Terrifying Faith
8:55 AM
Acts 4:8-12 NKJV
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
It is always amazing to me to see people filled with the Holy Spirit…empowered by the divine, if you will. They are bold…and even appear reckless. However, that is so far from the truth. They have just finally given themselves over to the call of God on their life. Remember to live is to die and to die is to live…Paul said it like this…
Romans 14:8 NKJV
For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.
Or possible we remember this scripture as it was penned in a prison cell…
Philippians 1:21 NKJV
For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
Is there anything more daring, more reckless, more courageous than a man set ablaze by God? God creates these men in the fire and then sends them out to burn abroad. They seem fearless and unapproachable. They seem careless and yet determined.
A great book written by Mark Batterson, Senior Pastor of National Community Church in Washington DC, called The Wild Goose has this to say on the matter…
“The will of God is not an insurance plan. It’s a daring plan! When was the last time you read the eleventh chapter of Hebrews? Not every story ends with seeming success. People were sawed in half, stoned to death, and chained in dungeons. But our Wild Goose chase doesn’t end when we die. In fact, death is just the beginning. And it is that eternal perspective that gives us the courage to come out of the cage and live dangerously for the cause of Christ, even if it means death. More often than not, the will of God will involve a daring decision that seems unsafe and even insane.”
Can I ask you a simple question?
Are you living out your calling with boldness? Are you living a daring life? The older I get, I wander if I’ve become to accustom to trying to save my life than lose it for the sake of Christ. I have the same questions for my life as I am sure you have for yours…or are you so entertained and distracted in life that you have long since quit evaluating your life?
Center Stage
8:47 AM
Devotion - Acts 4:1-4 NKJV
Now as they spoke to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came upon them, being greatly disturbed that they taught the people and preached in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And they laid hands on them, and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. However, many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.
Peter has healed the lame man that was sitting at the gate of the temple. It was a huge act of faith and courage. The healed man, now up and jumping around praising God, caused a commotion. People from all around started to look, stare, and gather. This act of faith had produced another opportunity for Peter to speak about Jesus…how He was the Messiah. Peter boldly steps up and delivers his second sermon. The people are amazed and marvel at the miracle and confidence by which Peter has.
But here is the thing…there are some people that wouldn’t recognize a good thing if it hit them in the face…and that is what we see taking place here.
The priest, the captain of the temple guards, and the Sadducees came and took Peter and John and threw them in jail. If you seriously think about it…that is how it goes sometimes. You can do everything right…and still everything can go wrong. You can make all the right decisions…and still end up on the wrong side of things.
Let’s hold on to that and return in just a minute…
Acts 4:5-7 NKJV
And it came to pass, on the next day, that their rulers, elders, and scribes, as well as Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the family of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem. And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, “By what power or by what name have you done this?”
Let me unveil the obvious…because it’s right here in the open…and yet it seems cloaked and more than often goes unnoticed. Healing a lame man plus preaching the Gospel of Jesus ends you up in jail. Most of you here would say “amen” to that…you get that. You understand that there is going to be persecution. They persecuted Jesus. However, what goes unseen is the wisdom and love of God here in that Peter and John go to jail. They are taken into custody for the night.
This is where most of us quit. We are hard pressed to get passed the fact that all the good we are doing ends us up in one of the worst places. A jail cell is not where people want to be. It’s not where I want to be. It’s not where you want to be…and I honestly believe it’s not where Peter and John wanted to be. It is, however, the place God wanted them to be.
Let me read the passage again…I like how the New American Standard puts it…
Acts 4:5-7 NAS
And it came about on the next day, that their rulers and elders and scribes were gathered together in Jerusalem; and Annas the high priest was there, and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of high priestly descent. And when they had placed them in the center, they began to inquire, “By what power, or in what name, have you done this?”
All of the highly respected religious leaders of that time were gathered…and Peter and John were placed front and center. They were given center stage to preach and witness the gospel to the most influential people in all of Jerusalem.
Think on that.
Not only did 5000 people were added to the church…but now Peter and John find themselves right in the middle of witnessing to the most credible people of their society. God so loved even the stubborn religious legalist that he presented them with an opportunity of hearing the Gospel of Jesus. That is how it is. God will use us as His instruments to call his children home. He will use us as tools to accomplish His will upon His earth. But here is the thing...it sometimes comes disguised as a jail cell, prison, or something worse.
North Texas Leadership Conference – Part 3
12:08 PM
Sound bite’s from the conference…
Dr. Samuel R. Chand on leadership...
“I’ve always been amazed at how God brings a bunch of different people under one vision.”
“If you want to know what water taste like…don’t ask a fish.”
“To be a pastor of a church…you first need to be saved.”
“The only thing that is central in the church is Jesus. Everything else will come and go.”
“The mission statement of your church doesn’t need to be, “Reaching the World for Jesus”, if we aren’t reaching the people across the street.”
“Regardless of money, you can’t meet every need.”
“Churches making an impact do only a few things and do them with excellence.”
“Those who will not increase you will inevitably decrease you.”
“Don’t hire good people, hire competent people that can be good.”
“When you are 100% sure…it’s too late.”
“Never downsize your vision…it’s about challenging people.”
“You are only as good as your last sermon.”
(Being funny) The key to success is to keep the bar low…you can always overcome it!”
“It’s easy to fix systems. It’s hard to fix people.”
“If you are preaching above a 5th grade level, you’re missing your audience.”
North Texas Leadership Conference – Part2
12:06 PM
Sound bite’s from the conference…
Bishop Dale Bronner on leadership...
“It’s not the Jews that have preserved the Sabboth…it’s the Sabboth that has preserved the Jews.”
“Be in the moment…it communicates value.”
“Patience with God is called faith. Patience with people is called love. Impatience is often a sign of arrogance.”
“No amount of success can compensate for failure in the home.”
North Texas Leadership Conference – Part 1
12:03 PM
(Made it back and already looking forward to next year. I absolutely love this conference. It’s been on my radar now for over 4 years. I did my best to Twitter and Facebook some of the conference’s best quotes as I heard them…but the rest…I reserved for here…)
Sound bite’s from the conference…
Pastor Gerald Brooks on leadership…
"1500 Pastors leave the ministry every month."
"Sr. Pastors have a 50% casualty rate." (Basically means if you are a Sr. Pastor…I’m praying for you!)
"The Kingdom of God is still built on pastors that show up every week to their churches."
"In 1950 a pastor only needed 6 skill sets to pastor a church…Today a pastor needs 27 skill sets." (Addressing the generational changes we are seeing)
"The average head weighs 25 pounds. Some of you are above average." (Wow, he has a sense of humor.)
"Most people want to be a part of a church of 200 members…but want mega-church programs." (Addressing a statistical poll of what people are looking for)
"People come to church to be motivated…"
"If you are not praying, you can’t be leading…"
Sr. Pastors; “If anything goes wrong you get the blame…so take responsibility.”
Sr. Pastors; “Pastoring is your job; the community is where you serve.”
Sr. Pastors; “Does someone have the ability to tell you ‘no’? If not, there should be.”
"I watched a lot of pastors go it alone…now they are alone."
"If you don’t any fire…better learn how to blow smoke."
Sr. Pastors; “Ministry requires adjustment and good leaders adjust. As a pastor you must know what never changes and you must recognize what should change.”
"Bigger churches have bigger problems."
"Your identity must be greater than your ministries."
"Experience is the best teacher, but the tuition is high."
"You can’t pastor without giving your heart. You can’t change a heart without giving yours…"
"You are never so gifted that your life is void of discipline. Your discipline will make the lasting difference."
“Most ministers fail because of lack of discipline.”
“As Jesus began his ministry, the first thing He did what to find His team. Why? Lasting success involves others.”
“Don’t reproduce what you say. Reproduce what you do.”
“No single church is the replacement for the ministry of Christ.”
“Spiritual maturity begins when you understand that you are responsible for your own soul.”
Look on us...
8:45 AM
Devotion - Acts 3:4-5
(4) And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. (5) And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.
The scene is becoming clear. I can’t help but connect the dots, connecting the past to the present. We read that Peter fastened or fixed, if you will, his eyes upon the lame man. I have got to be honest…I read this the first time and was flooded with questions…
How come Peter never saw him before?
The scripture reads in verse 2 that this man was there daily…and didn’t we just learn that the ninth hour was a daily time of evening prayer? This guy was there every day. Every day his routine was get up; his family would get him ready for a day of panhandling. What a life, right? He didn’t do this because he wanted to…he did this because he had to. The society of the time didn’t make room for the palsy…they were worthless, they were disease stricken, and they were a burden. So, why now…why now does Peter take notice of him? What was it that triggered this response in Peter?
Can I ask you a question? Have you ever had a flashback? Has there ever been a time in your life where something, maybe a smell, a physical object, a movie, or whatever has made you instantly remember a past experience?
Listen I don’t know that this happened at all…But I am human…I am still flesh and blood. I don’t know how to look at Peter any other way. Peter was just a man…howbeit a man driven by the Spirit of God…but a man none the less…Still I can’t help but think it’s a moment like this…when you just fix your eyes on something because it speaks to you in some way.
Do you understand what I am trying to say?
Peter fixed his eyes on this man. What did he see? Was it just as simple as him believing that God wanted this man healed and nothing more…or…in that split moment…did his mind travel back to the “John 9”? Did he replay that moment in his mind…or maybe…just maybe it was time to really walk on water. No more looking at the waves…Maybe it was time for some straight up bold faith. Does that resonate with you? Can you relate to any of that? Has God done some pretty awesome things in your life that ultimately shapes your decisions now?
The rest of the scripture says the lame mans eyes peered back at Peter in expectation…and shouldn’t they? The eyes of the poor, the hopeless, and the worthless are all looking to God’s people with expectation today. They are waiting for us do what we say we do. They are waiting for us to live how we say we live. They are waiting for us to be who we are supposed to be…Christ –like.
The Lame Man
8:37 AM
Devotion - Acts 3:2-3
(2) And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple; (3) who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms.
We already know what Peter and John are doing there…but I want to paint a picture as to the other man in this context…the man “lame from his mother’s womb.” This man was born lame and unable to walk. He didn’t ask to be that way. It wasn’t some sort of injury that happened to him. No, his entire life he has had this issue. His entire life he has been a “special needs” person in a world where special needs people are burdens. These people were looked at as if they had done something wrong or that it was because of some sin from their parents that had caused this…
Let me further this train of thought so you can have some back story and to what might be playing through the minds of Peter and John when they come across this man…
John 9: 1-7
(1) Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. 2 And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” (3) Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. (4) I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. (5) As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” (6) When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. (7) And He said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing.
There is a deep truth here that isn’t for the faint of heart…
Can you see the disciple’s train of thought concerning the man who is blind? This is pretty much just like the situation we are seeing in the man that is sitting at the temple door. This blind man has been this way since birth, but he isn’t that way because of some sin he had or that his parents had in their life. No, Christ proclaims that this man was blind so that the works of God should be revealed in him. That is a powerful statement.
What Christ is basically saying is that this man has found himself exactly where he is at in life for such a time as this…that he would be presented before Jesus and that the glory of God would be revealed by the miraculous healing. If you look even closer at how he did it…it leaves some insight as to why this was an important moment…
He spit on the ground and the scripture says He made some “clay”. Is God not the potter and are we not the clay? I believe with all my heart that in this very scripture, Christ was not being unusual but rather being quite obviously visual about whom He was and what He was…which is…the Living God, the Great Physician, and The Potter that has power over the clay.
Something else I want to point out…
In the New Testament time special needs people were not considered anything of worth…and yet Jesus found worth in them. As a matter of fact…Jesus built a ministry around them. If you think back of all of the NT stories…most of them are built around signs and wonders…it is not to say that Christ ministry was about signs and wonders…because it wasn’t…and it’s unfortunate today that there are ministries out there that seem to be conceived only upon that premise…Nevertheless Jesus used these opportunities to place value on the what the public viewed as of no value…and nothing is changed unto this day.
Testify & Exhort
8:31 AM
Devotion - Acts 2:40 (NKJV)
"And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation."
“And with many other words…”
It is with great distinction to know that there a many biblical roads that lead to the cross of Christ. I think it is of great importance that we take notice of the two fundamental concepts held tightly by Peter as he preached his heart out…his words testified of Christ and exhorted them to do something about the saving knowledge that they were now given. To all that would share the gospel in an evangelistic setting this is a great base for all preparation. It is wiser for us to use our words and our intelligence in a way that testifies of whom Christ is and what He has done…and then encourage, exhort, and beseech others to make a choice to who they will serve.
Biblical application is great for the church and for those who’ve made commitments towards serving God…but for those who do not know God it is imperative that our message find its way back to testifying who Christ is and what He has done. Biblical principles might work in their life because Christ will rain on the just and unjust alike...still…we must give them a sure foundation for which to believe in and follow. We must share our “first love”. It is what defines us as who and what we are…
The Promise
8:27 AM
Devotion - Acts 2:39
“For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”
The Holy Spirit is laboring effectually. The Great Surgeon is at work deconstructing the callous heart and making it venerable to the call that is being placed upon it. Peter says, “The promise is to you and to your children.” To understand the context of this scripture we must look back to verse 38. There are two variables to take into consideration as to the promise of God; repent, and be baptized. The promise Peter is speaking of is the prophetic promise that has been spoken by God since Genesis. That God would send a Savior to redeem us from our sins. Peter declares that all scripture has been fulfilled in the life and work of Jesus Christ our Lord. Peter declares this Promise is to you and your children. Repent and be baptized for the remission, the deliverance of sin. No longer are you bound by your nature. God has made a way.
Peter doesn’t close the church doors in this scripture either. Remember that at this point, Peter is speaking to the current church and/or religious system. This isn’t the “lost” as we would call it. Peter is telling the church to repent here. However, he declares that this promise is not just for Jews and Jews alone…but for all who are far away…as many as the Lord our God will call.
Let us reaffirm this great truth to ourselves…It is God that calls. He uses us as vessels to declare and proclaim…but it is God that calls.
John 6:44 (NKJV)
"No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day."
Jesus declares that no one can come to Christ unless the Father draws him. It is God who calls men/women to repentance. It is God that, through the work of the Holy Spirit, labors down at our hearts and grabs hold of us and claims us as His own. The promise is ours. It is yours. Take hold of it “called of God”. Claim it this hour and be free from your troubles. Claim it today.
More to come...
8:56 AM
I am running behind on time this morning...and with that means that I will post more later in the day. I have a few things I want to update, but there are a few things that must get done before I can do so...
So see you this afternoon...
A New Look...
8:55 AM
Ok...so I am trying to make some changes to my blog...and I am unhappy with all the templates that I have found out there. I don't really know how to make a blog template...I could design my own, but I have no idea how to get it into code...and frankly I don't have the time...
So...this is temporary until I can find something better.
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