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Thoughts Archived > Accountability & Disengagement


12 Feb 2017

                                  

 

February 12, 2017

Accountability & Disengagement

Acts 15: 36-16:5

 

 

Acts 

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." Barnabas agreed and wanted to take along John Mark.  But Paul disagreed strongly, since John Mark had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not shared in their work. Their disagreement over this was so sharp that they separated.  Barnabas took John Mark with him and sailed for Cyprus.  Paul chose Silas, and the believers sent them off, entrusting them to the Lord's grace. So they traveled throughout Syria and Cilicia to strengthen the churches there.  

Paul and Silas went first to Derbe and then on to Lystra.  There they met Timothy, a young disciple whose mother was a Jewish believer, but whose father was a Greek. Timothy was well thought of by the believers in Lystra and Iconium, 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 a Greek.  Then they went from town to town, explaining the decision regarding the commandments that were to be obeyed, as decided by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem.  So the churches were strengthened in their faith and grew daily in numbers.  

 

 

 

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  Thoughts....

 

 

It's important to trust a seed is planted.  It's also important to water the seed, but once foundationally planted, God grows the seed.  So plant, give water - truths to start the journey, and pray, that God will send others when needed and move on.   

To go back can open a hornets nest.  Trust is so important.

Paul and Barnabas didn't need to go back, they needed to move on. 

Are you a traveling Pastor?  Are you going back to strengthen the churches or affirm your work?  God's goal for the traveling Pastor - Evangelist, is to preach the Gospel everywhere, so those who haven't heard, don't know, haven't accepted, will.  Perhaps you're going back for you to be strengthened.  LOOK UP!  Dig deeper in the WORD! Have, or find, a home church you can be fed from, supported by, and can share in.  But don't go back until you've reached God's goals, or God calls you to reshore the foundation.

New believers, per Paul, may not be getting along - or they may.  But they need to work on themselves with God to get along.  Having someone go back to parent them, to verify if all is ok, does not help them grow, it enables them to be dependent on the visiting preacher to discipline.  Discipline should not be necessary if they are in the WORD.  And the fellowship of believers have the ability to remove anyone causing discord.  Paul wanted to feed his ego, to see if had done a good job, to assure his work.

In scripture, we see Paul and Barnabas had discord.  These references are the first I've noitced Paul having a spirit of arrogance, narcisism, anger, ego, control. 

Then, Paul, apparently now an authoritarian, perhaps even a demagogue, tells young Timothy he must be circumcised.  WHAT?!  His Mom was a Jewish believer and his Father a Greek.  Paul made him a Jew by circumcision, so he could preach Jesus Christ to Jews and Gentiles??!!!!  And Paul rebuked Peter for EATING???!!!  Paul went totally against the beliefs in Jesus' church.  What is happening to Paul?  I'm quite certain in this decision, he had not asked Holy Spirit!  Had he, Timothy would NOT have been circumcised.  WHO WOULD KNOW if he was or not?!  

It seems Satan had gotten ahold of Paul.  Hipocracy, disengaement, going back, returning to the old, bad ways.  How does that help?  Where is the accountability?  Who will quash the poor choice making of Paul's?  

Stay tunned.... 

                    
        

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  Let Us Pray

 

God, Jesus, Holy Spirit, may I never be found in such a position as Paul in making poor choices and hurting others as a result of my actions.  Teach me to look closer in your Word, see, hear, follow better day by day.  Forgive me plaase today, right now, if I have sinned. Heal me and make me whole.  And let me know when to step away as the result of another's lack of professionalism, or abuse.  In Jesus' name I pray, by and with the power of the Holy Spirit, to dear heavenly Father God.  Amen.  I praise you, I thank you.  I love 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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  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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Bible Authors & Minister