Rule-breaker's wanted!

"It is a good idea to obey all the rules when you're young just so you'll have the strength to break them when you're old." ~ Mark Twain

As I sat having my quiet time this morning, I was struck by a certain section of verses:

"Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that broke out when Stephen was killed traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, spreading the word only among Jews. Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks (Gentiles) also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord"  - Acts 11:19-21

Rule-breakers - that's what God's looking for!

For the sake of sharing the Gospel and spreading God's word, these men broke the mold and preached to the Gentiles. As we know from verse 21, "a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord." The fruit of those men breaking the mold and preaching to the Gentiles is still being felt today. Because of all the work they had done, they were ridiculed and named "Christians" (Acts 11:26) - a name that initially started as a way to mock, bring shame, and persecute the men whose lives had been so radically changed by Christ.

This next section comes from a great website I found while preparing this:

They Evidenced the Grace of God

 

“When he [Barnabas] arrived and saw the evidence of the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts.” What did Barnabas see when he saw the evidence of the grace of God? I think it was the same things the pharaoh saw in Joseph. It was what Moses demonstrated when he delivered the Hebrews from bondage. The Babylonians witnessed the same thing in the life of Daniel. It was what the first century world witnessed in Christ’s presence. Barnabas saw the grace of God saving the Gentiles—he saw the Gentiles turning from their pagan lives to embrace the grace of God.

First century Christianity challenged pagans to turn from the immorality of their pagan society. In doing so, their world saw evidence of the grace of God.

 

1 Thessalonians 1:4-10

4 For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, 5 because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. 6 You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. 7 And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. 8 The Lord's message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia-your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it, 9 for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead-Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath. NIV

 

These people weren’t simply converted from one style of worship to another—from one church to another. The gospel challenged every facet of their lives. Their deep conviction led them to lives separated from worldly influences. This led others to imitate their lives as it allowed them to see Christ in how they lived. Those converted became a model to all the believers in Macedonia.

 

You have to understand they weren’t called Christians merely because of their conversion, but because of their belief, their conduct, and their life in Christ. They turned from their pagan lifestyles to embrace the life of Christ.

 

1 Corinthians 6:9-11

9 Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. NIV

 

It is something that the 21^st century world has a real need to witness. What that pagan world witnessed led them to call those first disciples “Christians.” The Latin suffix tan means "belonging to the party of" In derision, some of the pagan citizens of Antioch joined this Latin suffix to the Hebrew name "Christ" and came up with Christian. The name itself reveals the impact those first believers were having on their godless society. The name is found only three times in the entire New Testament: Acts 11:26; 26:28; 1 Peter 4:16. (Warren Wiersbe, Be Dynamic, Acts, The Bible Exposition Commentary. Copyright (c) 1989 by SP Publications, Inc.)

 

Unfortunately, the word Christian has lost a great deal of significance over the centuries and no longer means "one who has turned from sin, trusted Jesus Christ, and received salvation by grace" (Acts 11:21-23). Many people who have never been born again consider themselves "Christians" simply because they say they are not "pagans." After all, they may belong to a church, attend services somewhat regularly, and even occasionally give to the work of the church! However, it takes more than that for a sinner to become a child of God. It takes repentance from sin and faith in Jesus Christ, who died for our sins on the cross and rose again to give us eternal life. (Warren Wiersbe, Be Dynamic, Acts, The Bible Exposition Commentary. Copyright (c) 1989 by SP Publications, Inc.)

 

Statistics reveal the morality of Christians today is on the same level of the world. There is no appreciable difference. We have many people today calling themselves Christians, but their life is or has become suspect. Is it because they have a false definition of what it means to be a Christian?

 

Many believers in the early church suffered because they were Christians (1 Peter 4:16). Dr. David Otis Fuller has asked, "If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?" A good question! And the answer is a matter of life or death! (Warren Wiersbe, Be Dynamic, Acts, The Bible Exposition Commentary. Copyright (c) 1989 by SP Publications, Inc.)

Source: http://www.focusongod.com/Acts-11_19-26.htm

What a powerful question: "If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?"

Wow!
 
Since I was old enough to remember, I have been a rule-follower. A people-pleasing, rule-follower. I believe God used this in my life to keep me away from drugs and alcohol, but as a believer, this can hold us back from doing what God has called us to do. My husband on the other hand, he's more of a rule breaker. It derives pleasure from hacking systems and creating a solution to the problem. Hacking, at it's core is rule-breaking. 


But, what if God wanted to do a new thing and He wanted to do it by using you and/or I?


Isaiah 43:19 tells us this, 
"See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland." 

Sometimes God wants to do a "new thing" and that might require us to break the mold. It might require us to move out of our comfort zone, to protest something, to fight for something we believe to be true and right - even if it's not politically correct or goes against main stream society, or to, as in the case of Katie (from the book Kisses From Katie I mentioned in my last blog), pick up everything and leave all you know to follow after and obey God in Uganda.

Whatever God is calling you to, be sure to be obedient to Him. It may cause you discomfort and embarrassment, but Fully Surrendering to Him and His will show "the evidence of the grace of God" (Acts 11:23) upon you and in your life. 

I would like to share a story with you: 

Because of a few bold Christians and servants of God, my life was radically changed. Not just mine though, but, also my mother-in-law's, my father-in-laws, my husbands, and my brother-in-laws!


When my husband was 2, a few Christians from 'Campus Crusade For Christ' went knocking door to door. Out of roughly 270 homes they visited that day, my in-laws were the only ones to accept Jesus.
They accepted Him, and coming out of the 60's, their lives were dramatically changed! They began praying over Jason (and his brother, who was born a few short months later) and also began to pray with the boys for their "future wives."


In a life where I still cannot think of a single person who may have been praying for me as I was growing up, I was being prayed for by parents I did not know and parents who already loved me enough to pray for my upbringing and my salvation.


Because of those few who were stepping outside of their comfort zones, breaking the mold of what a "normal" Christian does, they uncomfortably knocked door-to-door and led my in-laws to the Lord. 


So, as Barnabas encouraged the men in Antioch, I too, will encourage you: Be bold! Don't be afraid to break the mold. God may have a "new thing" for you; don't be afraid to step out in faith and obedience. 

"There are no rules in the service of God, and this itself is  no rule." ~ The Yehudi

For the sake of Christ

2 Corinthians 11:24-31 

²⁴ Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. ²⁵ Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, ²⁶ I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. ²⁷ I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. ²⁸ Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. ²⁹ Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn? ³⁰ If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. ³¹ The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised forever, knows that I am not lying.

After reading through Paul's description of what he had suffered through, one cannot help but ask themselves this question: "Would I be willing to suffer the same fate for the sake of Christ?" 

It reminded me of our recent missions trip to Haiti. On our first night there, we slept on a cement rooftop with a 2-3" mattress under us.There was a day I could do that somewhat comfortably, but at my current age, I felt that cement "floor" in my hips, shoulders, neck, and back. I was in a fair amount of pain as I tossed and turned all night long to secure a comfortable position. 

I thought about the latrines and the lack of latrines, in some cases, or the scorpion sting our fearless leader endured. 

For most Americans, this might be the closest we come to "suffering" for the sake of Christ - inconveniences. 

But Paul, he layed down his life for the work of God. We see a partial list of the ways Paul suffered for the sake of Christ and it made me wonder, "If God called us to that, would we accept it? Would we walk through the fire to fully serve and obey God?"

Fully Surrendering ourselves to God might require real sacrifice on our part. Paul, in the "missing 5 years" likely had to face the "death" of his family. Scripture doesn't talk about where Paul's father went, but one can most certainly ascertain that upon arrival to his hometown, he was greeted by a deafening silence from his father and his family. 


Saul was well on his way to becoming a Pharisee, just like his father, when he walked that long road to Jerusalem at the tender ago of 13 to become a man. He was likely his fathers pride and joy. Now Saul was a Christian. A convert from Judaism. 


That was a "death" sentence for family members. His father and family has likely acted as if Paul had never been born. Even now, in some Orthodox Jewish communities, a person who turns from Judaism is considered dead to the family. 


I think about my family (both my parents and sister, as well as, my own husband and children) not being a part of my life - it's too hard to comprehend. The thought of losing them in any manner (either by their choice or by real death) is overwhelming. The thought of cutting off my child because he doesn't do what I want him to do or follow what I want him to follow is unthinkable.


And yet, this is what Paul likely faced. We know he faced prison, flogging, stoning, being shipwrecked, floating in the ocean for a couple of days, sleepless nights, hunger, thirst, and much more - all for the sake of Christ!


Would we be willing to sacrifice all of our conveniences, luxuries, family, and friends for doing the Will of the Father?


I just recently read a book, written by Katie Davis called Kisses From Katie, about her walk through sacrificially choosing to Fully Surrender her will and her agenda for the will and agenda of her Lord and Savior. The book walks you through her journey, at the very young age of 18, to Uganda. 


On a short-term missions trip in her senior year, Katie feels God calling her to live in Uganda. She has some hurdles to jump over, but after she graduated high school she returned to Uganda permanently. By the time she was 19 she had adopted 7 children. And at her current age of 23, she has adopted 14 children and is running a huge non-profit, feeding over 1600 families in Messe, and helping to educate, cloth, bathe, and feed an additional 400 children near her home with her children. 


The journey was not easy and she tells of times where she is so lonely and misses the comforts or Tennessee, but she knows this is the will of her Father. 


Are we willing to Fully Surrender our lives to God for His sake?

He placed me in a little cage, 

    Away from gardens fair;

But I must sing the sweetest songs

    Because He placed me there.

Not beat my wings against the cage

    If it's my Maker's Will,

But raise my voice to heaven's gate

    And sing the louder still!

~Days of Heaven Upon Earth

Do you have Ananias-obedience?

The true follower of Christ will not ask, "If I embrace this truth, what will it cost me?" Rather he will say, "This is truth. God help me to walk in it, let come what may!"  

                                                                              ~ A. W. Tozer

Acts 9:10-19, we are introduced to Ananias, the disciple. To be clear, there are three Ananias' in the Bible, all found in the book of Acts. 


The first one, was married to Sapphira. The two of them conspired to deceive the Christian and immediately fell down and died after he uttered the falsehood (Acts 4 and 5). 


The second Ananias, is the one I will be talking about today. Ananias, the disciple (Acts 9).


And the third was Ananias, the high priest who became enraged at Paul's declarations (Acts 23).


Ananias, the disciple, caught my attention this morning in my quiet time. Ananias, the disciple, appears in Act chapter 9, verses 10-19. As I read this short passage, a passage I have read many many times, I was struck by how briefly we met Ananias, and yet how his obedience so profoundly impacted Saul and now, thousands of years later, even our lives. 


You see, Saul had just had his conversion. He had just met with God on that road to Damascus. In that meeting with God, God (and I envision God empathetically asking Saul, with deep conviction in His tone), "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"


Saul, a little freaked out (as I picture it), says, "Who are you, Lord?" 


"I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do." (Acts 9:4-6)


The only people who knew of what had happened were the men Saul was traveling with. That's it. So, fast-forward just a few verses to verse 10 when the Lord spoke to a man named Ananias in a vision:


 ¹⁰ In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!”
   “Yes, Lord,” he answered.
 ¹¹ The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. ¹² In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”
 ¹³ “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. ¹⁴ And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”


Ananias' first reaction is a reaction I think most of us would have, "Lord, Lord.... don't you know he's persecuting, overseeing the stoning and death of innocent, God-fearing servants? Don't you  know he's coming here, to Damascus, to kill us and have us arrested? Are you sure this is what you want me to do? Are you sure this is where I should be going?


Fear. Doubt. Questioning God's orders. These are things we are just as prone to doing as Ananias was. We are no different in that regard. However, read on...


 ¹⁵ But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. ¹⁶ I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”
 ¹⁷ Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” ¹⁸ Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, ¹⁹ and after taking some food, he regained his strength.


Ananias heard from His Lord, and trusted and obeyed what God was telling him. He decided that whatever may come, he would trust and obey his Lord. 


In ten short verses, the only 10 verses in the entire Bible where we see Ananias the disciple, we get a beautiful picture of Ananias' faith. We see him exhibit such faith and trust in God. He obeyed, in spite of any fears he may have had in regard to his own life and his well-being. 


In his obedience to God, he was responsible for Saul getting his sight back, as well as, Saul getting baptized. 


Outside of Saul's conversion, those were, arguably, two of the greatest moments in his life. Now, I have no doubt that God could've and would've used other means to give Saul his sight back and get him baptized, but He used Ananias and Ananias obeyed. 


Would we obey? No matter what the cost?


I often think of this when I think of all of my friends and family who may not know Jesus. Will I obey, even if it means alienation or being ostracized from them? What if it meant going to share the gospel to some of the tribes in the Amazon where death is a real possibility? What if it looks like this: giving up your children's sporting events so you can serve the homeless on a Saturday morning? Or giving up your evenings to lead a small group Bible study to runaways or to youth at the local youth prison?


Will we obey? Do we have Ananias-like faith in God and obedience to Him to do what He is asking us to do? No matter what the cost? No matter what others think of us?


We are experiencing our own Ananias-faith question right now. We are praying through it and submitting to God to what seems to be a mountain in front of us.


What is God asking of you? Will you obey Him?

He has right to interrupt your life. He is Lord. When you accepted Him as Lord, you gave Him, the right to help Himself to your life anytime He wants. 

                                   ~ Henry Blackaby

It is a great deal easier to do that which God gives us to do, no matter how hard it is, than to face the responsibilities of not doing it. 
                                  ~ B J Miller