Mandeville Church » deliverance

Deliverance…in Chains?

Jun 022010

In Chains

Paul was ready to die for Christ at Jerusalem (Acts 21:13). He knew His Lord had been put to death at Jerusalem, and I wonder if he felt like he might walk in Jesus’ footprints by going to his own death at the hands of the angry Jewish mob. But he wasn’t begging for death! He came to preach Jesus to his brethren, and that’s just what he did in whatever situation he found himself.
The Jews were trying to kill him when the Roman centurion arrived just in time to save him. On the next day, the centurion (we later find his name is Claudius Lysias from Acts 23:26) let Paul stand trial before the Jews to find out what they had against him. Most of the time, the Romans let the Jews handle their own religious disputes among themselves. But Paul was also a Roman citizen, which compounded the matter somewhat. He couldn’t let the Jews simply kill a Roman without evidence of wrongdoing.

I find it interesting how God works sometimes. The phrase “God works in mysterious ways” is not found in Scripture, yet we DO know He works in ways which often baffle us. In order to escape the Jews here, Paul was imprisoned! That’s right, in order to be set free he had to submit to Roman chains. Odd. Why would God allow this great teacher to be locked up like this?

The rest of the book of Acts (Acts 23-28) concerns the trials of Paul and his journey to Rome where he would appeal to Caesar. God delivered Paul from death in Jerusalem, but Paul still was not “free” in the sense we usually think. Others led him where they wished him to go. Paul was no longer in control.

But as the story unfolds, we realize that God was still completely in control!

Is this Freedom?

Acts closes with Paul “stayed two full years in his own rented quarters and was welcoming all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all openness, unhindered” (Acts 28:30-31). The man may have chains, but the message does not. God’s WORD was unhindered. The teaching of Christ was unhindered. And that is the theme of Acts – God’s word accomplishes exactly what it is supposed to accomplish. Men and women give their lives to the Lord, and the Lord does great things with them! And the Lord knows what His children do. And the Lord helps His children.

So, how’s your life going? Do you feel like you are in prison sometimes – in chains? Maybe chained to a desk at work. Maybe chained to a man or woman who doesn’t care about Jesus Christ, yet you made a life-long commitment to them. Maybe chained to physical difficulties. Remember, whatever you do, in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ – to His glory. He knows. He sees. And even in your chains, be sure He is working a great deliverance in your life. There is a freedom that reaches far beyond this world, and that is the freedom we seek and for which we hope!

May God bless you today,
Nathan

Let God Take Care of It

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May 042010

Ancient Corinth

Paul lived and preached in Corinth for one and a half years (Acts 18:11). He worked primarily with the Gentiles after the Jews “resisted and blasphemed” against Jesus Christ (Acts 18:5-6). He stayed in the house of Titius Justus, who lived next to the synagogue (Jewish place of worship), and it seems he still had some affect on some Jews because Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, “believed in the Lord with all his household” (Acts 18:8).

Later in Paul’s stay, the Jews rose up against Paul, dragging him before Gallio, the proconsul, and accusing him of breaking the Jewish law (Acts 18:12-13). Gallio didn’t want to hear it. He was busy with REAL matters of law, and didn’t have time for this Jewish skirmish. He dismissed the case and turned a blind eye as some of the men of the city dragged Sosthenes (evidently the new leader of the synagogue) to the judgment seat and beat him there (Acts 18:17).

In Custody

Some might think this Sosthenes was a Christian, but I tend to think he was one of the Jewish leaders responsible for bringing accusations against Paul. This is one of those rare cases (if I’m correct) where events unfolded in favor of the Christians and against the Jews. God had told Paul when he first came to Corinth not to fear, saying, “No man will attack you in order to harm you, for I have many people in this city” (Acts 18:10). I think God protected Paul and all the Christians in Corinth against those malicious Jews.

Even when events seem to be going against us, God is still in control. He has all power. He can work to deliver us. Paul wasn’t always delivered from the hands of men, but I’m sure he praised God and rejoiced when he was!

Are you in need of deliverance? Is there some nail-biting situation where you work that has you on pins and needles? Is there a “friend” who has turned against you? Have you been unjustly accused of a deed or a word? Perhaps there is nothing you can do about it. We so often WORRY about things we have no power to change. Worrying about these things doesn’t do a bit of good, does it? God can take care of it if He wants to. I can’t change it; I can just deal with it in righteousness. God wants me to do my part and simply trust Him to do His. How easy is that?

God bless,
Nathan

Surprised by Salvation

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Mar 052010

Surprise from Above

We love the stories of men and women in impossible situations, near death, saved in the last hour. We should really love the Bible, then, because it’s full of those kinds of stories! We should really love the Lord, then, because He’s the One who saves.

Peter, I’m sure, loved the Lord greatly after an angel broke him out of prison. The event, recorded in Acts 12, seems surreal at first. An angel appeared suddenly in the prison cell with Peter, and Peter’s chains simply fall off. The angel struck Peter in the side and said, “Get up quickly!” There was no, “Hi, Peter, I’m an angel sent by the Lord to break you out of here…now here’s the plan…” Peter, thinking it was all a dream, quickly dressed and followed the angel past two sets of guards. The prison gates swung open without a touch. And Peter was free – just like that! It was only after he was standing a

lone in the street outside the prison that Peter realized, “Now I know for sure that the Lord has sent forth His angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting” (Acts 12:11).

Peter was surprised by the Lord’s salvation. He wasn’t even expecting it, or at least he never expected to be saved in such an exotic manner!

Peter wasn’t the only one surprised. A bunch of disciples had been praying together in the home of Mary, mother of John Mark. Peter found them there praying, but they wouldn’t believe it was really Peter standing outside their gate. They were surprised by the Lord’s salvation, even though they had been fervently praying for it.

Grace in Amazing Places

We might ask if we really should be surprised when the Lord acts in marvelous ways to save us from various afflictions. Do we demonstrate a lack of faith? We can see from this event in Peter’s life that, although we ask the Lord to intervene and help, we just don’t always know HOW God will work (or even IF He will choose to work) for us. God surprises us all the time because He works outside our little worldview. He does many things we wouldn’t expect. Who would have expected God to sacrifice His own Son to deliver us from the worst possible situation – eternal damnation? Someone coined the phrase: “Surprised by Grace.” We can’t help but be overwhelmed when God acts.

It is so comforting to realize that God works for His children! Like Peter, it’s often AFTER God has brought us through some grave situation that we can look back on the path we took and see His salvation at work. While we walk the road of affliction, we simply trust. After God delivers, we pour out our thanksgiving! Praise be to our awesome God who loves us and gave Himself for us.

Praise the Lord today,
Nathan

A Son of the Father (Mark 15:1-15)

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Nov 192009

Freedom!

Barabbas was an insurrectionist and murderer. He was in prison, likely awaiting execution. His name, Bar-abbas, means “son of the father.”

Jesus was a great teacher of a holy life. He lived what He taught. He was a prisoner because the Jews were bringing false charges against Him. They claimed JESUS was trying to start an insurrection against the Roman government by claiming to be a king of the Jews. Jesus was truly the Son of the Father (Mark 14:61-62).

Barabbas was guilty; Jesus was innocent. Barabbas should have acted like a son of God; Jesus always acted as the Son of God He was. Barabbas was a son of God in name only; Jesus was the Son of God both literally and in His every word and action. Barabbas bucked the authority of God. Jesus submitted.

And the Jews demanded Barabbas be released. They demanded Pilate execute Jesus instead! They traded evil for good and good for evil.

Can you imagine what went through Barabbas’ mind as he walked free and saw Jesus being stripped for a scourging? I wonder if he realized he was now free because this good Man was taking his place? In a very literal way Jesus took the place of Barabbas. The angel stopped Abraham’s hand from killing his son Isaac. Abraham turned around and there was a ram caught in the bushes – a sacrifice provided by the Lord in place of his son, Isaac! Jesus was the sacrifice provided in place of Barabbas.

Am I not a son of the Father, too (Acts 17:28-29)? Did Jesus not die in MY place? Isaiah 53:8 – “He was cut off from the land of the living for the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke was due.” He took my place. I wonder…as God provided salvation for me, as I was released from the chains of sin which so tightly had bound me, did I see Jesus stepping into my place to take my punishment? That’s what He did – PRAISE HIS NAME!

I pray that I will not take Jesus for granted.
Nathan

Fellowship Meal (Mark 14:22-26)

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Nov 092009

Eating Together

Humans get close around food. Relationships are born, strengthened, and encouraged over meals.

Under the Law of Moses there were several special feast days, most notably the feast of Unleavened Bread, otherwise known as the Passover. The Israelites took this meal together to celebrate their deliverance from Egyptian bondage. The Lord PASSED OVER the houses of the Israelites because they had the blood of the lamb they killed painted all around their doorways. That was the sign to the Lord not to enter the house to kill the firstborn child. So all the Egyptian firstborn children were killed that night, and all the Israelite children were protected – redeemed!

It’s not an accident Jesus chose to teach His disciples about the Lord’s Supper – a new commemoration feast – on the night of His last Passover. After all, JESUS is “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). He is the Lamb who redeems all the firstborn of God in the New Covenant with His blood (1 Peter 1:18-19). The Israelites had to paint their doorways with the blood of a lamb. We must apply Jesus’ blood to our hearts so on the great Judgment Day the Lord will PASS OVER us! We are protected by Jesus’ blood. We are redeemed.

The apostles would not have made all those connections yet as they sat eating with Jesus that night. But they would soon.

Mark 14:23-26
Jesus broke some bread, and after a blessing He broke it, and gave it to them, and said, “Take it; this is My body.” And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. And He said to them, “This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. Truly I say to you, I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

This was a true fellowship meal. They were sharing in the blood and body of Jesus Christ. This is the Christian’s closest sharing together. Singing, perhaps, is second to it. They sang together right after they ate together. For that time, they were close, unified. It wouldn’t be long before their little band would be broken completely apart…but they would later remember this time. We do too!

God bless,
Nathan

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Deliverance…in Chains?

Let God Take Care of It

Surprised by Salvation

A Son of the Father (Mark 15:1-15)

Fellowship Meal (Mark 14:22-26)

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