Monday, January 29, 2007

Lena's Discipleship Journalin' to Acts 26

I’ll start first by sifting through some of the parts of the passage today. As we remember, Saul was a scholar of the scriptures and he was a member of the Pharisees who were the strictest sect of religious scholars and counselors. He was strict in enforcing the ideals that man came up with concerning obedience’s and compliances to “God’s Words”. He was a part of a group of people who were greatly offending God in that they used God’s words for their own advancement and to set up their own kingdom on earth. Yet is was not God’s ideal they were really after, but their own man made, self serving, and self exalting organization of acceptable conduct. It was like they were using the scripture as a means to build a kingdom, but they were missing the purpose and point. They were their own lords, ungoverned by the very Spirit of Life who came to infuse the words they studied so intently. This part of the passage stood out to me today.
“‘Who are you, lord?’ I asked. Notice small “l” in lord. Saul did not know Jesus personally as Lord, Master, Leader and brother/friend. Saul was his own lord, in the league of other lords and masters of self. He was taken off of his high horse, but still was not recognizing God as Master of his life personally. Notice when the Lord replies, he states “IAM” Lord, “IAM” Jesus. Saul knew this IAM, and that THIS IAM is YHWH. He at least knew that in his head. It was about to become very personal.
We do the same, and should not completely fault or blame Saul/Paul for even when we hear the spirit infused word of life, and we live it out as we see it, and do what is right in our own eyes justifying o0urselves even in our own sins against God, we are the self-same “Pharisee” type. Have you ever heard something like this- “love your enemies and pray for those who despitefully use you”, or “love suffers long and is kind…”?Then after hearing THAT word, say to yourself, well, the Lord knows my situation and he doesn’t really mean that where I am concerned, I mean my enemy is against me continually and the lord (notice little “l”) knows my plight. I have an excuse (from God) because He understands.
There’s one words for that flesh that is fighting against God’s word being planted within - Pharisee.
“And the Lord replied, ‘I am Jesus,
He then says:
I obeyed that vision from heaven

Obedience is the response of those who do believe in His Lordship. Many believe in Him as Savior. The reason I say that Is; if He is Lord (THE I AM, YHWH) to me, it is evidenced in the fruit of my repentance and my personal obedience to God’s words to me.
Jesus said if you love Me, then show Me, by obeying Me.
In other words, if you call Me LORD (YHWH & I AM) then your actions will show others this is what you believe. You’ll look more and more like Me, and less and less like you, and be more and more fruitful in the characteristics of Christ.
This part of the passage sums up the requirements of each believer, especially those who name the name of Christ (i.e. – Christians)…

…all must repent of their sins and turn to God—and prove they have changed by the good things they do.

We are not speaking merely of good works, for one can do a good work for God and have a bad attitude, or a quick temper. Their word is like “doo-doo” before God if they “serve” Him that way.
Repentance is the change of heart and mind. There is no guile inside. I don’t put on an act on the outside. My actions outwardly are the fruit of what is going on inside of my new life. My outward actions that are true to what IS inside and they are proof that I am making Him Lord, rather than esteeming Him as lord (just another authority to comply with).
This next portion is so key to what we say, and how we say it, and with what motive we do extend ourselves boldly before the Lord and for His work.
Do we serve as a product of the fruit of our lives which is love? Or do we serve to look good with someone or God? Do we preach because we are obeying God, no matter the visible outcome, or do we have a hidden motive? Do we get up enough courage to obey God and then shrink back when it does not turn out as we thought it should?
If so, we are not motivated by love, we are living on a checks and balances system. We’re trying to earn something.
We must give even to our own hurt. We must extend ourselves, if we never receive praise or a pat on the back, or applause from anyone, even God! Do we believe what God’s words says about being powerful? Do we believe we are to be obedient to deliver it to people?
Paul knew he was standing where he was standing and was where he was, because God ordained it. Since he was where God set him, he knew God would do His work and have His way, as best it could be.
Most of our delivery of the word is merely to give an opportunity from God to the hearers. It is a knock on the door of their hearts. They stand before God for the response to the knock, we do not. God gave each of us free wills, and allots each of us the exercise of it. We cannot rule over others wills, but we can do our part before God.
Leave the invitation at the door in obedience to God and leave. Walk away unless the Lord says stay longer. Let the Holy Spirit to do the work!
I love how Paul says:

“Whether quickly or not, I pray to God that both you and everyone here in this audience might become the same as I am, except for these chains.”

The chains could be the religious thoughts and attitudes. It could also be what one is motivated by, or unbelief in the LORDSHIP of Christ, in my own life. Chains could be disobedience, which leads to a whole horde of curses gone awry. Chains could also be inability to see Him, living for ourselves and the guise of our own self- serving wills, yet thinking we are living for Him merely because we acknowledge Him.

Become the same as I am….what is that?
Saul turned into another man, was given a new name. (from Pharisee to “Christian”). He was a man brought down humbly to change his thinking. A man who acknowledges another as Lord, rather than an equal to himself as lords together. (Only God gives that position, man can never take it himself or give it to himself, it comes through a process of a submitted life to Christ and His ways). He found himself to be a man who would preach no matter what. No matter what. He was always sowing, always, at all times, as led by the Spirit of Christ; never expecting to receive anything, for he had already been given everything - inside of his new life in Christ! He was a new man motivated by Love, rather than challenged by scorekeeping! He had nowhere to go or get to, except wherever God needed Him to plant, water, and see increase.
Less of him and more of Christ, even to the death and especially to the death of self life.
Beaten, bruised, imprisoned, shipwrecked?
YES, to all or any of the above, because of Love.
The point is the message, before whoever’s ears it may stand before, and whatever it took to get to those ears of influence!