Gathering Together

Acts 1:9-14

New International Version (NIV)

9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.

10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

12 Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk[a] from the city. 13 When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. 14 They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

(https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+1%3A9-14&version=NIV)

How many times do we stand and stare into the heavens and look for Jesus to return?  Or probably more so, how often do we pray, “Come Lord Jesus, Come Quickly!” and then go about our own business?  We want His quick return but then we go about life as if it is the only life we have.  We busy ourselves with work, with family, and then we take a break and go to church.  We worship in song and we listen to the pastor and then we go home.  The cycle begins again week after week.

Today I had to take special note as to what happened once Jesus ascended and the “two men dressed in white” scooted them along.  They did not go back to their homes and continue life as if nothing had ever happened; they were changed, forever.  They walked back to the city, a distance of about .6 miles and then went to a room where they were staying.  All of them, went to the room, and they were joined with the women and they all prayed.  They didn’t go to their separate homes, they didn’t divide and conquer they were joined by a special bond and they prayed.

How often do we say, “I’ll pray for you” but not really stop and pray with someone who is hurting?  We may pray for them but do we really go to the throne of God and humbly pray for and with them?  What do we do when we gather together?  Do we truly pray for one another or do we let the preacher pray and then go on about our routine worship?   What are those prayer requests?  Are they request that bring glory and honor to God, further His kingdom, or are they prayers for our own well-being, safety, and health?  What do you think those men and women prayed?

I love Christian fellowship.  I love going to church.  I love seeing my Christian friends.  How often though do I really stop and in one accord pray with them?  All too often our speech is not on the spiritual things of life it is on the worldly happenings.  What would happen if our focus shifted not on what is happening in the world but rather on what has happened in our lives that has set us apart from the world?

When we seek Him and we find Him, we need to share Him with others.  We need to fellowship in One Accord, remembering the One who saved us has also saved our brother/sister in Christ.  The One who has done miraculous things in us has done so also for our brother/sister in Christ.  Why aren’t we sharing those things?  What would happen if we were in One Accord? 

While on prayer, a little side note:  Recently I have been convicted of the “I want” prayer.  Now every time I catch myself saying, “I just want”, I quote Psalm 23:1 “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want”.  I challenge you to think of this too as you seek Him, realize that He is the One who provides, we do not have a need for a want!

Seeking Him with all my heart,

Sheila

Spread the Gospel

Acts 1:1-11

New International Version (NIV)

1 In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 3 After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. 4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

6 Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”

7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

(https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+1%3A+1+-8&version=NIV)

I think that it is amazing to have this Bible setting before me.  It is a book filled with history and prophesies.  The very men that encountered Jesus on this earth sat down and wrote an account of the man and the God that they met.  These men died for what they believed and they believed because they experienced Jesus first hand, in the flesh.  What an amazing blessing God has given us through this book.  Yet, often times it sits on the shelf and waits for Sunday morning to come.  We do not take advantage of the mighty accountings that are written in this book.  It is a book that has tried to be destroyed by mankind for many years but yet it has been protected by God and is still here with us today to read of these accountings.

Many believe the author of this book is Luke and in the first part of the scripture today we see that Theophilus is mentioned just as he was in Luke.  The reason Luke or the author of these books wrote to him was to help him know, with certainty, that what he had been taught was true.  He must have been one that was struggling with his faith and the author, having been an eyewitness, sat down and wrote of his accountings to strengthen this man.  That is one reason I write this blog.  It is to help strengthen those of you who read it while strengthening me as well.  To give an account to others that I too struggle but we have a God that is far superior to any of out troubles who gives us the strength to sustain us.  I believe that Theo was having some difficulties and just was not quite sure about all that he had been taught about Jesus.  Have you ever been there?  If so, join me in this journey of Acts and lets see how our own faith can be strengthened.

What stood out to me today, were the words of Jesus, stating, it is not for us to know the time or the date of His return.  Many people have tried to predict the end of this earth.  They seem to think that they are able to look at the rotation and the stars and can figure out that before long meteorites that fall from the sky will destroy the earth.  There are movies about it and many predictions.  What they seemed to forget is that our God is the one that placed us here and began the rotation and placed the stars in the sky.  At any time He could change the course of any of those elements, it is not for us to know or to decide. The Word is clear that we cannot determine this but only our Father in Heaven knows the time and the hour.  It is our responsibility just as it was the apostles, to use the gift of the Holy Spirit to be witnesses to others.  Some of us may go to the ends of the earth and some of us may stay right in our communities but we need to be spreading the Gospel.  I have been able to spread this news to people in places I have never been through this blog.  After my break from the blog, I found that I lost those readers from other countries.  My prayer is to continually pray that they will return.  We need to not get caught sleeping but be diligent in spreading the Gospel of the One who saved us.  Seek Him and know Him so that you are able to spread His word to others.

Seeking Him with all my heart,

Sheila

Fragrance

2 Corinthians 2:12-17

New International Version (NIV)

12 Now when I went to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ and found that the Lord had opened a door for me, 13 I still had no peace of mind, because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I said goodbye to them and went on to Macedonia.

14 But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. 15 For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. 16 To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task? 17 Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as those sent from God.

(https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=II+Corinthians+2%3A12+-17&version=NIV)

I am not a big believer in just sitting down and asking God to show me what He wants me to read, closing my eyes and opening the Bible but that is what I did today.  I know that God knows my heart better than anyone else and I have been pouring it out to Him.  He actually knows my heart better than I know it myself.  I sit here confused in what I think is my desires and wondering if my desires match God’s desires.  I wonder if the choices I made were truly from Him or my own selfish wants.  I struggle with quitting things that I thought were His desire for me.  I struggle with having someone tear me down but wonder why others build me up.  I can get so stuck in the negative words of one person that I forget about the positive words of many people.  So, today, I asked the Lord to help me find my answers and He brought me to this passage.  Oddly enough, I had it already underlined but am not sure when I did it and maybe I have even written a blog on it but today it is what I needed to hear.

This is what God told me today.  He told me through this passage, that even Paul, in his ministry felt that God opened doors for him.  He went through those doors but did not feel right, so he left.  This affirmed my recent decision to leave a place that I did not feel the Spirit of God resting upon me.  I realized my fragrance there was not a fragrance of life.  To some, we spread a fragrance of death because some will not accept the fragrance of life that is offered to them.  In that case we may have some times that although we want to spread a wonderful aroma we instead come off as a nasty aroma.  I have found myself in that place.  I began to doubt myself as to whether I was a good Christian if unbelievers thought so negatively about me.  I was always taught to be kind, gentle, and let my witness show not only in words but also in deeds.  I felt that if others viewed me negatively there must be something wrong with me.  However, once I left the negative environment, I had many people tell me of my value as God’s child.  I had confirmation that I do not have a nasty aroma but one that is pleasing to those that know our Lord and Savior and to those that are open to His salvation.  If I can send a fragrant aroma to Him, the One who saved me, that is all that really matters!!!!

This scripture was perfect for me today.  I hope that it was for you as well.  As we seek Him daily, we find out how much He knows us and how much He loves us.  Seek Him and know that He has all the answers for you.

Seeking Him with all my heart,

Sheila

Show Mercy

Jude 1:17-23New International Version (NIV)

17 But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. 18 They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.” 19 These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.

20 But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.

22 Be merciful to those who doubt; 23 save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jude+1+%3A+17-23&version=NIV

Do these verses sound like the times in which we live today?  We see and hear of people who do just this, follow their own desires. I heard a story just the other day about a couple who are male and female but the female is a male and the male is a female.  Are they not following their own desires rather than the plan God had for them?  I heard someone once say that there is no way to stop teenage pregnancies because it is just a natural desire that cannot be controlled.  Are we following God’s plan or their own selfish desires?

How are we built up in an ungodly world?  We pray, we read our Bibles, we fellowship with other believer, we show mercy to others, and we believe.  We seek Him with all our hearts and at the day appointed by Him, we will see Him face to face.  We must hold on to that truth and be true to Him while doing so. 

When we are able to do this, it will be much easier for us to show mercy to others.  Knowing that God has shown mercy to us.  There are times that I would like that mercy shown to me rather than me always having to show it but that is not what this passage tells us to do.  We are to not write off those who doubt but rather be gentle with them.  Some are almost to the fire but possibly we can give them hope through Jesus Christ and they will avoid the fire.  Others, we need to be cautious of so we are not entangled in their web but still we must show them mercy.  It does not say to hate them but we must hate the sin.  We must realize that it is only by the grace of God that we are not in their place and it is by His grace that we remain free.  To those that I mentioned above as illustrations, we must pray for them that they too may find the love of Christ.  Seek Him and know Him so that you may show the mercy to others that He has shown and will show us.

Seeking Him with all my heart,

Sheila