The World We Live In

It is an interesting world we live in today. Gone is common courtesy and kindness, replaced rudeness and arrogance. It’s not uncommon to do something nice for someone only to receive an insult in return. It’s no wonder people are losing what sanity they had remaining. The world we live in today is much different than the one I grew up. To respond correctly, we need to be equipped with the right spirit.

‭‭PSALMS‬ ‭109:4-5‬

“In return for my love they act as my accusers; But I am in prayer. Thus they have repaid me evil for good And hatred for my love.”

This passage is what is known as an Imprecatory Psalm. The author is David, and it is probably his strongest Psalm when it comes to him calling down curses from God upon his enemies. Why is David so upset? He has loved people who have turned on him and accused him. He has done them good, and they repaid him with evil. Now he is asking God to deal with them.

Cannot Stop Speaking

Trust in the government is at an all-time low. The heavy-handed policies that prevented children from going to school and congregations meeting at church have turned many people off. This has led many to question when Christians are allowed to disobey willfully. Peter and John give us a great example to follow. They cannot stop speaking about Jesus.

‭‭ACTS‬ ‭4:19-20

“But Peter and John answered and said to them, “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.”

The transformation of the disciples from clueless to courageous is astounding. While they were with Jesus, they couldn’t figure anything out. Once they were filled with the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, the pieces fell into place. Now they are standing before Israel’s Religious elite and not backing down. The Sanhedrin, the congress of all religious leaders in Israel, is telling them to stop preaching the Gospel. The Apostles’ response? “You judge whether it is more important to obey you or God. While you figure it out, we will keep preaching the Gospel.”

Don’t Hold Back

Everyone lives with regrets. Those regrets can come from bad decisions or awkward situations, but the worse regrets are the opportunities we didn’t take. One of those regrets can be not sharing the Gospel with a friend or family member, and then they are no longer in our lives. Take a cue from Peter, and don’t hold back. Give them Jesus.

‭‭ACTS‬ ‭4:12

“And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”

Acts 4 is one of Peter’s best sermons. He is standing in front of the Sanhedrin, giving a reason why the lame man was healed at the temple gate. He doesn’t hold back accusing the m of crucifying the Messiah. Then he boldly tells them that Jesus is the only way to salvation. Preaching the Gospel to the most educated people in Israel with Spirit-filled boldness was a daring move, but he didn’t hold anything back.

Afraid to Discipline

I recently heard about a church deacon beating and abusing his children. It broke my heart as one of the grown children told me the first-hand account. Sadly, several in the church knew about it and did nothing. He wasn’t removed as a deacon and continued at the church after the wife separated and took the children. He went on to do it again in his next marriage. Churches allow this to happen because they are afraid to discipline. The church is to rebuke those who continue in sin.

‭‭1 TIMOTHY‬ ‭5:20

“Those who continue in sin, rebuke in the presence of all, so that the rest also will be fearful of sinning.”

Paul gives Timothy a critical lesson in leadership. The church cannot survive without Biblical discipline. Notice how Paul tells Timothy to rebuke those who continue in sin in front of everyone? It serves a dual purpose. First, it addresses the habitual sin of the person and lets everyone else know that it is occurring. Second, it serves as a warning to the rest of the church so that it will make them fearful of sinning.

A Steadfast Heart

Are you the type of person who, once you believe in your mind, not much will change? Maybe you consider loyalty to be one of your strongest traits. You stick with those you love through thick and thin. The Bible describes this as being steadfast. That is how the Psalmist describes his love for the Lord. He has a steadfast heart that sings God’s praises.

‭‭PSALMS‬ ‭108:1‬

“My heart is steadfast, O God; I will sing, I will sing praises, even with my soul.”

Steadfast means unmovable, not changing. Multiple times in the book of Psalms God tells us that His love for us is steadfast. Now the Psalmist is telling God that his heart is the same way. He will not move but sing His praises from the depths of his soul. The Psalmist has seen the faithful love of the Lord, and now he is attaching his heart to Him, and that is evident by the song that wells up from his soul.

Are You a Witness?

When most people think of the term witness, they think of being called into court and having to answer questions from a lawyer. The truth is you can be a witness to many other events. You can go to a sporting event and witness an extraordinary performance by an athlete. Peter was a witness to the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and he wasn’t afraid to tell anyone. Are you a witness to the life-transforming power of Jesus Christ?

‭‭ACTS‬ ‭3:14-15

“But you disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, but put to death the Prince of life, the one whom God raised from the dead, a fact to which we are witnesses.”

Peter didn’t hold back when he was brought before the Sanhedrin. He told them that they rejected the Messiah and chose a murderer instead. He flat-out accuses them of murdering Jesus. None of it mattered because the Almighty God raised Jesus from the dead, and Peter was a witness to His resurrection. The Pharisees could lodge all the accusations they wanted. The Apostles had evidence on their side.

Remain on Mission

Does your church look different than it did a couple of years ago? Have a lot of people moved away or stopped attending? Have you wondered if your church will survive? If you are in that boat, take courage from today’s scripture. Paul exhorts Timothy to remain on mission.

‭‭1 TIMOTHY‬ ‭4:1

“But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons,”

Paul’s first letter to Timothy is meant to encourage a young pastor shepherding a church by himself. We are not aware of the correspondence between the two, but you can tell by the tone that Timothy is feeling a little discouraged. Paul tells him not to fear but to stir up the gift inside to preach the Word. At the same time, Paul is realistic. He tells Timothy that many will fall away from the faith in the last days. They will be led away by lying spirits and evil doctrines.

All Things in Common

During the 1970s, a move of God started to happen in some churches around the United States. This movement was different because it was happening amongst the hippies and surfers. It was soon called the Jesus movement, and thousands of teenagers and college students came to know Jesus. There was a spirit of love present the church hadn’t seen in decades. That unity was made possible by people seeking Jesus. They had all things in common.

‭‭ACTS‬ ‭2:44‬

“And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common.”

The early church was powerful and effective because of the Holy Spirit and was a unique unity brought on by selfless sacrifice. The church was growing, and all the needs were met because the Spirit had moved on certain people’s hearts to give. This attitude and atmosphere made it welcoming to everyone. Outsiders could tell there was something different than the normal synagogue life, and it was attracting people in droves.

Feed the Flock

When Peter encountered Jesus after the crucifixion, he needed to be encouraged. After denying Jesus three times, he felt like a complete failure. Jesus looked at Peter and asked him three times if he loved him. When Peter answered yes, he told him to feed his sheep. That was Peter’s role from that day forward. The church needs to be fed, and it comes from the pastor. They need to feed the flock.

Ezekiel 34:4

“The weak you have not strengthened, nor have you healed those who were sick, nor bound up the broken, nor brought back what was driven away, nor sought what was lost; but with force and cruelty you have ruled them.”

Corrupt Priests

Israel has a history of priests who neglected the people. They worried more about getting rich than instructing the flock in the knowledge of God’s Word. This left a country that was ignorant and susceptible to following other gods. In the Old Testament, God judges the priests and charges them with neglecting the people. A pastor’s job is to feed the flock.

Walk In the Light

Walking from a dark room to one that is well-lit can shock our senses. Our eyes squint, we move our hands to cover our eyes until they can adjust, and there is a tingling sensation all over our body. Once we adjust, we are okay. Coming from a life of sin to one of following after Christ can be a similar adjustment. We know we are doing the right thing, but we were much more comfortable in our past lives. Paul tells us to walk in the light.

Ephesians 5:8,11

“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light”… “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.”

Walk in the Light

The Ephesians had come from a pagan culture that catered to every pleasure. “If it felt good, then do it” was the day’s motto. Once they started following Jesus, it felt awkward. The light of God’s Word exposed their past life, and there was a temptation to hide in the darkness. Paul urges them to walk in the light. Break off that lifestyle and friendships that were unfruitful and dark.