Tell Others What God Did For You! - Acts 21-22

Acts 22:6-11 (ESV)

“As I was on my way and drew near to Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly shone around me. And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ And I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.’ Now those who were with me saw the light but did not understand the voice of the one who was speaking to me. And I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Rise, and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all that is appointed for you to do.’ And since I could not see because of the brightness of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me, and came into Damascus.

When Paul comes to Jerusalem the Jews wanted to kill him.   They had heard that he was teaching Jews to forsake the Law of Moses:

Acts 21:20-21 (ESV)

And when they heard it, they glorified God. And they said to him (*Paul), “You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed. They are all zealous for the law, and they have been told about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or walk according to our customs. (*added).

Because they had heard this, the Jews began to beat Paul when they discovered him in the Temple.   He is subsequently rescued by Roman soldiers.  In the above passage we read what he begins to tell the Jews who were just before beating him.   Paul doesn’t talk to them about how unfair they are to him.  He doesn’t run from them and find shelter in this Roman soldier’s barracks.  Instead Paul makes his defense based upon what God had done in his life.  Paul simply provides them HIs testimony.   There will come a time when Paul will break down the theology of it all.  He has been doing that through his missionary journeys and the letters he has written.  But here he simply gives his salvation testimony.   He tells the people what God did for him by opening his eyes to spiritual truth, ironically by closing his physical eyes.   The power of what God has done for us by saving us is a powerful format to invite others to open their eyes to Jesus.   The blind man in John 9 took a similar pathway.  When asked by the Jewish leadership who he thought Jesus was, the blind man said:

John 9:25 (ESV)

He answered, “Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.”

The power of a changed life can be as compelling as a theological dissertation.    People are amazed at changed lives.   Yes, these Jewish people would continue their persecution of Paul.  But Paul was not deterred.   He would continue to tell the world what God did for him and in him.  This pathway was just the first step on his journey to Rome. Later, before King Agrippa, Paul would, once again, tell his story:

Acts 26:12-14 (ESV)

Paul Tells of His Conversion

“In this connection I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, that shone around me and those who journeyed with me. And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’

Telling the world what God has done for us is one of the best ways to tell them what God can do for them. 

Self-Sufficient Believers Lose Fellowship with Jesus - Revelation 1-5

Revelation 3:20 (ESV)

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.

This verse is found in the context of the letter sent to the Church at Laodicea.   The Apostle John opens the Revelation with seven letters, written to seven churches.    These churches are both literal churches in different regions of the early church age, but they are also interpreted as certain time frames in the entire church age.  The church at Laodicea was a very wealthy church.  One that had unique riches.  Unlike the other churches, Laodicea seems to be prosperous and full of themselves.  This is probably a good representation of the current church age.   The interpretation of the above verse tends to give theologians trouble, however.  The major question is who is the verse spoken to?  Many interpret the verse as if it is speaking to the unsaved world.   The message of the verse could certainly be applied to those who are lost.  Jesus is, indeed, standing outside their lives and wishes to come in and fellowship with them.    However, in the context, John says he is addressing the Church at Laodicea.   That means Jesus is speaking to believers.  He is telling believers that He wants more and more fellowship with them.   It is asking them to open their door in full to Him so He can have full fellowship with them.  If we go back a couple of verses we read a major problem about this group of believers:

Revelation 3:15-16 (ESV)

“‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.

Their challenge was that they were not fully committed to allowing Jesus to be completely the center of their being.  Their prosperity had caused them to be less committed to Jesus.   This is so true of today’s believer.  We only want God when WE need Him.   When people fill their lives with other things, besides Jesus, they need to open their hearts fuller to Him.   Jesus is telling them that in this sin of self-sufficiency they need to turn to Him.  He is asking them to open their hearts and allow Him to come in and fellowship deeper.   Yes, the unsaved world has Jesus on the outside and needs to turn in repentance to receive Him.  But, believers can close themselves out to Jesus fullest fellowship, even after they have repented of their sin. We can become self-sufficient.   But if we open our hearts to Him and push all the other worldly garbage out of our hearts, Jesus will come into us in the deepest sense and eat and fellowship with us.   

Express Love to Each Other - Song of Songs 1-2

Song of Songs 1:15-17 (ESV)

HE

Behold, you are beautiful, my love;

behold, you are beautiful;

your eyes are doves.

SHE

Behold, you are beautiful, my beloved, truly delightful.

Our couch is green;

the beams of our house are cedar;

our rafters are pine.

The book of Song of Songs (or, Song of Solomon) is a love story.  Solomon and his love (never named) are expressing love.   It could have been a song Solomon wrote to show all their mutual love for each other, or it could have been written in honor of Solomon and this unfolding love that others see.   There is a both a private aspect of the song (poem) and a public aspect.   In the above lines of the song we read of a private exchange between the to lovers.  Some people prefer touch or action to communicate love, others prefer words.  In these lines we read the words they express to each other.  He says she is beautiful (this is yâp̱eh, in Hebrew).  Solomon uses the word in this book more than it is used by any other author in any Old Testament book.   When she replies that he, too, is beautiful, she uses the same Hebrew word.   Here the two are exchanging compliments about one another’s beauty.   We have no idea what the standard for beauty is.  As the saying goes, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”   No one has a market on beauty.   But these two, in their love for each other, have no worries to express what they see with their eyes, from their hearts and thru their lips.   There seems to be quite a physical attraction between the two.   But the writer of the poem also includes the setting for the two lovers.  They are in an intimate place where their sitting arrangements are described in visual and scent terms.  The couch is green line, is probably referring to an outdoor seating where the vines, leaves and branches have created an intimate and soft setting like a couch.  The phrases about the cedar and pine conjure up smells and strength at the same time.  They are both comfortable and secure.   The writer wants us to see that these two are in a setting that is as attractive as it may be functional.   These two are in love and their expression of how the view the other is the paramount point of the exchange.  Their ability to find a setting that matches their feelings seems almost too good to be true.   But that is how love between lovers is expressed.  Verbiage to communicate feelings and settings to titillate the emotions.   We ought to spend time thinking about these things for our spouses.  We ought to verbally express how beautiful our spouse is.  We ought to look for places and settings that capture moments for our lives.  The above setting is a picture on the outside of a Hallmark card.  The comments they express to each other, are in the inside of the card.  God gives us this moment in the lives of these two to remind us of His love for us.   His beauty transcends anything these two have, but their expression of love for each other flows from His love for them.  Take time to say to your lover, “You are beautiful.”   Find the perfect setting to say it.  

God Listens to His Children - Psalms 140-142

Psalms 140:6 (ESV)

I say to the LORD, You are my God;

give ear to the voice of my pleas for mercy, O LORD!

Psalms 141:1 (ESV)

A PSALM OF DAVID.

O LORD, I call upon you; hasten to me!

Give ear to my voice when I call to you!

Psalms 28:2 (ESV)

Hear the voice of my pleas for mercy,

when I cry to you for help,

when I lift up my hands

toward your most holy sanctuary.

Psalms 31:22 (ESV)

I had said in my alarm,

“I am cut off from your sight.”

But you heard the voice of my pleas for mercy

when I cried to you for help.

Psalms 130:2 (ESV)

O Lord, hear my voice!

Let your ears be attentive

to the voice of my pleas for mercy!

To know that you are being heard is a value most of mankind cherish.   A spouse feels valued if they are heard by their spouse.  A worker feels valued if they are heard by their supervisor.   A nation feels more valued when they are heard by their leaders.   Being heard means my words matter.  When my words matter, I matter.   This might be one of the less cherished blessing that believers have: That we are heard by God.   We certainly like the blessings God gives us, especially the eternal life aspect of our salvation.  Being freed from God’s wrath is another aspect of our salvation we rejoice over.   But having access to God as a result of our salvation is a lessor appreciated blessing.  When Jesus paid for our sins and promised to bring us to heaven, we rejoice in such amazing truth.  But Jesus also opened up a way for us to come to God for strength, in full assurance and in great confidence. 

Hebrews 4:15-16 (ESV)

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Hebrews 10:22 (ESV)

let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

In the above passage from these Psalms, we read that David felt completely blessed to come to God and his voice would be heard by God.   God listens to His children.  God does not have a relationship with sinful people and therefore does not listen to their prayers:

John 9:31 (ESV)

We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him.

We can rejoice that we are God’s children and, like an earthly father, He hears His children:

Luke 11:13 (ESV)

If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

How Does a Revival Start? Nehemiah 5-9

Nehemiah 9:1-3 (ESV)

Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the people of Israel were assembled with fasting and in sackcloth, and with earth on their heads. And the Israelites separated themselves from all foreigners and stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers. And they stood up in their place and read from the Book of the Law of the LORD their God for a quarter of the day; for another quarter of it they made confession and worshiped the LORD their God.

The above revival of the hearts of the people is recorded by Nehemiah to teach us a very valuable truth.   The chapter starts out by telling us it is the 24th day of the month.  Because of the chapter separation, we need to be careful we don’t miss what was just happening the days before this 24th day revival takes place.   Let’s just read some of the contents of chapter 8 to see what might have been the catalyst of this revival: 

Nehemiah 8:1 (ESV)

And all the people gathered as one man into the square before the Water Gate. And they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses that the LORD had commanded Israel.

Nehemiah 8:3 (ESV)

And he read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law.

Nehemiah 8:5 (ESV)

And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people, and as he opened it all the people stood.

Nehemiah 8:8 (ESV)

They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.

Nehemiah 8:13 (ESV)

On the second day the heads of fathers’ houses of all the people, with the priests and the Levites, came together to Ezra the scribe in order to study the words of the Law.

Nehemiah 8:18 (ESV)

And day by day, from the first day to the last day, he read from the Book of the Law of God. They kept the feast seven days, and on the eighth day there was a solemn assembly, according to the rule.

Don’t underestimate the power of reading God’s Word.   This month long reading of the Word of God produced a repentance toward God.   They heard God’s Word and that pricked their hearts into obedience. That obedience to the Word of God always ends up in revival in the hearts of man.  If we want a revival in our churches, our homes and/or our own lives it begins with reading God’s Word, understanding God’s Word and obeying God’s Word.  When that series of events unfolds revival is right around the corner.   In this case, 24 days later people are confessing their sins and making changes in their lives.   We will always be blessed when we read and obey God’s Word.  Even the last book of the Bible tells the same truth:

Revelation 1:3 (ESV)

Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near.

God’s Version of FMLA - Deuteronomy 23-25

Deuteronomy 24:5 (ESV)

“When a man is newly married, he shall not go out with the army or be liable for any other public duty. He shall be free at home one year to be happy with his wife whom he has taken.

The above verse is a repeat of what Moses has already instructed the nation in the context of going to war:

Deuteronomy 20:5-8 (ESV)

Then the officers shall speak to the people, saying, ‘Is there any man who has built a new house and has not dedicated it? Let him go back to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man dedicate it. And is there any man who has planted a vineyard and has not enjoyed its fruit? Let him go back to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man enjoy its fruit. And is there any man who has betrothed a wife and has not taken her? Let him go back to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man take her.’ And the officers shall speak further to the people, and say, ‘Is there any man who is fearful and fainthearted? Let him go back to his house, lest he make the heart of his fellows melt like his own.’

Throughout these last chapters of Deuteronomy, we read about a variety of subjects.  God has given them instructions on loaning money, on man’s nocturnal dreams, on women’s menstrual cycles and even on what to do in the wilderness with your excrement.   God is concerned about holiness and cleanliness in the camp of Israel.  In the above passage He is concerned about the relationship within the camp.   Here we read (on two occasions) that those who get married are to be allowed to have that first year with their spouse.   This is God’s version of FMLA.   God had the intention right away that a man and woman just married, should have that time to enjoy their honeymoon; even for a year.  This should tell us a good truth about what God thinks of marriage and the bond and/or connection needed in that relationship.  Even a war was not to disrupt that need.   We ought to be just as honoring of married couples and making sure their connections are fostered.   We ought not put demands on them and disrupt that bonding.   This is contrary to most thinking and most concepts of business or even church life.    Perhaps we do this differently in form and function but not in purpose and direction.    God is showing that He elevates this part of marriage in order to keep strong relationships.   We ought to think hard about how we foster those first years of marriage.   Many new couples are also starting new careers.  Once the career begins to take precedent over the marriage, a habit for life has started and the downfall has begun.   

We Can Have Full Assurance of Faith - 1 John 1-3

1 John 3:19-24 (ESV)

19 By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; 20 for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; 22 and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. 23 And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. 24 Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.

The thrust of 1 John is the Apostle John writing to his readers and warning them to be careful of the false teachers who would lead them astray.  These false teachers not only lack belief in Jesus as the Son of God (thus are antirchrists), but also don’t show love for the brothers.   In the above passage John wants his readers to know that they can have full assurance of faith that they are the children of God.   Here is his evidence. 

1.  We can be assured we are His children because we practice loving others.   Verse 19 opens with By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our hearts before Him.   He is referring back to the previous verses, which tell us that we are to practice our inward faith by outward acts of love toward our brothers and sisters in Christ.  The false teachers did not do this.  One of the greatest evidences of our faith is our love for others of faith.   

2. We can be assured we are His children because even IF our heart were to condemn us, God is greater than our own self condemnation.  Verse 20 is the same as Romans 8:1, which tells us that there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.   Because God is greater than all, He has us in His had and no one can pluck us out of His secure hand (John 10:28).   

3. We can be assured we are His children because our prayers are answered.   Verses 21-22 tells us that those who believe in Jesus as the Son of God and, naturally, demonstrate that belief by loving His children, will have their prayers answered.  We can have confidence in our prayers being answered and the answers to prayer should give us more confidence.  

4. We can be assured we are His children because the Spirit of God indwells those who believe Jesus is the Son of God and demonstrate that by loving His children.   In verses 23-24 we read that keeping His commandments (summed up by loving others) will be the surest way to abide in Him.  That abiding in Him is guaranteed because He sends His Spirit to abide in us.   

The false teachers were attempting to dissuade John’s readers from their confidence in Jesus.  John counters their teaching by telling his readers they can, indeed, have confidence by simply having faith in Jesus as the Son of God and allowing the Spirit of God to indwell them and produce love for their brothers and sisters in Christ.   That is our assurance.