Good morning to all on this glorious August Sunday. Waine and I are in Thomaston. We spent last weekend in Orlando with Freddie, Tracy, Kai and Hailie to celebrate Kai's 6th birthday. I spent Saturday night at Arnold Palmer Children's Hospital with Kai after an appendectomy. I felt powerless to help him when I knew he would have to be operated on, so Freddie, Kai and I held hands and prayed right before he went into the OR. I know Kai will remember that moment during his life and God will use that moment to remind my dear grandson of the Power of Prayer.
I am continuing my journey in Acts 28: 1-30, " Once safely on shore, we found out that the island was called Malta. The islanders showed us unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold. Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand. When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, “This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, the goddess Justice has not allowed him to live.” But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. The people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead; but after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god. There was an estate nearby that belonged to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us to his home and showed us generous hospitality for three days. His father was sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him and, after prayer, placed his hands on him and healed him. When this had happened, the rest of the sick on the island came and were cured. They honored us in many ways; and when we were ready to sail, they furnished us with the supplies we needed.
After three months we put out to sea in a ship that had wintered in the island—it was an Alexandrian ship with the figurehead of the twin gods Castor and Pollux. We put in at Syracuse and stayed there three days. From there we set sail and arrived at Rhegium. The next day the south wind came up, and on the following day we reached Puteoli. There we found some brothers and sisters who invited us to spend a week with them. And so we came to Rome. The brothers and sisters there had heard that we were coming, and they traveled as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us. At the sight of these people Paul thanked God and was encouraged. When we got to Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, with a soldier to guard him.
Three days later he called together the local Jewish leaders. When they had assembled, Paul said to them: “My brothers, although I have done nothing against our people or against the customs of our ancestors, I was arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans. They examined me and wanted to release me, because I was not guilty of any crime deserving death. The Jews objected, so I was compelled to make an appeal to Caesar. I certainly did not intend to bring any charge against my own people. For this reason I have asked to see you and talk with you. It is because of the hope of Israel that I am bound with this chain.” They replied, “We have not received any letters from Judea concerning you, and none of our people who have come from there has reported or said anything bad about you. But we want to hear what your views are, for we know that people everywhere are talking against this sect.”
They arranged to meet Paul on a certain day, and came in even larger numbers to the place where he was staying. He witnessed to them from morning till evening, explaining about the kingdom of God, and from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets he tried to persuade them about Jesus. Some were convinced by what he said, but others would not believe. They disagreed among themselves and began to leave after Paul had made this final statement: “The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your ancestors when he said through Isaiah the prophet: ‘Go to this people and say, “You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.” For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’“Therefore I want you to know that God’s salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen!” For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ—with all boldness and without hindrance!" Amen and may God add a Blessing to the reading and hearing of His Word.
How many of us are like the Jews? We hear but do not understand. We see but never perceive. I have given these two concepts a lot of thought. I have been in the church all my life. My father insisted on it. He made us go to Sunday School and Church ever week. Now keep in my that my father married a woman who was reared in the Buddhist tradition. My mother, who is Japanese, prayed and offered fresh tea to the picture of her deceased mother daily. I can remember my mother making green tea every morning and offering my grandmother a fresh cup. I asked he once why she would offer tea to a picture that couldn't drink it and she told me that there was a physical life and a spiritual life and both were important. My mother stated that her mother, though deceased, would not be honored if her daughter did not perform this ritual. My mother gave her life to Christ when she was in her 40's and yet she kept up this tradition.
What Paul was doing in this young ministry was spreading the Good News that Christ died so that all of our sins could be forgiven and he did it in a setting that did not attack the rituals of the people he was witnessing to. Look at the situation in Malta. He was bit by a viper. The people on the island immediately reverted to their rituals that said 'Good people were saved from calamity and Bad people became victims to it. The people of Malta were anxious to help these travels that were stranded by the storm because THEY SURVIVED the storm but then were eager to judge Paul because he was bit by a viper. What Paul demonstrated was that when you are called by God you are neither hindered or defeated by the physical obstacles in front of you. God is a Spirit and only deals in the spiritual realm which is part of the Gospel of the dispensation. Neither the Storm or the Viper would stand I the way of God's Plan for Paul.
God's plan was that Paul bring the Good News to the Gentiles and used the circumstances of the rituals of the Jews to propel the Gospel to Rome. The unbelieving Jews who were so caught up in rituals and doctrine that they refused to accept Christ and His Message. They could not wrap their minds around that message of Christ that we are not saved by works but by the Blood of the Lamb. There are many "Christians" that are trapped in rituals. They think that if they read their Bible daily, if they watch and read religious programs; if they talk about Jesus, that their lives will change. These folk have not embraced the Power of God because their lives are not tapped into the fundamental message of Jesus. If it not by WORKS that we begin our life of abundance it is by faith.
My husband often remarks that "You are one of God's chosen. He (God) favors you." What I keep telling my husband is that God favors anyone, that through faith lives a life of boldness without hindrance! Hallelujah. My faith is the size of a mustard seed and I work that faith daily. I remind myself that I am more than a conqueror in every aspect of my life when I apply my faith. We are all God's Chosen when we accept Christ. We become God's Favored when we live in faith and not in fear. To know Him is to love Him. To love Him is to Serve Him. To serve Him is to love you.
Now may the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face to shine on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.
Stephanie
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