Acts 13:15-45

There were two things that really stuck out to me today. The first is that Paul was asked to speak at the synagogue. I'm not sure why this is sticking out so much maybe it's just a difference in how I think Paul use to do it. I have this view of him that he would go to the town centers and synagogues and teach without being asked and with this completely prepackaged message. But clearly Paul was ready to give an answer for the hope that he had regardless of the time or the setting. He is just sitting there and gives this baller reason and history behind why he has his belief in Christ that is highlighted by God through the old testament and Christ fulfilling the words of many of the prophets. His response was so good and different that they invited him back to speak at the next sabath and Acts says the entire town showed up. That is an incredible act of the holy spirit. I don't really view God doing that any more or the holy spirit working like that anymore. I have this very simple, very logical, very predictable view on how God is going to work through the things I say. i.e. - if i give a really good message one week a few more will probably show up the next week. If i continue to give what i consider 'good messages' then those people will consistently show up and potentially give their life to Christ. This needs to be changed

The second is an observation of the Jews reaction 45"When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealously and talked abusively against what Paul was saying." This stuck out to me because it seems that there is a constant undercutting of anything spiritual that has size. 'If it is big that must mean they are watering it down' or 'they may be wide but we are deep' or a number of other different attacks. There certainly may be some basis for this in some places but that doesn't mean there is an automatic correlation between size and spiritual bootlegedness. The writer notes that when they saw the crowds they were filled with jealousy. Not when they heard how bootleg the teachings were. In fact they were the ones who invited them back the next week. It is normal to get jealous to see a true work of God happen through someone else. Inside selfishly I have a difficult time seeing that happen in other people but not in me. I also see people who try and undercut what I do because we have a large number of students for a small church and for amount of money we have. We don't see it as much now but certainly we saw it before. I pray that as I continue in what God calls me to do that when crowds come I can reject the things that others say as long as I know the people that come are from Godlyness and not bootlegedness. Also, that while I see others in ministry I can authenticly celebrate what's happening in their lives and their ministries and see it as a pure victory and not a potential point to get upset and jealous about.

Acts 13:9-11

"Then Saul who wa also called Paul, filled with the Holy spirit, looked straight at Elymas and said, 'you are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything tht is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord?'

Interesting thought. Paul had such a heart for the lost and the people that are far from Christ that he couldn't stand people who adamately opposed to Christ get in the way. He seems very blunt if not extremly judgemental. There is an interesting thought behind why he did this. Paul really wanted the proconsul who was seeking God to hear the word of God and accept it. elymas was trying to turn the poconsul from the faith. Paul thus rebukes Elymas from doing so. There is incredible insight in these verses. To want someone to come to Christ to the point where you are willing to sound judgemental to someone else for the sake of the person hearing God's word.

God honors this and blinds Elymas for a time and this becomes a sign to the proconsul and elymas about the power of God and their teaching. I hope and pray that God will continue to increase my heart for people who don't know Him. I pray that I would have the nuts to boldly rebuke someone who is getting in the way of someone coming to know Christ. The awesome thing is in an incredible way all of them are blessed by God through his boldness.

In addition I think it's awesome how Paul's teaching and words brought about change. The procounsul was amazed at the teaching and Elymas was blinded for a time. This was all due to the power of the holy spirit as Paul spoke God's word. I pray that the Holy spirit can be that obvious when I speak God's word, that people would be amazed at God and the power of His word. As james said Elijah was a man just like us.....I think Paul was a man just like me and the power lies in the Holy spirit but I often don't trust it as much and don't lean into the power that I have in God and often take the burden on my shoulders. I pray again that the power of the Holy Spirit would just be so apparent and everyone would be blessed as I remain faithful to saying the things that God as put inside of me to say.

Acts 8:6-13

I'm not sure what you are trying to teach me exactly on this God. Simon the Sorcerer who was a sorcerer saw the miracles taht Philip did and the teachings he proclaimed and decided to give his life to Christ. I think the application of this is how the nature of the things of god should be unexplainable even to people who already possess that characteristic.

For someone who is naturally selfless they would see how not only selfless but sacrifical I am and backed by the word of God they would connect with God. To someone who is a 'good' person they would see the love that is shown by christians and as they see it and hear God's word they would desire God himself.

I feel like most of the time I am one or the other. I either talk alot about God and expect people to desire God based on what I say or I want to love a lot and become the person and live the life that God has called me to live, but I don't speak of God or the things of God much. Balance between the tension is when God effectively works through me. As I look back the times that I have been personally the most effective at reaching out to other people has been when I not only talked about God but showed through my actions who God is as well. A verse that I'm thinking about that is in the bible study that we're doing tonight is in 1 John 4:12 "No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us."

Acts 7:51-60

Stepehen at the end of his discourse is facing the consequences of his speech and his ministry. He is about to be killed for his ministry. He looks up and sees the heavens open up and sees Jesus standing at the right hand of God. That had to be nuts first off, but what incredible confirmation. They then stoned him and his response is disgustingly cool, "Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, 'Lord, do not charge them with this sin."

This is nuts how he had such a genuine heart for the people that were stoning him. I think if I were to ever face persecution like that my last thoughts would be of myself. Probably a sense of self-rightousness that I am a Christian who is 'legit' enough to die for my faith. But the genuine love of God that was manifested in Stevens heart that he would pray for his persecutors, and intercede on their behalf is just silly. In addition he was the first one. That makes such a big difference, because I feel like I might pray for the other person now because I've read of Stephen doing it, I've heard of other christians asking for forgiveness for the people that are about to persecute them. But this is genuine, this is real, there was no template for Stephen to remember when Paul died, or Peter died. He just really cared that much. He really loved that much. He regardless of what it meant to him and benefited him loved.

I hope and pray that I can have that genuine level of love for people, that I can selflessly love regardless of what it means to me. What a challenge, but what incredible potential to show the power of the holy spirit

Acts 7: 37-50

My thoughts on this set of verses comes not from what the text directly is saying but more so from the Old Testament context.

Acts 7:49-50 "Heaven is My throne, and earth is My fotstool. What house will you build for Me? Says the Lord, Or what is the place of My rest? Has my hand not made all these things?"

For some reason this is really striking me right now how much church really isn't about the building. But not in the way that the people are the church. That is obvious, but it's more the perspective of the point of the building in Church is to be used for a tool that brings people and engages people in who God is. No building can adequately portray God or show who he is. In fact that's not even close to the point. Nothing can contain God. The building of the church is simply a tool to bring people closer to God. I feel like we are so concerned with the building and how it has always and all the things it has to have in it. This is weird to write about the focus of a church building but it should really just be to engage the people the church is trying to reach. The tradition should be carried out through it's believers and not necciesarily the way the church is designed or maintained. If Jesus had a church would it have felt banners? Would it have sick lights? Would it have an awesome sound system? I think the answer is that he would have whichever of those things would bring glory to God through bringing His people back to Himself.

If that's through felt banners and a choir or through electric guitar with 30 effects pedals. The setup isn't the point because the building isn't the point. It's a tool, not an institution, it's an avenue not the destination. I pray that as I grow older I will not fall into temptation to be obsessed with the building, but to be willing to do whatever God wants with the building in order to reach His people.

Acts 6:8 - 7:16

Today was a pretty cool day. I listened to an Andy Stanley leadership podcast where he was talking about what you do with the power that God has given to you. To summarize he said to leverage it for the people that are under your influence.



I then was reading in Acts about how Stepehen spoke with such influence. 6:10 "And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke." then later on Stephen is speaking of the patriachs in Egypt and while speaking of joseph in 7:9-10 "But God was with him and delivered him out of all his troubles, and gave him favor and wisdom in the presence of Pharaoh, king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house." I am really thinking about the biblical perspective of God being the one who's spirit was speaking through Steven and for Joseph his success was attributed to God's favor. In most of the stuff that I do I attribute my success to the 'gifts' that God has given me and not to God himself. I don't think of when I speak really well that God was really speaking through me I think that I prepared and focused really well. Especially when I hear other people who are incredible pastors speak I rarely think wow the holy spirit is really speaking through that person. I think wow he is really good.

I pray that my perspective of not just when I speak, but my entire life would be attributed to the power of the holy spirit. That peoples lives would become transformed as his word and his spirit appeals to hearts and I would learn to not try and take credit or blame for the work of the spirit.

Acts 5:17-42

Today was pretty sick in Acts. Peter and the apostles got busted out of prison by an angle which would have been unreal. I love the boldness and the character of God for his desire to be glorified and to call his disciples to be completely selfless. Instead of breaking them out and having them lay low so he could protect the longevity of their ministry he just had them go for it. They were told to go to the temple the next day and speak to the people the words of live. I think there is so much to be said for my thoughts of longevity as opposed to God's purpose. Not that I am to live a completely unhealty lifestyle, but to let tomorrow worry about it self and be completely obedient to what God has called me to today.

When they were brought back in and questioned they said vs. 29 "We ought to obey god rather than men." I love their complete trust in God and to do only what He has told them to do. Charles Stanley said "My job is to be obedient to what God has called me to do and trust Him with the consequences."

After Gamaliel gives baller logical advice the apostles are still beaten for their belief in Christ and they walk away with rediculous perspective. vs. 41 "So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name." Wow... I pray that i can have that kind of reverence for my God. The kind of respect, honor, fear, just complete awe that I would be honored to be beat for His name. That's inspiring. I walk away from a good worship night honored to know him, I walk away from a good sermon feeling a reverence for God. I rarely face persecution and when I do I can't think of when I felt honored that God would consider me worthy enough to suffer for Him. God has really challenged me today to follow Him radically today, trust Him with the consequences, and to live with such awe that I would be honored to suffer for His name.

Acts 4:23-31

Peter and John just got done standing up for Christ to the rulers, elders, scribes, high priest, and a ton of 'holy people' and basically said regardless of what you say I'm going to listen to what God tells me to say and not what you want me to say. The holy crew threatened them a lot after that. What's nuts is that they go back and share with their peeps about what happened and they pray for boldness. They pray for boldness after they show an incredible amount of boldness. It's like Lebron praying for athleticisim. aka...you already are. not just are but you are a ton.

"Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word." This is nuts. They prayed for boldness to combat their threats. I'd pray for their plans not to work. I'd pray that God would deliver me. I honestly don't think I'd pray that I can be more bold.

It's tons easier to find ways around boldness than to be bold. I was thinking about this verse after last night giving the gospel to a bunch of lakes peeps. Thinking that I am bold, and they just stood before the religious ballers and are praying for more boldness.

Why I'm blogging

I was spending time in God's word a couple of minutes ago and wanted to write some stuff down and it was either go to Publix and get a pad to write or start a blog. So in case anyone reads this my reason for blogging is because I like to write what I'm reading about but I am incredibly gifted at losing stuff. So instead of trying to find paper or a journal or something like that when I want to write stuff down I think it's a lot better idea to write it on the internet so I can always find it. Sounds ridiculous, but it's true.