We Must Obey God, not Humans

Faith in Action

A Living Faith in God

A Bold Faith

Acts 5:27-32 The Message

27-28 Bringing them back, they stood them before the High Council. The Chief Priest said, “Didn’t we give you strict orders not to teach in Jesus’ name? And here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are trying your best to blame us for the death of this man.”
29-32 Peter and the apostles answered, “It’s necessary to obey God rather than men. The God of our ancestors raised up Jesus, the One you killed by hanging him on a cross. God set him on high at his side, Prince and Savior, to give Israel the gift of a changed life and sins forgiven. And we are witnesses to these things. The Holy Spirit, whom God gives to those who obey him, corroborates every detail.”

For Reflection

We are often confronted by the question, "in whom do you trust?"  Easy to roll from your lips; more challenging to practice.

Peter and the apostles answer the question.  More importantly, they responded authoritatively and in the spirit of humility.  A more belligerent approach would have incited a violent, riotous response from supporters. 

The Sanhedrin feared a violent reaction from the people.  However, because of the Apostles' non-violent rational response, the Sanhedrin could not find a legitimate reason for an arrest for violations of the law.

Each day, we face the question, "Who do you obey, God or humankind?"  We must answer in a way that affirms God's plan for us.

Pray

Pray for the courage to obey God's will. Pray so that you can respond to everyday challenges in ways that honor God.

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We Must Speak about Jesus

Faith in Action

A Living Faith in God

A Bold Faith

Acts 4:13-22 The Message

13-14 They couldn’t take their eyes off them—Peter and John standing there so confident, so sure of themselves! Their fascination deepened when they realized these two were laymen with no training in Scripture or formal education. They recognized them as companions of Jesus, but with the man right before them, seeing him standing there so upright—so healed!—what could they say against that?
15-17 They sent them out of the room so they could work out a plan. They talked it over: “What can we do with these men? By now it’s known all over town that a miracle has occurred and that they are behind it. There is no way we can refute that. But so that it doesn’t go any further, let’s silence them with threats so they won’t dare to use Jesus’ name ever again with anyone.”
18-20 They called them back and warned them that they were on no account ever again to speak or teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John spoke right back, “Whether it’s right in God’s eyes to listen to you rather than to God, you decide. As for us, there’s no question—we can’t keep quiet about what we’ve seen and heard.”
21-22 The religious leaders renewed their threats, but then released them. They couldn’t come up with a charge that would stick, that would keep them in jail. The people wouldn’t have stood for it—they were all praising God over what had happened. The man who had been miraculously healed was over forty years old.

For Reflection

Jesus had been crucified.  However, the threat of the Christ event still plagued the Jewish religious establishment.  Those who were called to spread the Gospel message kept the meaning Christ alive.  By the power of the Holy Spirit, they were extending the good news to all who would listen.  

Pray

Pray for those through whom the Holy Spirit speaks.  Pray that trust in God expands to all who hear the modern prophets who continue the healing message of the Christ event.

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Training Plan for the Captives

Faith in Action

A Living Faith in God

A Sincere Faith

Daniel 1:3-19 The Message

3-5 The king told Ashpenaz, head of the palace staff, to get some Israelites from the royal family and nobility—young men who were healthy and handsome, intelligent and well-educated, good prospects for leadership positions in the government, perfect specimens!—and indoctrinate them in the Babylonian language and the lore of magic and fortunetelling. The king then ordered that they be served from the same menu as the royal table—the best food, the finest wine. After three years of training they would be given positions in the king’s court.
6-7 Four young men from Judah—Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah—were among those selected. The head of the palace staff gave them Babylonian names: Daniel was named Belteshazzar, Hananiah was named Shadrach, Mishael was named Meshach, Azariah was named Abednego.

For Reflection

We spend a great deal of time studying the ways of this world.  We become well indoctrinated into the processes of worldly life.  How much time do we spend in spiritual education?

Some Christians are comfortable with weekly (or sometimes occasional) church attendance.  Generally, a low percentage of the church attending Christians attend any Sunday school, or another study group of the church, (though, women in the church are frequently more participative in Christian Education than men).  Churches usually have formal training as a requirement for leadership, but such training does not concentrate directly on Scriptural literacy.
This modern world of rapid social, economic, political and technological change tests the resolve of Christians.  It is increasingly vital that Christian communities generate a higher percentage of believers who are prepared to confront the challenges of modern life. 

Pray

Pray that you will accept God's overture to prepare your self to understand and practice your trust in God and God's Kingdom.  Pray that you are well informed about the foundations of your faith so that you can face the pressures of today's living in the context of your scriptural heritage.

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Be Faithful When Tested

Faith in Action

A Living Faith in God

A Sincere Faith

Revelation 2:8-11 The Message

To Smyrna

8 Write this to Smyrna, to the Angel of the church. The Beginning and Ending, the First and Final One, the Once Dead and Then Come Alive, speaks:
9 “I can see your pain and poverty—constant pain, dire poverty—but I also see your wealth. And I hear the lie in the claims of those who pretend to be good Jews, who in fact belong to Satan’s crowd.
10 “Fear nothing in the things you’re about to suffer—but stay on guard! Fear nothing! The Devil is about to throw you in jail for a time of testing—ten days. It won’t last forever.
“Don’t quit, even if it costs you your life. Stay there believing. I have a Life-Crown sized and ready for you.
11 “Are your ears awake? Listen. Listen to the Wind Words, the Spirit blowing through the churches. Christ-conquerors are safe from Devil-death.”

For Reflection

Our faith is tested each time we must make a moral decision.  It is the time when the commonly accepted solutions to day-to-day challenges clash with a God-centered response.  Your commitment to Jesus and the Way will cost you.  Be willing to accept the consequence of your decisions. In doing so, you witness to the better god with whom you reside.

Pray

Pray that you will find rest in the times of adversity by trusting in God and in the Way of Righteousness as shown by Christ.  Pray for the courage to honor God.

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Faithful Living in Another Land

Faith in Action

A Living Faith in God

A Sincere Faith

Jeremiah 29:4-9 The Message

4 This is the Message from God-of-the-Angel-Armies, Israel’s God, to all the exiles I’ve taken from Jerusalem to Babylon:
5 “Build houses and make yourselves at home.
“Put in gardens and eat what grows in that country.
6 “Marry and have children. Encourage your children to marry and have children so that you’ll thrive in that country and not waste away.
7 “Make yourselves at home there and work for the country’s welfare.
“Pray for Babylon’s well-being. If things go well for Babylon, things will go well for you.”
8-9 Yes. Believe it or not, this is the Message from God-of-the-Angel-Armies, Israel’s God: “Don’t let all those so-called preachers and know-it-alls who are all over the place there take you in with their lies. Don’t pay any attention to the fantasies they keep coming up with to please you. They’re a bunch of liars preaching lies—and claiming I sent them! I never sent them, believe me.” God’s Decree!

For Reflection

Do you sometimes feel as though you are are living in another land? Even though you have built houses and occupied this place, made families, worked and hoped for your country's welfare, do you still feel as though you were a stranger in a strange land?

Well, that's because as an authentic Christian you often find yourself at odds with your environment. As a child of God, you see things differently from those who do not have an intimate relationship with God.  That which guides your thought and action is not always consistent with the conventional way of seeing the world and interacting with it.   
These passages from Jeremiah remind us that we must continue to participate in this world even though we must also separate ourselves from those thoughts and actions which threaten our relationship with God. In the face of an unforgiving economic, social and governance system, inhospitable people, abounding falsity and a lack of a sense of the common good, an authentic Christian must still find creative ways to pursue justice, offer hospitality, forgive, and participate in the fellowship of a Christian Community.

Pray

Pray often about all things so that you can maintain your intimate relationship with the living God. Pray for the courage to offer an alternate worldview and lifestyle that honors God.

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The Lord God Defeats Baal

Faith in Action

A Living Faith in God

A Sincere Faith

1 Kings 18:30-39 The Message 

30-35 Then Elijah told the people, “Enough of that—it’s my turn. Gather around.” And they gathered. He then put the altar back together for by now it was in ruins. Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes of Jacob, the same Jacob to whom God had said, “From now on your name is Israel.” He built the stones into the altar in honor of God. Then Elijah dug a fairly wide trench around the altar. He laid firewood on the altar, cut up the ox, put it on the wood, and said, “Fill four buckets with water and drench both the ox and the firewood.” Then he said, “Do it again,” and they did it. Then he said, “Do it a third time,” and they did it a third time. The altar was drenched and the trench was filled with water.
36-37 When it was time for the sacrifice to be offered, Elijah the prophet came up and prayed, “O God, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, make it known right now that you are God in Israel, that I am your servant, and that I’m doing what I’m doing under your orders. Answer me, God; O answer me and reveal to this people that you are God, the true God, and that you are giving these people another chance at repentance.”
38 Immediately the fire of God fell and burned up the offering, the wood, the stones, the dirt, and even the water in the trench.
39 All the people saw it happen and fell on their faces in awed worship, exclaiming, “God is the true God! God is the true God!”

For Reflection

What is your modern day Baal? Is your inclination to defeat Baal by force or by some alternate means? 
We suffer the same question that the first century Christian faced. The Christ event made it clear that peace by violent means is not lasting.

One can achieve long-lasting peace only through invoking the Holy Spirit into one's soul and letting the Spirit dominate one's attitudes, beliefs, and values.  We all have the creative capacity to reveal the peacemaking that resides divinely in our souls. We can all show, as Elija had shown, the power of God.  Each day we can demonstrate the power of God in transforming our lives into peacemakers. Those around us will see God at work in our lives. Some will become transformed by the vision.

Pray

Pray that you will embrace the gentle push of the Holy Spirit toward acts of kindness, generosity, humility, forgiveness, and justice and act on it as a God collaborator.

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In God I Put My Trust

Faith in Action

A Living Faith in God

A Sincere Faith

Psalm 56 The Message

A David Psalm, When He Was Captured by the Philistines in Gath

56 1-4 Take my side, God—I’m getting kicked around,
    stomped on every day.
Not a day goes by
    but somebody beats me up;
They make it their duty
    to beat me up.
When I get really afraid
    I come to you in trust.
I’m proud to praise God;
    fearless now, I trust in God.
    What can mere mortals do?
5-6 They don’t let up—
    they smear my reputation
    and huddle to plot my collapse.
They gang up,
    sneak together through the alleys
To take me by surprise,
    wait their chance to get me.
7 Pay them back in evil!
    Get angry, God!
    Down with these people!
8 You’ve kept track of my every toss and turn
    through the sleepless nights,
Each tear entered in your ledger,
    each ache written in your book.
9 If my enemies run away,
    turn tail when I yell at them,
Then I’ll know
    that God is on my side.
10-11 I’m proud to praise God,
    proud to praise God.
Fearless now, I trust in God;
    what can mere mortals do to me?
12-13 God, you did everything you promised,
    and I’m thanking you with all my heart.
You pulled me from the brink of death,
    my feet from the cliff-edge of doom.
Now I stroll at leisure with God
    in the sunlit fields of life.

For Reflection

David was caught in a bind.  In the words of a song written by Gerry Rafferty and Joe Egan and originally performed by their band Stealers Wheel, "Clowns to the left of me, Jokers to the right, here I am, Stuck in the middle with you."

That song was written sarcastically about Bob Dylan, but this song of David contains not a hint of sarcasm. David's situation is dire. He has been captured by the Philistines and he is, indeed, between a "rock and a hard place."  

David's call is an act of volitional faith. There is an acknowledged tension between human free will and God's will. David confesses his trust in God and is thankful that God's presence. A Judean in the midst of non-covenant people, David calls for deliverance from his perilous circumstance.

In the middle of an unthinkable future, David rests confidently in God's presence. God did not slay David's enemies.  However, with fearless courage, David feigned insanity and was able to escape.

Pray

Pray for the confidence of Daniel.  Pray so that you can rest, confidently trusting God to help you find your way. Pray so that you can hear God's unexpected whispered answers.

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