March 2014 – Page 2 of 2 – Sonshine's Journal

March 7, 2014

Sharing Your Faith to the Almost Persuaded….

What do Felix, Festus, King Agrippa and Bernice all have in common with the rich man in Luke 16? They all in some way said that they were almost persuaded to accept Jesus but never did. They sealed their eternal destiny by a single word “almost.” To be almost is to be eternally lost because you have not made the most important decision of your life and this is what Paul presented to these four individuals.

Paul, by sharing, teaches us the primer of how to share one’s faith to those who have not heard and have not made any decision. Paul was “not ashamed of the gospel, for [he knew] it is God’s power for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” We must believe that as well. He had been waiting now for 2 full years and now with a captive audience he asked their patience as he recounts his journey from unbelief to belief and that is what you and I are to be doing.

Vs 4-19 Plant the seed through your faith story. Share who you before you met Christ. No one has your history and no one has your experiences, capitalize on those facts. Note Paul shared both his education and his religious training and then asks a question: “Why do you people think it is unbelievable that God raises the dead?” Before they could respond Paul continued.

Vs 20-26 Water the seed of their thinking just as Paul shared about his change and transformation. No one has your experience and no one has the same story. Jesus stopped him and opened his eyes to see his sin and how he had been persecuting Jesus. Your story is not the same but it is still just as powerful as Paul’s.

Vs. 27- Ask the key question that will touch their hearts just as Paul revealed the heart of Agrippa. “Do you believe the prophets, King Agrippa? I know that you believe.” In other words, where do you stand before God, as an unbeliever or a believer?

Remember that all men will respond in some way. Festus said Paul was insane which revealed that he truly did not believe that God could raise someone from the dead nor did he believe that Paul actually met Jesus on the Damascus Road and was transformed. He discounted both and thus is without excuse. Agrippa sat squirming knowing if he answered he did believe then Festus would categorize him as crazy as well and that was a place he was not willing to be…so he answered “almost.” To be almost is to be eternally lost for you have not made any decision. Bernice was silent, but was her heart pricked? The heart is God’s problem not ours.

Beloved, each of us has a story to tell, it is our story, in fact we are the expert because it is ours and ours alone! Peter said we have everything we need. It is the devil’s lie that we are not wise enough, strong enough, educated enough…we are…for God has prepared us to share. How the hearers respond is not our concern, our concern is to be obedient to share. We may not have two years to craft our story for God may bring someone today across our path. Are we ready? Can we share the Romans Road to salvation as Paul did?

March 5, 2014

“Kept by God’s Power”

Andrew Murray was a prolific author who wrote over 240 books and as a man of prayer he has inspired many. It is said that “God used each trial to remove all that hindered his devotion to Christ.” In one of his publications he quoted Peter who wrote : “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which… hath begotten us again unto a lively hope …and are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.” That is where we find Paul today in Acts 25…being kept by God’s power that he might fulfill His assignment that Paul would “carry the name [of Jesus] before Gentiles and kings and the people of Israel.” Yesterday, Paul had the open door to bring Jesus Christ to the Governor Felix but after two years he saw no fruit. Have you witnessed over and over and yet seen no fruit? Take heart you are not alone. Today, Paul will have the opportunity to present Jesus Christ and His resurrection to a new Governor, Festus and King Agrippa and his sister, Bernice. Tomorrow we will hear his message and see the response–so stay tuned!

What things do we learn in this chapter that should encourage us? One is that we are kept by the power of God until our work is finished on this earth and for Paul that is a future event for Jesus promised him that he would one day be in Rome to preach to Nero and other notables. Secondly, as Andrew Murray explained: “We are begotten again to an inheritance kept in Heaven for us; and we are kept here on earth by the power of God.” And so we see that God’s keeping power has preserved Paul for yet another opening to present the truth of the resurrected Christ to those in need of hearing the gospel. This reminds us of another person, Queen Esther, who was “kept” by God’s power in her position so that she might be available to seek the removal of an edict to destroy all Jews that Haman had sought through flattery and falseness (ring a bell?) from King Ahasuerus.

Stop Beloved stop and think…why are you here? It is so that you, like Queen Esther, Paul and many others through the centuries may be strategically placed to present Christ to those who are lost and will one day enter a Christ-less eternity if it were not for you. This should cause us to reflect upon each divine opportunity God gives to us each day. Will you humbly thank God for each one you meet either personally or in cyberspace and be prepared as Paul was to present Christ?

March 5, 2014

“Flattery vs Honesty—which wins?”

There is a saying “It’s funny how everyone considers honesty to be a virtue yet no one wants to hear the truth.” As we read Acts 24 these words should remind us of why, when you share the gospel message and are rejected, it is not you they are rejecting but the very Son of God. But, we are to remain true and steadfast as Paul demonstrated and Dr. Luke shares with us.

In chapter 24 we meet one slick flatterer, Tertullus the high paid lawyer, who arrives with a huge entourage but lacks any genuine witnesses. His flattery and falseness leads to a quick “falling flat on his face” before the Governor Felix. In contrast we see the truth of the prophecy of God regarding Paul to be “my chosen instrument to carry my name before Gentiles and kings and the people of Israel” and the words of Jesus ““Have courage, for just as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome” is coming to pass. If we were writing this story we might have Felix hear the false and flattering words of Tertullus and like Gallio dismiss the charges against Paul but the words of Isaiah are ringing forth as true: ““Indeed, my plans are not like your plans,” and now the reason…..

God had an eternal plan for this man Felix to hear of the mercy and redemption for his sins but because of his procrastinating, fear and lack of decision making it appears that he never crossed the divide from unbelief to belief. If that is true, he one day will hear these words: “depart from me, I never knew you” because you are “without excuse.” I sent my servant Paul to tell you about My Beloved Son and you would not listen nor accept My truth that Jesus is “The Way, The Truth, The Life” and no man comes to me without that.

Beloved, as you read this chapter do you see the plan of God for someone you love and has yet to choose Jesus? Are you encouraged that just as God gave Felix many opportunities to hear and to respond so too the very fact that your loved one stands still upon this earthly shore means that God is not finished yet with their soul? Do you see the marvelous patience and power of the Word as Paul presented it to Felix over and over and over? That is my friend, God’s love and mercy for the unsaved. Take courage and be ye steadfast knowing that your labor is not in vain.

March 2, 2014

Acts 23 “When Morning Gilds the Skies”

How do you face each new day and especially when it seems that the skies have fallen in and all of the world is against you? The Hymn “When Morning Gilds the Skies” originally written in German and translated into English by a Roman Priest offers to us a view that we should consider. The first stanza reminds us that no matter where we are, no matter what we are doing, Jesus is our source of hope and our reason to give praise.

“When morning gilds the skies my heart awaking cries:
May Jesus Christ be praised!
Alike at work and prayer, to Jesus I repair:
May Jesus Christ be praised!”

The Apostle Paul, after having experiencing a second round of discouragement due to his inability to present Christ and His resurrection fully to the very men who were the leaders in the religious community, sat in his cell wondering as we might “what next?” Three times I have presented Christ and three times there has been not acceptance but riots. And yet we read: “The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Have courage, for just as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.” Truly the words of this hymn might have flowed forth from Paul even though with a heavy heart he seems to know that God’s mercy has come to an end for these religious leaders. They now have had six times to hear the truth of the gospel message from Jesus, Stephen and now Paul and with each time their hearts have hardened. It would be just a mere two years and the priest who ordered Paul to be struck would be assassinated and his reign of corruption would come to an end thus fulfilling the words of Paul: “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall!”

When we are at the point of discouragement and it seems that those to whom we witness are hardened may the words of this hymn flow forth as words of praise for the one who holds our future in his hands will direct our steps in the way he has planned.

Beloved today are you facing a loved one that seems to have a hardened heart? Are you standing at the crossroads of discouragement? Beloved, take heart, Jesus knows the end from the beginning. Take the words of this hymn and sing as you have never before sung! Re-read this chapter and find encouragement from Jesus’ words to Paul: “Have courage!”

March 1, 2014

Salvation for All!

We marvel at how God planted the seeds of salvation in the hearts of the early believers and how it has been transmitted to us via that same train of thought and action. One of the basic principles of the early church and Paul’s ministry has been this: “Gentiles do not need to become Jews in order to be saved. Jews who are saved do not need to completely forsake their Jewish heritage.”[Deffinbaugh] So whether you who are reading are a Gentile or a Jew, know this—God’s gift of salvation is for you based upon faith alone. Secondly, the truth of the gospel message causes one to make a choice…either for Christ or against Christ. It matters not whether you are a Gentile or a Jew, when Christ the Messiah is preached all men must choose to believe or to reject.

“In Acts, it is the Hellenistic Jews who took up the cause of opposing the gospel.” [Deffinbaugh] This occurred when Paul by saying the word “Gentiles” opened the door to reveal the heart of the Jews and their hatred of the Gentiles. They ignored the OT prophecies and the fact that God would choose to bring His salvation to them freely and that they would not have to become a proselyte to Judaism. To a Jew that would equality and that was an anathema to them. Today we find that this intolerable acceptance of certain people groups to receive salvation has raised its head. Thus what we saw in the first century has filtered down to us.

In addition we also saw that it does not take very much to incite a crowd to draw illogical conclusions. We saw it in Acts 19 when one lone man, Demetrius, incited and encouraged an entire city to drown out any presentation of the gospel message and thus that city lost the opportunity to have the precious Light of the Gospel message. But, God is in control and He is fulfilling the prophecy about Paul that he would bear witness before Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel. [Acts 9] Oh the wonder and majesty and mercy of God who has continued to draw his children from apostasy and yet as Jesus said: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you! How often I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you would have none of it!” [Luke]

Beloved, Do you have misconceptions about others to whom the message of salvation is to be preached based upon a racial or cultural bias and ignore the avenue God has placed before you? The fields are ripe and we are to be the workers in the harvest. Will you come and work?

March 1, 2014

Acts 21 “Support or Dissuade?”

We are often reminded of this wise counsel of “A person plans his course, but the Lord directs his steps.” [Prov] But along with this God often, but not always, brings others alongside us to give us moral support, when we seek to do God’s will and His work. God also often through the still small voice reveals what may lay ahead for the choices we make. As we re-read Acts 9 Christ spoke to Ananias about Paul’s life ahead: “this man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before Gentiles and kings and the people of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” If God should ordain that you suffer are you as willing to drink that cup as Paul? If truth be known we shy away from this and forget the principle of Luk 14:28 “counting the cost…?”

As we have been reading the journeys of Paul we can see that he in fact counted the cost and was willingly ready to face the words “you will suffer.” As he taught new believers and prepared to re-enter Jerusalem did the words of Jesus to his disciples in Matt 20 come to be his daily reminder of Jesus’ suffering? Is this why he could like Christ say: I am “compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem without knowing what will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit warns me in town after town that imprisonment and persecutions are waiting for me.” In Acts 21 Paul hears from precious believers not to set foot in Jerusalem and again the prophet Agabus came to see Paul and role played this scene: “he took Paul’s belt, tied his own hands and feet with it, and said, “The Holy Spirit says this: ‘This is the way the Jews in Jerusalem will tie up the man whose belt this is, and will hand him over to the Gentiles.”

Had you been in the hearing of all of these words what might have been your reaction and what would you have counseled Paul? The people begged him not to go up to Jerusalem. To that Paul responds: “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be tied up, but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” Hundreds of years later William Carey heard much the same: “When God pleases to convert the heathen, He will do it without your aid or ours” and yet he resolutely and steadfastly set his heart to go forward. The reason both men were able to face those who would seek to dissuade them was because of their life’s choice: “But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.” [Phil 3]

Beloved, perhaps the Lord has touched your heart and called you to ministry or some avenue in which you need to count the cost. Parents, friends and sometimes even Pastors counsel you to “count the cost” and even seek to dissuade you from this course of action just as the early believers did for Paul and later, William Carey, missionary to India. “The world seems to offer two kinds of support: “Wait ’til you get out in that cold, cruel world. It’s rough!” And those who exude a contagious, confident “Bon voyage!” [Neal Pirolo] When you know that the Holy Spirit is directing your steps do you trust HIM or listen to those who are giving you counsel that is opposite to that?