Do you believe the Word of God, even if in your mind, it doesn’t make sense?
Acts 11:1
Now the apostles and brethren who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had
also received the word of God.
Word spread about, The Word,
spreading from the Jew to the gentile.
Without phone, internet, or television,
word spread by the best form of communication still to this day—word of mouth.
Do the words of your mouth spread The Word
of God?
Preparing this message, the Lord asked
this question, and I had to stop and think.
In the past week, I talked with the Lake
Placid Chief of Police, invited him to call anytime for prayer; he asked if I’d
pray with the officers after one of their meetings.
We gathered by the car of the Walmart
delivery lady, (Heather), listened to her story, she cried, we prayed. We gave
her our card, invited her to call or join us for Church anytime. Same thing
with the Verizon tech on the phone. Repeatedly with our mailman Johnny, with
the help at Lowe’s and the grocery store.
I carry our Church cards everywhere I go,
hand them out to everyone I meet. Tell them if they ever need to talk or pray
it’s just a phone call away. Invite them to join us anytime. Not to fill seats
in a building, but the fill souls in the Kingdom of Heaven. It’s about planting
Seeds. God gives the increase. You never know, your Seed, may lead to saving a
life, changing a soul, for eternity.
They spread, the Word, with their
words. Are you?
What are you doing with your words?
Jesus tells us in Matthew 12:36-37; But
I say to you that for every idle (lazy, thoughtless, unprofitable, injurious)
word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by
your words you will be justified, and by your words you will
be condemned.
2 And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision
contended with him,
Peter returned from a ministry tour
through all parts of the country. Acts 9:32-11:2.
In Lydda, he met Aeneas, a man paralyzed
for eight yrs. The Lord healed him. Word spread, resulting in the Greatest Miracle;
all in Lydda and Sharon turned to the Lord.
Petter went to Joppa and met Tabitha
(Dorcas), she was dead, but the Lord raised her to life. Word spread throughout
Joppa, resulting in the Greatest Miracle, many believed on the Lord.
Peter stayed in Joppa with Simon the
Tanner: This time Word spread by the voice of an angel to a man named Cornelius
in Caesarea, a Centurion (not a 100-year-old man; a soldier in charge of 100
men), telling him to send for Peter.
Peter went and spoke and the Holy Spirit
filled gentile Cornelius and all his friends and family there in the room.
Now, Peter’s back.
Of all the miraculous signs and
salvations, what complaint, contention, criticism, could the circumcision,
(Jewish believers) possibly have against Peter?
3 saying, “You went in to uncircumcised men and ate with them!”
The circumcised (Jewish believers)
rebuked Peter for entering the home and eating with the uncircumcised
(gentiles, non-Jews).
Their religious tradition was irritated.
The Jews thought they were better than
everybody else. In their mind there were Jews, the chosen, the elite peeps of
God; and then there was everybody else, gentile dogs.
Thus, in their mind, you were unclean,
defiled, contaminated, if you went into the home of the uncircumcised.
That religious tradition, didn’t simply
vanish because they believed in Jesus as their Messiah. Mark 7:13, By your
tradition you make of non-effect the Word of God.
When we commit our lives to Jesus, no
matter who we are, or where we come from, in His eyes we’re clean—even though
we still might cling to, garbage/tradition/religion.
As we walk with Him, He helps us let go of
garage.
Religious tradition gets irritated in the
presence of Jesus.
So, if that happens, don’t run, stop and
ask the Lord if He’s trying to get you to let go of some garbage, so you can
walk with Him closer, cling to Him tighter.
They should’ve known better than to hang onto
their arrogant prejudice against non-Jews. Jesus had been telling them all
along of the Truth of His great Love for all.
For God so love the world that
He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever…John 3:16
Go therefore and make disciples of all the
nations… Matthew 28:19
Go into all the world and
preach the gospel to every creature. Mark 16:15
Now, just to be clear, regarding Jews.
Jews aren’t better. They’re chosen. Chosen
for a reason. Chosen for a season. But chosen. If you have a problem with that
- talk to the Chooser!
To all the (quote) “Christian” Jew-haters:
You don’t know Jesus.
You may know of Jesus.
You can tell Him: Lord, Lord…” and He will
answer you: ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness.’
Matthew 7:21-23
If you really knew Him and loved Him you
would’ve also loved the least of His brethren.
Those words were from Amir Tsarfati, a
Messianic Jew; a Christian.
A couple days ago, one of the hamas
captives was rescued. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a Jew, called and
congratulated him, letting him know all Israel rejoices with him. Medical
attention was provided by his doctor, a Jew. The abductee’s name is Qaid Farhan
Alkadi; a 52 yr. old male, a muslim, rescued by Jews, cared for by Jews,
celebrated by Jews.
Do not listen to Jew hating, terrorist
loving nonsense.
Okay, back to our text.
4 But Peter explained it to them in order from the beginning,
saying:
The Lord had been
using Peter powerfully, healing, raising the dead, speaking to him, and through
him.
Yet, he doesn’t
say, “Who do you think you are, to question me? Don’t you know the catholics
will call me the first Pope? You can just kiss my… ring.”
No, he said
nothing like that. He simply, humbly, explained to them what happened.
5 “I was in the city of Joppa praying; and in a trance I saw a
vision, an object descending like a great sheet, let down from heaven by four
corners; and it came to me.
Notice he only says, I was in the city of
Joppa praying. He doesn’t say I was in the city of Joppa staying, at the house
of Simon the Tanner. That would’ve made their heads explode.
He just says I was praying, went into a
trance; ekstasis; (a displacement of the mind), and saw a vision.
Now we’ll hear for the third time, the
story of the sheet coming down from heaven.
When God says something once, it’s
important. Twice, it’s really important, scoot to the edge of your seat and pay
attention. Three times, stand up draw close, it’s super important.
The importance of this is that God
officially poured out His Spirit, on all flesh, not only the Jews, but
spread to the rest of the world, the gentiles. Like on the day of Pentecost,
but this time for the gentiles.
As Peter said on the day of Pentecost: This
is that, which was spoken by the prophet Joel, in the last days, I will pour
out My Spirit on all flesh… Joel 2:28; Acts 2:17.
As Jesus said in Acts 1:8; But you
shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you
shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea
and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Additionally, remember Pete and repeat.
The repeating of the story, by Peter, is an example for us to follow.
Retell your story, retell your testimony.
Your test, that revealed God’s glory.
You have a story. What is it? We’d love to hear your story. Comment and let us know (During our Church service we paused to hear your stories, you can listen online to the interaction. See link at bottom of blog).
You have a story about God’s glory, in
your life. Speak it, and keep on speaking, repeating what the Lord has done, not
what the world had done.
This is how we ought to think and speak:
Philippians 4:4-8;
Rejoice in the Lord always. Again,
(repeat) I will say, rejoice!
5 Let your gentleness be known
to all men. The Lord is at hand.
6 Be anxious
(worrisome) for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication (petition),
with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to
God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,
will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are
true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just,
whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely,
whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and
if there be any praise, think on these things.
If you’re thinking about these
things, you’ll speak about these things. Out of the abundance of the
heat the mouth speaks.
Luke
6:45; A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and
an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out
of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
Believing and speaking His Word brings
forth His good treasure, and His peace that passes understanding.
6 When I observed it intently and considered, I saw four-footed
animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air.
The vision was clear, no ambiguity. These
were unclean animals.
7 And I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’
The Voice was clear, no ambiguity.
Rise. Kill. Eat.
8 But I said, ‘Not so, Lord! For nothing common or unclean has
at any time entered my mouth.’
Religious tradition clouds the clear vision
and voice of the Almighty.
But Jesus clearly said with no ambiguity
in, Mark 7:18-19; Nothing that enters a man from the outside can defile
him, because it does not enter his heart, but it goes into the stomach and
then is eliminated.”
9 But the voice answered me again from heaven, ‘What God has
cleansed you must not call common.’
Go ahead, make some bacon, it’s not a sin.
Maybe not healthy, perhaps not wise, but
not a sin.
But actually, He’s not even talking about
food.
10 Now this was done three times, and all were drawn up again
into heaven.
Done three times,
now repeated three times, and referred to again in Acts 15:7-8; when some
religious folks try to make gentiles get circumcised.
Lord willing, we’ll
go over that someday, when we get there.
11 At that very moment, three men stood before the house where I
was, having been sent to me from Caesarea.
God’s message is given with Divine Timing. So, when you hear from Him, pay attention to the timing.
12 Then the Spirit told me to go with them, doubting nothing.
Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house.
13 And he told us how he had seen an angel standing in his
house, who said to him, ‘Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon whose surname is
Peter,
14 who will tell you words by which you and all your household
will be saved.’
15 And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as
upon us at the beginning.
16 Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, ‘John
indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’
Then I remembered, the Word of the Lord.
He had to hear it, to remember it.
Psalm 119:11; Thy Word have I hid in my
heart that I might not sin against Thee.
John 14:26; But the Helper,
the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach
you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to
you.
A
vision from God will always complement, never contradict, the Word of God
Psalm 119:89 Thy Word is forever settled
in heaven
Ps. 119:105; Thy word is a lamp
unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
Hebrews 4:12; For the Word of
God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword,
piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and
marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
It cuts to the heart of the matter
exposing the motives
The Word of the Lord endures forever.
Isaiah 40:8; 1 Peter 1:25.
Heaven and earth will pass away, but My
words will never pass away. Mark 13:31.
17 If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us when
we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?”
Peter, walked with Jesus, talked with
Jesus, was powerfully used by Jesus; yet, he said, who am I to withstand,
(kóluó: to hinder, prevent, restrain, forbid), God?
If the Word of God says, I should think on
things true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report; virtue, praise; who am
I to withstand, hinder, prevent, restrain, God by thinking anything otherwise?
If the Word of God tells me, to bring every thought captive unto the obedience of Christ, who am I to withstand, hinder, prevent, restrain, forbid God by letting my thoughts derail and run free? 2 Corinthians 10:5.
If the Word of God says, I should not
worry or be anxious, about anything, but pray about everything, then who am I
to withstand, hinder, prevent, restrain, God?
If the Word of God says, the peace of God
that passes understanding shall guard my heart and mind through Christ Jesus,
who am I to withstand, hinder, prevent, restrain, forbid, Almighty God?
If the Word of God says He shall provide
all my needs, Phil. 4:19.
If the Word of God says He shall keep me
in perfect peace, Isaiah 26:3
If the Word of God says that Jesus came to
heal my heart, set me free, open my eyes, give me joy, who am I to resist Him,
reject Him? Luke 4:18-19
If the Word of God says, I am a victor, not a victim, then who am I to walk through this life defeated? Romans 8:37; 1 Corinthians 15:57.
If God offers His Holy Spirit, who am I to
reject Him?
18 When they heard these things they became silent; and they
glorified God, saying, “Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to
life.”
The religious crew started out contending
with Peter.
Thankfully they listened to Peter.
Now, they offer silence. Sometimes, many
times, the best, most respectful, answer is silence.
I read about an Indian custom called the
Gift of Silence. If you came to them with a question. If they respected you,
they would not disrespect you with an immediate answer. They would honor you by
contemplating your question, and preparing a thoughtful answer.
They offered Peter the Gift of Silence.
Understanding came, and they glorified
God.
I pray we respect our Lord by offering Him
the Gift of Silence, and instead of contending with Him, we’ll, with heart and
arms wide open, receive His, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. In other words, His Holy Spirit.
Galatians
5:22-23
But
the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no
law.
Do you believe the Word of God, even if in
your mind, it doesn’t make sense?
Let’s pray.
Lord Jesus, may the words of our mouth and
the meditation of our heart be pleasing to you, O LORD, our Rock and Redeemer.
We trust You, even if it goes against our religious tradition. We choose to
believe Your Word, even if it makes no sense to our natural mind.
We love You, forever.
Amen.
Prayer Requests:
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This was feed for you to read. Now it’s
Seed for you to sow.
Thank you for sharing.
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