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NathanWilliams

Getting Back to the Word

Apr 052010

An Open Book

Just a little note of encouragement to those of you who ARE sidetracked by LIFE and haven’t kept up with any sort of regular reading schedule:

You can get started again!

I am not saying you have to read through Acts with us if you already have another reading plan, but I’m encouraging you to get back with your reading plan if you’ve dropped it. We are heading into the fourth month of 2010 and I know how easy it is to lay the Bible down and get involved in all the activities of Spring and Summer. Don’t give in to that temptation! Keep reading. Bible reading should be a part of our daily lives. We must spend time with God’s word if we are truly to get to know Him.

If you would LIKE to use this forum to help you keep to a reading schedule, I encourage you to read Acts 16 today. Read Acts 16 each day we discuss something from that chapter, and then start reading Acts 17 when we get there in a few days. If you want to go crazy with it, read a couple of chapters before and a couple of chapters after Acts 16, too, so you get a better picture of the greater context.

Another GREAT reading tool is to read one chapter of Proverbs each day of the month. Proverbs has 31 chapters, so it’s easy to read one a day each month. today is the 5th, so read Proverbs 5. Tomorrow read Proverbs 6…and so on. If you happen to skip a day, don’t worry – you’ll likely read that chapter next month if you continue with the habit

Remember, the Bible is God’s communication to us. If we leave it on the shelf, we cannot listen. A closed Bible is just a pile of paper.

I’ll get back to the comments on Acts 16 tomorrow. Until then, happy reading

God bless,
Nathan

The Dynamic Duo

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Mar 312010

Carpenters

You have special gifts and talents. Perhaps it’s a certain skill, or a way you have with people, or deep knowledge in a certain area of life. God has gifted us all. The older men and women have much wisdom and knowledge to share with the younger. The younger men and women have much energy and vitality with which to labor and encourage. Some have lost dear loved ones, so they can comfort and empathize with others in the same situation. Some have reared wonderful children, so they can mentor young parents along the right path. Some have overcome great sins, so they can encourage and strengthen those of us who need strengthening. You certainly have something to offer, to share, to give to your brothers and sisters.

I think of Paul, a single man, chosen by God as the apostle to the Gentiles. It was a big job, but Paul was the right man for the job. Not only was he a Jew, and thus knew the Law of Moses like the back of his hand, but he was also a Roman citizen. He had freedom that not all Jews enjoyed. He could easily travel anywhere in the Roman empire. He could enter cities without fear because he had the protection of the empire.

Paul met Timothy in Acts 16:1-5. Timothy was another man with a marvelous gift similar to Paul’s. Timothy’s father was a Gentile and his mother was a Jew. Evidently, Paul saw much promise and value in young Timothy because he “wanted this man to go with him; and he circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those parts, for they all knew that his father was a Greek” (Acts 16:3). As a Greek, Timothy had not been circumcised before. But Paul wanted to expand Timothy’s circle of influence, so he had Timothy circumcised. This way, he would be accepted by both Jews and Greeks, similar to Paul’s situation.

Batman and Robin

I see these two men as the dynamic duo. Paul, the older, wiser apostle became Timothy’s mentor and guide. Timothy, the younger, stronger, faithful young preacher could help protect Paul and provide encouragement and energy. Because of their particular gifts, they could go almost anywhere they needed in order to preach the word around the world. It’s a beautiful thing to see men and women using their special gifts!

I think about my youngest brother, Joel. He was born in South Africa and has dual citizenship between the USA and South Africa. This gives him much more freedom to spend time in that country. He does not have to obtain a Visa to work over there because he’s a citizen. So where do you think he is right now? He’s preaching the word in South Africa, using his gifts to the glory of God. Perhaps one day he’ll decide he’s more needed somewhere in the States. We’ll…he has the freedom to move around the States, too.

What are YOUR gifts? What can God do with you? I’ll guarantee He can do a LOT with you…if you’ll start using your gifts for His glory.

God bless,
Nathan

Paul’s Second Trip: Paul’s Idea

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Mar 302010

A Little Disagreement

Paul’s first trip started under the direction of the Holy Spirit. Remember how the Holy Spirit specifically selected Paul and Barnabas (Acts 13:1-4). The beginning of Paul’s second journey was a little different than the first (Acts 15:36-41). There is no mention of the Holy Spirit directing them in this second venture. Notice…

1. Paul decided to go on this trip (Acts 15:36).

This second journey was completely Paul’s idea. He wanted to see those churches who were established during their first trip. Does that mean this was not a good idea, since the Holy Spirit did not specifically direct them? Not at all! This WAS a good idea. Perhaps a lesson for us is this: God directed Paul the first time to show him what to do; now it is Paul’s responsibility to continue the work. We can see Paul’s example today and know missionary trips are a good work.

2. Paul and Barnabas had a sharp disagreement (Acts 15:37-39).

John Mark was Barnabas’s cousin. Do you remember that he deserted Paul and Barnabas at the beginning of the first missionary journey (Acts 13:13; 15:38)? Paul had still not gotten over that, but Barnabas was ready to give John Mark a second chance. Maybe it was a family thing…or maybe it was because Barnabas just had a really big heart. Later, we will find that John Mark would become a great friend to Paul, but at this time there was a rift. Some might look at the trouble at the beginning of this second journey and think, “I wonder if this is a sign from God that this is a bad idea?” Might you be tempted to think that?

When God wants to let us know something, He is almost never vague. We get so involved in trying to read “signs” that we cripple ourselves and the Kingdom of Christ sometimes! Instead of second-guessing himself, Paul just continued on doing what he KNEW was right, even when things were going wrong. I must confess, I probably need to stop thinking less about my troubles as signs from God and just get on doing the work God has mapped out for me to do!

3. The result was a double journey (Acts 15:39-40).

Paul and Silas went one direction while Barnabas and John Mark went another. Barnabas and John Mark went back to the island of Cyprus (Barnabas’s home), to strengthen the churches there. Paul and Silas headed north to the churches on the mainland in Asia Minor. Though there was contention among brethren, all brethren involved still pitched into the work God had designed for them and even more good was accomplished. What should we do when we are out of sorts with some of our brethren? What if a brother or sister is not interested or excited about a particular work that WE are excited about?
Should we clam up and do nothing until that brother or sister comes around to our way of thinking? No! We should find another brother or sister who IS excited about it…or just pitch into the work ourselves. If it is good work God has given us to do, just do it. Good fruit is sure to come when we work for the Lord.

God bless,
Nathan

The Truth on Eating Blood

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Mar 292010

Rare Steak

When Noah stepped off the ark for the first time, God told him he could eat animals, “Only you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood” (Genesis 9:4).

When God gave His special law to the Israelites at Mt. Sinai, He told them:

Leviticus 17:10-14
10 “‘And any man from the house of Israel, or from the aliens who sojourn among them, who eats any blood, I will set My face against that person who eats blood and will cut him off from among his people.
11 ‘For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood by reason of the life that makes atonement.’
12 “Therefore I said to the sons of Israel, ‘No person among you may eat blood, nor may any alien who sojourns among you eat blood.’
13 “So when any man from the sons of Israel, or from the aliens who sojourn among them, in hunting catches a beast or a bird which may be eaten, he shall pour out its blood and cover it with earth.
14 “For as for the life of all flesh, its blood is identified with its life. Therefore I said to the sons of Israel, ‘You are not to eat the blood of any flesh, for the life of all flesh is its blood; whoever eats it shall be cut off.’

This was a command with a reason attached – a timeless reason. Don’t eat blood because the LIFE of the animal is identified with the blood. We understand better the nature of the blood of Christ – His very LIFE was shed on the cross. His blood, which atones for our sins, is powerful because it is His perfect life.

The two commands in Acts 15:20, abstain from things strangled and blood, are twin commands. Both are covered in the verse above. God said the hunter should always “pour out” the animal’s blood before eating it. If an animal was strangled, it would violate that command. Eating an animal which was strangled WAS eating it with its blood.

If that’s not enough, in Acts 15:28 we read, “For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these essentials…” Is it just me, or when the Holy Spirit lays out some essentials…aren’t they kind of essential? These commands are necessary to live righteously before God. Gentiles didn’t have to observe the Jewish traditions…but they DID have to observe God’s universal rules for righteousness.

Some of you have mentioned eating rare steaks. Do you think the command to not eat the flesh with the blood would outlaw eating rare meat…or uncooked meat?

God bless,
Nathan

Thoughts on Eating Blood

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Mar 262010

Blood Sausage

I hear there is such a thing as blood sausage – should a Christian eat it?

Is Acts 15:19-29 a text that teaches us not to eat blood today? As far as I know, this is the only place in the New Testament which treas this subject specifically.

Look at the list of sins in Acts 15:20, 29:

Idols
Fornication
Things strangled
Blood

I know the first two (idolatry and fornication) are completely sinful, and we could point to many passages. But what about “things strangled”? I don’t know of an Old Testament passage which specifically condemns eating a strangled animal. So where did these Jews get the law not to eat something strangled? It comes from the concept of not eating blood. When God first allowed mankind to eat animals, in the time of Noah He commanded, “Only you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood” (Gen. 9:4). He carried that commandment forward into the Law of Moses (Leviticus 17:10-16). In fact, God said they must “pour out the blood” (Leviticus 17:13).

What do you think? There are some who believe these commandments here in Acts 15 were given so the Jews could get along with the Gentiles, not that the eating of blood is actually damnable today. Some believe we are at liberty to eat blood today.

After you give me your comments on the text, I’ll let you know my thoughts on the matter on Monday.

God bless,
Nathan

Healthy Debate

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Mar 242010

Driving Home a Point

Have you ever gone to a religious debate? I have observed several. Usually, there is much (underhanded, in my opinion) insinuation concerning the other brother’s character and motivations. “Brother SoAndSo believes this because he is part of the XYZ movement and he won’t turn his back on all his evil friends.” They stick labels on each other. They make neat little pigeon holes where they can place their brother and then rail at the labels they created. They take statements out of context and make them mean what their brother never intended. They don’t take the time to truly listen, but barge ahead determined only to win the argument.

Because I have observed some un-Christian-like behavior among many debaters, I may have a tendency to view all debates as brotherhood boxing matches. But that would be wrong of me. There is such a thing as healthy debate (Acts 15:2, 7) – even healthy dissension. Acts 15 illustrates one of those healthy debates and teaches us HOW to make a debate healthy.

1. The brethren were truly interested in an answer. They were not merely content to draw a line in the sand and figure out which side they’d like to be on. They wanted to get to the bottom of the issue. Debates will NEVER be helpful if the men all come together with minds already made up. There has to be some openness of heart and mind, a desire to learn something and consider the evidence in a fresh light.

2. The brethren were interested in an answer from God. This debate was not about what MEN thought about circumcision and the old law; it was about what God had revealed in the past and what He was revealing in the present. Peter said, “GOD, who knows the heart, testified to them…” (Acts 15:8). Paul and Barnabas “were relating what signs and wonders GOD had done through them among the Gentiles” (Acts 15:12). James quoted from Amos 9:11-12, finishing with, “‘…and all the Gentiles who are called by My name,’ says the Lord, who makes these things known from long ago” (Acts 15:17-18). The final decision was from the Holy Spirit (Acts 15:28).

These two principles are helpful in ANY kind of argument, not just formal debate. We should be always looking for the truth (the answer), and the truth always comes from God. If we could remember this, perhaps we wouldn’t have so many UGLY debates, because it’s not about what WE think, but about what GOD thinks. Because of the nature of man, we will always have dissension and debate, but if we aim our hearts in the right direction we can work to better get along as we engage in debate.

Is that pie in the sky?

God bless,
Nathan

God’s Formula for Missionary Work

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Mar 222010

Ready for the Trip

Luke recorded three of Paul’s missionary journeys in the book of Acts. We just finished reading about his first trip in Acts 13-14. The church at Antioch sent Paul, Barnabas, and John Mark out together. What can we learn from this first journey?

1. It’s a Biblical pattern for a church to build up teachers and preachers and send them into the mission field.
There is no pattern for what we sometimes call a “missionary society,” but there is a great pattern of local churches doing missionary work. If you don’t believe in the power of this pattern, just see what the Lord accomplished through Paul! If we follow the Biblical pattern, we should be training up men to do this kind of work. I know most churches want to keep all their good Bible teachers…but we really need to learn to share

2. There is also a Biblical pattern for sending out men in groups.
Ecclesiastes 4:9 says, “Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor.” This is the principle of SYNERGY. Paul could have done a lot of good by himself. Barnabas could have done a lot of good by himself. But put the two together and see what happens. Together they accomplished more than they could have accomplished working separately. An explosive, exponential increase in productivity occurs when two or more workers pitch in together with one mind. Each man compliments the other. One supplies where the other lacks. One supports when the other is weak. This principle is what makes a strong marriage so powerful!

3. Paul and Barnabas returned to the church in Antioch when they were finished.
They gave a report of their trip and encouraged the saints at Antioch with descriptions of salvation across the country (Acts 14:27). It’s always encouraging to have a preacher come home to recharge, renew, and relate all the good that the Lord is doing. I’m sure it encouraged not only Paul and Barnabas, but also the church at Antioch.

This pattern is repeated several times in the New Testament. It’s a good system, authorized by God, and guaranteed to produce amazing results. God’s word does not return to Him empty!

God bless,
Nathan

How Would You Teach a Gentile?

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Mar 182010

Teaching a Neighbor

Paul preached to Gentiles in a different way than he preached to the Jews. They were at a different starting point. The Jews had a background to understand Old Testament prophecies and figures. Gentiles, largely, had no understanding of the Law of Moses. Where would you start teaching someone who knows nothing of Scripture?

Would you say…

“Jesus loves you very much and wants you to be in His kingdom.”
“God wants you to be His child.”
“All those burdens you carry, Jesus will lift them right off your back.”
“Don’t you want to be part of our great church?”

What is wrong with starting there? Maybe nothing… but that’s not where Paul started. In Acts 14:15-17, he said:

We…preach the gospel to you that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. In the generations gone by He permitted all the nations to go their own ways; and yet He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good and gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.

Notice Paul started with teaching them about the one God who is over all things. He didn’t start with the love of God, but with God’s POWER and AUTHORITY. He created all things, and He gets to tell us what to do. This is a great place to start with someone who knows nothing about Scripture. I think Paul followed this same outline, fleshed out a bit, in Acts 17:22-31 when preaching to the men in Athens. In that sermon, he began by introducing them to God most powerful…informed them that they were children of this God…told them they needed to repent because God is going to judge the world…and then told them about the resurrected Jesus who would be the Judge on that day.

Perhaps we need more teaching and preaching on GOD. Get back to the basics. Can you tell your coworker over lunch that God is supremely powerful, God calls all men to repent of our sins, God is planning to judge us one day, but the blood of Jesus Christ is the way to be saved from that judgment? Isn’t that a simple message?

God bless,
Nathan

Do You Have Faith to be Made Well?

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Mar 172010

Lame Man

A guy told me he had power of the Holy Spirit to heal body ailments. I considered myself lucky because I had badly wrenched my knee and was in a lot of pain. So he laid hands on me and prayed over me. We waited. Nothing happened. What a bummer! So why did nothing happen? It turns out this man decided I didn’t have enough faith to be healed.

It SEEMS this story in Acts 14:8-10 supports his position:

At Lystra a man was sitting who had no strength in his feed, lame from his mother’s womb, who had never walked. This man was listening to Paul as he spoke, who, when he had fixed his gaze on him and had seen that he had faith to be made well, said with a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet.” And he leaped up and began to walk.

Does this verse indicate that the man COULDN’T have been made well if he didn’t have the faith? It’s not what it says, is it? It just says the man DID have faith to be made well.

It reminds me of Mark 6:5, 6 – “And [Jesus] could do no miracle there except that He laid His hand on a few sick people and healed them. And He wondered at their unbelief.” Is this a case where Jesus’ power was limited? It says He couldn’t do a miracle there. What was it about Nazareth that quelled the power of God? Is there ANYTHING that can stop God’s power? No! The reason He couldn’t do a miracle in Nazareth is because no one would COME to Jesus to be healed.

We have the same situation in Acts 14. That lame man had faith to be healed – that is, he wanted to be healed and believed Paul could do it. He waited patiently for the power of God to work. Somehow, Paul could sense the faith of this man, and he rewarded his faith.

Let’s compare this with our salvation today. Is the hand of the Lord so short that it cannot save? Is His ear so dull that He cannot hear? Is the power of God somehow LIMITED by our lack of faith? Why doesn’t God simply save the entire human race, even against our will? God has never forced men into salvation. He has always required faith…saving faith. Do YOU have the faith to be made well today? Every one of us is sick, broken, and hurting because of sin. There is only one remedy – Jesus Christ. There is only one name in heaven or on earth by which men can be saved – Jesus Christ. But we must have the FAITH to be healed. Not that it is within our power to save ourselves, but that we must move towards Jesus. We must look to Jesus. “For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day” (John 6:40).

Do you have faith to be made well?

God bless,
Nathan

Do You Talk Right?

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Mar 162010

Good Conversation

If I said, “Bekah and me are going out tonight,” what would you think? Would you catch the misplaced pronoun “me”? It should be “Bekah and I.”

On the other hand, if I said, “Someone gave Bekah and I a coupon for the Olive Garden,” would you have caught the problem there? It should be “Bekah and me” in this case. Would you say, “Someone gave I a coupon”? No, you would say, “Someone gave ME a coupon.” Adding another individual to the sentence doesn’t change it.

Unfortunately, whenever someone uses a phrase like this incorrectly, I mentally correct it. I have made the mistake of correcting Bekah at the wrong times, by the way. Not good. So I generally keep my corrections to myself.

But, ultimately, speaking with incorrect words and phrases is not going to send a person to hell. It’s not a matter of salvation to misspeak like this. However, there ARE good and proper ways to speak to one another the word of life.

Acts 14:1 says that Paul and Barnabas “spoke in such a manner that a large number of people believed.” How did they speak? I’d love to know how to speak in such a manner that many of the people around New Orleans would believe!

1. They spoke the WORD.

In the verses immediately preceding and following Acts 14:1 we see the following clues as to their message:

The whole city assembled to hear the word of the Lord (Acts 13:44)
It was necessary for the word of God be spoken to you first… (Acts 13:46)
They began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord (Acts 13:48)
The word of the Lord was being spread throughout the whole region (Acts 13:49)
Testifying to the word of His grace (Acts 14:3)

Getting the Message Across

If I want to speak in such a way that many will believe in the Lord, I must speak ONLY the Lord’s message. I must speak ALL the Lord’s message. His word is that which saves (Romans 1:16).

2. They spoke BOLDLY.

Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly (Acts 13:46)
They spent a long time there speaking boldly with reliance upon the Lord (Acts 14:3)

The manner of their speech was important. We must not bring the word of God to the people in a timid fashion.

“Um…I don’t guess you’d like to hear about your soul’s salvation, would you? You wouldn’t like to know about how to have eternal life would you? No? Oh, that’s okay…”

“We preach the good news of the promise made to the fathers, that God has fulfilled this promise to our children in that He raised up Jesus, as it is also written in the second Psalm, ‘You are My Son, today I have begotten You.’” (Acts 13:32-33)

So, how do I “talk right” about Jesus? I must first KNOW the word of God before I can speak it with boldness! Knowing the word is half the battle. Then I must stand with courage and speak with my neighbors.

May God bless us with grace in our speech today,
Nathan

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NathanWilliams

Getting Back to the Word

Paul’s Second Trip: Paul’s Idea

The Truth on Eating Blood

Thoughts on Eating Blood

Healthy Debate

God’s Formula for Missionary Work

How Would You Teach a Gentile?

Do You Have Faith to be Made Well?

Do You Talk Right?

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