Fri, 17 Jan 2025 16:19:51 -0600WeeblyFri, 17 Jan 2025 22:12:46 GMThttp://onewithgod.website/teachings/why-lifeActs 17:24-28 The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. 25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. 26 From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. 27 God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. 28 ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’”
 
Paul draws a sharp contrast between the eternal God and the empty manmade idols. God – Yahweh – is the Lord of heaven and earth. His majesty extends beyond all we see and know. The universe is his domain. Earthly temples are not his home. The LORD needs no help from us. God is life.
   But the sin-captured heart does not know this. Separated from God, we want to know, “Where do we come from; why are we here; and where are we going?” This three-fold question has dominated human existence since God sent Adam and Eve from the Garden. In his sin, Cain became a wanderer, looking for meaning. Reading further in Genesis, you learn of the human race developing with self glory, power and wealth as the measure of accomplishment. Paul put all the debate aside to declare, “For in (God) we live and move and have our being.” God who made the world and everything in it gives life.
   We live because human history is God’s plan: In the beginning, God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it.” And Paul confirms, “From one man he made every nation of men.”
   Why did God desire and cause this great population? He did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him. The LORD wants us to know he loves us. And he commands you to love him. God wants your worship. When we know what that means, we will understand life’s meaning and purpose. Our hearts will comprehend what to do during our lifetime.
   God has given us the means to live in truth with each other. God’s truth reveals our purpose. Listen to what he teaches you. Elevate God in your heart, mind and soul, so all around you know the meaning of your life. Paul could confidently declare, “I belong to God, and I worship him.” (Acts 27:23) God wants you to say it, too.   ]]>Fri, 17 Jan 2025 22:10:17 GMThttp://onewithgod.website/teachings/are-you-religiousActs 17:22-23 Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.
 
DEAR Christian, I see in every way you are very firm in your reverence to God.
   Does this affirm, honor and encourage you?  Are you pleased someone recognizes you are faithful to God? Yes, I want you to know God is pleased with your diligence to know and use his Word as the guiding power in your life.
   Affirmation was Paul’s method to gain a listening ear among Athens’ intellectuals. When he complemented them as being very religious, they were likely pleased to know he observed them as men devoted to their objects of worship. They were so religious, they even worshiped an unknown god! But in his words of praise, Paul began to condemn their devotion to evil spirits. How is it possible to worship an unknown god? It’s not.  Why are they devoted to gods that originate in man’s mind and even some possible god that may not exist?
   Were they afraid? We can say these idolaters worship fear. The Athenians are uncertain what the evil spirits require of them. What will happen if the gods are displeased?
   Fear grips those who worship evil spirits. Missionaries and evangelists have found this fear everywhere the gospel is first preached. Demonic rule wraps people’s minds in a fear of retribution if they do not appease the gods. We see this in the worship of Baal, Ashtoreth and Molech in Israel. Fear of these demonic spirits caused priests to cut themselves and parents to sacrifice children into fire. Many cultures have sacrificed humans to please the gods they created out of their own sin nature. These gods’ deadly influence came from the devil corrupting mankind’s own ideas of guilt and judgment.
   When people do not know the true God, they always find something to worship – physical pleasure, wealth, carved images, plants, animals, planets, stars, mountains and anything else the corrupt mind conceives. (There is a group of people in the U.S. that worships a particular small mountain as their god.)
   God gave Paul a platform to teach these men about the God they did not know. How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? (Romans 10:14)]]>Thu, 16 Jan 2025 22:44:45 GMThttp://onewithgod.website/teachings/a-very-old-a-very-new-storyActs 17:19-21 Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? 20 You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we want to know what they mean.” 21 (All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)
 
THE apostle heard the philosophers he had met in the marketplace ask, “May we know?” Even though they thought Paul a babbler (v 18) they invited him to the Areopagus, Athens’ center of religion and education. This was a good place to discuss and debate Paul’s words they heard as strange ideas. Strange means the philosophers were receptive to learn more, willing to consider what Paul said. They had heard some interesting words in Paul’s preaching and wanted “to know what they mean.” Luke tells us these men spent their time listening to the latest ideas. The gospel was definitely the latest idea they had heard!
   In truth, the gospel is not the latest idea – concept, proposal or thing. The gospel is the eternal revelation of God’s goodness. Are you a Christian? Then you can know and be glad that in eternity past God wrote your name in his Book of Life. Jesus tells this truth: Revelation 13:8 “and all who dwell on earth will worship the Beast, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the Book of Life of the Lamb who was slain. 9 If anyone has an ear, let him hear.” (ESV) This tells us of God’s just condemnation and ordained salvation. Each name of those saved into eternal life has been known and written before God laid the earth’s foundations.
   Paul also taught God’s eternal gospel in Ephesians 1:4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us to be adopted as his children through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will.
   The Spirit very plainly tells us the good news is older than the earth. We sing of God’s Amazing Grace, and we extol his majesty to consider How Great Thou Art. Yet God’s grace and majesty grows eternally brighter in your heart when you stop to think: “Almighty God chose me in eternity past and wrote my name in Jesus’ eternal Book of Life! Before time began he declared my eternal home is with him!
   The gospel is old and it is new. It is God’s eternal news that passionately breaks through sin’s thick, deep restraining dam to flood God’s church with Jesus’ lifeblood. Satan’s worshipers believe they are safe, free of God’s commands. But they are bound into eternal fire because their names are not written in the book of Life.
   We might ask, “Why does God not save everyone?” Perhaps the more relevant question is, “Why does God save anyone?” He certainly doesn’t need us in heaven. He doesn’t even need us in the world.
   But he planned this world. He put you here to glorify his name. And he planned your redemption. Go and tell ‘the old, old story of Jesus and his love” (from hymn I Love to Tell the Story) to those who have ears to hear. 
]]>Wed, 15 Jan 2025 22:44:50 GMThttp://onewithgod.website/teachings/who-is-babblingActs 17:18 A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to dispute with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others remarked, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.
 
PAUL was preaching the gospel. To preach means he declared the specifics of mankind’s existence and purpose based on God’s redemptive plan and fulfillment in Jesus the Christ. He told the truth about sin and everyone’s need for a Savior. Paul used Scripture to affirm his words. God’s Word came to Athens through God’s chosen apostle to the Gentiles.
   In response, the trained philosophers who commonly debated questions of human existence and purpose labeled God’s messenger a babbler. The philosophers who sought an orderly understanding of human nature were unable to believe that Jesus, a man from Nazareth in Galilee of Judea, could he be named “Son of God.” How could it be the Son of God was horribly crucified as a Roman insurgent? Surely he did not rise from the dead and ascend to heaven! Even more, how could this ascended man send the Holy Spirit of God to the world? Where is this Spirit who changes minds to know this Jesus? Did this babbler really say these things happened because God, the Father, loves us? Did this Father cause all this to happen, so we can be saved? What does it mean to be saved?
   A babbler is one who gossips and talks with trickery. Paul’s preaching in the marketplace seemed full of trickery to these educated, methodical men. Even though Paul would have given historic evidence of the gospel, the truth seemed to be the rantings of a strange philosophy no one could or would understand. Who in the world had ever spoken such things?
   Still today many missionaries and evangelists encounter the same response to the gospel. Some of you may encounter this very often as you enter into tribes, villages or regions where no one knows God’s gospel. Your gospel talk may sound as if you are trying to trick them. The human mind is very reluctant to reject ancient traditions and philosophies that hold us tightly to restrictive, even demeaning rules. Human nature believes God’s gracious love is much too good to be true! Family members, neighbors and the culture in general believe the gospel is babble.
   Still, the Spirit was working in Athens. The philosophers did not chase Paul away, beat him or jail him as others had done. They wanted to hear more.
   Yes, from the very beginning Satan has hidden the truth. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. The barriers to truth stand tall, but God’s grace is higher, wider, longer and deeper. Be ready to speak, so what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. (Romans 1:19)
 
]]>Tue, 14 Jan 2025 22:24:16 GMThttp://onewithgod.website/teachings/first-responderActs 17:16-17 While Paul was waiting for Silas and Timothy in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. 17 So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there.
 
WE recall violent men from Thessalonica had traveled to Berea to stop Paul’s preaching. Some Bereans took Paul to Athens to be safe. For some reason Silas and Timothy stayed in Berea. Perhaps they could continue their evangelism in a less public method than Paul normally did. We thank God he has and does use many people in many ways to advance the gospel in families, neighborhoods and villages, even as people oppose Jesus’ good news.
   Athens was meant as a safe haven for Paul. He would perhaps find some rest while awaiting Silas’ and Timothy’s arrival. But Athens quickly became Paul’s next mission field.
   In the U.S. we call police, fire fighters and medics “First Responders” because they are the first to help people in distress. Paul is God’s First Responder in Athens. He quickly saw Athens was in spiritual distress. Beautiful art forms, architecture and a world-famous university gave Athens the reputation as a center of art and education. But many temples, statues and worship spaces glorified the man-made god images Satan had given to the depraved mind. What could a man of God do but help the blind to see and the deaf to hear? It was time for Jesus’ mind-transforming gospel to rescue Athens. They needed immediate help!
   Paul, the practiced First Responder did what he always did. He went to a synagogue. As we have seen in Philippi, there were some Roman communities where Jews were persecuted and even banned. In many cities and regions, though, the Jews were tolerated. Some were even encouraged and honored as good citizens. Their lawful lives and religious practices were seen as a model to good citizenship and productive life. Certainly the faithful Jews who attended synagogue spoke of Yahweh as Creator and law giver. They followed God’s commands to protect themselves from the idols. After all, idolatry had destroyed their ancestors’ land.   
   Thus Paul found Jews and God-fearing Greeks in the synagogue. Luke doesn’t tell us how these synagogue members responded. We can believe there was, as always, a mixed response to the gospel. Some would believe and rejoice! Others would reject and dismiss Jesus and Paul’s heart to help them.
   First Responders anticipate a call for help and are prepared to immediately act to save lives and protect people from further harm. This, dear Christian, we must have that “First Responder” mindset, too. We all know people who need help to be saved from eternal destruction. Let’s be prepared to act when the Spriit calls us. 
]]>Mon, 13 Jan 2025 21:36:34 GMThttp://onewithgod.website/teachings/willing-to-standActs 17:13-14 When the Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God at Berea, they went there too, agitating the crowds and stirring them up. 14 The brothers immediately sent Paul to the coast, but Silas and Timothy stayed at Berea. 15 The men who escorted Paul brought him to Athens and then left with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible.
 
WHAT were the Jews from Thessalonica thinking? Paul had preached God’s love and grace to send a redeeming Messiah to them. These Jews not only refused to see the gospel truth in the Scriptures, they violently resisted Paul to force him to leave. Now these same hateful unbelievers traveled 100 miles to aggressively oppose Paul. Once more, their aggression forced Paul to move on.
   We can wonder why the Berean Jews and Gentiles, who had come to believe the gospel, did not defend Paul. Were they afraid of the opposition? Did the gospel embarrass them?  Did they not fear God? Could the Berean residents not restrain the agitators from Thessalonica? The Thessalonians’ threats were apparently too frightening to oppose.
   Is this an example of the modern church? The church has given way to God’s hateful opponents for a long time. When God’s enemies have threatened to remove Christian literature from schools, courthouses and other public places, the church has often avoided the battle and accepted the oppositions’ demands. Sin has boldly entered the public domain because the church has quietly stepped aside. We wouldn’t want anyone to be offended by the truth of God’s righteousness, would we? Is the gospel only real on Sunday morning?
   Scripture reveals sin is intolerant, angry and deadly. Its destruction begins with God cursing the ground to produce thistles and thorns and killing animals to clothe Adam and Eve and then (Genesis 3:17-21). We then read of murderous intent in Genesis that forces God to flood the world. Sin drives Jospeh’s brothers to capture and enslave him. Evil intent separates many in Israel from the God who delivered them from Egypt’s furnace. Sin killed the prophets and destroyed Israel and Judah. Sin killed the Savior. The opposition to God has destroyed millions of his faithful believers and continues its persecution.
   The sinner has no room in his heart for truth. He will not be satisfied until Jesus’ church is as the spiritually dead Israel once was: Judges 21:25 In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit.
   We can wonder why the Sovereign Lord tolerates this evil in his world. But then we can be thankful he has kept us safe until the day he renewed us to believe in Jesus and be saved. As we await the day God will destroy all evil, our prayer must be that God will deliver us from sin’s attacks. Our LORD God commands us to stand firm to exalt his name. Paul would later write to the faithful in Thessalonica: 2 Thessalonians 2:15 So then, brothers (Remember this is everyone in the church.), stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.   
 Be thankful for the church’s history to overcome the opposition. We must be faithful to protect the church for future generations.               
]]>Sun, 12 Jan 2025 21:07:27 GMThttp://onewithgod.website/teachings/seek-the-truthActs 17:10 As soon as it was night, the brothers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. 11 Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. 12 Many of the Jews believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men.
 
PAUL never allowed opposition and danger to stop him. This was his life to which Jesus had called him. From the beginning of his ministry, sudden departure from danger even at nighttime was common (Acts 9:25). Paul’s response was to continue seeking opportunities to teach Jesus is the Christ. The synagogue in Berea is his next gospel platform.
   God has prepared an open-minded congregation. Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians. How did the Bereans show this?
   First, they received the message with great eagerness. Yes, we should always be excited and eager to hear the good news Jesus is Savior. To know he is the Way to Life Everlasting must stir our hearts to joy and thanksgiving.
   Then the Bereans next did something every Bible student and church should do. They examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.
   We have read in Acts the apostles’ gospel preaching method was to teach the Old Testament Scriptures as God’s plan of salvation fulfilled in Jesus. They taught of God’s grace to create a covenant with Abraham to bless the nations. The apostles gave evidence that Jesus is the Christ, the fulfilment of prophecy throughout Israel’s history. His humble life, powerful ministry, horrible death, glorious resurrection and inspiring ascension prove the Scriptures.
   In response to hearing the preaching and reading the Scriptures, many of the Jews believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men. The gospel is for all. There must never be any thought certain people do not deserve to hear the gospel, or God does not want certain nations or tribes of people in heaven with him.
    Once again, the Spirit has planted a new church. Seed by seed the church is growing. It’s future strength will depend on the believers’ commitment to the gospel. Opposition will come against them as it has confronted the evangelists. Will the new church persevere to continue on as Paul has done? 
]]>Fri, 10 Jan 2025 22:54:55 GMThttp://onewithgod.website/teachings/jesus-the-christActs 17:2-3 As his custom was, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead. “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ,” he said.
 
OUR impression is Paul, Silas and Timothy were teaching at the synagogue for three Sabbaths. But we learn from Philippians 4:15 Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; 16 for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid again and again when I was in need. Again and again means the evangelists were in Thessalonica for some time. The new, small church in Philippi was supporting the three evangelists with regular offerings as they taught Jesus is the Christ.
   We must stop to consider what it meant for the Jews to hear, “Jesus is the Christ!” everywhere the apostles preached. This was an extremely radical departure from what the Jews had learned in their synagogue for generations. The faithful Jews understood the law pointed to a supreme Christ, who would come in glory and power to overthrow all opposition. He would be enthroned in Jerusalem. All nations would bow to his authority.
   That will happen one day when Jesus returns. But in the meantime, the Jews could not accept a man from Nazareth (Few knew Jesus was born in Bethlehem.) who was crucified, dead and buried could possibly be the prophesied Christ – the Messiah of conquest and physical salvation.
   Still, in God’s grace as is always true, vs. 4 Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and not a few prominent women. But to the majority of the Jews, hostile opposition was the only correct response to Paul’s teaching:
 
Acts 17:5 But the Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason’s house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd. 
 
Did you read how the Jews organized a riot? This method is still true for many who use violence to promote their cause. They did not care who they attacked. Jason owned the house where the evangelists lodged. He quickly became the mob’s scapegoat.
 
Acts 17:6 But when they did not find Paul, Silas and Timothy, they dragged Jason and some other brothers before the city officials, shouting: “These men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here, 7 and Jason has welcomed them into his house. They are all defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus.”
 
In the same way the Pharisees accused Jesus of breaking Roman law, the Jews accused the gospel teachers with large exaggerations and lies.
 
Acts 17:8 When they heard this, the crowd and the city officials were thrown into turmoil. 9 Then they made Jason and the others post bond and let them go.
 
In each place Paul and Silas had ministered, there was a time God opened the gospel to be taught and people to confess, “Jesus is the Christ.” Then evil drove the Truth away. Be alert in your individual faith and in your church. Do not let people who reject the gospel separate you from Jesus.
 
]]>Fri, 10 Jan 2025 22:38:11 GMThttp://onewithgod.website/teachings/from-gods-wombActs 16:40-17:1 After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia’s house, where they met with the brothers and encouraged them. Then they left. 17:1 When they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue.  
 
​LET’S first clarify some language. Read verse 40 carefully. Silas and Paul are escorted from prison. They go to Lydia’s house. Who were the people at Lydia’s  house? Women, men and likely children. Then Luke wrote: They met with the brothers and encouraged them. Why did he not say, “They met with the brothers and sisters.” when women were present?
   In truth Luke was referring to all the people at Lydia’s home. It is common in the New Testament epistles to use brothers when referring to all in the church. This language can seem to minimize women and is often a deterrent today to women who do not know God or understand women’s remarkable role to advance God’s kingdom.
   Brother is actually very meaningful to all who believe Jesus is Lord. Brother in Greek means to “be connected in the womb”. In John’s gospel and epistles, he refers to believers as children of God. John teaches us we are connected to each other through Jesus, who came from Mary’s womb. Because he was born of the virgin, Jesus qualifies to be Savior. Through him, the Father has granted new birth to you who believe. Your profession of faith is new life, born into the light of God’s revelation. In a wonderful proclamation of God as Creator we read in Job 38:29 From whose womb comes the ice? Who gives birth to the frost from the heavens. God births the world into existence. Indeed, our life in Christ is created from and through God’s power and favor. In this way, brother does refer to all in the church.
   Paul, Silas and let’s remember Timothy then traveled about 100 miles to Thessalonica. Why did they stop there? Thessalonica was independent of Roman governing authority. Jews had a synagogue and apparently lived there in peace. There was a base to work from as Paul had often done.
   Remember again, Jesus commissioned Paul to be an apostle to the Gentiles. Even though Paul is beginning his teaching with Jews, he will learn God has prepared many Gentiles to come to faith. Men, women, Jews and Gentiles come from God’s womb. He has sent Jesus to bless the nations.  
]]>Thu, 09 Jan 2025 21:30:42 GMThttp://onewithgod.website/teachings/the-fear-factorActs 16:35 When it was daylight, the magistrates sent their officers to the jailer with the order: “Release those men.” 36 The jailer told Paul, “The magistrates have ordered that you and Silas be released. Now you can leave. Go in peace.” 37 But Paul said to the officers: “They beat us publicly without a trial, even though we are Roman citizens, and threw us into prison. And now do they want to get rid of us quietly? No! Let them come themselves and escort us out.” 38 The officers reported this to the magistrates, and when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, they were alarmed. 39 They came to appease them and escorted them from the prison, requesting them to leave the city.
 
FROM Acts 16:16 to this point fear and lack of fear have influenced people’s response to Paul’s and Silas’ gospel preaching. When Paul exorcised the demon from the slave girl, the Philippians had no fear of God. They were only concerned the two men threatened the culture’s worship of idols.
   In contrast, when the earthquake released the prisoners, the jailer’s fear turned his heart to God. He knew he was under the authority of a supernatural force.
   Now Philippi’s authorities are afraid Paul and Silas will charge them of violating Rome’s laws. How quickly the authorities are willing to please the men they sentenced to lashings and the deepest darkness of prison. Fear and no fear motivate our behavior.
   God wants you to fear him. He says so in many circumstances throughout Scripture. The most direct is Proverbs 9:10 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” Jesus very pointedly warned of the consequences to a soul that does not fear God: Matthew 10:28 “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” Does that motivate you?
   Your fear of God must be grounded in the understanding he will justly judge your life based on your response to his Word. No fear of God led to Israel’s and Judah’s destruction: Jeremiah 3:8 I gave faithless Israel her certificate of divorce and sent her away because of all her adulteries. Yet I saw that her unfaithful sister Judah had no fear; she also went out and committed adultery.
   To fear God is to gain the wisdom and knowledge to honor his law. You worship his holiness. You submit to his commands. You delight in his love. You understand God teaches you what is right because the Father wants you with him.
   God gives you this eternal promise: Revelation 14:6 Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth – to every nation, tribe, language and people. 7 He said in a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water.”
   Trust God’s warnings. Rejoice in his promises. Thank God Jesus has come to teach you a proper fear of God opens the door to your eternal life.  
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