Common Ground

Acts 22

As we pursue the Lord, there are bound to be moments where we are used to spread the gospel. We are the body of Christ and it is our duty to show others the gift of salvation that Christ has so freely given to us. As most of us know, this job is never as simple as it sounds. Many people are difficult to reach, each living for their own agendas and wandering through life on their own accord. Nonetheless, our duty remains and we must seek out how to accomplish it. Luckily there are many great examples in the Bible of people who do well in spreading the word, Acts 22 containing one of them.

As Paul begins his address to the angry mob, he makes it clear to us that one of the best tools we can use in spreading the Gospel is our commonality with others. He knows the Jewish mob and what they appreciate, and he uses that to his advantage in his defense. Being a Jew educated by Gamaliel, Paul knows that he can earn the crowd’s ear if they are aware of his great credentials. After all, what crowd would receive a lecture from someone with no knowledge of what he speaks?

But this doesn’t only give the crowd assurance that Paul is intellectually strong in the ways of the Law, but also that he is one of them. Being a Jew himself who has converted, his story will carry much further than if he were to be some gentile from a far-off land. Paul once shared the same views that they do, and now he has changed. That means something!

This gives us great insight into how we should address others as believers. Paul began by being personal with the crowd, showing how he had once been very much like them. He had been in their shoes before, being one of the most zealous of Jews in the persecution of the church. Yet despite all of his prior convictions, he gave it all up in an instant when faced with the glory of Christ. 

I believe that we can share a similar sentiment about our lives with others when spreading the word. We were all once a part of the world, we all were slaves to our sin and struggled with the same things as those who don’t know Christ. We have enjoyed the same pleasures as them, and have endured the same difficulties. We aren’t some far-off people that have no clue, but instead are real people who have lived much like them before. 

This isn’t to say that everyone has endured the same struggles or has the same passions, of course not! But when we show someone that we can have at least a general empathy for their struggles, that we have been in similar dark places, it creates a trust that can allow for a conversation overflowing with the love of Christ. Once this trust is established, we can explain how Jesus has changed our lives and given us new meaning. 

From the story, we know that the hard-heartedness of the crowd didn’t produce much change in that moment. However, I still believe this is still an essential take-away from this chapter. We must relate to those around us to allow the love of Jesus to seep in. This does not mean sparing the truth, but instead creating a space for others to trust us in giving them the truth. Use the experiences that the Lord has brought you through to create connections with others and show them the love of Christ. Just as Paul did, show others how much Christ has changed you!

Courage Personified by Paul

Acts 21 offers a powerful example of boldness and courage through the apostle Paul’s unwavering commitment to spread the gospel, even in the face of danger. Despite being warned repeatedly that suffering awaited him in Jerusalem, Paul remained resolute. His willingness to endure imprisonment and even death for the sake of Christ (Acts 21:13) reveals a fearless devotion that should inspire us as Christians today.

Paul’s example challenges us, if we are believers, to prioritize faithfulness over comfort. His determination to fulfill God’s calling, regardless of the cost, encourages Christians to be courageous when sharing their faith. Whether facing social rejection, criticism, or persecution, Paul’s boldness reminds believers that our mission is greater than their personal safety or reputation.

Additionally, Paul’s reliance on the Holy Spirit provides a model for us. Though warned by fellow believers of the dangers ahead, Paul trusted in God’s plan and remained obedient. This demonstrates that courage comes not from self-confidence but from complete dependence on God’s guidance and strength.

In a world where sharing the gospel may lead to resistance, Acts 21 calls us to stand firm. Paul’s willingness to risk everything for the truth should inspire us to boldly proclaim our faith with love, conviction, and trust in God’s sovereign purpose.

God’s got us. We must trust in Him.

Written with the assistance of ChatGPT

Living with Passion: What Drives You?

What are you most passionate about? Consider what makes your heart pound out of excitement, where it is clear your emotions and energy cannot be contained. Here are a few things that ignite that passion within me…

  • The truth about God, his love for mankind, and my personal relationship with him. Dine in my home and pray before a meal and you’ll observe this passion.
  • My wife and children. Ask me anything about any of these people and/or my marriage in general and you’ll know.
  • Food, glorious food! Shopping for it, preparing it, smelling it, eating it; alone or with others, raw, baked, fried, smoked or grilled!
  • My job and the opportunity to lead people, especially when teammates grow and thrive and show their passion for teamwork and results.
  • God’s creation. The flowers I’m looking at right now, thunderstorms, mountains, vast seas, fresh water, forests, and the seemingly infinite attributes of every creature on this planet.

Showing and sharing our passion can reveal what we believe to be true about God and ourselves. Our healthy and God-honoring passions often influence others positively and ignite fruitful dialogue and relationships. For example, a cheetah can run up to 75 miles per hour. While this is both interesting and scary, it is also beautiful because cheetahs and all creatures exist and are unique because God made them that way, with intention, for a purpose, for his glory.

Interviewing Passion

I’ve recently interviewed six candidates for a job at my company for countless hours, and the thing I seek most to identify is their passion. One of the candidates stood out as the front runner when it came to skill, experience, eloquence in speech, and polite behavior. What was frustrating was that we spent several hours together, and I didn’t observe his passion for anything. I had so much hope to hire this person because on paper, he was perfect. Then, as a final attempt, I said, “Tell me something you are super passionate about, whether personally or professionally.” His response was, “I don’t know… my daughter” and as he said the words “my daughter”, it was almost in the form of a question. At that moment, I realized this candidate would not inspire others in the way that we need him to.

Paul’s Passion

In today’s reading (Acts 20) Paul is speaking to the Ephesian Elders and what stands out is his passion for:

  • Doing the Lord’s work, despite the challenging circumstances. (v. 18-19)
  • Sharing the gospel. (v. 20-21)
  • Unwavering obedience to the Holy Spirit and trust in God’s will. (v. 22-24)
  • Fearlessness and boldness. (v.25-27)
  • Caring about people, seeing them as God sees them. (v. 28-31)
  • Growing other leaders (handing over the mission when it was time). (v. 28-32)
  • Integrity and selflessness. (v. 33-35)
  • Interpersonal relationships and loving others. (v. 36-38)

Paul’s passion for Christ was unwavering and reminds us to live in such as way as God intended, with passion first for him and for others, to love God and love people. May we all strive to be more like Paul, and ultimately more like our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who is and was the ultimate Passion as he suffered and died for our sins.

Aquila and Priscilla: A Model Marriage

Acts 18

This chapter of Acts shows us some characteristics of a godly marriage. Before we talk about that, lets first set some context. Verse 1 tells us that Paul arrived in Corinth after he had left Athens. He was in Athens preaching Christ to certain philosophers and then left Athens on a somewhat good note… Getting mocked is the least of Paul’s concerns on his missionary journeys.

Corinth was a very influential roman city best known for its immorality. It was a very wealthy trade city that had a significant cultural influence. The last thing to mention on Corinth was that this was also a very pagan city. Just as Paul is getting acquainted with this city, he meets two people Priscilla and her husband Aquila.

The rest of this post will focus on these two individuals. We see from our passage in verse 2, Aquila and Priscilla were Jews who left Italy because of an order from Claudius Ceaser that all Jews must leave Rome. Once again, we see God turn what the enemy meant for evil into something very good. Our first point to notice is that Priscilla and Aquila displayed their love for Jesus through their hospitality to their brother, Paul. Aquila and Priscilla not only worked with Paul, but they opened their home to him. As I first read this I think, “well that’s so kind of them for hosting him so he can get on his feet!” And then I read verse 11, realizing that Aquila and Priscilla hosted Paul for a year and a half. That is hospitality.

I keep reading and see that in verse 18, Aquila and Priscilla leave their post in Corinth to continue on Paul’s missionary journey. They established churches in Corinth (Acts 18:1-11; 1 Cor. 16:19-20, Ephesus (Acts 18:19; 2 Tim. 4:19, and Rome (Romans 16: 3-5). The second point to mention of this couple is that they were fully devoted to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In Romans 16:4 Paul mentioned that they had “risked their necks” for his life. They were willing to put everything on the line for Jesus, even their life.

The last point is that Aquila and Priscilla were devoted to the teaching of proper doctrine! They met an eloquent speaker named Apollos in Ephesus. The NKJV states in Acts 18:25 that Apollos was “instructed in the way of the Lord” and “taught accurately the things of the Lord, though he knew only the baptism of John.” Aquila and Priscilla took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.

To conclude, Aquila and Priscilla give us three traits that make a godly marriage. The first is being hospitable, the second is being fully devoted to the Gospel, and the third is being devoted to the teaching of proper doctrine. If you are married, evaluate your marriage with your spouse. If you are engaged prepare with your future spouse. If you’re single or dating use these characteristics to evaluate if your potential spouse will be your partner in a godly marriage!

Babbler or Believer

Acts 17 shares the places Paul visited in Thessalonica, Berea, and Athens. In each of these places he was faced with opposition when preached, reasoned, or attempted to prove why people should follow Jesus.

In each of these places, some would go on to believe for themselves, leading to an eternity of praising the Lord. Verses 4, 11, and 35 use words like “pursued and followed Paul & Silas,” “received the message with great eagerness and examined the scriptures every day,” and “some people became followers.” 

In opposition, others looked away and wanted nothing to do with Jesus. Verses 5, 8, 18, and 32 all share the testimony of those who wanted to follow their own gods.  These verses use words like “jealous, were thrown into turmoil,  debate with him, and saying, What is this babbler trying to say?” Some of them sneered.

Just like then, we can see and hear this today. Each day, we have an opportunity to be like Paul and share what we believe. We can do this even in the face of opposition.  In a world of idols and false gods, we can share the Good News of the one true God that offers us an eternity.  Today, let’s profess verses 24-28 to others.

24 “He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since he is Lord of heaven and earth, he doesn’t live in man-made temples, 25 and human hands can’t serve his needs—for he has no needs. He himself gives life and breath to everything, and he satisfies every need. 26 From one man[f] he created all the nations throughout the whole earth. He decided beforehand when they should rise and fall, and he determined their boundaries.

27 “His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him—though he is not far from any one of us. 28 For in him we live and move and exist. As some of your[g] own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’

Continue to find the Lord daily.  Help others know Him and share how He is always in our presence when we believe.

Have a blessed day!

 

 

Delegation for a Compromise

Today’s Reading : Acts 6

My apologies, I wrote on the Acts 16 a couple of weeks ago instead of Acts 6.  Here is the post for Acts 6. – Be Blessed.

Compromise is defined by Britannica as a way of reaching agreement in which each person or group gives up something that was wanted in order to end an argument or dispute.  Delegation is defined as the act of transferring authority and responsibility for tasks to another person. It can also refer to a group of people chosen to represent others.  

In the very beginning of Acts, we are given a narrative of how the church began. This is the beginning of the Christianity faith and  so many things were happening at such a rapid pace. Jesus has been resurrected. Jesus spent time with the people for 40 days after his resurrection. Then the Apostles, who were the closest of the disciples to Jesus, also known as the 12, began to spread the gospel throughout the region. There was so much rapid growth that the main focus was to expand the Gospel.

In the previous chapters in Acts, we see how the people are growing in the word of God and how they are forming the community. They’re showing how the love for each other takes precedence over selfishness. In the previous chapter, we see how the spirit of God is everywhere and cannot be deceived. It shows how to be truthful, even when you are not wanting to give everything but just be truthful. This was seen with and Ananias and his wife,Sapphira.

As in Acts 6, Sometimes we get so overwhelmed with the newness of our journey, sometimes we forget about the small things. The small things are the foundation of what we do: taking care of the widows, the orphans, and the sick are the foundations of : love our neighbor and the mosaic religion. 

30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’[a] 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b] There is no commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:30-31

As the new religion is starting, we forgot about our widows and were reminded of this by the other religions, because they took care of our people. The founding Apostles were able to be in unison with the Holy Spirit and devise a compromise for this oversight. 

They created a delegation of deacons and elders that would take the responsibility of caring for our most vulnerable population. The deacons/elders are:  St. Stephen, St. Phillip, Prochours, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas.  These individuals were chosen because of their dedication to the faith and the church.  These individuals went on to become bishops and martyrs for the Christian church.  

At the time of beginning of the new church, this could have been a time filled with confusion and chaos, but the Holy Spirit allowed the leaders of the early church to make sound decisions and delegate with purpose the delicate task of protecting and nurturing proper individuals. 

There are many times in my life when chaos and confusion attempt to take over. There are times I’m trying to find compromise and delegation and it is very difficult. But from this chapter, I’m reminded that the Holy Spirit when invited can erase all confusion and chaos and bring harmony back to the basics.

Throughout this coming week, can we find the chance to ask the Holy Spirit to ease the chaos and confusion in our lives. And where this chaos and confusion is that the Holy Spirit gives us an ability to compromise and delicate the task to make it easier for us to show God‘s glory.

Be blessed.

Saved By Grace

Acts 15

10,000 hours.  That’s how many hours of practice you need to become a master a task, according to Malcom Gladwell.  What do you want to master?

Let’s say you want to learn to play the piano.  You commit to one hour, every day, learning and practicing your new craft.  If you listen to Gladwell, one hour per day will take you 27 years to master it.

I’m discouraged before I start.

Its discouraging because I want the result and it takes too long to get it.  That’s what I don’t like about Gladwell’s formula.  It puts all the emphasis on the end goal, but nothing on the beginning.  Truth is, joy starts the moment you decide to play.

At that moment, when you start playing, you are a piano player.

New players are vulnerable.  To help, experts will criticize, judge and scrutinize.  The new student quickly becomes discouraged.  The joy is gone.

New Christians struggle with the same issues.  Experts say that believing isn’t enough.  You must be baptized, circumcised, read your bible, pray every day, stop drinking, never smoke again.  You name it.  New believers are discouraged by the rules, every day.

Paul steps in to remind us that its none of those things that save us.  In fact, the moment a new believer decides, grace steps in.  God is glorified.  They may not be the prettiest example of a Christian, but to God, they look just like you and I.

He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith.  Now then, why are you testing God by putting a yoke on the disciples’ necks that neither our ancestors nor we have been able to bear?  On the contrary, we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus in the same way they are.” Acts 15:9-11 (CSB)

The Point

Today’s reading is Acts 14.

This week March Madness and the NCAA Tournament has started. My family can attest that I might be heard going around the house singing…”It’s the most wonderful of the year!” If you happen to be one of the millions watching this weekend like our family…watch closely and see what happens when a player hits a three pointer or makes a great shot. There was a time when you would commonly see what Illinois State men’s basketball coach Ryan Pedon calls “the point.”  This is where a player makes a shot and points to the person who passed it to them as to give them credit and as to say in a way my basket wouldn’t have happened without you and your great assist. Now when a player makes a shot, you most commonly see a player shooting a fake bow and arrow or pointing to their forearm as to say they have ice water in their veins. Essentially, they are saying…look at me…I’m really good. Most want all the credit and in a way to be treated like a god.

In Acts 14 we read that Paul and Barnabas healed a man so he could walk in the town of Lystra. Here’s what happened next.

“And when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in Lycaonian, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!””

Acts 14:11

Paul and Barnabas got what Coach Norman Dale, played by the late Gene Hackman, in the movie Hoosiers says most everybody wants..”to be treated like a god, just for a few moments.” The people wanted to bring them gifts and sacrifices, but here was the response of Paul and Barnabas.

“Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them.”

Acts 14:15

What an example Paul and Barnabas set for us as to how we should react when we get praise. They responded by “the point” right to their Father in Heaven. They knew where to give the credit and didn’t have to think for a second about it.  Paul was walking his talk in what he said in Romans.

 For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be glory forever. Amen.”

Romans 11:36

Let us remember Paul’s example and the next time we get praise, give “the point” right to our Father above. We are told in the book of Isaiah that is why He created us.

Everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.

Isaiah 43:7

 

 

Boldly and Clearly

In Acts 13, Paul and Barnabas were sent by God to some places to spread the word of Christ.

First, they made a pit stop in Cyprus.  There, they met a Jewish sorcerer who Paul confronted and called him a child of the devil.  Because of the sorcerer’s deceit and trickery, Paul explained to him that the hand of the Lord was against him, and that he is going to go blind, and so he did.  The proconsul (governor of the area) watched all of this take place and he became a believer in Christ right then and there.  They made quick, BUT good work of Cyprus!

After another stop or two they made their way to Pisidian Antioch.  Whilst there on the Sabbath, they went into the synagogue to worship and were invited to do some teaching and preaching.  Paul states very clearly that forgiveness of sin is found in Jesus when someone truly believes in Him. Paul also uses a bunch of the Old Testament to prove to everyone listening that Jesus is Christ.  Now, this message that he delivers starts to create great enthusiasm and excitement amongst the Gentiles that are there.  So much so that they invite him to come back the following Sabbath to speak again.

Fast forward a week and the turnout is greater than it was prior.  The Jewish leaders of the synagogue weren’t used to the presence that Paul was getting and appeared rather jealous of him and even started to contradict some of the message that Paul was giving.  The Gentiles, on the other hand, were eager to hear more from Paul.  Verse 46, Paul and Barnabas said boldly, “We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles.”  Then in verse 48 and 49, “When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believe.  The word of the Lord spread through the whole region.” In other words, a lot of people were saved.

One of the pastors that my family watches online has been teaching about a few of the chapters in Acts recently which has helped my understanding of much of these passages.  I realize that when the leaders of the synagogue began arguing with Paul and Barnabas about what they were teaching, instead of the 2 of them being intimidated, they boldly doubled down and people were saved because of it.  If I learned anything from this, it is that NOONE is saved when we are silent.  People hear about Christ and some of them choose to believe and become followers when we are bold enough to speak His name and do it clearly, then God does the rest.

A prayer that I have heard and worth sharing, “Father forgive me for the times I have been silent, and fear has won in my life.  Give me boldness to speak Jesus’ name and help me do it with clarity”.

Earnest Prayer

Acts 12

Acts 12 sits in the middle of troubling times for the church. Herod is persecuting the church, he kills James, the brother of John, and he seizes Peter and throws him in jail. In a short span, two crucial members of the church have been taken. But the church kept their faith and prayed to the Lord, and he delivered. Peter was miraculously freed by an angel in the night, and he made his way to the house of Mary. They couldn’t believe it! Peter was free, and soon after Herod was struck down by the Lord. 

There are many aspects to digest in this chapter. I think the first that spoke to me was the faith of the church members in times of trouble. The church was not new to persecution, they had already experienced the death of Stephen, and the Jews had been contesting them from the beginning. They knew what to do when trouble came, they lifted their voices up to the Lord. Luke describes their prayer as “earnest” which means it had sincere and intense conviction. 

This draws a beautiful picture for us as believers concerning our prayer life. While I hope none of our friends are thrown in prison anytime soon, we all have our problems that trouble us and even our faith. How good are we at lifting those concerns up to the Lord? Acts 12 makes it clear that a proper response to our troubles is to immediately give it to the Lord, full of sincerity and conviction. 

One of the best parts of this chapter is God’s immediacy in his resolution for the church. He hears the prayers of the people, and he saves Peter. Even the church wasn’t expecting such a quick resolution, as evidenced by their shock when Peter was at the door. They even thought it must have been his angel. God shows his power to his people, and at the same time gives a great example of how much power is in prayer. God can work in ways that we could never expect, and we should pray knowing that!

Life is full of bumps and turns, and it is difficult to navigate them on our own. When you are in the midst of your deepest struggles, are you earnestly lifting your prayers up to the Lord and giving your worries to him? If so, do you truly believe that he has the power to deliver you and supply you with what you need to move forward? Acts 12 gives us a brilliant example of why we should do and believe both of these things, and I pray that myself and fellow believers would never forget the wonderful power that is in prayer.