May 27th 2018
Thank The “Real” Savior For Allowing The USA To Still Have Our Freedom!
Acts 5:29-32 (NIV)
Peter and the other apostles replied: We must obey God rather than men! The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead—whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him."
The Jewish leaders have told the Apostles to stop teaching about Jesus, and here they reply to this command with the statement, “We must obey God rather than men!” What about you could you honestly reply like the other disciples of Jesus did on that day? It is likely that no one has actually told you to stop teaching about Jesus, but someone receiving this commentary today may have been told to stop witnessing to how having Jesus in your life has improved you. Would you admit that you are better off since Jesus came into your life?
Do you believe that you have really received the Holy Spirit to help you understand the Scriptures? If you were not sure that you have actually received the Holy Spirit, maybe it is because, you are not obeying God! Think about it, seriously, are you observing God’s commands? Notice in the selected verses it is stated, that His disciples, “are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him." In this life we are exposed to many rules and/or commands, however, most such rules or commands are not from God, but from men.
For many years the rules and laws established in this country, were usually based on commands from God. However, now we are often having our rules or laws created by people who do not have God in their lives. Many of our politicians are from families that have not worshiped God for several generations. Can our freedoms be maintained, if our laws are not based on the commands of God, as supplied to us in the Bible? I personally do not believe we can! What do you believe about the USA being able to maintain our freedom?
The question this commentary may be trying to ask is, does our freedom come from our own military power, or is it actually controlled by God? Does God ever intervene in worldly activities that may, or will cause some people to lose their freedom? In the Old Testament we can read of many times that God intervened in wars that the Israelites had, and caused the Israelites to win, when it would appear all the evidence would point to them losing the battle or even the war. When the Israelites started adoring some other god or gods, then God pulled back His support, and then they lost the war and were taken over.
Is it possible that God is still monitoring the activities of this world, and intervening when He deems it appropriate? What do you think about such a premise? I believe that God is always monitoring the activities of this world, and that He may still intervene, when He deems necessary. If we hold the things of this world too tightly, then God may not consider us as being capable of running our own affairs. As in the OT God would stop His support of what the Israelites were trying to do, when it was being done in the name of another god, not in His Name!
When Saul was trying to stop the spread of Christianity, Jesus stepped in and stopped him. Jesus did this by becoming real to Saul, thus converting and convicted him into Paul! After this occurred, Paul wrote the following to the church at Philippi, and to us, who now follow Jesus. I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:8-11) Is Jesus Christ “real” to you?
This Memorial Day let us, who follow Jesus Christ be sure we honor God as the Supreme Being that created the universe, and put mankind on this earth, so we could glorify Him. Also, make sure you honor those who were willing to put their lives on hold to go wherever they were sent to help protect their country from those who had planned to take it away and plunder it! Take time to call a veteran of a war, and thank them for protecting you, and the country in which you live.
Remember too, we are all sinners, and thus, fall short of the glory of God. Because of this situation, God sent His only Son to die for YOU, so that your eternal life has been assured. Without that sacrifice, none of us could be saved. We are all sinners, and deserve to die in our sins, but if we confess them all of our sins will be forgiven John reminds of this wonderful opportunity. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:8-9)
Have a blessed Memorial Day, and remember to thank the “real” Savior for allowing the USA to still have our freedom!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
Acts 5:29-32 (NIV)
Peter and the other apostles replied: We must obey God rather than men! The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead—whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him."
The Jewish leaders have told the Apostles to stop teaching about Jesus, and here they reply to this command with the statement, “We must obey God rather than men!” What about you could you honestly reply like the other disciples of Jesus did on that day? It is likely that no one has actually told you to stop teaching about Jesus, but someone receiving this commentary today may have been told to stop witnessing to how having Jesus in your life has improved you. Would you admit that you are better off since Jesus came into your life?
Do you believe that you have really received the Holy Spirit to help you understand the Scriptures? If you were not sure that you have actually received the Holy Spirit, maybe it is because, you are not obeying God! Think about it, seriously, are you observing God’s commands? Notice in the selected verses it is stated, that His disciples, “are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him." In this life we are exposed to many rules and/or commands, however, most such rules or commands are not from God, but from men.
For many years the rules and laws established in this country, were usually based on commands from God. However, now we are often having our rules or laws created by people who do not have God in their lives. Many of our politicians are from families that have not worshiped God for several generations. Can our freedoms be maintained, if our laws are not based on the commands of God, as supplied to us in the Bible? I personally do not believe we can! What do you believe about the USA being able to maintain our freedom?
The question this commentary may be trying to ask is, does our freedom come from our own military power, or is it actually controlled by God? Does God ever intervene in worldly activities that may, or will cause some people to lose their freedom? In the Old Testament we can read of many times that God intervened in wars that the Israelites had, and caused the Israelites to win, when it would appear all the evidence would point to them losing the battle or even the war. When the Israelites started adoring some other god or gods, then God pulled back His support, and then they lost the war and were taken over.
Is it possible that God is still monitoring the activities of this world, and intervening when He deems it appropriate? What do you think about such a premise? I believe that God is always monitoring the activities of this world, and that He may still intervene, when He deems necessary. If we hold the things of this world too tightly, then God may not consider us as being capable of running our own affairs. As in the OT God would stop His support of what the Israelites were trying to do, when it was being done in the name of another god, not in His Name!
When Saul was trying to stop the spread of Christianity, Jesus stepped in and stopped him. Jesus did this by becoming real to Saul, thus converting and convicted him into Paul! After this occurred, Paul wrote the following to the church at Philippi, and to us, who now follow Jesus. I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:8-11) Is Jesus Christ “real” to you?
This Memorial Day let us, who follow Jesus Christ be sure we honor God as the Supreme Being that created the universe, and put mankind on this earth, so we could glorify Him. Also, make sure you honor those who were willing to put their lives on hold to go wherever they were sent to help protect their country from those who had planned to take it away and plunder it! Take time to call a veteran of a war, and thank them for protecting you, and the country in which you live.
Remember too, we are all sinners, and thus, fall short of the glory of God. Because of this situation, God sent His only Son to die for YOU, so that your eternal life has been assured. Without that sacrifice, none of us could be saved. We are all sinners, and deserve to die in our sins, but if we confess them all of our sins will be forgiven John reminds of this wonderful opportunity. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:8-9)
Have a blessed Memorial Day, and remember to thank the “real” Savior for allowing the USA to still have our freedom!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
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