What a great day yesterday was at LCC. God's presence was so rich in the worship and the message that was spoken was very powerful and convicting. God is raising us up to another level - dying to ourselves and living for Him. As we read Acts we see where the early Church was challenged by this daily if they lived for Christ. Literally, their lives were on the line for serving the Lord and preaching His Word. The story of the riot in Ephesus is a very interesting one to read in this chapter. It almost seems like it is out of place - and I have wondered why it is even recounted in the book of Acts. BUT it is there for a reason!!! One thing that really spoke to me was how easily the people were pervoked into rioting against the Jews becaus their businesses were being hurt by the preaching of the gospel. I mean, it only took a couple of guys to get everyone going and they were ready to kill people!! I believe we are living in days when that could easily happen to us. All it would take is one person pointing out that churches take people away from participating in some money making thing that made the economy run and our very lives would be in danger.
We will all be challenged to lay down our very lives for the Lord.
How did the Lord speak to you through this chapter or in yesterday's message???
1 comment:
I found it interesting, too, about the riot. It appeared to be for the sake of “religion” but was because the preaching of the Word was messing with their profit margin . . . greed! James says the tongue is like a match to kindling. Ken taught me how to build a campfire, during our camping days; and it only takes one little spark to start a fire, especially with really dry kindling. If we are “dry as kindling” in our spiritual walk, we will easily be sucked into situations where we should actually be putting out fires or even keeping from igniting. We need the power of the Holy Spirit speaking through us to put out and/or stop “fires” from igniting.
The other thing that caught my attention was that, according to my study bible, many Ephesians engaged in exorcism and occult practices for profit . . . that people cooked magical formulas to give them wealth, happiness, and success in marriage.
Verses 13-16 begin with, “A team of Jews who were traveling from town to town casting out evil spirits tried to use the name of Jesus…” Reading these verses brings a picture to my mind of the traveling salesmen in the pioneer days traveling from town to town, hawking their wares . . . their wagons clattering and clanging down the road, overflowing with items “needed” by settlers, including concoctions with powers to cure whatever ailed a person…none of which worked but took the precious little money of the people. The seven sons of Sceva saw a new “ware to peddle”… the name of Jesus . . . or so they thought! They learned in short order that they had no right to use the name of Jesus and that the name of Jesus was not for profit.
Even today, people look for “magical formulas” to bring wealth, happiness, and success in our lives; but it is our relationship with Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives . . . neither, of which are to be used as “formulas,” that brings life to every area of our lives. Without Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit, we are just wagons clattering and clanging through life on this earth.
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