Tag: Paul

Without Love…

Romans 13:8-10

Have you ever took a moment to consider, why the state of this present world continues to decline as the days go by? Men have seemingly lost touch with any sense of morality, thus causing them to do all sorts of wicked things in the earth. Children have no respect for parents, or any authority. Governments care more for power and control, rather than meeting the needs of the people. Even the weather seems to be behaving in unusual ways.

The Bible mentions, in the last days, these things, and more would begin to take place. But, if men would only acknowledge, and obey the apostle Paul’s inspired instructions in the book of Romans, most, if not all the world would avoid the current, and inevitable times of chaos and destruction. Paul wrote, “Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.” Make sense? I certainly think so.

Manifold Wisdom

Ephesians 3

While it is impossible to fully understand the ways of God, because His thoughts and ways are not like our own, it is possible to navigate through life by His wisdom. Man’s wisdom is solely based on human understanding, and knowledge of things known, but the God of heaven gives His people insight and strategy beyond what the eyes of men can see. The children of God suffer in the earth in similar ways as those of the world. For example, those who are the righteousness of God, also suffer sickness, struggle financially, and even deal with the tedious rigmarole of the workplace. Fortunately, God helps His children endure the struggles of life, while maintaining the proper perspective. Worldly men consider suffering as punishment, or lack of effort to be better. While there is truth to that statement, some suffering is necessary to keep people humbled, or protected from potential circumstances. God’s wisdom guides and protects the Saints through all their daily occurrences. Whether meandering through the grocery store, or visiting sick loved ones, there’s never a moment when we should refuse to acknowledge the manifold wisdom of God.

Peacemakers 2

Matthew 5:9-12

In a world of continual chaos and uproar, those who are united with God, through Christ Jesus, must uphold the standard of peace, so that others can hold fast to the hope of a secure eternity with the Father. The church of today, has a mandate to represent holiness, despite the cost. It’s unfortunate that we are living during the end-times, when many have fallen away from the faith, but there is a remnant of believers who have not bowed to the standards of the world, yet strive to maintain a holy, righteous, and peaceful lifestyle, on a consistent basis.

People around the globe are suffering in some capacity, and are desperately searching for peace. Some are dealing with sickness or the loss of loved ones, while others find it hard to keep money in their pockets or food in their homes. With all that’s going on in life, it seems impossible to find a mere ounce of peace. God sees the struggle of man, and desires that none perish, but all come to repentance. God does care about His prized creation, but He wants us to shift our focus off our problems for a moment, and back to what’s important; eternal security. God will take care of His people, but He’s more concerned with the state of their souls.

While the world entertains fear and uncertainty, the children of God should be known for maintaining hope and peace. There should be a noticeable difference in the behavior between those who are of God, and those who are lost. For example, when facing a season of trial and suffering, rather than act as if all is lost and hopeless, we should show men that our God is still in control, despite our possible setbacks. There were many in Scripture who suffered greatly, yet maintained a righteous standard through their suffering. A few examples include Joseph, Hannah, Jeremiah, and the apostle Paul.

God’s grace is sufficient for His people, and His strength is made perfect in their weakness. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7). This truth should encourage believers to change their perspective on their view of life, and shift God’s agenda to top priority. Only through the power of God’s Spirit, can we find the peace that helps us endure all manner of hard times and difficult situations.

Blessed Redemption

Galatians 1:20-24

20 Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not.
21 Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia;
22 And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ:
23 But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed.
24 And they glorified God in me.

Everyone deserves a second chance in life, even the man who once persecuted God’s people without hesitation. How do you handle those who were once unruly, but God turned them for good? Do you hold grudges against people whom you once despised, or do you offer a helping hand, to assist them on the path of holy and righteous living?

Glory To God

Acts 16:11-15, 40; 1 Corinthians 1:26-30

Without God, there’s nothing man can do while he yet lives in the earth. Without the breath of life God breathes into men, their very existence would be a mere afterthought. Without the strength and ability granted by God, being productive in this life would be impossible. Without intellect, wisdom and common sense, it would be hard for anyone to grow in stature or status in society. Man has developed a bad habit of giving glory to themselves, honoring the fact that their might, nobility, or stature is what causes them to do great things in the earth. While it seems that many actually do prosper, none of their supposed prosperity would be possible without God allowing it.

King David set the ideal example of how to conduct oneself on all levels of life. David walked in humility, even when multiple opportunities to boast were set before him. Even the apostle Paul recognized that giving glory to God over all else was priority when he wrote, “I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.” (Phil. 4:12).

God doesn’t often call those who walk after the flesh, are mighty in the earth, or are held in high esteem in society, instead, the Bible mentions, “God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty, and base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and the things which are not, to bring to nought things that are.” (vs. 27-28). God allows this so that “NO FLESH SHOULD GLORY IN HIS PRESENCE”. Flesh is a mess, and always competes for God’s glory. This attitude stems from the same pride harbored by Lucifer, when he desired to be above God in Heaven.

Men today, as in the past, can become so full of pride and haughtiness, until they’ll seek to bring attention to themselves, rather than boast in the Lord, who alone causes men to rise and fall. Give it your best effort to walk diligently in humility, and avoid taking any credit for all the wonderful things God does for you, on a daily basis.

A Church United

1 Corinthians 1:8-25

The moment you begin to put your faith and trust in a man or woman, is the very moment you will begin to have divisions among you: You, meaning, the church. The faith of those who are the church, should be directed toward our Lord Jesus Christ, and the faithful God who made it possible for mankind to enjoy the privilege of fellowshipping with His Son. Unity among believers is where the foundation of their influence resides. When all members of the body of Christ speak the same thing, and operate in their function wholeheartedly, there will be no room for division or discord to take up space.

The church at Corinth had found themselves in contention among the members, thus causing the apostle Paul to reach out to them with strong words of correction and restoration. Paul heard how the church had become divided concerning whom they supposedly joined allegiance to. Some claimed to be of Paul and Apollos, while others took sides with Peter and Christ. I’m uncertain how these people allowed themselves to fall into such an ignorant state, but the Corinthians were known for jumping from fad to fad, so they were undoubtedly influenced by some unhealthy social thing going on during their era.

The apostle Paul wisely distinguished himself from Christ, then proceeded to educate the confused church on the importance of the Gospel, and Christ crucified. When you find yourself among those who give more relevance to a man than God, pray for them, then ask God to open their eyes to see that only through Him, can their lives have meaning, purpose, and reach its full potential. Man can only do so much for you, but God can take your life and make it worthwhile, through His Son, Jesus Christ.

Missionary Journey

Acts 16:35-40

The apostle Paul and those who accompanied him, had finally prepared to take the Gospel to Europe; more specifically, to Philippi in Macedonia. History records that Philippi is the place of the decisive battle which ended the Roman republic in 42 B.C., and Paul desired to establish a church here also.

As the men of God began to explore the city, they noticed a place where prayer was being made near a river side. As they approached the place of prayer, they sat down and ministered to the women who were gathered there. One woman, in particular, who worshipped God, had her heart opened while hearing the words being spoken of the missionaries. Lydia, a seller of purple, attended to, or took great delight in the words spoken of the men, and was baptized, along with her entire household. She then constrained the men to stay in her house for a while, so that she could show them hospitality. God always provides a place of refuge and provision for those who seek to do His will, no matter how far they venture.

Paul’s journey into Philippi may have started out well, but would soon become rather troublesome. The apostle Paul and those who were joined with him, had made a routine of attending prayer during their stay in Europe, but as they went, there was a young girl possessed with a spirit of divination, who followed them daily saying, “These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew us the way of salvation.” Although what the woman said was true, the purpose of satan was to discredit the message of the apostles by making the people think they were in cahoots with demon spirits who were making this announcement through a demonic medium. In other words, this woman worked deviously to bring profits to her masters, and the people would think the same was being done with Paul.

After Paul perceived the purpose of the demon then cast it out, the men immediately took the apostles and brought them unto the rulers to be judged. In these lands, it was known that Romans were very zealous for their national worship, and weren’t keen on introducing new religions, so without being given a fair trial, the apostles were beaten, then thrown into the inner prison, or dungeon. Spreading the Gospel of Jesus was indeed the will of God for the apostles, but inevitable opposition was a byproduct of doing so.

While in jail, Paul and Silas began to pray and sing praises at midnight, and immediately, there was a great earthquake. When life comes at you hard, do you find yourself singing and praying, or crying and moaning? In any case, the earthquake shook the foundations of the prison so much, until all the doors were opened. This was the perfect opportunity for the men of God to escape, since they were unjustly thrown in prison. The keeper of the prison had awaken from his sleep, and assumed the men had escaped, so he decided to take his own life, knowing that he would eventually die at the hands of his leaders. Before the man could take his life, Paul cried out with a loud voice saying, “Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.” (vs. 28). Can you imagine how the keeper of the prison must have felt after hearing those words? The man was so humbled by this experience, until he literally ran to where the apostles were and asked, “what must I do to be saved?”.

We never know how things will turn out, or who we will reach on our journey to spread the Gospel, but if we stay true to God’s Word, abstain from evil, and walk in humility, God will make ways for us, no matter how bad the opposition is that comes against us.

Mind Your Business

Acts 18:12-17

“Sweep around your own front door, before you try to sweep around mine…Take six months to mind your own business, and take six months to leave other folks alone.” Those are words from a popular, yet very truthful song written and composed by the legendary Williams Brothers. Oftentimes, people focus more on the goings on of others, without properly managing the business in their own lives. Ironically, this unfortunate circumstance is prevalent amongst those in the body of Christ. While the church is supposed to be the representation of godliness in the earth, their efforts are continually disturbed by satan and his evil forces, but there are also some who just live to mind the business of others.

God commanded unity in the church, but it’s a daily struggle to fight against the enemy, while trying to keep the love of God in our hearts. There are many who stand strong against the wiles of the devil, but there are also a great number of those who have confessed repentance of their sins, yet haven’t fully let go of their “old man” characteristics. This is why men who seem to be great in God in some aspects, often struggle with personal misjudgments. But, the power of God is still potent enough to empower all who fully commit themselves to His plan, to endure through all oppression and opposition.

Jesus often dealt with the scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees; men who sought only to silence His message, without attempting to grasp a proper understanding of His words. These men would plot, plan, and conjure up all types of wicked schemes to try to bring Jesus to an end. The same happened to the apostle Paul in our text, and on multiple occasions. Men hated Paul for simply preaching the truth, and they went to great lengths to try and have him silenced, imprisoned, or put to death. Rather than seek godly wisdom and understanding of Paul’s words (as one would think they should do, seeing that these Jewish men knew about the Messiah, just not in the sense they assumed), these men preferred to kill him. In fact, the chief ruler of the synagogue had been converted to Christ, which ruffled the feathers of the cold-hearted Jews the more.

Throughout the Bible, men and women who stayed true to God, were never free from contention. Whether the attacks came from satan and his minions, or ignorant church folk, the faithful few stood strong against their opposition, while God fought on their behalf. Mind not those who seem to have more time on their hands to worry about your life, than their own. Rather than argue, fight, or bicker against them, remain consistent in your humility, and speaking the truth of God’s Word. This way, God can freely fight for you, and you may possibly convince some to give their hearts to the Lord.