April 1, 2008

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I've been spending time in the book of Acts, the articles today are inspired by those readings.

1) Obedience
2) Hearts set free cannot be quiet
3) Spiritual Revolution

A Quick Focus

I invite you to close your eyes for just a few seconds. During that time just allow yourself to know that He is present with you. Let yourself know that He loves you, is there with you because He wants to be, and that He has a plan for not only this day but all your days.

If you find something in the way then clear it up with Him right now. If that leaves no time to read the rest of this then don't read it. Your relationship with Christ is THE most important thing in your life.

When you feel at peace - not that everything in your life is perfect - just that you know He is with you, then I invite you now to the rest of the ezine.

Choosing life

The church is very new but it is already functioning in a way that is unheard of in history. People from all classes and backgrounds are coming together in the Lord as a family. They eat together, fellowship, learn and share all things in common. Those that have much give to those who have little. From this diversity we have a people of one mind worshiping and serving one another. Except for Ananias and Sapphira.

No one in this new church was needy because the body is selling its surplus and bringing the proceeds to the Apostles so that all can be cared for. Our couple feels the self-imposed pressure of this and, so, they too sell a piece of property and bring SOME of the proceeds to the Apostles. Now, no one told them they had to sell it and if they did, no one said that they had to give all of the proceeds. All of this is by choice and should be done from a heart that loves God and His people. But our couple has a different motivation. Theirs is not love but wanting to be seen, admired, and to please others. So, they conspire to bring some of the money and withhold some for themselves. They decide to deceive, they decide to lie.

When we lie or cheat or act ungodly toward others, we might not be caught by them but the Lord always knows. Peter tells them that “Satan has filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit…you have not lied to men but to God...you have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test.”

I have thought about this passage a lot this week. So often we are able to disconnect our thoughts and actions from God when, in reality, all of what we do is always connected to Him. If I cheat on my taxes, I am really trying to cheat God. If I tell a “white lie” I am really trying to pull one over on God. All that is done is either done to bring glory to God or to join in the ways of His enemy.

We are so capable of deceiving ourselves but God is good to give us this example of Ananias and Sapphira in order to show us another way. Later in the chapter, an angel frees the imprisoned apostles and tells them, “Go, stand and speak…the whole message of this Life.” It is this message of life that our couple completely missed.

The whole message of this Life is Jesus, not pleasing others. We have His Spirit inside us and we can think, feel, live and love as He did. We don’t have to worry about impressing others only pleasing Him. When our eyes are not focused on Christ we are prone to lie to ourselves and others – we are prone to lie to God. When they are on the One who loves us then we can indeed go, stand, and speak of the whole message of the Life that has and is transforming us.

Hearts set free cannot be quiet

Not long before this, they had hidden themselves in a room fearful of being found, fearful that they too would be killed. What has changed?

“Peter filled with the Holy Spirit” goes on to tell them that the man Jesus Christ whom they killed is the One responsible for the miracle of healing that has taken place that day. He alone holds salvation.

Peter and John are recognized as uneducated and untrained but the rulers began to realize that these men had been with this Jesus. That is what has changed in them, Christ has set them free.

As the rulers speak among themselves they don’t know what to do. A big miracle has taken place and they can’t deny it but they don’t want people following Christ rather than them. Their consciences are so seared that they can recognize the work of God while they reject Him.

When Peter and John are told no longer to speak or teach about Jesus, they respond, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

Those who had crucified Christ now brought Peter and John before them to silence their speaking of Jesus and the resurrection from the dead. Miracles were taking place through their hands and thousands were coming to faith. But they are not intimidated; they are not afraid.

Not long before this, they had hidden themselves in a room fearful of being found, fearful that they too would be killed. What has changed?

“Peter filled with the Holy Spirit” goes on to tell them that the man Jesus Christ whom they killed is the One responsible for the miracle of healing that has taken place that day. He alone holds salvation.

Peter and John are recognized as uneducated and untrained but the rulers began to realize that these men had been with this Jesus. That is what has changed in them, Christ has set them free.

As the rulers speak among themselves they don’t know what to do. A big miracle has taken place and they can’t deny it but they don’t want people following Christ rather than them. Their consciences are so seared that they can recognize the work of God while they reject Him.

When Peter and John are told no longer to speak or teach about Jesus, they respond, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

Hearts set free by our Lord cannot be quiet.

When we really come to know our Lord, He frees our souls, He heals our wounds, He eases our worries, He fills our hearts and He breaks the hold of the many fears that keep us in bondage. The more deeply we know Christ, the more deeply we are set free.

Within these first chapters of the book of Acts we see the transformation of those upon whom the Holy Spirit of Jesus has come. That same knowing of Christ, that same transformation is here for all of us today.

In the next section you will see a modern day version of those who cannot stop speaking about the Lord.

When we really come to know our Lord, He frees our souls, He heals our wounds, He eases our worries, He fills our hearts and He breaks the hold of the many fears that keep us in bondage. The more deeply we know Christ, the more deeply we are set free.

Within these first chapters of the book of Acts we see the transformation of those upon whom the Holy Spirit of Jesus has come. That same knowing of Christ, that same transformation is here for all of us today.

In the next section you will see a modern day version of those who cannot stop speaking about the Lord.

Spiritual Revolution

Today's email is reproduced in its entirety here. It was so poignant that it needed no embellishment.

When Romanian poet Constantin Ioanid wrote the poem entitled, “God Exists,” he could not have known the significance his words would have in Romanian history. One night in 1989, Christians were protesting in the town of Timisoara. A bishop who had become a puppet for the Communists had fired the reformed Pastor Tokes for faithfully preaching the Word of God. On the day Pastor Tokes was to leave his home and church, the Christians surrounded his house to prevent the police from evicting him. Quickly the crowd grew, and the army was called out to stop them. The soldiers began shooting, and many were killed or wounded. Then an amazing thing happened. The entire crowd, instead of fighting the army, knelt down and prayed. The shocked soldiers were overwhelmed and refused to shoot anymore. Meanwhile, the whole town had gathered, and a local pastor addressed the crowd from the balcony of the Opera house. He recited Brother Ioanid’s poem, and the whole crowd began shouting, “God exists! God exists!” Leaflets with the poem’s text were passed around, and those who knew the music composed for the words began to sing. Soon thousands were singing it again and again. The song became the beginning of the Romanian revolution that led to the fall of Communist dictator, Nicolai Ceaucescu.

A revolution is a new resurgence of belief in a very old idea—whether freedom, personal dignity or even the existence of God. These self-evident principles remain unchanged during the cycle of oppression. Though they may go “underground” for a time, their existence is unchallenged. A spiritual revolution resurrects the belief in the existence of God—although God himself was never dead. The revolution begins with God’s revelation of truth. We all need courage to resurrect our faith in the basic, powerful, and life altering proposition that God exists. We are part of a revolution when we join other Christians who begin to live like they believed it. What would spiritual revolution look like in your own life?

New Book

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