We Need, "....A Great Disturbance...."

"About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way."  (Acts 19:23, NIV)

Is the reason there is really no, "....disturbance about the Way", in the United States of America due to the fact that those of us who are of, "....the Way", are not disturbing anyone?  One cannot preach or witness to, or live totally committed to Jesus Christ without creating a, "....great disturbance...." 

"The Way", has done a lot of disturbing in the nations over the centuries.  "The Way", was a term used describing those who follow Jesus because they held to the claim of Jesus that, "I am the Way, the truth, and the life", which means there are no other ways, no other truth, no other life apart from Jesus Christ. 

Much of modern Christendom, however, has cleverly adopted a, "We all worship the same god," or, "Don't let politics come into this," or, "seeker friendly," which is just code for, "Can't we all just get along?"  Jesus answers, "And you will be hated by all for My Name's sake."  If one regularly reads the Gospels, one will discover that there are many today who, "preach[] another Jesus whom we have not preached".

The key answer to this is for us to be very familiar with the very Words of Jesus.  Reading one chapter in the Gospels will take you through the Gospels every 3 months.  Our "victorious living," our "overcoming power" is found only in Jesus' Words.  Jesus told the Jews, "....Search the Scriptures....They testify of Me."  This will keep you and me from the great deception which is coming on the whole earth.  This will keep you and me in the most intimate fellowship in our Lord Jesus.  This will, "deliver us from the Evil One."

Father, in Jesus' Name, Give us a, "disturbance."  Amen.

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Please pray for my time with First Nations People in DC tomorrow, 12:00 - 20:00 hrs.

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Hebrews 12:2

"Nor Will I Ever Betray My Faithfulness"

"I will maintain My love to him forever, and My covenant with him will never fail....If his sons forsake My law.., I will punish their sin.., but I will not take My love from him, nor will I ever betray My faithfulness.  I will not violate My covenant or alter what My lips have uttered."  (Psalm 89)

"I will maintain My love to him forever, and My covenant with him will never fail."  How is this for a "Word from the Lord" to us today?

Now the Living Triune God warned that if David's descendants sinned against Him, "I will punish their sin...."  Yet, even so, Jesus reaffirmed that, "I will not take my love from him, nor will I ever betray My faithfulness."  As 2 Timothy 2 declares, "If we are faithless, He remains faithful, He cannot disown Himself."  One translation says, "He can't be anything else than what He Is."

Again, I come back to the banks on the river of life.  There always has been chaos in that river, but the, "faithfulness," of Jesus has been always those banks.  You and I have been tossed to and fro throughout in the river of life, and many times it seemed as though chaos ruled.  But those, "Everlasting Arms," have been always around us, keeping us, sustaining us, guiding us.

Sometimes the chaos in our lives has been so severe and deep, it has been like Paul in the storm-tossed ship of Acts 27, "Since neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small storm was assailing us, from then on all hope of our being saved was gradually abandoned."  I pray today that you and I never come to the place in life of, "was gradually abandoned." 

I know not what to further write, just the wonderful Words of Jesus, "....I will not take My love from him (you), nor will I ever betray My faithfulness.  I will not violate My covenant or alter what My lips have uttered."  I have probably not done much justice to our text, yet I can tell you that our text has done much "justice," much strengthening and encouraging in me today.

Father, in Jesus' Name, "Great is Your Faithfulness."  Amen.

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* If you need to contact us while we are in Germany, use this email address:

            sherwoodbarnette@gmail.com

* I will be in a First Nations (American Indian) convocation in DC this coming Friday, October 20 from 12:00 to 20:00 (8)

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Hebrews 12:2

This "Altar" Is In Every City

"....I even found an altar with this inscription:

                                TO THE UNKNOWN GOD."

(Acts 17:23b)

The Greek word for, "unknown," here is the word from which we get, "agnostic."  One translation can also be, "To the unknowable God."

Jesus prayed after the Passover Meal with His disciples, "And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ Whom You have sent."  Eternal Life is knowing God, not knowing about God.  The Word for, "know," in Jesus' prayer is a very intimate word.  And it is this intimacy to which you and I are called in Jesus Christ.  I believe this is part, if not all, of the "meaning" of,  "Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you."

All around most today is a sea of people who are agnostic.  They may "believe in God," but to most it is, "....THE UNKNOWABLE GOD." 

But you know Him, don't you?  Then, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in Heaven," God KNOWABLE.

Father, in Jesus' Name, I so thank You that You have made Yourself known to all who are seeking You, and continue to in Jesus. Amen.

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*If you need to get a hold of us while we are in Germany, October 29-November 15, you can write us at:   sherwoodbarnette@gmail.com

* Devotional Blog Address:     apfdevotionals.blogspot.com

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Hebrews 12:2

"The Faith Is Not In Everyone"

"....For the faith is not in everyone.  But the Lord is faithful; He will strengthen and guard you from the evil one." (2 Thess. 3:2b, 3--HCSB)

I really don't know what to do with our text, but the contrast here is a Biblical "headline."

The Calvinists would not agree, but I believe, "....the faith...," can be, "....in everyone", that is, if everyone would so choose, "....the faith...."  Now twice in the New Testament the phrase, "the faith of Jesus," is used.  This is indeed, "....the faith...," of which Jesus is, "the author and finisher," faith originating and proceeding from His Word ("Now faith comes by hearing...the Word of Christ") the faith which saves, the faith which, "....will strengthen and guard you from the evil one."

Moreover, our text contains the "amazing grace," that even though, "....the faith is not in everyone"..., the Lord is faithful...."  As Paul wrote to Timothy, "He cannot deny Himself."  You and I, indeed, all of humanity, have gone through life bumping off the "banks of the river."  We've made stupid mistakes, yet the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ is found in His Faithfulness even when, "the faith is not in everyone," when it was faith in ourselves rather than faith in Jesus. 

Remember when, "the faith," was not in you?  Who "put" that faith in you and me?  It was no one but the One of Whom it is written, "But the Lord is faithful," Jesus, He Who has been the Faithful One, the One Who continually, faithfully, "strengthen[s] and guard[s us] from the evil one."  This is not an excuse for "lack of faith."  Rather, it is thanksgiving and praise time, for no matter what has happened, is happening, and will happen in our lives, through it all, you and I can rejoice and say/sing, "But the Lord is faithful."

Father, in Jesus' Name, I can say nothing more than Thank You for, "But the Lord is faithful."  Amen.

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VERY IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT OUR MISSION TO GERMANY COMING LATER.

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Hebrews 12:2