Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Acts

Another snow filled day.  We had between 13 and 15 inches of snow!  Now that is a lot for Oregon, and when it will melt off, I don't know.  But, if it melts quickly, it will flood all of the rivers and creeks around.  Last time we had six inches of snow and it thawed out quickly, it flooded the city and the rivers came way over their banks.  I believe the rivers came up over 21 feet back then.  Now, we could have a much worse situation if it does not melt slowly.  Pray for that if you will.
Today, I'm in Acts and it is a record of the Holy Spirit working in the Early Church.  The main people are the apostles in the first few chapters, Peter preaching on Pentecost, Phillip preaching in cities and in the desert, The first Gentile saved, and then Saul of Tarsus who is Paul the Apostle.  Most of the Book will concern  Paul.  Today I pick up in chapter 12, and Paul is the subject of the rest of the book.  Today, I will only give two brief thoughts:
1) BY GRACE IS SETTLED- In Acts 15, the church comes together to settle some issues brought up by Jewish converts who said the law was a part of Salvation.  These men were adding law to grace and thus nullifying grace.  The church had to deal with the issue of so many Gentile converts, and how were they to be handled?  In verse 11, it says: "But we believe that through the grace of the LORD Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they."  Salvation is through grace by faith in Jesus Christ.  Now grace is "unmerited favor", we do not earn it and it is offered freely without price.  All are saved by grace, not by works.  Praise God that our Salvation is settled!!  God's grace, not our works, get us to Heaven.  We don't earn it, and we couldn't earn it if we could earn it.  We would have to be perfect to earn it and still that is not enough, we must trust in Christ and in Christ alone for our Salvation.  Grace!!
2) I BELIEVE GOD!  In Acts 27, a terrible storm has cast a ship about for many days.  For fourteen days, they have not seen the sun.  Paul is on board this ship, carrying him to Rome for trial.  After these dark days of hopelessness, an angel of the LORD appears to Paul and says that all will be well.  Nothing visible has changed, and the storm has not subsided, but Paul stands up and tells everyone that all will be well, because God's angel told him and then he announces in verse 25: "Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer; for I believe God, that if shall be even as it was told me."  Nothing had changed but a word from the LORD, and Paul believed that word.  Can you and I have that same faith when we face the storms in our lives and see no visible changes taking place, and yet God's Word still tells us that "all things work together for good..." .  Can we boldly stand before this lost world and say "I believe God!"  That is the test of our faith and it's strength!  I do believe God when I cannot see answers on the way, I know God loves me and is in control.  Have faith dear child of God.  I believe God!  Let that be your testimony this week. 
Have a wonderful day.  Pastor Mike Mutchler
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