Security in an unpredictable world…

Yesterday I again read the good news, a message from God that is almost too amazing to believe:

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:6–8)

It was this good news that changed the world, beginning with it preached by the first Christians. It is summed up in this verse:

And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith. (Acts 6:7)

Again, this is amazing. The religious men who wanted Jesus crucified became believers, God opened their eyes and their lives were forever changed. But not all of them.

A disciple named Stephen gave the Jews a big-picture history lesson. It reminded them of all that God had done to secure them as His people, yet he did not whitewash the story. He included their disobedience and his message ended with these words:

Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord, or what is the place of my rest? Did not my hand make all these things? You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it. (Acts 7:49–53)

Those who listened were not part of the number who multiplied or the priests that believed. Instead…

Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him. Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep. (Acts 7:54–60)

Only one convert is mentioned this time, eventually. But he already knew the story and it was not the message that softened his heart, nor was any softening even visible. The next verse said “Saul approved of his execution” and he went on to “ravage the church” and put Christians in prison. He continued to arrest them with threat to kill them. However, in a short time this Saul who watched Stephen die for his faith and forgive those who killed him was confronted by the risen Christ. This one convert in the hands of God became Paul whom He used to change many lives.

PRAY: God, You are always a surprise. When our lives do this \/\/\/\/\, You are with us and Your ways are not our ways. Your story of the OT and of the NT early church is filled with things that make me say “Only GOD” and so glad that You sometimes let me see some of Your secrets and Your plans. Thank You for being the anchor, the solid place where I can be secure, no matter what You reveal, no matter what happens to me.

 

Good intentions are not enough

Judges 2; Jeremiah 15; Mark 1; Acts 6

Ever wonder why life is filled with challenges? The ancient Israelites knew; an angel told them . . .

Now the angel of the Lord went up from Gilgal to Bochim. And he said, “I brought you up from Egypt and brought you into the land that I swore to give to your fathers. I said, ‘I will never break my covenant with you, and you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall break down their altars.’ But you have not obeyed my voice. What is this you have done? So now I say, I will not drive them out before you, but they shall become thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare to you.” As soon as the angel of the Lord spoke these words to all the people of Israel, the people lifted up their voices and wept. And they called the name of that place Bochim. And they sacrificed there to the Lord. (Judges 2:1–5)

This Bible passage goes on to say that God did not drive out those nations His people had failed to drive out. He left them “in order to test Israel by them, whether they will take care to walk in the way of the Lord as their fathers did, or not.”

By the time of Jeremiah, not much had changed. Paganism ruled God’s people and God said, “Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my heart would not turn toward this people. Send them out of my sight and let them go! And when they ask you, ‘Where shall we go?’ you shall say to them  . . . . ‘Those who are for pestilence, to pestilence, and those who are for the sword, to the sword; those who are for famine, to famine, and those who are for captivity, to captivity.’” (Jeremiah 15:1–2)

For decades God tested His people. Even though a remnant held their faith, the pattern repeated itself; they did not listen or obey and without God’s empowering, they not only would not but could not. They needed something more than good intentions. I am just like that.

The answer came — for them and for me. Mark tells the story beginning with a prophecy that God would send a messenger to prepare the way of the Lord and . . .

John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” (Mark 1:4–8)

Years of good intentions did not result in faithful obedience; they needed the Holy Spirit. But first they had to see what happens in a person filled with the Spirit and totally yielded to God . . .

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” (Mark 1:9–11)

Jesus began His ministry with similar words that His people had been hearing for centuries: “The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” Only this time it was different — not ‘repent and obey’ but ‘repent and believe the gospel’ — the good news that God sent His Son to forgive and empower, to make obedience possible to those who repent, believe and are filled with the Holy Spirit. And Jesus showed them the Spirit’s power as He healed, cleansed, cast out demons.

Their forgiveness and new life required a death and a resurrection. Jesus died for them, rose again, returned to glory and “The word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.” (Acts 6:7) The world has never been the same yet all this is summed up by a sober lesson from my devotional book: “Even after times of spectacular revival, reformation, or covenantal renewal, the people of God are never more than a generation or two from infidelity, unbelief, massive idolatry, disobedience, and wrath. God help us.”

APPLY: God will help us. All I must do is yield to Him, be filled with the Holy Spirit and not rely on my good intentions. They may sound honorable but they will not suffice. I need God, even to read all this and realize how much I need Him.