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."
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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