None of these things move me...

 22 And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there:

23 Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me.

24 But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.

25 And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more. (Acts 20:22-25)

Paul was a true man of God. He stood in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds on many occasions. He loved God. He loved God's people. 

Any way that he could find that did not break scripture to reach out to people, he was willing to give it a try. 

18 What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.

19 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.

20 And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;

21 To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.

22 To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. (1 Corinthians 9: 18-22)

What an attitude! 

In our opening passage in Acts, if you follow the story over several chapters, Paul had been told by God that he was being sent on a mission to the gentiles to bring them into the fold. As such, the Jews (who were already angry at his conversion) were ready to kill him for trying to convert the Gentiles to worshipping the one true God. This did not sit well with "God's chosen people." 

But Paul had heard from God. In fact, early on, he was told "how great things he must suffer for my names sake." (Acts 9:16).

Paul knew that Jesus had given his all for us. He also knew that, in following Jesus, we must give our all to him. No matter the sacrifice. No matter the cost. If we go broke, that's okay. If we are beaten and imprisoned, that's fine. If we die, thy will be done, Lord. 

Whatever level of our lives we are dealing with, ALL levels must be submitted to God. 

We cannot serve Jesus on Sundays and Wednesdays, but the rest of the time is ours. It doesn't work that way. 

19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

We don't get to choose ANYTHING! Our job as Christians is to do 3 things:

1) Listen (Pray and seek his will) 2) Hear (Find his will) 3) Obey (DO what his will is for all situations.) 

We don't belong to ourselves. We are his. 

As Christian leaders, we are to seek out a fresh word for those we minister to. We cannot just regurgitate a sermon from years ago. Those we are helping to feed deserve (and God requires) fresh manna from heaven. 

As husbands and fathers, we are to seek God in all situations and be willing to sacrifice ourselves (lay down our lives) for them in every way. It doesn't matter how hard I have to work to care for my family. It doesn't matter how many hours I have to work, how many jobs I have to do, to care for my family. They are my family and my responsibility. It is all a labor of love. And this doesn't negate my responsibility as spiritual leader of the home. 

God spoke to Paul about much of what he would have to suffer. In fact, on several occasions, he was told by different people that if he went to Jerusalem, he'd wind up in chains. But, Paul was trying to be used of God to win the bride of Jesus. "None of these things move me," he said. 

Jesus paid his all for his bride. Paul was willing to join him on his quest. We should be willing to die in caring for our bride and in trying to win the bride of Christ. 

When Jesus gives us a mission, we will be tested. Many times, things will come up that point out the possible negative effects of staying the course. When we come to those crossroads, we have a choice. 

Do we stay the course and suffer the affliction that may come, knowing that we are in the will of God. Or, do we leave the course and choose "the easy way." The easy way won't take us to heaven, but we can choose it. The easy way means to cater to our flesh and disavow our mission from God. The easy way may make it easier to live here, but it means hell for eternity. 

May we all take Paul's attitude when we are looking at the possible consequences of launching out in faith for Jesus. May we look at them, shrug our shoulders, and say, "None of these things move me." 

None of these things will sway me from the course that Jesus has set for me. 

  

What exactly are we celebrating on Christmas?

Isaiah 9:6King James Version (KJV)

6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

John 1:14King James Version (KJV)

14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

Merry Christmas to you all! This is the day that the majority of believers in Jesus Christ celebrate his birth. While some say, "there's no record of the early church celebrating Jesus' birth," I say, "there's no record of them celebrating their families birthdays or anniversaries either. Are you going to say that it's a sin to do so when the Bible clearly does not say that it is?" Incidentally, when the Angels sang on the day of his birth, wasn't that a celebration of his birth? When the Shepherds went to see him, wasn't that an acknowledgement of his glorious birth? When the wise men brought gifts (probably 2 years later) on his birthday, wasn't that a celebration of his birth? 

Some say, "Christmas has pagan roots and we shouldn't celebrate pagan things." If we were to cut out every pagan thing in our culture, we'd have practically nothing left. By their argument, why don't we go back to the Jewish calendar? After all, even the days of the week on the Gregorian calendar we use in the western world are all named after pagan gods. 

Finally, some say, "Jesus wasn't born on December 25th, so we shouldn't celebrate his birthday on that day." To these I say, "we don't know his birth date, so December 25th is as good a day as any other." 

Why cannot we Christians just except the good in some things instead of saying everything short of breathing is a sin? Relax! Jesus came, in part, to bring us joy everlasting and life eternal! Isn't that worth celebrating? 

But here's the most amazing thing to me. 

In the Old Covenant, before the first temple was built, the Jews worshiped God at a glorious tent called the tabernacle. It was at the altar near this tabernacle that the sacrifices were made by the priests for the sins of the people. It was in this tabernacle that this blood was taken, by the high priest, into the Holy of Holies, to sprinkle it onto the mercy seat in the midst of the ark of the covenant. 

The Holy of Holies was also where the presence of God dwelt. God is holy! No one unholy could enter there. In fact, they tied a long rope with bells on it to the ankle of the high priest when he went in. Why? Because if he had not repented right, if he had not sacrificed right, if he had not used the right amount of sacrificial blood on himself and his clothing before he entered the presence of God within the Holy of Holies, he would be struck dead by the holiness of God! 

For centuries, between the tabernacle and (later) the first temple, God was pretty well inaccessible to the vast majority of human beings. The laundry list of requirements to the people, the priests, and for the high priest himself, is astounding to read (found in Leviticus-Deuteronomy)! If a man had a small blemish on his skin, he could not be the high priest. 

If anyone tried to enter the presence of God in the Holy of Holies, they would be struck dead by God himself! 

The people lived in fear and wonder of God. Yet, they were separated by sin from the one thing both God and man desired- a close relationship with almighty God! 

Then, an amazing thing happened. Mankind could do nothing to fix the situation, but God could. 

God himself became a man!

Read Isaiah 9:6 above. This baby that was born in Bethlehem over 2000 years ago was God himself! He was "the everlasting Father" in human flesh. He was the "wonderful Counsellor" (Holy Ghost) in a human body. He was "the mighty God" in a frail, human form. 

John puts it in an even more amazing way in John 1:14: "the word was made flesh and DWELT among us..." The word for "dwelt" there comes from the Greek word "skenoo", which means, " 

1. to fix one's tabernacle, have one's tabernacle, abide (or live) in a tabernacle (or tent), tabernacle
2. to dwell                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  So, "on that first Christmas morn" (as some folks word it), GOD made his own tabernacle- his own Holy of Holies, and dwelt there!

  

Now, for the first time since Adam's day, common men and women could walk and talk with God! They could touch God! Shepherds who could never have come into his presence before, were able to actually touch him! Even the wise men would never have been able to give gifts to and touch and interact with God before this day. But, now they could! 

This was God reaching out to a lost and dying world in a magnificent way. He touched people now that he could never have touched before the incarnation. He talked with common sinners and forgave them (without requiring them to kill a sheep)! He showed love and compassion where he couldn't do it before. 

Why? Because he knew that soon even THIS new tabernacle's veil (his own flesh) would be torn on a cross on a hill called Calvary and HIS OWN BLOOD (ACTS 20:28) would be shed to cover the sins of these (and every person) people he was now touching. 

God made a plan before time began to buy us back! And that plan (his word) was made flesh and put into action on that "first Christmas morning."

What an amazing God we serve! 

Jesus Christ, not just the son of God, but the God of the whole universe all by himself, made flesh in order to purchase a people with his own blood.

Oh, what a savior! 

That's why I celebrate Christmas. It's not about the gift giving (though there were gifts given on Jesus' birthday). It's not about the family time so much (though we do enjoy that and thank God for the blessing he has given us in each other). 

It's all about the ultimate gift that God almighty gave by tabernacling himself in a human body to pay for the sins of us all! So, I will celebrate Christmas because it's the one day a year that nearly everyone celebrates him. AND I CHOOSE TO USE THIS DAY TO TELL THEM JUST HOW SPECIAL THIS DAY REALLY IS! And, they need to know how special they are in his eyes: so that they can see his nail-scarred hands reaching out to them in the hope that they will obey his plan of salvation (Acts 2:38) and come to him. 

The God of the universe became man, so that man could have a relationship with him. 

Won't you respond to him today? 

Merry Christmas to you all!