Acts 27:9 Now when much time had been spent, and sailing was now dangerous because the Fast was already over, Paul advised them, 10 saying, "Men, I perceive that this voyage will end with disaster and much loss, not only of the cargo and ship, but also our lives." 11 Nevertheless the centurion was more persuaded by the helmsman and the owner of the ship than by the things spoken by Paul. 12 And because the harbor was not suitable to winter in, the majority advised to set sail from there also, if by any means they could reach Phoenix, a harbor of Crete opening toward the southwest and northwest, and winter there. 13 When the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their desire, putting out to sea, they sailed close by Crete. 14 But not long after, a tempestuous head wind arose, called Euroclydon.
At what point does the Spiritual intersect with the practical?
As we go through life trying to balance our Spiritual lives with our physical lives, this is often the question we are left to deal with. How do we get through our day-to-day mundane experiences while keeping a Spiritual perspective? Does God really care about the details of our lives? Does God really have the time to invest His will in all of our decisions?
Now, most Christians would in all probability respond, “Yes! God does care about the details and the routine aspects of our lives.” But how does that work? What does that look like?
In part, it looks like the great divide we see here, as the centurion seeks advice, first from Paul, then from the ship’s helmsman and owner, about whether to sail further before winter arrives. Can trouble be avoided?
If we put ourselves in the centurion’s place, who would we trust? Would we trust the professional sailor and the boat-owner, or would we trust a man who has invested himself in knowing God’s will? Who would appear to know more and have more experience dealing with the specifics of the decision to be made?
Hmmm…Who would you trust with a decision about car repair? Who would you trust with a decision about whether to have surgery or not? Who would you trust with a decision about whether to change jobs, or churches? Who would you trust with a decision to buy a house? Do you see the difficulty here?
We are surrounded by ‘experts’ about every subject under the sun. (Especially in these Google-happy days.) But the truth is we also have the option of seeking the wisdom of the Creator of the sun. Given the choice, who would you trust?
- Pastor Bill
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Speak for Yourself
Acts 26:1 Then Agrippa said to Paul, "You are permitted to speak for yourself." So Paul stretched out his hand and answered for himself: 2 "I think myself happy, King Agrippa, because today I shall answer for myself before you concerning all the things of which I am accused by the Jews, 3 especially because you are expert in all customs and questions which have to do with the Jews. Therefore I beg you to hear me patiently.
If you were asked to speak for yourself, what might you say?
Now, imagine being asked to speak for yourself before the king – at risk of your life – and…
Trying to put ourselves in Paul’s place has only been made easy by the passage of time. We sometimes read the Bible dispassionately, dully, without the proper flame of emotion. After all, when we’ve read the Bible through once, we know the end of the story – and knowing the end of the story removes the tension of the story. When we’ve read the Bible through many times, it sometimes gets even worse, especially when it comes to feeling the moment – or making ourselves part of the action.
Here we have Paul in the grand hall, standing in his rags or prison uniform before King Herod Agrippa II, a wicked despot currently ruling the land while married to his sister Bernice. (Her brother is her third husband, and she married Agrippa II prior to divorcing her previous husband.)
The governor, (Festus,) who is your judge, is over here, staring at you with mild contempt – at least of class, or perhaps of religion - listening to hear what you might say, and watching your every move. You’ve appealed to Caesar, but does that remove his ability to have you beheaded upon his spontaneous command? Do you really believe your speech is protected, should it be deemed offensive?
And then, there is Bernice, who may well be in contempt of your “self-righteous religious loathing” as she may understand of all the “Jews” who have knowledge of her incestuous relationship with her brother. How would she react? Is she sitting perched on the throne next to her husband with a sneer – looking for the opportunity to have you hang yourself by your words? Will she hold sway over Agrippa?
And Agrippa wants to hear what you have to say for yourself - as a curiosity - not as a legal defense. He simply wants to know: Who is this man? Again, what would you say? How would you edit yourself? All of this grandeur, all of these assembled people, all of this power – and every bit of it is focused on the response you are about to make…
Welcome to the world of Christian testimony. You may now speak for yourself. What will you say?
- Pastor Bill
If you were asked to speak for yourself, what might you say?
Now, imagine being asked to speak for yourself before the king – at risk of your life – and…
Trying to put ourselves in Paul’s place has only been made easy by the passage of time. We sometimes read the Bible dispassionately, dully, without the proper flame of emotion. After all, when we’ve read the Bible through once, we know the end of the story – and knowing the end of the story removes the tension of the story. When we’ve read the Bible through many times, it sometimes gets even worse, especially when it comes to feeling the moment – or making ourselves part of the action.
Here we have Paul in the grand hall, standing in his rags or prison uniform before King Herod Agrippa II, a wicked despot currently ruling the land while married to his sister Bernice. (Her brother is her third husband, and she married Agrippa II prior to divorcing her previous husband.)
The governor, (Festus,) who is your judge, is over here, staring at you with mild contempt – at least of class, or perhaps of religion - listening to hear what you might say, and watching your every move. You’ve appealed to Caesar, but does that remove his ability to have you beheaded upon his spontaneous command? Do you really believe your speech is protected, should it be deemed offensive?
And then, there is Bernice, who may well be in contempt of your “self-righteous religious loathing” as she may understand of all the “Jews” who have knowledge of her incestuous relationship with her brother. How would she react? Is she sitting perched on the throne next to her husband with a sneer – looking for the opportunity to have you hang yourself by your words? Will she hold sway over Agrippa?
And Agrippa wants to hear what you have to say for yourself - as a curiosity - not as a legal defense. He simply wants to know: Who is this man? Again, what would you say? How would you edit yourself? All of this grandeur, all of these assembled people, all of this power – and every bit of it is focused on the response you are about to make…
Welcome to the world of Christian testimony. You may now speak for yourself. What will you say?
- Pastor Bill
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Falsely Accused
Acts 24:1 Now after five days Ananias the high priest came down with the elders and a certain orator named Tertullus. These gave evidence to the governor against Paul. 2 And when he was called upon, Tertullus began his accusation, saying: "Seeing that through you we enjoy great peace, and prosperity is being brought to this nation by your foresight, 3 we accept it always and in all places, most noble Felix, with all thankfulness. 4 Nevertheless, not to be tedious to you any further, I beg you to hear, by your courtesy, a few words from us. 5 For we have found this man a plague, a creator of dissension among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. 6 He even tried to profane the temple, and we seized him, and wanted to judge him according to our law. 7 But the commander Lysias came by and with great violence took him out of our hands, 8 commanding his accusers to come to you. By examining him yourself you may ascertain all these things of which we accuse him." 9 And the Jews also assented, maintaining that these things were so.
One of the things we might as well get used to as Christians is being falsely accused. I can think of any number of reasons Satan engages in this practice. And – oh, by the way – it IS Satan, as the Bible declares, Rev 12:10 Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, "Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.
It has been well-said, “A lying accusation can travel around the world three times before truth can even get up and put its pants on.”
Is it any wonder Satan would employ lying accusation in order to bring about the downfall of fruitful Christians, AND, to tempt Christians into the sin of LISTENING TO – or worse – CONSIDERING the falsehoods Satan spews?
Paul himself had left instruction to the young pastor Timothy to not even listen to an accusation made against an elder of the church unless it was lodged by two or three witnesses. (1 Tim 5:19) The same instruction is valuable toward anyone in the body of Christ, but is especially important for leaders. Why? Because Paul rightly anticipates false accusations will be made against church leaders as it is the simplest way to destroy any ministry work. Jesus called Satan “a liar and the father of it.” (John 8:44)
Anytime anyone tells a lie, or shares in a falsehood, (which can be any variation or shading of the truth,) they are in league with Satan. This does not mean the person is possessed by Satan or anything of the sort. It simply means they are helping - in that instance - the enemy to achieve his goals. Need it be said Satan’s goals are in complete opposition to Jesus’ goals?
In our text we have a prime example of this, and it is easy to see this for what it is. The lies Tertullus speaks against Paul are useful to help us see something else, however. (More than the simple fact Satan is a liar.) Tertullus was just a spokesman. He was only repeating the lies he had heard about Paul. How important it is for us to be certain of the truth before we speak.
- Pastor Bill
One of the things we might as well get used to as Christians is being falsely accused. I can think of any number of reasons Satan engages in this practice. And – oh, by the way – it IS Satan, as the Bible declares, Rev 12:10 Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, "Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.
It has been well-said, “A lying accusation can travel around the world three times before truth can even get up and put its pants on.”
Is it any wonder Satan would employ lying accusation in order to bring about the downfall of fruitful Christians, AND, to tempt Christians into the sin of LISTENING TO – or worse – CONSIDERING the falsehoods Satan spews?
Paul himself had left instruction to the young pastor Timothy to not even listen to an accusation made against an elder of the church unless it was lodged by two or three witnesses. (1 Tim 5:19) The same instruction is valuable toward anyone in the body of Christ, but is especially important for leaders. Why? Because Paul rightly anticipates false accusations will be made against church leaders as it is the simplest way to destroy any ministry work. Jesus called Satan “a liar and the father of it.” (John 8:44)
Anytime anyone tells a lie, or shares in a falsehood, (which can be any variation or shading of the truth,) they are in league with Satan. This does not mean the person is possessed by Satan or anything of the sort. It simply means they are helping - in that instance - the enemy to achieve his goals. Need it be said Satan’s goals are in complete opposition to Jesus’ goals?
In our text we have a prime example of this, and it is easy to see this for what it is. The lies Tertullus speaks against Paul are useful to help us see something else, however. (More than the simple fact Satan is a liar.) Tertullus was just a spokesman. He was only repeating the lies he had heard about Paul. How important it is for us to be certain of the truth before we speak.
- Pastor Bill
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Mother Love
Gen 2:21 And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. 22 Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. 23 And Adam said: "This is now bone of my bones And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man."
Gen 3:20 And Adam called his wife's name Eve, because she was the mother of all living.
As Genesis is the book of beginnings, it is not surprising we find the beginning of creation described, of all things and all creatures. One of the things seen in these early chapters of God’s Word is that He has ordained His creatures to participate in the creation process. How amazing!
And yet, all these many thousands of years later – how ordinary?
What has happened to our lives when we see the awesome privilege of participating with God in His creation as ordinary, or run-of-the-mill? After all, thousands of babies are born every day – what’s the big deal?
We suffer from mass-miracle syndrome. If we see a miracle often enough, we cease to see it as miraculous, and instead it becomes routine. We watch the belly grow, we see the baby born, we watch the child grow up, over and over again. Millions upon millions of times, the same story repeated.
Unless it is your story. Your story only happens once. Your story is clearly miraculous. You are one in a million; maybe even million-millions. And you have come through - as far as you are concerned – the mother of ALL living, your ‘Eve,’ your mother, your mommy.
I praise God for how He has, in His wisdom, distributed this wonderful and awesome privilege. I try to imagine all He thinks of each one of these conceptions and each one of these births. His miraculous love poured out on all creation, that we might see what He sees, and feel what He feels about life and creation - but more specifically – about the lives we have participated in creating.
There is no love so awesome as the love we see when a newborn is lain on its mother’s breast. The bond is so great it is as if the flesh does not even exist as a barrier between the two lives. There is nothing we have to compare with that kind of love, nor would we dare. This love, this unconditional love, between mother and child, is – I think – the closest we come to approximating God’s love for us. I believe it is His desire for us to see this, in just this way.
- Pastor Bill
Gen 3:20 And Adam called his wife's name Eve, because she was the mother of all living.
As Genesis is the book of beginnings, it is not surprising we find the beginning of creation described, of all things and all creatures. One of the things seen in these early chapters of God’s Word is that He has ordained His creatures to participate in the creation process. How amazing!
And yet, all these many thousands of years later – how ordinary?
What has happened to our lives when we see the awesome privilege of participating with God in His creation as ordinary, or run-of-the-mill? After all, thousands of babies are born every day – what’s the big deal?
We suffer from mass-miracle syndrome. If we see a miracle often enough, we cease to see it as miraculous, and instead it becomes routine. We watch the belly grow, we see the baby born, we watch the child grow up, over and over again. Millions upon millions of times, the same story repeated.
Unless it is your story. Your story only happens once. Your story is clearly miraculous. You are one in a million; maybe even million-millions. And you have come through - as far as you are concerned – the mother of ALL living, your ‘Eve,’ your mother, your mommy.
I praise God for how He has, in His wisdom, distributed this wonderful and awesome privilege. I try to imagine all He thinks of each one of these conceptions and each one of these births. His miraculous love poured out on all creation, that we might see what He sees, and feel what He feels about life and creation - but more specifically – about the lives we have participated in creating.
There is no love so awesome as the love we see when a newborn is lain on its mother’s breast. The bond is so great it is as if the flesh does not even exist as a barrier between the two lives. There is nothing we have to compare with that kind of love, nor would we dare. This love, this unconditional love, between mother and child, is – I think – the closest we come to approximating God’s love for us. I believe it is His desire for us to see this, in just this way.
- Pastor Bill
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