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Tag: acts

A Personal God – Jesus

Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock. – Isaiah 26:4 ESV

… and he would have given you living water.” – John 4:10b

“I and the Father are one.” – John 10:30

Setting aside for a moment your personal preferences for worshiping God; whether ritualistic routine, overflowing emotion, singing, shouting, standing, sitting, hands held up, heads bowed low, knees on the floor or feet off the ground; on the scriptural presumption that Jesus and God are one, let us examine two things:

The Person of Jesus and His personal mission for each of us.

Before Christ became God in Person on this earth as the Son of Man, some worshiped God and some worshiped worship. Some worshiped the Law, some worshiped family and forefathers above the Living God. Though Moses stood in the Presence of the Living God, the people worshiped God only in the fear and emotion of the moment.

Exodus 20:

18 Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled, and they stood far off 19 and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die.” 20 Moses said to the people, “Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you, that you may not sin.” 21 The people stood far off, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was.

22 And the Lord said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the people of Israel: ‘You have seen for yourselves that I have talked with you from heaven.

Followers feared Moses only when he reflected the glory of God, yet would not obey the commands given to Moses by the God they feared.

The Prophets spoke God’s word and demonstrated the truth of God’s refining exhortations. Generation after generation, God’s worshipers assumed a posture of disobedience and self-righteousness; for by their witness they forgot the fear of God. By their witness they failed to please the LORD with the same love and compassion the LORD had shown them from generation to generation.

The worshipers of God would not listen to Moses. The worshipers of God would not listen to the Prophets.

Therefore, God intervened in time in the Person of Christ Jesus to redeem a sinful world from the futility of death and the inevitability of judgment.

Jesus Christ lived in Perfect righteousness on the earth. NO man of any religion on the earth has lived in the righteousness of Christ. Men of every era have lived agendas of purpose for the earthly agendas of man; not the will of God for a Heavenly Kingdom.

Jesus did not come into the world for worship of holy mothers or ancient fathers. Jesus did not come into the world to win a war by peaceful protest or by sword. Jesus did not come into the world to work miracles to impress or heal men who will die.

The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners…

1 Timothy 1:15a

Jesus became the sacrifice to God for the redemption of sin – sins you and I have committed in God’s Holy presence.

The gospels testify to the glory of Christ Jesus, the Word of His instruction and the Life of His own witness.

Our God is a Personal God and He IS present in the Person of Jesus Christ.

By the perfect and sinless example of Jesus Christ we have assurance of forgiveness for our many sins and eternal life for our soul, which does long for the embrace of God through the love of His perfection.

Fear the God Who IS. Give thanks to the One who has formed your flesh and summons your soul.

Jesus Christ was witnessed by the Apostles, including Paul who was blinded by His presence. Jesus Christ was witnessed by disciples who believed (as well as those who refused to follow Him).

The Apostles stood and sat and ate in the presence of the Person of Jesus from day to day and after the resurrection of His crucified body. They are witness to the Person of God in Him.

And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” – Mark 4:41

Acts 9 (excerpt) … and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. 4 And falling to the ground he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” 5 And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 6 But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” 7 The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. 8 Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing.

God and Jesus pursue sinners personally – sinners like you and me.

Jesus taught us how to live as a perfect son (which I am not) and how to approach God as a perfect father (which I am not). We are neither perfect son nor father, perfect daughter nor mother; yet because Christ Jesus has taken our sin from us, He presents us to God the Father as blameless to do the will of our Father and Lord, as He would have done ‘on earth, as it is in Heaven.’

Our Personal God and Father has sent Himself in His only Son, Christ Jesus, to us; as example for a personal obedience to His will on earth in this day and until the day He has appointed for our finished work, the witness of His love, to complete His purpose for our mortal life.

In Christ Jesus, our Lord, my soul stands before God and man as witness to hope eternal and witness to eternal life daily.

In you, our Lord has placed an eternal voice and temporal call to a personal relationship of love to fulfill His purpose for your mortal life on this earth.

God has something He has sent your soul here to do in the flesh. The Person of God has a mission just for you.

Will you do it?

Will you listen to God our Father and Christ Jesus our Lord?

To be continued, God willing

October 7, 2014
Stronger in the LORD

They will continue to grow stronger,
and each of them will appear before God in Jerusalem.

– Psalm 84:7 NLT

What made weak followers of Jesus stronger after his resurrection and ascension?

How is it that the faith of eleven remaining Disciples and a few former followers grew into a boldness in Christ that could not be silenced even by threat of death?

Acts 2:

40 And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” 41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers…

Acts 3: Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour…

Acts 4:4 But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand.

5 On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem, 6 with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. 7 And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?”

[They are referring to a lame man present healed by a miracle of God.]

13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.

It is one thing to have been with Jesus. It is quite another to have the power of Jesus with you.

And for you and me, even now, it is one thing to know about Jesus. It is quite another to have the boldness of the Spirit with you.

These humble followers of Jesus, weak vessels of flesh who would even deny Jesus as they crucified Him, now seem fitted for the battle; and the battle is the LORD’s.

“REPENT! and be baptized,” is the battle cry of the believer.

Turn from your sinful ways and receive the permanent change of the Spirit of God. This is the invitation of the Lord to sinners everywhere and in every time… this mortal time of our sinful flesh and perishing souls.

It would seem that these Disciples were now well suited in an armor even more threatening to a chosen nation of conquered men.

A letter to the church at Ephesus from a soon-to-be converted Saul of Tarsus (the Apostle Paul):

The Whole Armor of God

Ephesians 6:10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.

14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.

16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.

To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, 19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

May 19, 2014
The Gospel: Preached by Stephen

Acts 6: Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number…

The multitudes were now part of the way and living as disciples of the risen Christ Jesus. The twelve Apostles (with Mathias appointed to replace Judas) need the help of others. They appointed deacons – seven more men fully filled with the Holy Spirit to serve as additional leaders.

… and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit,

and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. 6 These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them.

7 And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.

8 And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people.

When God multiplies the numbers and faith of believers, without fail opposition to God will test the faith of believers. The truth of our witness by the Spirit will convert the enemies of Christ to trust in His overflowing love.

9 Then some … rose up and disputed with Stephen. 10 But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking.

11 Then they secretly instigated men… 12 And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, and they came upon him and seized him and brought him before the council, 13 and they set up false witnesses…

15 And gazing at him, all who sat in the council saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

Filled with the Power of the Holy Spirit, Stephen now preaches to his false accusers the gospel of Christ Jesus.

Acts 7

“Brothers and fathers, hear me. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran, 3 and said to him, ‘Go out from your land and from your kindred and go into the land that I will show you.’ 4 Then he went out from the land of the Chaldeans and lived in Haran.

And after his father died, God removed him from there into this land in which you are now living. 5 Yet he gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot’s length, but promised to give it to him as a possession and to his offspring after him, though he had no child.

6 And God spoke to this effect—that his offspring would be sojourners in a land belonging to others, who would enslave them and afflict them four hundred years.

Israel, the Hebrew people, chosen by God, were proud of their heritage through Abraham.

Again, remember that Joseph, son of Israel (Jacob) became a savior to his people by bringing them into Goshen of Egypt as sojourners.

Stephen continues with Joseph’s story and their history in Egypt, which every Jew knew so well from scripture:

17 “But as the time of the promise drew near, which God had granted to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt 18 until there arose over Egypt another king who did not know Joseph. 19 He dealt shrewdly with our race and forced our fathers to expose their infants, so that they would not be kept alive.

20 At this time Moses was born; and he was beautiful in God’s sight. And he was brought up for three months in his father’s house, 21 and when he was exposed, Pharaoh’s daughter adopted him and brought him up as her own son. 22 And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was mighty in his words and deeds.

23 “When he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brothers, the children of Israel. 24 And seeing one of them being wronged, he defended the oppressed man and avenged him by striking down the Egyptian.

God used Moses to save Israel. God gave the Hebrew people the Law through Moses. These are the first five book of Scripture.

Moses, even more than David, is revered by the Jews. Yet hear what Stephen points out about the relationship of the Hebrews to Moses and scripture from Moses to point to this parallel to Christ Jesus.

35 “This Moses, whom they rejected, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’—this man God sent as both ruler and redeemer by the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush. 36 This man led them out, performing wonders and signs in Egypt and at the Red Sea and in the wilderness for forty years.

37 This is the Moses who said to the Israelites, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers.’

41 … And they made a calf in those days, and offered a sacrifice to the idol and were rejoicing in the works of their hands. 42 But God turned away and gave them over to worship the host of heaven…

44 “Our fathers had the tent of witness in the wilderness… 45 Our fathers in turn brought it in with Joshua…

… So it was until the days of David, 46 who found favor in the sight of God and asked to find a dwelling place for the God of Jacob.

47 But it was Solomon who built a house for him.

48 Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made by hands, as the prophet says,

49 “‘Heaven is my throne,
and the earth is my footstool.
What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord,
or what is the place of my rest?
50 Did not my hand make all these things?’

Yes, we are proud of our great houses of worship, aren’t we?

So were the Jews of the first century proud of the Temple Herod built, the Temple where they worshiped Abraham and worshiped Moses and worshiped David and worshiped their long-established traditions…

Are we so different?

Yet Stephen, by the Power of the Holy Spirit, quotes scripture reminding us that GOD is the Creator and has no need of any house of other provision of man. (This is from the Prophet Isaiah.)

Steven then reminds his accusers, who have rejected Christ Jesus, of their sordid history of opposing the will of God:

51 “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit.

As your fathers did, so do you.

52 Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute?

And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, 53 you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.”

Are you so caught up in ‘church’ that you forget Jesus?

Can you be so stiff-necked and uncircumcised in your heart and ears that you resist the gospel of the Holy Spirit being preached from the pulpit and written before you in a dust-covered Bible?

Could you be just as one who stood by while Stephen preached the gospel?

What must YOU do?

REPENT! and be changed permanently by the Name of Jesus Christ.

Do not resist the Holy Spirit.

You with ears to hear and eyes to see Scripture, hear and see the Gospel.

May 17, 2014