Unveil the Evil Around Us.

Continuing with Acts 19--

The other day we studied how Paul's handkerchiefs and aprons were being used by people to cast out their evil spirits.  The power of the Holy Spirit rested upon Paul and it was through this that people were healed. They had faith. The woman that touched the hem of Jesus' garment and was healed, was healed because of her faith.

Mar 5:25  And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, 

Mar 5:26  And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse, 

Mar 5:27  When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment. 

Mar 5:28  For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole. 

Mar 5:29  And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague. 

Mar 5:30  And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes? 

Mar 5:31  And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? 

Mar 5:32  And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing. 

Mar 5:33  But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth. 

Mar 5:34  And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague. 

She told herself that if she could just touch the hem of his garment she'd be healed. She didn't need to speak with Him, she didn't need Him to pay her any attention, she knew He was filled with the power of God to heal and just touching His clothing would heal her. She was right. She touched Jesus' garment and immediately she was healed, she felt it instantly.  Jesus knew too. He felt the power go out from Himself. Jesus stopped in the middle of the crowd of people around about Him and He wanted to know who touched Him- though He already knew, He just needed to see her, to talk with her.  The woman saw Him look at her and she was fearful, shaking. She fell down before Him and told Him what she'd done and He responded by telling her that her FAITH made her whole, she was to leave in peace, healed.   Just like that woman, others with Paul's handkerchiefs and aprons knew through faith if they could just touch those items they would be healed, and they were right.  Healing of evil spirits… it was noted what was being done and OTHERS wanted to have this power to heal others of evil spirits.

Act 19:13  Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.

Vagabond Jews- exorcists.  These men knew what Paul was doing and they- being exorcists wanted the same fame. They went to where there were those filled with evil spirits and this time they used the name of Jesus, the Jesus Paul preached hoping it would cause the evil spirits to leave.

Act 19:14  And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so. 

Act 19:15  And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? 

The evil spirit ANSWERED. The evil spirit told them it knew Jesus and Paul, but not them.  The evil spirit knew that Jesus and Paul could rebuke it, that they had power, power given to them by the Father God. These men weren't known in that way, they weren't known to have the power of God, the Holy Spirit wasn't working in these men- not even the sons of the chief of the priests, Sceva.

Act 19:16  And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. 

The man filled with the evil spirit attacked them and they ran out of the house naked and injured.  They had no power over the evil spirits, none. If they thought using Jesus' name or Paul's name would work for them they were very wrong. FAITH is the power. TRUE BELIEF is the power.  You cannot fake truth, you cannot fake belief. God knows our hearts and He knows our truth, we may fool others, but God cannot be fooled, not ever!

Act 19:17  And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. 

Act 19:18  And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds. 

Act 19:19  Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. 

Act 19:20  So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed. 

The evil spirits had power over even the sons of the chief of the priests of the Jews.  This knowledge made people realize the truth that Paul preached about Jesus. They believed, they confessed, they let their deeds be brought to light.  Not only that… MANY who used curious arts - EVIL- brought those books and burned them before everyone. They burned these books filled with evil knowledge at the price of fifty thousand pieces of silver!  Today that would be several MILLION dollars' worth of books! Several million dollars of evil knowledge destroyed by those who finally realized the evil it was as they turned their lives over to Christ, to follow Him, to love Him.

Truly the word of God is powerful!  The truth prevailed!

This wasn't some horror movie, this was reality, this was TRUTH.  So why today do we make light of evil, with the majority of people regulating it to nonsense, and foolishness, powerless.  Today the world is filled with a lot of evil works of curious arts and yet they are deemed impotent. The evil spirits have learned through time to be extremely subtle and as such their evil is NOW called good.

Please LORD, please help us to comprehend Your truth!  We can't let ourselves be blind, seeking blindness rather than light because we love our darkness, our dark things, our dark arts. No matter how good we believe them to be today in our modern world, we have to realize they are as evil now as they were in the days of Jesus. Please bring to light in us all that is evil around us hiding under the guise of goodness, of harmlessness. Please LORD, help us! SAVE US FROM OURSELVES!

All through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, now and forever, and ever! Please! 

Follow His Steps.

1Pe 2:20  For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.

When you do well and suffer for it - how do you react?

What is your very first thought/emotion.  You did something nice and all you do is catch grief for it undeservedly. We've all been in this situation, sometimes quite often, right? I don't know about you but unfortunately I've got a tendency to get upset because as I would say…"I was only trying to do something nice." I'd feel put out, I'd hold a grudge of upset for at least a couple hours if not more. My upset is NOT acceptable with God.  It says so right there in His word as plain as day. I could try to put my own spin on it and add things like … take it patiently unless it was something super nice and you were buffeted for it in some manner. Yet that's MY spin, not God's and if I add my spin I'm truly corrupting the word of God, the HOLY word of God.

There we have it then, if you do good and you suffer for doing that good- TAKE IT PATIENTLY.

If you do bad and suffer for it, it is acceptable to take the suffering- the punishment patiently, right? You deserve to suffer for your wrong doing and that's completely understandable. We can ALL comprehend being made to suffer for doing wrong, and isn't it awful if one who does wrong is upset because they get punished for it and rightly so? If a person gets their just reward so to speak we can comprehend that, yes? I'm sure the majority of people have been punished a time or two (or three, or four, etc.) for something they've done wrong. Don't we cheer when the bad guys get their comeuppance in our television shows, movies, and books? And on the same note, don't we cheer when the goodness of a person supersedes their natural desire to want to lash out when they get in trouble for doing something good. That person truly is answering to a higher power than their own. To be able to overlook being hurt when all they do is good, truly this is acceptable to God.

That Biblical passage continues with this--

1Pe 2:20  For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.

1Pe 2:21  For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: 

1Pe 2:22  Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: 

1Pe 2:23  Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: 

1Pe 2:24  Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. 

1Pe 2:25  For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls. 

We are called to bear it patiently when we rebuked for well doing no matter the circumstances. Our SAVIOR left us an example of this very thing in Himself. We need to follow in our Savior's footsteps.  When He was reviled, He reviled NOT again. When He suffered- He threatened NOT.

Seriously, Jesus did NO wrong yet He suffered terribly, no one can dispute this. Jesus felt pain. Jesus comprehended fully what it meant to be hurt physically, mentally and emotionally.

Luk_22:44  And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

Jesus knows.  Yet, in all things He endured without reviling again.

Imagine having the patience to endure being slighted for doing good.

Patience.

Where can such patience come from, with what knowledge?   It has to come from the BIGGER PICTURE doesn't it? If ALL we have hope in is this life here and now and things are going horrifically for us so that we can say our lives are just a mess, then is it any wonder we'd give into reviling and the like? If there is no hope at all, no greater purpose to it all, then it's comprehensible isn't it? But if there is a greater purpose, if there is a hope for a better existence, then we can understand that having patience now to endure is towards that end. Our patience can stem from our hope which is Christ Jesus, our Savior. The thing is… now we have to implement the knowledge we possess and the hope we hold. Implementing means making a conscious decision to react in a certain way and praying that it becomes so. Implementing means recognizing the wrong in our reactions whenever they occur and praying - seeking forgiveness and hoping for a future change in our behavior. Implementing means truly seeking to follow in the footsteps of our Lord!

God help us all!

In the Love of our Savior, Jesus Christ now and forever!!!!!!!

Special Miracles- Evil Spirits Departing.

Act 19:11  And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul: 

Act 19:12  So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them. 

Paul's clothing, Paul's handkerchiefs were used by God.  These special miracles were amazing. The people filled with evil spirits were freed from them upon receiving something Paul used. Remember this--

Mat_9:20  And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment

A woman touched the HEM of Jesus' garment and this is what happened…

Mat 9:21  For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole. 

Mat 9:22  But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.

Jesus knew when the woman touched His hem. He turned around and saw who touched Him and reassured her, telling her that her faith made her whole.

How amazing it had to be to receive the gift of a special miracle. Do you suppose Paul prayed for these people getting one of his aprons or handkerchiefs? I can't imagine it was something done casually or carelessly. Not everyone could get to Paul but they were learning of the message of salvation through others that he witness to. People filled with evil spirits were tortured by them in various ways. Some evil spirits made their hosts very sick physically, others mentally. Today we don't believe in evil spirits bringing illness either physically or mentally. If we did there would be a world filled with those possessed by evil spirits, right? And we do NOT want to believe the world is filled with evil spirit possessed people.  The trouble is, we've been conditioned to believe the worst case scenarios are the only cases of possession by evil. Why bother about possessions that aren't exorcist like, you know, like that movie of the 1970's that took the world by storm. Yet those people receiving the cloth touched by Paul were healed of the evil spirits possessing them, they didn't need an exorcism, the extreme act of ridding someone of evil spirits. 

Evil spirits can make our lives miserable in many, many ways.  More on all this tomorrow, by the grace and will, the mercy of our SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD now and forever!!!!

May we trust when we see God's protection and when we don't see it.

Once again the Jews went after Paul.  The brought him to be tried saying Paul was persuading men to worship God CONTRARY to the law. Paul was all set, ready to open his mouth in his own defense yet before he could the governing power, deputy Gallio, spoke up, talking to the accusing Jews.  He told them outright, if Paul was doing something wrong or wickedly lewd then he would help them. However if it is just Paul and words, names and the Jewish law then it's is up to them to take care of it, he was NOT going to judge such things. And with that, he drove them out of the judgment seat.

Then the Greeks took the chief ruler of the synagogue and beat him up right there before the judgment seat, and the deputy Gallio didn't care at all.

Act 18:12  And when Gallio was the deputy of Achaia, the Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the judgment seat, 

Act 18:13  Saying, This fellow persuadeth men to worship God contrary to the law. 

Act 18:14  And when Paul was now about to open his mouth, Gallio said unto the Jews, If it were a matter of wrong or wicked lewdness, O ye Jews, reason would that I should bear with you: 

Act 18:15  But if it be a question of words and names, and of your law, look ye to it; for I will be no judge of such matters. 

Act 18:16  And he drave them from the judgment seat. 

Act 18:17  Then all the Greeks took Sosthenes, the chief ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment seat. And Gallio cared for none of those things. 

God was protecting Paul.  Does this mean God wasn't protecting him when he was beaten, stoned, imprisoned at other times? No. God sees the big pictures, we only see what's in our now and past, and even those are limited. If Paul is being used by God then there may only be certain ways to do so. Remember he was beaten and put in prison with Silas and then the jailer and his family were baptized, accepting Jesus Christ as their Savior.  If Paul hadn't been imprisoned and the events unfolded as they did, that family would not have known Jesus. Paul counted it JOY when he went through the fires of affliction all for Christ.  So, yes, God was protecting Paul during this because it was necessary to God's will. Paul didn't demand to speak up, he was prepared to speak but obviously he wasn't meant to at that time. Do we have to comprehend all the workings of God? No. We do have to trust Him though. And we may be called to go through some really awful stuff, and Satan wants us to blame God for the awful stuff telling us that if God really loved us he wouldn't allow the awful stuff, but that's not true.  The awful stuff is for reasons we may not comprehend in any way, but it is there and we must TRUST.  Faith is NOT comprehending but believing regardless.

May we trust when we see God's protection and when we don't see it.

All through Jesus Christ our LORD and SAVIOR, now and forever!!!!!!!

Paul Listened to God.

After Paul gave his pronouncement -  Act 18:6  And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles. 

-  Did he immediately go to the Gentiles? No.  He went into the house of a man called Justus, and Justus worshipped God and lived very close to the synagogue. But not only Justus was there but a man named Crispus- a CHIEF RULER of the SYNAGOGUE, and these men BELIEVED on the LORD.  These Jewish men believed what Paul had revealed- the truth of the Savior!  Crispus' whole family believed as well. Amazing!   And it wasn't just these two men, MANY Corinthians heard what was said and they BELIEVED and were baptized! Sure maybe not many in the whole of the synagogue believed but some of them did and in all of Corinth many did believe. Paul was done preaching to those of the synagogue but he was far from done preaching altogether. 

Act 18:7  And he departed thence, and entered into a certain man's house, named Justus, one that worshipped God, whose house joined hard to the synagogue. 

Act 18:8  And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized. 

Paul spent the night in Crispus' house and in a dream vision the Lord spoke to Paul telling him NOT to be afraid, but to speak and not hold his peace. He went on to tell him that he wasn't alone- the Lord was with him and no man would hurt him there because He had a lot of people, a lot of believers in Corinth.

So what did Paul do? He stayed there in that city for a year and a half teaching the word of God.  

Act 18:9  Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: 

Act 18:10  For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city. 

Act 18:11  And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. 

Paul listened to God, Paul was guided by the Holy Spirit, Paul believed and wanted others to believe. Do you believe and want others to believe? Is God guiding you in any way to bring the message of His truth to others? Remember we are not all called to be preachers, teachers, evangelist and so on. We may not be a mouth piece for the Lord but there are many ways to witness for our Savior. Our very lives give testament to our walk with our Lord.

By the grace and mercy of our Lord may we walk the walk He would have us walk whatever that may be! All in His love! Now and forever!!!!!!!

Refusing Christ- The Blood is On Your Own Head.

Yesterday we talked about Paul witnessing in the synagogue on the Sabbaths while working during the other days of the week. Paul REASONED with those in the Synagogue and he witnessed to His faith. The next verse however says something else- When two other disciples arrived, suddenly the Holy Spirit impressed upon Paul that he wasn't to reason any longer, but rather simple testify that Jesus was Christ.  I don't know what Paul reasoned with on the other Sabbaths, I'm sure it was of his new faith, but perhaps it was crouched in reasoning that was drawing forth truth from them, getting them to see the facts of things they'd believed for years. Paul had thoroughly laid the groundwork for all who would accept the truth to do so. He'd done every single thing he could to enlighten the eyes of the Jews. When he flat out testified without any doubt that the Messiah had already come, that the one they'd been looking for was in fact the recently crucified Jesus Christ. Paul had NO doubt, Paul was sure of this truth. As he testified he was in fact encouraging all there in the synagogue to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior. It was time for them to accept or deny truth, Paul was no longer going to debate with them, time for debating was over. As he lay bare the truth in his testimony he was sadly only met with accusation, opposition, words of blasphemy to the truth given.

How did Paul react to their response? He'd had enough. The Holy Spirit was guiding him every step of the way and it was time for Paul to stop testifying to the Jewish people altogether. He wasn't to reason with them any longer. There were people - Gentiles who were thirsty for truth and it was to them he was being called to go.

Paul was very adamant about his decision and let those there in the synagogue know. He SHOOK HIS RAIMENT- a clear expression of disdain and less they not comprehend the gesture he told them-  YOUR BLOOD BE UPON YOUR OWN HEADS, I AM CLEAN- FROM HENCEFORTH I WILL GO UNTO THE GENTILES.

The guilt of their decision was to be on their own heads, their own fault. Paul had done all he could and there was no more he could do.

So WHY do we today believe that we never really have to get to a place of true and lasting decision?  Why can't we imagine any blood on anyone's heads? We, like Paul need to let the Holy Spirit guide us in our witnessing with the comprehension that sometimes we are to move on and leave with God as judge those who refuse truth.

Please, LORD, please, let us be YOURS, wholly YOURS now and forever! Let the Holy Spirit live in us, guiding us always! All through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior forever and ever, now and forever!

Act 18:4  And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks. 

Act 18:5  And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ. 

Act 18:6  And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles. 

Work During the Week- Witness On the Sabbath.

Act 18:1  After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth; 

Act 18:2  And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them. 

Act 18:3  And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers. 

Act 18:4  And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks. 

Paul was a tentmaker.  Paul didn't give up making tents when he became a disciple of Christ's. Did he make tents full time? No. He was busy traveling and spreading the gospel. However, when he could he worked his trade. His hands were never idle. He didn't expect to live off the hospitality of people without contributing.

Because he was of the same craft he stayed with the Jews recently displaced from Rome, Aquila and Priscilla.  Staying with them he made tents with them but on the Sabbath he went to their synagogue and once again, he reasoned with those worshipping there- Jews and Greeks.

Paul didn't go into the synagogue and keep quiet about his new found conviction. The disciple went there Sabbath after Sabbath and witnessed of Jesus Christ.  He went into the place of worship where Jews were fulfilling their rituals- the sacrifices made daily were still being made, the same messages were being preached that had been preached for thousands of years. They were going on as if Jesus had not come to save them by the sacrifice of Himself. Paul went into these places of worship and when it was time for people to speak, he spoke of Christ.

We need to respect the beliefs of others - always because in respecting the beliefs we are in truth respecting our fellowman. We don't have to accept something to respect it and by respecting it there is no abuse against it, but rather the Love of God can be allowed to shine forth.  Paul respected the Jews and they allowed him to worship in their synagogue.  Having been thrown out of several synagogues for his preaching of what the mainstream considered blasphemy- having been stoned, whipped, beaten- he still continued to enter synagogues and witness. 

Working his trade, witnessing when he could… Paul is an example for us all.

May God help us to live as we are called to live, just as Paul lived as he was called to live. We may not be called to live Paul's path because we each have our own.  By the grace and mercy of the Lord we will live for Him and He will live through us, may HIS will be done, always!