"GOD WHO MADE THE WORLD AND EVERYTHING ..." Bible Reading Thoughts for May 6th

Acts 16:14 - in Lydia we have a wonderful example:
- she heard the gospel being preached
- her heart was opened by the Lord
- which meant she attended to the words spoken by Paul

She had to open her ears and her mind. She "attended" unto the things spoken of by Paul, lit it means she held her mind on his words. The Greek is present active, therefore she kept these things in her mind, she kept on thinking about them.

The same Greek is used by Paul in his exhortation to Timothy (1 Tim 4:13,15):
"Till I come, give ATTENDANCE to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine...Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all"

Till Christ comes, Pray that through the reading and hearing Gods word, that our hearts may be opened, so we truly attend and hold the mind on the word of God. So that, the effect on us will be evident to all, including our Master and coming King.

“GOD WHO MADE THE WORLD AND EVERYTHING …”

           

            What exciting chapters (16 & 17) we read in Acts today!  We see Paul’s total commitment to preach among as many Gentiles as possible  the genuine message of salvation.  This was despite whatever kind of hostility arose.  He usually began by speaking to the Jews – and “reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving …” [17 v.2,3] his message about the teaching, life and death of Jesus; but most Jews rejected this with acts of violence.

            The Jews revered their holy book, but they seriously misunderstood it – the same has been the case, but for different reasons, among Christians since the first couple of Centuries; since then all too many decide what they want to believe, such as going to heaven when they die – and vainly look for proof, ignoring all the passages that tell them something different.

Paul came to Athens and found “the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there would spend their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new” [v.21];  these were the things of human imagination, but Paul challenged them to get to know “the God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth” [v.24].  The Bible has made this challenge to the world ever since.  Paul told the Athenians to “seek God … that they might feel their way toward him and find him … he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness ..” [v.27,30,31]

There are increasing reasons to believe that the “day” of judgement in now very close!  Our world is in a total mess. The reactions in Athens was that “some mocked” [v.32] especially at the thought of the dead being raised.  What is your reaction?  How pleased God will be if he sees your reaction as being like it was “in Thessalonica (where) they received the word with all eagerness, examining the scriptures daily ...”[v.11]   May we feel motivated to do the same – and not be like the virgins who had no oil in their lamps (Matt. 25 v.3) or like those, of whom Jesus said in his final message to  one  of the churches,  “because you are lukewarm .. I will spit you out of my mouth … so be zealous … behold I stand at the door …” [Rev. 3 v.16,19,20].  Let’s be ready to open it.

"GOD WHO KNOWS THE HEARTS ..." Thoughts from Today's Bible readings - 5/5/14

"GOD WHO KNOWS THE HEART..."                                                                                               

Today we read about a conference of a serious nature that took place in Jerusalem among the disciples and other principal brethren, it was about problems that had arisen among the believers.  Some of the Pharisees who were now believers in Christ were saying that the Gentiles whom Paul had been converting, that “it is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses”   [Acts 15 v.5]

Peter recounts to the assembly how God had acted to bring about the conversion and baptism of Cornelius, a Roman, and also his relatives and friends so God ordained, says Peter, that “by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. And God who knows the heart, bore witness to them …” [v.7,8]  How powerful to fully realize that “God knows the heart”!  We  must meditate on that fact.

The result of the conference is that they decide to write to the Gentiles saying that “it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements: that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality.  If you keep yourselves from these you will do well …” [v.28,29]   

Nowadays, at least in this country, there is no sacrificing to idols or drinking blood or animals strangled so that they retain the blood in their bodies.  The one thing that there is – here and it seems in all countries – is an increasing abundance in “sexual immorality.”  It was widespread in those days as we see it is mentioned in nearly all the letters of the apostles and in the final messages of Jesus to the churches (Rev. 2 v.15,20)  

The final message of Jesus in the last chapter in the Bible has Jesus telling us. “Behold I am coming soon (in God’s sense of ‘soon’ for he sees “one day is as a thousand years” [2 Peter 3 v.8])  bringing my recompense (reward) with me, to repay everyone for what he has done … Outside are the … sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.” [Rev.22 v.12,15]

Let us all know God in our hearts and realize he knows us – so let us keep ourselves from these. To really “know” God, which must include having an intimate prayer life, provides the strength to do this – and our regular reading and meditation on his word is an essential part of achieving this.

Deuteronomy 22:1-4 lays out wonderful exhortation on looking after the welfare of our brothers and sisters.

Notice the words that are used and where this is used by Christ and the Apostles:
"Sheep go astray" / "bring them again" - Matt 18:12-13, Lu 15:3-8
"Lost" / "found" - Lu 15:4,9,32
"Lift them up" - Lu 10:34, Heb 12:12
"Restore" - Gal 6:1

Also note exhortation of not to "hide thyself" (used x3 in these verses 1-4), which literally means to veil from sight, therefore to close ones eyes to.  When we are presented with a need of our brothers or sisters, we must respond to it, it is our duty as a disciple of Christ.

When we follow this Hebrew for "hide", it has echoes of "forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors (those who sin against us)".

We must show the same character and behaviour as we would like our Heavenly Father to show to us, Ps 55:1:
"Give ear to my prayer, O God; and HIDE not (same Heb as Deut 22) thyself from my supplication. Attend unto me, and hear me..."

"LOOK YOU SCOFFERS, BE ASTOUNDED AND PERISH" Bible Readings Thoughts for May 4th

“LOOK YOU SCOFFERS, BE ASTOUNDED AND PERISH”                                                                                

                                                                

The Missionary journeys of Paul now commence and today’s reading in Acts 13 is full of drama about his initial experiences.  There are a lessons for us today from the varied reactions of people then, they are so similar to today – although today there are even more scoffers.  

Paul and Barnabas came to Antioch in Pisidia (southern Turkey) and went into the synagogue and were invited to speak (v.15). Paul started by giving them a history lesson of God’s actions in bringing Israel through the wilderness to the promised land; then giving them kings, in particular David who God said is, “a man after my heart, who will do all my will.” [v.22]   His message then jumps forward to the role of John the Baptist – and then to Jesus and how the Jews “fulfilled them (the message of the prophets) by condemning him” [v.27].

             Paul knew many of the Jews in Antioch would do the same by becoming jealous of the Gentiles when they accepted the message that “everyone who believes (in Jesus) is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the Law of Moses.” [v.38,39]. The warning is made, “Beware therefore, lest what is said in the prophets should come about.” [v.40] – that is, God’s judgement on those who were wilfully blind to this new work of God.

             Tragically that’s what happened!  Now the same can be said of people today and the reaction of so many to any teaching there is even a God at all!  Paul quoted the words God inspired the prophet Habakkuk to write, “Look you scoffers, be astounded and perish; for I am doing a work in your days, a work you will not believe, even if one tells it to you.’” [v.41, Hab. 1 v.5] 

Today we have scoffers who deride the Bible, apparently learned men who scoff at the very thought that there is a God.    One day soon, they will “be astounded and perish.”  Then God’s laws will come into action, no longer will the permissive laws exist that allow many kinds of ungodliness.  Let us prepare ourselves for that time by taking the words of Jesus, the Apostles and the prophets fully to heart.

“BECAUSE HE DID NOT GIVE GOD THE GLORY” The dramatic death of Herod we read about today gives us an unexpected lesson. It took place after Peter had been miraculously released from prison after his arrest by Herod. Chapter 12 of Acts starts by telling us, “ …Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church.. He killed James the brother of John with the sword, and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter …” Jesus had said troubles like this would happen (see Matt 10 v.17,18). Our chapter tells us of Peter’s miraculous release as the soldiers guarding him were caused to fall fast asleep and the chains fell off his hands. Herod obviously refuses to acknowledge any miracle has occurred and has all the sentries put to death. (v.19). It is after this that he goes to Tyre and Sidon “put on his royal robes … and delivered an oration to them. And the people were shouting, ‘The voice of a god, and not a man!’ Immediately and angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory …” [v.22,23] In contrast to the demise of Herod, we then read “But the word of God increased and multiplied.” And how it multiplied! It spread and spread until in the 3rd Century it was the official religion of the Roman Empire, but sadly, that also brought the time when the ‘glory’ of the preachers became pre-eminent – and they also taught what the people wanted to hear and the original gospel faded into the background. In the days of Jesus there were those who “believed in him, but … did not confess it …so … they would not be put out of the synagogue, for the loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.” [John 12 v.42] What “glory” do we love? The final words in Ecclesiastes we also read are a fitting conclusion to our thoughts. “… all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of Man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.”

“BECAUSE HE DID NOT GIVE GOD THE GLORY”

            The dramatic death of Herod we read about today gives us an unexpected lesson.  It took place after Peter had been miraculously released from prison after his arrest by Herod.  Chapter 12 of Acts starts by telling us, “ …Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church..  He killed James the brother of John with the sword, and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter …”

            Jesus had said troubles like this would happen (see Matt 10 v.17,18).  Our chapter tells us of Peter’s miraculous release as the soldiers guarding him were caused to fall fast asleep and the chains fell off his hands.  Herod obviously refuses to acknowledge any miracle has occurred and has all the sentries put to death. (v.19).

            It is after this that he goes to Tyre and Sidon “put on his royal robes … and delivered an oration to them.  And the people were shouting, ‘The voice of a god, and not a man!’  Immediately and angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory …” [v.22,23]

            In contrast to the demise of Herod, we then read “But the word of God  increased and multiplied.”   And how it multiplied!  It spread and spread until in the 3^rd Century it was the official religion of the Roman Empire, but sadly, that also brought the time when the ‘glory’ of the preachers became pre-eminent – and they also taught what the people wanted to hear and the original gospel faded into the background.

            In the days of Jesus there were those who “believed in him, but  … did not confess it …so  … they would not be put out of the synagogue, for the loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.” [John 12 v.42]   What “glory” do we love?

            The final words in Ecclesiastes we also read are a fitting conclusion to our thoughts. “… all has been heard.  Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of Man. For God will bring every deed into judgment,  with every secret thing, whether good or evil.”  

"GOD SHOWS NO PARTIALITY" Thoughts from Today's Bible Readings 2/5/14

“GOD SHOWS NO PARTIALITY”                                                                                                                                    

In Acts Chapter 10 today there is yet another dramatic account of how the message of Christ was spread still further.  Under Christ’s guidance the Apostle Peter is caught up in a situation he never anticipated!   He was expected to teach a Roman Centurion, his relatives and close friends the truth about Jesus Christ.  He finds himself at his home in Caesarea. 

It needed a vision that “inwardly perplexed” him [v.17] to set him on this course of action.  A demonstration of its meaning that he could not mistake caused him to do what he had never imagined himself doing. It was totally against the way the Jews practised their application of the law to go into the home of a non-Jew. This arose from the Jewish conviction that they were a holy nation, a special people, but they had misused this privileged position and now God was inviting all to be part of his holy Nation – look at what Peter wrote in his first Epistle, ch. 2 v.9

Divine direction brings Peter into this Roman home in Caesarea, the Centurion said when he entered his home, “we are all here in the presence of God to hear all that you have been commanded of the Lord”.

So Peter opened his mouth and said: Truly I  understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him”  [v.33-35]  

The core of his message is the life and teaching of Jesus, “and we are witnesses of all that he did … and he commanded us to preach … that he is the one appointed by God to be the judge of the living and the dead. To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” [ v. 39,42,43]

As Peter completes the essential part of his message, to his astonishment the Holy Spirit falls on them, so he realizes they should be baptised.  Peter now knows beyond any doubt that the message of Jesus and baptism into his name is for all nations. 

This commission to be witnesses applies to every generation.  The written word has made all who read and genuinely believe - into disciples of Jesus – and all such also have a responsibility to be witnesses, showing no partiality: it is now possible to travel to distant parts of our world.  What great darkness exists today! Let us each shed a little light! What a marvellous privilege to know and believe God’s word and to “have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us”. [Heb. 6 v.18]

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