Acts 10:9-35

                           Confidence and Confirmation

            Who are your heroes?  ________________________________

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What is it that makes you want to be like them?  Is it easier to aim to be like a “superhero” of the movie/comic book sort, or is it easier to aim to be a hero like a real live person who has not only strengths, but some very real weaknesses too?  What role did/does confidence play in your hero’s life?

One of the things I love about scripture is that we get to see people in both their strengths and their weaknesses.  That is a critical factor for having realistic heroes.  Peter is one of mine.  On the one hand it may appear he suffered from “foot in mouth”, but on the other hand he was open and honest about what he was thinking and feeling.  He needed restoration for his failures, and he received it, and moved forward.  He wasn’t “healed” of his personality, he was graciously ministered to by God in his weakness as well as his strength.

Isn’t it interesting how Cornelius, who had much less ‘Jesus experience’ than Peter, has a vision and immediately obeys while Peter requires a little repetition in his lesson?  He gets the message three times:  “What God has cleansed you must not call common.”  The great part, is that with a threefold confirmation, Peter could move forward, confident in God’s grace, to do what would have previously been unthinkable for him. 

How much better it was that he did not fake an understanding or obedience.  He persisted until he understood the truth, and then he acted on it.  God was opening the gospel to all people, and Peter had the privilege of standing at the door.  To many of the Jews, his words and actions may have seemed out of line and I’m sure they did not hesitate to make that known.  What a blessing that Peter had the confidence of God’s confirmation.

            If there are areas of life that you are struggling with right now, spend some time with God and in scripture.  Seek out what God has to say on the matter.  It is in Him and in His word that you will find the confirmation of what you are to do, along with the confidence and ability with His Spirit, to do it.

Read and Pray:  Proverbs 15:14, Psalm 119:33-40, Romans 14:19

Acts 10:1-8

                           Awe and Obedience

            If your life is filled with self-gratification, fear of man, condemnation and pride, then these, and things related to these will fill your mind and be your greatest concerns. 

            From this passage, we know just a few things about Cornelius, but it is enough.  He experiences an unusual vision, and though he is afraid at first, he receives instructions and proceeds to obey.

Most of us will say that we want to obey God, but in our weakness, in our “passions of the moment”, or in our discouragement, or our fleeting “feelings”, we sometimes stray from what we know to be a good and right response:  obedience. 

A healthy fear of God combined with a desire to know and fellowship with God, leads to obedience.   But how do we foster a good growth of a healthy ‘fear of offending God’?  How do we nurture a desire to really know God better?

The more you know another human being, the more you will know both their strengths and weaknesses.  Depending on what you do with these, you may begin to care more deeply for the person, or you may grow to dislike them.  The outcome ironically, will not be based so much on what the other person is really like, as on how you choose to think about the things you perceive.  If your information is filtered through the “truth sieve” of grace (both toward yourself and toward others) in the midst of God’s creation, you will probably love that person more than before.

How much more might we appreciate the comfort of God if we call on the Holy Spirit to help us!?  How much more might we grow into love with Jesus if we take the time to get to know Him and his character better!?  And the Father—how much greater our awe will be if we begin to understand more of what He is like, what He has done, what He is doing.  If our sense of appreciation, grace, awe and trust in what He has intended, can all grow, then our desire and ability to respond appropriately will increase as well.

There are at least three things we can do to foster this good growth.  Like Cornelius:

1. Become better acquainted with God’s power and intolerance of sin
2. Become better acquainted with God’s character and nature
3. Spend time in prayer, praise, and silence with God.

Read and Pray:  Psalm 5, Romans 11:33-36, Colossians 1:15-23

Read Acts 9:32-43

                                                      stepping out

            One of the things that strike me in reading about Peter in this passage is the confidence with which he spoke to, and prayed for other people.  How did he know that these individuals would be healed?  Were all of his prayers completely answered?  Or are we just given a glimpse of some of the more spectacular occurrences?

            When was the last time you stepped out and tried something that is truly spectacular, beyond your own strength? _______________________

Are you willing to try something like that for the kingdom of God?___________

Do you consider praying for another person in the category of ‘big’ or ‘scary’?  

Why or why not? _______________________________________________

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            What do you think are the key factors in why some people experience healing? _____________________________________________________________

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            What should be our attitude regarding praying for healing for other people? _____________________________________________________________

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What is/would be your reaction if you pray for healing for someone and it doesn’t happen?_____________________________________________________________

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What does David’s example demonstrate in 2 Samuel 12:13-23 _____________

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            In Christian circles we sometimes use the phrase “hold it lightly” because we know, (at least intellectually), that when we cling and clutch at something, it has probably become too important to us.  If we truly trust God, we have no need to cling to lesser things –even loved ones.  They belong to God, not us.

With that in mind, why not dare to step out and actively, and openly offer to pray for people you come across who are in need—at a minimum, they will know you care, and God may just choose to use you to minister His healing.

Read and Pray:  Psalm 139, Romans 9:31-39

Acts 9:1-31

                                            encountering the darkness

            Paul had a plan that was backed by his intelligence, experience, and determination.  He intended to stop those he perceived as misguided people of the Way.  Yet he was stopped in his tracks by God’s divine intervention.  This not only disabled his determination, it brought about a couple other things as well:  (1) humility –with no sight he needed to be led by the hand  (2) godly fear –he was shaken up and fasted the whole three days

What do you think might have been running through his mind during these days of darkness? Clearly he experienced a greater revelation of what he was really doing—not only opposing a particular group of people, but opposing Jesus who was raised from the dead, and ultimately, opposing God, the very One he originally intended to serve.  He had gotten far off of that track, but in his literal darkness he encountered his own spiritual darkness.  Once he recognized it, he could repent.

            Sometimes we too can be headstrong about a viewpoint, an approach to doing something, or when, how, and where we want something to happen.  In His mercy, God still sometimes stops people in their tracks.  Obviously the way in which this happens can vary widely, but the question for each of us is the same: What will we do in our “darkness”?  It is a place for humility, godly fear, and repentance.

            After Paul’s experience, He had a godly fear that brought Him to honor and appreciate other human beings—even those mired in sin—for each person is made in the image of God, and saved purely by the grace of Jesus.  He was broken of his self-exaltation, humbled, and recognizing that his only hope was in Jesus Christ—not himself. 

By encountering not only the darkness of being blinded, but the darkness resident in himself, Paul was able to see truly.  The healing, baptism, strengthening and preaching which followed testify to what God desires for each of us.  Encountering the darkness in our own hearts is key to humility, godly fear, repentance and greater revelation.

Read and Pray:  John 1:3-5, 1 John 1:5-7, Revelation 21:22-27

Acts 9:1-19

                             fruits of faithfulness

            Ananias was a faithful disciple.  On this occasion he heard from the Lord in the form of a vision.  It was an experience in which he was able not only to receive information, but he was able to respond with his own personal thoughts:

1.       “Here I am”

2.      “The fact is, this guy has authority to bind all who call on Jesus” 

3.       “I’ve heard from many about how he has harmed your saints”

Can you see yourself in these responses?  Sometimes we affirm that we belong to God and we want to do whatever He wants us to do, but we have many reasons why we “shouldn’t”!  Apparently Ananias did not just lay out his objections, he also listened for, and heard a response:

1.      “Go”

2.      “He is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear my name to others”

3.      “He will suffer greatly for My name’s sake”

The Lord’s response speaks to, and elaborates on Ananias’ objections:

1.      If you are truly here with Me, be willing to go with Me.

2.      Man has granted another man authority to bind people who call on the name of Jesus, but I am giving this man authority to set people free in the name of Jesus

3.      He has sown harm and suffering in His personal quest, and he will reap suffering at the hands of those who act like he did.

Reading between the lines, it seems there is a message, “Do not be one who opposes me by opposing the people I choose to use.  There is already suffering.  Your job is to bring healing, encouragement, and strength in the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Doing certain things for the kingdom of God may seem a bit frightening, or at least awkward.  But if we consult with Scripture and with God in prayer, we can trust the Holy Spirit to direct our steps, even as He did with Ananias.  Who could have imagined the great fruit resulting from his faithfulness?  What might result from ours?!

Read and Pray:  Joshua 24:21-24, Matthew 25:14-30, Psalm 139:17-18

Acts 8:25-40

                               listening  and  looking

            If you had a successful ministry where many people were believing in Jesus and being baptized, would you be willing to pick up and leave, heading toward an uninhabited desert?  Philip was willing. 

            He had received divine direction, so he arose and went.  Surprisingly, he met someone on the road, riding in an ox drawn chariot.  This someone was a eunuch, a high ranking official for a queen.  Though he had been to Jerusalem to worship, as a eunuch, he would have been forbidden entry into the temple.  Even so, he seems to have been a God-fearing man.

            Normally, an ordinary person would not approach a person of high rank—that would be outside the bounds of social mores.  Had it not been for his assurance that the Spirit of God was giving directions, it is very unlikely someone like Philip would have approached someone like the Ethiopian eunuch.

            Happily, the eunuch seemed to be prepared in heart and mind for this very meeting.  It was the right place at the right time for a greater revelation of the truth of Jesus.

            The working of the Holy Spirit is always remarkable when we recognize it.  This passage inspires me to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leading of my days.  I may not audibly hear an angel give specific instructions, but I can always respond to the still small voice of God if I will simply quiet my own mind and plans to listen.

            How about you?  Are you listening and looking for God to work in and through you in remarkable ways?  That is His nature.

Like Philip, keeping the love of God as our priority, let’s be diligent in the work that is before us, faithful and adaptable in changing circumstances, and sensitive to the leading of His Spirit.

Read and Pray:  Isaiah 56:1-8, Psalm 23, Luke 4:1, Galatians 5:16

Acts 8:6-24

                            the intent of my heart

            Philip is one and the same as the one listed in Acts 6:5.  His “simple” job of serving in the daily distribution, was obviously not the “end of the line for him”.  Faithful in his duty he served as unto the Lord.  He was one of those who were scattered due to persecution, but the displacement ended up being an opportunity for the Gospel. 

            It is worth noting that up to this point, there was real hostility between Samaritans and Jews.  The former were viewed by the latter as being part of the “lost sheep of Israel”—that is, heretical in beliefs.  In this setting, faith in Jesus unites people, and brings the gospel one step closer to the even larger gap between Jews and Gentiles.

            Those who heard Philip’s preaching not only intellectually believed, but they chose to act on their belief by being publically baptized.  Prior to this, Simon the magician, had quite a following.  Yet his impressive acts could not garner the allegiance and dedication brought about by the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  The gospel engages every aspect of one’s being.

            Simon himself believed, was baptized, and continued with Philip.  It is noted that he was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs that were done, but perhaps his focus was a bit askew.  Was he looking through the lens of “What an awesome God this is!” or “What amazing things these men do!” ?

            Philip puts his finger on it when he says, “you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity”.  Bitterness usually relates to our feelings about other people, their words, and/or their actions.  If these feelings are not brought into the light of truth, they will become a reflection of lies, and penetrate our entire outlook on life. Related, but not identical to this, is the state of one who is bound by iniquity.  In this case, the individual has lost self-control, and is under sin’s control.  

Simon, under the control of sin (perhaps that of seeking to be adored, followed and praised by me), and filled with bitterness (perhaps over the Samaritan’s new dedication to Jesus rather than himself), seeks to change the situation by trying to acquire the thing that he sees as most influential:  supernatural power to impart the Holy Spirit (not the Holy Spirit Himself).

            Philip and Simon exemplify two responses to spiritual gifts and realities.  Which one bears an intent of the heart most like your own?   

Read and Pray:  Proverbs 21:27, 2 Chronicles 28:9, Hebrews 4:12-13, Ephesians 4:31-5:2