Category Archives: Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God

Consequences of Sin, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, False Prophets / Teachers, Fear / Reverence for God, Jesus (hearing from God), Obeying God, Prophecy, Salvation, Tribulation

Jesus Prophecies About the Temple Destruction and His Return (Part 2)

Jesus continues His prophetic response to Peter, James, John and Andrew regarding three important questions in Matthew 24:15-31. They are having a private discussion on the mount of olives. The questions were: “When will the temple be destroyed?”, ” What will be the sign of Your coming?”, and “What will be the sign of the end of the age?” (If you missed it, we encourage you to read Part 1, before you read further here in Part 2.)

    15“Therefore when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), 16then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains. 17“Whoever is on the housetop must not go down to get the things out that are in his house. 18“Whoever is in the field must not turn back to get his cloak. 19“But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 20“But pray that your flight will not be in the winter, or on a Sabbath. 21“For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will. 22“Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. 23“Then if anyone says to you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ,’ or ‘There He is,’ do not believe him. 24“For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. 25“Behold, I have told you in advance. 26“So if they say to you, ‘Behold, He is in the wilderness,’ do not go out, or, ‘Behold, He is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe them. 27“For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be. 28“Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.

      29“But immediately after the tribulation of those days THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED, AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT, AND THE STARS WILL FALL from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30“And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory. 31“And He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.

Jesus provides no specific answer as to when the temple will be destroyed. In fact He answers in a way that intermingles the description of the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the age so that it is at times difficult to separate which comments apply for which event. He  answers as if both the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the age may be described by a similar answer… as if one is a  foreshadowing one for the other.

Let us break it down verse by verse for more insight.

15“Therefore when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand),

The abomination of desolation refers to the Roman army’s occupation of Jerusalem preceding the city’s destruction and the desecration of the temple resulting from the actions of Antiochus IV Epiphanes in the mid-2nd century BC. Specifically, he set up an altar to Zeus in the Second Temple in Jerusalem, and sacrificed swine on it around the year 167 BC.

The destruction of Jerusalem after the Jewish people rejected Jesus Christ as Messiah may represent a foreshadowing of the end of the world when Christ comes again after many reject Him.

16then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains. 17“Whoever is on the housetop must not go down to get the things out that are in his house. 18“Whoever is in the field must not turn back to get his cloak. 19“But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!

This section of the prophecy clearly warns God’s people to be prepared. Recognize the signs and move quickly and urgently. There is no time to spare. It will be difficult. In regards to the Roman siege of Jerusalem, those who heeded Jesus’ prophecy were able to get out before the siege began, escaping to the countryside or wilderness. Those who were not prepared… who did not recognize the signs… would have been trapped in the middle of it.

So too we must prepare ourselves for the end of the age… the end of the world. We must be ready for it. The most important preparation is to turn from our wrong behaviors and thoughts (our sins)… to ask Jesus for forgiveness and make Him Lord of our life. (read more: The Message of the Cross – Salvation)

20“But pray that your flight will not be in the winter, or on a Sabbath. 21“For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will. 22“Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.

Followers of Christ were not spared the tribulation of the siege of Jerusalem by God removing them from the situation. If they were prepared and heeded Jesus’ prophetic warning to leave, then their time was less hard… but still hard.  So, too, will it be at the end of the age. Christians will not be spared the great tribulation, but can take refuge in knowing what it brings and through personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Jesus encourages us to pray that our part of the tribulation would be more manageable… less harsh… so that we may endure it to the end. We should do as Jesus guides and pray.

23“Then if anyone says to you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ,’ or ‘There He is,’ do not believe him. 24“For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. 25“Behold, I have told you in advance. 26“So if they say to you, ‘Behold, He is in the wilderness,’ do not go out, or, ‘Behold, He is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe them.

Jesus’ comments here appear to apply more toward the end times rather than the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem. He warns us clearly to watch out for the deception of false prophets who will claim to be Christ or speak for God. We must study scripture daily, seek God in prayer, and pray for God’s help to recognize the false prophets for what they are… lest they lead us astray. There are many today, leading people away from Jesus, claiming to teach His word. Each of us must heed this warning and take action in our lives to prepare. We must not be lazy in our study and prayer… doing it “when we have time”. We must seek first the kingdom of God.

Matthew 6:33 33“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

27“For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.

Jesus is letting us know that when He returns… it will be in a manner very different than we may imagine and very different from every false Christ. The second coming of Jesus shall be like lightning… swift, unexpected, and powerful. There is some thought that even the manner in which the Romans came to conquer Jerusalem can be compared to this prophecy… again as perhaps a foreshadowing of the end of the age.

 28“Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.

To be honest, this verse is a bit tougher to understand with confidence. It may refer to wherever a church or nation has rejected God… is dead to God… and is decaying… there God’s ministers of vengeance, the vultures, do their work of destruction so as to leave room for new life.

 29“But immediately after the tribulation of those days THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED, AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT, AND THE STARS WILL FALL from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30“And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory. 31“And He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.

Verses 29-31 again reinforce that Jesus’ return will not be subtle. It will be magnificent and obvious for those who are prepared to recognize it. His return will not be something that is unclear at all but rather He will come in great power.

All the tribes of the earth will mourn… all those who have rejected Jesus and instead chosen another path fear the coming of judgment. If they do not fear it now… they will fear it as Jesus returns in full power and glory and they can no longer rationalize their denial and rejection of Him.

The angels are sent forth with great fanfare to gather those on the earth who have chosen and submitted to Jesus, for they were scattered.

For those of us who follow and submit to Jesus, this time represents a wonderful time for celebration! For those who reject Jesus , it is a time to dread… judgment comes and they are on the wrong side of it.

Thankfully, we do not have to fully understand prophecy to understand what Jesus is calling us to do to prepare. We are called to accept Jesus as Lord repenting from our sins, become disciples through constant study and prayer, and then go and make disciples of others. This is how we prepare for the end times… to be ready even though we do not know exactly when it comes. We know enough to recognize that we better devote our lives to Jesus and help others to do the same. That is how we prepare.

Get started by learning some key teachings:

Then we invite you to study the Bible with us daily through our devotions via email, Facebook, or on our website Latest Devotions page.

Click link to continue to Part 3 in this article series.

Please pray with me:

Father, please help me to come to proper relationship with You now. Let me not put it off, assuming it only matters that I am doing what is right when You return. Help me to strengthen my faith, my passion for Your word, to worship You, to spend time with You, to share the gospel with others. Help me to know when I hear from You. Lead me to repent of my sins. Help me to prepare now, this very day. Amen. 

If you have questions or want to know more, please Contact Us.

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Consequences of Sin, Discipline / Guidance From God, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, False Prophets / Teachers, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Jesus (hearing from God), Obeying God, Salvation, Through Prophets, Tribulation

Jesus Prophecies About The Temple Destruction And His Return (Part 1)

Jesus provides prophetic insight into when He returns at the end of the age to his disciples in Matthew 24:1-14. I find it interesting to note that this particular teaching, which may be harder to understand than others is directed in a private discussion between Jesus and some of His disciples, rather than a public forum. Some prophecy can be difficult to fully understand, especially by those who have not yet come into proper relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

      1Jesus came out from the temple and was going away when His disciples came up to point out the temple buildings to Him. 2And He said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here will be left upon another, which will not be torn down.”

      3As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”

      4And Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you. 5“For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many. 6“You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. 7“For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. 8“But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.

      9“Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. 10“At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. 11“Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. 12“Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold. 13“But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. 14“This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.

Let us dive in and explore this prophecy from Jesus verse by verse. To study in more detail, I recommend starting by reviewing a variety of commentaries for this scripture on BibleHub.com. You can go verse by verse at:

http://biblehub.com/commentaries/matthew/24-1.htm

1Jesus came out from the temple and was going away when His disciples came up to point out the temple buildings to Him.

As Jesus and His disciples left the temple, it would be natural to expect them to observe the structure in all of its splendor. It was magnificent.

2And He said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here will be left upon another, which will not be torn down.”

Jesus uses a proverbial and figurative expression “not one stone here will be left upon another” to reveal the coming destruction of the temple.  Barnes’ Notes Commentary provides the following historical information:

The temple was vast, rich, splendid. It was the pride of the nation, and the nation was at peace. Yet in the short space of 40 years all this was accomplished exactly. Jerusalem was taken by the Roman armies, under the command of Titus, 70 a.d. The account of the siege and destruction of the city is left us by Josephus, a historian of undoubted veracity and singular fidelity. He was a Jewish priest. In the wars of which he gives an account, he fell into the hands of the Romans, and remained with them during the siege and destruction of the city. Being a Jew, he would of course say nothing designed to confirm the prophecies of Jesus Christ; yet his whole history appears almost like a running commentary on these predictions respecting the destruction of the temple.

3As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”

The prediction that the temple would be destroyed had been made in the presence of all the apostles. A “part” now came privately to know more. We know from Mark 13:3, that Peter, James, John, and Andrew were the disciples who came with Jesus to ask about these things.

There were three questions asked by the disciples.

1. When will the temple be destroyed?

2. What will be the sign of Your coming?

3. What will be the sign of the end of the age?

 4And Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you. 5“For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many.

Jesus begins an answer in verse 4 that continues for several chapters. We will not cover all of it in one devotion, but rather continue studying it over the course of several devotions as we walk through the book of Matthew.

Jesus provides no specific answer to the first question about when the temple will be destroyed. In fact He answers in a way that intermingles the description of the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the age so that it is at times difficult to separate which comments apply for which event. He  answers as if both the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the age may be described by a similar answer… as if one is a  foreshadowing one for the other.

Jesus does not provide a distinct and specific description of the events, but instead seems most interested in providing a warning about what is to come. We are warned not to be mislead by the many who claim to come in His name. There are many false prophets who claim the name of Jesus, but we must spend time studying the word and in prayer daily to fully recognize the false prophets from the true ones. Many will be led astray to their peril! We are not to be lazy in our desire to know and serve God or we will be easy prey to be led away from Him by false prophets.

6“You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. 7“For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. 8“But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.

Jesus warns us further not to be frightened by the wars, famines and earthquakes. These events must occur. They are but the beginnings of birth pangs… the beginning of labor. These things can continue on for a long time before the end of the age… the birth of a new one. Knowing what they signal is coming… a new age… can help us to avoid fear as our response… just as knowing about birth pains helps us avoid fear when those pains are experienced in pregnancy. For those who understand pregnancy and birth, this metaphor clearly serves as warning also that more difficulty and pain are to come. The birth pains are more intense than the early labor pains.

9“Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. 10“At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. 11“Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. .

Contrary to the incorrect belief of many, the scripture indicates believers will experience tribulation, not be called away to Heaven before it comes. God’s people will be hated by all the nations because they submit to the name of Jesus. Under this intense pressure and persecution, many will fall away and betray one another. Many will hate one another. False prophets lead people away from God.

We can be encouraged because Jesus has warned us ahead of time. Those who understand and heed the warning will be better prepared to avoid being misled… being led away from Christ. We can endure tough situations, even finding joy in them, knowing that God has not been defeated… far from it! Jesus told us it would happen. We can look forward with great anticipation for the end of this age and the hope of the age to come.

12“Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold

Lawlessness refers specifically to the law of God… His commands on how we are to live. Jesus summarized God’s commands as loving God and loving your neighbor. As people discard the commands of God, claiming they are no longer relevant… their love grows cold. Some even teach discarding portions of the law because Jesus died for us, but this is contrary to what Jesus teaches. (To learn more, study our teaching Understanding the Law – What Does It Mean Today?)

Matthew 22:35-40

35One of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, 36“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37And He said to him, “ ‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ 38“This is the great and foremost commandment. 39“The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ 40“On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”

Jesus wants us to continue obeying all the laws and commands of God to the end of the age. By doing so we show love to God and our neighbors and do not allow our love to grow cold.

13“But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.

Only the one who endures to the end will be saved. Those that turn away from God and follow their own path when it gets tough will be lost, regardless of whatever prior relationship they had with Jesus. While no one can “snatch” one out of the Father’s hand, all of God’s people must freely choose to submit to Him… and can also freely choose to reject and rebel against Him, even if they once submitted to Him.

John 10:26-30

26“But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep. 27“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; 28and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. 29“My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30“I and the Father are one.”

For each of us, our end comes in different ways and different times.  Every day, about 150,000 people a day are dying… meeting their end. Yes, some will make it to the end of the age, but for most of us our end comes before then. Either way, we are each called to endure to the end, submitting our lives to God despite suffering or hard times.

14“This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.

After His death and resurrection, Jesus gave a clear command to His disciples to go and make disciples of all the nations, confirming again what He said in Matthew 24:14. We should study this command and obey it as well. It not only applies to the disciples, but to all who truly submit to Jesus Christ and therefore commit to do His work and obey His will and honor His kingdom. The command may not be easy to follow, but neither was dying on the cross easy. Jesus’ command should be very important to each of us that declare Him “Lord”.

Matthew 28:16-20

16But the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated. 17When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some were doubtful. 18And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Those of us who serve Christ have our marching orders, a mission if you will. Jesus did not say… “Live comfortably and according to your own desires. When you feel like it and when it is convenient and easy, please consider telling others about me.” Not at all. Quite the opposite. Jesus commands us to go and make disciples of all the world! Do not think that this was easy for the disciples either, but rather it was a challenging task. To study more about the Great Commission commanded by Jesus, review our teaching, The Great Commission – Make Disciples Of All The Nations.

We should consider Jesus’ warnings and instructions carefully and thoughtfully consider how to apply them to our lives!

Of course, the first step, for those who have not yet done so, is to turn from our sins and wrong behaviors, ask forgiveness from Jesus and submit to Jesus Christ  as Lord of our lives. It is a journey that lasts a lifetime, transforming us to be less like our old sinful nature and more like Jesus along the way. Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross. Accepting Jesus as Lord is just the beginning!

Click link to continue to Part 2 in this article series.

Please pray with me:

Father, please help me to come to proper relationship with You now. Let me not put it off, assuming it only matters that I am doing what is right when You return. Help me to strengthen my faith, my passion for Your word, to worship You, to spend time with You, to share the gospel with others. Help me to know when I hear from You. Lead me to repent of my sins. Help me to prepare now, this very day. Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Persecution / Glorifying God, Share the Good News, Wickedness / Evil

Stand Firm in the Truth of Christ

How often we see today that people will make up false accusations to come against disciples of Yeshua. They will try to come against us directly or through the court of law. They are not hesitant to lie about us or what we have and have not done. Some in authority will honestly try to protect all citizens, including Christians, and others are just corrupt and looking to benefit themselves in whatever way is most profitable.

Paul experienced all of this! We can look to how he handled himself to gain valuable insight for our own behavior in situations we may face.

Acts 24

Paul before Felix

      1After five days the high priest Ananias came down with some elders, with an attorney named Tertullus, and they brought charges to the governor against Paul. 2After Paul had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying to the governor,
“Since we have through you attained much peace, and since by your providence reforms are being carried out for this nation, 3we acknowledge this in every way and everywhere, most excellent Felix, with all thankfulness. 4“But, that I may not weary you any further, I beg you to grant us, by your kindness, a brief hearing. 5“For we have found this man a real pest and a fellow who stirs up dissension among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. 6“And he even tried to desecrate the temple; and then we arrested him. [We wanted to judge him according to our own Law. 7“But Lysias the commander came along, and with much violence took him out of our hands, 8ordering his accusers to come before you.] By examining him yourself concerning all these matters you will be able to ascertain the things of which we accuse him.” 9The Jews also joined in the attack, asserting that these things were so.

      10When the governor had nodded for him to speak, Paul responded:
“Knowing that for many years you have been a judge to this nation, I cheerfully make my defense, 11since you can take note of the fact that no more than twelve days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship. 12“Neither in the temple, nor in the synagogues, nor in the city itself did they find me carrying on a discussion with anyone or causing a riot. 13“Nor can they prove to you the charges of which they now accuse me. 14“But this I admit to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect I do serve the God of our fathers, believing everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets; 15having a hope in God, which these men cherish themselves, that there shall certainly be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked. 16“In view of this, I also do my best to maintain always a blameless conscience both before God and before men. 17“Now after several years I came to bring alms to my nation and to present offerings; 18in which they found me occupied in the temple, having been purified, without any crowd or uproar. But there were some Jews from Asia— 19who ought to have been present before you and to make accusation, if they should have anything against me. 20“Or else let these men themselves tell what misdeed they found when I stood before the Council, 21other than for this one statement which I shouted out while standing among them, ‘For the resurrection of the dead I am on trial before you today.’”

      22But Felix, having a more exact knowledge about the Way, put them off, saying, “When Lysias the commander comes down, I will decide your case.” 23Then he gave orders to the centurion for him to be kept in custody and yet have some freedom, and not to prevent any of his friends from ministering to him.

      24But some days later Felix arrived with Drusilla, his wife who was a Jewess, and sent for Paul and heard him speak about faith in Christ Jesus. 25But as he was discussing righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix became frightened and said, “Go away for the present, and when I find time I will summon you.” 26At the same time too, he was hoping that money would be given him by Paul; therefore he also used to send for him quite often and converse with him. 27But after two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, and wishing to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul imprisoned.

Paul stood proudly and proclaimed the truth of Jesus Christ seemingly at all times. He did not back down or lie just to get out of trouble. He did not offer bribes to get out of jail. He even took advantage of a bad situation to have the opportunity to share the truth of Jesus Christ with those in leadership over and over again, despite their unfair treatment of him. Paul did not get angry with God and pout or give up. Paul was truly submitted and committed to Christ.

Each of us should ask ourselves… “How can we learn from Paul’s example and apply the same determination and spirit to our lives?”

What hard situations do you face? Will you compromise your values to make it easier? Will you take the opportunity to witness boldly to others, even if they treat you unfairly?

As an important side note, observe that Paul clearly proclaims that he is “believing everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets”. That is certainly different than what you hear most Christian churches teach today, as they claim the law is no longer meaningful after the death and resurrection of Yeshua. Paul clearly disagrees. The law is still important.

To learn more, read Understanding the Law – What Does It Mean Today?

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help Your people boldly take every opportunity to glorify You and share the truth of Your word and of Messiah! Let us not be discouraged or intimidated. Bless us and help us seize the opportunities to share the gospel that You provide for us. Amen.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Courage / Fear, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Government, He Appears Before You, Murder, Persecution / Glorifying God, Protector / Deliverer, Purposeful / Intentional, Share the Good News, Submitted / Servant

Those Who Oppose Messiah Rationalize Much

Many who oppose Yeshua will do so with such passion that they will violate the values the claim to believe in order to oppose Him.  They rationalize absurd contradictions to come against Him. We see examples still today in similar fashion to those documented in the Bible from thousands of years ago. People have not changed. One of today’s examples is those who zealously demand tolerance for all belief systems, no matter how vile. These same people then practice no tolerance of those following Yeshua and our beliefs. They prosecute Christians or Jews with a passion that defies logic. They will try to ruin people for not baking them a wedding cake for a gay wedding, but then turn around and embrace Muslims who, under Sharia law, throw homosexuals off a building to their death without a trial. It defies all logic, with the exception that the devil is attacking those who live for Yeshua.

Paul experienced this kind of persecution continuously because he dedicated his life to the purpose of sharing the truth of the gospel of Yeshua. People came against him constantly, as they did our Messiah Himself. They were not concerned about what was lawful, but rather plotted as they saw fit regardless of the law of the land. They were blinded by their own biased view of the matter and not considering it truly rationally.

Acts 23:11-35

     11But on the night immediately following, the Lord stood at his side and said, “Take courage; for as you have solemnly witnessed to My cause at Jerusalem, so you must witness at Rome also.”

A Conspiracy to Kill Paul

      12When it was day, the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves under an oath, saying that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul. 13There were more than forty who formed this plot. 14They came to the chief priests and the elders and said, “We have bound ourselves under a solemn oath to taste nothing until we have killed Paul. 15“Now therefore, you and the Council notify the commander to bring him down to you, as though you were going to determine his case by a more thorough investigation; and we for our part are ready to slay him before he comes near the place.”

      16But the son of Paul’s sister heard of their ambush, and he came and entered the barracks and told Paul. 17Paul called one of the centurions to him and said, “Lead this young man to the commander, for he has something to report to him.” 18So he took him and led him to the commander and said, “Paul the prisoner called me to him and asked me to lead this young man to you since he has something to tell you.” 19The commander took him by the hand and stepping aside, began to inquire of him privately, “What is it that you have to report to me?” 20And he said, “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down tomorrow to the Council, as though they were going to inquire somewhat more thoroughly about him. 21“So do not listen to them, for more than forty of them are lying in wait for him who have bound themselves under a curse not to eat or drink until they slay him; and now they are ready and waiting for the promise from you.” 22So the commander let the young man go, instructing him, “Tell no one that you have notified me of these things.”

Paul Moved to Caesarea

      23And he called to him two of the centurions and said, “Get two hundred soldiers ready by the third hour of the night to proceed to Caesarea, with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen.” 24They were also to provide mounts to put Paul on and bring him safely to Felix the governor. 25And he wrote a letter having this form:

26“Claudius Lysias, to the most excellent governor Felix, greetings.

            27“When this man was arrested by the Jews and was about to be slain by them, I came up to them with the troops and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman.
28“And wanting to ascertain the charge for which they were accusing him, I brought him down to their Council;
29and I found him to be accused over questions about their Law, but under no accusation deserving death or imprisonment.

      30“When I was informed that there would be a plot against the man, I sent him to you at once, also instructing his accusers to bring charges against him before you.”

31So the soldiers, in accordance with their orders, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris. 32But the next day, leaving the horsemen to go on with him, they returned to the barracks. 33When these had come to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him. 34When he had read it, he asked from what province he was, and when he learned that he was from Cilicia, 35he said, “I will give you a hearing after your accusers arrive also,” giving orders for him to be kept in Herod’s Praetorium.

I want to highlight a “shout out” for the LORD. In verse 11, He encourages Paul that he is on the right track bringing the word of God and Messiah to Jerusalem and then next to Rome. Clear guidance and confirmation must be so helpful when confronting such difficult situations!

We should absolutely get involved in our local and national governments to try to ensure God’s values are protected. Do not give ground to the ungodly even if they win a court battle here and there. Wrong is wrong. We must engage and support our brothers and sisters in Yeshua to receive the protection of the law they are due. We see how helpful it is for Paul when the Romans actually protected him as a Roman citizen from those who wanted to kill him because he served Yeshua.

Of course, we can also be encouraged that God can use all things to work together for the good of those who love Him and are called by Him. God uses this situation with Paul to help lead him to Rome, consistent with God’s plans for him.

Romans 8:28

28And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

When you experience persecution because of Yeshua, turn to Him prayerfully for help and turn to your true brothers and sisters in Yeshua. When you see others facing persecution, engage in intercessory prayer on their behalf and help them where you can yourself. Do not accept the lies, deceit, or persecution presented by the world as reason to turn away from any element of what God calls us to do. Stand firm and proclaim the truth boldly.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, thank You for encouraging us and guiding us in the way You want us to go. It is so powerful to give us confidence and courage in difficult times. Please continue to embolden and raise up leaders like Paul to understand deeply and teach boldly the word of Yeshua as Messiah and your instructions for how we should live as Your people. Prepare us as Your people to hear and obey and support those leaders and teachers. Amen. 

—-

Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Faith / Trusting God, Persecution / Glorifying God, Prophecy, Prophecy, Purposeful / Intentional, Share the Good News, Speaking, Visions

Create Opportunity To Share The Gospel

Paul returned to Jerusalem knowing that he would be persecuted. He did so willing to sacrifice his own life in sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. Paul felt strongly that he should return to Jerusalem and would not turn away because he would suffer personal harm or death. We should be careful not to overlook this consistent commitment from Paul. He faced many real and tangible threats for his safety throughout his missionary journeys. He nevertheless remained on message sharing the truth with even those who refused to accept it. Because of his boldness and courage and faithfulness, many were led to Christ. Paul did not wait for opportunities to share the gospel of Christ… he created opportunity.

Acts 21:10-14

10As we were staying there for some days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11And coming to us, he took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands, and said, “This is what the Holy Spirit says: ‘In this way the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’” 12When we had heard this, we as well as the local residents began begging him not to go up to Jerusalem. 13Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” 14And since he would not be persuaded, we fell silent, remarking, “The will of the Lord be done!”

Sure enough, as prophecy foretold, Paul was seized and bound in Jerusalem. Paul knew this would happen because of the prophecy he received. He went anyway. Take special note of how Paul reacts to the crowd once given the opportunity… keep in mind they were beating him with intent to kill him.  He does not attempt to flee. He does not try to tell the people how wrong they were for beating him. He takes the opportunity to share his personal testimony of his prior misplaced efforts to kill followers of Christ as a bridge to relate to those who were trying to kill him. Paul is always looking for a way to bridge back to the message of the gospel by finding a way to connect with those to whom he is speaking. He never seems to miss an opportunity to share the truth of Jesus Christ.

Acts 21:27-40

Paul Seized in the Temple

      27When the seven days were almost over, the Jews from Asia, upon seeing him in the temple, began to stir up all the crowd and laid hands on him, 28crying out, “Men of Israel, come to our aid! This is the man who preaches to all men everywhere against our people and the Law and this place; and besides he has even brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.” 29For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple. 30Then all the city was provoked, and the people rushed together, and taking hold of Paul they dragged him out of the temple, and immediately the doors were shut. 31While they were seeking to kill him, a report came up to the commander of the Roman cohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion. 32At once he took along some soldiers and centurions and ran down to them; and when they saw the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. 33Then the commander came up and took hold of him, and ordered him to be bound with two chains; and he began asking who he was and what he had done. 34But among the crowd some were shouting one thing and some another, and when he could not find out the facts because of the uproar, he ordered him to be brought into the barracks. 35When he got to the stairs, he was carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the mob; 36for the multitude of the people kept following them, shouting, “Away with him!”

      37As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the commander, “May I say something to you?” And he said, “Do you know Greek? 38“Then you are not the Egyptian who some time ago stirred up a revolt and led the four thousand men of the Assassins out into the wilderness?” 39But Paul said, “I am a Jew of Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no insignificant city; and I beg you, allow me to speak to the people.” 40When he had given him permission, Paul, standing on the stairs, motioned to the people with his hand; and when there was a great hush, he spoke to them in the Hebrew dialect, saying,

Acts 22

Paul’s Defense before the Jews

      1“Brethren and fathers, hear my defense which I now offer to you.”

      2And when they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew dialect, they became even more quiet; and he said,

      3“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated under Gamaliel, strictly according to the law of our fathers, being zealous for God just as you all are today. 4“I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and putting both men and women into prisons, 5as also the high priest and all the Council of the elders can testify. From them I also received letters to the brethren, and started off for Damascus in order to bring even those who were there to Jerusalem as prisoners to be punished.

      6“But it happened that as I was on my way, approaching Damascus about noontime, a very bright light suddenly flashed from heaven all around me, 7and I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’ 8“And I answered, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said to me, ‘I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom you are persecuting.’ 9“And those who were with me saw the light, to be sure, but did not understand the voice of the One who was speaking to me. 10“And I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Get up and go on into Damascus, and there you will be told of all that has been appointed for you to do.’ 11“But since I could not see because of the brightness of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me and came into Damascus.

      12“A certain Ananias, a man who was devout by the standard of the Law, and well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there, 13came to me, and standing near said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ And at that very time I looked up at him. 14“And he said, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will and to see the Righteous One and to hear an utterance from His mouth. 15‘For you will be a witness for Him to all men of what you have seen and heard. 16‘Now why do you delay? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name.’

      17“It happened when I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, that I fell into a trance, 18and I saw Him saying to me, ‘Make haste, and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about Me.’ 19“And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves understand that in one synagogue after another I used to imprison and beat those who believed in You. 20‘And when the blood of Your witness Stephen was being shed, I also was standing by approving, and watching out for the coats of those who were slaying him.’ 21“And He said to me, ‘Go! For I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”

      22They listened to him up to this statement, and then they raised their voices and said, “Away with such a fellow from the earth, for he should not be allowed to live!” 23And as they were crying out and throwing off their cloaks and tossing dust into the air, 24the commander ordered him to be brought into the barracks, stating that he should be examined by scourging so that he might find out the reason why they were shouting against him that way. 25But when they stretched him out with thongs, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, “Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman and uncondemned?” 26When the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and told him, saying, “What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman.” 27The commander came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman?” And he said, “Yes.” 28The commander answered, “I acquired this citizenship with a large sum of money.” And Paul said, “But I was actually born a citizen.” 29Therefore those who were about to examine him immediately let go of him; and the commander also was afraid when he found out that he was a Roman, and because he had put him in chains.

      30But on the next day, wishing to know for certain why he had been accused by the Jews, he released him and ordered the chief priests and all the Council to assemble, and brought Paul down and set him before them.

I admire Paul’s courage and faith and his relentless commitment to share the truth of the gospel of Christ. Reflecting personally, I have allowed minor obstacles such as my perception of people’s opinions or resistance to the message or situational settings to discourage me from sharing the message of Christ.  I see in Paul a courage and passion I want to have and I am praying for it as well as making conscious choices to overcome any excuses for resisting sharing the message. This is not an excuse for just being openly confrontational in sharing the gospel, but rather a reminder to look for opportunity to bridge with everyone, anyone in any given circumstance in a way to place the focus on Christ. Ask for God to help in prayer and then look for creative ways to engage people in sharing the gospel of Christ. You will not reach everyone, but you will reach some… and that is worth it.

Think of it… how many go fishing even when they may not always catch fish… or hunting even when they may not always succeed? How many play golf though they may never reach par or go shopping though they may not always find what they are looking for? Why should we not apply at least as much effort, passion and creativity toward reaching others to tell them about the love and joy and peace we find in Jesus Christ?

Your challenge… should you choose to accept it…  create at least one opportunity to share the gospel of Jesus with someone where you would normally not feel bold enough to engage. For the week, create at least three opportunities. I started the challenge today… and God even gave me the blessing of a really encouraging response that I was not at all expecting. God is good.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please embolden me to grasp opportunities to share the gospel of Yeshua. Help me to be courageous and bold. Let me not let opportunities pass me by. Create divine appointments for me to impact others for Your glory. Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Demons, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Greed, Miracles, Persecution / Glorifying God, Share the Good News

Prepare for Adventure and Drama When You Truly Preach the Word to Lost

Most of us who submit our lives to Yeshua and, out of obedience, boldly proclaim the gospel to others do so with nothing whatsoever to gain personally. We are moved by obedience to Messiah and out of love for our fellow man to help them find freedom in Yeshua… freedom from sin and freedom from the penalty of death for their sin. It is helpful at times to remember that those who reject our Messiah have many different motives. Often times they are not even willing to open their eyes and consider the miracles around them which declare the truth and the glory of God.

As we read in Acts 19, we start with a documented list of powerful miracles taking place which glorify YHWH. The word of the LORD was prevailing and growing mightily. With that backdrop, we also come across a variety of responses. Some try to use the name of Yeshua without having the relationship with Him and they are overcome by a demon possessed man. They tried by their own power. Contrast that to verse 11 where we see emphasis that God was performing the miracles through the hands of Paul. It was not Paul. We also see those who would profit by making idols come full force against those bringing the truth of Yeshua as Messiah. They seem to completely overlook the miracles and focus solely on their own short term financial benefit. They miss the bigger picture. There are many like these still today. Many come against Messiah for selfish reasons or try to use His name for their own glory and honor.

Acts 19:11-41

Miracles at Ephesus

      11God was performing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, 12so that handkerchiefs or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out. 13But also some of the Jewish exorcists, who went from place to place, attempted to name over those who had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, “I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.” 14Seven sons of one Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. 15And the evil spirit answered and said to them, “I recognize Jesus, and I know about Paul, but who are you?” 16And the man, in whom was the evil spirit, leaped on them and subdued all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. 17This became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who lived in Ephesus; and fear fell upon them all and the name of the Lord Jesus was being magnified. 18Many also of those who had believed kept coming, confessing and disclosing their practices. 19And many of those who practiced magic brought their books together and began burning them in the sight of everyone; and they counted up the price of them and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. 20So the word of the Lord was growing mightily and prevailing.

      21Now after these things were finished, Paul purposed in the Spirit to go to Jerusalem after he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.” 22And having sent into Macedonia two of those who ministered to him, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while.

      23About that time there occurred no small disturbance concerning the Way. 24For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, was bringing no little business to the craftsmen; 25these he gathered together with the workmen of similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that our prosperity depends upon this business. 26“You see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but in almost all of Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away a considerable number of people, saying that gods made with hands are no gods at all. 27“Not only is there danger that this trade of ours fall into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis be regarded as worthless and that she whom all of Asia and the world worship will even be dethroned from her magnificence.”

      28When they heard this and were filled with rage, they began crying out, saying, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” 29The city was filled with the confusion, and they rushed with one accord into the theater, dragging along Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia. 30And when Paul wanted to go into the assembly, the disciples would not let him. 31Also some of the Asiarchs who were friends of his sent to him and repeatedly urged him not to venture into the theater. 32So then, some were shouting one thing and some another, for the assembly was in confusion and the majority did not know for what reason they had come together. 33Some of the crowd concluded it was Alexander, since the Jews had put him forward; and having motioned with his hand, Alexander was intending to make a defense to the assembly. 34But when they recognized that he was a Jew, a single outcry arose from them all as they shouted for about two hours, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” 35After quieting the crowd, the town clerk said, “Men of Ephesus, what man is there after all who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is guardian of the temple of the great Artemis and of the image which fell down from heaven? 36“So, since these are undeniable facts, you ought to keep calm and to do nothing rash. 37“For you have brought these men here who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of our goddess. 38“So then, if Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a complaint against any man, the courts are in session and proconsuls are available; let them bring charges against one another. 39“But if you want anything beyond this, it shall be settled in the lawful assembly. 40“For indeed we are in danger of being accused of a riot in connection with today’s events, since there is no real cause for it, and in this connection we will be unable to account for this disorderly gathering.” 41After saying this he dismissed the assembly.

Consider for a moment the “extraordinary miracles” that were taking place in the name of Jesus Christ. They were public spectacles and not private events. Word of Jesus was spreading and people were believing. There were many who responded and believed. However, there were some who were motivated by greed and others who joined in without even understanding why they were rioting… they just allowed themselves to be caught up in the moment and come against the Christians for no particular reason other than seeing others act that way.

They made no rational appeal or argument against Jesus. They were only concerned to shout for their false beliefs and not listen to any other views… even in the face of “extraordinary miracles”! They were blind and could not see… or would not see.

We see these same responses from many today. When we proclaim the truth many will come against us… but many will accept Yeshua as Lord. We must take courage and proclaim Him boldly despite opposition. We must take what measured steps we can to protect ourselves while relying on God to help us, but we must never be silenced from sharing the truth of Messiah.

Reason does not always win out… and in this particular scripture there was a man who calmed the crowds. It does not always work out that way, but we must place our trust in God and go about His business anyway.  We can try to adjust our strategy to communicate the gospel and how we respond to people by understanding their motivations. It was probably wise for the believers to keep Paul from going to the riot. We do not know, but perhaps they would not have been so easily calmed if they had Paul in their midst.

Truly we can also be thankful to God when we live in a society in which there is some semblance of court system to sort out conflict in a way that avoids mob rule and riots. We should actively involve ourselves in government when we can in order to protect that protection where we have it or to fight to get those rights where we do not have them.

At all times, however, we should pray for God to help us in proclaiming the gospel and responding to both receptive and hostile audiences… whether we face crowds of 5000 or a single person. Do not expect people to act rationally and listen to reason and evidence of Yeshua as Messiah, even when presented with miracles. Many will hear and be moved to learn more, but also many will resist and fight to hold on to what they already believe, for a variety of reasons that can actually be quite narrow and selfish.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please protect and encourage those who share the truth about Your word. Thank You for miracles that You perform at times to help glorify Your name and spread the word. Please help prepare people to hear Your word and receive it. Amen. 

—-

Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Anger (unrighteous anger), Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Persecution / Glorifying God, Share the Good News, Unteachable / Foolish

Some Will Not Listen to Reason

Surely all of us have encountered resistance at one time or another from someone that just refused to use reason and logic in dealing with situations in life. Sometimes it can be about really trivial things and other times it is about matters literally of life and death. People get entrenched in a position and become unwilling to listen and consider logic and reason… even when you point out that they are contradicting themselves! They simply refuse to acknowledge that they are even possibly wrong. If they can’t win the discussion with facts, they just get belligerent or violent… resorting to emotional responses.  These behaviors we experience in the world around us are also revealed in scripture. We should not be surprised by them… though they can be very frustrating.

Acts 19:8-10

8And he entered the synagogue and continued speaking out boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God. 9But when some were becoming hardened and disobedient, speaking evil of the Way before the people, he withdrew from them and took away the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. 10This took place for two years, so that all who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.

Ultimately, you cannot force someone to acknowledge reality through the lens of logic and reason. That said, we should not forgo teaching with logic and reason as foundational to our faith.

When we find ourselves facing emotional, irrational, perhaps violent opposition we must then decide how best to proceed in going about the Lord’s work. Sometimes the answer may be to stand our ground and hold firm to the truth and sometimes, as in Acts 19:8-10 above, it is best to take some reasonable steps to enable us to safely and effectively continue what we have been called to do. Paul chose to withdraw after many months from the synagogue, but he did not stop his mission. He taught elsewhere for two years and many across Asia heard the word of the Lord. Wonderful to note as well… Paul did not hold a grudge against all Jews, but rather he continued to share the gospel with Jew and Greek alike.

Are you facing opposition like this in your personal life? Prayerfully consider if you should take some reasonable steps to change the dynamic and neutralize the opposition you face. Then listen to God’s response no matter which way He answers… whether to remain “as-is” or to make some changes. Remember, if God is for us, who can be against us?

Romans 8:31

31What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?  

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please prepare people to hear and receive Your message as You also prepare others to share Your message. Grant Your people patience and courage to continue in the face of discouragement and opposition. Lead and guide us in wisdom regarding with whom and where to share Your word. May You be honored and glorified by all. amen. 

  Shalom. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Encouragement, Help / Serve Others, Interceding for Others, Persecution / Glorifying God, Purposeful / Intentional, Share the Good News, Study the Word, Teachable

Support Those Who Proclaim the Gospel

Missionaries around the world and throughout time surely know well that sharing the gospel is not for the faint of heart. It is a glorious task we conduct for our Lord Jesus, who commanded us to share the gospel with all the nations, but it is at times quite challenging. Take time as fellow brothers and sisters in Christ to appreciate, thank, support and pray for those around, or missionaries you know of that are far away, that are boldly sharing the truth of salvation through Jesus alone with others. The encouragement and sometimes direct supporting actions from fellow believers can be a great help to those sharing the gospel.

Acts 17:1-15

Paul at Thessalonica

      1Now when they had traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. 2And according to Paul’s custom, he went to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3explaining and giving evidence that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ.” 4And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large number of the God-fearing Greeks and a number of the leading women. 5But the Jews, becoming jealous and taking along some wicked men from the market place, formed a mob and set the city in an uproar; and attacking the house of Jason, they were seeking to bring them out to the people. 6When they did not find them, they began dragging Jason and some brethren before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have upset the world have come here also; 7and Jason has welcomed them, and they all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.” 8They stirred up the crowd and the city authorities who heard these things. 9And when they had received a pledge from Jason and the others, they released them.

Paul at Berea

      10The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. 12Therefore many of them believed, along with a number of prominent Greek women and men. 13But when the Jews of Thessalonica found out that the word of God had been proclaimed by Paul in Berea also, they came there as well, agitating and stirring up the crowds. 14Then immediately the brethren sent Paul out to go as far as the sea; and Silas and Timothy remained there. 15Now those who escorted Paul brought him as far as Athens; and receiving a command for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible, they left.

Those that share God’s word and those that support them are all part of the harvest of the lost for the kingdom of God. So, too, both face trials for their work. Evil people who reject Yeshua will go to great lengths to attack and persecute those who are boldly proclaiming Him. It is not enough for them to reject Messiah or even Yahweh, they must justify their position by stopping others from believing. We see these people still today, threatening Christians with anything from physical violence and death to lawsuits for standing up for Yeshua. We must never let this stop us from fulfilling the command of our Lord to proclaim the gospel to all the nations.

Take a few minutes and identify a few people that you see boldly proclaiming the gospel that you can commit to take time to pray for consistently. It can even be someone in the workplace. It does not have to be a formal pastor or missionary. Are there other ways you can help them through acts of service or support or even just consistent encouraging words? Has God brought missionaries across your path that may need funding to continue His work? Prayerfully consider how you can help. You do not have to go far away to help share the gospel far away. Sometimes you can simply help those who do.

There are a few other gems of knowledge to highlight as well. When missionaries or teachers come to teach us more about Yeshua, let us listen closely and test everything against the scriptures like the Bereans! Do not dismiss or accept it just because it is familiar or not. Be teachable and submitted to the LORD without just believing everything someone says about the scriptures!

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, thank You for missionaries and those who share the gospel near and far. Please help give them courage, wisdom, and support. Please help each of us to understand how we can help support these individuals who prioritize sharing You as a major part of their life. Grant discernment to Your people when listening to teachers and missionaries, that they would neither be deceived by false teaching nor miss the truth because it is unfamiliar. Amen. 

—-

Have you submitted your life to Yeshua? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Church / Body of Christ, Consequences of Sin, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Faithful, Grace / Forgiveness, Justice / Judgment, Loving / Kind, Praise / Worship / Glorify God, Repenting from Sin, Slow to Anger, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

Confess Your Sin, Focus on God’s Greatness, and Repent

Nehemiah 9 has a great example of a people, as a community, coming together and openly confessing their sin. They do not make excuses. They do not blame someone else. They do not play a victim in the situation. They read from the law and recognize their sin. They focus on the greatness of God and review the past deeds He has done on their behalf. They focus on who He is, in all His glory. They acknowledge the sin of their fathers and how that resulted in some bad situations for the people. They commit to change! What a great model to reflect on today.

Nehemiah 9

The People Confess Their Sin

      1Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the sons of Israel assembled with fasting, in sackcloth and with dirt upon them. 2The descendants of Israel separated themselves from all foreigners, and stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers. 3While they stood in their place, they read from the book of the law of the LORD their God for a fourth of the day; and for another fourth they confessed and worshiped the LORD their God. 4Now on the Levites’ platform stood Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani and Chenani, and they cried with a loud voice to the LORD their God.

      5Then the Levites, Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah and Pethahiah, said, “Arise, bless the LORD your God forever and ever!
O may Your glorious name be blessed
And exalted above all blessing and praise!

      6“You alone are the LORD.
You have made the heavens,
The heaven of heavens with all their host,
The earth and all that is on it,
The seas and all that is in them.
You give life to all of them
And the heavenly host bows down before You.

      7“You are the LORD God,
Who chose Abram
And brought him out from Ur of the Chaldees,
And gave him the name Abraham.

      8“You found his heart faithful before You,
And made a covenant with him
To give him the land of the Canaanite,
Of the Hittite and the Amorite,
Of the Perizzite, the Jebusite and the Girgashite—
To give it to his descendants.
And You have fulfilled Your promise,
For You are righteous.

      9“You saw the affliction of our fathers in Egypt,
And heard their cry by the Red Sea.

      10“Then You performed signs and wonders against Pharaoh,
Against all his servants and all the people of his land;
For You knew that they acted arrogantly toward them,
And made a name for Yourself as it is this day.

      11“You divided the sea before them,
So they passed through the midst of the sea on dry ground;
And their pursuers You hurled into the depths,
Like a stone into raging waters.

      12“And with a pillar of cloud You led them by day,
And with a pillar of fire by night
To light for them the way
In which they were to go.

      13“Then You came down on Mount Sinai,
And spoke with them from heaven;
You gave them just ordinances and true laws,
Good statutes and commandments.

      14“So You made known to them Your holy sabbath,
And laid down for them commandments, statutes and law,
Through Your servant Moses.

      15“You provided bread from heaven for them for their hunger,
You brought forth water from a rock for them for their thirst,
And You told them to enter in order to possess
The land which You swore to give them.

      16“But they, our fathers, acted arrogantly;
They became stubborn and would not listen to Your commandments.

      17“They refused to listen,
And did not remember Your wondrous deeds which You had performed among them;
So they became stubborn and appointed a leader to return to their slavery in Egypt.
But You are a God of forgiveness,
Gracious and compassionate,
Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness;
And You did not forsake them.

      18“Even when they made for themselves
A calf of molten metal
And said, ‘This is your God
Who brought you up from Egypt,’
And committed great blasphemies,

      19You, in Your great compassion,
Did not forsake them in the wilderness;
The pillar of cloud did not leave them by day,
To guide them on their way,
Nor the pillar of fire by night, to light for them the way in which they were to go.

      20“You gave Your good Spirit to instruct them,
Your manna You did not withhold from their mouth,
And You gave them water for their thirst.

      21“Indeed, forty years You provided for them in the wilderness and they were not in want;
Their clothes did not wear out, nor did their feet swell.

      22“You also gave them kingdoms and peoples,
And allotted them to them as a boundary.
They took possession of the land of Sihon the king of Heshbon
And the land of Og the king of Bashan.

      23“You made their sons numerous as the stars of heaven,
And You brought them into the land
Which You had told their fathers to enter and possess.

      24“So their sons entered and possessed the land.
And You subdued before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites,
And You gave them into their hand, with their kings and the peoples of the land,
To do with them as they desired.

      25“They captured fortified cities and a fertile land.
They took possession of houses full of every good thing,
Hewn cisterns, vineyards, olive groves,
Fruit trees in abundance.
So they ate, were filled and grew fat,
And reveled in Your great goodness.

      26“But they became disobedient and rebelled against You,
And cast Your law behind their backs
And killed Your prophets who had admonished them
So that they might return to You,
And they committed great blasphemies.

      27“Therefore You delivered them into the hand of their oppressors who oppressed them,
But when they cried to You in the time of their distress,
You heard from heaven, and according to Your great compassion
You gave them deliverers who delivered them from the hand of their oppressors.

      28“But as soon as they had rest, they did evil again before You;
Therefore You abandoned them to the hand of their enemies, so that they ruled over them.
When they cried again to You, You heard from heaven,
And many times You rescued them according to Your compassion,

      29And admonished them in order to turn them back to Your law.
Yet they acted arrogantly and did not listen to Your commandments but sinned against Your ordinances,
By which if a man observes them he shall live.
And they turned a stubborn shoulder and stiffened their neck, and would not listen.

      30“However, You bore with them for many years,
And admonished them by Your Spirit through Your prophets,
Yet they would not give ear.
Therefore You gave them into the hand of the peoples of the lands.

      31“Nevertheless, in Your great compassion You did not make an end of them or forsake them,
For You are a gracious and compassionate God.

      32“Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who keeps covenant and lovingkindness,
Do not let all the hardship seem insignificant before You,
Which has come upon us, our kings, our princes, our priests, our prophets, our fathers and on all Your people,
From the days of the kings of Assyria to this day.

      33“However, You are just in all that has come upon us;
For You have dealt faithfully, but we have acted wickedly.

      34“For our kings, our leaders, our priests and our fathers have not kept Your law
Or paid attention to Your commandments and Your admonitions with which You have admonished them.

      35“But they, in their own kingdom,
With Your great goodness which You gave them,
With the broad and rich land which You set before them,
Did not serve You or turn from their evil deeds.

      36“Behold, we are slaves today,
And as to the land which You gave to our fathers to eat of its fruit and its bounty,
Behold, we are slaves in it.

      37“Its abundant produce is for the kings
Whom You have set over us because of our sins;
They also rule over our bodies
And over our cattle as they please,
So we are in great distress.

A Covenant Results

38“Now because of all this
We are making an agreement in writing;
And on the sealed document are the names of our leaders, our Levites and our priests.”

In the US for sure, we can see a falling away from God over the past hundred years (or more). As a nation, we have chosen to separate more and more from God. It is not surprising then, that we see how many people today are really lost and confused, even among the people who claim the name of Yeshua. We need to return to the instructions of God. We need to embrace Torah and what it teaches us. Yeshua obeyed it and we should follow His example. His disciples obeyed it even after His death and resurrection. We should follow their example. We should come together as a community. We should admit how we have drifted from God’s ways, even if perhaps we don’t have a fully clear picture of how to live that out today. We should reflect and focus on the greatness of God. We should commit to change and both pray and act to bring about that change.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please bring about the restoration of Your ways among our people. Please raise up leaders to guide us and move the spirits of the people to follow. Help us recognize and acknowledge our sin and the sin of our fathers (as a nation and people group). Help us focus on Your instructions and Your greatness. Bring about restoration and revival across cities, states, our nation, and the world. Thank You for who You are and what You have already done for us! Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

 

Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, False Prophets / Teachers, Interceding for Others, Repenting from Sin, Seeking God, Teachable

Pray for People Who Are Blinded by False Religion

So many across the world allow themselves to be blinded by false religion or a belief that God does not exist. They reject God entirely or accept Him as one of several gods… which really means they reject Him. People cling to false teachings and rationalize with amazing strength the distorted world view they are suffering inside. Please pray that God would set free people across the globe from the false teachings of many religions and even the false teaching within those who claim to be Christian, but preach a gospel mixed and mingled with teachings of the world instead of pure strain of God’s word.

Ask our Father to raise up leaders and teachers who will help to bring the truth of God’s word to the people, who will lead us in the restoration of God’s ways. Ask our Father to prepare the field for harvest by preparing people to hear and receive the truth and come together in fellowship to pursue righteousness.

Pray that He would open each of our eyes to anything we misunderstand and prepare us to be willing to turn away from the wrong understanding and embrace truth, even when it is difficult to do so.

Amen.

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For examples of Biblical prayer, and for personal prayer requests, please visit our Prayer Requests page.