Peter in Acts 9-10

As Peter actively continued his ministry, now traveling about the country, God was able to use him through the healing of Aeneas and the raising of Dorcas to bring many in Lydda, Sharon, and Joppa to become believers.   Peter's ministry was effective because of his reliance on prayer, giving glory to God, and willingness to put aside barriers and biases (e.g. Samaritans, Simon the tanner)

And, in Peter's Vision, God showed that He was breaking down one of the biggest barriers, that between Jews and Gentiles.  Just as we saw with Saul's conversion earlier in Chp 9; in Chp 10, we see God orchestrating His Plan for widespread inclusion of Gentiles in the Church by working independently in Peter's and Cornelius' lives.

Just as with the Ethiopian Eunuch, Saul, and now Cornelius, it is encouraging to see that those who were devout and God-fearing were ultimately led to the Truth.

In Acts, we have seen Peter as a great leader, having matured and developed from the Gospels; but, in this passage, we catch a glimpse of the "old" Peter, when he essentially once again used "No" and "Lord" in the same sentence.  This reminds us that preconceived notions or traditions may sometimes get in the way of saying "Yes" to the Lord.

Service

"Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else."  (2 Corinthians 9:13)

This verse stood out for me, related to serving.   Essentially, it's saying that our serving and generosity are expressions of our obedience to God due to our faith in Christ and will glorify HIM.  One commentator put it this way:  "The doctrine is, that one evidence of true subjection to the gospel; one proof that our profession is sincere and genuine, is a willingness to contribute to relieve the needs of the poor and afflicted friends of the Redeemer." (Barnes)

Along those lines, my pastor said, during the sermon on Sunday, that the power of our lives are in direct proportion to how much God is in control.  We live the life of amazing grace by expressing our faith through a life of love; and the only way to be right with God is to trust in the finished work of Christ on the cross.

And, in the context of that verse, in 2 Corinthians 9:6-15, it ties together faith and works, particularly in reference to giving.  We give cheerfully (hilariously), not reluctantly or under compulsion; so that it will result in praise and thanksgiving to God.  We can be motivated by remembering that all provisions come from God; and that He is the greatest example of Love and Giving through "His indescribable gift!" - the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ.

Mountains

 "For we walk by faith, not by sight."  (2 Corinthians 5:7)

The Devotional last night from "40 Days with Jesus" by Sarah Young said that when we focus on the looming mountains, we may end up stumbling on our current path by not looking at where we are going.   And, it's even possible that our path may eventually lead us away from those mountains.

It's a good reminder to walk by faith; and not worry about climbing mountains we may not even end up facing.

Acts 9 - Conversion of Saul

Saul was so zealous in his persecution of the Church, that he even headed to Damascus, 160 miles away armed with letters from the high priest authorizing him to take prisoners back to Jerusalem.  Yet, on the road to Damascus, Saul met Jesus and learned that persecuting the Church is really persecuting Jesus Christ the LORD.   After days of blindness, praying, and not eating or drinking, Saul received his sight back, was filled with the Holy Spirit, and was baptized when God sent Ananias to him.   After his conversion, Saul's life was completed turned around.   Instead of persecuting the Church with the authority of the Jewish leaders, the Jews now sought to kill him for preaching that Jesus is the Son of God; and it was the disciples of the Church who would help him escape, both in Damascus and Jerusalem.

We see that God uses people like Ananias, the disciples of the Church at Damascus, and Barnabas to help Paul during his conversion and in his initial walk with Christ.  By being obedient to God and being willing to help Saul, these people were able to enable Saul to fulfill God's calling for him as a "chosen instrument to proclaim [His] name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel." (Acts 9:15b)

Amazing Life of Grace

"My chains are gone
I've been set free
My God, my Savior has ransomed me
And like a flood His mercy reigns
Unending love, Amazing grace"

This chorus from Chris Tomlin's "Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)" song says essentially what my pastor has been preaching in his latest series in Galatians on "The Amazing Life of Grace" - that we have freedom in Christ, and are not bound by the chains of legalism nor of the condemnation, guilt, or shame of sin.   "We are declared righteous by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone!"

By the principle of logical consistency, Paul showed in  Galations 5:3, that those who insist on obligation to the law, would need to obey the whole law; and cannot stumble in even one part of it.  But, the reality is "we are just not that good"; and no one can ever "pay his own way".

"I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!"  (Galatians 2:21)

Marriage

In a California Family Council letter, Ron Prentice gave some good points for traditional marriage:

• The laws of nature (and nature’s God) attest to the biological inter-relationship intended between man and woman.  This is the only human pairing that can procreate.
• Over the course of thousands of years, man-woman marriage has been replicated in diverse and separate cultures. In other words, marriage is not specific to one religion, and has been historically honored by non-religious groups.
• Marriage is not a right, but a privilege created by societies and governments for benefit to their common good and generational stability.
• The best environment for any child is in a functional family with both a mother and a father.

"Not surprisingly, the objective research stated above aligns with a biblical worldview."

Community Groups Series 4 and 5

I just realized that I didn't blog after session 4; so, I'll just combine that entry with the one for the latest session on 5.

In session 4, we were challenged with the idea that there are some parts of the "American Dream" that may not be so consistent with our values.  While the "equality of opportunity that permits any American to aspire to high attainment and material success" is great,  focusing only on "personal happiness and material comfort" can conflict with the eternal perspective.  Three principles we should remember are:

1. It's not our money; it's God's
2. We are entrusted with it; not entitled to it
3. God expects us to invest in His kingdom

We are to be wise stewards of the Time, Treasures, and Talents He has entrusted to us.

In session 5, we are challenged with the statistics that show that there is a hole in the Church.  Only 2 percent of the 2 percent given in tithe go to missions; but, while we have awareness, access, and ability, we often find excuses or lack the will to help.   Malachi 3:8-12 gives a different perspective on the tithe - that by not giving, we actually "rob God".  When the people of Israel turned away from God, they withheld the tithe, which had the purpose of supporting the priests and spiritual leaders; and providing for the needy. Thus, without the tithe, the Levites had to work, and thus abandon their religious duties, and the needs of the poor went unmet as well. 

What a difference we could make for the kingdom of God, if we all brought "the whole tithe into the storehouse".