I received the following email that I feel led to share:
Just wanted to let you know that I am enjoying the study of Mark. It is so convenient how you have set it up that the student can view the discussed scriptures right as you are teaching them. How you did that is beyond me! Also another plus to the study is that you can progress at the rate you want. Some of the studies have been so good that I have listened to them several times and each time I gain benefit!
Each study in Mark is only 9-13 minutes long. If you are not yet following along in Mark with us, please join us . Please take a moment to invite your friends to join us also. Each study can be listened to individually or in a group setting. You can even facilitate a LGF gathering right where you are at!
God is not partial and He does not show partiality to one group of people over another based on status or race. God loves all people and He has sent the Holy Spirit to baptize us all into one body.
Peter was preaching a simple but yet powerful Christ centric message as recorded in Acts 10:34-43. His audience was of a different nationality, but Peter had learned that God shows no partiality. God loves all people and desires that all people come to Him through Jesus Christ. As Peter told this house full of foreigners about Jesus, faith rose up within each hearer. And we know that God’s word declares that faith comes from hearing the Word (Romans 10:17) . It was saving faith springing up within them like a gushing fountain and they were receiving the forgiveness of sin that Peter told them would come through believing (Acts 10:43).
While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles. For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared, "Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?" And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days. (Act 10:44-48 ESV)
As Peter was speaking, there was a holy interruption. He did not conclude his message with a story and a prayer, nor did he precede his message with a joke to break the ice. He didn’t ask for a show of hands of those who would like to receive Jesus into their hearts. He did not ask people to come forward to receive Christ. He simply spoke God’s message and the Holy Spirit did the rest.
The six Jewish brothers (“the believers from among the circumcised”) that he brought with him were “amazed”. They could not believe that God was pouring out the gift of the Holy Spirit on these foreigners as He had poured out on the Jews on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4). And they would have never believed it if they had not come with Peter and witnessed what God was doing at this God gathering. They were witnessing God baptizing believers into one body by His Spirit. It is as the Apostle Paul would write in 1 Corinthians 12:13 “For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body--Jews or Greeks”.
When Peter realized that these people had just received the Holy Spirit as He had earlier, he immediately pointed them to water baptism which is an outside indicator and testimony of what God has done on the inside. All through the book of Acts and early church history, Christ followers did not wait to baptize a new Christ follower in water. When a person was baptized into the body by the Spirit, they immediately looked for a hole of water deep enough to follow their Lord Jesus Christ in water baptism.
Beloved, in this paragraph of Scripture, some of the heart of God is revealed to us:
He desires to use preachers to communicate the good news of Christ to all people.
He has ordained the preaching and hearing of the Word to produce and grow saving faith in people.
He does not need manmade gimmicks that produce “converts” or “church members”.
He is not partial.
He loves and desires for all people to be baptized by the Spirit into the body of Christ regardless of race, regardless of status, regardless of what they have done and regardless of what they have become.
God is no respecter of people. What He does for one, He will do for another. May He lift up preachers in our day who will deliver God messages and allow the Holy Spirit to do His work in baptizing all people, Jews and Gentiles, into the body of Christ. And may we be quick to follow our Lord Jesus Christ in water baptism as an outward testimony of a spiritual rebirth.
What style of Christian music do you like? Praise, Worship, Christian EZ, Christian Pop, Christian RB, Contemporary Christian, Country Christian, Faith Rap, Faith Rock, Great Hymns, Sacred Psalms, Sweet Sounds of Gospel or a mixture?
We make it all available online 24 hours a day, 365 days of the week at LGF Online.
There you can click on the channels button on the online radio dial and select the channel for the style you like.
Or you can click on the search button on the online radio dial and search for your favorite artist or genre. You can create custom channels based on your searches.
For example, I like the songs of Keith Green so I did a search for Keith Green. A custom channel was made for me of Keith Green music. If I just want to listen to Keith Green, I click on custom channels and select Keith Green from the list of my searches. It plays song after song.
How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!" But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?" So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
(Rom 10:14-17 ESV)
This paragraph of Scripture is what drives us to make Bible messages available to be listened to online at LGF Online, LGFinternetChurch.org or GlobalChurchOnline.org . The messages we make available are Christ centric, adhere to Scripture and are relevant to our day. They will grow the faith of each listener.
Many churches and ministries charge for sermons and make CDs available for a price. We don't and we never will. All messages are FREE and we encourage people to burn their own CDs of the messages and distribute them for FREE to friends and family. We trust God that as people listen and their faith grows, they will make donations as they can to help us continue to make these messages available to people all around the world.
We produce one to two fresh Bible messages per week to be listen to online or downloaded. As of date, there are over 4 years of messages available online and they have been listened to by people all around the world. Many who listen do not have local churches available and are in countries where the preaching of the gospel is restricted if not forbidden.
Jesus prepares you for that which He is preparing for you to do. And rest assured that as Jesus is working in your life, He is also working in the lives of those that He will lead you to touch for Him. But we must let go of all traditions and practices that would hinder our obedience.
In Acts 10:1-8 Cornelius, a Gentile, receives specific direction from God as he is praying. The direction is to send men to go get Peter who was staying 30 miles south. God was doing a deep work in Cornelius’ life. He, along with his family, would be radically impacted through Peter’s obedience to Jesus. But first, Peter had to be prepared for that which Jesus was preparing Him.
The next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray. And he became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while they were preparing it, he fell into a trance and saw the heavens opened and something like a great sheet descending, being let down by its four corners upon the earth. In it were all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the air. And there came a voice to him: "Rise, Peter; kill and eat." But Peter said, "By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean." And the voice came to him again a second time, "What God has made clean, do not call common." This happened three times, and the thing was taken up at once to heaven.
(Act 10:9-16 ESV)
Peter separates himself from distractions and goes to the rooftop where he would not be disturbed so that he could pray. It was in prayer that God’s specific instructions came to Cornelius the day prior. We see God doing a work at both end of the lines in both individuals and the conduit of that work in both instances is prayer.
As they pray, divine communication comes to both Cornelius and Peter preparing them both for a divine appointment. As Cornelius prays, an angel is the means of communication. As Peter prays, a vision is the means of communication. The means of the communication differ, but prayer is the common ground or the conduit of the communication. Beloved, the resources of heaven are open to us through prayer and it is in prayer that we will be prepared for what is ahead of us.
I wonder how many appointments we miss and how much preparation in us we forfeit in neglecting to separate ourselves for times of prayer. Prayer needs to be a part of our life and the Holy Spirit will lead us into those times of separation from distractions that we need in order to be prepared for what is ahead of us as we follow Christ and continue His point of need ministry. May God give us much sensitivity to the leading of the Holy Spirit and a desire to separate ourselves from the distractions of our day to spend time in prayer.
The vision that comes to Peter rattles the core of what he has been taught and what he has practiced all of his life. The orthodox Jew adhered to strict food laws as outlined in Leviticus 11:2-47 of the Old Testament. These food laws were given under the old covenant in order to separate the Jews and make them different from the world around them. But, Jesus said that He came to fulfill the old covenant. Now beloved, we have been given a better covenant through Jesus Christ. We see in reading the Old Testament how the old points to the new, but we no longer live in the old as we are active participants in the new.
No doubt Peter heard the teaching of Jesus firsthand when He declared all foods clean and told them that it was not what went into a persons mouth that defiled (Mark 7:14-23). But it’s hard to stop in an instance what one has been practicing for a lifetime, so Peter needed further preparation. To emphasize the instruction, Peter is given the vision, not once or twice, but three times.
Peter recognized the instruction coming from Jesus as we see in his response of “By no means, Lord”, but his reaction is a contradiction. How can you call Jesus “Lord”, but do not do what He says. This is the reaction that still keeps many people from following Jesus. Peter is having a hard time letting go of tradition and what he has practiced all of his life. As we will learn further in the tenth chapter of Acts, Peter will eventually see that Jesus was showing him that He does not favor one group of people over another. He created and loves ALL people and there is no room for discrimination in the Kingdom of God.
May we be quick to let go of traditions and those things that we have practiced all of our life responding in total obedience to Jesus as He prepares us to continue His point of need ministry in our day. He will give us direction, preparing us for ministry opportunities ahead of us, as we pray. But we must let go of all that hinders.
If we seek God, He will find us. As we place all of our trust in Him and allow our faith to control us, He will lead us into all that He has for us and it will be good.
In Acts chapter 10 we see God breaking down racial prejudices so that the Gospel can be shared with all people regardless of their race. There is no room for any discrimination within the church of Jesus Christ. Discrimination will always divide and never unite. In the body of Christ there is unity.
In the beginning of Acts chapter 10 we are introduced to Cornelius. We learn about him and his desire for God. We also learn that if we seek God, He will find us.
At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort, a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God. About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God come in and say to him, "Cornelius." And he stared at him in terror and said, "What is it, Lord?" And he said to him, "Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God. And now send men to Joppa and bring one Simon who is called Peter. He is lodging with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea." When the angel who spoke to him had departed, he called two of his servants and a devout soldier from among those who attended him, and having related everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.
(Act 10:1-8 ESV)
Caesarea was the capital of Judea and was about 30 miles north of Joppa, where Peter was staying with Simon the tanner on the coast (Acts 9:43). God was doing a deep work in Peter and breaking down all prejudices as we will see further evidence of in Acts Chapter 10.
Cornelius, stationed in Caesarea, was a centurion and part of the Italian Cohort. A cohort was a group of 6 centuries which were 100 men each, so a cohort was 600 men. Each century was under the command of one Centurion. Centurions were the backbone of the Roman army and would be equivalent to a modern day Captain. Each Centurion was paid well at five times the pay of an ordinary soldier.
Cornelius was socially prominent and wealthy. Cornelius is proof that it is possible for a person to be socially prominent and wealthy while being a person of faith. Cornelius did not allow his prominence and wealth to control him. He allowed his faith to control him as we know from this paragraph of Scripture.
The evidences of his faith are:
He was devout and feared God. “God-fearer” is a term used in New Testament times for a Gentile who had attached themselves to the Jewish religion. They did not accept circumcision and the Law; but they attended the synagogue and believed in one God.
He gave generously to meet the needs of people. His search for God had made him love people and desire to meet their needs.
He prayed to God continually.
He was quick to obey God’s message when it came.
Cornelius was a Gentile and not a Jew, but he attached himself to the Jewish religion instead of the pagan beliefs of his surroundings. He wanted all that God had for him and really trusted the Lord to guide him in all things. He was certain that what God had for him was good.
Allow your faith to control you. Put all of your trust in the Lord today. He will guide you in all things. All that He has in store for you is good. As you seek Him and do all that you know to do, He will lead you into all that He has for you. Be quick to obey Him. Seek God and let Him find you.
As Christ followers wait for specific direction to come to them from their Lord, they pray and do all that they know to do to continue the point of need ministry of the One they follow. When direction comes it will always be in Christ’s timing and the Christ follower’s obedience to the direction will always result in Christ being exalted.
Acts 9:32-35 gives us account of Peter continuing the point of need ministry of Jesus outside of Jerusalem in a city named Lydda. As He followed Christ there, Peter was used as an instrument in the healing of a man who had been paralyzed and had not walked in 8 years. Jesus healed this man through Peter’s willingness to be His hand extended. Revival broke out in the city as true revival always impacts the community and brings social change to it.
Where would Peter go next? When would he go? How would he know to go? What would he do until he received direction?
Now there was in Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which, translated, means Dorcas. She was full of good works and acts of charity. In those days she became ill and died, and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, urging him, "Please come to us without delay." So Peter rose and went with them. And when he arrived, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood beside him weeping and showing tunics and other garments that Dorcas made while she was with them. But Peter put them all outside, and knelt down and prayed; and turning to the body he said, "Tabitha, arise." And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. And he gave her his hand and raised her up. Then calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive. And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. And he stayed in Joppa for many days with one Simon, a tanner.
(Act 9:36-43 ESV)
Peter followed Christ in point of need ministry in Lydda, until He received the next step. The next step came through unlikely sources that communicated a need. Peter did not delay. He did not put it off explaining that things were happening where he was at that required his attention. When Peter found out there was a need, he got up and went. The need was the call of God. The need was the instruction of Jesus. He received all of the direction he needed to step out in obedience when he was informed of a need.
As a Christ follower, Tabitha was continuing the point of need ministry of Jesus through making undergarments and outer garments and distributing them to the poor in her city. Her city was seeing the love of Christ and the Kingdom of God demonstrated through her actions as she provided for their felt needs, but her godly life and good works did not prevent her from sickness and death. She died and the community, along with the other Christ followers, was grieving at her loss.
When Peter arrived, he separated himself from all distractions and did what Jesus showed him to do; he prayed. He prayed until he knew what to do next. He received his direction through prayer. In a boldness that only comes as a result of prayer and through the unction of the Holy Spirit, he told Tabitha to get up and he presented her to the people alive.
Notice that Peter took no credit for this miracle. All the credit belonged to Jesus. A Christ follower receives direction and obeys. Jesus does the rest. And when Jesus does it, He will be exalted. As a result of this miracle, many in Joppa believed.
All the while, God was doing a deep work in Peter, eliminating all prejudices from his heart so that he could minister at the point of need regardless of race, gender or status. How do we know such a work was being done in Peter? As he stayed in Joppa for many days waiting for his next assignment, notice that Peter stayed with Simon, a tanner. The occupation of a tanner was considered unclean. Because of the stink of the dead animals, the job was carried on outside a town or city. God was doing a work in Peter and he was overcoming the prejudices of a Jew, for he recognized God’s grace in Simon regardless of his race or his occupation.
Direction comes to those who follow Christ and pray. They may receive direction through unlikely sources, but it will come and it will always point to a need that Jesus desires that they meet. As they step out in obedience, Christ is exalted, lives are touched and the Kingdom of God is realized on earth.
Christ followers bring encouragement and healing to people as they continue the point of need ministry of Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Saul deciding to deny self take up his cross and follow Jesus, as recorded in Acts chapter nine, brings peace to the church that had become scattered from Jerusalem due to the persecution spearheaded by Saul. It’s in this peace that we see Peter at the conclusion of Acts chapter nine leaving Jerusalem and visiting those who make up the church in the surrounding areas bringing encouragement and healing to them.
Now as Peter went here and there among them all, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda. There he found a man named Aeneas, bedridden for eight years, who was paralyzed. And Peter said to him, "Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; rise and make your bed." And immediately he rose. And all the residents of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.
(Act 9:32-35 ESV)
Peter went to the people and did not expect them to come to him. Peter could have stayed in Jerusalem and been comfortable as a leader of the early church, but he didn’t. He couldn’t and be a Christ follower. Jesus did not stay in the synagogue on the Sabbath and expect needy people to come to Him. Jesus allowed the Holy Spirit to direct His steps as he went and ministered to people at their point of need every day of the week. And now we see Peter, full of the Holy Spirit, following Jesus and continuing His point of need ministry.
Peter knew that within himself, he could do nothing. He knew the source of healing was Jesus Christ. Through the knowledge given by the Holy Spirit, Peter was able to tell Aeneas that Jesus was healing him. Aeneas had been paralyzed and confined to a bed for eight years. Peter would not dare say these words unless the Holy Spirit prompted Him. He spoke the words and the healing was immediate.
This miracle was instrumental in the residents of Lydda and Sharon deciding to become Christ followers. They could not deny the healing power of Christ when they witnessed this man walking again after eight years of bed confinement.
We need Christ exalting miracles in our day and I believe that they will increase as more and more people decide to shake off the shackles of dead stale religion and deny self, take up the cross and follow Jesus. I believe that in the last days, there will be a supernatural reaping of the harvest of souls that is already ripe for harvest. Christ exalting miracles will draw people to Him. I’m not talking about superstars making a circus out of faith healing. I’m talking about common folk, full of the Holy Spirit, continuing the point of need ministry of Jesus on a daily basis wherever the Holy Spirit directs them.
Christ followers minister encouragement and healing at the point of need. They rely on the prompting of the Holy Spirit knowing that they can not heal, but Christ will heal. They are willing to go instead of wait; act instead of just attend. They know that Jesus will do the rest as they simply follow Him.
The kingdom of God is good news to all who will listen, repent and believe that it is here through Jesus Christ. Entertainment will bring temporary satisfaction, but becoming a citizen of God’s kingdom provides eternal fulfillment.
Many today have turned to entertainment which appeals to the flesh, but does nothing to reconcile us to God and man, nor does it grow God’s kingdom. What is needed today is a genuine move of God through Christ followers who are willing to reveal God’s kingdom through their words and actions resulting in people repenting, believing and being baptized. In Acts 8:9-13 we see a contrast in the impact that an entertainer and a Christ follower has on the public.
Notice the contrast between Simon the magician and Peter the Christ follower.
Simon the Magician:
Was a popular entertainer
Drew attention to himself
Amazed the people with his magic
Peter the Christ Follower:
Revealed the good news about the kingdom of God through his words and actions
Pointed people to Jesus instead of self
Baptized believers as a sign of conversion
The great conclusion of Acts 8:9-13 is that even an entertainer realizes that there is need for something more and that they desire the real over the entertaining.
May God lift up those in our day who will choose the genuine over the entertaining. May we be those who will reveal to our city God’s kingdom through words and actions resulting in repentance, believing, baptizing and social change.
Some believe that Christ favors one group of people over another or one country over another. Here in America, people always say God Bless America. I love my country and I want God to bless where I live, but what about the rest of the world? Christ is for the entire world!
During the days of Christ and His early followers, the Jews did not like the Samaritans. The hostility between the Jews and the Samaritans had lasted a thousand years. It began when the 12 tribes of Israel broke up in the 10th Century BC. Ten tribes made Samaria their capital and the remaining 2 tribes made Jerusalem their capital. In the 7th Century BC, Samaria was captured by Assyria, thousands of people were deported and their land was re-populated with foreigners. The Samaritans intermarried with those of other races. They had lost their racial purity and that for the Jews was an unforgiveable crime. In the 6th century BC, the Jews refused the help of the Samaritans in rebuilding their temple. In the 4th century BC, the Samaritans built a rival temple on Mount Gerizim. This really upset the Jews.
But, Christ came into our world and specifically reached out to the Samaritans (John 4). In the paragraph of Scripture found in Acts 8:4-8, we find that the early Christ followers are discovering that Christ is for all the world and we see them reaching out to the Samaritans just as Christ had done.
Note in Acts 8:4-8 what Christ followers brought to these people:
The message of the love of God in Jesus Christ
Health Care
Joy
As we follow Christ and allow the Holy Spirit to use us in continuing the point of need ministry of Jesus, we will discover that Christ is for the entire world. We will put faith before country and develop a worldview that includes all of God’s children no matter where they live. May God bless the world!
The Kingdom of God is advanced as Christ followers put their faith in action.
In Acts chapter 7, Stephen puts his faith in action. He was being accused of blasphemy against the Temple and the Law. The ones who were making the false accusations were the same ones who made false accusations concerning Jesus. They were the same ones who placed a death sentence on Jesus. This was unjust and it compelled Stephen to stand for what is right.
At the end of Stephen’s address in Acts chapter 7, those who make the false accusations become angry and violently take Stephen’s life. “And Saul approved of his execution. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison. Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word.” (Act 8:1-4 ESV)
Acts chapter 8 begins by declaring the result of Stephen putting his faith into action. The result was both powerful and in fulfillment of Jesus’ prophecy when He said “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." (Act 1:8 ESV) Because Stephen was full of the Holy Spirit and put his faith in action, the kingdom of God is forced beyond the borders of the city of Jerusalem and extended to other people groups.
Notice with me some truths located in this paragraph of Scripture:
•Putting faith into action is the right thing to do.
•Putting faith into action costs us something.
•Putting faith into action will advance God’s kingdom.
As we follow Christ and allow the Holy Spirit to use us in continuing the point of need ministry of Jesus, we will put our faith in action advancing God’s kingdom beyond any ethnic, racial and gender boundaries and extend it to ALL people in our sphere of influence and beyond. It will cost us something, but Christ followers counted the cost when they denied their self, took up their cross and followed Jesus.
Religionists live and die for religion and tradition hanging on to the status quo with a white knuckled intensity.Christ followers live and die for Christ and for Christ alone.
All through Acts chapter 7, Stephen is giving a defense in response to the religionist of His day trying desperately to hang on to the status quo.They feel threatened that Jesus and His followers were going to bring change to their religious structures including the Temple and the Law.Instead of embracing the change that Christ brings, they resort to lies and the spreading of fear in order to hang on to what they are accustomed (Acts 6:8-15). They believe that they are doing God a favor. Stephen takes a stand for faith and justice.He lives and dies for Christ and Christ alone.
In the paragraph of Scripture as given to us in Acts 7:54-60, the religionists break the Roman law which prohibits them from executing a death sentence. As a mob, they react to Stephen's stand for faith and justice.They kill the messenger and God's instrument of grace.Instead of making the right choice, repenting of their religious ways and following Christ, they make the wrong choice and choose religion over Christ.Their actions show how religion is full of anger and leads to death and not life.
As I read this paragraph of Scripture, it is Stephen's reaction that catches my eye and speaks volumes into my life.Notice with me:
Stephen the Christ follower, even in death, kept his eyes fixed on Jesus who is the author and perfecter of faith (Acts 7:55).
Stephen the Christ follower left this world praying to Jesus and releasing himself to Jesus' care (Acts 7:59).
Stephen the Christ follower prayed for his enemies as they violently attacked and killed him (Acts 7:60).
What a picture of Christ portrayed by a follower!
Religionists hang on to the status quo, they lie, spread fear, grow angry and even kill, but not Christ followers.Christ teaches His followers how to live and how to die, not how to kill.He teaches His followers how to stand for faith and justice.He teaches His followers how to pray, even for those who mistreat and abuse them due to their Christ exalting stand.
Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus and allow Him to perfect your faith on your journey from earth to glory (Hebrews 12:2).It is an exciting and rewarding journey.
God is neither contained nor confined to an individual country or religious structures including finite theological boxes, multi-million dollar mega church facilities and small local church buildings.God is with His children and His activity is never inhibited.
In Acts chapter 7, Stephen is giving a defense in response to the religionist of His day trying desperately to hang on to the status quo.They feel threatened that Jesus and His followers were going to bring change to their religious institution.Instead of embracing the change that God is bringing, they resort to lies and the spreading of fear.Stephen takes a stand for faith and justice.
In the first paragraph of chapter 7, Stephen refers to Abraham.In the second paragraph, he paints them a picture of Joseph.Next Stephen talks about Moses. After this, Stephen addresses religious structure in Acts 7:44-53. The religionists had just accused Stephen of speaking against the Temple, what they consider the holy place, and the Law (Acts 6:13).
In these paragraphs of Scripture, Stephen is showing the religionists of his day two main points:
God is with His children and His activity is never inhibited.God was with Abraham in Mesopotamia.God was with Joseph when He was sold into slavery by his own family, when he was falsely accused and put in prison, and when he was raised into power in the land of Egypt and used to save two entire nations.God was with Moses floating down the Nile as a baby, when he was raised in the Egyptian palace, when he was tending sheep in Median, when he delivered his people out of slavery and led them into the wilderness for 40 years on the way to the Promised Land.
The religionists could not even keep the law that they were accusing him of speaking against.They had rejected and killed God’s prophetic messengers who always stood for faith and justice and pointed people to the Righteous One to come.And when the Righteous One did come and stand for faith and justice, they also rejected and killed Him.
This speaks to us today as we still have religionist trying to contain and confine God to a specific place or a set of rules and regulations.God is the Creator; how can the maker of everything be confined within man-made structures?Jesus came and replaced the Temple and fulfilled the Law.He has made God’s children the dwelling place of God and everywhere they go, God is there.
There are lessons here that we can learn and not be like the religionists:
God is everywhere; the creator is with His creation.
God’s activity is never inhibited.
Today’s prophetic messengers are those who will always stand for faith and justice while pointing people to Jesus Christ.
God is not found in a set of man-made, denominational rules and regulations - Jesus came and set us free from all of that bondage.
We are to always resist fear and not the Holy Spirit and the changes that He brings for the good of all people.
Stiff-necked religious people who resist the Holy Spirit will never be used of God to bring about change for all people.Those who follow Christ will stand for faith and justice and be used of God to bring much needed change for all people.Scriptures declare this truth through and through.
Some think holy ground is found in a church building, at an altar, a certain location, and piece of land or country.We need to understand where to find holy ground.
In Acts chapter 7, Stephen is giving a defense in response to the religionist of His day trying desperately to hang on to the status quo.They feel threatened that Jesus and His followers were going to bring change to their religious institution.Instead of embracing the change that God is bringing, they resort to lies and spreading fear.Stephen takes a stand for faith and justice.
In the first paragraph of chapter 7, Stephen refers to Abraham.In the second paragraph, he paints them a picture of Joseph.Next in Acts 7:17-43, Stephen talks about Moses.The religionists had just accused Stephen of wanting to change the customs that Moses delivered to them (Acts 6:14).
In these paragraphs of Scripture, Stephen traced the life and the ministry of Moses through three periods of Moses’ life.Each period lasted 40 years.
The Egyptian period – This is the first 40 years where Moses is saved from death, delivered to the Egyptian palace and educated.During this period, Moses never lost sight of his Hebrew connection which led him to take a stand for Justice.
The Midianite period – Moses own people rejected his stand for justice this led him from the palace to the backside of the desert to tend sheep.It was in this period that Moses was molded and shaped to enter into his destiny in God’s timing.It was there that Moses found holy ground.
The Wilderness period – In God’s timing, after 400 years of slavery, Moses was used to deliver his people from captivity.This led him into a wilderness experience along with his people.He was allowed to get a glimpse of the promise land, but was not allowed to enter in, yet by faith, he held onto the promise that his people would.
The lesson to learn from the experiences of Moses is that God is everywhere.He is with us through all periods of our life.He is with us through the good times and the bad times constantly molding and shaping us to enter into our destiny.Some will refuse to ever change with us and some will reject us because of our stand for faith and justice, but God will be with us.He will never reject us or forsake us.
We also see that holy ground is not found in a building, in a certain location, among a particular group of people or associated with any land.Moses found holy ground on the back side of the desert tending sheep.Moses learned that the holy place is wherever God may be and that God is always with us.Stephen’s audience had not learned this valuable truth.
Holy ground is where God is and God is everywhere we go.May we learn it, believe it and always trust in it.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (Heb 12:1-2 ESV)
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