Splittsville...Acts 15

Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, "Let us go back and visit the brothers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing." Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

These 2 guys had been together a very long time. They had seen some amazing things, and then all of the sudden...BAM...there split like the Beatles...I find this incredible, but not unbelievable. Kinda makes you wonder what happened. What is just over the issue of Mark, or was there something else.
hmmm

Ramblings...back to the Bible tomorrow.

Things that have been going through my mind lately:

Ministry is messy. People get involved with their won agenda and ideas. That's not always a bad thing, but sometimes it can be.

People are messed up. Christians that are trying to live a Godly life but keep doing things that are so unGodly. that's not only Christians, it's non Christians as well... or as I heard the other day...pre-Christians.

Back everything up. Scripture is the best tool for fact checking. If you are unsure of something, back it up with scripture. And don't assume the Bible says something when it does not.

We have mentally checked out. In our minds, we no longer live in Mossbank, we have checked out and have packed our bags. The sad part about it is that Tina has made a few friends. if we could take them with us, that would be great. The other sad part is that my kids don't have many friends.

Arrgghhhhh

I'm getting a little restless. I know I should be patient and wait upon the Lord, but it has been a long time since I have been really active. I just want something to happen. What do I need to do? Do i need to do anything? What does God want me to do? These are all questions I have asked before.

Arrrghhh

Acts 14

The people of Lystra were completely blinded by own interests I guess. They saw the signs and miracles being performed by Paul and Barnabas, and claimed that these two men were gods Zeus and Hermes. Even after they claimed otherwise, the people tried to offer sacrifices to them.

Even when the truth is right in front of us, sometimes we only see what we want to see.
Hmmm

Shake the dust...(Acts 13)

You can't stop the gospel. That is what it is saying in Acts 13. Paul and Barnabas were sent to the gentile cities. Sure, there were Jewish synagogues there, that was the platform with which Paul used to speak; but when the Jewish leaders saw that Paul was making more of an impact on the city then they were, they were furious. So they did what any good Jewish leader would do and threw them out of the city. Too late though, The people, almost the whole city, heard the message and many became disciples and the Holy Spirit came upon them... HA...in your face...(just kidding). That's kinda how I felt when I read it. If only we could be as bold as Paul and Barnabas.

Pray for others...

Over the last few months, I have been trying to see things from a different perspective. It's easy to get ourselves wrapped up in our own little world, where nothing else matters but the things that affect us. I am beginning to think outside the box and away from my own problems in life. Oh, sure, I have them.... everyone does, but when you see them in light of someone else, they suddenly seem small and insignificant. All over the world...everywhere, people are dealing with situations in life that they can't control by themselves. Everyone is messed up in some sort of way...and everyone needs a savior. I write this for myself as well as anyone else who reads this. I come back to the things I have written quite often so this will serve as a reminder for me... Stop being selfish. Take a look around and see that there are those around that need our prayers. It's not about me... it's about others. Jesus says "love your neighbor as yourself". That neighbor may be across the street or around the world. Get to know what other problems are out there, learn people's names, find out as much as you can...get involved at a personal level...but pray.

Eaten by worms (Acts 12)

Acts cracks me up... First thing this morning, I read about Peter's escape from prison. The angel of the Lord is sent to wake him up, and leads him out the door. His chains are gone and the door miraculously opens. Good Stuff!... but the entire time, Peter thinks he's dreaming. It's not until he's a ways away from the prison and the angel leaves does he realize..."hey...I'm awake!" Imagine the thought process that was reeling inside his head...
Then, he goes to the place where a group had gathered to pray; specifically for him. When he shows up at the door, Rhoda... a servant girl is so excited, that she doesn't even let him in... Understandable really... James had just been executed and Peter was next. The group didn't know if Peter was alive or dead... if he's dead...is this a ghost knocking at my door?? I would be scared too!
But the kicker comes when herod, the Jewish leader, claims to be a god... and an angel of the Lord struck him down... He was eaten by worms and died. WORMS...I don't know what kind of worms they were, but in my mind I'm thinking of your everyday garden variety type worm... the ones you see after a long rain. what a slow and painful death that would have been.
hmmm

Acts...I didn't know !!

It has been a long time since I read Acts. I wonder if I read it as part of my school work. nevertheless, I am looking at acts in a whole new way. There are some things in here that I never really knew for sure, or had assumed by reading other passages and books in the Bible. I read Acts 11 yesterday and acts 12 today. I learned a lot about Peter and even Barnabas and Saul. I can't talk about it now... But as I write this, I encourage anyone and even myself to take another look at Acts.

Think Orange.

I woke up and read this morning, and it was good stuff, but I keep thinking about something else. I am reading this book called "Think Orange". It is an amazing read. It's all about Children and Family Ministry and how church and Families need to get together to teach children.
Some of the stuff is out there a little, but for the most part, the author has done his research. God has inspired many people to realize the same thing. It's how I feel and how I have felt over the last few years.
As I read, I can't help but think that maybe I didn't mess my kids up that bad after all...maybe I am on the right track. That is encouraging... Well, only 100 pages left to go... better finish up!

Simon the sorcerer (Acts 8)

Simon the Sorcerer...what an interesting story. Here was a guy who performed magic for all to see, and everyone, regardless of stature, was amazed. Philip comes along and starts preaching the gospel and healing the blind and sick. Many people came to know Jesus through this and Simon was amazed. Simon himself believed and was baptized. He followed Philip around everywhere; probably in awe of the miracles Philip was performing. Remember, Simon was a sorcerer, performing Magic himself. These miracles would have seemed like elaborate illusions to Simon with long lasting outcomes. Magic is all he knows. He is like a sponge wanting to know more. All of the miracles that are happening; he is relating them to magic tricks he has performed in the past. I'm sure his belief in Jesus is real, otherwise they wouldn't put it in the Bible, but he is surrounded with all kinds of baggage.
Then, when Peter and John come along and lay hands on the people, they immediately receive the Holy Spirit. Well, this is too much for Simon to bear. That was the coolest trick he had ever seen. I have to know how you did that he explains. He is used to be the center of attention, and with that kind of power at his disposal, he would become great. He still believes in Jesus...but he has baggage. He doesn't understand or comprehend the difference between believing and trusting...preaching and healing...knowing and understanding.
My question would be... who taught him afterward. Whose disciple did he become.
We teach the word of Jesus, and many people believe and are baptized, but who takes it from head knowledge to heart knowledge?...How does this story end???

Acts 6-8

I've been sitting here for the last 20 minutes reading, and then reading some more, looking for something. It is an amazing read, Acts 6-8. So much is happening. If it was a novel, I wouldn't be able to put it down. In my mind, I try to fill in the blanks... the stoning of Stephen, the apostles scattered and persecuted, Saul with his arrogant approval of it all. What a great movie that would be. But until then, I will imagine the events in my head.
Until tomorrow.

Jelousy and a new way of thinking. (Acts 5)

Acts 5...the high priest was jealous! The apostles were healing many; people from all around were coming to see them, and the high priest was jealous. He wasn't getting the attention anymore, it was all going to these apostles. So, he had them arrested. It's amazing what people in power will do.
And after they had escaped from jail, and were found again teaching in the temple, the guards were told to collect them again and bring them back to the elders of Israel. The guards were afraid. These may have been the same guards that had beaten Jesus and cast lots for his clothes. Arrogant at first, but then afraid after everything had been said and done.
The power of the Holy Spirit is great and these men were getting a taste of that. The apostles were beaten after that. I wonder how they guards felt then.
Curious.

Ananias and Sapphira (acts5)

In acts 5 today I read about Ananias and Sapphira. They had sold their land and were about to convince the apostles that they were just as righteous as the likes of Peter and John. Ananias approached them, planning on deceiving them with the amount of money they had..." yes...this is all I have..." he proclaims, when he actually had some left over, hiding in a bag somewhere. Sapphira attempts the same thing.
You see, it's not the fact that they kept some back, all they had to do was admit it, but they wanted to pretend to be someone they were not.
That happens all of the time in our churches. There are tons of people who fill the pews each Sunday pretending to be someone they are not...ooohh look at what I am wearing, listen to how I pray...then they go home and they are someone all together different.
I know... I have done that a couple times...
But Jesus Knows the difference, and HE is the only one we are to be impressing.
i have thought about that a lot over the years. Some people may ask me "Michael, why do you share everything that goes on inside your head? Don't you think it's to much information?"
And I say, " I want to be transparent so that I don't become someone who I am not".

Are you confused about who you are?

I totally forgot to blog yesterday. The first thing I did when I woke up was to go downstairs to keep doing the laundry. We were on our way to Regina to meet the grandparents and give them the kids for a week. So, preoccupied as I was, I totally forgot.
I read Acts 4 today. The more I hear of what Peter and John are doing, the more I am convinced that I am on the right track. I believe I have the confidence, but not the boldness.
But I am preoccupied again. I keep thinking about people; not anyone in particular, just people. I was browsing Blog sites and reading what others have to say and I came across a few that were different. It's as though they have 2 lives, one that they share with their family, and one that they do not.
Why do people do that? Why do people lead secret lives, pretend to be one person when they are clearly not. I suppose I should take it with a grain of salt, because you can type anything on the Internet.
This has actually opened my eyes a little about the downfall of humanity. I'm not talking about anything terrible, but I am saying that some people are confused about who they are.
One of the benefits of truly putting your trust in Jesus is that you don't have to be confused anymore. Sure, the may be some times of confusion, but if we put our faith in Him and do what He commands, we will be transformed into his likeness. there is not doubt about who you are anymore. That is who I want to become.

Change my focus. (Acts 3)

The disciples were filled with such confidence after they received the Holy Spirit. I came across the passage in Acts 3 where Peter and John were walking into the temple. There was a man who was crippled and begging for money. it's interesting to note, when they walked past the man, and the man had begged, they stopped and told the man to look at them. It's interesting to me because they had the mans complete attention. The beggar was expecting money. If you think about it, the man couldn't walk, so he probably felt like there was no way for him to earn enough money to support himself, they led him to his circumstance of begging for money. Now, there he was, waiting for money with his hand out, and all of the sudden these two men tell him to get up and walk. No longer would he have to bear the shame of being a beggar. He would be able to earn a living, make money, have a family. His attitude would change as well as his circumstance.
Man, what a compelling story if we just read between the lines. We are so focused on the things that we want and of this world. We are like the beggar with our hand out. We expect something, but Jesus gives us something completely different, something life changing. He takes our focus off of what we think is important and gets our full attention.
Love it!

Not alone (acts 2)

So Peter gets up and preaches to the crowd. That part is always amazing. But the more amazing part is what happens afterward. They all got together and celebrated because they had everything in common. That is one of the things I love about Jesus and Christianity. It is the same.
When we were traveling, whenever we went to church, we automatically felt like we had something in common. We worship the same God. although the songs may be different, God is the same. there is an instant bond between Christians that surpasses distances and races. It is an incredible feeling knowing that we are not alone.

The Magic Eight Ball (Acts 1)

I just read several articles on "casting lots".I started reading Acts and came across the passage where the apostles cast lots to determine who would replace Judas as an apostle.
Now, casting lots was like flipping a coin or drawing straws in today's society. It was an impartial way of determining the outcome of something. Many say it is Biblical, many say it is not. What is the answer?
Think about it for just a moment; if you could rely on a Magic eight ball to make all of the hard decisions, it would make life a whole lot easier.
In my case... should I move to Pennsylvania, or stay in Canada...(shake the magic eight ball)
Should I sell my house and business together or sell them separately...( shake the magic eight ball)
Should I go to church in Moose Jaw or Assiniboia...(shake the magic eight ball)
Sure the answers might come... but ask yourself this... are we asking the right questions.
And where does the Holy Spirit come into all of this! where does our sense of peace come from. Casting Lots may be biblical, and some days I wish we had that choice, but we must rely on the Holy Spirit first and foremost.
Then again, who's to say that God can't control the answers in the magic eight ball itself!!

questions to ponder!

The Lord is Patient (2 Peter 3)

What does God have for me this morning. I mean, I learned some new things, especially about Peter and Paul. Peter acknowledged Paul's writings as Godly Inspired in 1 Peter 3:15-16. I wonder if Peter knew that what he was writing was also Godly inspired? I also got to thinking about the end times. Peter mentions that in his letter as well. Every generation has assumed that the end times were going to happen during their lifetime. Even I sometimes wonder if it will happen during mine. All of the signs have been happening throughout history. Some say that they are happening more frequently, but what if we are just aware of these things more. With the information age, we are aware of more of the happenings of the entire world around us, not just the our sphere of influence. It's a thought anyway.
But, back to Peter. I read this passage several times before...even used it as an example in sermons and studies..."The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance". What a day that would be if everyone came to the Christ. Every now and then, I think about that, and try to imagine a world where everyone believed. It's a happy thought!
So what am I doing about it?

Some Days! 2 Peter 2

Peter has some pretty strong words for those that follow false teachers. I don't have much else to say. I am very tired this morning and I have a lot of things to do... I'm probably going to go back to sleep for a few minutes before I get started. I will try to get back to this; maybe this afternoon; but I can't make any promises.
Some days!

"Read it again Sam...! (2 Peter 1)

Have you ever gotten into a good book; I mean a really good book that you just couldn't put down; and about halfway through, you come across a passage that makes you cheer a little for the good guy. That's kind of how I feel reading 2 Peter. He's an encouraging writer that doesn't beat around the bush. I just love it. I have been reading through the Bible ( not in a big hurry) over the last 80 days. I was down at first, but I needed to be in the word every day. I then blog what comes to mind, whatever the Holy Spirit wants to show me. I have been impressed at how my attitude has changed, even my way of thinking. I mean, I knew it was possible, but I really didn't know it could make such a dramatic impact in my Christian life 13 years after my "rebirth". It is exhilarating and I am having such a good time!

Lists! (2 Peter 1:1-11)

Make every effort to add to your faith:
goodness
knowledge
self control
perseverance
godliness
brotherly kindness
love
For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of Jesus Christ.

This is what I am talking about. A list of things that we can do as Christians to help us become better Christians. And, this list isn't that difficult. It's a good place to start! I know there are some more difficult lists in the Bible, but with this, it is clear and concise...
Love it...
Thank you Jesus and Peter!

Trust in Him.

I didn't have anything to write yesterday. I woke up, had my Bible, open up my computer... and nothing. Even this morning I look with a blank stare. I have another day of kids club, so I am preparing for that; my wife put "house for sale" on her facebook, so I have been following that; I've been thinking about moving and job positions; I've been doing all of this planning, but not enough praying. I wrote down once, many are the plans of a mans heart but the Lord determines his steps. Well, my heart is making plans...
I don't like when that happens. The entire time, I have God speaking to me in the small voice in the back of my head.."relax, your life is in my hands".
I know, I know... I need to stop worrying about it...after all, has worrying ever changed anything or added a single day onto my life? NO I never considered myself a worrier until recently, but now it seems I worry all of the time; constantly making plans so I can stop from worrying.
AAARGGHHH... it's is yet another battle that wages on within me.
Today, I am going to concentrate on this: I will trust in the Lord with all of my heart and lean not on my own understanding. In all my ways I will acknowledge Him and He will make my paths straight.

He's talking to me! (1 Peter 5)

To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness of Christ's sufferings and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed: Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.

I know that I already put this down yesterday, but I needed to do it again. I have been thinking about this passage ever since I read it yesterday. It's like He's talking to me. I still don't think I am done with this passage.

1 Peter 5

To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness of Christ's sufferings and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed: Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.
Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,
"God opposes the proud
but gives grace to the humble."Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen

I am going to try my best to come back to this passage later on today. I love it!

It will work itself out! (1 Peter 4)

I'm looking to the Bible for some much needed answers this morning. My mind is bouncing around again and it's hard to focus on just one thing...
--Kids club this week
--questionnaire that I need to fill out
--my son who's at camp
--my lawn that needs to be mowed
--how on earth am I going to keep my house cleaned this week...
--and it just gets sillier from there...
I don't mind to terribly much, I can strive under pressure, except that when my mind gets busy, I have a hard time focusing on God's word...
Maybe that's what God is teaching me right now... how to focus under pressure.

I read 1 Peter 4 this morning. This is what caught my eye... I have used this passage as a teaching passage before...

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

It is what I needed to hear this morning. Going into a VBS type setting this morning, teaching kids about Christ; I can go with confidence because I have a heavenly father who gives me the words to say and the strength to stand.

Everything else will just work itself out!