February 5, 2017

Missed The Boat

Acts 15: 19-35

Acts 

And so my judgement is that we should stop troubling the Gentiles who turn to God, 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.  For these laws of Moses have been preached in Jewish synagogues in every city on every Sabbath for many generations."

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 their decision.  The men chosen were two of the church leaders - Judas (also called Barsabbas) and Silas.  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!

"We understand that some men from here have troubled you and upset you with their teaaching, but they had no such instructions from us.  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, who have risked their lives for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ.  So we are sending Judas and Silas to tell you what we have decided concerning your question.

"For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay no greater burden on you than these requirements:  You must absatin 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."

The four messengers went at once to Antioch, where they called a general meeting of the Christians and delivered the letter.  And there was great joy throughout the church that day as they read this encouraging message.

Then Judas and Silas, both being prophets, spoke extensively to the Christians, encouraging and strengthening their faith.  They stayed in Antioch to assist many other who were teaching and preaching the word of the Lord there.    

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  Thoughts....

From the top....

"And so MY judgement (James speaking, NOT God) is that we should stop troubling Gentiles who turn to God EXCEPT that we should write to them and tell them to....abstain from eating meat sacrified to idols, from sexual immorality, and from consuming blood or (?OR?) eating the meat of strangled animals.  For these laws of Moses have been preached in Jewish synagogues in every city on every Sabbath for many generations."

Folks, this would all be fine were he in a Temple preaching to to those who are Jewish who were not under the new law.  Somehow it was "missed" perhaps, "forgotten" even, that the whole reason Gentiles converted was to be under the NEW law, the NEW Testament, the  new law of forgiveness, love, grace, mercy, SALVATION under Jesus Christ.  They did NOT convert to Judaism, but found JESUS CHRIST, Messiah, Savior of the world.

The letter sent, given, pronounced, decreed shows clearly how Satan can use folks, even in churches, and why we are seeing a reduction enforce today in our churches.  James has given 'pouty' reasons why we should not gather.  CLEARLY, like churches today, this church, TOO, is misguided.  Note the phrasing:

"We understand that some men from here have troubled you with their teaching, but they had no such instruction from us."  Here, they've set themselves up as the be all and end all of authority on all matters relating to Christ Jesus.  Holy Spirit enters in  where....?

Let's read further....

"So it seemed good to us, having unanimously agreed on our decision, (may the Electoral College, having decided, be held responsible for all hell breaking loose in the world - with Donald Trump, also having decided....) to send you these official representatives, along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, who have risked their lives for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ (Was it really for Jesus' sake, or their own?).  So we are sending Judas and Silas to tell you what we have decided concerning your question."  

Thoughts...."For it SEEMED good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay no greater burden on you...." -  they should have stopped there.  But NO, they had to add, "....than these requirements."

These were outlined above and he adds , "If you do this, you will do well.  Farewell."  Did Holy Spirit REALLY have a say in this?  What say you?

It seemed good to the Electoral College to not follow the vote of the people, too.  A body of people brought together to do what - insure we in America weren't gong to do something stupid as an American people?!  Right.  So that's why they did something stupid instead.

I've said a lot through the years that 'your end time may come before THE end times.'  That may no longer be true, based on how readily Satan has made his way into American politics.

What further astounds me in todays lesson is that "there was great joy throughout the church that day as they read ths encourageing message."

Certainly it would have been encouraing for the men to learn they would not have to subject themselves to a surgical procedure, probably crudely done.  But James, the elders, brothers, congregation supported, and gave an edict of requirements NOT set by God, Jesus Christ, or Holy Spirit, for none of the Trinity would further yoke a freed people based on God's new law, Jesus' salvation offered to all - FREELY.

Sometimes folks just have to have the last word.  Sometimes they cannot leave well enough alone.  [That would many times be me.]  If Holy Spirit speaks, folks should listen.  If he speaks through the voice of the masses, the overseers should listen and heed.  There is a reason Holy Spirit might speak to many.  As in the Presidential Election in America, to save the fate of those in the world due to those who DON'T listen, then cannot have knowledge, and cannot apply that knowledge which is called wisdom.  Funny, it seems it's those in leadership who don't listen, have no knowledge and certainly are not applying much wisdom, if any.

And lest you believe the "Christians", so called because they chose to be a part of a supremecy, rather than God's, Jesus', Holy Spirit's supreme commands, ideals, new laws, know this:  THOSE folks were NOT practicing Christianity as now outlined in the New Testament, but, most assuredly, was known by them having literally learned such at the feet of Jesus.  Be careful from whom you hear and take direction.  Is what is being said aligned with the Gospel?    

Donald Trump does NOT align with someone living under Holy Spirit's power as outlined in Galatians 5:22-26, but Hillary Clinton does.  President Trump, based on all we, as the world now knows, is absolutely, completely, undeniably NOT a child of God, NOT living under God's, Jesus', Holy Spirit's control in his life based on Galatians 5:19-21.  And his choices aren't just old sinful nature per Galatians 5:17. 

Old sinful nature applies to someone who has asked forgiveness, professes and practices Christianity outwardly. 

To date, the world is witness that Donald Trum bears NO witness to anything Christian. 

He's a blowhard who wants to be liked, attempting to do good for that reason, also for reasons of his belief in supremecy, which is wrong on every level I can count, and to cover his multitudes of having done evil, as well as his choices to continue to do EVIL.  No other way to say it.

Like Donald Trump, the yokes, burdens placed by the early church were NOT from Holy Spirit.  And I doubt Donald Trump will ever have the scales removed from his eyes and see the LIGHT like Paul.  But I will pray that it will be so.  We, in the world, are headed for a very rocky road.

There are times to pray and hope.  There are times we are told not to pray - to not waste our hope.  However, you must be proactive in establishing anything under God's, Jesus', Holy Spirit's directive to help yourself and others, so please, pray, and, do whatever is necessary to secure income, finances, housing, food, water, transportation.  And DO pray for a miracle. 

Judas and Silas, both being prophets, spoke extensively to the Christians, encouraing and strengthening their faith.  Have I prophesied the end times nearing?  It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that if our Federal Government in America doesn't reign in the character put in position as overseer of the free world, we will not just not have a free world, we may not have any world at all.

And, as Paul and Barnabas assisted many others who were teaching and preaching the world of the Lord, please, do the same.  We are ALL called to teach and preach as part of our new life with Christ.  Everyone needs the salvation message to get to heaven.  To survive what we call life - to live through what we are facing, not just in America, but in the world.  PLEASE do your part. 

1 Corinthians 3:7-9 reads, per Paul and Apollos, "The ones who do the planting or watering aren't important, but God is important because he is the one who makes the seed grow.  The one who plants and the one who waters work as a team with the same purpose.  Yet they will be rewarded individually, according to their own hard work.  We work together as partners who belong to God. You are God's field, God's building - not ours." 

Remember these  things: 

The old law and new laws collide.  Read Matthew 7:12 on doing for others.  Also Luke 10:25-28.  Read John 15:17 where we are told that Jesus commands us to love one another.  But we don't have to like another, nor their choices.  Judge Christians, and, be wary of those OF the world. 

And DON'T GO BACK!  There is NOT room in the Christian's life for the OLD law(s).  Too many "Christians" are running from church.  DO GO BACK to the churches.  NOW is the time to organize a huge body of believers in prayer to stop the end times from occurring!  Jesus has NOT been preached everywhere.  We do NOT need hell on earth - there's been too much of it already. 

WE NEED TO BE OF ONE MIND, ONE BODY, WHEN PRAYING FOR A MIRACLE.

What should that miracle be?  Let God, Jesus, Holy Spirit decide.  Just pray to them for help!  And pray to ask what they need you to do to help them.

For all those subjected to the evil let loose in the world through the politics, and choices, of those in leadership in the United States of America....please....for your sake....forgive....and pray.  Forgiveness is not about the other person being let off the hook, it's about being freed from the evil that pervades one's being from having been accosted by those who chose to inflict said evil in one form or another.  It frees you to be open to and receive all that God wants to give you.

Sign me a Galatians 5 Holy Spirit controlled gal....for the most part....all others I'm begging forgiveness.  Know me by the fruits of  Holy Spirit within.  

One last thing....In repsonse to President Donald Trump's tweet this last week whereby he said, "We must keep the evil one our of our country!", Let me say this, "Who in the world would be willing to receive President Trump?!"                 

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  Let Us Pray

Lord have mercy.  Christ have mercy.  Lord have mercy.  Dear God, forgive me of my sins, known and unknown.  I have not loved you with my whole heart.  I have not loved my neighbor as myself.  I am humbly sorry and most heartily repent.  Help everyone in the world during ths awful time, and please....please....I beg of you....help everyone in the world, please. I thank you.  I love you.  I praise you.  Amen. 

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More love.... 

  Benediction....Blessing

Let us hear from Paul as he prays:  

When I think of the wisdom and scope of God's plan, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth.  I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit.  And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in him.  May your roots go down deep into the soil of God's marvelous love.  And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is.  May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it.  Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

Now glory be to God!  By his mighty power at work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope.  May he be given glory in the church and in Christ Jesus forever and ever through endless ages.  Amen.  Ephesians 3:14-21 NLT         

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Scroll down to read Jesus' Prayer of Thanksgiving...'The Unforced Rhythms of Grace'.

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Definition of a Christian:  Anyone who believes in God, Jesus and Holy Spirit, and accepts Jesus as Lord and Savior.  Regardless of church name or religious affiliation. 

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  One last thing....

Jesus' Prayer of Thanksgiving

'The Unforced Rhythms of Grace'

"Abruptly Jesus broke into prayer:  "Thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth.  You've concealed your ways from sophisticates and know-it-alls, but spelled them out clearly to ordinary people.  Yes, Father, that's the way you like to work."

Jesus resumed talking to the people, but now tenderly.  "The Father has given me all these things to do and say.  This is a unique Father - Son operation, coming out of Father and Son intimacies and knowledge.  No one knows the Son the way the Father does, nor the Father the way the Son does.  But I'm not keeping it to myself; I'm ready to go over it line by line with anyone willing to listen."

"Are you tired?  Worn out?  Burned out on religion?  Come to me.  Get away with me and you'll recover your life.  I'll show you how to take a real rest.  Walk with me and work with me - watch how I do it.  Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.  I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn how to live freely and lightly.

Matthew 11:  25-30

  The Message

And the people said,

"Amen."

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I now write most prayers in the position of ' I ' (first person) because most people are sitting at their computer alone, not in groups, and it allows those reading and praying to personalize the prayer as coming from them going to God.  Variations may appear on holidays when families may wish to use the prayer provided.  I encourage you to pray your own prayers as well.

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Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996.  Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189.  All rights reserved.

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NOTE:  I said it long ago, but let me say it again.  If you are wanting to lead a group, start a church, or are confined in an institution, or live in a country where the Gospel is not preached, and you don't know what to say or how to say it, and yet feel led to share, teach, or preach, besides just reading straight out of the Bible and sharing what God puts on your heart, please feel free to share any or all of what I've written, if it will help you, as long as you include where it comes from, due to copyright laws.  Jesus gave God's love and healing freely, as well as his message.  Our responsibility is to get the Word out to those who need to hear it.  If what I've written....by the power and direction of the Holy Spirit....or what he has said through me....has helped you, it may help others that you know.  You are welcome to share it.  God calls all of us to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the world.  Please share it with the fullness of love that God, Jesus, Holy Spirit....and I....have given it.  Amen!

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