Two Thousand Years Ago and Today.

Act 12:25  And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their ministry, and took with them John, whose surname was Mark.

Act 13:1  Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 

Act 13:2  As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. 

Act 13:3  And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. 

The work of God.  We have to consider time and place don't we? Christianity was brand new, the first generation of Christians still forging a path for the many Christ followers to come. Prophets and teachers ministering for the Lord to the people.  AS they ministered to the Lord they FASTED. We've discussed fasting before and we individually need to determine whether or not we need to fast as we serve the Lord. As we make this determination- praying and seeking guidance towards this end- we have to continue to study.  These earlier pioneers of Christianity were ministering to the LORD- FASTING and as they did the HOLY SPIRIT spoke to them, giving them instructions. God wanted Barnabas and Saul (Paul) separated from the group there because they had a different work to undertake. God was calling Barnabas and Paul. What did the disciples do after the Holy Spirit gave His instructions? They FASTED more and PRAYED more, then they LAID their HANDS on them and after all that- they sent them away.

This is the work of God in action.

Do we have this same work going on today?

Many are working for Christ- wait, I take that back, few are working for Christ today. I have to say few because the Bible tells me it is few, not many who are truly Christs. Are those few truly working for the Savior? Today's work is NOT the same as the new Christians. Today's work is taking place in a world some two thousand years later, a world ravaged by sin as never before. We may think back to two thousand years ago and think of the Christians being martyred - tortured by lions, crucified, burnt, gladiators killing eating other for the sport of the people and in all that we may believe the world was a much worse place, but it wasn't.  Sin is sin. Murder and lying both deserve the penalty of death. Any disobedience to God's truth is worth death- but forgiveness is found through CHRIST!  There are MORE people today filled with lives of willful sin from the worst of sins to the least, than there were two thousand years ago. Not just because there are more people, but percentage wise in proportion to the population, there are MORE sinners today than back then. This world is overcome by sins so vile it's  unbelievable, yet a lot of sins are called good today, they are accepted and even encouraged.

We do have a work today, and maybe, just maybe we need to be fasting and praying more, not less than they did in the early days. 

Please, Lord, please guide us to Your will and enable us to follow Your will now and always!

All through the love of our Savior, our Lord, Jesus Christ!!!!!!!