What! Are we willing to do for the work of the Lord in the earth? Change? Take hurt and pain and suffering upon us? Have our lives rearranged by others?
WHO! Are we willing to become, for the kingdom of God to be brought to earth through us? Are we really willing to put into practice what it takes to have a character change? Are we willing to lay down our own self life and die to that, to decrease all I want and wanted to be, for what He desires to make me?
Ya know His purpose for all flesh is that it may give its life for others. His purpose for each believer is that they’d be changed into His image and likeness, so much that when others look at the life changes they’d be astounded and see you new, like a dead man risen up to new life!
If your family, co-workers, friends and community know the almighty you, there is a problem you need to take up with your Father! I can guarantee you, you are in the way.
I like to do it this way. We do it this way or that way. I like this, I love that. I want this. I need that. He has need of thee to put all of THAT aside and bury it forever as though it is no longer your plight.
When Paul said, “I am ready to die for this kingdom”, he had grown up into the measure of the fullness of the stature of Christ! It was no longer Saul alive in full bloom. It was Paul, a changed man!
Has the Lord ever said something to you like, “Ya know you don’t HAVE to go to church today, We can just stay home and relax together and I can speak with you here, for you hear My voice fine?” If you’ve ever heard anything like that, you can go with it or you can do more than that.
Sometimes God wants to see what we will do. We never have to do anything with God, but as our love grows deeper and calls us up to a greater understanding of its depth and height and breadth, we can dive in, or soar, or sail with it and in it.
Paul heard he should not go to Jerusalem, because there’d be suffering. So why did he go? Love is the only reason. He was being tested on his love level. This was not disobedience; this was the extending of His soul. His trip was not about the avoiding of suffering and neither is our Christian walk and journey about that. God had already told Him he would suffer greatly for the kingdom of God sake. He knew that and also knew in order to truly follow Christ He’d have to be apart of that picture and plan. It would be the test of his faith and faithfulness.
Both God and our enemy want to see if we are wiling to be a part of whatever it takes to go all the way. Are we all in, or just some?
Paul rose up, and went to Jerusalem. He rose up in spirit and power. The power of love would have to be so great and fresh within him to go up there. The Spirit of God must rise up in Him and conquer over fear, pain, injury, and even death.
Do you realize a person can be injured, beaten, tortured, yet not be “harmed”? Because as Jesus did, they give their lives, even to unfair punishments. Paul was a great example of this, yet he says, I won the prize through it all. I’ve kept my faith in God! Love does that.
I find it very interesting that when the Jews took a vow it was not a secret matter of the heart, it was an outwardly worn flashing light. They shave their heads, they went to the House of the Lord and paid to have their heads shaven.
Vows cost, they cost whatever it takes to make sure you fulfill them on your end. They are not a contract, they are evidences of a changed life! If not fulfilled, curses come, If lived out , blessings are unleashed. They did a public display so everyone could help them stay on track though willing accountability. Any person who saw their shaved heads could say, what did you vow, and are you living it out?
Every vow or covenant promise will be tested. If not tested, not true. Each of us have opportunity to make or break our vows. We all came into covenant with God when we got born again. I know we thought it was a good fix that would help us be relieved from whatever pain we were going through at the time, but when we made promises to God through our pain and suffering, we promised Him our lives and He expects us to fulfill those promises. If we don’t, curses come. If we do, blessing flows.
We always want to know why things don’t go just so for us. What have we done to change our lives and our lifestyles and our thinking since we’ve made our vows to God? Are we dead to self seeking life yet? Are we alive to the fulfillment of the will of God in the earth, or do we still do our own thing? Have we committed to a church body, or a study group, yet we only show up when it is convenient for us or we have decided it’ll work? This is why “Things” are not working out thus and so!”
Notice where the persecution and suffering in Paul’s life came from. The same bunch Jesus suffered and died for. Why would we think it would be a different bunch for us. The church, the very place we are sent to for nourishment, the place we call “home”, this is where the suffering happens. There is a lot of live flesh there where it should be dead. Opinions do fly and as long as there is a crod gathered like that, there is all sorts of evil and curses awry. Paul’s message was true, sent to the right place. It was just the ears were clogged with a compacted amount of flesh life and could not hear the truth offered.
We always think the church will receive the message of living a crucified life well, but those who are full of themselves despise this message. They may think, I shouldn’t have to die, He already died for me.
I just read that He did, and that the gates of hell were barred by the power of His death and resurrection. That took care of the allotment of the offer that can now be given me, of the one-sided covenant with God. Now the way my side become activated is, I die- daily, to my self life! If I do not, I do not have an active covenant with God!
The church may think you a foreigner, truly, a sore thumb in the crowd, but God will have His way through our obedience, even the daily death of me on the cross. I die daily, to my own will, says Paul. What are you saying, with the actions of your life?
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Lena Posts TRC's Daily Bread - Acts 21, for Today
Paul's Journey to Jerusalem
1After saying farewell to the Ephesian elders, we sailed straight to the island of Cos. The next day we reached Rhodes and then went to Patara. 2There we boarded a ship sailing for the Syrian province of Phoenicia. 3We sighted the island of Cyprus, passed it on our left, and landed at the harbor of Tyre, in Syria, where the ship was to unload. 4We went ashore, found the local believers, F112 and stayed with them a week. These disciples prophesied through the Holy Spirit that Paul should not go on to Jerusalem. 5When we returned to the ship at the end of the week, the entire congregation, including wives and children, came down to the shore with us. There we knelt, prayed, 6and said our farewells. Then we went aboard, and they returned home.
7The next stop after leaving Tyre was Ptolemais, where we greeted the brothers and sisters F113 but stayed only one day. 8Then we went on to Caesarea and stayed at the home of Philip the Evangelist, one of the seven men who had been chosen to distribute food. 9He had four unmarried daughters who had the gift of prophecy.
10During our stay of several days, a man named Agabus, who also had the gift of prophecy, arrived from Judea. 11When he visited us, he took Paul's belt and bound his own feet and hands with it. Then he said, "The Holy Spirit declares, 'So shall the owner of this belt be bound by the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem and turned over to the Romans.'" 12When we heard this, we who were traveling with him, as well as the local believers, begged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem.
13But he said, "Why all this weeping? You are breaking my heart! For I am ready not only to be jailed at Jerusalem but also to die for the sake of the Lord Jesus." 14When it was clear that we couldn't persuade him, we gave up and said, "The will of the Lord be done."
Paul Arrives at Jerusalem
15Shortly afterward we packed our things and left for Jerusalem. 16Some believers from Caesarea accompanied us, and they took us to the home of Mnason, a man originally from Cyprus and one of the early disciples. 17All the brothers and sisters in Jerusalem welcomed us cordially.
18The next day Paul went in with us to meet with James, and all the elders of the Jerusalem church were present. 19After greetings were exchanged, Paul gave a detailed account of the things God had accomplished among the Gentiles through his ministry.
20After hearing this, they praised God. But then they said, "You know, dear brother, how many thousands of Jews have also believed, and they all take the law of Moses very seriously. 21Our Jewish Christians here at Jerusalem have been told that you are teaching all the Jews living in the Gentile world to turn their backs on the laws of Moses. They say that you teach people not to circumcise their children or follow other Jewish customs. 22Now what can be done? For they will certainly hear that you have come.
23"Here's our suggestion. We have four men here who have taken a vow and are preparing to shave their heads. 24Go with them to the Temple and join them in the purification ceremony, and pay for them to have their heads shaved. Then everyone will know that the rumors are all false and that you yourself observe the Jewish laws.
25"As for the Gentile Christians, all we ask of them is what we already told them in a letter: They should not eat food offered to idols, nor consume blood, nor eat meat from strangled animals, and they should stay away from all sexual immorality."
Paul Is Arrested
26So Paul agreed to their request, and the next day he went through the purification ritual with the men and went to the Temple. Then he publicly announced the date when their vows would end and sacrifices would be offered for each of them.
27The seven days were almost ended when some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul in the Temple and roused a mob against him. They grabbed him, 28yelling, "Men of Israel! Help! This is the man who teaches against our people and tells everybody to disobey the Jewish laws. He speaks against the Temple—and he even defiles it by bringing Gentiles in!" 29(For earlier that day they had seen him in the city with Trophimus, a Gentile from Ephesus, F114 and they assumed Paul had taken him into the Temple.)
30The whole population of the city was rocked by these accusations, and a great riot followed. Paul was dragged out of the Temple, and immediately the gates were closed behind him. 31As they were trying to kill him, word reached the commander of the Roman regiment that all Jerusalem was in an uproar. 32He immediately called out his soldiers and officers and ran down among the crowd. When the mob saw the commander and the troops coming, they stopped beating Paul. 33The commander arrested him and ordered him bound with two chains. Then he asked the crowd who he was and what he had done. 34Some shouted one thing and some another. He couldn't find out the truth in all the uproar and confusion, so he ordered Paul to be taken to the fortress. 35As they reached the stairs, the mob grew so violent the soldiers had to lift Paul to their shoulders to protect him. 36And the crowd followed behind shouting, "Kill him, kill him!"
Paul Speaks to the Crowd
37As Paul was about to be taken inside, he said to the commander, "May I have a word with you?" "Do you know Greek?" the commander asked, surprised. 38"Aren't you the Egyptian who led a rebellion some time ago and took four thousand members of the Assassins out into the desert?"
39"No," Paul replied, "I am a Jew from Tarsus in Cilicia, which is an important city. Please, let me talk to these people." 40The commander agreed, so Paul stood on the stairs and motioned to the people to be quiet. Soon a deep silence enveloped the crowd, and he addressed them in their own language, Aramaic. F115
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FOOTNOTES:
F112: Greek disciples; also in 21:16.
F113: Greek brothers; also in 21:17.
F114: Greek Trophimus, the Ephesian.
F115: Or Hebrew.
1After saying farewell to the Ephesian elders, we sailed straight to the island of Cos. The next day we reached Rhodes and then went to Patara. 2There we boarded a ship sailing for the Syrian province of Phoenicia. 3We sighted the island of Cyprus, passed it on our left, and landed at the harbor of Tyre, in Syria, where the ship was to unload. 4We went ashore, found the local believers, F112 and stayed with them a week. These disciples prophesied through the Holy Spirit that Paul should not go on to Jerusalem. 5When we returned to the ship at the end of the week, the entire congregation, including wives and children, came down to the shore with us. There we knelt, prayed, 6and said our farewells. Then we went aboard, and they returned home.
7The next stop after leaving Tyre was Ptolemais, where we greeted the brothers and sisters F113 but stayed only one day. 8Then we went on to Caesarea and stayed at the home of Philip the Evangelist, one of the seven men who had been chosen to distribute food. 9He had four unmarried daughters who had the gift of prophecy.
10During our stay of several days, a man named Agabus, who also had the gift of prophecy, arrived from Judea. 11When he visited us, he took Paul's belt and bound his own feet and hands with it. Then he said, "The Holy Spirit declares, 'So shall the owner of this belt be bound by the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem and turned over to the Romans.'" 12When we heard this, we who were traveling with him, as well as the local believers, begged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem.
13But he said, "Why all this weeping? You are breaking my heart! For I am ready not only to be jailed at Jerusalem but also to die for the sake of the Lord Jesus." 14When it was clear that we couldn't persuade him, we gave up and said, "The will of the Lord be done."
Paul Arrives at Jerusalem
15Shortly afterward we packed our things and left for Jerusalem. 16Some believers from Caesarea accompanied us, and they took us to the home of Mnason, a man originally from Cyprus and one of the early disciples. 17All the brothers and sisters in Jerusalem welcomed us cordially.
18The next day Paul went in with us to meet with James, and all the elders of the Jerusalem church were present. 19After greetings were exchanged, Paul gave a detailed account of the things God had accomplished among the Gentiles through his ministry.
20After hearing this, they praised God. But then they said, "You know, dear brother, how many thousands of Jews have also believed, and they all take the law of Moses very seriously. 21Our Jewish Christians here at Jerusalem have been told that you are teaching all the Jews living in the Gentile world to turn their backs on the laws of Moses. They say that you teach people not to circumcise their children or follow other Jewish customs. 22Now what can be done? For they will certainly hear that you have come.
23"Here's our suggestion. We have four men here who have taken a vow and are preparing to shave their heads. 24Go with them to the Temple and join them in the purification ceremony, and pay for them to have their heads shaved. Then everyone will know that the rumors are all false and that you yourself observe the Jewish laws.
25"As for the Gentile Christians, all we ask of them is what we already told them in a letter: They should not eat food offered to idols, nor consume blood, nor eat meat from strangled animals, and they should stay away from all sexual immorality."
Paul Is Arrested
26So Paul agreed to their request, and the next day he went through the purification ritual with the men and went to the Temple. Then he publicly announced the date when their vows would end and sacrifices would be offered for each of them.
27The seven days were almost ended when some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul in the Temple and roused a mob against him. They grabbed him, 28yelling, "Men of Israel! Help! This is the man who teaches against our people and tells everybody to disobey the Jewish laws. He speaks against the Temple—and he even defiles it by bringing Gentiles in!" 29(For earlier that day they had seen him in the city with Trophimus, a Gentile from Ephesus, F114 and they assumed Paul had taken him into the Temple.)
30The whole population of the city was rocked by these accusations, and a great riot followed. Paul was dragged out of the Temple, and immediately the gates were closed behind him. 31As they were trying to kill him, word reached the commander of the Roman regiment that all Jerusalem was in an uproar. 32He immediately called out his soldiers and officers and ran down among the crowd. When the mob saw the commander and the troops coming, they stopped beating Paul. 33The commander arrested him and ordered him bound with two chains. Then he asked the crowd who he was and what he had done. 34Some shouted one thing and some another. He couldn't find out the truth in all the uproar and confusion, so he ordered Paul to be taken to the fortress. 35As they reached the stairs, the mob grew so violent the soldiers had to lift Paul to their shoulders to protect him. 36And the crowd followed behind shouting, "Kill him, kill him!"
Paul Speaks to the Crowd
37As Paul was about to be taken inside, he said to the commander, "May I have a word with you?" "Do you know Greek?" the commander asked, surprised. 38"Aren't you the Egyptian who led a rebellion some time ago and took four thousand members of the Assassins out into the desert?"
39"No," Paul replied, "I am a Jew from Tarsus in Cilicia, which is an important city. Please, let me talk to these people." 40The commander agreed, so Paul stood on the stairs and motioned to the people to be quiet. Soon a deep silence enveloped the crowd, and he addressed them in their own language, Aramaic. F115
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FOOTNOTES:
F112: Greek disciples; also in 21:16.
F113: Greek brothers; also in 21:17.
F114: Greek Trophimus, the Ephesian.
F115: Or Hebrew.
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Lena's Discipleship Journalin' Today to Acts 20 {It's here now, but You Don't HAVE to read it :-)}
In what order is the hearing or studying of God’s word, on in your list of priorities? Does God get your left over energy? Do we sleep when we hear the word or are we rested, ready to attend to it, and be as alert as guards and keepers of a special treasure?
I remember one time the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart saying, you spend your life everywhere, and when it comes to giving Me the best part, you have already spent it on whatever else is more important to you. Ever have so much of God that you are too tired to watch TV, read the newspaper, go shopping or out for the night on the keep yourself from other pleasures, so you’ll be more awake and available to Him?
These are new thoughts, huh? God thinks this way. He knows what is important to us, what is more important than Him. It is seen by what we do.
The one man in this passage was tired, and I don’t fault him, he was there listening at least, but his weariness, whatever the reason, brought him to a death.
Attending to the word is what gives life back to us. God is more interested in the intent pursuit of the word in demonstration in us. He is looking for the word to become alive in us. So much so that when we do attend meetings, they are like governmental meetings that will require homework of us so we can do what is said. There’s no way that can happen if we are asleep!
We must wake up, not allowing ignorance; we also must re-prioritize, giving God our best, on purpose. That means purpose to give Him the firsts, so we give the best and not the leftovers. Being awake means being aware of all this and living differently because of it. Being asleep in this time, is dangerous, it will lead to our death, but definitely the death of the effectiveness of God’s word being made alive in us.
We have but one message to portray in living form, the exact message Paul had, was awake for, and lived for. This is that message - the necessity of repenting from sin and turning to God, and of having faith in our Lord Jesus.
This is also how we should feel as kingdom citizens and ambassadors: my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.
Living for this, is the Christian lifestyle. What else is important? How do we tell others most effectively? By being and doing the word. Can’t be or do if we have never heard or understood the word.
Disciples no longer look for the Lord to chase after them, they accept the offers of the Lord to come and follow, come and meet with Him. In fact they show up without a formal invitation if it means being with or learning from the Lord. They are followers of Christ. They are hungry and know where to get the words that give spirit life.
When I say what I just said, I have not at all neglected the necessity of their get alone with God time, communing with Him in prayer and worship where they are receiving personal instruction and direction. There is just an element that a lot of “followers” miss and that is the portion of following another man as he follows Christ. It would be like Elijah and Elisha, or Jesus and His 12 disciples. In this day, we’d so much rather just stay at home and get in tuned with God for ourselves. Yet He asks us to follow other human beings, and also become ready to lead others to Him. A disciple finds a Christian who is stronger than them and hangs with them as often as possible.
When I say, “hangs with them as much as possible”, I mean where is that person studying the word or giving the word? Go to that place and re-arrange your life to be there. Don’t just show up at their house, but never their Bible Study. Be available to help them with something else they are already doing or working at. Let’s say they serve at the church, find out what day that is on and ask to help alongside them. If they say to your group, “Hey I’m gonna go to such and such a place, you are welcomed to come, if you want to be there”. They are not making a suggestion as in this is all optional. It is not optional for disciples who follow. They are there. They show up. They take the “option” to be there! They take subtle invitations seriously. They’ll know whether you want to or not, the disciples will come, the multitudes will go out and do whatever it was they’d already planned to do. The leader will or won’t see you there, for people always do what they really want to do.
If we want to take our kids to Disney, we do what it takes. If there’s a special ballgame we want to go to, we make arrangements. What do we do about meetings that are called by leaders to assemble with them where they are? How do we respond if it is called on a whim? Are we ahead of the “game? Have we simplified our lives and organized it in such a way that we are willing and able to change plans whenever beckoned by the leader? The disciples left all to follow. Elisha left all to follow, Paul left all while he still worked his job to follow! Why do we count ourselves any different than they are?
Don’t ask to have a personal time , with who you are being beckoned to follow, on a different day than they deem, like instead of showing up for what they are already doing. No, you follow them, fit into their plans. It is great exercise to fitting into God’s plan, rather than making God fit into yours! If they say, “hey we’re doing this”, do it, be a me that makes the we happen for them, make their visions and dreams come true. Lay your own down, even personal dreams for your home and family, bring those under the vision of your church house, spend your time making the church house visions and dreams come true, rather than just participating in some of the stuff done at church, Thinking more like your church has stuff to offer you.
What do you offer your church? When a leader says stuff to a group or to you personally, take it seriously, don’t act like it is a whole lot of great suggestions from someone who is wiser than you, and in your mind you could never do it like them. By faith in God follow after their lead, make the impossible happen. Most of the stuff impossible to you is merely inside of your head. Tell your head what you are doing, to be more flexible and solution oriented, tell it who you are following. Lead your mind into right thinking and right living! Discipline yourself into change of mind and heart. That’s what disciples do, they change!
Do we live to give? Do we live to receive more from God and our leaders, so we can give more? Do we purpose to get enough for us, our house, and to have leftovers to give the world? Or are we already spent on everything and everyone else? I heard my leader tell me once that I kept giving out me all over the nation, yet God set me here in this house to concentrate my efforts here in this place. Here is my ministry, where living people can daily make me accountable to my example. Now whenever I start to spend elsewhere the Holy spirit is so gracious to speak those words again to me and center and focus me in on the place he sent me to. It’s beautiful, for I’m only so big and God knows how to take good care of others. I don’t have to reach out away, spending of me what is meant for my home, family, church and local community. When I get that, he’ll expand my “world” I won’t need to do it.
Paul also said Watch out! How much of a priority is getting and keeping the word of God to us? Enough to be set on watch over our own spirits’, souls, and bodies? Enough to be keepers of the guard, not allowing any way the enemy can get in and steal God’s word form us?
Do we say we can’t or do we believe God, to be able to do more of what He desires and has asked us to do?
I think of a meeting I was in where a leader said we have to read. I have heard so many comments given about that word, seemingly valid excuses. Yet we do what we want to. I hear the more you read the better you read. I believe what we really want we’ll go after, even if it means practice or lessons. It’s like that in other areas of life. We’d learn to read better if it means making more money. People change their personalities, become another person for money, but when God says something like that, they offer a ton of self reliant unbelieving excuses. Can God help me with anything at all? Do I believe He can? Does he cause impossible things to happen? I belive he does. And what better thing to help us with than obeying words he’s give us through teachings and leadership. Words we hear form leaders are edicts of the kingdom of God to obey. He would not give us stuff to do that we can’t do without His strength. He so wants us to be challenged into believing Him for more, even the improvement of our minds and souls. We have the mind of Christ. His mind in us can overcome and learn anything he needs or asks u to. It’s our move, It’s up to us!
What is our gut response when we are told to follow a person? It may be we need to face the giant of rebellion and independent thinking and slay him on purpose. David cut off the mocking head of His giant. It silenced the lies once for all.
I remember one time the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart saying, you spend your life everywhere, and when it comes to giving Me the best part, you have already spent it on whatever else is more important to you. Ever have so much of God that you are too tired to watch TV, read the newspaper, go shopping or out for the night on the keep yourself from other pleasures, so you’ll be more awake and available to Him?
These are new thoughts, huh? God thinks this way. He knows what is important to us, what is more important than Him. It is seen by what we do.
The one man in this passage was tired, and I don’t fault him, he was there listening at least, but his weariness, whatever the reason, brought him to a death.
Attending to the word is what gives life back to us. God is more interested in the intent pursuit of the word in demonstration in us. He is looking for the word to become alive in us. So much so that when we do attend meetings, they are like governmental meetings that will require homework of us so we can do what is said. There’s no way that can happen if we are asleep!
We must wake up, not allowing ignorance; we also must re-prioritize, giving God our best, on purpose. That means purpose to give Him the firsts, so we give the best and not the leftovers. Being awake means being aware of all this and living differently because of it. Being asleep in this time, is dangerous, it will lead to our death, but definitely the death of the effectiveness of God’s word being made alive in us.
We have but one message to portray in living form, the exact message Paul had, was awake for, and lived for. This is that message - the necessity of repenting from sin and turning to God, and of having faith in our Lord Jesus.
This is also how we should feel as kingdom citizens and ambassadors: my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.
Living for this, is the Christian lifestyle. What else is important? How do we tell others most effectively? By being and doing the word. Can’t be or do if we have never heard or understood the word.
Disciples no longer look for the Lord to chase after them, they accept the offers of the Lord to come and follow, come and meet with Him. In fact they show up without a formal invitation if it means being with or learning from the Lord. They are followers of Christ. They are hungry and know where to get the words that give spirit life.
When I say what I just said, I have not at all neglected the necessity of their get alone with God time, communing with Him in prayer and worship where they are receiving personal instruction and direction. There is just an element that a lot of “followers” miss and that is the portion of following another man as he follows Christ. It would be like Elijah and Elisha, or Jesus and His 12 disciples. In this day, we’d so much rather just stay at home and get in tuned with God for ourselves. Yet He asks us to follow other human beings, and also become ready to lead others to Him. A disciple finds a Christian who is stronger than them and hangs with them as often as possible.
When I say, “hangs with them as much as possible”, I mean where is that person studying the word or giving the word? Go to that place and re-arrange your life to be there. Don’t just show up at their house, but never their Bible Study. Be available to help them with something else they are already doing or working at. Let’s say they serve at the church, find out what day that is on and ask to help alongside them. If they say to your group, “Hey I’m gonna go to such and such a place, you are welcomed to come, if you want to be there”. They are not making a suggestion as in this is all optional. It is not optional for disciples who follow. They are there. They show up. They take the “option” to be there! They take subtle invitations seriously. They’ll know whether you want to or not, the disciples will come, the multitudes will go out and do whatever it was they’d already planned to do. The leader will or won’t see you there, for people always do what they really want to do.
If we want to take our kids to Disney, we do what it takes. If there’s a special ballgame we want to go to, we make arrangements. What do we do about meetings that are called by leaders to assemble with them where they are? How do we respond if it is called on a whim? Are we ahead of the “game? Have we simplified our lives and organized it in such a way that we are willing and able to change plans whenever beckoned by the leader? The disciples left all to follow. Elisha left all to follow, Paul left all while he still worked his job to follow! Why do we count ourselves any different than they are?
Don’t ask to have a personal time , with who you are being beckoned to follow, on a different day than they deem, like instead of showing up for what they are already doing. No, you follow them, fit into their plans. It is great exercise to fitting into God’s plan, rather than making God fit into yours! If they say, “hey we’re doing this”, do it, be a me that makes the we happen for them, make their visions and dreams come true. Lay your own down, even personal dreams for your home and family, bring those under the vision of your church house, spend your time making the church house visions and dreams come true, rather than just participating in some of the stuff done at church, Thinking more like your church has stuff to offer you.
What do you offer your church? When a leader says stuff to a group or to you personally, take it seriously, don’t act like it is a whole lot of great suggestions from someone who is wiser than you, and in your mind you could never do it like them. By faith in God follow after their lead, make the impossible happen. Most of the stuff impossible to you is merely inside of your head. Tell your head what you are doing, to be more flexible and solution oriented, tell it who you are following. Lead your mind into right thinking and right living! Discipline yourself into change of mind and heart. That’s what disciples do, they change!
Do we live to give? Do we live to receive more from God and our leaders, so we can give more? Do we purpose to get enough for us, our house, and to have leftovers to give the world? Or are we already spent on everything and everyone else? I heard my leader tell me once that I kept giving out me all over the nation, yet God set me here in this house to concentrate my efforts here in this place. Here is my ministry, where living people can daily make me accountable to my example. Now whenever I start to spend elsewhere the Holy spirit is so gracious to speak those words again to me and center and focus me in on the place he sent me to. It’s beautiful, for I’m only so big and God knows how to take good care of others. I don’t have to reach out away, spending of me what is meant for my home, family, church and local community. When I get that, he’ll expand my “world” I won’t need to do it.
Paul also said Watch out! How much of a priority is getting and keeping the word of God to us? Enough to be set on watch over our own spirits’, souls, and bodies? Enough to be keepers of the guard, not allowing any way the enemy can get in and steal God’s word form us?
Do we say we can’t or do we believe God, to be able to do more of what He desires and has asked us to do?
I think of a meeting I was in where a leader said we have to read. I have heard so many comments given about that word, seemingly valid excuses. Yet we do what we want to. I hear the more you read the better you read. I believe what we really want we’ll go after, even if it means practice or lessons. It’s like that in other areas of life. We’d learn to read better if it means making more money. People change their personalities, become another person for money, but when God says something like that, they offer a ton of self reliant unbelieving excuses. Can God help me with anything at all? Do I believe He can? Does he cause impossible things to happen? I belive he does. And what better thing to help us with than obeying words he’s give us through teachings and leadership. Words we hear form leaders are edicts of the kingdom of God to obey. He would not give us stuff to do that we can’t do without His strength. He so wants us to be challenged into believing Him for more, even the improvement of our minds and souls. We have the mind of Christ. His mind in us can overcome and learn anything he needs or asks u to. It’s our move, It’s up to us!
What is our gut response when we are told to follow a person? It may be we need to face the giant of rebellion and independent thinking and slay him on purpose. David cut off the mocking head of His giant. It silenced the lies once for all.
Lena Posts TRC"s Daily Bread Reading for Todau Acts 20
Paul Goes to Macedonia and Greece
1 When the uproar was over, Paul sent for the believers[a] and encouraged them. Then he said good-bye and left for Macedonia. 2 While there, he encouraged the believers in all the towns he passed through. Then he traveled down to Greece, 3 where he stayed for three months. He was preparing to sail back to Syria when he discovered a plot by some Jews against his life, so he decided to return through Macedonia.
4 Several men were traveling with him. They were Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea; Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica; Gaius from Derbe; Timothy; and Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia. 5 They went on ahead and waited for us at Troas. 6 After the Passover[b] ended, we boarded a ship at Philippi in Macedonia and five days later joined them in Troas, where we stayed a week.
Paul’s Final Visit to Troas
7 On the first day of the week, we gathered with the local believers to share in the Lord’s Supper.[c] Paul was preaching to them, and since he was leaving the next day, he kept talking until midnight. 8 The upstairs room where we met was lighted with many flickering lamps. 9 As Paul spoke on and on, a young man named Eutychus, sitting on the windowsill, became very drowsy. Finally, he fell sound asleep and dropped three stories to his death below. 10 Paul went down, bent over him, and took him into his arms. “Don’t worry,” he said, “he’s alive!” 11 Then they all went back upstairs, shared in the Lord’s Supper,[d] and ate together. Paul continued talking to them until dawn, and then he left. 12 Meanwhile, the young man was taken home unhurt, and everyone was greatly relieved.
Paul Meets the Ephesian Elders
13 Paul went by land to Assos, where he had arranged for us to join him, while we traveled by ship. 14 He joined us there, and we sailed together to Mitylene. 15 The next day we sailed past the island of Kios. The following day we crossed to the island of Samos, and[e] a day later we arrived at Miletus.
16 Paul had decided to sail on past Ephesus, for he didn’t want to spend any more time in the province of Asia. He was hurrying to get to Jerusalem, if possible, in time for the Festival of Pentecost. 17 But when we landed at Miletus, he sent a message to the elders of the church at Ephesus, asking them to come and meet him.
18 When they arrived he declared, “You know that from the day I set foot in the province of Asia until now 19 I have done the Lord’s work humbly and with many tears. I have endured the trials that came to me from the plots of the Jews. 20 I never shrank back from telling you what you needed to hear, either publicly or in your homes. 21 I have had one message for Jews and Greeks alike—the necessity of repenting from sin and turning to God, and of having faith in our Lord Jesus.
22 “And now I am bound by the Spirit[f] to go to Jerusalem. I don’t know what awaits me, 23 except that the Holy Spirit tells me in city after city that jail and suffering lie ahead. 24 But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.
25 “And now I know that none of you to whom I have preached the Kingdom will ever see me again. 26 I declare today that I have been faithful. If anyone suffers eternal death, it’s not my fault,[g] 27 for I didn’t shrink from declaring all that God wants you to know.
28 “So guard yourselves and God’s people. Feed and shepherd God’s flock—his church, purchased with his own blood[h]—over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as elders.[i] 29 I know that false teachers, like vicious wolves, will come in among you after I leave, not sparing the flock. 30 Even some men from your own group will rise up and distort the truth in order to draw a following. 31 Watch out! Remember the three years I was with you—my constant watch and care over you night and day, and my many tears for you.
32 “And now I entrust you to God and the message of his grace that is able to build you up and give you an inheritance with all those he has set apart for himself.
33 “I have never coveted anyone’s silver or gold or fine clothes. 34 You know that these hands of mine have worked to supply my own needs and even the needs of those who were with me. 35 And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
36 When he had finished speaking, he knelt and prayed with them. 37 They all cried as they embraced and kissed him good-bye. 38 They were sad most of all because he had said that they would never see him again. Then they escorted him down to the ship.
Footnotes:
Acts 20:1 Greek disciples.
Acts 20:6 Greek the days of unleavened bread.
Acts 20:7 Greek to break bread.
Acts 20:11 Greek broke the bread.
Acts 20:15 Some manuscripts read and having stayed at Trogyllium.
Acts 20:22 Or by my spirit, or by an inner compulsion; Greek reads by the spirit.
Acts 20:26 Greek I am innocent of the blood of all.
Acts 20:28 Or with the blood of his own [Son].
Acts 20:28 Greek overseers.
1 When the uproar was over, Paul sent for the believers[a] and encouraged them. Then he said good-bye and left for Macedonia. 2 While there, he encouraged the believers in all the towns he passed through. Then he traveled down to Greece, 3 where he stayed for three months. He was preparing to sail back to Syria when he discovered a plot by some Jews against his life, so he decided to return through Macedonia.
4 Several men were traveling with him. They were Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea; Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica; Gaius from Derbe; Timothy; and Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia. 5 They went on ahead and waited for us at Troas. 6 After the Passover[b] ended, we boarded a ship at Philippi in Macedonia and five days later joined them in Troas, where we stayed a week.
Paul’s Final Visit to Troas
7 On the first day of the week, we gathered with the local believers to share in the Lord’s Supper.[c] Paul was preaching to them, and since he was leaving the next day, he kept talking until midnight. 8 The upstairs room where we met was lighted with many flickering lamps. 9 As Paul spoke on and on, a young man named Eutychus, sitting on the windowsill, became very drowsy. Finally, he fell sound asleep and dropped three stories to his death below. 10 Paul went down, bent over him, and took him into his arms. “Don’t worry,” he said, “he’s alive!” 11 Then they all went back upstairs, shared in the Lord’s Supper,[d] and ate together. Paul continued talking to them until dawn, and then he left. 12 Meanwhile, the young man was taken home unhurt, and everyone was greatly relieved.
Paul Meets the Ephesian Elders
13 Paul went by land to Assos, where he had arranged for us to join him, while we traveled by ship. 14 He joined us there, and we sailed together to Mitylene. 15 The next day we sailed past the island of Kios. The following day we crossed to the island of Samos, and[e] a day later we arrived at Miletus.
16 Paul had decided to sail on past Ephesus, for he didn’t want to spend any more time in the province of Asia. He was hurrying to get to Jerusalem, if possible, in time for the Festival of Pentecost. 17 But when we landed at Miletus, he sent a message to the elders of the church at Ephesus, asking them to come and meet him.
18 When they arrived he declared, “You know that from the day I set foot in the province of Asia until now 19 I have done the Lord’s work humbly and with many tears. I have endured the trials that came to me from the plots of the Jews. 20 I never shrank back from telling you what you needed to hear, either publicly or in your homes. 21 I have had one message for Jews and Greeks alike—the necessity of repenting from sin and turning to God, and of having faith in our Lord Jesus.
22 “And now I am bound by the Spirit[f] to go to Jerusalem. I don’t know what awaits me, 23 except that the Holy Spirit tells me in city after city that jail and suffering lie ahead. 24 But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.
25 “And now I know that none of you to whom I have preached the Kingdom will ever see me again. 26 I declare today that I have been faithful. If anyone suffers eternal death, it’s not my fault,[g] 27 for I didn’t shrink from declaring all that God wants you to know.
28 “So guard yourselves and God’s people. Feed and shepherd God’s flock—his church, purchased with his own blood[h]—over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as elders.[i] 29 I know that false teachers, like vicious wolves, will come in among you after I leave, not sparing the flock. 30 Even some men from your own group will rise up and distort the truth in order to draw a following. 31 Watch out! Remember the three years I was with you—my constant watch and care over you night and day, and my many tears for you.
32 “And now I entrust you to God and the message of his grace that is able to build you up and give you an inheritance with all those he has set apart for himself.
33 “I have never coveted anyone’s silver or gold or fine clothes. 34 You know that these hands of mine have worked to supply my own needs and even the needs of those who were with me. 35 And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
36 When he had finished speaking, he knelt and prayed with them. 37 They all cried as they embraced and kissed him good-bye. 38 They were sad most of all because he had said that they would never see him again. Then they escorted him down to the ship.
Footnotes:
Acts 20:1 Greek disciples.
Acts 20:6 Greek the days of unleavened bread.
Acts 20:7 Greek to break bread.
Acts 20:11 Greek broke the bread.
Acts 20:15 Some manuscripts read and having stayed at Trogyllium.
Acts 20:22 Or by my spirit, or by an inner compulsion; Greek reads by the spirit.
Acts 20:26 Greek I am innocent of the blood of all.
Acts 20:28 Or with the blood of his own [Son].
Acts 20:28 Greek overseers.
Monday, January 22, 2007
Lena's Dscipleship Journalin' to Acts 19 Today
We all have to repent and be baptized. Water baptism is the sign of repentance. Water baptism is all about the washing away of sins and the witness of an outward confession of a new covenant we’ve decided to live out in front of witnesses. It like stating our vow at an altar of sacrifice and making ourselves accountable to the witnesses to live out the vow forever.
Baptism in the Holy Spirit is what every believer needs to be filled full of God! Without Him we are nothing, absolutely nothing! Trying to walk out our commission with God without the help of His indwelling and the overflow of Hid Spirit is ludicrous.
Right now God is inviting all believers everywhere, no matter their race, color, or denomination to receive Him on the inside once again. It is such an imperative action of our faith. It is amazingly important to the furtherance of God’s kingdom in each of us. The Lord is so graciously inviting His church to the wedding table. He serves wine there without measure, there’s no compulsion, but those who desire to can have all they want. Those who come to the feast will have been the ones who desired to partake of all He offered.
Eating and drinking of spiritual life is essential to spirit life and breath! We cannot live this spirit led life without Him. It is just whacky to think we can. Pride must bow its knee to the thought of being fully dependant upon God in order to live for Him! Man cannot live by bread alone, but he does live, by every word that comes out of the mouth of God!
Churches are going to enter into great struggles if they refuse His spirit in this day. It will not be the devil that brings all of the struggle. It will be the flesh, for the Spirit of the Lord will not always strive with man’s flesh nature. Man’s flesh nature must be put away, put to death, that Christ may be alive in that same man. There is only one way to emanate that much of God!
We could say we are dead to sin and trespasses, but to stay alive in Christ and stay dead to self seeking, we have to be full of Him daily. Full of His Spirit! We are deceived into thinking that we can live according to and walk in the Spirit without being filled to overflowing! The enemy would love to have us think we can, and live as though we can. He has laid a deceptive cloak over the eyes of non-believers – I’m speaking of people inside of the church that have refused Him! These are not equally yoked together with Him and with His will. Somewhere they don’t believe in Him; at least not to the measure of His call.
Have you ever been beat up by circumstances or situations? It may be you have left doors opened to enemy forces to take from you what is yours in God. What belongs to us in God is ours through the carrying out of obedient actions. As we obey, we have rights in Christ to keep what has been given us. We can lose what was given us if we do not protect and guard it. How valuable it is to us is gauged by our actions of obedience. If we refuse God we accept the devil’s work. We cannot have little bits of both! If we are on this journey for life then our lives take us form one obedient action to another!
We are constantly asking God how we can further give him glory inside of demonstrate able and purposeful obedient action. These sons of Sceva were not sons of God. Sons of God obey God, and know God, personally. It is known that one knows God personally and has grown into son ship, by how much that son obeys. Love actually increases with more obedient actions. They got their “butts” kicked when they tried to resist evil with evil. These were trying to do what they’d seen others do without having an obedient heart to God. They were uncommitted and unsubmitted. Unsubmitted and uncommitted people do not have their heads covered protecting them from evil spirit’s power in the earth.
When the Bible says it is good to have your head covered, it means it is good to have a “hard hat” on for the sake of the onslaught in the spirit realm. The only way to have one’s head covered is to be in a personal relationship with Christ Jesus as Lord. Not only accepting Him as your Savior, but receiving Him as your Lord. These boys may have asked Jesus into their hearts, but when it came time to attach themselves to a body of believers and to be accountable to somone with the intent of being changed, when it came time to be rubbed by members of the body of Christ, for purposeful character development, when it came time for them to do what someone else told them to do. (Like read your daily bread or go to church meetings, etc) they were their own persons and absent with excuse! Lots of self preserving excuses.
Don’t wonder anymore. This IS why people run away with their “pants down” so to speak. This IS why their Christianity has no validation or backup. An independent spirit opposes the spirit and power of Christ in us. There is NO victory in independence. It will lead to physical and eternal death.
Has your witness of Him changed lives to the extent of stirring up the enemy’s camp? We were praying for Columbia this week. The church there has stirred up the enemy’s camp on many an occasion. They saved people who were drug lords. That changed a few things, one thing was that the god of mammon could no longer have his way, being served by people there.
This is a god we American’s can so easily serve. We must remember our jobs are opportunities given us by God to be a witness, to save some souls. As we trust God for our finances, always putting Him first, using the tithe and our commitment to our regular assembly meetings, assigned us by God. Those that we choose to attend rather than working at the appointed times of unified accountable fellowship. This is how we’ll save people out of the enemy’s hands and tear down the powerful god of mammon in our own lives. It has to start personally first. We take him down by not giving him worship, in the form of time and first place and prioritization.
Baptism in the Holy Spirit is what every believer needs to be filled full of God! Without Him we are nothing, absolutely nothing! Trying to walk out our commission with God without the help of His indwelling and the overflow of Hid Spirit is ludicrous.
Right now God is inviting all believers everywhere, no matter their race, color, or denomination to receive Him on the inside once again. It is such an imperative action of our faith. It is amazingly important to the furtherance of God’s kingdom in each of us. The Lord is so graciously inviting His church to the wedding table. He serves wine there without measure, there’s no compulsion, but those who desire to can have all they want. Those who come to the feast will have been the ones who desired to partake of all He offered.
Eating and drinking of spiritual life is essential to spirit life and breath! We cannot live this spirit led life without Him. It is just whacky to think we can. Pride must bow its knee to the thought of being fully dependant upon God in order to live for Him! Man cannot live by bread alone, but he does live, by every word that comes out of the mouth of God!
Churches are going to enter into great struggles if they refuse His spirit in this day. It will not be the devil that brings all of the struggle. It will be the flesh, for the Spirit of the Lord will not always strive with man’s flesh nature. Man’s flesh nature must be put away, put to death, that Christ may be alive in that same man. There is only one way to emanate that much of God!
We could say we are dead to sin and trespasses, but to stay alive in Christ and stay dead to self seeking, we have to be full of Him daily. Full of His Spirit! We are deceived into thinking that we can live according to and walk in the Spirit without being filled to overflowing! The enemy would love to have us think we can, and live as though we can. He has laid a deceptive cloak over the eyes of non-believers – I’m speaking of people inside of the church that have refused Him! These are not equally yoked together with Him and with His will. Somewhere they don’t believe in Him; at least not to the measure of His call.
Have you ever been beat up by circumstances or situations? It may be you have left doors opened to enemy forces to take from you what is yours in God. What belongs to us in God is ours through the carrying out of obedient actions. As we obey, we have rights in Christ to keep what has been given us. We can lose what was given us if we do not protect and guard it. How valuable it is to us is gauged by our actions of obedience. If we refuse God we accept the devil’s work. We cannot have little bits of both! If we are on this journey for life then our lives take us form one obedient action to another!
We are constantly asking God how we can further give him glory inside of demonstrate able and purposeful obedient action. These sons of Sceva were not sons of God. Sons of God obey God, and know God, personally. It is known that one knows God personally and has grown into son ship, by how much that son obeys. Love actually increases with more obedient actions. They got their “butts” kicked when they tried to resist evil with evil. These were trying to do what they’d seen others do without having an obedient heart to God. They were uncommitted and unsubmitted. Unsubmitted and uncommitted people do not have their heads covered protecting them from evil spirit’s power in the earth.
When the Bible says it is good to have your head covered, it means it is good to have a “hard hat” on for the sake of the onslaught in the spirit realm. The only way to have one’s head covered is to be in a personal relationship with Christ Jesus as Lord. Not only accepting Him as your Savior, but receiving Him as your Lord. These boys may have asked Jesus into their hearts, but when it came time to attach themselves to a body of believers and to be accountable to somone with the intent of being changed, when it came time to be rubbed by members of the body of Christ, for purposeful character development, when it came time for them to do what someone else told them to do. (Like read your daily bread or go to church meetings, etc) they were their own persons and absent with excuse! Lots of self preserving excuses.
Don’t wonder anymore. This IS why people run away with their “pants down” so to speak. This IS why their Christianity has no validation or backup. An independent spirit opposes the spirit and power of Christ in us. There is NO victory in independence. It will lead to physical and eternal death.
Has your witness of Him changed lives to the extent of stirring up the enemy’s camp? We were praying for Columbia this week. The church there has stirred up the enemy’s camp on many an occasion. They saved people who were drug lords. That changed a few things, one thing was that the god of mammon could no longer have his way, being served by people there.
This is a god we American’s can so easily serve. We must remember our jobs are opportunities given us by God to be a witness, to save some souls. As we trust God for our finances, always putting Him first, using the tithe and our commitment to our regular assembly meetings, assigned us by God. Those that we choose to attend rather than working at the appointed times of unified accountable fellowship. This is how we’ll save people out of the enemy’s hands and tear down the powerful god of mammon in our own lives. It has to start personally first. We take him down by not giving him worship, in the form of time and first place and prioritization.
Lena Posts TRC's Daily Bread Reading for Today Acts 19
Acts 19
Paul’s Third Missionary Journey
1 While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the interior regions until he reached Ephesus, on the coast, where he found several believers.[a] 2 “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” he asked them.
“No,” they replied, “we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”
3 “Then what baptism did you experience?” he asked.
And they replied, “The baptism of John.”
4 Paul said, “John’s baptism called for repentance from sin. But John himself told the people to believe in the one who would come later, meaning Jesus.”
5 As soon as they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 Then when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in other tongues and prophesied. 7 There were about twelve men in all.
Paul Ministers in Ephesus
8 Then Paul went to the synagogue and preached boldly for the next three months, arguing persuasively about the Kingdom of God. 9 But some became stubborn, rejecting his message and publicly speaking against the Way. So Paul left the synagogue and took the believers with him. Then he held daily discussions at the lecture hall of Tyrannus. 10 This went on for the next two years, so that people throughout the province of Asia—both Jews and Greeks—heard the word of the Lord.
11 God gave Paul the power to perform unusual miracles. 12 When handkerchiefs or aprons that had merely touched his skin were placed on sick people, they were healed of their diseases, and evil spirits were expelled.
13 A group of Jews was traveling from town to town casting out evil spirits. They tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus in their incantation, saying, “I command you in the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, to come out!” 14 Seven sons of Sceva, a leading priest, were doing this. 15 But one time when they tried it, the evil spirit replied, “I know Jesus, and I know Paul, but who are you?” 16 Then the man with the evil spirit leaped on them, overpowered them, and attacked them with such violence that they fled from the house, naked and battered.
17 The story of what happened spread quickly all through Ephesus, to Jews and Greeks alike. A solemn fear descended on the city, and the name of the Lord Jesus was greatly honored. 18 Many who became believers confessed their sinful practices. 19 A number of them who had been practicing sorcery brought their incantation books and burned them at a public bonfire. The value of the books was several million dollars.[b] 20 So the message about the Lord spread widely and had a powerful effect.
21 Afterward Paul felt compelled by the Spirit[c] to go over to Macedonia and Achaia before going to Jerusalem. “And after that,” he said, “I must go on to Rome!” 22 He sent his two assistants, Timothy and Erastus, ahead to Macedonia while he stayed awhile longer in the province of Asia.
The Riot in Ephesus
23 About that time, serious trouble developed in Ephesus concerning the Way. 24 It began with Demetrius, a silversmith who had a large business manufacturing silver shrines of the Greek goddess Artemis.[d] He kept many craftsmen busy. 25 He called them together, along with others employed in similar trades, and addressed them as follows:
“Gentlemen, you know that our wealth comes from this business. 26 But as you have seen and heard, this man Paul has persuaded many people that handmade gods aren’t really gods at all. And he’s done this not only here in Ephesus but throughout the entire province! 27 Of course, I’m not just talking about the loss of public respect for our business. I’m also concerned that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will lose its influence and that Artemis—this magnificent goddess worshiped throughout the province of Asia and all around the world—will be robbed of her great prestige!”
28 At this their anger boiled, and they began shouting, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” 29 Soon the whole city was filled with confusion. Everyone rushed to the amphitheater, dragging along Gaius and Aristarchus, who were Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia. 30 Paul wanted to go in, too, but the believers wouldn’t let him. 31 Some of the officials of the province, friends of Paul, also sent a message to him, begging him not to risk his life by entering the amphitheater.
32 Inside, the people were all shouting, some one thing and some another. Everything was in confusion. In fact, most of them didn’t even know why they were there. 33 The Jews in the crowd pushed Alexander forward and told him to explain the situation. He motioned for silence and tried to speak. 34 But when the crowd realized he was a Jew, they started shouting again and kept it up for two hours: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians! Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
35 At last the mayor was able to quiet them down enough to speak. “Citizens of Ephesus,” he said. “Everyone knows that Ephesus is the official guardian of the temple of the great Artemis, whose image fell down to us from heaven. 36 Since this is an undeniable fact, you should stay calm and not do anything rash. 37 You have brought these men here, but they have stolen nothing from the temple and have not spoken against our goddess.
38 “If Demetrius and the craftsmen have a case against them, the courts are in session and the officials can hear the case at once. Let them make formal charges. 39 And if there are complaints about other matters, they can be settled in a legal assembly. 40 I am afraid we are in danger of being charged with rioting by the Roman government, since there is no cause for all this commotion. And if Rome demands an explanation, we won’t know what to say.” 41 [e]Then he dismissed them, and they dispersed.
Footnotes:
Acts 19:1 Greek disciples; also in 19:9, 30.
Acts 19:19 Greek 50,000 pieces of silver, each of which was the equivalent of a day’s wage.
Acts 19:21 Or decided in his spirit.
Acts 19:24 Artemis is otherwise known as Diana.
Acts 19:41 Some translations include verse 41 as part of verse 40.
Paul’s Third Missionary Journey
1 While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the interior regions until he reached Ephesus, on the coast, where he found several believers.[a] 2 “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” he asked them.
“No,” they replied, “we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”
3 “Then what baptism did you experience?” he asked.
And they replied, “The baptism of John.”
4 Paul said, “John’s baptism called for repentance from sin. But John himself told the people to believe in the one who would come later, meaning Jesus.”
5 As soon as they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 Then when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in other tongues and prophesied. 7 There were about twelve men in all.
Paul Ministers in Ephesus
8 Then Paul went to the synagogue and preached boldly for the next three months, arguing persuasively about the Kingdom of God. 9 But some became stubborn, rejecting his message and publicly speaking against the Way. So Paul left the synagogue and took the believers with him. Then he held daily discussions at the lecture hall of Tyrannus. 10 This went on for the next two years, so that people throughout the province of Asia—both Jews and Greeks—heard the word of the Lord.
11 God gave Paul the power to perform unusual miracles. 12 When handkerchiefs or aprons that had merely touched his skin were placed on sick people, they were healed of their diseases, and evil spirits were expelled.
13 A group of Jews was traveling from town to town casting out evil spirits. They tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus in their incantation, saying, “I command you in the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, to come out!” 14 Seven sons of Sceva, a leading priest, were doing this. 15 But one time when they tried it, the evil spirit replied, “I know Jesus, and I know Paul, but who are you?” 16 Then the man with the evil spirit leaped on them, overpowered them, and attacked them with such violence that they fled from the house, naked and battered.
17 The story of what happened spread quickly all through Ephesus, to Jews and Greeks alike. A solemn fear descended on the city, and the name of the Lord Jesus was greatly honored. 18 Many who became believers confessed their sinful practices. 19 A number of them who had been practicing sorcery brought their incantation books and burned them at a public bonfire. The value of the books was several million dollars.[b] 20 So the message about the Lord spread widely and had a powerful effect.
21 Afterward Paul felt compelled by the Spirit[c] to go over to Macedonia and Achaia before going to Jerusalem. “And after that,” he said, “I must go on to Rome!” 22 He sent his two assistants, Timothy and Erastus, ahead to Macedonia while he stayed awhile longer in the province of Asia.
The Riot in Ephesus
23 About that time, serious trouble developed in Ephesus concerning the Way. 24 It began with Demetrius, a silversmith who had a large business manufacturing silver shrines of the Greek goddess Artemis.[d] He kept many craftsmen busy. 25 He called them together, along with others employed in similar trades, and addressed them as follows:
“Gentlemen, you know that our wealth comes from this business. 26 But as you have seen and heard, this man Paul has persuaded many people that handmade gods aren’t really gods at all. And he’s done this not only here in Ephesus but throughout the entire province! 27 Of course, I’m not just talking about the loss of public respect for our business. I’m also concerned that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will lose its influence and that Artemis—this magnificent goddess worshiped throughout the province of Asia and all around the world—will be robbed of her great prestige!”
28 At this their anger boiled, and they began shouting, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” 29 Soon the whole city was filled with confusion. Everyone rushed to the amphitheater, dragging along Gaius and Aristarchus, who were Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia. 30 Paul wanted to go in, too, but the believers wouldn’t let him. 31 Some of the officials of the province, friends of Paul, also sent a message to him, begging him not to risk his life by entering the amphitheater.
32 Inside, the people were all shouting, some one thing and some another. Everything was in confusion. In fact, most of them didn’t even know why they were there. 33 The Jews in the crowd pushed Alexander forward and told him to explain the situation. He motioned for silence and tried to speak. 34 But when the crowd realized he was a Jew, they started shouting again and kept it up for two hours: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians! Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
35 At last the mayor was able to quiet them down enough to speak. “Citizens of Ephesus,” he said. “Everyone knows that Ephesus is the official guardian of the temple of the great Artemis, whose image fell down to us from heaven. 36 Since this is an undeniable fact, you should stay calm and not do anything rash. 37 You have brought these men here, but they have stolen nothing from the temple and have not spoken against our goddess.
38 “If Demetrius and the craftsmen have a case against them, the courts are in session and the officials can hear the case at once. Let them make formal charges. 39 And if there are complaints about other matters, they can be settled in a legal assembly. 40 I am afraid we are in danger of being charged with rioting by the Roman government, since there is no cause for all this commotion. And if Rome demands an explanation, we won’t know what to say.” 41 [e]Then he dismissed them, and they dispersed.
Footnotes:
Acts 19:1 Greek disciples; also in 19:9, 30.
Acts 19:19 Greek 50,000 pieces of silver, each of which was the equivalent of a day’s wage.
Acts 19:21 Or decided in his spirit.
Acts 19:24 Artemis is otherwise known as Diana.
Acts 19:41 Some translations include verse 41 as part of verse 40.
Lena's Discipleship Journalin. to Acts 18 - Yesterday :-) VERY short PTL
Do you ever think about Paul being employed when you read through Acts? He was a tentmaker. He had a job! It seems whenever we read about successful gospel messengers etc., we always have in our minds that they are not employed by any man, and are only spiritually employed by God.
Did you know we are always employed by God, in whatever we do? In all we do we are in that place to work His kingdom! We are messengers and representatives, both at work and at play. Our jobs are actually our inside mission fields. We don’t even have to leave the country to be a witness, we can do it right at home. At home, is where it counts anyway. The Lord rarely ordains and anoints what does not work well first at home and in the daily workplace.
You may go and travel the globe with your message. But it doesn’t have as much power and anointing as it would through tried and tested character that family relationship so graciously provides for you!
Paul was able to establish a relationship with an unbeliever at work. This was another mission field for Paul to be an ambassador of His King.
I hear these same words from the Lord to Paul so often in my own head and heart. “Do not be afraid, do not be silent…” If we speak out for God as God asks, He’s faithful to cover our backsides well.
We must be bold and proclaim His name. I know we can speak even louder without words at times, as our true witness for our Lord is inside of being a living demonstration of the undeserving, unconditional love of God.
Many, many times our persecution is inside the deceptive lies that plague our heads. As we speak out we overcome the lies and those spirits of intimidation.
Did you know we are always employed by God, in whatever we do? In all we do we are in that place to work His kingdom! We are messengers and representatives, both at work and at play. Our jobs are actually our inside mission fields. We don’t even have to leave the country to be a witness, we can do it right at home. At home, is where it counts anyway. The Lord rarely ordains and anoints what does not work well first at home and in the daily workplace.
You may go and travel the globe with your message. But it doesn’t have as much power and anointing as it would through tried and tested character that family relationship so graciously provides for you!
Paul was able to establish a relationship with an unbeliever at work. This was another mission field for Paul to be an ambassador of His King.
I hear these same words from the Lord to Paul so often in my own head and heart. “Do not be afraid, do not be silent…” If we speak out for God as God asks, He’s faithful to cover our backsides well.
We must be bold and proclaim His name. I know we can speak even louder without words at times, as our true witness for our Lord is inside of being a living demonstration of the undeserving, unconditional love of God.
Many, many times our persecution is inside the deceptive lies that plague our heads. As we speak out we overcome the lies and those spirits of intimidation.
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Lena Posts TRC's Daily Bread reading for Today- Acts 18
1Then Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. F95 2There he became acquainted with a Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently arrived from Italy with his wife, Priscilla. They had been expelled from Italy as a result of Claudius Caesar's order to deport all Jews from Rome. 3Paul lived and worked with them, for they were tentmakers F96 just as he was.
4Each Sabbath found Paul at the synagogue, trying to convince the Jews and Greeks alike. 5And after Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul spent his full time preaching and testifying to the Jews, telling them, "The Messiah you are looking for is Jesus." 6But when the Jews opposed him and insulted him, Paul shook the dust from his robe and said, "Your blood be upon your own heads—I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles."
7After that he stayed with Titius Justus, a Gentile who worshiped God and lived next door to the synagogue. 8Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, and all his household believed in the Lord. Many others in Corinth also became believers and were baptized.
9One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision and told him, "Don't be afraid! Speak out! Don't be silent! 10For I am with you, and no one will harm you because many people here in this city belong to me." 11So Paul stayed there for the next year and a half, teaching the word of God.
12But when Gallio became governor of Achaia, some Jews rose in concerted action against Paul and brought him before the governor for judgment. 13They accused Paul of "persuading people to worship God in ways that are contrary to the law." 14But just as Paul started to make his defense, Gallio turned to Paul's accusers and said, "Listen, you Jews, if this were a case involving some wrongdoing or a serious crime, I would be obliged to listen to you. 15But since it is merely a question of words and names and your Jewish laws, you take care of it. I refuse to judge such matters." 16And he drove them out of the courtroom. 17The mob had grabbed Sosthenes, the leader of the synagogue, and had beaten him right there in the courtroom. But Gallio paid no attention.
Paul Returns to Antioch of Syria
18Paul stayed in Corinth for some time after that and then said good-bye to the brothers and sisters F97 and sailed for the coast of Syria, taking Priscilla and Aquila with him. (Earlier, at Cenchrea, Paul had shaved his head according to Jewish custom, for he had taken a vow.) 19When they arrived at the port of Ephesus, Paul left the others behind. But while he was there, he went to the synagogue to debate with the Jews. 20They asked him to stay longer, but he declined. 21So he left, saying, "I will come back later, F98 God willing." Then he set sail from Ephesus. 22The next stop was at the port of Caesarea. From there he went up and visited the church at Jerusalem F99 and then went back to Antioch.
23After spending some time in Antioch, Paul went back to Galatia and Phrygia, visiting all the believers, F100 encouraging them and helping them to grow in the Lord.
Apollos Instructed at Ephesus
24Meanwhile, a Jew named Apollos, an eloquent speaker who knew the Scriptures well, had just arrived in Ephesus from Alexandria in Egypt. 25He had been taught the way of the Lord and talked to others with great enthusiasm and accuracy about Jesus. However, he knew only about John's baptism. 26When Priscilla and Aquila heard him preaching boldly in the synagogue, they took him aside and explained the way of God more accurately.
27Apollos had been thinking about going to Achaia, and the brothers and sisters in Ephesus encouraged him in this. They wrote to the believers in Achaia, asking them to welcome him. When he arrived there, he proved to be of great benefit to those who, by God's grace, had believed. 28He refuted all the Jews with powerful arguments in public debate. Using the Scriptures, he explained to them, "The Messiah you are looking for is Jesus."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FOOTNOTES:
F95: Athens and Corinth were major cities in Achaia, the region on the southern end of the Greek peninsula.
F96: Or leatherworkers.
F97: Greek brothers; also in 18:27.
F98: Some manuscripts read "I must by all means be at Jerusalem for the upcoming festival, but I will come back later."
F99: Greek the church.
F100: Greek disciples; also in 18:27.
4Each Sabbath found Paul at the synagogue, trying to convince the Jews and Greeks alike. 5And after Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul spent his full time preaching and testifying to the Jews, telling them, "The Messiah you are looking for is Jesus." 6But when the Jews opposed him and insulted him, Paul shook the dust from his robe and said, "Your blood be upon your own heads—I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles."
7After that he stayed with Titius Justus, a Gentile who worshiped God and lived next door to the synagogue. 8Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, and all his household believed in the Lord. Many others in Corinth also became believers and were baptized.
9One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision and told him, "Don't be afraid! Speak out! Don't be silent! 10For I am with you, and no one will harm you because many people here in this city belong to me." 11So Paul stayed there for the next year and a half, teaching the word of God.
12But when Gallio became governor of Achaia, some Jews rose in concerted action against Paul and brought him before the governor for judgment. 13They accused Paul of "persuading people to worship God in ways that are contrary to the law." 14But just as Paul started to make his defense, Gallio turned to Paul's accusers and said, "Listen, you Jews, if this were a case involving some wrongdoing or a serious crime, I would be obliged to listen to you. 15But since it is merely a question of words and names and your Jewish laws, you take care of it. I refuse to judge such matters." 16And he drove them out of the courtroom. 17The mob had grabbed Sosthenes, the leader of the synagogue, and had beaten him right there in the courtroom. But Gallio paid no attention.
Paul Returns to Antioch of Syria
18Paul stayed in Corinth for some time after that and then said good-bye to the brothers and sisters F97 and sailed for the coast of Syria, taking Priscilla and Aquila with him. (Earlier, at Cenchrea, Paul had shaved his head according to Jewish custom, for he had taken a vow.) 19When they arrived at the port of Ephesus, Paul left the others behind. But while he was there, he went to the synagogue to debate with the Jews. 20They asked him to stay longer, but he declined. 21So he left, saying, "I will come back later, F98 God willing." Then he set sail from Ephesus. 22The next stop was at the port of Caesarea. From there he went up and visited the church at Jerusalem F99 and then went back to Antioch.
23After spending some time in Antioch, Paul went back to Galatia and Phrygia, visiting all the believers, F100 encouraging them and helping them to grow in the Lord.
Apollos Instructed at Ephesus
24Meanwhile, a Jew named Apollos, an eloquent speaker who knew the Scriptures well, had just arrived in Ephesus from Alexandria in Egypt. 25He had been taught the way of the Lord and talked to others with great enthusiasm and accuracy about Jesus. However, he knew only about John's baptism. 26When Priscilla and Aquila heard him preaching boldly in the synagogue, they took him aside and explained the way of God more accurately.
27Apollos had been thinking about going to Achaia, and the brothers and sisters in Ephesus encouraged him in this. They wrote to the believers in Achaia, asking them to welcome him. When he arrived there, he proved to be of great benefit to those who, by God's grace, had believed. 28He refuted all the Jews with powerful arguments in public debate. Using the Scriptures, he explained to them, "The Messiah you are looking for is Jesus."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FOOTNOTES:
F95: Athens and Corinth were major cities in Achaia, the region on the southern end of the Greek peninsula.
F96: Or leatherworkers.
F97: Greek brothers; also in 18:27.
F98: Some manuscripts read "I must by all means be at Jerusalem for the upcoming festival, but I will come back later."
F99: Greek the church.
F100: Greek disciples; also in 18:27.
Saturday, January 20, 2007
Lena's Discipleship Journalin' for Today w/ Acts 17
Reading God’s word, or even listening to it, is just not enough for a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. The word of God must be understood, so one may apply it to their lives. Remember Jesus spoke in parables so that the ones who were not truly interested in understanding would not get it at all, but those who wanted to know more would do what it took to dig deeper and get to know Him, in a personal way.
Paul went into the synagogue 3 Sabbaths in a row to interpret the scriptures to the people. That is what ministers of the gospel do. They help the people to understand and to apply God’s word to their own lives.
Being a disciple means living a new lifestyle. The things we spent our time on before should no longer be as important to us as learning God’s word, to have understanding and apply it, for we are no longer citizen’s and students of the world system, who makes it a point to teach us without even our approval. The world makes everything amazingly simple to get, that one doesn’t even have to try. To get understanding of the most important treasure in all eternity, we have to diligently do something! We have to ask, seek, knock, open doors, stay in a place of pirsued unity with God’s spirit and keep on keeping on, guarding the greatest treasure of all time.
We must have God’s word daily. It is our spiritual food.
If you were hunting for a very special treasure, and the first time you did not find it, you’d keep searching till you found it, if you really, truly wanted it. Then if you found out there was another clue about getting more, you’d go on and search again.
Daily, is the action to take for seeking God and His word. Having someone explain it daily to you, will also get you to a place in God where you can hear for yourself. Your spiritual senses will be exercised to discern more and more!
Some who listened were persuaded. Some, not all. I wonder how many really listened towards treasure hunting?
It’s like getting this in your e-mail box each day. You can take it or leave it, read it or delete it. It’s up to you. We are all free to do what we want to with our time, our search for God and Truth, how we spend our lives is all up to us, we are freewill beings!
It is what we hear, have explained to us for greater understanding and what we do that is what will cause us to grow up in Him. What we don’t make time for won’t. We just need to realize later on when we feel to ask questions of the Lord, like, “Why is such and so happening to me, why am I so malnourished, and feel so weak”, then; “ Why do I flip flop and go up and down in this?” Here is the answer: Your measure of desire and diligence place you where you need to go! We live what we truly believe, now.
It is actually harder to preach good news to one who is closed minded, and has decided for himself already, than it is to preach good news to someone who is off a bit, but open to new ideas. It’s easier to offer truth to those who are at least seeking something or someone, than it is to be the person who has it all” already and does not “need” new truths. This is a sad thing because it is saying, if we are religious, we are harder to be made disciples of than if we are heathen.
Paul went into the synagogue 3 Sabbaths in a row to interpret the scriptures to the people. That is what ministers of the gospel do. They help the people to understand and to apply God’s word to their own lives.
Being a disciple means living a new lifestyle. The things we spent our time on before should no longer be as important to us as learning God’s word, to have understanding and apply it, for we are no longer citizen’s and students of the world system, who makes it a point to teach us without even our approval. The world makes everything amazingly simple to get, that one doesn’t even have to try. To get understanding of the most important treasure in all eternity, we have to diligently do something! We have to ask, seek, knock, open doors, stay in a place of pirsued unity with God’s spirit and keep on keeping on, guarding the greatest treasure of all time.
We must have God’s word daily. It is our spiritual food.
If you were hunting for a very special treasure, and the first time you did not find it, you’d keep searching till you found it, if you really, truly wanted it. Then if you found out there was another clue about getting more, you’d go on and search again.
Daily, is the action to take for seeking God and His word. Having someone explain it daily to you, will also get you to a place in God where you can hear for yourself. Your spiritual senses will be exercised to discern more and more!
Some who listened were persuaded. Some, not all. I wonder how many really listened towards treasure hunting?
It’s like getting this in your e-mail box each day. You can take it or leave it, read it or delete it. It’s up to you. We are all free to do what we want to with our time, our search for God and Truth, how we spend our lives is all up to us, we are freewill beings!
It is what we hear, have explained to us for greater understanding and what we do that is what will cause us to grow up in Him. What we don’t make time for won’t. We just need to realize later on when we feel to ask questions of the Lord, like, “Why is such and so happening to me, why am I so malnourished, and feel so weak”, then; “ Why do I flip flop and go up and down in this?” Here is the answer: Your measure of desire and diligence place you where you need to go! We live what we truly believe, now.
It is actually harder to preach good news to one who is closed minded, and has decided for himself already, than it is to preach good news to someone who is off a bit, but open to new ideas. It’s easier to offer truth to those who are at least seeking something or someone, than it is to be the person who has it all” already and does not “need” new truths. This is a sad thing because it is saying, if we are religious, we are harder to be made disciples of than if we are heathen.
Lena Posts TRC's Daily Bread Reading for Today, Acts 17 NLT
1 Now Paul and Silas traveled through the towns of Amphipolis and Apollonia and came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. 2 As was Paul's custom, he went to the synagogue service, and for three Sabbaths in a row he interpreted the Scriptures to the people. 3 He was explaining and proving the prophecies about the sufferings of the Messiah and his rising from the dead. He said, "This Jesus I'm telling you about is the Messiah." 4 Some who listened were persuaded and became converts, including a large number of godly Greek men and also many important women of the city. F88 5 But the Jewish leaders were jealous, so they gathered some worthless fellows from the streets to form a mob and start a riot. They attacked the home of Jason, searching for Paul and Silas so they could drag them out to the crowd. F89 6 Not finding them there, they dragged out Jason and some of the other believers F90 instead and took them before the city council. "Paul and Silas have turned the rest of the world upside down, and now they are here disturbing our city," they shouted. 7 "And Jason has let them into his home. They are all guilty of treason against Caesar, for they profess allegiance to another king, Jesus." 8 The people of the city, as well as the city officials, were thrown into turmoil by these reports. 9 But the officials released Jason and the other believers after they had posted bail.
10 That very night the believers sent Paul and Silas to Berea. When they arrived there, they went to the synagogue. 11 And the people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul's message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to check up on Paul and Silas, to see if they were really teaching the truth. 12 As a result, many Jews believed, as did some of the prominent Greek women and many men. 13 But when some Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God in Berea, they went there and stirred up trouble. 14 The believers acted at once, sending Paul on to the coast, while Silas and Timothy remained behind. 15 Those escorting Paul went with him to Athens; then they returned to Berea with a message for Silas and Timothy to hurry and join him.
16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply troubled by all the idols he saw everywhere in the city. 17 He went to the synagogue to debate with the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles, and he spoke daily in the public square to all who happened to be there. 18 He also had a debate with some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. When he told them about Jesus and his resurrection, they said, "This babbler has picked up some strange ideas." Others said, "He's pushing some foreign religion." 19 Then they took him to the Council of Philosophers. F91 "Come and tell us more about this new religion," they said. 20 "You are saying some rather startling things, and we want to know what it's all about." 21 (It should be explained that all the Athenians as well as the foreigners in Athens seemed to spend all their time discussing the latest ideas.)
22 So Paul, standing before the Council, F92 addressed them as follows: "Men of Athens, I notice that you are very religious, 23 for as I was walking along I saw your many altars. And one of them had this inscription on it – 'To an Unknown God.' You have been worshiping him without knowing who he is, and now I wish to tell you about him. 24 "He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since he is Lord of heaven and earth, he doesn't live in man-made temples, 25 and human hands can't serve his needs – for he has no needs. He himself gives life and breath to everything, and he satisfies every need there is. 26 From one man he created all the nations throughout the whole earth. He decided beforehand which should rise and fall, and he determined their boundaries. 27 "His purpose in all of this was that the nations should seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him – though he is not far from any one of us. 28 For in him we live and move and exist. As one of your own poets says, 'We are his offspring.' 29 And since this is true, we shouldn't think of God as an idol designed by craftsmen from gold or silver or stone. 30 God overlooked people's former ignorance about these things, but now he commands everyone everywhere to turn away from idols and turn to him. F93 31 For he has set a day for judging the world with justice by the man he has appointed, and he proved to everyone who this is by raising him from the dead."
32 When they heard Paul speak of the resurrection of a person who had been dead, some laughed, but others said, "We want to hear more about this later." 33 That ended Paul's discussion with them, 34 but some joined him and became believers. Among them were Dionysius, a member of the Council, F94 a woman named Damaris, and others.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FOOTNOTES:
F88: Some manuscripts read many of the wives of the leading men.
F89: Or the city council.
F90: Greek brothers; also in 17:10, 14.
F91: Greek the Areopagus.
F92: Or in the middle of Mars Hill; Greek reads in the middle of the Areopagus.
F93: Greek everywhere to repent.
F94: Greek an Areopagite.
The New Living Translation
10 That very night the believers sent Paul and Silas to Berea. When they arrived there, they went to the synagogue. 11 And the people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul's message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to check up on Paul and Silas, to see if they were really teaching the truth. 12 As a result, many Jews believed, as did some of the prominent Greek women and many men. 13 But when some Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God in Berea, they went there and stirred up trouble. 14 The believers acted at once, sending Paul on to the coast, while Silas and Timothy remained behind. 15 Those escorting Paul went with him to Athens; then they returned to Berea with a message for Silas and Timothy to hurry and join him.
16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply troubled by all the idols he saw everywhere in the city. 17 He went to the synagogue to debate with the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles, and he spoke daily in the public square to all who happened to be there. 18 He also had a debate with some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. When he told them about Jesus and his resurrection, they said, "This babbler has picked up some strange ideas." Others said, "He's pushing some foreign religion." 19 Then they took him to the Council of Philosophers. F91 "Come and tell us more about this new religion," they said. 20 "You are saying some rather startling things, and we want to know what it's all about." 21 (It should be explained that all the Athenians as well as the foreigners in Athens seemed to spend all their time discussing the latest ideas.)
22 So Paul, standing before the Council, F92 addressed them as follows: "Men of Athens, I notice that you are very religious, 23 for as I was walking along I saw your many altars. And one of them had this inscription on it – 'To an Unknown God.' You have been worshiping him without knowing who he is, and now I wish to tell you about him. 24 "He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since he is Lord of heaven and earth, he doesn't live in man-made temples, 25 and human hands can't serve his needs – for he has no needs. He himself gives life and breath to everything, and he satisfies every need there is. 26 From one man he created all the nations throughout the whole earth. He decided beforehand which should rise and fall, and he determined their boundaries. 27 "His purpose in all of this was that the nations should seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him – though he is not far from any one of us. 28 For in him we live and move and exist. As one of your own poets says, 'We are his offspring.' 29 And since this is true, we shouldn't think of God as an idol designed by craftsmen from gold or silver or stone. 30 God overlooked people's former ignorance about these things, but now he commands everyone everywhere to turn away from idols and turn to him. F93 31 For he has set a day for judging the world with justice by the man he has appointed, and he proved to everyone who this is by raising him from the dead."
32 When they heard Paul speak of the resurrection of a person who had been dead, some laughed, but others said, "We want to hear more about this later." 33 That ended Paul's discussion with them, 34 but some joined him and became believers. Among them were Dionysius, a member of the Council, F94 a woman named Damaris, and others.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FOOTNOTES:
F88: Some manuscripts read many of the wives of the leading men.
F89: Or the city council.
F90: Greek brothers; also in 17:10, 14.
F91: Greek the Areopagus.
F92: Or in the middle of Mars Hill; Greek reads in the middle of the Areopagus.
F93: Greek everywhere to repent.
F94: Greek an Areopagite.
The New Living Translation
Friday, January 19, 2007
Lena's Discipleship Journalin' to Acts 16 - Today
I can hardly believe this passage starts this way today! I’ve been meditating on this all day in my own life and I was not able to get on to my journalin’ till now (7 p.m.)
Timothy was a young disciple who mother was Jewish, and whose father is Greek. How many of us have backgrounds much like this? Things just don’t seem to add up very well, and whenever we look at where or who we came from it is amazing to some of us that we are even alive, let alone faring well.
BUT GOD!
BUT GOD!
When I think about His goodness, it amazes me that He loves me so, draws me into His heart continuously, and is so amazingly patient with me! I am human, and so are you, and no matter how any of us were raised, we can be changed miraculously by God’s transforming power!
I know in our society we are taught through counselors that we are how we are because of some mishap in our past, and we need to get in touch with that and realize it was not really our faults. LET me share a few new thoughts with you.
We have ALL sinned. No, I’m very serious here. We have. And sin has no measurement at all where the judgment seat of God the father over the entire universe is concerned. It all offends Him, because it keeps those who He created to become so like He is, away from being able to do and be who they were created to be!
God hates sin, because it takes me out of His heart. NOT because this one, or that one, is worse than another, but because it all needs to be brought towards powerlessness. It all needs to be dealt with. Sin hurts people, affects people, sends people to hell, and takes them out from God’s desired presence.
Who’s fault is that? We can go wayyyyy back on that one. Back even further than the Garden of Eden, yep further than that! There was a rebellion, an uprising in heaven. That was the root origin. Man followed it, by a willful decision to.
Ok, so you’re older now than you were when you were being continuously led by your parents, or when they abandoned you, or when your parent died. You know a few things, like how to decide for yourself what is right and wrong. If you can decide that, and make new choices on how to live, the Truth of God’s word is available to you for the seeking, finding and taking. Seriously, if no one ever leads you right at that point. If someone lies to you, or does bad things to you, you still have an amazing power inside of you to decide within your heart, whatever you want to decide. It’s no one’s choice, but yours. If you do not choose Christ and God it is no one’s fault except yours.
I was telling my Bible Study group of ladies, that in the good ‘ol US of A, if no one ever told you the story of Jesus, or gave you a Bible, or even if you were taught wrongly as a child, when you grow up, and are old enough to learn or ask questions, there is not one excuse to say you could not know God! We have the internet, TV, the radio, tapes, CD’s, Gideon’s freebie Bibles, the library, or even a Dr’s. Office waiting room “copies” of the word of God.
If are seeking answers and truth and we really want to find it, we can walk to any church on any given corner of any given city-block, at any time that we so desire. We could even call for a ride to a church and I bet a ministry team would find someone to give us one! We are our own persons, aren’t we? We can do what we want, when we want to, right?
It does not matter your raising, background, color, race, or origin, you can know God if you want to! It doesn’t matter who your father, mother, sister or brother are. In present day USA, you can KNOW GOD!
Timothy was so influenced by the gospel, by the Lordship of Christ, that he was able to make a very radical decision towards a life changing action. With the power of his own freewill, he decided to mark his own physical body in such a way as to say, “I am willing to become one with you, in a way that outrightly speaks to you. Since you say that through the circumcision of the flesh, you serve the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; I want to change to be more like you are, so you’ll be able to listen to the message I have been given by Your Lord, for you!
I so want you to know He sent His Son, to solidify His covenant with you. He sent His Son, to seal the deal with you. The deal is what this scar in my flesh represents. I am willing to do away with a part of my flesh, to let you know this truth personally.”
R U led by the Spirit of God?
I’ve heard it said, “We as Christian believers, followers of Christ, can live by permission, or we can choose to live by trial and error.” If we choose to live by trial and error, rather than by permission; later on we can seek forgiveness and we’ll have to seek repair for our mistakes made.
Yes God is gracious and He forgives our sin. In fact, He forgives us every time we confess and turn away from walking in the wrong direction; but wouldn’t it be more pleasing to Him, if we would walk by permission? If we lived in such a way, as to ask first, listen to His wisdom, and apply it to our lives, with the intent to walk it out. Living this way, means we are not needing to turn around and backtrack down a wrongly turned on road as often. We actually gain ground and hold ground, rather than lose ground.
It could also be likened to asking for directions and following the advised course set out for us by others who know the way, or just independently deciding to go which ever way we feel may work, only to find we’ve had to take a very long road around the mountains and obstacle courses on the road of our own choosing.
The Spirit of Jesus did not let them go. The Holy Spirit told them not to go.
What was happening in both of these instances? They were living by permission, refusing to go on to places even God would like them to go to, without His approval first! The Holy Spirit knows everything about everything. He knows what is ahead, and what is the best timing for the best instance or presentation. He may have prevented even their physical deaths, from happening prematurely.
The god of mammon is one of the biggest strongholds that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. It is very hard for rich people to be saved, not impossible, but hard. They have to give up the seeking of riches as their life source, pleasure source, security source, or source of energy, motivation or worship.
Just touch someone where their money is concerned, and watch what comes out of them! Really. If it is anger, violence, frustration, grief, greed, etc, you’ll know what god has been deceptively strangling them towards a slow, but pleasurable death.
We cannot seek or serve mammon and God Most High. If we seek God, it must be Him first and Him alone. We cannot serve God and mammon. We will either hate the one and love the other, or love one and hate the other. We CANNOT, do both!
Be prepared, if you touch mammon, you could end up in jail, BUT God is faithful, as His messenger, He’ll probably get ya out! In the meantime, get the prisoners and jailers saved. As much as is in you, preach the gospel! You have seed in you that has the potential to grow a forest of trees. Each person is an influencer, a part of a greater picture, a family member, who needs the word of God to save them, from their sins.
The city officials and jailers apologized to them. Things are not always as they seem in the long-run, just wait and see the salvation of the Lord!
Timothy was a young disciple who mother was Jewish, and whose father is Greek. How many of us have backgrounds much like this? Things just don’t seem to add up very well, and whenever we look at where or who we came from it is amazing to some of us that we are even alive, let alone faring well.
BUT GOD!
BUT GOD!
When I think about His goodness, it amazes me that He loves me so, draws me into His heart continuously, and is so amazingly patient with me! I am human, and so are you, and no matter how any of us were raised, we can be changed miraculously by God’s transforming power!
I know in our society we are taught through counselors that we are how we are because of some mishap in our past, and we need to get in touch with that and realize it was not really our faults. LET me share a few new thoughts with you.
We have ALL sinned. No, I’m very serious here. We have. And sin has no measurement at all where the judgment seat of God the father over the entire universe is concerned. It all offends Him, because it keeps those who He created to become so like He is, away from being able to do and be who they were created to be!
God hates sin, because it takes me out of His heart. NOT because this one, or that one, is worse than another, but because it all needs to be brought towards powerlessness. It all needs to be dealt with. Sin hurts people, affects people, sends people to hell, and takes them out from God’s desired presence.
Who’s fault is that? We can go wayyyyy back on that one. Back even further than the Garden of Eden, yep further than that! There was a rebellion, an uprising in heaven. That was the root origin. Man followed it, by a willful decision to.
Ok, so you’re older now than you were when you were being continuously led by your parents, or when they abandoned you, or when your parent died. You know a few things, like how to decide for yourself what is right and wrong. If you can decide that, and make new choices on how to live, the Truth of God’s word is available to you for the seeking, finding and taking. Seriously, if no one ever leads you right at that point. If someone lies to you, or does bad things to you, you still have an amazing power inside of you to decide within your heart, whatever you want to decide. It’s no one’s choice, but yours. If you do not choose Christ and God it is no one’s fault except yours.
I was telling my Bible Study group of ladies, that in the good ‘ol US of A, if no one ever told you the story of Jesus, or gave you a Bible, or even if you were taught wrongly as a child, when you grow up, and are old enough to learn or ask questions, there is not one excuse to say you could not know God! We have the internet, TV, the radio, tapes, CD’s, Gideon’s freebie Bibles, the library, or even a Dr’s. Office waiting room “copies” of the word of God.
If are seeking answers and truth and we really want to find it, we can walk to any church on any given corner of any given city-block, at any time that we so desire. We could even call for a ride to a church and I bet a ministry team would find someone to give us one! We are our own persons, aren’t we? We can do what we want, when we want to, right?
It does not matter your raising, background, color, race, or origin, you can know God if you want to! It doesn’t matter who your father, mother, sister or brother are. In present day USA, you can KNOW GOD!
Timothy was so influenced by the gospel, by the Lordship of Christ, that he was able to make a very radical decision towards a life changing action. With the power of his own freewill, he decided to mark his own physical body in such a way as to say, “I am willing to become one with you, in a way that outrightly speaks to you. Since you say that through the circumcision of the flesh, you serve the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; I want to change to be more like you are, so you’ll be able to listen to the message I have been given by Your Lord, for you!
I so want you to know He sent His Son, to solidify His covenant with you. He sent His Son, to seal the deal with you. The deal is what this scar in my flesh represents. I am willing to do away with a part of my flesh, to let you know this truth personally.”
R U led by the Spirit of God?
I’ve heard it said, “We as Christian believers, followers of Christ, can live by permission, or we can choose to live by trial and error.” If we choose to live by trial and error, rather than by permission; later on we can seek forgiveness and we’ll have to seek repair for our mistakes made.
Yes God is gracious and He forgives our sin. In fact, He forgives us every time we confess and turn away from walking in the wrong direction; but wouldn’t it be more pleasing to Him, if we would walk by permission? If we lived in such a way, as to ask first, listen to His wisdom, and apply it to our lives, with the intent to walk it out. Living this way, means we are not needing to turn around and backtrack down a wrongly turned on road as often. We actually gain ground and hold ground, rather than lose ground.
It could also be likened to asking for directions and following the advised course set out for us by others who know the way, or just independently deciding to go which ever way we feel may work, only to find we’ve had to take a very long road around the mountains and obstacle courses on the road of our own choosing.
The Spirit of Jesus did not let them go. The Holy Spirit told them not to go.
What was happening in both of these instances? They were living by permission, refusing to go on to places even God would like them to go to, without His approval first! The Holy Spirit knows everything about everything. He knows what is ahead, and what is the best timing for the best instance or presentation. He may have prevented even their physical deaths, from happening prematurely.
The god of mammon is one of the biggest strongholds that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. It is very hard for rich people to be saved, not impossible, but hard. They have to give up the seeking of riches as their life source, pleasure source, security source, or source of energy, motivation or worship.
Just touch someone where their money is concerned, and watch what comes out of them! Really. If it is anger, violence, frustration, grief, greed, etc, you’ll know what god has been deceptively strangling them towards a slow, but pleasurable death.
We cannot seek or serve mammon and God Most High. If we seek God, it must be Him first and Him alone. We cannot serve God and mammon. We will either hate the one and love the other, or love one and hate the other. We CANNOT, do both!
Be prepared, if you touch mammon, you could end up in jail, BUT God is faithful, as His messenger, He’ll probably get ya out! In the meantime, get the prisoners and jailers saved. As much as is in you, preach the gospel! You have seed in you that has the potential to grow a forest of trees. Each person is an influencer, a part of a greater picture, a family member, who needs the word of God to save them, from their sins.
The city officials and jailers apologized to them. Things are not always as they seem in the long-run, just wait and see the salvation of the Lord!
Lena Posts TRC's Daily Bread for Today Acts 16
Acts 16
Paul’s Second Missionary Journey
1 Paul went first to Derbe and then to Lystra, where there was a young disciple named Timothy. His mother was a Jewish believer, but his father was a Greek. 2 Timothy was well thought of by the believers[a] in Lystra and Iconium, 3 so Paul wanted him to join them on their journey. In deference to the Jews of the area, he arranged for Timothy to be circumcised before they left, for everyone knew that his father was a Greek. 4 Then they went from town to town, instructing the believers to follow the decisions made by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem. 5 So the churches were strengthened in their faith and grew larger every day.
A Call from Macedonia
6 Next Paul and Silas traveled through the area of Phrygia and Galatia, because the Holy Spirit had prevented them from preaching the word in the province of Asia at that time. 7 Then coming to the borders of Mysia, they headed north for the province of Bithynia,[b] but again the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them to go there. 8 So instead, they went on through Mysia to the seaport of Troas.
9 That night Paul had a vision: A man from Macedonia in northern Greece was standing there, pleading with him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us!” 10 So we[c] decided to leave for Macedonia at once, having concluded that God was calling us to preach the Good News there.
Lydia of Philippi Believes in Jesus
11 We boarded a boat at Troas and sailed straight across to the island of Samothrace, and the next day we landed at Neapolis. 12 From there we reached Philippi, a major city of that district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. And we stayed there several days.
13 On the Sabbath we went a little way outside the city to a riverbank, where we thought people would be meeting for prayer, and we sat down to speak with some women who had gathered there. 14 One of them was Lydia from Thyatira, a merchant of expensive purple cloth, who worshiped God. As she listened to us, the Lord opened her heart, and she accepted what Paul was saying. 15 She was baptized along with other members of her household, and she asked us to be her guests. “If you agree that I am a true believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my home.” And she urged us until we agreed.
Paul and Silas in Prison
16 One day as we were going down to the place of prayer, we met a demon-possessed slave girl. She was a fortune-teller who earned a lot of money for her masters. 17 She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, and they have come to tell you how to be saved.”
18 This went on day after day until Paul got so exasperated that he turned and said to the demon within her, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And instantly it left her.
19 Her masters’ hopes of wealth were now shattered, so they grabbed Paul and Silas and dragged them before the authorities at the marketplace. 20 “The whole city is in an uproar because of these Jews!” they shouted to the city officials. 21 “They are teaching customs that are illegal for us Romans to practice.”
22 A mob quickly formed against Paul and Silas, and the city officials ordered them stripped and beaten with wooden rods. 23 They were severely beaten, and then they were thrown into prison. The jailer was ordered to make sure they didn’t escape. 24 So the jailer put them into the inner dungeon and clamped their feet in the stocks.
25 Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. 26 Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off! 27 The jailer woke up to see the prison doors wide open. He assumed the prisoners had escaped, so he drew his sword to kill himself. 28 But Paul shouted to him, “Stop! Don’t kill yourself! We are all here!”
29 The jailer called for lights and ran to the dungeon and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.” 32 And they shared the word of the Lord with him and with all who lived in his household. 33 Even at that hour of the night, the jailer cared for them and washed their wounds. Then he and everyone in his household were immediately baptized. 34 He brought them into his house and set a meal before them, and he and his entire household rejoiced because they all believed in God.
35 The next morning the city officials sent the police to tell the jailer, “Let those men go!” 36 So the jailer told Paul, “The city officials have said you and Silas are free to leave. Go in peace.”
37 But Paul replied, “They have publicly beaten us without a trial and put us in prison—and we are Roman citizens. So now they want us to leave secretly? Certainly not! Let them come themselves to release us!”
38 When the police reported this, the city officials were alarmed to learn that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens. 39 So they came to the jail and apologized to them. Then they brought them out and begged them to leave the city. 40 When Paul and Silas left the prison, they returned to the home of Lydia. There they met with the believers and encouraged them once more. Then they left town.
Footnotes:
Acts 16:2 Greek brothers; also in 16:40.
Acts 16:7 Phrygia, Galatia, Asia, Mysia, and Bithynia were all districts in what is now Turkey.
Acts 16:10 Luke, the writer of this book, here joined Paul and accompanied him on his journey.
Paul’s Second Missionary Journey
1 Paul went first to Derbe and then to Lystra, where there was a young disciple named Timothy. His mother was a Jewish believer, but his father was a Greek. 2 Timothy was well thought of by the believers[a] in Lystra and Iconium, 3 so Paul wanted him to join them on their journey. In deference to the Jews of the area, he arranged for Timothy to be circumcised before they left, for everyone knew that his father was a Greek. 4 Then they went from town to town, instructing the believers to follow the decisions made by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem. 5 So the churches were strengthened in their faith and grew larger every day.
A Call from Macedonia
6 Next Paul and Silas traveled through the area of Phrygia and Galatia, because the Holy Spirit had prevented them from preaching the word in the province of Asia at that time. 7 Then coming to the borders of Mysia, they headed north for the province of Bithynia,[b] but again the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them to go there. 8 So instead, they went on through Mysia to the seaport of Troas.
9 That night Paul had a vision: A man from Macedonia in northern Greece was standing there, pleading with him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us!” 10 So we[c] decided to leave for Macedonia at once, having concluded that God was calling us to preach the Good News there.
Lydia of Philippi Believes in Jesus
11 We boarded a boat at Troas and sailed straight across to the island of Samothrace, and the next day we landed at Neapolis. 12 From there we reached Philippi, a major city of that district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. And we stayed there several days.
13 On the Sabbath we went a little way outside the city to a riverbank, where we thought people would be meeting for prayer, and we sat down to speak with some women who had gathered there. 14 One of them was Lydia from Thyatira, a merchant of expensive purple cloth, who worshiped God. As she listened to us, the Lord opened her heart, and she accepted what Paul was saying. 15 She was baptized along with other members of her household, and she asked us to be her guests. “If you agree that I am a true believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my home.” And she urged us until we agreed.
Paul and Silas in Prison
16 One day as we were going down to the place of prayer, we met a demon-possessed slave girl. She was a fortune-teller who earned a lot of money for her masters. 17 She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, and they have come to tell you how to be saved.”
18 This went on day after day until Paul got so exasperated that he turned and said to the demon within her, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And instantly it left her.
19 Her masters’ hopes of wealth were now shattered, so they grabbed Paul and Silas and dragged them before the authorities at the marketplace. 20 “The whole city is in an uproar because of these Jews!” they shouted to the city officials. 21 “They are teaching customs that are illegal for us Romans to practice.”
22 A mob quickly formed against Paul and Silas, and the city officials ordered them stripped and beaten with wooden rods. 23 They were severely beaten, and then they were thrown into prison. The jailer was ordered to make sure they didn’t escape. 24 So the jailer put them into the inner dungeon and clamped their feet in the stocks.
25 Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. 26 Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off! 27 The jailer woke up to see the prison doors wide open. He assumed the prisoners had escaped, so he drew his sword to kill himself. 28 But Paul shouted to him, “Stop! Don’t kill yourself! We are all here!”
29 The jailer called for lights and ran to the dungeon and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.” 32 And they shared the word of the Lord with him and with all who lived in his household. 33 Even at that hour of the night, the jailer cared for them and washed their wounds. Then he and everyone in his household were immediately baptized. 34 He brought them into his house and set a meal before them, and he and his entire household rejoiced because they all believed in God.
35 The next morning the city officials sent the police to tell the jailer, “Let those men go!” 36 So the jailer told Paul, “The city officials have said you and Silas are free to leave. Go in peace.”
37 But Paul replied, “They have publicly beaten us without a trial and put us in prison—and we are Roman citizens. So now they want us to leave secretly? Certainly not! Let them come themselves to release us!”
38 When the police reported this, the city officials were alarmed to learn that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens. 39 So they came to the jail and apologized to them. Then they brought them out and begged them to leave the city. 40 When Paul and Silas left the prison, they returned to the home of Lydia. There they met with the believers and encouraged them once more. Then they left town.
Footnotes:
Acts 16:2 Greek brothers; also in 16:40.
Acts 16:7 Phrygia, Galatia, Asia, Mysia, and Bithynia were all districts in what is now Turkey.
Acts 16:10 Luke, the writer of this book, here joined Paul and accompanied him on his journey.
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Lena's Discipleship Journalin to Today to Acts 15
What is the point of circumcision? Sometimes when we look at the law, we miss the point. Sometimes when we follow the law, as a written set of rules, we also miss the point.
A major point of circumcision is that there’s a mark on one’s body, and mark from a request made by God, followed by obedient action in a human, right where it really counts and in the place where more of the same person is made again or reproduced. Circumcision here is more about what it represents than what is done physically. This is the difference between religion and relationship. One goes through a motion not knowing its meaning or symbolism, the other knows why and does it, even if it’s hard, anyway.
It represents the cutting away of flesh natured actions right in the place God meant everything to happen through the multiplication of human beings. God wants His will in the earth accomplished through human beings and every human being they make after their own kind. He wants His will, and the desire to do His will, to be spread by modeled action throughout all humanity (as in “Here watch me” and in that the desires in others are stirred to do what was done to be there). That takes a sacrifice a cutting away of my own flesh natured thoughts and actions.
A human who does the will of God, can’t do his own will. He can’t just do whatever he wants at any given time, because he gave his life up to God for the kingdom of God’s sake.
He decided to love others better than he loves himself. He decided to be markedly different in his behaviors and the way he lives and raises his kids. It is markedly different. There is a visible difference made on purpose in answer to the call of God. It was done in a very sensitive and intimate place and in a male’s body. That means men are asked to lead in this different kind of living. They are to reproduce God life in others rather than set an example of dog eat dog, selfish life, in others. They initiate self sacrifice, by a living example.
They were willing to cut their own flesh for it and the flesh of their seed that would come after them, rather than slaying others with their dictatorial selfishness they lay down their own for the good of others, especially of their own family.
God asked it of them and whether they know it or not they are accountable to it before God. The scars show the enemy that they answered God’s request.
They are covenant scars. Covenant says, “Your good at my expense!”
They bear on their own bodies, in a place only intimate people see the marks of, the Lordship of Christ. They did not scar themselves on their faces for all to see, they scarred themselves where only God and possibly members of their family would see. The changes God required of them would first be seen in their own households. That’s what God desired it for, home and the most intimate relationships first. A visible sign to those he covenants with, that he is a man after God’s will and he loves God’s will enough to have bled for it!
It says, “I don’t own myself, I’ve chosen to give up my life as a willing slave to God’s will, plans and purposes. I choose love no matter what. Your good at my expense.”
Can someone live that way without being cut in their flesh? Yes they can. That’s what the disciples were saying.
Can someone be cut that way and still live for themselves? Yes they can. That is also what the disciples were saying.
The proof of being “cut” and bearing scars will be shown in your family and intimate relationships. People close to you will know if you are dead or alive unto yourself. Their happiness with you will show others if your covenant was validated by the death of self, or not.
You could be cut, but if you did not willingly die in attitude, submitting your self life to others, the world will know it. They can look at your family, your co-workers, your friends, your neighbors and tell. It is shown in the fruit of your life.
God is looking for those who lay down their lives for others and the others know it personally, they feel the security of God’s unconditional love through you. You are a circumcised covenant “man”. It is done in the intimate place, but everyone sees the fruit. (like a child conceived – everyone sees the pregnant belly and then the living child)
We must be oh so careful to not use God’s righteous royal covenant laws to slay people to show how much we know more than they do, or how much more we are following God closer than they are. His laws are to govern our own hearts and minds, to keep us within the bounds of our own covenant with God, they protect and guide us into truth, the truth that makes us love people who need Him and do not understand His ways yet.
With the law of God, whom we are impassionate for, we slay our own selves and show the world how to live. His laws become attractive in living form as we show forth the produce or products of the law at work in us personally. Things such as love and joy, and peace and patience, and kindness and endurance, etc.; These are evidences of my revelation of the sacrifice of love at work in me. They are characteristics of his kingdom rule at work in me. It’s not my insistence on things my way that is in full bloom in me, it is that I step out of the way daily, allowing His work to be done in a through me, instead of my own work at the forefront. I submit to the ways of His kingdom, because I am made to be a kingdom ambassador through my own obedience to the King’s will.
It does not matter my race, color, or language or my original culture. If I have come under the Kingship and Lordship of Christ willingly, I live in a new way. I struggle when I try to bring the old ways of my own culture into His. It is not allowed and it is illegal alien-ship and I become an enemy of His kingdom when I say things in haste like, “ I’m all in”, but I’m not and it is clearly known by my actions and words spoken.
Anyone from anywhere can find asylum in this kingdom. They just have to come in and be made new, everyday. Jew or Gentile alike, we are both the same if we find ourselves inside of and made one with the covenant practices of his love. I am known by my actions and behaviors, whether I’m of the circumcision or not. It is known in my reproduction and in the work I do with others.
Why would I be troubled by a decision to no longer have others wear marks on their skin as an outward sign? Maybe because I’m not ready to be branded on the heart? Maybe it isn’t on my own heart yet and I want to be at liberty to look like and call myself a Christian, but not really be one on the inside.
Religion exalts man through good outward works, but Jesus described it as whitewashed tombs. That’s a pretty vivid picture there. You look good on the outside, but inside you are as good as dead unto the true desires of God. Religious people do not like change unless they initiate it. If they initiate it, it is ok, but when God or someone else who God subtly uses does, they get upset and offended. They want to sit on the seat of God and do not readily accept anyone telling them what to do.
Jesus upset a few religious man-centered ideas and overturned the tables of earning their own way to god-ship. Religion says look at me, and all that I’ve done in making my way to God. It tries to tell people what they don’t yet know, rather than who they can know.
It points fingers and blames. Blaming is a sure sign of religious thinking and response. Religion looks more outwardly than inwardly.
Your good, at my expense.
That’s relationship, with God exemplified everyday to those around me, if I truly bear the marks of the Lordship of Christ in my body. They may be invisible marks, but they have been cut very deeply into the covenant soul and their fruits are never invisible, in fact they heal nations and peoples. They are for people who pass by to eat off of my tree, for my tree is not my tree at all. It belongs to Him; it is his I gave my own life up for it. It cost a lot, but is worth every penny! Amen.
A major point of circumcision is that there’s a mark on one’s body, and mark from a request made by God, followed by obedient action in a human, right where it really counts and in the place where more of the same person is made again or reproduced. Circumcision here is more about what it represents than what is done physically. This is the difference between religion and relationship. One goes through a motion not knowing its meaning or symbolism, the other knows why and does it, even if it’s hard, anyway.
It represents the cutting away of flesh natured actions right in the place God meant everything to happen through the multiplication of human beings. God wants His will in the earth accomplished through human beings and every human being they make after their own kind. He wants His will, and the desire to do His will, to be spread by modeled action throughout all humanity (as in “Here watch me” and in that the desires in others are stirred to do what was done to be there). That takes a sacrifice a cutting away of my own flesh natured thoughts and actions.
A human who does the will of God, can’t do his own will. He can’t just do whatever he wants at any given time, because he gave his life up to God for the kingdom of God’s sake.
He decided to love others better than he loves himself. He decided to be markedly different in his behaviors and the way he lives and raises his kids. It is markedly different. There is a visible difference made on purpose in answer to the call of God. It was done in a very sensitive and intimate place and in a male’s body. That means men are asked to lead in this different kind of living. They are to reproduce God life in others rather than set an example of dog eat dog, selfish life, in others. They initiate self sacrifice, by a living example.
They were willing to cut their own flesh for it and the flesh of their seed that would come after them, rather than slaying others with their dictatorial selfishness they lay down their own for the good of others, especially of their own family.
God asked it of them and whether they know it or not they are accountable to it before God. The scars show the enemy that they answered God’s request.
They are covenant scars. Covenant says, “Your good at my expense!”
They bear on their own bodies, in a place only intimate people see the marks of, the Lordship of Christ. They did not scar themselves on their faces for all to see, they scarred themselves where only God and possibly members of their family would see. The changes God required of them would first be seen in their own households. That’s what God desired it for, home and the most intimate relationships first. A visible sign to those he covenants with, that he is a man after God’s will and he loves God’s will enough to have bled for it!
It says, “I don’t own myself, I’ve chosen to give up my life as a willing slave to God’s will, plans and purposes. I choose love no matter what. Your good at my expense.”
Can someone live that way without being cut in their flesh? Yes they can. That’s what the disciples were saying.
Can someone be cut that way and still live for themselves? Yes they can. That is also what the disciples were saying.
The proof of being “cut” and bearing scars will be shown in your family and intimate relationships. People close to you will know if you are dead or alive unto yourself. Their happiness with you will show others if your covenant was validated by the death of self, or not.
You could be cut, but if you did not willingly die in attitude, submitting your self life to others, the world will know it. They can look at your family, your co-workers, your friends, your neighbors and tell. It is shown in the fruit of your life.
God is looking for those who lay down their lives for others and the others know it personally, they feel the security of God’s unconditional love through you. You are a circumcised covenant “man”. It is done in the intimate place, but everyone sees the fruit. (like a child conceived – everyone sees the pregnant belly and then the living child)
We must be oh so careful to not use God’s righteous royal covenant laws to slay people to show how much we know more than they do, or how much more we are following God closer than they are. His laws are to govern our own hearts and minds, to keep us within the bounds of our own covenant with God, they protect and guide us into truth, the truth that makes us love people who need Him and do not understand His ways yet.
With the law of God, whom we are impassionate for, we slay our own selves and show the world how to live. His laws become attractive in living form as we show forth the produce or products of the law at work in us personally. Things such as love and joy, and peace and patience, and kindness and endurance, etc.; These are evidences of my revelation of the sacrifice of love at work in me. They are characteristics of his kingdom rule at work in me. It’s not my insistence on things my way that is in full bloom in me, it is that I step out of the way daily, allowing His work to be done in a through me, instead of my own work at the forefront. I submit to the ways of His kingdom, because I am made to be a kingdom ambassador through my own obedience to the King’s will.
It does not matter my race, color, or language or my original culture. If I have come under the Kingship and Lordship of Christ willingly, I live in a new way. I struggle when I try to bring the old ways of my own culture into His. It is not allowed and it is illegal alien-ship and I become an enemy of His kingdom when I say things in haste like, “ I’m all in”, but I’m not and it is clearly known by my actions and words spoken.
Anyone from anywhere can find asylum in this kingdom. They just have to come in and be made new, everyday. Jew or Gentile alike, we are both the same if we find ourselves inside of and made one with the covenant practices of his love. I am known by my actions and behaviors, whether I’m of the circumcision or not. It is known in my reproduction and in the work I do with others.
Why would I be troubled by a decision to no longer have others wear marks on their skin as an outward sign? Maybe because I’m not ready to be branded on the heart? Maybe it isn’t on my own heart yet and I want to be at liberty to look like and call myself a Christian, but not really be one on the inside.
Religion exalts man through good outward works, but Jesus described it as whitewashed tombs. That’s a pretty vivid picture there. You look good on the outside, but inside you are as good as dead unto the true desires of God. Religious people do not like change unless they initiate it. If they initiate it, it is ok, but when God or someone else who God subtly uses does, they get upset and offended. They want to sit on the seat of God and do not readily accept anyone telling them what to do.
Jesus upset a few religious man-centered ideas and overturned the tables of earning their own way to god-ship. Religion says look at me, and all that I’ve done in making my way to God. It tries to tell people what they don’t yet know, rather than who they can know.
It points fingers and blames. Blaming is a sure sign of religious thinking and response. Religion looks more outwardly than inwardly.
Your good, at my expense.
That’s relationship, with God exemplified everyday to those around me, if I truly bear the marks of the Lordship of Christ in my body. They may be invisible marks, but they have been cut very deeply into the covenant soul and their fruits are never invisible, in fact they heal nations and peoples. They are for people who pass by to eat off of my tree, for my tree is not my tree at all. It belongs to Him; it is his I gave my own life up for it. It cost a lot, but is worth every penny! Amen.
Lena Posts TRC's Daily Bread Reading for Today - Acts 15
1 While Paul and Barnabas were at Antioch of Syria, some men from Judea arrived and began to teach the Christians F78 : "Unless you keep the ancient Jewish custom of circumcision taught by Moses, you cannot be saved." 2 Paul and Barnabas, disagreeing with them, argued forcefully and at length. Finally, Paul and Barnabas were sent to Jerusalem, accompanied by some local believers, to talk to the apostles and elders about this question. 3 The church sent the delegates to Jerusalem, and they stopped along the way in Phoenicia and Samaria to visit the believers. F79 They told them – much to everyone's joy – that the Gentiles, too, were being converted. 4 When they arrived in Jerusalem, Paul and Barnabas were welcomed by the whole church, including the apostles and elders. They reported on what God had been doing through their ministry. 5 But then some of the men who had been Pharisees before their conversion stood up and declared that all Gentile converts must be circumcised and be required to follow the law of Moses.
6 So the apostles and church elders got together to decide this question. 7 At the meeting, after a long discussion, Peter stood and addressed them as follows: "Brothers, you all know that God chose me from among you some time ago to preach to the Gentiles so that they could hear the Good News and believe. 8 God, who knows people's hearts, confirmed that he accepts Gentiles by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he gave him to us. 9 He made no distinction between us and them, for he also cleansed their hearts through faith. 10 Why are you now questioning God's way by burdening the Gentile believers F80 with a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors were able to bear? 11 We believe that we are all saved the same way, by the special favor of the Lord Jesus." 12 There was no further discussion, and everyone listened as Barnabas and Paul told about the miraculous signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. 13 When they had finished, James stood and said, "Brothers, listen to me. 14 Peter F81 has told you about the time God first visited the Gentiles to take from them a people for himself. 15 And this conversion of Gentiles agrees with what the prophets predicted. For instance, it is written: 16 'Afterward I will return, and I will restore the fallen kingdom of David. From the ruins I will rebuild it, and I will restore it, 17 so that the rest of humanity might find the Lord, including the Gentiles – all those I have called to be mine. This is what the Lord says, 18 he who made these things known long ago.' F82 19 And so my judgment is that we should stop troubling the Gentiles who turn to God, 20 except that we should write to them and tell them to abstain from eating meat sacrificed to idols, from sexual immorality, and from consuming blood or eating the meat of strangled animals. 21 For these laws of Moses have been preached in Jewish synagogues in every city on every Sabbath for many generations."
22 Then the apostles and elders and the whole church in Jerusalem chose delegates, and they sent them to Antioch of Syria with Paul and Barnabas to report on this decision. The men chosen were two of the church leaders F83 – Judas (also called Barsabbas) and Silas. 23 This is the letter they took along with them: "This letter is from the apostles and elders, your brothers in Jerusalem. It is written to the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia. Greetings! 24 "We understand that some men from here have troubled you and upset you with their teaching, but they had no such instructions from us. 25 So it seemed good to us, having unanimously agreed on our decision, to send you these official representatives, along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26 who have risked their lives for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 So we are sending Judas and Silas to tell you what we have decided concerning your question. 28 "For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay no greater burden on you than these requirements: 29 You must abstain from eating food offered to idols, from consuming blood or eating the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality. If you do this, you will do well. Farewell." 30 The four messengers went at once to Antioch, where they called a general meeting of the Christians and delivered the letter. 31 And there was great joy throughout the church that day as they read this encouraging message. 32 Then Judas and Silas, both being prophets, spoke extensively to the Christians, encouraging and strengthening their faith. 33 They stayed for a while, and then Judas and Silas were sent back to Jerusalem, with the blessings of the Christians, to those who had sent them. F84 34 F144 35 Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch to assist many others who were teaching and preaching the word of the Lord there.
36 After some time Paul said to Barnabas, "Let's return to each city where we previously preached the word of the Lord, to see how the new believers are getting along." 37 Barnabas agreed and wanted to take along John Mark. 38 But Paul disagreed strongly, since John Mark had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not shared in their work. 39 Their disagreement over this was so sharp that they separated. Barnabas took John Mark with him and sailed for Cyprus. 40 Paul chose Silas, and the believers sent them off, entrusting them to the Lord's grace. 41 So they traveled throughout Syria and Cilicia to strengthen the churches there.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FOOTNOTES:
F78: Greek brothers; also in 15:32, 33.
F79: Greek brothers; also in 15:23, 36, 40.
F80: Greek disciples.
F81: Greek Simon.
F82: Amos 9:11-12; Isa 45:21.
F83: Greek were leaders among the brothers.
F84: Some manuscripts add verse 34, But Silas decided to stay there.
F144: Some manuscripts add But Silas decided to stay there.
The New Living Translation
6 So the apostles and church elders got together to decide this question. 7 At the meeting, after a long discussion, Peter stood and addressed them as follows: "Brothers, you all know that God chose me from among you some time ago to preach to the Gentiles so that they could hear the Good News and believe. 8 God, who knows people's hearts, confirmed that he accepts Gentiles by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he gave him to us. 9 He made no distinction between us and them, for he also cleansed their hearts through faith. 10 Why are you now questioning God's way by burdening the Gentile believers F80 with a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors were able to bear? 11 We believe that we are all saved the same way, by the special favor of the Lord Jesus." 12 There was no further discussion, and everyone listened as Barnabas and Paul told about the miraculous signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. 13 When they had finished, James stood and said, "Brothers, listen to me. 14 Peter F81 has told you about the time God first visited the Gentiles to take from them a people for himself. 15 And this conversion of Gentiles agrees with what the prophets predicted. For instance, it is written: 16 'Afterward I will return, and I will restore the fallen kingdom of David. From the ruins I will rebuild it, and I will restore it, 17 so that the rest of humanity might find the Lord, including the Gentiles – all those I have called to be mine. This is what the Lord says, 18 he who made these things known long ago.' F82 19 And so my judgment is that we should stop troubling the Gentiles who turn to God, 20 except that we should write to them and tell them to abstain from eating meat sacrificed to idols, from sexual immorality, and from consuming blood or eating the meat of strangled animals. 21 For these laws of Moses have been preached in Jewish synagogues in every city on every Sabbath for many generations."
22 Then the apostles and elders and the whole church in Jerusalem chose delegates, and they sent them to Antioch of Syria with Paul and Barnabas to report on this decision. The men chosen were two of the church leaders F83 – Judas (also called Barsabbas) and Silas. 23 This is the letter they took along with them: "This letter is from the apostles and elders, your brothers in Jerusalem. It is written to the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia. Greetings! 24 "We understand that some men from here have troubled you and upset you with their teaching, but they had no such instructions from us. 25 So it seemed good to us, having unanimously agreed on our decision, to send you these official representatives, along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26 who have risked their lives for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 So we are sending Judas and Silas to tell you what we have decided concerning your question. 28 "For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay no greater burden on you than these requirements: 29 You must abstain from eating food offered to idols, from consuming blood or eating the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality. If you do this, you will do well. Farewell." 30 The four messengers went at once to Antioch, where they called a general meeting of the Christians and delivered the letter. 31 And there was great joy throughout the church that day as they read this encouraging message. 32 Then Judas and Silas, both being prophets, spoke extensively to the Christians, encouraging and strengthening their faith. 33 They stayed for a while, and then Judas and Silas were sent back to Jerusalem, with the blessings of the Christians, to those who had sent them. F84 34 F144 35 Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch to assist many others who were teaching and preaching the word of the Lord there.
36 After some time Paul said to Barnabas, "Let's return to each city where we previously preached the word of the Lord, to see how the new believers are getting along." 37 Barnabas agreed and wanted to take along John Mark. 38 But Paul disagreed strongly, since John Mark had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not shared in their work. 39 Their disagreement over this was so sharp that they separated. Barnabas took John Mark with him and sailed for Cyprus. 40 Paul chose Silas, and the believers sent them off, entrusting them to the Lord's grace. 41 So they traveled throughout Syria and Cilicia to strengthen the churches there.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FOOTNOTES:
F78: Greek brothers; also in 15:32, 33.
F79: Greek brothers; also in 15:23, 36, 40.
F80: Greek disciples.
F81: Greek Simon.
F82: Amos 9:11-12; Isa 45:21.
F83: Greek were leaders among the brothers.
F84: Some manuscripts add verse 34, But Silas decided to stay there.
F144: Some manuscripts add But Silas decided to stay there.
The New Living Translation
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Lena's Discipleship Journalin' for Today
I’ve subconsciously thought somehow that when we decided to engage our gift of Holy Boldness, by personally obeying God, all will just fall into order and all who we obediently speak to will instantly believe and the universe will instantly respond to our obedience? We learn from the experiences of these men who were bold before we ever knew Christ. The universe is still taking its time to respond to the work of the cross and the free gift given it by God who sent His only Son, Jesus Christ.
There’s always a cost of truth. Someone has to pay. Jesus paid for what God had hoped and dreamed of, that it could actually become a reality to any man who would believe and walk in the truth. It was impossible to do before He came and paid that price. Our boldness gives out the offer of the acceptance of this truth.
We must obey God in Holy Boldness no matter what anyone ever does with it. If they reject our message, or if they hate us for delivering it, or if they don’t like the way we say it, or cannot stand our personality. If they beat us up or kill us, our portion is before God and not men. We stand in righteousness as His own faithful messengers who will deliver His will no matter what.
Many times I’ve immaturely thought that as I give I’ll have solved some sort of problem and my obedience will activate the answer and bring the result right there, right then. My motivator wanted to see an instantaneous result. My motivator needed adjustments made to see into the realm of the planting of eternal seed and being a mere “messenger boy”, boldly, not considering the instantaneous result.
Even if people feel to debate the word, it is not subject to debate. It is truth, no matter what we think about what we hear. It is for receiving or rejecting. The Lord narrows our choices down. The Lord sums it up saying, “All of these choices that you are pondering, they belong in this one category - rejection of Me. The only other choice is reception. Choose reception, that you and your seed may live, forever.”
Narrow is the way that leads to eternal life, and few are they who will truly walk that way, and go there, and stay there, and who Live and die there.
Narrow means laden with obstacles. People like to go on Easy Street, only to find eternally it was called Broadway and led to destruction!
There are some who will listen and immediately faith will arise. Be bold no matter the outward response. Seize every opportunity for Christ.
Sacrifice your own life. Live as a dead man.
Don’t let anyone worship you, as much as is in you, bring pride down. Let God arise, and as His enemies scatter. Bow down and say, “Thank you, Lord, now what else do you have for me to be a part of doing?” We are vessels of the Lord, bodies He can use because we yield to His work, and we’ve allowed Him to do His will in us. The body that yielded to His will, can disappear in a day and its opportunity for use can be taken in a moment. The only true power we have is in yielding to God. Give it up. The struggle of power lies in who we yield ourselves slaves to the use of. Who are we given over to?
It amazes me that Paul was beaten and rose up and went back for more bold living. I felt so happy when I read it. It was like his first real test of faith and he so passed. That was a hard one. I bet compassion rose in him as he saw firsthand the persecution, but knew of the great love that endures all things.
I don’t think anyone can have that kind of love in all humanness, but knowing Jesus and the love of the Father personally supersedes all flesh natured love. Paul knew Jesus, though he’d not spent the same 3 years with Him physically that the apostles did. We too can know Him as Paul did, and make Him known through this intense personal love
There’s always a cost of truth. Someone has to pay. Jesus paid for what God had hoped and dreamed of, that it could actually become a reality to any man who would believe and walk in the truth. It was impossible to do before He came and paid that price. Our boldness gives out the offer of the acceptance of this truth.
We must obey God in Holy Boldness no matter what anyone ever does with it. If they reject our message, or if they hate us for delivering it, or if they don’t like the way we say it, or cannot stand our personality. If they beat us up or kill us, our portion is before God and not men. We stand in righteousness as His own faithful messengers who will deliver His will no matter what.
Many times I’ve immaturely thought that as I give I’ll have solved some sort of problem and my obedience will activate the answer and bring the result right there, right then. My motivator wanted to see an instantaneous result. My motivator needed adjustments made to see into the realm of the planting of eternal seed and being a mere “messenger boy”, boldly, not considering the instantaneous result.
Even if people feel to debate the word, it is not subject to debate. It is truth, no matter what we think about what we hear. It is for receiving or rejecting. The Lord narrows our choices down. The Lord sums it up saying, “All of these choices that you are pondering, they belong in this one category - rejection of Me. The only other choice is reception. Choose reception, that you and your seed may live, forever.”
Narrow is the way that leads to eternal life, and few are they who will truly walk that way, and go there, and stay there, and who Live and die there.
Narrow means laden with obstacles. People like to go on Easy Street, only to find eternally it was called Broadway and led to destruction!
There are some who will listen and immediately faith will arise. Be bold no matter the outward response. Seize every opportunity for Christ.
Sacrifice your own life. Live as a dead man.
Don’t let anyone worship you, as much as is in you, bring pride down. Let God arise, and as His enemies scatter. Bow down and say, “Thank you, Lord, now what else do you have for me to be a part of doing?” We are vessels of the Lord, bodies He can use because we yield to His work, and we’ve allowed Him to do His will in us. The body that yielded to His will, can disappear in a day and its opportunity for use can be taken in a moment. The only true power we have is in yielding to God. Give it up. The struggle of power lies in who we yield ourselves slaves to the use of. Who are we given over to?
It amazes me that Paul was beaten and rose up and went back for more bold living. I felt so happy when I read it. It was like his first real test of faith and he so passed. That was a hard one. I bet compassion rose in him as he saw firsthand the persecution, but knew of the great love that endures all things.
I don’t think anyone can have that kind of love in all humanness, but knowing Jesus and the love of the Father personally supersedes all flesh natured love. Paul knew Jesus, though he’d not spent the same 3 years with Him physically that the apostles did. We too can know Him as Paul did, and make Him known through this intense personal love
Lena Posts TRC's Daily Bread for Today - Acts 14
Paul and Barnabas in Iconium
1In Iconium, F75 Paul and Barnabas went together to the synagogue and preached with such power that a great number of both Jews and Gentiles believed. 2But the Jews who spurned God's message stirred up distrust among the Gentiles against Paul and Barnabas, saying all sorts of evil things about them. 3The apostles stayed there a long time, preaching boldly about the grace of the Lord. The Lord proved their message was true by giving them power to do miraculous signs and wonders. 4But the people of the city were divided in their opinion about them. Some sided with the Jews, and some with the apostles.
5A mob of Gentiles and Jews, along with their leaders, decided to attack and stone them. 6When the apostles learned of it, they fled for their lives. They went to the region of Lycaonia, to the cities of Lystra and Derbe and the surrounding area, 7and they preached the Good News there.
Paul and Barnabas in Lystra and Derbe
8While they were at Lystra, Paul and Barnabas came upon a man with crippled feet. He had been that way from birth, so he had never walked. 9He was listening as Paul preached, and Paul noticed him and realized he had faith to be healed. 10So Paul called to him in a loud voice, "Stand up!" And the man jumped to his feet and started walking.
11When the listening crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in their local dialect, "These men are gods in human bodies!" 12They decided that Barnabas was the Greek god Zeus and that Paul, because he was the chief speaker, was Hermes. 13The temple of Zeus was located on the outskirts of the city. The priest of the temple and the crowd brought oxen and wreaths of flowers, and they prepared to sacrifice to the apostles at the city gates.
14But when Barnabas and Paul heard what was happening, they tore their clothing in dismay and ran out among the people, shouting, 15"Friends, F76 why are you doing this? We are merely human beings like yourselves! We have come to bring you the Good News that you should turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them. 16In earlier days he permitted all the nations to go their own ways, 17but he never left himself without a witness. There were always his reminders, such as sending you rain and good crops and giving you food and joyful hearts." 18But even so, Paul and Barnabas could scarcely restrain the people from sacrificing to them.
19Now some Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium and turned the crowds into a murderous mob. They stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, apparently dead. 20But as the believers F77 stood around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe.
Paul and Barnabas Return to Antioch of Syria
21After preaching the Good News in Derbe and making many disciples, Paul and Barnabas returned again to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch of Pisidia, 22where they strengthened the believers. They encouraged them to continue in the faith, reminding them that they must enter into the Kingdom of God through many tribulations. 23Paul and Barnabas also appointed elders in every church and prayed for them with fasting, turning them over to the care of the Lord, in whom they had come to trust. 24Then they traveled back through Pisidia to Pamphylia. 25They preached again in Perga, then went on to Attalia.
26Finally, they returned by ship to Antioch of Syria, where their journey had begun and where they had been committed to the grace of God for the work they had now completed. 27Upon arriving in Antioch, they called the church together and reported about their trip, telling all that God had done and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles, too. 28And they stayed there with the believers in Antioch for a long time.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FOOTNOTES:
F75: Iconium, as well as Lystra and Derbe (14:6), were cities in the land now called Turkey.
F76: Greek Men.
F77: Greek disciples; also in 14:22, 28.
1In Iconium, F75 Paul and Barnabas went together to the synagogue and preached with such power that a great number of both Jews and Gentiles believed. 2But the Jews who spurned God's message stirred up distrust among the Gentiles against Paul and Barnabas, saying all sorts of evil things about them. 3The apostles stayed there a long time, preaching boldly about the grace of the Lord. The Lord proved their message was true by giving them power to do miraculous signs and wonders. 4But the people of the city were divided in their opinion about them. Some sided with the Jews, and some with the apostles.
5A mob of Gentiles and Jews, along with their leaders, decided to attack and stone them. 6When the apostles learned of it, they fled for their lives. They went to the region of Lycaonia, to the cities of Lystra and Derbe and the surrounding area, 7and they preached the Good News there.
Paul and Barnabas in Lystra and Derbe
8While they were at Lystra, Paul and Barnabas came upon a man with crippled feet. He had been that way from birth, so he had never walked. 9He was listening as Paul preached, and Paul noticed him and realized he had faith to be healed. 10So Paul called to him in a loud voice, "Stand up!" And the man jumped to his feet and started walking.
11When the listening crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in their local dialect, "These men are gods in human bodies!" 12They decided that Barnabas was the Greek god Zeus and that Paul, because he was the chief speaker, was Hermes. 13The temple of Zeus was located on the outskirts of the city. The priest of the temple and the crowd brought oxen and wreaths of flowers, and they prepared to sacrifice to the apostles at the city gates.
14But when Barnabas and Paul heard what was happening, they tore their clothing in dismay and ran out among the people, shouting, 15"Friends, F76 why are you doing this? We are merely human beings like yourselves! We have come to bring you the Good News that you should turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them. 16In earlier days he permitted all the nations to go their own ways, 17but he never left himself without a witness. There were always his reminders, such as sending you rain and good crops and giving you food and joyful hearts." 18But even so, Paul and Barnabas could scarcely restrain the people from sacrificing to them.
19Now some Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium and turned the crowds into a murderous mob. They stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, apparently dead. 20But as the believers F77 stood around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe.
Paul and Barnabas Return to Antioch of Syria
21After preaching the Good News in Derbe and making many disciples, Paul and Barnabas returned again to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch of Pisidia, 22where they strengthened the believers. They encouraged them to continue in the faith, reminding them that they must enter into the Kingdom of God through many tribulations. 23Paul and Barnabas also appointed elders in every church and prayed for them with fasting, turning them over to the care of the Lord, in whom they had come to trust. 24Then they traveled back through Pisidia to Pamphylia. 25They preached again in Perga, then went on to Attalia.
26Finally, they returned by ship to Antioch of Syria, where their journey had begun and where they had been committed to the grace of God for the work they had now completed. 27Upon arriving in Antioch, they called the church together and reported about their trip, telling all that God had done and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles, too. 28And they stayed there with the believers in Antioch for a long time.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FOOTNOTES:
F75: Iconium, as well as Lystra and Derbe (14:6), were cities in the land now called Turkey.
F76: Greek Men.
F77: Greek disciples; also in 14:22, 28.
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Lena's Discipleship Journalin' to Acts 13 Today
So why would the Holy Spirit need to appoint human messengers to go to preach to His church body? Have you ever thought about that? I’ve heard it stated that 80 or so percent of the Bible’s words are written to people who call themselves followers of God. Yet we find it laden with a call to discipleship, consecration, and holiness. Its words are not speaking to people who do not yet know of God, it speaks to those who think they do!
The Holy Spirit anointed and appointed two men and other helpers to go into His church and bring a living word for the church to follow. I noticed today 4 different races, cultures and backgrounds represented in the messengers who were sent to the religious mindset of the day.
Only one was a religious man, in the sense of his own life being dedicated to the study of scripture and its laws. That man had to be taken off of his high horse, arrested by God’s spirit, awakened and completely changed before the Holy Spirit sent him back into the very church he’d served. What he’d been raised to think that seemed to be what was correct and righteous and good, was all waste to God’s own plan.
The men would come from different backgrounds, but they would not live in His kingdom with the flavor of any of those backgrounds. The old would pass away and the newness of Kingdom of God citizenship would present itself through Him to the world. God would not allow them to go anywhere with His message, if they did not get the new “law” written upon their minds and hearts, the law of the spirit of Christ Jesus had to be written on their hearts a new.
Fasting brings separation. One must see to separate. Such as with a bad relationship one should separate from. They must see that it is bad and stand back and make a new move, away from what is bad, the fast would be the time to be separated and see further for greater wisdom and following action.
In fasting we separate from our own desires and embrace His. We afflict our souls telling our soul that we will not just be who we were born to be and stay that way. We won’t allow our self life that luxury, we must change into whatever His image and likeness is. We say no to earthly desires and pleasures. We shut down the screaming child in us who wants their own way.
I was thinking, God gave them a word and their soul may not have liked the word, the influence of their culture may not have embraced the word, their lifestyles may not have enjoyed the word, so they fasted longer to tell their souls NO to you and YES to God!
Sometimes our souls need to become blind, especially if influenced by the lies of God’s enemy. Remember in Saul’s conversion he was made to be blind for 3 days. He laid this same whammy on the sorcerers.
A sorcerer uses satan’s power as his source of self exaltation and to veer people’s attentions off of God as THE Supreme Source.
Did you know the influences and addictions of drugs (prescribed and not prescribed) and alcohol are based on sorcery? Think about the word- source-ery. Interesting huh? Who and what is your source of pain relief? Who do you trust to be healed? What about entertainment? Why do you have to entertain other sources, other offers for being fulfilled, made to feel happy and satisfied, that are not from God?
We are keepers of the eye and ear gates to our souls. Satan bombards these to have a place to enter-in to us. Thus the word Entertain. “Let me find a way to detain them by flashiness and trickery; then and as they are unaware, I’ll enter in”. This is the device and trickery of the devil! Be aware, wake up and do not sleep on this one. It is sorcery in its fullest sense. It delights the senses and numbs the spirit, to being able to hear and follow God’s Spirit and voice. It is so mind filling and distracting. It is a demonic strategy to take us in to its prison.
Usually when we read these kinds of things, we so separate ourselves out from them, but we need to rather put ourselves right in them. How are we being entertained? How are we being tricked, deceived, led in, captured? Do we allow another source to heal us, relieve our pains? How do we deal with sorrows? Who is our source and why is anything our source other than God? If anything is our source other than God Most High, we are involved and sucked into sorcery
The man needed to be blinded to that spiritual activity, and opened up to see the true light of the Lordship of Jesus Christ as his own Source.
Demonic forces attach themselves to people. They are on a mission and take it very seriously. They do not ever let go of a person as an influencer, unless made to and legally so. They won’t leave if someone just wishes they would. It has to be one in authority who says so.
It’s like a citizen who just thinks someone should not hang around a store’s property. The citizen may ask them to leave or request they do or become angry that they don’t, but the person is going to stay. They’ll be like, “on who’s word are you basing your request?” But when the manager or owner or owner’s son shows up, too bad buddy, time is up, leave! The wicked spirits understand the Godly order of authority more than we do. When we get it and walk in it, we must insist on it.
I believe it takes holiness and separation for the spirit realm to know we are in and under authority. They have to know we choose order and submit ourselves when it is hard. They know hierarchy inside and out. They know when a man is playing games, doing his own will everyday of his life. I don’t believe we can live disobediently and have the kind of power needed to loose powers of wickedness who are on assignment to reign. This is where we lack results. Power and authority are unleashed to responsible people, to people who understand God ordained and set up order, and willingly yield to it without being forced to.
I don’t believe you can be drinking on Saturday night to relieve yourself of a sorrow and then have much authority to de-seat a principality on Sunday morning.
How much we fear or believe the Lord is how much we are wiling to separate out of our cultural backgrounds and dive in and become learn-ed kingdom citizens. Our lifestyle of freewill choice is where the power to help others change their own lives lies. I am free and do not have to obey anyone, but I release the power of God’s very character when I do anyway, that which I do not have to do. They don’t deserve it, but I love and forgive them anyway. That’s when people get healed and made whole, sorrows fleeing away!
After being tested, by the grace of God remain……faithful and FULL of faith!
The inheritance is the earth, the earth belongs to the Lord who can do as He pleases with its contents. He has decided to allow sons to rule it for Him. We are not exactly speaking of dirt here, we speak of dirt beings, humans. Rule for humans, so we can bring salvation to them. Fight the spiritual enemies of their souls, submit to other humans so you can de-seat and displace principalities of darkness that blind truth. Bring truth to the insides of men, and teach and train them to do the same for other flesh natured beings, removing the curse on their land.
What we, the church reject, will be offered to others who will accept it. God has a mission to accomplish on earth. He is asking those who will go do His mission and do what changing it takes to be the persons He needs to execute that will and plan.
Is God putting up with us? Yes, He has been. With all who say they are His, while doing whatever they think is right. Those He loves, even though they do not deserve it, He puts up with. He puts up with those who ask for someone else to follow after other interests than who He has set up over them to obey. He puts up with it, because He is Love, He puts up with it!
God is looking for men and women after His own heart, those He receives joy from, and doesn’t have to just put up with.
There is a need for the church to turn from sin, where we serve ourselves or who or whatever we deem, setting up our own standards of rule in which we serve and obey ourselves. We must turn to Our God as our only God and be baptized. That means covered with all He is, and completely immersed in whatever He wills for us to do. We come under to be surrounded with his ministry, co-missioned with Him. Salvation is for us, church people. That means we can be healed, if we want to, delivered, if we want to, saved from the death grip of selfish living, if we want to, and fully immersed inside of the purposes of God through Christ, who is our eternal ticket to fulfilling of purpose, starting now.
God can also say to us, and so longs to say to us, “You are My sons, today I have become your Father.” (Because you’ve allowed Me to be.) Sons are not sons alone, they are products of fathering. If they submit to fathering, they are sons. If not, they are children. There is a difference.
Without a test of authority, no one would know we are sons who have any father. The father would not know this. The spirits of wickedness would not know this. With a test it is known to all. Only a father can acknowledge a son. It is known in the test given by the father, not chosen by the son. The son chooses to pass his father’s test, not a test of his own choosing. It’s about being response able over His father’s investments and will. It’s about inheritance. Children do not get inheritances to manage and keep. Sons do.
The Father’s test was death to self life. It will always be the test for sons.
I’ve noticed lately how much people change to make money. Some expect to make money without change, but many are willing to make more by making the necessary changes into someone’s image to get the proper job done, and they get paid-rewarded when they make those conscious changes. They’ll go through training to become what that position deems they should be. They’ll dress how the job deems they dress, even speak in the way the trainer teaches them to speak, all in pursuit of more money, which is a nice thing to have plenty of, right?
If we as a society are so willing to comply and conform to what our society tells us sells the goods, why would we not be as willing to conform and comply with the Lord of heaven and earth who is trying to tell us how to win our world and have the inheritance He’s paid for to accomplish His Divine eternal mission?
The independence of the flesh does not like this message; neither does the self bettering and self exalting religious mind. We’d rather be our own rulers, but we can’t. God is God of the whole universe. We make war with Him when we choose to rule ourselves and we experience havoc in our lives, we find everything is off kilter.
The balance is in doing it someone else’s way and not insisting on our own ways. That takes a death of self, and we don’t like it. So what, tell your souls so what! We’re gonna serve the Lord’s purposes and in it be truly free to live eternally and receive the inheritance as He deems.
As for me and my own person, spirit, soul and body - We will serve the Lord. Come on Body and Soul, we’re gonna spread some good news today!
There is another King and it isn’t you!
Guess what now? Get ready for the first test, as a childlike souls arises and throws a fit about it, insisting on it’s own way, because it always has been allowed to. Or will the spirit man - father him and just say – no?
Everyone needs a father.
The Holy Spirit anointed and appointed two men and other helpers to go into His church and bring a living word for the church to follow. I noticed today 4 different races, cultures and backgrounds represented in the messengers who were sent to the religious mindset of the day.
Only one was a religious man, in the sense of his own life being dedicated to the study of scripture and its laws. That man had to be taken off of his high horse, arrested by God’s spirit, awakened and completely changed before the Holy Spirit sent him back into the very church he’d served. What he’d been raised to think that seemed to be what was correct and righteous and good, was all waste to God’s own plan.
The men would come from different backgrounds, but they would not live in His kingdom with the flavor of any of those backgrounds. The old would pass away and the newness of Kingdom of God citizenship would present itself through Him to the world. God would not allow them to go anywhere with His message, if they did not get the new “law” written upon their minds and hearts, the law of the spirit of Christ Jesus had to be written on their hearts a new.
Fasting brings separation. One must see to separate. Such as with a bad relationship one should separate from. They must see that it is bad and stand back and make a new move, away from what is bad, the fast would be the time to be separated and see further for greater wisdom and following action.
In fasting we separate from our own desires and embrace His. We afflict our souls telling our soul that we will not just be who we were born to be and stay that way. We won’t allow our self life that luxury, we must change into whatever His image and likeness is. We say no to earthly desires and pleasures. We shut down the screaming child in us who wants their own way.
I was thinking, God gave them a word and their soul may not have liked the word, the influence of their culture may not have embraced the word, their lifestyles may not have enjoyed the word, so they fasted longer to tell their souls NO to you and YES to God!
Sometimes our souls need to become blind, especially if influenced by the lies of God’s enemy. Remember in Saul’s conversion he was made to be blind for 3 days. He laid this same whammy on the sorcerers.
A sorcerer uses satan’s power as his source of self exaltation and to veer people’s attentions off of God as THE Supreme Source.
Did you know the influences and addictions of drugs (prescribed and not prescribed) and alcohol are based on sorcery? Think about the word- source-ery. Interesting huh? Who and what is your source of pain relief? Who do you trust to be healed? What about entertainment? Why do you have to entertain other sources, other offers for being fulfilled, made to feel happy and satisfied, that are not from God?
We are keepers of the eye and ear gates to our souls. Satan bombards these to have a place to enter-in to us. Thus the word Entertain. “Let me find a way to detain them by flashiness and trickery; then and as they are unaware, I’ll enter in”. This is the device and trickery of the devil! Be aware, wake up and do not sleep on this one. It is sorcery in its fullest sense. It delights the senses and numbs the spirit, to being able to hear and follow God’s Spirit and voice. It is so mind filling and distracting. It is a demonic strategy to take us in to its prison.
Usually when we read these kinds of things, we so separate ourselves out from them, but we need to rather put ourselves right in them. How are we being entertained? How are we being tricked, deceived, led in, captured? Do we allow another source to heal us, relieve our pains? How do we deal with sorrows? Who is our source and why is anything our source other than God? If anything is our source other than God Most High, we are involved and sucked into sorcery
The man needed to be blinded to that spiritual activity, and opened up to see the true light of the Lordship of Jesus Christ as his own Source.
Demonic forces attach themselves to people. They are on a mission and take it very seriously. They do not ever let go of a person as an influencer, unless made to and legally so. They won’t leave if someone just wishes they would. It has to be one in authority who says so.
It’s like a citizen who just thinks someone should not hang around a store’s property. The citizen may ask them to leave or request they do or become angry that they don’t, but the person is going to stay. They’ll be like, “on who’s word are you basing your request?” But when the manager or owner or owner’s son shows up, too bad buddy, time is up, leave! The wicked spirits understand the Godly order of authority more than we do. When we get it and walk in it, we must insist on it.
I believe it takes holiness and separation for the spirit realm to know we are in and under authority. They have to know we choose order and submit ourselves when it is hard. They know hierarchy inside and out. They know when a man is playing games, doing his own will everyday of his life. I don’t believe we can live disobediently and have the kind of power needed to loose powers of wickedness who are on assignment to reign. This is where we lack results. Power and authority are unleashed to responsible people, to people who understand God ordained and set up order, and willingly yield to it without being forced to.
I don’t believe you can be drinking on Saturday night to relieve yourself of a sorrow and then have much authority to de-seat a principality on Sunday morning.
How much we fear or believe the Lord is how much we are wiling to separate out of our cultural backgrounds and dive in and become learn-ed kingdom citizens. Our lifestyle of freewill choice is where the power to help others change their own lives lies. I am free and do not have to obey anyone, but I release the power of God’s very character when I do anyway, that which I do not have to do. They don’t deserve it, but I love and forgive them anyway. That’s when people get healed and made whole, sorrows fleeing away!
After being tested, by the grace of God remain……faithful and FULL of faith!
The inheritance is the earth, the earth belongs to the Lord who can do as He pleases with its contents. He has decided to allow sons to rule it for Him. We are not exactly speaking of dirt here, we speak of dirt beings, humans. Rule for humans, so we can bring salvation to them. Fight the spiritual enemies of their souls, submit to other humans so you can de-seat and displace principalities of darkness that blind truth. Bring truth to the insides of men, and teach and train them to do the same for other flesh natured beings, removing the curse on their land.
What we, the church reject, will be offered to others who will accept it. God has a mission to accomplish on earth. He is asking those who will go do His mission and do what changing it takes to be the persons He needs to execute that will and plan.
Is God putting up with us? Yes, He has been. With all who say they are His, while doing whatever they think is right. Those He loves, even though they do not deserve it, He puts up with. He puts up with those who ask for someone else to follow after other interests than who He has set up over them to obey. He puts up with it, because He is Love, He puts up with it!
God is looking for men and women after His own heart, those He receives joy from, and doesn’t have to just put up with.
There is a need for the church to turn from sin, where we serve ourselves or who or whatever we deem, setting up our own standards of rule in which we serve and obey ourselves. We must turn to Our God as our only God and be baptized. That means covered with all He is, and completely immersed in whatever He wills for us to do. We come under to be surrounded with his ministry, co-missioned with Him. Salvation is for us, church people. That means we can be healed, if we want to, delivered, if we want to, saved from the death grip of selfish living, if we want to, and fully immersed inside of the purposes of God through Christ, who is our eternal ticket to fulfilling of purpose, starting now.
God can also say to us, and so longs to say to us, “You are My sons, today I have become your Father.” (Because you’ve allowed Me to be.) Sons are not sons alone, they are products of fathering. If they submit to fathering, they are sons. If not, they are children. There is a difference.
Without a test of authority, no one would know we are sons who have any father. The father would not know this. The spirits of wickedness would not know this. With a test it is known to all. Only a father can acknowledge a son. It is known in the test given by the father, not chosen by the son. The son chooses to pass his father’s test, not a test of his own choosing. It’s about being response able over His father’s investments and will. It’s about inheritance. Children do not get inheritances to manage and keep. Sons do.
The Father’s test was death to self life. It will always be the test for sons.
I’ve noticed lately how much people change to make money. Some expect to make money without change, but many are willing to make more by making the necessary changes into someone’s image to get the proper job done, and they get paid-rewarded when they make those conscious changes. They’ll go through training to become what that position deems they should be. They’ll dress how the job deems they dress, even speak in the way the trainer teaches them to speak, all in pursuit of more money, which is a nice thing to have plenty of, right?
If we as a society are so willing to comply and conform to what our society tells us sells the goods, why would we not be as willing to conform and comply with the Lord of heaven and earth who is trying to tell us how to win our world and have the inheritance He’s paid for to accomplish His Divine eternal mission?
The independence of the flesh does not like this message; neither does the self bettering and self exalting religious mind. We’d rather be our own rulers, but we can’t. God is God of the whole universe. We make war with Him when we choose to rule ourselves and we experience havoc in our lives, we find everything is off kilter.
The balance is in doing it someone else’s way and not insisting on our own ways. That takes a death of self, and we don’t like it. So what, tell your souls so what! We’re gonna serve the Lord’s purposes and in it be truly free to live eternally and receive the inheritance as He deems.
As for me and my own person, spirit, soul and body - We will serve the Lord. Come on Body and Soul, we’re gonna spread some good news today!
There is another King and it isn’t you!
Guess what now? Get ready for the first test, as a childlike souls arises and throws a fit about it, insisting on it’s own way, because it always has been allowed to. Or will the spirit man - father him and just say – no?
Everyone needs a father.
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