Month: June 2012

To experience the incredible adventures in life that God has for us, we must allow God to conquer our will

Posted on by revdotdavid

Acts 21: 1-16

When we become a Christian, 2 opposing desires (forces) begin to fight within us for the control of our lives

One of those desires is: My will – “The most important thing in my life is what I want for me”

The other desire is: God’s will – “The most important thing in my life is what God wants for me”

Before you became a Christian, you never had this problem, life was a lot simpler; you lived your life for yourself

But now, there is a new ‘force’/desire in your life: God’s will

Now, you have an internal conflict, 2 forces battling each other for dominance!

Many Christians never conquer the desire to live for themselves, God’s will for their lives is overcome and defeated

Here in our text today, we see these 2 opposing desires in conflict

Which one will prevail?

Acts 21: 1-2 The Apostle Paul, (and his 8 travelling companions Acts 20: 4-5), continues his journey to Jerusalem, and in 2 Cities he is warned that trouble awaits him there

Acts 21: 3-4 Speaking from the will of God, the Christians in Tyre are given a ‘word of knowledge’ from the Holy Spirit, that Paul faces danger inJerusalem

‘Word of knowledge’: one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit 1 Corinthians 12: 8

Speaking from their own will, they urged Paul ‘…not to go on toJerusalem’.

God’s will: go to Jerusalem

Our will: don’t go

Acts 21: 5-9 Paul leaves and continues on to Caesarea Philippi

Acts 21: 10-11 Speaking from the will of God, Agabus (a Prophet Acts 11: 27-30) tells Paul that danger awaits him inJerusalem

Acts 21: 12 Speaking from their own will, the others urge Paul ‘…not to go on toJerusalem’.

God’s will: go toJerusalem

Our will: don’t go

To experience the incredible adventures in life that God has for us, we must allow God to conquer our will

Paul knew God’s will and would not surrender to his own will Acts 21: 13 

Other people need to see our submission to God’s will before they will surrender their will too!

Acts 21: 14 ‘…the Lord’s will be done’.

Paul knew that his ministry was only 2/3rd completed

When God called him, He told Paul that his ministry would be to Jews, Gentiles and Kings (Acts 9: 15-16)

Paul was committed to fulfilling God’s will for his life, and there were more dangers to face before his witness to Kings

Paul continues on to JerusalemActs 21: 15-16

So, how about you? – Will it be My will or God’s will?

False Teaching In The Church (Part 2)

Posted on by revdotdavid

Acts 20: 13-38 Part 2

The Apostle Paul is at Miletus with the Leaders of the Ephesian Church, warning them about the dangers of false teaching in the Church

3/ False Teaching divides the Church

Acts 20: 30 ‘…to lead the believers away after them’.

The people in theEphesianChurchwere so deceived by these false teachers that they even rejected their spiritual Father – the Apostle Paul!

2 Timothy 1:15 ‘I am sure you have heard that all the Christians in the countries of Asia have turned away from me’

Those people who listen to false teachers and reject their true spiritual Leaders…

2 Timothy 2: 14 ‘…ruins those who listen.’

2 Timothy 2: 16 ‘…become more and more ungodly.’

Paul said, their false teaching will…

2 Timothy 2: 17 ‘…spread like gangrene’.

Gangrene: ‘… decay & death of tissue because of a stoppage of the flow of blood to an area of the body usually the extremities such as the fingers, toes as well as limbs’.

The end result is…2 Timothy 2: 18 ‘…they destroy the faith of some people’.

Over the years, sadly, we have had people in this Church become deceived by false teaching, they have left our Church, become more and more ungodly and their faith has died

What a tragedy!

4/ False Teaching is almost impossible to stop

Acts 20:29 READ ‘I know that when I am gone, hungry wolves will come in among you. They will try to destroy the church’.

As the great Apostle Paul couldn’t stop it; we can’t stop it either, but we can fight against it!

5/ We must protect ourselves and others from False Teaching

Acts 20:28 ‘Keep watch over yourselves….’

In my many years of pastoring I have found that people who are vulnerable to false teachers…

►Won’t change after they become a Christian

►Their ‘heart’ is still in the World

►Only come to Church when it is convenient

►Won’t read their Bibles or pray daily

►Church ‘family’ means nothing to them

They may be in the Church for a short time or even longer, but, it is just a matter of time before the devil ‘picks them off’ and they are gone!

The Apostle Paul taught the Word of God to the Ephesian Christians for 3 years

Acts 20: 31‘…warning each of you night and day…’

So, it is our responsibility to guard our self, apply what we have learned, and grow!

Only then can we

Acts 20:28 ‘…Keep watch over all the believers…’

Acts 20: 36-38 Paul prays for them, says goodbye and continues on his journey to Jerusalem