Through much tribulation we will enter the kingdom of God.

Act 14:18  And with these sayings scarce restrained they the people, that they had not done sacrifice unto them. 

The people wanted to revere Paul and Barnabas as those in their gods favor. They wanted to worship the disciples but they'd have nothing to do with it. They wanted all the glory to go to God the maker of heaven and earth, and the seas and all that is in them.  And even as they wanted the people to believe in the gospel of Jesus Christ for their salvation, they did NOT want to be worshiped.

On the other hand, just as there were people who wanted to worship them for their message and miracles, others wanted them DEAD.

Act 14:19  And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead. 

Those people who wanted Paul dead, STONED him. Remember how we talked of stoning not too long ago when Stephen was brutally murdered? Paul was viciously stoned and left for dead. Just imagine the PAIN, the agony as each heavy rock slammed into his flesh. The cuts, the bruises, the brokenness of his body as he lay there unconscious, the life not even showing in him. No breath, no rising and falling of his chest for any to see. Did they check for a heartbeat? Maybe, maybe not, but his attackers, his would be murderers believed him dead, and perhaps he was.

Act 14:20  Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe. 

And while the evil men believed Paul dead and left him, his disciples came to stand around him and Paul stood up! After such a brutal stoning, Paul stood up! Not only did he stand up, he walked into the city!  Stoned and yet able to walk. A miracle to be sure. God wasn't done with his new apostle, Paul had a work to do still. Leaving that city he went to the next.

Act 14:21  And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch, 

Act 14:22  Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. 

Act 14:23  And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed. 

They taught many in the new city and then returned to the cities they'd already preached in. Why did they return? They CONFIRMED those new to the faith, the newest disciples- and they lifted them up- exhorting them to CONTINUE in the FAITH.  Paul and Barnabas KNEW that following Christ wasn't easy and would NEVER be easy, not for those spreading the truth for Jesus Christ. They told the disciples that had recently come to the faith that it would be through MUCH TRIBULATION they would enter the kingdom of God.

Through MUCH tribulation. Paul and Barnabas were NOT sugar-coating the truth with promises of prosperity and happiness. They were making sure the disciples KNEW that they would suffer for the kingdom of God.

Do we suffer for the kingdom of God?  Many people today DO suffer for the kingdom of God. In many WELL known countries people are suffering torture, murder and all sorts of tribulation just to believe in what we seem to take for granted.

Suffer, going through much tribulation all to enter the kingdom of God.

The kingdom of God is such an amazing TREASURE it is worth all the suffering, all the tribulation.

What place does the kingdom of God hold in our hearts, in our lives?

The spiritual tribulation we must endure is something far greater than a lot of people want. The torture of every day to day life under the attack by Satan and his spiritual minions is horrific, and while a lot of people succumb to the evil, longing for peace and ease away from the Spiritual warfare, some don't.  Enduring, this is something from the very start Christ's followers were told they must do.

While Satan strives to use every part of our lives to attack us, our hope HAS to be found in Christ and His eternal promise. Our lives may NEVER be lives of ease. We may have to fight every day, tooth and nail to survive such awfulness our lives are just total misery. We simply are NOT promised a LIFE OF EASE, or even what we may consider a tolerable life. But through all the pain and agony of living we can dream of our eternal rewards- our treasure in heaven with Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior - NOW and forever!!!!

Miracles

Miracles.

I've witnessed what I believe are miracles over the course of my life. Have you? Some people write off miracles as coincidence, as luck, as just part of life. When I say I've witnessed miracles are they miracles others would believe are miracles? Others have, and yet I have to ask, would other non-miracle believing people believe also believe in those miracles?  Certain religions have criteria for miracles and if a miracle doesn't meet all those criteria then they deem them NON-miracles. The BIG miracles - let's say a blind person receiving sight, a deaf person being able to hear, a lame person suddenly able to walk- all well-known miracles.  I can honestly say I've never witnessed any of those well-known miracles. How would I react to them? I know when I witness one of my miracles, I'll call them, I fell to my knees and cried tears of happiness, praising and thanking God. Would I react similarly to a well-known miracle? Shock would be most likely be my first reaction, joy another.

Miracles are real.  Miracles are something we have to believe in if we claim to believe in our Lord and Savior, He performed many miracles, too numerous to even put down all of them in the Bible.

While miracles are NOT common place today- at least not the well-known sort,  they became so when Jesus ministered on earth, but even then thousands upon thousands of people flocked to see Jesus to partake of His miracle working power.

After Jesus was crucified His apostles also began to perform miracles through the power of the Holy Spirit. 

Act 14:8  And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother's womb, who never had walked: 

Act 14:9  The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed, 

Act 14:10  Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked. 

Act 14:11  And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men. 

Act 14:12  And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker. 

Act 14:13  Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people. 

Act 14:14  Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out, 

Act 14:15  And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein: 

Act 14:16  Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways. 

Act 14:17  Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. 

Act 14:18  And with these sayings scarce restrained they the people, that they had not done sacrifice unto them. 

For those who had NOT seen the miracles of Jesus, to witness Paul and Barnabas and the miracle they performed  was it any wonder they attributed the miracles to the false gods they worshipped and wanted to turn Paul and Barnabas into gods?

Paul and Barnabas DID NOT want to be worshipped, they knew it wasn't through any power of their own that the miracle occurred.

They tore their clothes as an outward sign of disapproval and ran among the people shouting..

Why do you do this! We are just men like you! We want you to turn away from worshipping false gods and turn to the LIVING GOD who made heaven and earth, and the sea and all things in the seas- who let all nations live in their own ways and still gave miracles to them- rain, food, glad hearts! 

The disciples did NOT want to be worshipped! 

God performs many miracles some large and some small, some that people call every day miracles. We can never attribute miracles to ourselves. God deserves all the glory and all the honor for every miracle- for life itself!

More on this tomorrow by the grace and mercy, the will of our LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST now and forever!!!!!!!

To believe or not to believe- the Word is preached.

Act 14:1  And it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake, that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed. 

Act 14:2  But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil affected against the brethren. 

Paul and Barnabas journeyed on to Iconium and went into Jewish synagogue. There in that synagogue there were a lot of Jews and Greeks, and a lot of them believed! They believed what Paul and Barnabas were preaching. They believed in Jesus Christ as their Savior! Just imagine the wonder of that meeting, the joy of the disciples bringing truth to the people and having it accepted by many. However, NOT ALL believed. Those that didn't believe - the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles- they MADE THEIR MINDS EVIL AFFECTED AGAINST THE BRETHREN.

Made their minds evil affected. The unbelievers moved against the believers, or those that had the potential to believe and they corrupted them with their evil influence. 

It is so incredibly true that wherever truth is spoken - evil is there ready to corrupt those who would believe. It was true then and it's true now. Evil hasn't disappeared, it's only grown stronger and more earnest as it's end draw very near. We need to pray desperately for truth to be heard and believed!

Paul and Barnabas did not give up at the sight of disbelievers.

Act 14:3  Long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord, which gave testimony unto the word of his grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands. 

They stay and spoke BOLDLY in the LORD. They gave TESTIMONY to the Word of Grace! They gave signs and wonders were done by them.

Act 14:4  But the multitude of the city was divided: and part held with the Jews, and part with the apostles.

Even with the SIGNS and WONDERS the multitudes were divided. Part held fast to their traditions over truth, and part accepted the truth as it is found in our Savior.

We like to believe that if today one was given the gift of signs and wonders to reveal the truth of our Lord that people would have to be convinced of truth. Yet, as it was then in the days of Paul and Barnabas it would be today. People would find a reason NOT to believe the signs and wonders. Those whose hearts are NOT open to truth will not believe no matter what is revealed. We might say 'IF ONLY' this or that happened today, but we have to comprehend that the 'if only' is deception. We allow ourselves to believe that there needs to be something more to show the truth, but there doesn't. Our Savior has given all that is needed, but nothing will soften the hardened hearts that do not to truly know the truth of Jesus Christ.

Act 14:5  And when there was an assault made both of the Gentiles, and also of the Jews with their rulers, to use them despitefully, and to stone them, 

Act 14:6  They were ware of it, and fled unto Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and unto the region that lieth round about: 

Act 14:7  And there they preached the gospel. 

The violence against Paul and Barnabas by the unbelievers was a real threat to their lives and as such they were guided to leave. They weren't called to be martyrs at this point in their ministry. They fled.  NOT because God couldn't have protected them, but because God had many more places for them to preach the gospel. They'd done the work they'd been called to do in Iconium. Many believed, and many did not, but each that believed was a witness for Christ Jesus and His message of eternal salvation.

It's not our jobs as Christians to force anyone to believe. It's not our job to fight those who don't believe. We present truth for as long as our Lord wills us too and then we leave the unbelievers to their own ways. We can hope and pray, definitely pray that the seeds planted would germinate and spout up at a later time, and many unbelievers would in turn believe. Paul and Barnabas did not force, they let the Holy Spirit move through them.

May we be used by the Holy Spirit. All through the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ now and forever!!!!!!!

Truth Given- Accepted or Rejected.

What did Paul preach? The following Acts 13:13 - 13:52 tells us what he preached in Antioch. It's important to know what Paul preached. He went to the Jews at Antioch into the synagogue on the sabbath and he and Barnabas were invited to speak. Paul stood up and at first declared their history to them before declaring the Savior had come.  Read it--

Act 13:13  Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia: and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem. 

Act 13:14  But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down. 

Act 13:15  And after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on. 

Act 13:16  Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience. 

Act 13:17  The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an high arm brought he them out of it. 

Act 13:18  And about the time of forty years suffered he their manners in the wilderness. 

Act 13:19  And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Chanaan, he divided their land to them by lot. 

Act 13:20  And after that he gave unto them judges about the space of four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet. 

Act 13:21  And afterward they desired a king: and God gave unto them Saul the son of Cis, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the space of forty years. 

Act 13:22  And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will. 

Act 13:23  Of this man's seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus: 

Act 13:24  When John had first preached before his coming the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. 

Act 13:25  And as John fulfilled his course, he said, Whom think ye that I am? I am not he. But, behold, there cometh one after me, whose shoes of his feet I am not worthy to loose. 

Act 13:26  Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent. 

Act 13:27  For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him. 

Act 13:28  And though they found no cause of death in him, yet desired they Pilate that he should be slain. 

Act 13:29  And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre. 

Act 13:30  But God raised him from the dead: 

Act 13:31  And he was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people. 

Act 13:32  And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers, 

Act 13:33  God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. 

Act 13:34  And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David. 

Act 13:35  Wherefore he saith also in another psalm, Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. 

Act 13:36  For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption: 

Act 13:37  But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption. 

Act 13:38  Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: 

Act 13:39  And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. 

Act 13:40  Beware therefore, lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in the prophets; 

Act 13:41  Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you. 

Paul warned them.

Beware. The prophets spoke of the Savior's being rejected, of the truth being denied. The Jews Paul was speaking to KNEW what he was talking about-they'd heard the words for years.

Pro 1:24  Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; 

Pro 1:25  But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: 

Pro 1:26  I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; 

Pro 1:27  When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. 

Pro 1:28  Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: 

Pro 1:29  For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD: 

Pro 1:30  They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof. 

Pro 1:31  Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. 

Pro 1:32  For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them. 

Isa 5:24  Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel. 

Isa 65:15  And ye shall leave your name for a curse unto my chosen: for the Lord GOD shall slay thee, and call his servants by another name

Throughout their history they could not deny a consistent aspect- the Jewish leadership becoming corrupt and denying the real truth of God. Over and over again it happened and if anything the Jewish leadership should have been on constant watch lest they too fall victim to the same fate. They chose not to heed the truth though. They had expectations of how things were going to happen and nothing was going to alter their perception of the coming Messiah. They weren't going to let themselves be deceived and truly believed they were doing the will of God, just as Paul himself had believed until his encounter with the Lord Jesus.  Why weren't all these Jewish leaders given an encounter with Jesus? Because simply put, they did not want TRUTH. At their hearts they loved the lies they'd spun about themselves and didn't want anything disrupting those lies. The man Jesus preached loving enemies, sharing wealth, forgiving sins, and they didn't want any of that. They liked their prestige, they liked the status quo the way it was. They loved their heartless ceremonial laws, laws that were never meant to lack compassion. They wanted their wealth right where it was, in their pockets They enjoyed having enemies because it just reiterated their own self-importance. In summary, they did NOT want God or God's truth, not in their hearts. Paul wanted truth, Paul wanted God and God's truth and this is why Jesus appeared to him personally and chose him for a very important work. Paul wasn't the only Jew to become a Christian, there were many of them, but few in the grand scheme of it all. The leaders did not want truth

Act 13:42  And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath. 

The Gentiles- NON JEWS wanted to hear the truth, and asked that it be given to them the following sabbath. What did the Jews think of the message they'd just heard? Did they want to hear more?

Act 13:43  Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God. 

Many wanted more.

Act 13:44  And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God. 

ALMOST the WHOLE city came to hear the words of truth the next sabbath day! Jews and Gentiles alike.

Act 13:45  But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming. 

The Jews saw the multitudes! These people didn't come out to see them, but here they were now to hear the word of one who was advocating for a criminal crucified by their leadership already. They were filled with envy. They did NOT want truth! They were selfish, envious, evil. They spoke against Paul weaving their web of lies discounting all the truth they'd heard. They desired blindness, they didn't want truth, they were going to be like the people of old who discounted the prophets in favor of their own brand of truth.

Act 13:46  Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. 

It was NECESSARY that God's chosen be given a chance to accept the truth of God, a truth that couldn't be killed with the Savior. They were given this chance and they rejected it! They put it from them, they judged themselves in their decision and they were unworthy of everlasting life.   Now the truth of the gospel would go to the Gentiles.

Act 13:47  For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth. 

Act 13:48  And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. 

Act 13:49  And the word of the Lord was published throughout all the region. 

What an amazing revival! What an awesome undertaking! The truth was spoken, believed and lives were saved all through the gospel, the salvation offered through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior! The good news was spread throughout the entire region and the Gentiles gladly embraced the truth!

Act 13:50  But the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts. 

The Jews were NOT content to let the Gentiles have the truth they'd rejected. They stirred up all the deceived Jews they could to rid the city of Paul and Barnabas.

Act 13:51  But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium. 

Act 13:52  And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost. 

Expelled from region only to go on to the next filled with JOY and the HOLY SPIRIT! 

They weren't preaching to be accepted into a group but to give all the truth they could and have as many as would accept the truth. They weren't trying to fit in or have the Jews overthrown by the Gentiles, that wasn't Christ's way and never will be! They were content to move on to continue to spread the good news! May God help us never be discouraged but forever preaching His truth come what may!

All through Jesus Christ our LORD, our SAVIOR, our KING! 

Sorcerers, False Prophets- Murderers of Eternal Life.

Paul and Barnabas, called to separate themselves from the others to fulfil the will of the Holy Spirit sailed to other parts ending up for a time in the isle of Paphos and it was there they found a sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew whose name was Barjesus also interpreted as Elymas.

They FOUND a SORCERER, a FALSE PROPHET.  

When we think of witches, sorcerers, false prophets, soothsayers, mediums, conjurers, familiars etc, we often regulate them to the realm of unreality. We've become so twisted by fictional characters with fictional attributes that we have denied the reality of there actually being real human beings who have succumbed to Satan's deception in such ways they've truly become witches and all the above mentioned sorts of people. They don't have the fictional powers Satan has deluded people's minds with but they do have Satanic powers given them by Satan to work evil with. The greatest evil is deception, keeping people from God's truth in Jesus Christ. Getting people to believe in falsehoods about Jesus and creating whole religions based on the falsehoods leading people to believe they are following Christ- these are some of the great works of those being used by Satan. So when we read in the Bible that Paul and Barnabas found a sorcerer, a false prophet does this mean they found a "Harry Potter", a "Merlin", type sorcerer that we have been conditioned to believe are what sorcerers are? No. The sorcerers of Biblical times were not anything like the fiction characters that are so popular.

Act 13:4  So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus. 

Act 13:5  And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John to their minister. 

Act 13:6  And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus: 

Act 13:7  Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God. 

Paul and Barnabas were sharing the good news of the gospel wherever they were called and here in the ilse of Paphos it was no different. However, the sorcerer who had attached himself to the deputy of the country didn't want the true message of salvation in Jesus Christ to reach the ears of the deputy. Remember this particular sorcerer, this false prophet made a living in deception NOT truth. The deputy really wanted to hear Paul and Barnabas, but the sorcerer was WITHSTANDING the followers of Christ because he knew that if the deputy was exposed to truth he would leave the deception he'd embroiled him in. Just think about it for a moment- Paul and Barnabas knew the deputy of the country WANTED to hear them, but an evil man was preventing this from happening, they really couldn't let this evil one stand in the way of the truth, right?

Act 13:8  But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith. 

Act 13:9  Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him, 

Act 13:10  And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? 

Act 13:11  And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand. 

Act 13:12  Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord. 

Paul was FILLED with the Holy Spirit- the Holy Spirit was working through Paul and looking at the sorcerer he said to him- Oh full of subtilty and ALL mischief, thou child of the DEVIL, thou ENEMY of righteousness-

Let's stop here for a moment, did you read what he said to the sorcerer?! Paul with the Holy Spirit working through Him laid bare the deception of the sorcerer. He said the sorcerer was FULL OF SUBTILITY, FULL OF ALL MISCHIEF.  There was No truth in the sorcerer! The power of the sorcerer had its origins with the DEVIL and Paul told him so.  Paul called the man a CHILD OF THE DEVIL, the ENEMY OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. Sorcerers are NOT lovable fictional characters- a bit bad boyish yet desirable. NO! NO! NO! This is pure deception perpetuated by Satan himself! You scoff and think I'm a nut job, that it's all harmless entertainment but what the harmless entertainment does is DECEIVE, it opens doors especially to the susceptible youth and leads them to not so much believe that all those fictional characters are real, but rather that the real are fictional! And when we believe that real evil is fictional we are deceived and we are caught in a web of Satan's weaving.

Here were the disciples of Christ, followers of the Savior confronting a REAL sorcerer and they did NOT hold back the truth of who this man really was.

After declaring the truth of his evil, Paul through the power of the Holy Spirit told him that the Lord's hand was upon him- and that he would be blinded, not seeing the sun for a season.

The sorcerer was being punished by the Lord for his evil, he was trying to keep the truth from the deputy of the country who truly wanted truth. Not being allowed to deceive by being publicly punished revealing the truth of the Christ follower's words, the deputy DID believe in the doctrine of the LORD! The deputy believed in the word of God being preached to Him, he believed in the salvation found only in the Lord, Jesus Christ!

 Evil was called out for being evil and led by the father of all evil and received a punishment- PROOF of the power of the word of GOD over Satan!

We have to comprehend the truth of evil, not ignore it and pretend it's not real. Evil, is deception. The evil of a false prophet is so much greater than the evil of a murder, a thief etc. The false prophet is in truth murdering thousands, only they are murdering eternal life, not temporal life-- which evil is greater? Yet so many have been taught over time to not believe in the reality of false prophets, of sorcerers, and the like. Deception.

Please, LORD, please FATHER GOD in HEAVEN, please keep us from ALL evil, from ALL deception, help us to live in Your truth through the HOLY SPIRIT, now and always through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior!!!!!!!

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!!!!!!!

Stephen's Killers Now Want to Kill Paul.

Act 9:28  And he was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem. 

Act 9:29  And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians: but they went about to slay him. 

Act 9:30  Which when the brethren knew, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus. 

Act 9:31  Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied. 

Paul joined up with the Apostles in Jerusalem. Barnabas vouched for him and the others let them into their fold. Immediately Paul began to speak boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus. Paul wasn't shrinking from his duty to the Lord, he was going to preach the gospel and preach in loudly. The miracle that occurred leading him to his Savior was something he could never forget. If only ALL of us would realize the miracle of our own conversions. True, we may not have been stopped while walking and blinded by a heavenly light, Jesus may not have appeared to us and spoken to us personally, face to face in the flesh, but HE SPEAKS to us through the Spirit, He leads us through the Spirit, He keeps us in Him through the Spirit. Jesus touches all of us in a very special unique way. We aren't lined up and given a pat on the back, we are embraced individually and welcomed into Jesus' way. We need to revisit our conversion and if we can't remember that conversion, we need to rededicate ourselves to Christ and be converted anew.

Paul preached loud, boldly and disputed against the Grecians.  DISPUTED AGAINST. These same Greeks disputed with Stephen--

Act 6:9  Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen. 

Now Paul is disputing with them having believed like they believed not too long ago.  Instead of being amazed by Paul's conversion they wanted to kill him just as they'd killed Stephen.

Killing the messengers, this was their answer to the Christ follower problem, and it wasn't going to work. They killed Stephen only to have Paul convert from Judaism to Christianity. When they sought to kill Paul the Apostles had him leave Jerusalem and go to Tarsus. The churches of the Christ followers- NOT synagogues but home churches of Christians had peace for a time. They were learning truth and many were accepting the truth their numbers multiplying. This  had to be a good time for Paul. Paul was preaching and people were hearing and believing in Christ.  This was Paul's desire- that all should believe in Jesus Christ for their salvation. Paul had NO ulterior motive, he wanted no self-glory, he only wanted Christ preached! What do we want? In our lives, what do we want? Shouldn't we too want Christ preached?  No, not everyone is called to be a preacher, but we are all called to witness as our Savior leads us through the Holy Spirit.

May we do all the LORD wants us to do! Please Lord, please bless us with the knowledge of knowing what you will for us to do in all things! All through YOUR LOVE! All in the name of our Savior, JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD NOW AND FOREVER!!!!!!!