Worship for Today: The resurrection of Jesus Christ authenticates who he is!

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him in Acts 13:30-33a,

“God raised him [Jesus] from the dead, and for many days he was seen by those who had traveled with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now his witnesses to our people. We tell you the good news: What God promised our fathers he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus.”

Here is an astonishing message! One has been raised from the dead! As Paul preaches to the synagogue in Pisidian Antioch he tells them Jesus is the Savior God had promised the patriarchs!

The resurrection of Jesus Christ authenticates all God has said and all Jesus taught while here. Whatever we learn from our Bibles is true and authoritative as God has demonstrated to all men that Jesus Christ is exactly who he said he was when he was here by raising him from the dead. As we read of all of the blessings that are ours through our embracing him in faith and of horrific judgment for those who reject God’s one and only Savior we need to heed what is said!

No Muhammad, no Joseph Smith, no other individual who has asserted themselves as someone of religious importance has this authentication. Jesus and Jesus alone saves. “I [Jesus Christ] am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your theme of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We’d love to hear from you!

Trevor V. Fisk

(314) 814-8486

trevorf@gracehill.org

 

 

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This electronic transmission and any documents accompanying this electronic transmission contain confidential information belonging to the sender. This information may contain confidential health information that is legally privileged. The information is intended only for the use of the individual or entity named above. The authorized recipient of this transmission is prohibited from disclosing this information to any other party unless required to do so by law or regulation and is required to delete or destroy the information after its stated need has been fulfilled. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or takinf of any action in reliance on or regarding the contents of this electronicallytransmitted information is strictly prohibited. If you have received this E-mail in error please notify the sender and delete this message immediately

Worship for Today: God speaks to us in Scripture!

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him in Acts 13:1-2,

“In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’”

Within the fellowship that Paul and Barnabas participated in at Antioch there were prophets. I note that when the Holy Spirit told the fellowship to set apart Barnabas and Saul he did it through a verbal utterance. “the Holy Spirit said…” This was no “feeling” or “leading” folks there experienced, it was a verbal utterance that presumably was delivered through one or more of the prophets that Luke introduces us to in verse one.

In my mind the utterances of God are of preeminent importance in all of life. Anyone who has a healthy fear of the Lord, a reverence for him, recognizes that all of life need stand still and heed whatever it is our Creator has to say.

Peter helps us understand the nature of prophecy and the association of the prophet with the Holy Spirit relative to Scripture. Far from Scripture being the thought of any man or even the intention of any man we are told, “Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” 2 Peter 1:20-21.

“Men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit”! This is a reality that needs to grip my mind as I consider how much time and how much effort I am going to put into reading my Bible. To think that we have sitting on our coffee tables communication from our Creator, how can I neglect the proper treatment it rightly deserves in my life, in my schedule? Surely I don’t want to hear on that day, “I had things to say to you but you wouldn’t take the time to listen to me.”

Sobering to think of, isn’t it?

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your theme of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We’d love to hear from you!

Trevor V. Fisk

(314) 814-8486

trevorf@gracehill.org

 

 

Worship for Today: God answers prayer that is in accord with his will!

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him in Acts 12:5,

“So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.”

Here we see the clash of two wills. King Herod intended to have Peter put to death after he saw how much it pleased the Jews when he had John’s brother, James put to death. James was the first known apostle to have suffered a martyr’s death and Herod intended to do the same with Peter.

But the church did not want Peter put to death and not having the power to stop it themselves they were “earnestly praying to God for him.” They made their appeal to God to spare Peter’s life and as we read the account we see their prayers answered. So startling was this answer to prayer that when Peter showed up at the door where a number of disciples were praying for him they initially assumed the servant girl, Rhoda, who had answered the door, was out of her mind when she told them Peter was at the door.

Much has been said of the expectation we should have when we pray and this account is often used as an example of what it looks like when we don’t have the faith that God will answer our prayers, “when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished.” Acts 12:16. Why should they have been astonished?

I see something else here as well, though, which commends these believers to me. We are told in John 5:14, “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.” These believers were praying according to God’s will. Apparently God was not done with Peter in this life and he was pleased to respond to the believer’s prayers to spare Peter’s life. It is fascinating to me to read the verse in John’s letter. God wants us to participate with him in the actions he takes by us requesting those things that need to be done that are according to God’s own will. The clear implication here is that some things might not happen if we don’t pray for them.

What might have happened if the church had not prayed for Peter? What might happen if I not bring those things to God in prayer that I know are according to God’s will?

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your theme of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We’d love to hear from you!

Trevor V. Fisk

(314) 814-8486

trevorf@gracehill.org

 

 

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This electronic transmission and any documents accompanying this electronic transmission contain confidential information belonging to the sender. This information may contain confidential health information that is legally privileged. The information is intended only for the use of the individual or entity named above. The authorized recipient of this transmission is prohibited from disclosing this information to any other party unless required to do so by law or regulation and is required to delete or destroy the information after its stated need has been fulfilled. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or takinf of any action in reliance on or regarding the contents of this electronicallytransmitted information is strictly prohibited. If you have received this E-mail in error please notify the sender and delete this message immediately

Worship for Today: No one can oppose our sovereign God!

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him in Acts 11:17b,

“Who was I to think that I could oppose God?”

Peter makes this statement to the “circumcised believers” when he explained his actions in visiting the house of Cornelius the centurion, a Gentile. In making this statement he placed those questioning him in the very difficult position of having to stand in opposition to God were they to reject Peter’s actions. Not a position many of us would want to place ourselves in.

Yet, as I consider my own life I am sure there are a number of things that are not consistent with what God wants. Am I in opposition with God relative to this or that in my life? Sobering to consider for sure.

As I think of these things the motivation I feel for not wanting to find myself in opposition with God lays in the very nature of God himself. Our God is a transcendent being, sovereign over all in creation. The magnificence of his glory lays in the perfection of his multi-splendored qualities. He defines what love is and has communicated it to us through sending his Son to die a horrible death to pay for our sins. He is the perfect example of mercy, kindness and grace. He is also a fearful God. Holy and righteous, with divine justice he decides what is right, just and fair. He will determine the ultimate end of all of creation. Our eternal destination and happiness lies with him. He gave us life and will determine what our future will be. All this with just a word from his mouth.

As I think of such things, do I ever want to find myself in opposition to him?

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your theme of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We’d love to hear from you!

Trevor V. Fisk

(314) 814-8486

trevorf@gracehill.org

 

 

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This electronic transmission and any documents accompanying this electronic transmission contain confidential information belonging to the sender. This information may contain confidential health information that is legally privileged. The information is intended only for the use of the individual or entity named above. The authorized recipient of this transmission is prohibited from disclosing this information to any other party unless required to do so by law or regulation and is required to delete or destroy the information after its stated need has been fulfilled. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or takinf of any action in reliance on or regarding the contents of this electronicallytransmitted information is strictly prohibited. If you have received this E-mail in error please notify the sender and delete this message immediately

Worship for Today: God's magnificent love beckons us all!

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him in Acts 11:9,

“Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.”

This is such an amazing thing to me. Mankind as a race of people have turned their backs on God, sinned and rebelled against him. The horrifying account in Genesis 3 tells us of our progenitors heeding the Serpent in the Garden of Eden and willfully choosing to reject their Creator in favor of a temptation. Since that time we have collectively demonstrated the ensuing wickedness of our hearts – the development of a diabolical sin nature that stirs our every impulse to continue to reject God and pursue those things that are anti-God.

Given these circumstances, it is astonishing to me that God loves us, that he has a kind and merciful bent toward us to the point of sending his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. I guess the most astonishing thing to me of all is not just that God has extended his call to the Gentiles, but that he has any room in his heart for mankind at all!

What a heart this is!! A God-sized heart full of kindness, mercy and love for us! We all deserve his wrath for turning our backs on him and yet he holds his arms out to us, beckoning us to come to him! His invitation to all mankind speaks of a magnificent love and his willingness to forgive us all who have sinned against him, if we are but willing ourselves to heed his call!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your theme of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We’d love to hear from you!

Trevor V. Fisk

(314) 814-8486

trevorf@gracehill.org

 

 

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This electronic transmission and any documents accompanying this electronic transmission contain confidential information belonging to the sender. This information may contain confidential health information that is legally privileged. The information is intended only for the use of the individual or entity named above. The authorized recipient of this transmission is prohibited from disclosing this information to any other party unless required to do so by law or regulation and is required to delete or destroy the information after its stated need has been fulfilled. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or takinf of any action in reliance on or regarding the contents of this electronicallytransmitted information is strictly prohibited. If you have received this E-mail in error please notify the sender and delete this message immediately

Worship for Today: God is our magnificent, majestic and multi-splendored Creator!

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him 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 where ever 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 being passed around these days.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your theme of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We’d love to hear from you!

Trevor V. Fisk

(314) 814-8486

trevorf@gracehill.org

 

 

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This electronic transmission and any documents accompanying this electronic transmission contain confidential information belonging to the sender. This information may contain confidential health information that is legally privileged. The information is intended only for the use of the individual or entity named above. The authorized recipient of this transmission is prohibited from disclosing this information to any other party unless required to do so by law or regulation and is required to delete or destroy the information after its stated need has been fulfilled. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or takinf of any action in reliance on or regarding the contents of this electronicallytransmitted information is strictly prohibited. If you have received this E-mail in error please notify the sender and delete this message immediately

Worship for Today: God extends his invitation to all!

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him in Acts 11:18b,

“So then, God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life.”

Here in our country we live in a day of an entitlement mentality. We think in terms of having certain rights and equal access to opportunities. Politicians these days talk of the rights of “every American to have access to affordable medical care”, etc. You get the drift. If anyone has a shot at something we ought to as well.

Sometimes I think this mentality has had an impact on our appreciation and gratitude for what God has done for us. A full understanding and our perspective on the level of importance of our access to the promises of God to Abraham may have been diminished with an entitlement mentality. So much so, that when we Gentiles of today read the above our thought can often be a derogatory one, “Gee, that’s big of you to say so… ‘even the Gentiles…’!”

And yet the apostle Paul reminds us that God has every right to do whatever he wants with anyone. As we read in Romans 9:15-18, “He [God] says to Moses, ‘I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.’ It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy. For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: ‘I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.’ Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.” In this passage Paul is making the point that God has chosen that all those who embrace him in faith he accepts and those who don’t will be condemned. But the point is made very well that God can chose whomever he wants.

Did God have to extend his invitation to Gentiles? Did he have to extend an invitation to anyone for that matter? The more I think of such things the greater I find my appreciation, gratitude and love grow for our God who has decided extend his invitation to me!

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your theme of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We’d love to hear from you!

Trevor V. Fisk

(314) 814-8486

trevorf@gracehill.org

 

 

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This electronic transmission and any documents accompanying this electronic transmission contain confidential information belonging to the sender. This information may contain confidential health information that is legally privileged. The information is intended only for the use of the individual or entity named above. The authorized recipient of this transmission is prohibited from disclosing this information to any other party unless required to do so by law or regulation and is required to delete or destroy the information after its stated need has been fulfilled. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or takinf of any action in reliance on or regarding the contents of this electronicallytransmitted information is strictly prohibited. If you have received this E-mail in error please notify the sender and delete this message immediately

Worship for Today: God's love is available to all mankind!

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him 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.”

Peter says he now realizes this truth, because it 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 your theme of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We’d love to hear from you!

Trevor V. Fisk

(314) 814-8486

trevorf@gracehill.org

 

 

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This electronic transmission and any documents accompanying this electronic transmission contain confidential information belonging to the sender. This information may contain confidential health information that is legally privileged. The information is intended only for the use of the individual or entity named above. The authorized recipient of this transmission is prohibited from disclosing this information to any other party unless required to do so by law or regulation and is required to delete or destroy the information after its stated need has been fulfilled. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or takinf of any action in reliance on or regarding the contents of this electronicallytransmitted information is strictly prohibited. If you have received this E-mail in error please notify the sender and delete this message immediately

Worship for Today: Who are you, Lord?

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him 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 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 uncontrovertibly 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.

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 and a voice 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 your theme of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We’d love to hear from you!

Trevor V. Fisk

(314) 814-8486

trevorf@gracehill.org

 

 

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This electronic transmission and any documents accompanying this electronic transmission contain confidential information belonging to the sender. This information may contain confidential health information that is legally privileged. The information is intended only for the use of the individual or entity named above. The authorized recipient of this transmission is prohibited from disclosing this information to any other party unless required to do so by law or regulation and is required to delete or destroy the information after its stated need has been fulfilled. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or takinf of any action in reliance on or regarding the contents of this electronicallytransmitted information is strictly prohibited. If you have received this E-mail in error please notify the sender and delete this message immediately