Blog

July 26, 2020

– Today’s Christian is often consumed with the political scene. Yet, Jesus and His disciples were unfazed by the political threat that faced them. They didn’t spend all their time complaining and trying to protest or overthrow the government. Instead, they were relentless in sharing the Gospel message all over the place: even in the face of death, since every one of the original apostles except for John was murdered, or martyred, for their faith.

– They faced much worse political threats, not just of losing their rights but of losing their very lives, yet it did not hinder their efforts. In fact, it motivated them to teach, and witness, and share even more. And they led with a love that truly desired to bring people of differing opinions to a place of healing, forgiveness, redemption, and salvation. To put it in simple terms, they were relentless in sharing the Gospel message above all other concerns, regardless of the political, societal, or personal threat.

– In Acts, chapter 4, when Peter and John were arrested and beaten for healing a man and teaching in the Name of Jesus, notice their response to an imminent threat from the governing body.

Acts 4:18-20
So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”

– I want you to see something here. “Whether it is right, in the sight of God, to listen to you more than to God, you judge.” In other words, Peter and John, didn’t take the bait. They refused to argue. They didn’t get caught up in the debate. It’s like they were saying, whether we should go to the right or the left, you be the judge, you decide.

– They knew their only path was to go straight ahead by sharing the Gospel message. If this is how the early church started, and flourished, and multiplied around the world, led by the Holy Spirit with power, then why are we doing things differently today?

– When tempted to be pulled into a political debate, or to lean on human efforts trying to heal our land, we need to be like Peter and John and resolutely declare, “Whether it is right to listen to God more than men and women, you be the judge, you decide. As for me, I am going to follow Jesus, and trust my God, and seek His face, and allow the Holy Spirit to change me, and move through me to bring hope and peace to this world!

– Jesus Christ is the hope of the world, and since He lives in the hearts of those who have committed their lives unto Him, we need to be active in sharing our faith with the world. We have the truth the world needs.

A Father’s Day Blessing – June 21, 2020

John 1:12-13
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His Name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 

– God chose us to be His children. When we acknowledge Him, turn from our sins, and ask Him to come live in our hearts and give us a new life, we experience a spiritual rebirth. It is by the Spirit of God that we see, acknowledge, and follow God as our eternal Father.

Romans 8:14-16
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.

– This connection may have been severed long ago in the garden, but because of the perfect love of God who persevered and never gave up to restore His children to Himself, we have the blessings of living forever in the presence of our Father and our entire family of God!

– If you have found yourself in bondage to your past, to your present, to depression, to apathy, or simply a loss in connection, allow your spirit to cry out today, “Abba, Father.”

– It is the Father Connection that your spirit continually yearns for in all its fullness. It is the answer that the world is looking for today!