God's Love For Fallen Mankind Is A Mystery! - 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 7:51-53,

“You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit! Was there ever a prophet your fathers did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him— you who have received the law that was put into effect through angels but have not obeyed it.”

This sweeping condemnation of the nation of Israel is breath-taking! Here Stephen, whose truthful words brought him swift retribution, points to the ugly truth that the Jews of the day were no different than their forefathers. “Was there ever a prophet your fathers did not persecute?” This rhetorical question was followed with his charge that his hearers were guilty of the betrayal and murder of the One the prophets were sent to speak of: Jesus Christ.

The reaction of the high priest and the Sanhedrin represents the deceitful heart of all mankind. In the killing of Stephen, a man who only confronted them with the truth, the rebellious and sinful condition of the human heart is on full display. And these folks were, of all humanity, given the greatest of all advantages to have God’s perspective on things.

As Paul points out in Romans 9:4-5, “Theirs [the Jews] is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen.” And yet, with so much advantage, they still reacted to the truth with murder in the killing of yet another prophet of God, only substantiating all Stephen charged them with.

But the most astonishing thing to me of all, is that given this horrific portrayal of the desperate condition of the wicked human heart, what a love God reveals as he sends his Son to die for folks just like these - folks just like me! Why God would send him for folks like this, for folks like me, is a mystery I will continue to be perplexed with. It will continually be a cause for my unceasing gratitude and worship!

The magnificence of our wonderful God is something I know I will never plumb the depths of.

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 Holy Spirit Enables Us Today! - 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 6:8,

“Now Stephen, a man full of God's grace and power, did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people.”

The Holy Spirit came to the church on Pentecost and empowered the disciples in a way that emboldened and energized them. This was a fulfillment of what Jesus promised on the day he ascended into heaven. In Acts 1:8 Jesus 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.”

When each of us embraced Jesus Christ in faith, we received the promised Holy Spirit as well. Still today, the Holy Spirit enables us to fulfill what needs to be done to further God’s purposes here on earth. Where Stephen performed great wonders and miraculous signs, that which the Lord wanted done at that time, so we carry out what the Lord wants done today.

In 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 we read, “Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.”

Throughout history the Holy Spirit has been enabling his saints to participate with the Lord in what he does in each generation. To me it is a wonder to see just how the Lord works in our lives today through the Holy Spirit.

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.

Fear Of The Lord: The Beginning Of Wisdom! - 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 5:28,38-39,

“We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name”… “in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”

The second half of chapter five in Acts could be called, 'A Tale of a Fool and a Wise Man'. Here we have the disciples indwelled with the Holy Spirit performing miraculous acts of healings, deliverances from demons, etc. and are called before the religious elites of the day, the Sanhedrin, because of their activities and for teaching the people.

Luke tells us the Sanhedrin was filled with jealousy and had them jailed. The following day the high priest, 'the Fool', recalls the strict orders the Sanhedrin had given the disciples not to teach in the name of Jesus Christ. Having the apostles removed from their presence, Gamaliel, 'the Wise Man' reminded the Sanhedrin that if the activities of the disciples were from God, the Sanhedrin would only find itself fighting against God.

If anything, this 'Tale of a Fool and a Wise Man' points to the insanity of placing oneself in opposition to God. The online Jewish Encyclopedia recognizes Gamaliel as having a leading position in the Sanhedrin in first century Jerusalem. In this account, Gamaliel brings someone into the discussion that seems to have escaped the consideration of the high priest: God. Rather than giving vent to their jealousy, wouldn’t it behoove the Sanhedrin to consider the possibility that this movement might be from God, and if so, what would the prospect be of finding themselves as fighting against God?

“The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’” Psalm 14:1. Although many may not verbalize such, through their actions, attitudes and decisions such an outlook is often manifested.

In my own life there have been those times when it seems my actions, attitudes and decisions reflected “the fool”.

What an outlook of insanity it is to not fear the Lord and allow that posture to influence my actions, attitudes and decisions! “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” Proverbs 9:10.

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.