Divine Connection

Acts 8:26-35

“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9). God cares for all men, whether they do evil, or good. In fact, one of God’s most amazing and unappreciated characteristics is, His patience. Oftentimes, men take for granted, the time God grants them in the earth, but soon that time will expire.

King Solomon helps us understand, “The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.” (Prov. 15:3). God wants all men to submit themselves to His will and authority, so they can reap the best benefits of this life, and the next. Unfortunately, the world has become so corrupt to the point men, women, and children alike, are dying at unfathomable rates. Many pass away too soon, before they can even begin to enjoy the benefits that come with living a saved life. God the Father sees all, knows all, and desires that all come to Him, before their time is cut short. For this reason, the Spirit of God works through those who are attuned to His will, and joins them with others who diligently seek the truth of God’s Word. God is good, and His mercy endures forever, so all who have a strong desire to known Him, will indeed discover the depths of His unparalleled love, grace, and mercy.

Our text introduces a certain man; one who was of great authority, and served under queen Candace of the Ethiopians, who had come to Jerusalem to worship. While it may seem strange for an Ethiopian eunuch to seek worship in Jerusalem, tradition tells that king Solomon taught his religion to the queen of Sheba, who established it among her people. So it was only right for the man to travel to give honor to the God of the great king Solomon. As the man sat in his chariot, he struggled to understand the readings of the prophet Isaiah. It’s evident he had a desire for godliness, but couldn’t grasp its concepts. This was the perfect opportunity for God to connect a man seeking the truth, with another who understood and lived the truth.

During this time, persecution of the church had elevated to astounding rates (spearheaded by Saul, who had recently ordered the death of Stephen), yet the apostles and disciples of Christ continued to branch out to spread the Gospel to different lands. While watching the Ethiopian man from Heaven, struggling to understand the Word, God sent an angel to Philip, instructing him to get up, and go to Gaza. Not knowing the reason for the urgent request, Philip arose and did as he was instructed. When he arrived, the Spirit told Philip to join himself to the same chariot which the Ethiopian man sat upon. I’m certain God was smiling, as He observed the willing and obedient servant, approaching the chariot of someone seeking to know and abide by the truth. After Philip literally ran to meet the man, the Bible says, “Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.” (vs. 35).

God knows what we have need of, and He always has someone in place, to assist in whatever way possible. The Ethiopian man may have left his estate with questions, but I’m certain he arrived back home with more than he expected. Trust God to help you find answers to questions you may have concerning His Word, or life in general. When you seek God with all your heart, He’ll always send someone to help you gain a better understanding of those hard things you are unable to grasp.

“I Surrender All”

Mark 12:28-34

The first of all the commandments requires total surrender of all aspects of man, to the supremacy and sovereignty of the almighty God. When asked by a scribe, “Which is the first commandment of all?”, Jesus plainly stated, “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength:” (vs. 30). If a man did just what Jesus mentioned, there would be little, to no room for that man to error, or turn away from God.

There are many who pour all their strength into their jobs or careers, so much until they have little energy to bathe and eat when they get home (maybe I’m included in that bunch, or maybe not…I won’t tell). There are also people who devote their minds to science and research, that takes hours upon hours of their lives away, as they barely even scratch the surface of what they aim to discover. Then, there are those who literally give their souls to a mate, and can do nothing else, except daydream about that person, night and day. The last group of individuals can be found devoting their hearts to special causes and charities, so much that they desire only to meet the needs of those things they support, while neglecting to allocate time for other important things.

Could you imagine, if the church as a whole, loved the Lord with ALL their heart, soul, mind, and strength? What would the body of Christ look like today, if all members were totally committed to kingdom business? What if all preachers preached the unadulterated proclamations of Scripture, without defiling it to please itching ears? What if teachers taught the words of Jesus, so that men could gain a better understanding of their purpose in the earth? What if gossip, lying, cheating, and all other wicked vices were non-existent among those who claim to be followers of Christ? If all God’s people truly obeyed the first of all the commandments, then I’m apt to believe many who are lost today, would surrender their lives to God, because the church would have a much greater impact in the earth, if all members were totally in love with Lord.

It’s okay to ask God for what you want, but don’t be surprised when He gives you what you need.” – Ell

A Moment With The King

Matthew 24:3-14

If you could spend a day with Christ, what questions would you ask Him? Would your concerns cater more to events from your past, present, or future? Would you want to know the answers to why certain things happened in your life, that no one could explain, or would you prefer to know how your life would eventually end up? If I could ask Jesus anything, I’d first question His unyielding love for a people, who continually dishonor His name. I would also want to learn the full extent of the love He has for all men. I would then ask Him for advice, on how to remain strong in difficult times, as He once experienced in the Garden of Gethsemane. Being in the presence of Christ, would cause my mind to be filled with a multitude of thoughts, questions, and concerns, but I would probably just enjoy being near Him, until my day in His presence was over.

The disciples of Jesus, were always at liberty to bring to Him, any and all concerns they had. One day, as the Son of God sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him secretly, with a matter they didn’t wish to share with others. The disciples were concerned about the words Jesus had previously spoken in reference to the eventual destruction of Jerusalem. These men also sought clarity on the signs of Jesus’s second coming, as well as the end of the world. These were actually legit concerns that Jesus didn’t hesitate to respond to.

As His disciples, Jesus always made sure to make things clear for them, even when they didn’t fully believe, nor understand His words. Jesus explained, the beginning of sorrows will be made known during the time of great deception; when many shall come in His name, and deceive many saying, “I am Christ”. In addition to great deception, the world will experience wars, rumours of wars, nations rising against one another, famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. If the disciples thought those signs were hard pills to swallow, Jesus was just getting started. Not only would the world experience deception and earthly devastation, but the disciples themselves, would face harsh persecution, and even death, for Christ’s name sake. But, in the midst of all this sorrow, they are commanded to continue preaching the Gospel of the kingdom of God, to all the world.

I’m not sure whether or not the disciples were motivated to preach while walking down from the mount of Olives that day, but Jesus’ words were nothing but truth, and some have already been manifested to this day. In the year 2020, many have claimed to be messengers of God, while deceiving hundreds and even thousands into believing their wicked doctrines. Also, the earth has experienced all types of famines, earthquakes, viruses and diseases, and all other types of devastation.

We are truly experiencing the prophetic end-times, and like the disciples, we too must strive to spread the Gospel of God, to all nations. Whether we are scheduled to face persecution, affliction, or even death, the duty of all believers is to endure unto the end. Only through perseverance, can the race be won, and all who wait on the Lord, will be saved.

Why does the living man complain?

Ell

Like A Boss!!!

Numbers 3:11-13

Questions: Why did God create the heaven, and the earth? Why did God organize the sun, moon, stars, seas, land, trees, plants, and animals the way they are, even today? Why did God create a man? Why did God create a man in His image, after His likeness, and with the freedom to choose? Why did God put the man to sleep, then remove a rib from his body (the lower rib, which is capable of regeneration… cool, right?), and create a woman (man with a womb)? Why did God give the man dominion over the whole earth? Why did God kill an animal, in order to clothe the man and woman, after they had sinned (when they saw they were naked)? Why did God shorten the lifespan of man, after removing them from their godly habitation? Why did God continue to bless the man and woman, even after they willingly sinned in His sight? Why did God tell Noah to build an ark, when no man had ever seen rain? Why did God command Abraham to leave his country, kindred, and his father’s house, in order for his purpose to be initiated? Why did God tell Moses (even with his speech impediment), to confront Pharoah, and demand that he release the children of God from slavery? Why did God allow Joseph to suffer, rather than make his path to glory easy? Why did God allow Job to suffer greatly, while even losing his ten children? Why did God forgive king David, after getting a man killed, to cover up his affair with that same man’s wife? Why did God entrust king Solomon with more wisdom than any man who ever lived? Why did God speak so vividly through the prophets, trusting that they would deliver His words, just as He had spoken them? Why did God send His Son, to save a world that cares more for themselves, than His everlasting love? Why did God deposit His power into 12 “Average Joes”, and allow them to perform miracles by His Son’s name? Why did God allow His only begotten Son to be beaten, bruised, abused, tortured, shamed, embarrassed, speared, spit on, mocked, ridiculed, slandered, and disrespected publicly? Why did God provide a plan of salvation, so that all could have the opportunity and privilege to come to repentance? Why did God allow you to be born? What makes you so special, until God wanted you to exist in a time such as this? Have you ever considered, you are still here to help reveal the power and majesty of the everlasting God to men of this perverse generation? Have you wondered why those goals and dreams you’ve been trying to reach since graduating high school, have yet to be attained? Could it be, God has other plans in mind for your life? Why does God allow sin to run rampant in the earth? Why won’t He just empower all His people to zap away every demonic force forever? Why does God rain on the just, and the unjust? Why did God preserve His Word, all these years? Answer: Because He’s the Boss!!!

Keep your chin up… it’s easier to see Heaven that way,

Ell

Weigh the evidence carefully

Deuteronomy 19:15-20

If all members of the body of Christ loved each other as they were commanded to, according to Scripture, then there would be no reason to establish matters concerning false witnesses and reports. This is because, the love of God that dwells in each individual would permeate so deep in their hearts, until any thought of evil, or deception would be clipped at the root, before being birthed from the lips. Rather than seek to deceive, or manipulate a brother or sister, members would instead look for opportunities to bless them at all times. God is giving, and gracious in doing so, and those who abide in His love have the capability of operating in like manners. Unfortunately, men are fickle, and tend to give in to the pressures of sin, which cause them to turn against the brethren in the church.

In those moments, when someone brings up a false report against another, our text teaches that the two involved parties are to come before those in charge of handling such matters, in order to find the truth of that matter. In addition, one man’s word alone isn’t enough to convict the accused, but two or three witnesses are required to validate the alleged report. This is similar to our court system today, where it takes more than one man’s word to convict another, because witnesses and evidence must be presented to prove the assumed claims. God stands for truth, and shuns lies, so in order to rightly justify, or sentence a man for a claim, the matter was to be carefully investigated by judges, who were instructed to make “diligent inquisition” of, or carefully and thoroughly seek the truth of reported cases. It’s never a good thing to quickly condemn someone based on a false accusation, without thoroughly seeking the truth, because you could be responsible for wrongfully judging an innocent man, and according to this text, if it’s discovered that the accusation was indeed false, then the one who presented the lie would be judged by the same judgment he intended to be brought upon the innocent.

This example was intended to bring fear in all who were present at the hearing of such cases, so that they would think twice about making the same mistake of falsely accusing their brother or sister.

Bearing false witness sucks on so many levels because, if you claim to have the love of God in your heart, how could you even imagine thinking evil of your own people? Love covers a multitude of faults, so even if you witnessed a fellow believer fall, or make a mistake, you don’t put their fault on blast, instead you approach them in brotherly love, and hope they receive your rebuke in love as well.

“Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil. Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:25-32).

Walk in love,

Ell