The Word of God for wisdom:
Proverbs 17:23 (MSG)
23 The wicked take bribes under the table; they show nothing but contempt for justice.
The Word of God for inspiration:
Psalm 141:3-4 (HCSB)
3 LORD, set up a guard for my mouth; keep watch at the door of my lips.
4 Do not let my heart turn to any evil thing or perform wicked acts with men who commit sin. Do not let me feast on their delicacies.
The Word of God for encouragement:
Acts 14:27 (HCSB)
27 After they arrived and gathered the church together, they reported everything God had done with them and that He had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.
Acts 15:1-6 (HCSB)
1 Some men came down from Judea and began to teach the brothers: "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom prescribed by Moses, you cannot be saved!"
2 But after Paul and Barnabas had engaged them in serious argument and debate, the church arranged for Paul and Barnabas and some others of them to go up to the apostles and elders in Jerusalem concerning this controversy.
3 When they had been sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, explaining in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and they created great joy among all the brothers.
4 When they arrived at Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church, the apostles, and the elders, and they reported all that God had done with them.
5 But some of the believers from the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, "It is necessary to circumcise them and to command them to keep the law of Moses!"
6 Then the apostles and the elders assembled to consider this matter.
My observation:
I have found the pattern that we see in the first century church repeated in my lifetime of being involved in the church.
This is the pattern; when God opened the door of faith to the Gentiles, there were some men who came down from Judea and begin to introduce false teaching into the church. When God opens doors there are men who attempt to shut them.
This is where Godly leadership needs to be on the job, and counter the false teaching with the clear teaching of the word of God.
We may differ on the minors, but when it comes to the majors, there must be unity, without compromising the clear teaching of the scriptures. These false teachers were teaching that the Gentiles must become Jews before they can become Christians.
Acts 10:43 (HCSB)
43 All the prophets testify about Him that through His name everyone who believes in Him will receive forgiveness of sins."
I am so glad that Peter stood up before the Jerusalem council, and spoke the truth in love, and that the truth prevailed.
Acts 15:9-11 (HCSB)
9 He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith.
10 Now then, why are you testing God by putting a yoke on the disciples' necks that neither our ancestors nor we have been able to bear?
11 On the contrary, we believe we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus in the same way they are."
My prayer:
Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I am so thankful that it is the sufficient grace of God that brings salvation. Father God, I thank you that the work of salvation was finished when Jesus died on the cross to pay for all my sins. Lord, I thank you for doing for me what I could not do for myself. Amen.
Ephesians 2:8-10 (HCSB)
8 For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God's gift—
9 not from works, so that no one can boast.
10 For we are His creation, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them.
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8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
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