Steadfast Christians

“And they continued steadfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.” (Acts 2:42)

Jesus had shown Himself to be alive for forty days following His resurrection. He had ascended into heaven while the eleven looked on. Ten days later the celebration of Pentecost came. The young church had been empowered by the coming of the Holy Spirit. About three thousand were baptized and added to the church that day. What a time it must have been.

Our text says that they continued. I have seen helium filled balloons float to the rafters in a large auditorium. After staying there a few days they came floating back down.

The Bible says these newly saved and baptized people continued. It says they continued steadfastly. They never “floated back down” when the new wore off. It was real. It was genuine.  Their lives had been changed. They were new persons.

It is not Biblical Christianity to start out, cool off and fade. Be consistent. Be real. Let every day be a new day in Christ Jesus. Keep on keeping on. Have daily fellowship with Him as you read your Bible and pray.

Pray for Us

"Brethren, pray for us.” (I Thessalonians5:25)

I heard a man singing, “I need the prayers of those I love.” Through the years I have come to realize that the greatest single thing  anyone can do for me is to pray for me. As I have thought about it and meditated upon it I realize that if your prayers are the most important thing you can do for me, then the greatest single thing I can do others is to pray for them.

If I drive a hundred miles to visit someone before an early morning surgery I must lift them up to God in prayer or else my visit may mean nothing. When I go to the pulpit to preach it helps to know there are people praying for me.

Paul faced many obstacles and much opposition as do most pastors and preachers who stay true to the Word of God and preach as a dying man to dying men. So, brethren, pray for us. I need the prayers of those I love.

Why Jesus Came into the World

“This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.” (I Timothy 1:15)

One of the problems in the world today is that many people have not yet discovered a purpose for their lives. They drift from one place of employment to another, from one set of values to another, from one church to another and from one religion to another. They have no purpose.

When we read the Bible we have no trouble in determining the purpose of Jesus. The purpose of His life, the purpose of His death, and the purpose of His resurrection was to save sinners. When Paul the Apostle made the statement of the purpose of Jesus, found in our text, he referred to himself as the greatest of sinners. Our Lord’s purpose was to save all sinners, from the least to the greatest.

I encourage you to let Him be your Savior.

The Value of Trials

“So the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning…” (Job 42:12)

Most of us find trials and troubles things to be avoided. We shun the difficult paths and choose the flower strewn ways where the sun is always pleasantly shining, where there are no clouds and all is sweet and comfortable.

Job would have chosen the pleasant way if he had had a choice in the matter. But, he did not have a choice in the road he would travel. On the road he traveled he experienced the loss of his children, the loss of his wealth and the loss of his health.

With his losses came blessings. Look at the text again. God blessed Job. The psalmist said, “It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes. (Psalm 119:71)  We learn more and gain more being out in the hot sun working and toiling than sitting under a shade tree whiling away the days.

I Sat Where They Sat

“Then I came to them of the captivity at Tel-abib, that dwelt by the river of Chebar, and I sat where they sat, and remained there astonished among them seven days.” (Ezekiel 3:15)

God was preparing Ezekiel to be a watchman over the house of Israel. God directed him to make a visit to the captives in Tel-abib, a part of Babylonia. Part of his preparation was to live among them seven days and to sit where that sat.

The Lord Jesus Christ sat where we sit and identified with us. “The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us…” (John 1:14) By leaving the glories of heaven and sitting where we sit in this world of sin, sorrow, pain, war and confusion, He is“touched with the feeling of our infirmities.” (Hebrews 4:15) 

When we are by the bedside of a sick friend or family member, Jesus “sat where we sit.” He understands. When we weep, while on earth, He “sat where we sit.” When we are lonely, He understands because He “sat where we sit.” Trust, love and worship this Great Savior who “sat where we sit.”

Vain Repetitions

“In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.” (John 7:37-38)

During their forty years in the wilderness wanderings the Israelites lived in booths, temporary shelters to protect them from the heat of the day and the cold of the night.

Following the wilderness experience the Feast of Tabernacles was one of the three annual feasts of the children of Israel. It was to commemorate their struggle in the wilderness and God’s provision and protection of them during that time. During the week long observance they quoted or read the forty-second psalm. Over and over again they would repeat, “As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.” (Psalm 42:1)

It was upon observing this monotonous repetition that Jesus, who had now arrived for the Feast, made the statement which is our text. It would be Rivers of living water. Rivers, not wet weather spring branches. Not trickles. Rivers, Amazons, Mississippi’s, Niles. Rivers shall flow from within. He was speaking of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus was letting us know that there is no magic verse to repeat then and there are none now.  Vain repetitions do not move God. Come to Jesus for satisfaction.

So, What Happened

“For neither did His brethren believe in Him.” (John 7:5)

His half-brothers had grown up with Jesus. There was nothing spectacular about Him in their sight. Perhaps there was some jealousy toward Him because of the attention given to Him. He was as common as an old shoe to them.

His brothers sarcastically encouraged Him to go to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles and show off His miraculous powers. They could not or would not believe He was the Son of God. He was just too familiar to them.

But something happened. The crucifixion and resurrection always make a difference. Following the ascension of Christ we find the disciples, the women and Mary the mother of Jesus in the upper room with the half-brothers of Jesus. (Acts 1:13-14) On the day of Pentecost we find that same group, with others, being filled with the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:1-4) One of those brothers was Jude, who wrote the epistle that bears his name. The epistle of James was written by another.

If you will accept by faith what Jesus did for you on the cross and surrender your all to Him it will make a world of difference in you also.