him. Paul was willing to give all he had to the Lord, including life itself! After all, isn’t that exactly what the Lord gave up for him? It has a way of bringing things into perspective, doesn’t 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! 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.

The Holy Spirit Hand-Selects Those He Uses - 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 21:8-11, “Leaving the next day, we reached Caesarea and stayed at the house of Philip the evangelist, one of the Seven. He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied. After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. Coming over to us, he took Paul's belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, ‘The Holy Spirit says, “In this way the Jews of Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.” We find that after leaving Ptolemais, Paul and company stayed at Philip’s home in Caesarea. We earlier met Philip in Acts 6 where he was chosen to help oversee the distribution of food to widows in the church. He later was instrumental in taking the gospel to Samaria in Acts 8. Here we read that he had four unmarried daughters who were prophetesses and presumably lived with him, as they were unmarried, in the same house Paul was staying in. In this passage we also read of another prophet, Agabus, who came to Caesarea from Judea. It was this prophet who was used by the Holy Spirit to warn Paul of his impending arrest. Paul had previously been warned of this but at this time I note that rather than one of Philip’s daughters prophesying to Paul about it, or the Holy Spirit telling Paul directly, it was this man, Agabus, who prophesied to Paul about the matter. Why did the Holy Spirit send someone from Judea with this message? Why not just use someone already there in the house? I’m sure there are details that are not provided in Luke’s account, but one thing stands out to me: the Holy Spirit doesn’t just use anybody. He hand-selects certain individuals for specific tasks and uses them. I certainly can’t tell from the text why Agabus was used to bring the message to Paul, but I note that others, already there in the house, were available but not used. It brings to my mind that the Holy Spirit not only enables us to carry on his work through his special gifting, but he hand-selects specific individuals for specific tasks. And, it certainly doesn’t appear that efficiency or cost-savings are the top priority: the Holy Spirit has his reasons… 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.