A Memorial Honoring God

 By:  Dale Weckbacher

 

Text:  Joshua 22:10-34

 

Joshua 22:24-25

 No, but we did it from fear that in time to come your children might say to our children, ‘What have you to do with the Lord, the God of Israel? ²⁵ For the Lord has made the Jordan a boundary between us and you, you people of Reuben and people of Gad.  You have no portion in the Lord.’ So your children might make our children cease to worship the Lord.

(ESV)

 

We can now add Philadelphia to the list of U.S. cities rocked by rioting.  Thankfully, while three days late, the governor of Pennsylvania has authorized the deployment of the National Guard into the city to support the police.  (1)  In addition to supporting police in Philadelphia, the city of Philadelphia also contains many memorials reminding people of the history of the United States.  Among those memorials is Constitution hall where the founding documents of the United States were drafted.  (2) (3) (4)  Independence hall also contains the Liberty Bell, a symbol of liberty bearing the timeless message of “Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land unto All the Inhabitants thereof.”  (5)  Memorials are important reminders of history but can have their significance misunderstood when taken out of the context of the history they represent.   

 

This removal of historical context is behind the misunderstanding of the altar built by the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh that almost led to a civil war among the Israelites who have just inhabited the Promised Land (Joshua 22:10-34).  These tribes, referred to as the two and one-half tribes, have fulfilled the promise made to God, Moses, and Joshua (Numbers 32:16-19; Joshua 1:12-18; 22:1-9).  As these men return to their families in the land allotted to them, they decide to build a memorial altar resembling the one in the Tabernacle (Joshua 22:10).  However, instead of viewing the actions of the men of the two and one-half tribes in the context of their historical faithfulness to God and their fellow Israelites, they believe these men are abandoning God (Joshua 22:11).  This prompts the people of Israel to gather at Shiloh to make war against the two and one-half tribes (Joshua 22:12).  Thankfully, instead of immediately going to war, the people of Israel send a delegation of Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, and a representative from each of the 10 tribes settling west of the Jordan (Joshua 22:13-14). 

These representatives of the people of Israel present their case to the two and one-half tribes, reminding them of the consequences of rebellion against the Lord Israel has experienced in its history (Joshua 22:15-20).  The two and one-half tribes respond to their accusers by stating that the purpose of the altar was not to offer burnt, grain, or peace offerings to God for that can only occur at the altar in the tabernacle (Joshua 21:22-29; Leviticus 1-3).  After the presentation of these two cases, Israel must decide if the two and one-half tribes are telling the truth or covering their intentions to abandon God once arriving in the land allotted to them.  To determine the answer to this question we must consider the context of what has occurred.  If it was the intention of the two and one-half tribes to rebel against God, why would they cross the Jordan with their brothers and risk their lives instead of just remaining in the land allotted to them with their families?  Thankfully, the representatives of the people of Israel considered the testimony of the two and one-half tribes in this context, averting civil war in Israel (Joshua 22:30-34). 

 

The Philadelphia memorials of Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell represent reminders of the founding of the United States based upon liberty as found in the nation’s founding documents.  (2) (3)  However, the United States is not perfect and failed to abolish slavery in its Constitution, an error later corrected through the 13^th and 14^th amendments, ratified after a bloody Civil War.  (3)  Unfortunately, attempts to rewrite history like the 1619 project (6) provide an erroneous context that could lead to justification for the destruction of memorials like Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell, viewing them as part of a nation founded on slavery and not liberty. 

 

Please join me in praying for an end to the rioting in Philadelphia and other U.S. cities and the protection of innocent citizens of these cities as well as law enforcement in these cities.  Pray we also resist any attempt to change the historical context upon which the U.S. was founded.  Although not perfect, the founding documents of the U.S. (2) (3) indicate the nation was founded on Godly principles and must return to these founding principles to remain strong.  May God bless the United States and everyone reading this post. 

 

1. Peter Aitken, Leland Vittert. National Guard arrives in Philadelphia after nights of unrest following Walter Wallace Jr.'s death. www.foxnews.com. [Online] Fox News, October 30, 2020. [Cited: October 31, 2020.] https://www.foxnews.com/us/pennsylvania-national-guard-philadelphia-protests-rioting-walter-wallace-jr.

 

2. ushistory.org. The Declaration of Independence. www.ushistory.org. [Online] [Cited: October 30, 2016.] http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/.

 

3. constitutioncenter.org. The Constitution of the United States. constitutioncenter.org. [Online] [Cited: September 15, 2020.] https://constitutioncenter.org/media/files/constitution.pdf.

 

4. National Park Service. Independence Hall. www.nps.gov. [Online] National Park Service. [Cited: October 31, 2020.] https://www.nps.gov/inde/learn/historyculture/places-independencehall.htm.

 

5. —. The Liberty Bell. www.nps.gov. [Online] The National Park Service. [Cited: October 31, 2020.] https://www.nps.gov/inde/learn/historyculture/stories-libertybell.htm.

 

6. The New York Times Magazene. The 1619 Project. nytimes.com. [Online] The New York Times Magazene, August 2019. [Cited: July 3, 2020.] https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/08/14/magazine/1619-america-slavery.html.

Unifying in Christ

 

By:  Dale Weckbacher

 

Text:  Acts 10:34-48

 

Acts 10:44-45

While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. ⁴⁵ And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles.

(ESV)

 

As election day approaches, the divisiveness in the United States is increasing and the campaign ads and rhetoric is becoming more hateful and vial.  What is missing in the culture of the United States is something people can unify around.  Many believed the election of Barack Obama would bring racial unity but Obamacare, the main objective of the Obama Administration, did not become something the nation could unify around,  Instead, this issue brought greater division that still exists today.  Failure to unify racially as a nation has resulted in violence that has made cities like Portland and Seattle unsafe places to live in.  However, there is something people can unify around, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

 

Acts 10:34-48 records the first account of Gentile believers receiving the Holy Spirit, indicating that God sent His Son Jesus to save both Jews and Gentiles and fill both with His Spirit (Matthew 12:18).  However, the divisiveness between Jews and Gentiles was so great, God had to arrange an angelic visitation for Cornelius and a vision for Peter to bring them together.  The division may have also been personal with Peter reminding Cornelius of his knowledge of events in Judea that began with the baptism of Jesus by John (Acts 10:37).  These personal memories may have included,

 

1)      Cornelius remembering how the Jews stirred up trouble in Jerusalem (John 19:1-16; Mark 15:6-15) – Cornelius was a centurion stationed in Caesarea by the Sea.  Herod, the governor of the region had a palace there, so it is highly possible Cornelius knew much about Jesus and more specifically Pilate’s presenting Jesus' case to Herod (Luke 23:6-17).  During Herod’s questioning of Jesus, the chief priests and scribes continued to accuse Jesus.  Even though Herod found nothing Jesus had done that was worthy of death, they continued to place pressure on Pilate who had Jesus crucified (Luke 23:18-25).  Cornelius may have overheard Herod complain about how the Jewish high priests and scribes caused trouble in Jerusalem and crucified an innocent man.  However, Cornelius is a devout man who feared God (Acts 10:1-2) and after his visitation from an angel of God, he sends men to Joppa to summon Peter. 

2)      Peter remembering the oppression of Rome and the crucifixion by Roman soldiers of Jesus (John 19:17-30; Mark 15:21-39) – Even though at the time of Peter’s visit to Cornelius, there was no Roman persecution of the Church, Peter could have recalled how Pilate gave in to the demands to crucify Jesus (Luke 23:18-25).  If it were not for the vision God gave him (Acts 10:9-16), Peter may have hesitated in going with the men sent by Cornelius, wondering if the religious leaders were using the Romans to set a trap for him.  Peter may have also remembered Jesus foretelling that he too would die by crucifixion (John 21:18-19).  However, God’s intervention through a vision stirs up Peter’s dedication to obedience and Peter obediently accompanies the men sent to summon him to Caesarea. 

 

These individual experiences may have built a wall of resistance between Peter and Roman authorities and Cornelius and Jewish people he viewed as troublemakers.  However, even divisiveness as great as this can be unified through Godly intervention (Acts 10:1-33).  The divisiveness in the United States needs Godly intervention and something we must continue to pray for.  Many churches had a time of prayer this past weekend to encourage the Church to pray for our nations and a spiritual revival.  Here is a video of the service at Desert Breeze Community Church in Phoenix that I encourage you to watch as a reminder of what to pray for. 

 

This unity begins with one first asking Jesus to save them from their sins.  Unfortunately, many ministers do not speak of sin out of fear it will offend some in their congregations.  However, sin is something common in all humanity for all have sinned (Romans 3:23).  Sin is also a serious problem carrying the death penalty (Romans 6:23) but there is hope for Jesus came to die for sinners (Romans 5:8).  To escape the death penalty of sin and experience eternal life one needs to believe in Jesus and make a public confession of belief in Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection (John 3:16; Romans 10:9-10).  To begin the process of unification with God, I invite everyone who has not already done so, to ask Jesus to forgive them of their sins by praying with me now,

 

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

 

Here are some verses to remind us of the need to pray for unity around God for our communities, nation, and the world,

 

Romans 10:12-13

For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. ¹³ For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

(ESV)

Galatians 3:28

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave^[a] nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

(ESV)

Acts 10:28

And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean.

(ESV)

Acts 10:34-35

So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, ³⁵ but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.

(ESV)

John 7:24

Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.”

(ESV)

1 John 2:9

Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness.

(ESV)

Revelation 7:9

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands,

(ESV)

 

I pray that people can put aside their fleshly differences and unify around the life-changing message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  May God bless everyone reading this post and bring Godly unity and revival to our world. 

The Reward of Faithfulness

 

By:  Dale Weckbacher

 

Text:  Joshua 22:1-9

 

Joshua 22:7-8

 Now to the one half of the tribe of Manasseh Moses had given a possession in Bashan, but to the other half Joshua had given a possession beside their brothers in the land west of the Jordan. And when Joshua sent them away to their homes and blessed them, ⁸ he said to them, “Go back to your tents with much wealth and with very much livestock, with silver, gold, bronze, and iron, and with much clothing. Divide the spoil of your enemies with your brothers.”

(ESV)

 

Despite its political divisiveness and sin, God has blessed the United States financially and spiritually.  These blessings from God are the result of the nation’s Godly foundation outlined at its founding in the Declaration of Independence.  (1)  Unfortunately, the nation of the United States has not remained faithful to these principles since the drafting of the Declaration of Independence as evidenced by national support for abortion on demand and gay marriage.  Both abortion and gay marriage are violations of God’s natural law (2) which is the foundational philosophy of the Declaration of Independence.  As a believer in Jesus Christ, I believe natural law, God’s law, trumps the statutory laws of man and when the two come into conflict, the Church must uncompromisingly remain faithful to God’s natural law. 

 

The tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh (the two and one-half tribes) have remained faithful to their brothers and sisters by fighting with them against the Canaanites inhabiting the land of Canaan.  During this time of serving their brothers and sisters, they have experienced victory (Joshua 6; 11; 12:7-24) and defeat (Joshua 7:1-11; Joshua 9).  During these times of battle, struggle, and especially the times of defeat, the temptation to leave and return to the safety of their inheritance east of the Jordan might have been strong but they remained faithful.  God is about to reward the faithfulness of the two and one-half tribes by allowing them to return to their families east of the Jordan because they have fulfilled their promise to God, Moses, and Joshua (Numbers 32:16-19; Joshua 1:12-18; 22:1-9). 

 

The faithfulness of the two and one-half tribes provides an example of faithfulness for God and the Church to follow during these unprecedented times.  The early Church and today’s persecuted Church in the world understand the need to remain faithful to God and His Word, even when their lives are threatened.  However, in countries like the United States where religious liberty is constitutionally protected, this persecution occurs through legal means and social rejection.  The holding of Churches to a tougher standard on public gatherings illustrates legal persecution of the Church from a philosophy that the church is unnecessary and a problem for society.  (3) (4) (5)  The censuring of posts in social media deemed politically harmful, including posts against abortion and gay marriage, are an illustration of social rejection, prompting President Trump to issue an executive order preventing online censorship.  (6)    

 

Scripture has given the Church a clear mission of spreading the Gospel and making disciples (Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:19-20).  The softening of the Catholic Church on its stance against same-sex civil unions indicates unfaithfulness on the part of the Catholic Church because homosexuality is specifically condemned in scripture (Romans 1:24-27).  Instead of compromising in the interest of not offending those living in sin by condemning their sin, the Church must remain faithful to God’s Word, allowing the Holy Spirit to convict sinners of their sin, pointing them to Christ the source of salvation.  Just as remaining faithful to their brothers and sisters had a reward for the two and one-half tribes of Israel, remaining faithful to the Word of God by the Church has the eternal reward of eternity with Christ (John 3:16; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).  If you are reading this post and do not have a personal relationship with Christ, I invite you to do so now by praying with me,

 

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

 

Please pray that the Church remains faithful during these unprecedented times.  The Church and the message of the Gospel the Church is called to declare is necessary and not the problem, but the solution to the problem.  May God strengthen and protect His Church. 

 

1. ushistory.org. The Declaration of Independence. www.ushistory.org. [Online] [Cited: October 30, 2016.] http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/.

 

2. Goldhill, Olivia. Neil Gorsuch’s philosophical mentor cites “natural law” to reject same-sex marriage and abortion. qz.com. [Online] Quartz, February 26, 2017. [Cited: October 24, 2020.] https://qz.com/918692/neil-gorsuchs-philosophical-mentor-cites-natural-law-to-reject-same-sex-marriage-and-abortion/.

 

3. Head, Timothy. Why is Nevada allowing more people into its casinos than its churches? christianpost.com. [Online] The Christian Post, August 4, 2020. [Cited: September 14, 2020.] https://www.christianpost.com/voices/why-is-nevada-allowing-more-people-into-its-casinos-than-its-churches.html.

 

4. Sonner, Scott. Nevada church renewing challenge of virus attendance cap. APnews.com. [Online] AP News, June 12, 2020. [Cited: September 14, 2020.] https://apnews.com/530eb5e5099f06be2a7b4ba9590cbdf1.

 

5. Wolf, Richard. Supreme Court says Nevada can impose tighter virus limits on churches than casinos. usatoday.com. [Online] USA Today, July 24, 2020. [Cited: August 18, 2020.] https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/07/24/supreme-court-nevada-covid-rules-can-favor-casinos-over-churches/5454128002/.

 

6. The White House. Executive Order on Preventing Online Censorship. whitehouse.gov. [Online] The White House, May 28, 2020. [Cited: October 24, 2020.] https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/executive-order-preventing-online-censorship/.

 

Divine Providence

 

By:  Dale Weckbacher

 

Text:  Acts 10:1-33

 

Mark 16:15-16

And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. ¹⁶ Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 

(ESV)

 

In the television series the A-Team, one of the famous lines of the leader was “I love it when a plan comes together.”  When God is the planner, the plan comes together if everyone involved is obedient to what the Lord instructs them to do.  When God is the planner, obedience is always best because even though we may not understand what is happening, God’s plan for us is for our good and not our destruction (Jeremiah 29:11).  Acts 10:1-33 provides an account of two men who obeyed God resulting in the Gospel going out to Gentiles in Caesarea. 

 

The passage begins with our introduction to Cornelius, a centurion serving Rome in Caesarea (Acts 10:1).  Cornelius was a Gentile and a God-fearing man who gave alms generously to the people and continually prayed to God (Acts 10:2).  About the ninth hour of the day, possibly a time when Cornelius would pray, he receives a vision of an angel of God, telling him his prayers and generosity have ascended to God as a memorial (Acts 10:3-4).  God then instructs Cornelius to send men to Joppa to bring Simon Peter to Caesarea (Acts 10:5-8). 

 

As the men are on their way to Joppa to bring Peter to Caesarea, Peter goes up on the housetop to pray at about the sixth hour (Acts 10:9).  Peter becomes hungry, falls into a trance, and has a vision of a sheet descending from Heaven (Acts 10:10-11).  In the vision Peter sees that the sheet contains all kinds of animals, reptiles, and birds with the Lord commanding Peter to eat (Acts 10:12-13).  At this point God is telling Peter he can eat all foods and also associate with Gentiles but instead of obeying God, Peter does what he often did, argues with the Lord (Acts 10:14; Mark 8:31-33; Matthew 16:21-23; 26:34-35).  God’s reply to Peter was not to call anything common or unclean what He has now declared clean (Acts 10:15).  God gives Peter the vision three times to emphasize its importance (Acts 10:16). 

 

Peter remains perplexed at his vision but when the men from Caesarea arrive, Peter is instructed to go down and meet the men without hesitation, Peter goes down to meet the men (Acts 10:17-21).  After hearing of Cornelius’ uprightness with God and his vision to seek Peter in Joppa, Peter invites the men in as his guests, and the next day accompanies them to Caesarea (Acts 10:23-24).  Upon his arrival at Caesarea, Peter meets Cornelius with Cornelius falling at Peter’s feet in worship and Peter telling him to stand up (Acts 10:25-26). 

 

Peter meets those gathered at the house and begins his discourse by telling them that while it is unlawful for him to gather with them, he is there because of a vision he had from God (Acts 10:27-29).  Cornelius then shares about his vision that occurred about the same time that the Lord told him to ask for Peter to come to them in Caesarea (Acts 10:30-33).  Two separate visions, two separate individuals, and two separate locations have now converged under the direction of the Lord.   

 

When the voice of God directs us to do something, we should not hesitate but obey for whatever God has planned for us is part of God’s grand plan.  Before God sent Peter to Cornelius, the Church was predominately Jewish with this indicating that the Gospel was not just for the Jews.  However, the reaction by Peter demonstrates that Jewish believers in Christ had a desire to hold on to their dietary and social rules.  Next Wednesday we will see how this interaction between Peter and Cornelius led to the presentation of the Gospel to Gentiles and them receiving the Holy Spirit. 

 

Jesus told Nicodemus that God loved the world so much that anyone that believes Jesus is God’s Son, sent to save the world would be saved (John 3:16).  This does not exclude any group of persons and with the conversion of Cornelius and his family, Peter understands this.  Jesus came and died for every person.  If you are reading this and have not accepted Jesus as your personal savior so you can have a renewed relationship with God, I invite you to do so now,

 

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

 

Please continue to pray for the upcoming election in the United States.  This election is not just about Democrat versus Republican but also about whether the United States will continue as the leader of the free world or become another failed socialist or communist country.  For Christians, this would be a dangerous transition for socialism and communism are anti-God governing philosophies that would place limitations or even prohibitions on the gathering together of Churches and the sharing of the Gospel and the Word of God.  When you vote, do not vote for candidates campaigning on fear but on candidates pledging to preserve the liberties protected in the U.S. Constitution.  May God bless everyone reading this post. 

God keeps His Promises

 

By:  Dale Weckbacher

 

Text:  Joshua 15-21

 

Numbers 23:19

God is not man, that he should lie,
    or a son of man, that he should change his mind.
Has he said, and will he not do it?
    Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?

(ESV)

 

The airwaves on radio and television are alive, not with the sound of music, but with the sound of promises.  It is a campaign year in the United States and a time when we should thank those that invented the DVR and the opportunity to record our favorite show and scan through the campaign commercials.  The most interesting thing about the campaign promises saturating the airwaves is that they seem to be the same promises heard during the previous campaign, indicating that these promises were not fulfilled.  Fortunately, God’s promises are never left unfulfilled and something we can depend upon. 

 

Joshua 15-21 is another one of those passages of scripture people either skip or skim through when reading and studying the Book of Joshua.  However, when taken in the context of Jewish history, the passage is a victory lap demonstrating that God does keep His promises to his people.  God promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob that their descendants would be numerous (Genesis 15:5; 22:17; 32:12) and that they would occupy the land of Canaan (Genesis 15:18-21; 26:2-5; 28:10-15). 

 

While God does keep every promise that he makes in the Bible, there is usually a waiting period between God making the promise and its fulfillment during which God strengthens us (Isaiah 40:31).  Some of God’s promises are also ongoing such as promising to meet our needs (Philippians 4:19), His promise to be with us always (Matthew 28:20), and his promise to empower us to be His witnesses (Acts 1:8).  These ongoing promises are there to encourage us as we encounter struggles in our lives, another promise of God coming with the encouragement that Jesus has overcome the world through his resurrection (John 16:33). 

 

During the chaotic times of Covid19, riots in the streets, and political uncertainty, we must not place our faith in empty promises but place our trust in the certain promises of God.  However, we must remember that while we would like God to fulfill His promises to us instantly, God has His timing and plan for our lives and usually makes us wait, strengthening us as we wait (Isaiah 40:31; James 1:2-4; Romans 5:3-5).  We must also rest in knowing that whatever happens in our lives is part of God’s plan for our lives and that God’s plan for us is not for our harm, but our good (Jeremiah 29:11). 

 

The ultimate promise of God is the return of Jesus to rid the world of evil, something Christians are to remind each other of as a means of encouragement (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).  Therefore, as we continue to go through these chaotic times, we must remind ourselves that God is always with us (Matthew 28:20) and that God has our best interests at hand (Jeremiah 29:11).  These are chaotic and uncertain times and why we need to depend on the sure promises of God instead of the empty promises of people running for office.  May God bless everyone reading this post. 

A Willing and Observant Servant of Christ

 

By:  Dale Weckbacher

 

Text:  Acts 9:32-43

 

Matthew 9:37-38

Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; ³⁸ therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

(ESV)

 

On my way to work this morning, the discussion on the radio was about people already putting up the Christmas lights and trees early.  During a typical year, many would view this as a breaking of the tradition of putting up Christmas ornaments after Thanksgiving but 2020 is not a typical year with many possibly putting up Christmas ornaments in an attempt to bring some joy and hope into their lives.  While these Christmas ornaments may bring hope and joy, it is only temporary for the lasting hope and joy Christmas brings is not in the decorations but a relationship with Jesus Christ, the one born on Christmas. 

 

The pandemic during the time of Peter was the Roman occupiers of Israel and arrogant and prideful religious leaders.  During the events of Acts 9:32-43, the church is experiencing a period of peace and multiplying (Acts 9:31).  Perhaps taking advantage of this respite of peace, Peter freely spends time with believers and comes to the saints in Lydda (Acts 9:32).  During his time in Lydda, Peter observes Aeneas who has been bedridden for eight years because he was paralyzed, and tells him that Jesus Christ has healed him and to rise and make his bed at which time Aeneas rises from his bed (Acts 9:33-34).  Upon seeing Aeneas healed from his paralysis, the residents of Lydda and Sharon turned to the Lord.

 

In Joppa, a disciple named Tabitha, who was full of good works and acts of charity has died (Acts 9:36-37).  Hearing that Peter was in nearby Lydda, the disciples in Lydda go to Joppa and ask Peter to come with them immediately (Acts 9:38).  Perhaps they had heard of the miracle of Aeneas’ healing and believed Peter could pray for Tabitha to rise from the dead.  Peter obediently goes with the men to Joppa, prays for Tabitha, and she miraculously rises from the dead causing more people to believe in the Lord (Acts 9:39-42).  Peter then stays in Joppa with Simon a tanner (Acts 9:43). 

 

Acts 9:32-43 demonstrates that the power of the Holy Spirit present in believers like Peter, has the power to continue the ministry of Jesus through the hands of believers in fulfillment of Mark 16:17-18.  The same Spirit that dwelt in Peter and the disciples of the early Church is present in each believer, empowering them to spread the good news of the Gospel to a world in Chaos (Acts 1:8).  However, even the power of the Holy Spirit is useless unless believers use it to minister.  Unfortunately, many Churches today are cowering in fear not wanting to offend anyone who may become a member or contributor to the Church.

 

The miracles of the healing of Aeneas in Lydda and the resurrection of Tabitha from the dead in Joppa illustrate what believers should do as they go about their daily lives.  As Peter was going among the saints in Lydda he,

 

1)      Was observant (Acts 9:32-33) – As Peter comes to Lydda to be with the disciples there, he observes Aeneas who is paralyzed.  Peter could have walked by the man to continue with the disciples but instead stops to minister to Aeneas.  The result is a miracle of healing with many turning to the Lord.  In these chaotic times, there is no shortage of ministry opportunities.  Our workplace and communities are full of fearful people without our hope in Christ.  Many have physical problems making them more susceptible to Covid19.  Single moms must now learn how to balance work and their children stuck at home due to the closing of schools.  Many remain out of work due to businesses remaining shut down due to the pandemic.  Many also live in cities with rioting, making it dangerous to go outside their homes.  The greatest opportunity for ministry, however, is sharing the hope we as believers enjoy through our personal relationship with Jesus Christ so they too can have this hope. 

2)      Was obedient (Acts 9:38) – When the disciples from Joppa came to Peter, asking him to come and pray for Tabitha, he did not hesitate.  During chaotic times, desperate people may turn to us for prayer when they know we are believers, but we have all been guilty of telling someone we will pray for them only to forget.  Peter did not hesitate to go pray for Tabitha and when he arrived went to the upper room and after having everyone removed from the room, prayed for Tabitha, resulting in a miracle of resurrection from the dead and many believing in the Lord. 

 

Believers in Christ must be observant and obedient in ministering and living for Christ.  I recommend making a list of the people we regularly come into contact at our jobs, business, at school, at the stores and restaurants in which we shop, and at our Churches.  Be observant to hear or see needs in their lives for which we can pray.   Let them know of your faith in Christ whenever possible and above all, we must live a life pleasing to God.  If one of these individuals approaches us for prayer, we must not hesitate to pray for them, and if possible, pray for them immediately. 

 

Knowing that there may be people reading this post who do not have a personal relationship with Jesus as their savior, I invite anyone that does not know Jesus as their personal savior to pray with me now,

 

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

 

A world in chaos without Christ needs revival or a return to God.  This revival begins in the hearts of believers as we repent of sin in our lives, knowing that when we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive our sins (1 John 1:9).  Revival spreads as God’s people are observant of opportunities to pray and minister and obediently respond when an opportunity to minister presents itself.  May God bless everyone reading this post. 

A Life of Faithfulness

By:  Dale Weckbacher

 

Text:  Joshua 14:1-15

 

Numbers 13:30-32

But Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, “Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.” ³¹ Then the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are.” ³² So they brought to the people of Israel a bad report of the land that they had spied out, saying, “The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people that we saw in it are of great height. 

(ESV)

 

In a social media age where friendships are shallow and relationships occur through a screen and not face-to-face, faithfulness is a rare commodity.  This is because one can end a friendship with the touch of a screen or click of a mouse.  Because of this ease of ending any relationship and the public nature of social media, people are reluctant to share deep feelings with each other.  Add to this the physical separation of people continuing to be quarantined due to Covid19, and faithfulness in relationships may become even rarer.  Caleb is an example of faithfulness to God, Joshua, and the people of Israel that has its reward in Joshua 14:6-15. 

 

The first mention in scripture of Caleb occurs in Numbers 13:6 where Caleb is selected as one of the spies sent into Canaan by Moses under the direction of the Lord.  These men were heads of their tribes indicating Caleb was already someone of prominence in Israel (Numbers 13:3).  Numbers 13:25-33 records the report of the 12 spies with Caleb declaring in faith that Israel was able to overcome the people dwelling in the land.  Joshua, one of the other spies also joined Caleb in declaring Israel could overcome the enemies living in the land with the Lord’s help (Numbers 14:6-8). 

 

Both Caleb and Joshua remained faithful to the Lord and now are standing in Canaan after having defeated the enemies the others believed would overpower them.  Caleb was forty when sent in to spy out the land and is now eighty-five (Joshua 14:6-10).  His faithfulness has remained through forty years of wandering in the wilderness and five years of war with the inhabitants of Canaan after Israel entered the land.  The Lord has kept Caleb strong during this time with Caleb now approaching Joshua about claiming his inheritance as a reward for his faithfulness both to God and to his fellow Israelites (Joshua 14:11-12).  Joshua grants Caleb his inheritance and the land had rest from war (Joshua 14:13-15). 

 

Caleb’s faithfulness teaches us that God rewards,

 

1)      Those having faith in God (Hebrews 11:6) – Faith in God is how we please God (Hebrews 11:6).  10 of the 12 spies entering the Canaan did not have faith in God and instead compared the small army of Israel against the large armies of the Canaanites, believing it was impossible to defeat these great armies.  Caleb and Joshua were faithful to God and had faith to believe that with God on their side, no enemy was too large to defeat because God had promised Israel the land they were spying out. 

2)      Those remaining faithful to God’s people – During forty years in the wilderness, Caleb and Joshua had seen the unfaithfulness of Israel.  They both might have had doubts about whether those crossing the Jordan with them would remain faithful once they saw the enemies they would face.  This is why God continued to remind Joshua to remain strong and courageous (Joshua 1:6,7,9,18).  Caleb and Joshua’s faithfulness to God caused them to remain faithful to the people of Israel with Caleb fighting with the people of Israel even though he was eighty plus years old. 

 

If someone at the beginning of 2020 were to tell us that we would experience shortages of toilet paper and hand sanitizer, being told to stay home, the shutting down of Churches, and the cancellation of sporting events, we would have had them committed.  Of course, we would have had to release them once these things started to happen, wondering how they could have known these things would happen.   The important thing to remember is it is not what happens to us that matters but how we handle it. 

 

God’s people must follow the example of Caleb and Joshua and remain faithful in the unprecedented times in which we live.  Joshua and Caleb did not know the details of what would happen once Israel entered Canaan and began to engage the people there, only that these details were in God’s hands and that God’s promise to Israel that they would occupy the land would come to pass.  God has promised his Church that the gates of hell will not prevail against it as long as God’s people remain faithful in declaring the truth that Jesus is the Christ the Son of the Living God (Matthew 16:13-18).  The Church must remain faithful to God and His Word and faithful to the communities in which we live by reaching out with the message of the Gospel to the lost (Mark 16:15) and making disciples of those that believe (Matthew 28:19-20).  If you are reading this and have not made a profession of faith in Jesus as your savior, I invite you to do so now by praying with me,

 

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

 

Those that just prayed now have a future of eternal life (John 3:16) but this does not mean life will be free from trouble and challenges, just that you now have the one that overcame the world fighting on your side (John 16:33).  We do not know the details of what lies ahead in our world but by living a life of faithfulness to God, can have the courage to face these troubles and challenges.  May God bless everyone reading this post. 

From Persecutor to Fearless Witness

 By:  Dale Weckbacher

 

Text:  Acts 9:20-31

 

Acts 9:20-21

 And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” ²¹ And all who heard him were amazed and said, “Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon this name? And has he not come here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests?”

(ESV)

 

Even in the middle of a pandemic and churches restricted to gathering online instead of in person, there are signs of revival.  The recent baptism of nearly 1000 people at a beach in California is a sign of revival occurring during this pandemic.  (1)  While the host Church has a mass baptism each year at Corona Del Mar Beach, the typical turnout is around 300.  This turnout of nearly 1000 indicates that many were still connecting with God and making professions of faith online during the shutdown of churches.  No matter how much the enemy may attempt to silence the Church and the spread of the news that Jesus is Christ, the message goes on and lives are changed.

 

Saul has had an experience with God on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-19).  Saul, who would later be renamed Paul now begins his ministry beginning in the synagogues of Damascus (Acts 9:20).  These would be the same synagogues Saul was sent to gather and arrest those believing in Jesus, but instead of gathering up believers, Saul amazes those gathered in the synagogues by declaring his belief in Jesus as the Son of God (Acts 9:20-23).  Saul’s strength in declaring the Gospel confounded the Jews as he proves Jesus was the Christ (Messiah) (Acts 9:23). 

 

Angered by the failure of Saul to gather up believers in Jesus at the synagogues in Damascus, the Jews plot to kill Saul.  However, the plot becomes known to Saul and the Jews wait at the gates of the city day and night to kill Saul (Acts 9:23-24).  The fact that the Jews did not go into the synagogues and bind Saul and take him to Jerusalem like Saul was sent to Damascus to do indicates many may have become believers and they did not want the message of Saul’s conversion to spread beyond the city.  However, God has bigger plans for Saul, arranging for the disciples to lower Saul down through a wall outside the city so he could escape safely to Jerusalem (Acts 9:25). 

 

Upon arriving in Jerusalem, Saul attempts to join the other disciples, but they are afraid of him (Acts 9:26).  Understandably, the disciples in Jerusalem would have doubts for in an age without mass media and social media, they had not heard of what happened in Damascus and remembered Saul the persecutor (Acts 8:3).  While Saul may not have had the benefit of mass and social media to tell of the events in Damascus, he had Barnabas who shared about the conversion of Saul and how Saul had declared the Gospel in the synagogues in Damascus (Acts 9:27).  While mass and social media provide a platform for getting a message out instantly, the media of Barnabas had more credibility as it comes from someone held in high esteem in the Church who sold a field belonging to him, bringing the proceeds to the Apostles (Acts 4:36-37). 

 

Comforted by the testimony of Barnabas, Saul can be with the disciples preaching boldly in the name of the Lord (Acts 9:28).  Saul then begins disputing with the Hellenists.  The Hellenists were a group of Jews who read the scriptures in Greek rather than in Hebrew.  Some speculate that Stephen may have been a Hellenist who succeeded in leading the conversion of Hellenistic Jews to Christianity.  (2)  If Stephen were a Hellenist, it would be understandable that they may have sought to kill Saul as he was among those that stoned Stephen for his faith (Acts 7:58).  However, God has plans for Saul and arranges for the disciples in Jerusalem to send him to Caesarea and later off to Tarsus (Acts 9:30).  The Church in Judea, Galilee, and Samaria now experiences a time of peace and is built up, and multiplying as the Church walks in the fear of the Lord and comfort of the Holy Spirit (Acts 9:31).     

 

The conversion of Saul from the persecutor of the Church to a fearless witness even when facing death should give hope as the Church faces unprecedented challenges like Covid19 and restrictions on gathering together.  The 1000 baptisms in California illustrate that while the method of delivering the Gospel message may change, its power to transform lives has not.  If you are reading this post and have not made a profession of faith in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, know that it is not necessary to go to a Church to do so and that you can do so now by praying with me, 

 

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

 

I encourage those that just prayed to follow through on their commitment by being baptized.  While this may prove difficult with many churches still locked up, the baptisms in California illustrate that all one needs to be baptized is water and a minister to perform the baptism (Acts 8:35-36). 

 

Revival during these unprecedented times is possible and begins with our willingness to be as Saul and boldly declare the Gospel to a lost, dying, and even hostile world.  The chaotic world today needs more fearless witnesses for Christ.  The question is, will you be one of them. 

 

1. Foley, Ryan. Nearly 1,000 people baptized in California’s latest ‘spiritual revival’. christianpost.com. [Online] The Christian Post, September 16, 2020. [Cited: October 7, 2020.] https://www.christianpost.com/news/nearly-1000-people-baptized-in-californias-latest-spiritual-revival.html.

 

2. Oxford University Press. Hellenists. oxfordbiblicalstudies.com. [Online] Oxford University Press. [Cited: October 7, 2020.] http://www.oxfordbiblicalstudies.com/article/opr/t94/e857.