Acts 11:15-17
[Peter Speaking] "As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning. Then I remembered what the Lord had said: 'John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.' So if God gave them the same gift as he gave us, who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could oppose God?"
Thoughts for Today:
I can't help but feel a little envy when I watch someone baptized for the first time -- emerging from the water -- "a new creation in Christ," because I know from my own experience how incredible I felt. The world changed for me -- the colors were a little brighter because I finally saw God in His creation. Over time if we are not careful, that youthful exuberance (newness in Christ) can begin to fade as the trials, tribulations and disappointments of daily life begin to stack up. But it doesn't have to be that way -- we can live in a perpetual state of re-birth. How? By re-living, re-membering, and re-thinking.
1. Peter is re-living his experience by telling his story. If you want to get re-energized, then tell your story to someone else.
2. Peter re-membered what the Lord said. (verse 16: John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.). There is no substitute for memorizing Scripture.
3. Peter was re-thinking his position on the Gentile after he received a "change order" from God (verse 17: "If God gave them the same gift as he gave us... who was I to think that I could oppose God?"). Sometimes we stop growing because we refuse to change an old idea or thought process.
While I think all of these steps are equally important in continuing to live a fresh, new life in Christ each and every day -- it is the last part of verse 17 that gets in our way so often: "Who was I to think that I could oppose God?" When you get new information what do you do with it? Do you throw it out as useless because it doesn't fit with your understanding of how things work? Or, do you instead surrender your understanding to the Lord -- just as you did "at the beginning" of your Christian journey -- when you were an empty vessel waiting to be filled.
1. Peter is re-living his experience by telling his story. If you want to get re-energized, then tell your story to someone else.
2. Peter re-membered what the Lord said. (verse 16: John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.). There is no substitute for memorizing Scripture.
3. Peter was re-thinking his position on the Gentile after he received a "change order" from God (verse 17: "If God gave them the same gift as he gave us... who was I to think that I could oppose God?"). Sometimes we stop growing because we refuse to change an old idea or thought process.
While I think all of these steps are equally important in continuing to live a fresh, new life in Christ each and every day -- it is the last part of verse 17 that gets in our way so often: "Who was I to think that I could oppose God?" When you get new information what do you do with it? Do you throw it out as useless because it doesn't fit with your understanding of how things work? Or, do you instead surrender your understanding to the Lord -- just as you did "at the beginning" of your Christian journey -- when you were an empty vessel waiting to be filled.
Questions to Ponder:
Back when you were a new Christian -- you knew nothing -- you needed to study and be taught God's Word. So it was no surprise to you when you found a thought or behavior that needed to change (after all you were a new believer). But what happened over time? Are you still so teachable? Have you become stuck in your ways? Have you lost any of your "new believer" passion? Have you held onto thoughts or ideas that God has been trying to change? What can you do today to re-energize your journey of Faith with God? What do you need to re-live, re-member, or re-think?
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment