Stoop to Lift: First Tuesday of Advent

He goes down to come up again and bring the whole ruined world up with Him. One has the picture of a strong man stooping lower and lower to get himself underneath some great complicated burden. He must stoop in order to lift, he must almost disappear under the load before he incredibly straightens his back and marches off with the whole mass swaying on his shoulders.
~ C.S. Lewis, Miracles, p148

In our world, what goes up must come down. But in God's way of doing things, what goes down will go up. Or, as St. Peter observed: "Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time."  

The way of Jesus was to humble himself in order to meet us in our humiliating condition of sin and pain, wandering and hopelessness, striving and surviving and ambition and war. The way of God to lift us up out of our humiliation was to have Jesus join us there. Since God lifts up those who humble themselves, Jesus becomes our hope for being lifted up out of our mess.

Jesus is both the one who lifts us up, and he is the model of how to meet others in their humiliation, and lift them up. If we will be humbly honest about our condition, we will be prepared for Jesus to lift up our chin, to lift up our hearts, to lift our souls. If we will be humbly loyal to Jesus, we will be used by him to lift up the chins, hearts, and homes of those in our city, our neighbors, our fellow believers.

Jesus became one of us to show us how to live, and he became one of us that he might bring us back up to him. The two go together. We know that we will want to be with Jesus in heaven when we want to be used by Him to help lift others up out of their sin, their poverty, their mess.

When we seek to exalt ourselves, we will be pressed down. When we follow the example of Jesus and humble ourselves - even to the point of death, in order to help lift up others, we will be exalted. We walk the way of humility out of obedience, but also out of imitation. And we walk under the burden of humiliation knowing it is the true path to exaltation - and it will be an apt reward we are prepared to receive and properly enjoy.

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
~ Philippians 2v9-11 (NIV)

Who has God placed in your path that needs lifted up out of sin? Lifted up out of poverty? Lifted up out of a mess?

Are you too proud to stoop?

If not, what have been the rewards of humbling yourself?

Who Needs Rescued: First Monday of Advent

The Eternal Being, who knows everything and who created the whole universe, became not only a man but (before that) a baby, and before that a fetus inside a Woman's body. If you want to get the hang of it, think how you would like to become a slug or a crab.
~ C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity, p179

We're so used to the idea of God entering the world as a baby that we often forget to pause and ponder it. God of the universe becomes a fetus. The Creator of galaxies nourished by an umbilical cord. It's hard to grasp the idea since we've never been a deity, and we can't remember our own conception. But maybe we can entertain the idea of becoming a slug or a crab!

What's the value of a slug or a crab? To what lengths would someone go to rescue them? The Hermit Crabs that live in the Gulf of Mexico need rescued - and there are plenty of scientists and volunteers who are jumping in to help. Slugs and crabs are amazing creatures, gifts from the Creator, an important part of our ecosystem. Humans are made in the image of God, the crown of creation, the gifted stewards of the Earth. And we need rescued. Desperately.

It may be difficult to fathom why God entered the world via a womb. It may be impossible to fully understand what it was like for the Eternal Being to become like one of us. But we needed it.
We still need him.

Who in your life needs rescued? Who do you need to go to to help?

Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
~ Philippians 2v6-7 (NIV)

The Grand Miracle: First Sunday of Advent

The Christian story is precisely the story of one grand miracle, the Christian assertion being that what is beyond all space and time, what is uncreated, eternal, come into nature, into human nature, descended into His own universe, and rose again, bringing nature up with Him. It is precisely one great miracle. If you take that away there is nothing specifically Christian left.
~ C.S. Lewis, "The Grand Miracle," God in the Dock, pg80.

According to Lewis, a miracle is "an interference with Nature by supernatural power." The Incarnation is a miracle - it is God inserting himself directly into our humanity. The grand miracle of God becoming one of us points us towards the reward: that we might become one with Him. Jesus is what God looks like as one of us. Jesus born as an infant, Jesus named Emmanuel: God with us. It's a name pregnant with meaning, a name that we must grow to understand and accept and experience.

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
~ John 1v14 (NIV)

What can compel us to give grace? What can enable us to accept truth? It would take a miracle. And that is what the Incarnation is about - Jesus coming to show us what grace looks like, how to live by the truth. We worship God best when we live out the way of grace and truth as demonstrated by Jesus.

Who needs grace from you? Who needs truth from you? May it be your best gift this Christmas season.

Don't Take My Word For It

By Matt Kennedy

Acts 17

Don’t Take My Word For It.

As I read through Acts 17 I am finding it hard to focus on just one thing to discuss. There is so much in this chapter that I love. This is hands down one of my favorite chapters in this book.

Let me focus on Paul’s visit to Berea (vs. 10-15). The main point of this section is found in verse 11; “Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.”

Paul preaches the same message everywhere he goes. He tells everyone that Jesus is Messiah, that he had to suffer and rise from the dead and reasoned with them from the Scriptures. The Bereans display an attitude towards truth that I think we all could benefit from adopting ourselves. Verse 11 says that they received the message with Eagerness and then Examined Paul’s message with the Word of God.

I ask myself how ‘eager’ I am to come to Anchor each week and worship with you all? Is that a word that describes me? Am I EAGER to hear God’s truth proclaimed or am I just coming out of a religious duty? One will keep me faithfully and joyfully coming back to corporate worship each week. The other may do the same but not with a light and joyful heart but rather with a heart that is tired and burdened with the yoke of religious duty. With this kind of heart I will soon find excuses to not bother joining the body in corporate worship… even if it is just for this one week (Not a good thing B.T.W.)

The other characteristic the Bereans had was an ability/willingness to EXAMINE the Scriptures and test Paul to see if what he was telling them was the Truth. This is so important to do. While I am convinced Tim (and any guest speaker he invites to fill in for him) is faithful to prepare a message that is true to God’s Word, those who speak are still fallen people who have the potential to get it wrong. That is why we should never let our eagerness to hear the Word hinder us from examining the Word ourselves to make sure what is being taught is Truth.

Examining the Word for ourselves does a couple of things:
1. It increases our knowledge of God’s Word.

2. This increases our joy and love for God Himself.

3. This in turn increases our Eagerness to know Him more.

4. This causes us to want to Examine the Word even more.

Do you see the pattern here? 1 leads to 2, 2 leads to 3, 3 leads to 4 and 4 takes us back to 1. This circle inevitably produces in us the noble character the Bereans had. But by all means –

Don’t Take My Word For It.

Other Plans

Acts 18

By Joe Leatherman

But when the Jews opposed Paul and became abusive, he shook out his clothes in protest and said to them, "Your blood be on your own heads! I am clear of my responsibility. From now on I will go to the Gentiles." Acts 18:6 (New International Version)

Such an interesting turn of events in Paul's life. Paul was born a Jew, trained by Gamaliel. He knew the language, he knew the culture, he knew the life style. Why did God send him to teach the Gentiles? He was perfect for the job he had, an understatement really, and yet God had other plans for him. 

The first thing that comes to my mind is Paul's faith. Becoming a christian isn't by any means a median for making your life easier or less worrisome. If that was the case we wouldn't have to make an effort to trust God. Paul, I'm sure, was quite comfortable preaching to a group which he was familiar with. Something he knew he was qualified for, something he was sure of success. 

In this situation Paul's faith isn't tested, but after he decides to go to the Gentiles God comes to him in a dream:

One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: "Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city." Acts 18:9-10 (New International Version)

This is something I in many ways struggle with. How do I perform what God wants me to do when I'm out of my comfort zone? This is inevitable. God has a funny and clever way of putting us in situations that we do not expect and are not prepared for. Despite the unexpected Paul was able to have faith enough and put worry aside to go and teach to the Gentiles, just as he stated, he was clear of his responsibility. 

Through day to day life I try and remember this passage, remember what Paul so humbly did without question. I try and remember this so I'm prepared for the unexpected and prepared to be uncomfortable. I want people to benefit around me from God's word, I can't always do this in a comfortable position.

When You Can't Run Away...

Acts 16
By Tim Hallman


What can you do with the people in your life who drag you down, who depress you, who despise you, who undermine your efforts to succeed, who resist you, who seem to suck the life out of you?

One strategy is to get away from them. But what if you can't, what if you're stuck around people with toxic attitudes? What if they are your family? What if they are fellow coworkers? Classmates? "Friends"?

There's a fascinating prayer that the early disciples often worked their way through - here's part of it: "Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus." In one particular instance - after a tense encounter with the religious authorities of the city - here is what happened: After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. (Acts 4:29-31)

Notice the theme of the prayer: for those that are threatening us - God enable us to speak into them with courage and truth, work through us to bring healing to those that threaten us, if necessary perform signs and wonders to those who threaten us that they may have a change of heart. God answered that prayer again and again and again, as recorded in the stories of the Acts of the Apostles. And he still does that kind of stuff today. If you want him to...

On one occasion, Paul and his ministry partner Silas were in the Roman colony of Phillipi. They had begun a small church there. While walking the market streets, a fortune-telling girl started harrassing them. When ignoring her didn't work, Paul spun around and cast the demon out of her. This made the owners of the slave-girl furious. A riot ensued, and Paul and Silas ended up in jail. But notice what they did: they brought healing to the girl who threatened them. Signs and wonders were brought to bear on this enslaved fortune-telling girl - for her freedom and the honor of the Lord.

A jailer was given command to watch Paul and Silas closely - these beaten, flogged prisoners were to be put in stocks. Around midnight an earthquake struck the jail, resulting in all the prisoners being free to flee. Except that Paul and Silas urged all the inmates to stay (they knew that the escaped prisoners would be caught and killed, and the jailer would be executed as well). The prisoners stayed, and the jailer was stunned. Through these signs and wonders, the jailer who had oppressed Paul and Silas became a disciple of Jesus. Paul and Silas cared about their oppressor, and healing, and baptism, and rejoicing was the result.


Who are the people who are very hard to deal with in your life?

Who are some people that seem to only make it harder for you to move forward in your life?

Who are some people in your life that think, say, and do evil with little or no remorse?

Who are some people that seem to threaten what you value?

What's your response to them when you can't get away? Join the early disciples in their prayer for those that are a threat to what is good and right and true: "Now, LORD, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus."


And as you pray this again and again - keep in mind your willingness for the LORD to use you to help answer those prayers.

Who Is Welcome to Worship with You on Sundays?

By Tim Hallman,
Acts 15

Before Paul came on the scene, most of the Christians were Jews. Peter and John, along with James the brother of Jesus, gave leadership to the new Christian movement there in Jerusalem. In fact, the Christians were considered a sect of Judaism. The new Christians still worshipped in the Temple, attended the synagogues, observed the Feast days, offered sacrifices and prayers as required, and still considered Torah to be authoritative. The big difference was the belief that Jesus was the Messiah promised by the LORD, he was the promised King of Israel, the Son of Man, the Son of God. Everything was now being filtered through what their understanding of their Lord Jesus Christ.

But once Paul came on the scene, he started missionary journeys that eventually resulted in many Gentiles becoming Christians. It started with the God-fearers, those Gentile men and women who observed the Jewish customs and worshipped the God of Israel, but who had not been circumcised. They gathered at the synagogues for the Torah readings, and they responded to Paul's preaching the gospel. These Gentiles were then influential in other non-God-fearing Gentiles coming to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Within a decade, there were more Gentile Christians then Jewish Christians.

Tensions rose as the Jewish Christians wrestled with how to accept the Gentile Christians. There were Christians, particularly some of the born-again Pharisees, who were convinced that Gentiles needed to be circumcised in order to be fully Christian. This kind of thinking reveals how fundamentally linked was their understanding of Jesus and Jewishness and Torah. Jesus had said that he didn't come to abolish Torah, but to fulfill it.

In Acts 15 a council is convened in Jerusalem to determine what to do with these boiling tensions. Do the Gentiles need to be circumcised and required to keep the law of Moses (Torah) in order to be considered Christians? (This assumes that Christianity was the fulfillment of Judaism... that it is Judaism plus belief in Christ as Lord). Torah was a boundary marker for who was an Israelite. If you observed Torah, you were understood to be a child of Abraham, one of the elected citizens of Israel, included in God's promise of blessing. And circumcision was the physical marker of your inclusion in this ethnic and religious community.

Peter gets up to speak, a full-blooded Jew, observer of Torah, first disciple of Jesus, leader of the apostles. He shares his story of how God taught him to welcome the Gentiles as they are - and to not require circumcision of the body. Gentiles don't need to become Israelites in order to be Christians, he learned; the gift of the Holy Spirit is the new sign of welcome. God revealed a new chapter in his plans for how people enter into community with him. Jesus is now the way, not the Temple, not the Torah, not the Feasts, not circumcision.


Paul and Barnabas go on to show that through them God produced many signs and wonders amongst the Gentiles - proof that God accepted them and welcomed them into the community of believers. God welcomes those who believe in Jesus - regardless of their ethnicity. And then James gives the final word.  He quotes from the Prophets, showing how the plan included Gentiles all along. No one quite expected God to work like this, but the evidence was in and how could they argue with it? The new Christian movement was to make no distinction between color of the skin, accent of the tongue, or tribal affiliation.

This was a really big step forward for the early church. It was not the easiest thing to let someone who is not like you worship next to you. To know that your ethnicity was dominant, that it was the one with religious power - and to know that you are now going to become a minority and you no longer hold that same influence... that is a humiliating situation.

And yet Peter and Paul and James and others were full of grace as they acknowledged the new reality. Paul was called by God to bring the good news to the Gentiles, those pagan tribes that occupied the WHOLE world. Everyone was welcome, anyone who believed in Jesus was embraced. That was a very good part of the good news.

Who lives around you that is not like you? Are they welcome to worship with you on Sundays? Even if they dress different? What if they smell or sound different? What if they make you feel uncomfortable? You can appreciate the leap of faith the Christian Jews made in welcoming the Christian Gentiles. And now we Christian Gentiles must keep the welcoming arms wide to all those Pagan Gentiles who are seeking God.

We who do the welcoming bear the burden of sacrificing our preferences in order to help others experience the acceptance of God.


God changes hearts, but he uses our arms for welcoming. 

How God Uses You

By Tim Hallman
Acts 14:27-28

On arrival, they got the church together and reported on their trip, telling in detail how God had used them to throw the door of faith wide open so people of all nations could come streaming in. Then they settled down for a long, leisurely visit with the disciples.

How does God use you? Are there moments where you are aware of when God is using you? Do you look back and ever have "aha!" moments of when you now perceive that God had used you for his work?

Having read through the first half of the book of Acts, it has surely become clear that when God uses a man or woman, there is a certain amount of unpredictability as to what the outcomes will be. This chapter is one more example of how being a disciple of Jesus, of letting God work through you, produces unexpected results.

It's to be expected that there will be opposition to the gospel of God, and that there will be welcome acceptance of the good news from Jesus. But which individuals who will oppose or accept is always a surprise. Sometimes it is the wealthy who accept and the zealous crowds who oppose, sometimes it is the women who accept and it is the men who oppose - or it could be the other way around. Sometimes the opposition gets violent, the threats get murderous.

When Paul and Barnabas scoot out of Iconium to avoid getting beat up, they end up in Lystra - a town of non-Jews, a village of pagans who worship the local deities and the Greek gods/goddesses. Before the apostles get preaching, they meet a lame man at the city gate. Paul discerns his readiness to be healed, his willingness to believe the good news of Jesus. The lame man is set free from his infirmity, he hops up and skips on home.

The crowd, however, responds in a very unexpected way: they proclaim Paul and Barnabas to be Hermes and Zeus! It's all that the two apostles can do to stop the pagan festival and sacrificial feast in their honor. Paul's preaching gets the priests to cease their preparations of the oxen, but then some zealous Jews show up from Iconium. They get the stirred up crowd even more stirred up! Instead of a celebration of Zeus coming down to them, the pagan villagers stone Paul and leave him for dead!

What a turn of events! As Paul prayed his way through the stoning, as he absorbed the blows and struggled to remain conscious, he must have wondered: is this how God uses me? Yes; yes it is. Barnabas waits till the crowds dissipate, and then drags his pal out of the rubble. They get out of town, get Paul patched up - and then they head back to Lystra and Iconium and the other villages to encourage the disciples there! And yes, this is how God used Paul - the hobbling, scarface apostle announcing the reign of God the peacemaker:

After proclaiming the Message in Derbe and establishing a strong core of disciples, they retraced their steps to Lystra, then Iconium, and then Antioch, putting muscle and sinew in the lives of the disciples, urging them to stick with what they had begun to believe and not quit, making it clear to them that it wouldn't be easy: "Anyone signing up for the kingdom of God has to go through plenty of hard times."

How does God use you?

You are not Paul. Nor Barnabas. You are you. And if you've signed up for the kingdom of God, then you are under the rule of God. And you are instructed to love God and love your neighbor. And that is enough to get you in trouble like Paul. This presumes, of course, that you love from the depths of your being, that your generosity is sacrificial, that you do not play favorites with the rich or poor, and that you speak the truth as a gift of kindness.

How does God use you?

The hardships you endure as a result of your submission to loving God and loving neighbor will give you ample opportunity to encourage those who try to love but are burdened with timidity, anxiety, and a pre-occupation with their self. Your love of God and love of neighbor will bring you suffering - if you seek to love in the name of Jesus. And this is how God uses you.

How does God use you?

You Won't Believe...

By Tim Hallman
Acts 13:36-41

If you go to church, you learn that there are several names that can get hung around your neck. Most famous is the name of Christian. Lately the word has been Jesus-follower. There's disciple and brother/sister in the Lord. Some might throw in holy-roller and hypocrite! Another common one is believer. It's a crucial one, even a central one. At a very deep level, it's the core.

It's one thing to say you believe in God, it's another thing to say you believe in God. I didn't just write the same thing twice. The first statement focuses on God's existence: do I believe God exists? Yes - you and 80% of other Americans. The second statement is about trustworthiness, credibility, reliablity - do I believe in God, that he will prove himself capable and true?

Lots of people easily share that they believe in God. But what you believe gets expressed in your attitudes and actions. Plenty of people believe in God, but their also quite bitter towards him. They believe in God's existence, but they don't believe in God's capability. God has proven to be disappointing to them, rather useless when it comes to stopping the terrors of our existence.

But what about those people that believe in God, those who believe in God's ability to overcome evil with good? They believe that love is the greatest of all, that death of the seed leads to birth of the flower? What about those people who believe in God's existence, but even deeper than that, believe in God's great capacity to heal, restore, inspire and welcome? You rarely see what God is able to do if you don't first believe in him.

For the first century citizens of Israel, those loyal Jews in exile under the Roman Empire, they were having a very difficult time believing in God. They accepted the existence of God, but they were stumbling - they just couldn't believe in God resurrecting Jesus from the grave. If Jesus was crucified, why would God resurrect him? Jesus died under a curse, how could God vindicate him? Unless...unless what Jesus said about life and love, about God and goodness was true...

Here's how Paul puts it in one of his speeches to some Jewish thinkers wrestling with their belief in God:

King David, of course, having completed the work God set out for him, has been in the grave, dust and ashes, a long time now. But the One God raised up—no dust and ashes for him!

I want you to know, my very dear friends, that it is on account of this resurrected Jesus that the forgiveness of your sins can be promised. He accomplishes, in those who believe, everything that the Law of Moses could never make good on.

But everyone who believes in this raised-up Jesus is declared good and right and whole before God.

Don't take this lightly. You don't want the prophet's sermon to describe you:
'Watch out, cynics;
Look hard—watch your world fall to pieces.
I'm doing something right before your eyes
That you won't believe, though it's staring you in the face.'
~ Acts 13v36-41

There are many people I care about who really, profoundly wrestle with believing in God. At some level, they are unsure of God's existence. Science is such a powerful force for discerning reality, and God just can't seem to be seen through the telescope or the microscope. But again, for these men and women I care about, they have too few people in their life who really believe in God. How can these agnostic and atheist friends of mine believe in the credibility and capability of God if they are devoid of anyone who bears the fruit of that kind of faith?

I know too many Christians who confess Christ as Lord with their lips, but then walk out the door and deny him by their lifestyle. The most common denial is not just the abuse of chemicals, emotions, bodies,  possessions;  but the quiet, disturbing despair of fumbling their problems and sorrows. They drown in worry, they agonize over their unhealable, unseeable wounds. You doubt that God is good, that he will be with you and lead you through the ache. We believe in God, but we won't believe in God.

You believe in God?


Why won't you believe in God?



O Lord, I believe! Help me in my unbelief...

When were you first called a Christian?

By Tim Hallman
Acts 11:26

The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.

When were you first called a Christian? Where were you when you were publicly declared a Christian? Have you always grown up with that title? Was it something given to you as a child? Did you choose that label as an adult? Do you ever pause to consider what it means to be called a Christian?

Antioch was like an ancient Chicago, a massive trading center on the crossroads of the region. It was a place of great wealth, powerful merchants, famous politicians, and lots of infamy. Antioch was home to a variety of ethnic groups including many Jews. And this included some Jews who had come to trust in Jesus, who they called Lord and Messiah.

The name "Christ" is the Greek word for the Hebrew word "Messiah." Both words mean "anointed one." Whatever the Greek word means, it takes its identity from the Hebrew word and it's context. The Hebrew idea of Messiah is rooted in the hope that God would send a deliverer to Israel, get them out of exile and then rule them justly, with mercy, in humility. 

The Messiah, as the anointed one of God, would come from the line of King David, thus the rightful one to lead the restored nation. Jewish communities, scattered all over the Mediterranean world due to exile and banishment, longed to be reunited in the Promised Land. It'd been a long time since Israel was a sovereign nation, able to freely abide by Torah, observe the Sabbath unpersecuted, and worship in the Temple without harassment.

Some Jewish men and women, as you know, came to believe that Jesus was the Messiah. Based on what they saw Jesus do, what they heard him say, and what they experienced through his death and resurrection, put their faith in him as the anointed one. And this put them at odds with other Jews who remained unconvinced of his identity as God's Messiah for Israel.

Some of those unbelieving Jews were motivated by their desire to keep political or religious power, or their wealth. Others were sincere Jews for whom Jesus did not fit their preconceived notions of what their Messiah ought to do. Jesus the Messiah undercut the power of the elite and confused the hearts of the pious.

The Jewish families who came to the conclusion that Jesus was indeed Israel's deliverer came to be seen as still part of Judaism, but part of a sect. These Jesus-Jews still observed Torah, still kept Sabbath, still ate kosher, still worshipped at the Temple and visited the synagogue. But they did all of this believing that YHWH, the God of Israel, had sent Jesus of Nazareth to be the One to rescue them from exile.

Israel had been in exile to Assyria, then Babylon, then Persia, then Greece, and now Rome. Four-hundred years later, Jewish families were ready for freedom from oppression, the grinding poverty was wearing them out spiritually and physically.

One the Day of Pentecost, when Jerusalem was full of Jewish men and women from thousands of miles away in every direction, the Spirit of YHWH swept into town. Tens of hundreds of Jews came to believe that Jesus really was the Messiah. All the evidence for his identity as God's anointed one which they had been weighing in their hearts and mind came to a trusting conclusion. Now there was a city full of Jewish Jesus followers, they were a community to be reckoned with. But what to call them?

In Antioch, ten to twenty years after the resurrection and ascension of Jesus, the crowds finally settle on a name for the Jews (and now Gentiles) who believed. What set these Jews apart from their fellow Jews was their belief about Jesus: that he was the Messiah, the Christ, the true King of Israel. It's a particularly dividing belief, especially when you mention this king's crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension. Jesus was the Christ you couldn't see.

Obviously there were endless ways to mock the early Christians for what they believed. But then why did the movement continue to grow? Not only were these Jesus-followers famous for their belief in his being the Christ, but because they imitated the way of the Christ. (The "Way" used to be their other name, until "Christian" stuck.) These Christ-ians or Messiah-ians became famous for their love of neighbor, their compassion for the poor, their integrity in business, their trustworthiness in community. People could question the identity of Jesus as Christ, but they had a hard time arguing with the works of Christians done in the name of the resurrected and ascended King of Israel.

In Antioch, city of immigrants and merchants and soldiers and vagrants, Christians earned their name. They knew what they saw when Jesus was killed, buried, and raised up. These Christians grasped what God was now doing in the world. In the name of Jesus the Christ, they went about their life, in the big cities and little villages. Yes they were at times mocked for believing in the resurrection and ascension. But they were also given assurance again and again that the life of Jesus and the promises of God gave birth to light amidst the darkness of a very pagan land full of dark idols and unending empires.

What makes you a Christian? Why are you still a Christian? What is it about Jesus that still compels you to follow Him? What makes you thankful to be known as a Christian? What makes you ashamed? What's the best contribution you can make to our world in the name of Christ?

Find the Poor, Find God's Ears

By Tim Hallman
Acts 10:30-43

Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor.


What's it take to get God to answer our prayers?

How many times have you prayed to God for him to help you out, and you got nothing?

How come some people always seem to get their prayers answered, but you come up empty?

If you're really honest, you really don't want God to answer your prayers. What you really want is for your life to be convenient, pain-free, prosperous, and always happy. You don't really want God's will to prevail in your life, you want God to prop up your life aspirations. Thus, God rarely answers your prayers. He probably doesn't even hear most of your prayers.


Be honest: you don't even really care about God. You care about yourself - and you are interested in God as long as he helps you further your plans for yourself.

I'm not trying to be harsh or judgmental, I'm just attempting to be really honest with you concerning myself. The paragraph above is unfortunately true for me at times. Is it ever for you?

Cornelius had offered up many prayers, he had given many gifts to the poor before his encounter with God. Timing is everything. God hears the prayers of those that are willing to be patient with him and kind to the poor. God is on the side of the poor. If you want to know the heart of God, get to know the poor - more than that, start to love the poor around you.

If your prayers are really about ways to honor God and less about furthering your agenda for your life, then you don't mind how much time it takes for an answer. If you are tapped into the heart of God, your prayers go up in confidence and trust. The prayer and it's answer are more about God's work in the world than my will. And to the degree that I have a heart for the poor, I'll have more of a heart for God.

And as I grow a bigger heart for the poor, I'll learn to offer up bigger prayers with more heart.

As I reflect on this story with Cornelius, I am forced to reconsider the way God works in this world. Cornelius is the Roman, a soldier - the face of an Empire. Rome is famous for their political innovations and military might. Rome brought "peace" with a sword and a cross. Cornelius carried a sword. And yet he worshipped the God of Israel and was generous to the poor of Caesarea.

I'm very curious to know how Cornelius the Centurion became an atheist in the eyes of the Romans and loyal to Yahweh of the Jews. We know about Cornelius all these years later because of his heart for God and his heart for the poor. Neither of these connections was normal, encouraged, or valued by the Roman Empire. Cornelius was courageous.

Could Cornelius have been central to this story had he not been generous to the poor? No. Would God have heard this soldier's prayer had he been closed to the needs of the local widows and orphans? No. God would connect Cornelius to Peter, and through this encounter reveal that God accepted pagans and Jews, Romans and Israel - all were welcome to join the Kingdom of God. And central to this new identity is one where followers of Yahweh have a heart for the poor.

You can't be loyal to God but be ignorant of the cries of the oppressed.

The poor are motivation for your prayers, the poor inherit the kingdom of God. One can't be like Christ and walk away from the misery of the poor. One can't trust in salvation through Jesus if one won't be the hands and feet of the Savior to the poor.

If you want God, if you want God to hear your prayers, if you want God's will to prevail in your world, then be generous to the poor, then hear the prayers of the poor, hold the hands of the poor.

Jesus came to Cornelius after all those years to affirm his salvation, and to use his life to announce salvation to the whole Empire. Jesus can use you, he will hear you if you will hear him, if you will listen to him: feed the hungry, quench the thirsty, visit the prisoner, care for the widow, clothe the orphan.

Our Empire needs more women and men who will dig deep, live courageously and keep praying to God while they care for the poor.

God Says, "I Want To Use You!"

by Carla Castro

I too have fallen into the abyss that has swallowed up the great Anchorite bloggers for the book of Acts. I know that for me, it has been a combination of increased working hours, summertime busy schedules, and the constand go-go-go that comes from having two little ones.

For those who are following Acts, this is the week for Chapter 12.

My intention for writing today, however, has little to do with Acts. I figured, Pastor Tim has given me the access for this blog, so I will use it. ;)

Yesterday, I joined four Anchorites (Pastor Tim, Pat Minch, Steve Dennie, and Terry Leatherman), who I strongly admire for their work and dedication to the church, at the Global Leadership Conference being led by Willow Creek out of Chicago.

It was an honor for me to join them for many reasons. Often, I feel like I'm just one person, what change can I make? Often, the sense of, I'm still too young to be impactful hits my soul. Manytimes, I wonder, why would God want to use ME, imperfect, drama magnet, overweight, lazy, OCD, sinful me to teach others about Him?

Then I realized, because I am His child. Because He loves me.

It was a lesson that was admist the speakers yesterday, and today again, I'm sure. But it wasn't the primary lesson. There were many speeches about leadership, how not to fall, how to follow God's will, how to have a higher purpose, but amongst all those, the first and foremost whisper that I got from God was: I want to use YOU.

And God can use all of us. No matter if you are struggling with an eating disorder or the pinnacle of good health. No difference if you have been born and raised a Christian believer since you were biologically born, or if you lived a life walking alongside Satan before being reborn as a Christian. God does not matter the color of your skin, your IQ, your educational background or you financial status. He has made each of us wonderfully different, so we can impact one another. So we can mentor one another. So we can lead one another.

If you grew up perfect, in a world full of perfect people, how boring would that be? What would you have to strive for? What would you have to show for growth? What would you have to talk about? Nothing. And if we were all perfect, why turn to God? If you have everything, no purpose, no goals, you would need nothing else...including God.

And I don't know about you, but I lived once in a life where I felt like I had it all. Sure, there was more I could obtain, but it was all fruitless. It had no purpose. It was mundane and dull. And I would choose ten thousand struggles if I can have my Savior by my side than a perfect life without Him.

Now, do not mistake this as saying that we should stay put in our sinful and fallen lives. No, this is just saying that God will use you, no matter what you are coming from, no matter where you are right now.

It is now our time to rise. We are called to have our hand out, reaching for that next marker of progress. We are asked to continue to grow, for years and years, into the best Christian leader we may become. And it's a gradual and slow process. Isn't God the best at making us wait?

That's been a huge struggle for me the past year or so since re-accepting Him into my life. He has time and time again told me: "Wait." It's the hardest thing to accept in our give-it-to-me-now consumerist society. You want a movie right now? Stream it into your tv or computer. You want to read that book right now? Download an ebook. You can't afford those nice clothes? Charge them. It works for economics. Not with God.

God will change us, strengthen us, call us to progress and improve. And we should have the desire to rise to that request. But slowly.

So, to bring this back to Acts. Reread it. Look at it closely. Circle or make a note in your Bible of who God chose as His leaders through it all. Was it those who were born into fame and fortune? Or were they the underdogs, the little guys, the people like you and I who woke up asking, "Why would God want to use ME?" And then, pay attention to what they did when God revealed His challenge to them for what He wanted to do in their lives. Pick one to dive into further. Do some additional research. Find a Biblical mentor for your life. And let me know how it goes! :)

Grownups Can Change

By Carla Castro
Acts 9

On Sunday, Pastor Tim led the kids through the sermon of Acts 9. The entire chapter talks of Saul and how God changed his heart from this horrible sinful life he had to that of a Christian. He went from this man who persecuted Christians to preaching God's Word and proclaiming that Jesus is Messiah and people doubted him and his change. But God did change him.

We all reach the point where we recognize that life is a constant change. Like a river. But also, like a river, it often seems to look the same. The scenery remains. The rocks stay put. The banks never alter. But, unless you look and think carefully, everything is changing. Everything.

Today, for a marketing project, I looked up quotes about change. One was humorous, but true. "Change is inevitable....except from vending machines. (Robert C. Gallagher)

I also liked this quote. "Continuity gives us roots; change gives us branches, letting us stretch and grow and reach new heights." (Pauline R. Kezer)

And on Monday, I recieved a link to a YouTube video by an organization called "I Am Second." The video in particular followed the story of Brian "Head" Welch from the band Korn. I grew up listening to Korn in high school. About six months ago, I stumbled across Head's book at the public library and picked it up during a event where I was sitting at a booth, bored, for a couple hours. As I read, I decided I needed to check it out and took it home to read it. His story is that of change.



The message of change has come to me at a time when I need to hear it. I don't want to. But I need to. I struggle with change. Sometimes I fight it because I fear it. Sometimes I fight it because I do not want it to happen. Sometimes I fight positive change and sometimes, it's the negative changes. But, I am trying to strengthen my view and recognize that God is the reason behind the change, as long as I ask Him to. I should not fear it, nor fight it, so long as I continue to build my relationship with Him and trust that He is the one guiding the change.

Sometimes, I need to be reminded as well. Grownups can change.

God's Love is Free

By Carla Castro
Acts 8

I have started a post, sat staring at a blank box for long moments, then closed the page without saving numerous times this week. This is why, as I am supposed to write my post on Tuesday or Wednesday, I am now making myself write Saturday night.

As I have read and reread this passage, I could not determine what to write about. One section kept striking me, however:

"When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money and said, 'Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.' Peter answered: 'May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord. Perhaps he will forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.' "

I have never understood the value of money. The obsession that people have with money. The power that it gives. Until becoming an adult and having to pay bills, debts, and more. Even when first entering the workforce, I never stressed about money. I stumbled into a good paying job and spent five years there. I was able to carry my family financially when Jose got fired. We were able, after two years of being married, to buy a home, own our cars, take a vacation. And yet, we were irresponsible with money.

I hate money. I hate the necessity to earn money. I hate the distinction of doing work for money and doing work just because it needs done. I hate the materialistic society in which I am raising my kids, with the stigma attached to name brands and styles.

In Acts 8, Simon saw a powerful and amazing thing that the disciples were doing by sharing the Holy Spirit, and he, knowing he was wealthy, offered to purchase it. Peter called him out on it, denying to allow him to buy God.

Although my family is surviving, we are not sitting on a nest egg or a large bank account. And it is a comfort to know that, in this world, where money is the defining factor of so many things, I can walk into church on Sunday and not have to pay to recieve Him in my life. There is no fee to have God. There is no Biblical law stating that to worship, you have to earn an income of a certain percentage. There is nothing in His Word that defines who you are by how much you have. It's very reassuring in this economy, in today's world. So, tomorrow, in church, realize that God loves you no matter what's in your wallet. God loves you no matter where you live or what you drive. God loves you no matter what you wear. God loves you for your heart, rich or poor, and will bless you by the way you live you life, not by what you can pay.

To Be Fixed, It Must Break.

By Carla Castro

Acts 7 is nearly entirely a speech, given by Stephen, moments before his death. He recaps major events of the Old Testament, from Abraham to Joseph to Moses. Story after story of great men, chosen men, and their hardships, their act to follow God (sometimes unwillingly at first), and their overcoming oppression. Each story shared key plot elements and Stephen used this to accuse the Sanhedrin of being the same as the prior oppressors, failing to listen to the Holy Spirit, fearing those who speak the Truth, trying to bind those who preach in effort to silence them.

Why is it that men of power are often so fearful of the great I Am? Why are Christians persecuted daily for their belief systems? What is it about our Lord and Savior that instills great fear into people? The Truth, I believe.

It's like I wrote about in a prior blog. The Truth is one rough pill to swallow. It's difficult to take when another person points out the truth and your shortcomings. It's even more painful when it is God, telling you where you fall short and need to improve.

How often have you fallen, weakened by the utter dread of life, weeping, sobbing, in an emotional heartbreak on the floor, feeling the conviction that can come from nothing other than the Holy Spirit. I have. It is enough to break me, shatter my life into pieces, on the floor. Shards of what I thought was important become drenched with tears and I feel as if every drop of blood is pouring from my heart because it hurts so badly.

But God is good. Even through those times, He is there. Standing over us. Allowing us to wallow in self pity for a moment. Allowing us to remove the weaknesses from our being. Then, as gently as a parent dealing with an unruly toddler, God reaches down. He grasps our chin and lifts it up while softly whispering, I love you. He grabs us solidly by the hands and pulls us to our feet. He wraps around us strongly, giving us the strength to move forward. He tells us that we are better than that, the brokenness, the pieces of life that we are, and He picks up our pieces, one by one, showing us the way to become more like Him. And the pain of the conviction never goes away, but as we strive to follow God, it lessens.

The Truth is often oppressed because it's hard. It's painful to accept and difficult to overcome. But, we can. With Jesus, we can overcome our past and who we have become at one point or another. That is why it is called "Rebirth".

I wonder if the Sandedrin every broke down and allowed God to change them...?

History Repeating

By Carla Castro

Acts 6 starts out with a situation similar to that which I see occurring at Anchor.

Acts 6:1-7

"In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, "It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word." This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them. So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith."

Now, let's look at it in terms of today:
 
The number of Anchorites are increasing and people have seen the need increasing as well for those in the church and the neighborhood. Up until now, a large amount of responsibility has been set upon the shoulders of Pastor Tim and he found himself trying to balance ministry and helping the needy, leading to a large workload. He has succeeded in doing everything and doing it well; however, as we all know, doing too much all the time leads to burnout. Instead of neglecting any responsibitilies, he opted to hire me on staff to Anchor to assist with helping with the people's needs. He saw in me the experience and knowledge of the social service world and the desire to love people in a Christlike manner. When I began the work at Anchor, Pastor Tim pulled my family and I to the front of the church during service to pray for us and the service that I could offer Anchor. Through this, we hope to see the number of followers increasing and movement towards the ideal circumstances that people at Anchor are no longer needy.
 
History often repeats itself, from small situations to large historical events. In Acts 6, the basic beginnings of the church is described. In the present at Anchor, we are hoping to make a small impact in the world. But, isn't it interesting as we read, how we can draw these connections? Often, I turn to the Bible in times of trouble and just flip it open instead of reading a specific passage, I allow God to show me what he would like me to see. And more often than not, the page or chapter I turn to is more help than I could ever have imagined. How amazing is it that he provides us His wisdom through the Bible when we allow him to?
 
I would be lying if I said that I have ever been devout and good about reading the Bible daily. Until recently, when Tim has shown the value of reading the Bible in our lives, have I realized what I was missing. I'm far from achieving what I would like to in regards to following the Word, but would hope that through the weekly readings of Acts, I continue to form a habit. And I hope that as you follow the reading and blogging, we can together learn more about God, the history of Christianity, and find how truely important it is in our lives as Christians.
 
And I am so grateful to everyone that has supported Anchor's decision to hire me to help with the needs of the church and look forward to the time to come in serving the church and the neighborhood.

Chill Out

By Steve Dennie
Acts 5:33-42

People freak out way too easily.

When the year 2000 rolled around, thousands of people horded freeze-dried food and built underground shelters, fearing the Y2K bug...which turned out to be nothing.

I’ve seen people get all worked up about End Times prophecies. A high school friend told me he didn’t intend to go to college, because his church told him Christ would return in a couple years. That was in 1973.

People get way too worked up about politics. They see George Bush, or Barack Obama, or the Tea Baggers, or whatever sinister forces Glenn Beck imagines, as leading to the end of America. They see socialists, communists, Nazis, gun confiscators, progressives, fundamentalists—whatever they fear--lurking under every bush.

Today, people keep talking about the Mayan calendar, which ends in 2012, implying that that’s when the world ends. The Mayans themselves pretty much ended in the 1400s, so I’m not too concerned.

Working for the denomination, I’ve seen younger ministers, excited about a certain proposal, grow apocalyptic when it doesn’t pass. As if the whole Great Commission is now stymied.

Anyway, people need to chill out.

That was Gamaliel’s advice in Acts 5. People in Jerusalem saw all these people flocking to Christianity, and verse 33 says, “They were furious and wanted to put them to death.”

I don’t know what Gamaliel thought of the Christians, whether he was for or against them. But here, he was the voice of reason. He stood up and basically said: “Hey, everybody—take a breath. Chill.”

He told people that this Christianity thing, if it’s false, will die out on its own. Just give it time, and it’ll go away. Prophets have come and gone, leaving no lasting impact. This Jesus will probably be the same way. So don’t get all worked up.

He also added that if it was the real thing, then there was nothing they could do to stop it. Which turned out to be the case.

But regardless, it was good advice. We need to quit listening to the alarmists who tell us the sky is falling, and just chill out. Things will work out.

YES FEAR!

By Matt Kennedy

Acts 5:11 

“Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events.”

Have you ever seen those shirts that have “No Fear!” printed on them? I remember when they first came out. I never did buy one but I liked the premise of that logo – “Fear is for wimps. I am not a wimp. I can face anything without fear. Nothing, not even you, can scare me!”


Maybe, given this particular meaning, having fear is a bad thing. Yet when we read this story of Ananias and Sapphira we see something happen that is, in my opinion, the best thing that could have happened to the church. God instills within them fear.

This made me think about the end game for God. I mean, what was he thinking? When you read a story like this one you can become so enamored by the fact that these two people drop over dead (literally) that we miss the fruit of what God’s discipline brought… FEAR.

Why fear? What is it that God wants us to be afraid of? Well, actually nothing. At least nothing with regard to the way we typically think of fear. After all “God did not give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.”

One of my go-to theologians is Wayne Grudem. He always has an answer to all my questions that challenge me or explains things in a way that help me make sense of things. So, I looked up the Fear of God in his book “Systematic Theology” just to see what he had to say. I found out he had very little to say about the ‘Fear of God’. In fact, none of the theologians I looked at had much to say about it, if they even bothered to address the issue at all. Yet what Mr. Grudem did say about the Fear of God caught me by surprise. He mentions it under the heading “Motives for Obedience to God in the Christian Life”. “Motives for Obedience?” Where was he going with this?

Well, Grudem defines the Fear of God this way: “the desire to avoid God’s displeasure and discipline on our lives”. And wouldn’t you know it; among the dozen passages he lists as biblical examples of this ‘motive for obedience’, Acts 5:11 is at the very top. After reading this I began to think about the fear of God in a whole new light. I mean how many of us when tempted to sin stop and say, “I cannot do this. It would not make God happy and I would not want to displease Him.” I confess I do not do this very much at all. Oh I’ll come up with good reasons not to, “This is sin. It would hurt more than myself. The pleasure from this sin will only last a short time. The consequences are worse than the immediate, fleeting pleasure of my actions. I’m going to get caught! Etc. ” Yet I am ashamed to admit that very few times have I ever said, “I am not going to do this bad thing because it would displease God.” I do not know many who do. Do you?

In fact, I could only think of one person who did this in all the Bible. His name is Joseph. He is the 2nd youngest of the 12 sons of Jacob. He was sold into slavery by his brothers and eventually found himself the slave to a man named Potiphar. Potiphar had made Joseph head over everything in his house with the exception of his wife. Repeatedly she tried to seduce Joseph and repeatedly he refused. His reason can be found in Genesis 39:6-10 but here is the reason he gives her, v. 9 “How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” He would sin against God. That was his reason. In other words, “I cannot do this because it would make God unhappy.” Joseph had the Fear of God!

So what about you? Are you afraid of God? I hope not. Do you fear Him? I hope so!

Persecution.

By Carla Castro
Acts 5:12-32

In reading this selection from Acts 5, I see the disciples being persecuted for teaching the people about the Resurrection. They are jailed for their faith and sharing it.

It's a story told over and over and over in the Bible. 

I just wonder, what would I do if I didn't live in a country where I was free to practice the religion of my choice? What if I knew I would be faced with a horrific punishment due to speaking and freely practicing Christianity?

I mean, the disciples actually got it easy at first by simply being put into jail. But in some other Biblical experiences that we learn in Sunday School, it wasn't usually that simple. Daniel was thrown into a den with hungry lions. Shadrack, Meshack, and Abednego were thrown into a fiery furnace.

Would I be strong enough to face the political leaders and say, "I don't care what you want to do to me; I will follow and speak of my faith." I wish I could say that there's no doubt in my mind that I would.

What would you do if the President came and told you that you would be faced with your biggest fears and the most torturous death unless you stopped being a Christian and didn't talk about the promise that Jesus can give if you just accept Him as your personal Savior?

Pastor Tim pointed out on FB a very important point to me: "You can't oppress people who don't fear death." Whoa. Almost knocked the wind out of me. And it causes me to question: Why would it matter what they threatened me with? I have an eternal promise that no matter how much power or political leadership they have, they cannot take it away. I can endure anything I am faced with here on earth because I will have a glorious eternity. Really puts things into perspective about persecution, eh?

Some Gave All

By Steve Dennie
Acts 4:32-37

I'm giving Pastor Tim a choice. Which would he prefer?

• That the people of Anchor share the same heart and mind.
• That the people of Anchor freely share all their possessions with each other.

Which is harder to pull off? One is measurable, the other abstract and mental.

Acts 4:32 says those early Christians did both. We Americans, so conscious of money and possessions, focus on the second part. But the verse actually starts by saying, "All the believers were one in heart and mind." Wow, that's pretty significant. And we just skip over it and go right to the money part.

What were they one in heart and mind about? This Christianity thing was all new to them. They were sort of making it up as they went, feeling their way along, trying to discern how they should now live their lives. There were no classes to take, no books to read. Nobody had written out a set of doctrinal beliefs. So there probably wasn't all that much to agree on. But I'm guessing that their heart-and-mind agreement included these things:

1. Jesus really did rise from the dead just a few weeks before.
2. Everything must change.
3. The Holy Spirit has revolutionized their lives, and they'll never be the same.
4. They've got to tell others about what has happened in their lives.
5. Loving others is really really important.

Those early believers shared the same passion for Christ and for loving others, and they could never go back to the way things were before. They had been transformed. And one result was that they shared everything they owned. But it started with sharing the same mindset.

What would that look like at Anchor? It goes way, way beyond liking the same music, dressing casually, and agreeing that Tim's a pretty nice guy.

Now, as commendable as it was to share all their possessions, this is not a command that we must follow. Acts just tells what happened in the early church. They did some good things, and some misguided things. Like I said, they were figuring things out as they went. Only here, in the very early days after Jesus ascended, does the Bible tell about believers sharing all their possessions, and even selling land and homes to share with other believers. They were fallible people operating purely on unbridled passion.

Should Pam and I sell our house, bring the money to Pastor Tim, and say, "Distribute this to other people in need"? After all, that's what the early Christians did.

Well, it's quite possible that we should. Can't rule it out. Jesus did tell one fellow that to sell everything he had and give it to the poor. Following Jesus isn't supposed to be safe and convenient and full of bling.

But (back to Acts), a few years later, in Romans 15, the Apostle Paul is going around Macadonia and other places taking up an offering for the believers in Jerusalem. What's that all about?

Let me be very contrarian. Could it be that, in liquidating their assets, those Jerusalem Christians did something foolish? It was certainly done out of a good heart. But was it wise in God's eyes? They gave away their assets, and now they needed a bailout. How did God view it?

I'm asking, because I don't know. I'm just wondering.

And yet, I'll bet that those people who sold land and homes had no regrets. God takes care of his people. You find that out when you give until it hurts. That's what those early Christians did. They weren't giving out of their abundance, but giving everything.

And maybe, in being freed of taking care of property and hoarding possessions, those early Christians felt a true liberation. They were now free to throw themselves fully into changing the world.

Which is what they did. What started with a handful of people, then grew into a few thousand people, now accounts for several billion people throughout the world. I would say that that's worth selling a few acres.

Ask...And You Shall Recieve

By Carla Castro

" 'Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.' After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.

Not often do we ask and immediately recieve what we are asking for. If you are a parent, you hold the power to deny the inobtainable, and often, unreasonable requests of your child.

"Can I eat the entire box of cookies?"
"Please, can I climb the shelf to reach the books on top?"
"If I brush my teeth, can I have candy before breakfast?"
"I see the lightening, but, please, please, please, can I go swimming in the pool?"

No.

And how often does God answer our requests, sometimes not so inobtainable or unreasonable, because He has a better plan for us?

"God, please make my marriage easier."
"Lord, I just need you to help me pay these credit card bills."
"I love my house, Father, please stop the forclosure."
"Make this path of following you an easy one, dear Lord."

No.

But in Acts 3, the people cried out. They begged God.They didn't understand why people were turning against them and asked for His help, for the ability to speak His word and to minister to others. And as soon as they asked, they recieved the gift of the Holy Spirit.


Now, this is not a one time thing. It's a reoccurring theme. Earlier in Acts, the disciples asked and they too recieved the Holy Spirit. It is seen time and time again, people genuinely ask God to be with them, to give them the Holy Spirit and to use them to do His Will, and for this question, He will say "Yes."

If you say "yes" to God and want to be a tool for Him, he will use you. And it's never a decision to be made lightly. It leads to a life full of bumps and bruises, trials and tribulations, but in the end, the jounry is worth it. But it is up to each person whether they want to ask for the journey, no matter how inobtainable or unreasonable, and God will provide his answer.

Yes.

If it Ain't Broke . . .

Bree Johnson

I once had a pastor tell me that if I didn’t give my heart to God, I would one day walk out a door and fall head-first into the pits of hell. Imagine being fifteen years old and having to cope with that! Isn’t it funny the tactics some Christians use to scare or shame others into accepting Jesus? And isn’t it interesting that such tactics always fail?

In Acts chapter three we read about the crippled man who waited at the Beautiful Gate, hoping to receive alms from those going to pray in the Jewish Temple. Along came Peter and John to heal the man in the name of Jesus in the plain sight of countless unbelievers. The man was instantly healed and leaped off, praising God all the while. This got everyone’s attention and opened the door for Peter and John to share the Good News of Jesus with all that would receive it.

And apparently, there were many who wanted to receive it. Acts 4:4 states, “But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand.” (ESV)

Men. The number of MEN came to five thousand--as in five thousand heads of households, as in men with wives and children. So, the number of believers could automatically be tripled into ten to twenty thousand easily when women and children are added to the equation. That’s a lot of people to suddenly convert from Judaism to Christianity and the Jewish priests no doubt felt threatened--threatened so much in fact that they found it imperative to silence Peter and John.

This Jesus, this Man everyone now sought after, He challenged everything they ever believed or taught others to believe. The Sadducees taught that there was no life after death and these men, Peter and John, were contradicting everything with their talk of a Savior who promised that this life was just the appetizer before the succulent entrée to come. The priests couldn’t have their faith rivaled and Peter and John were imprisoned.

What happens next is interesting: When Peter and John sit before the Counsel of the Jewish rulers and elders, it is never questioned whether or not the miracle actually took place but by what authority they, two fishermen, performed the miracle.

Acts 4:8 says that Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit when he addressed the Counsel. Interestingly, Jesus promises His assistance for this very moment back in Luke 12:11-12: “And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.” (ESV)

Last year, Stephen and I participated in a FAITH ministry. FAITH promised to teach believers how to convince non-believers of Jesus and show them how they could be saved. For weeks, we struggled to memorize verse after verse that would help lead others to Christ. When the time came to go door-to-door (something I’ve always hated doing-- I see it that if you’re unsaved, the last thing that’s going to convert you is some sweaty bible thumper disturbing your dinner to share the Good News of Someone you don’t even believe exists) we would get so nervous that we couldn’t remember the verses and would stand there looking like fools as we searched for something to say. Needless to say, the twelve weeks that followed were long and cumbersome and not a single soul was saved as a result.

The problem stemmed from not being prepared for reality. On our FAITH visits, we were armed with a script and a list of responses for what unbelievers said to us before they slammed the door in our faces. We didn’t speak from the heart and we didn’t trust the Holy Spirit to guide us. We tried to script our way to saving souls and our efforts failed miserably.

I wish we could’ve been more like Peter. He wasn’t afraid or nervous because he was filled with the Holy Spirit. He just told them how it was, he didn’t quote countless bible verses and try to outsmart them. He didn’t try to scare them with the threat of demons or hell. He was bold and straight-forward just as we should have been.

A pastor made a statement in a sermon a few months back that Stephen quotes all the time. It’s a statement that the pastor probably doesn’t even remember making but one that Stephen and I will never forget. He said, “The only way to be saved is through Jesus. You’re welcome to try alternate methods if you want to. They won’t work, but you’re welcome to try.” We liked that. It was clear and to the point. The statement wasn’t meant to mesmerize or scare anyone, it was just the plain and simple, shoot-from-the-hip truth. And it was a lot like what Peter told the counsel when asked by what authority they healed the man.

To share Jesus with others, we need not offer a shock-and-awe factor. There’s no need for theatrics and Roman chants to play in the background. We don’t need to nag unbelievers to the point that they run for cover every time they see us walking their way. We just need to tell them the truth--the unashamed, it-is-what-it-is, take-it-or-leave-it truth: there is no other name by which one can be saved. Once the unbeliever wraps his or her mind around that fact everything else will fall into place.

It’s not up to us to make this or any other moment a moment of epiphany for unbelievers. We just need to tell them what we know and if we want to add a few words from personal experience for extra sustenance, that’s great. But the best way to share Jesus is by example, just like Peter and John did. They lead thousands to Jesus and they didn’t make up stories or prey on people’s fears to do it. They showed them what Jesus was capable of and shared with them what they knew. And despite having walked with Jesus on earth and witnessing first-hand His miracles, they weren’t holier-than-thou about it. They shared Jesus with truth and simplicity-- by example and their methods have worked for thousands of years. I think I’ll stick with what works.

Beyond Baptism

by Steve Dennie
Acts 3:17-26

Peter has just got done reading people the riot act. "You killed the Holy One. You asked that Barabbas--a murderer, for heaven's sakes!--be released! You killed the One who created all life!"

But then, in verse 17, he lets them off the hook. "Hey, I realize you didn't know what you were doing. Neither did your leaders. You didn't mean it. You're good people at heart. If you had known the scoop, I'm sure you would have behaved differently."

I don't usually think of Peter as being diplomatic. But here, a whiff of tact leaked out. Interesting to see.

In verse 19, Peter tells people: "Repent and turn to God, so that your sins may be forgiven." Contrast that with Acts 2:38, where he tells people, "Repent and be baptized, for the forgiveness of your sins."

He left out baptism. Why was that? Was he all worn out with baptizing 3000 people a few days before? Maybe his body was still all wrinkly from being in water for hours on end, and he just couldn't stomach the thought of descending back into the water to dunk a bunch of people again.

If they repented, that was between them and God. But if they also wanted to be baptized, then Peter got dragged into doing the baptism. So he was saying, "Just repent. That'll be good enough for now."

I'm obviously speculating. I don't know why Peter omitted the baptism part. I'm sure he hadn't decided it was unnecessary.

On the other hand, he added the command, "Turn to God." Start looking to God for direction, and follow him.

This is discipleship. I'm sure Peter wasn't casting aside the idea of baptism, but he knew that baptism wasn't the culmination. He was looking beyond baptism to the ongoing life-change he wanted to see in people. "Turn to God, and never take your eyes off of him." I suspect that's what he wanted to see happen.

The Truth Hurts

When arguing with my husband (or anyone for that matter), nothing hurts more than when they point out the truth. It stings, and at times, I would rather be straight up punched in the gut. I would rather be in an arguement with someone and them accuse me of all sorts of insane and unrealistic allegations than to point out the cold hard facts to me. I cannot justify or brush away the truth.

Could you imagine how hard it was for the people in Acts 3 to swallow Peter's words to them? (Acts 3:13-15)

"The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go. You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this."

GULP! Oh, man.

But his next words were of hope, for the people then and for people now. Whether it is something minor, like realizing that it was my turn to do the dishes and I did not, or something huge, like responsibility for the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, there is hope.

"Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord."

I subscribe to this daily email (All Pro Dad's Play of the Day) and yesterday it talked of the difference between saying sorry and asking for forgiveness (in respect to parenting, but very true for our lives as well).

" 'Sorry' is OK for accidents, like spilling milk or bumping into someone. But when your kids do something on purpose -- calling their brother or sister a name, not sharing -- then they have to say, "I was wrong -- please forgive me." And they have to do it without making excuses and without a bad attitude. Asking for forgiveness is an experience that teaches humility and responsibility. And that's nothing to be sorry about.

I wish I could offer words of wisdom and advice on how to make it easier to hear the truth and react, especially when it's truth that we're ashamed of or reality that we do not want to face, but in all honesty, I still struggle with this. It's a day to day thing to look in the mirror without the smokescreen and say, "I messed up and now, I need to fix it." If you feel like this is an area that hits home to you, maybe today is the day to repent to God and ask Him to wipe away your sins. If He can forgive the death of His son, why wouldn't he be able to forgive you?

Clueless

I’ve always been a praying person. Even as a little girl I prayed, often asking and sometimes begging God to “let me have this” or “let this happen for me.” And when my prayers were answered, I was thankful and in awe, but for a moment before something new captured my attention. But when God would neglect to answer my prayers in the time I felt appropriate, I would often get frustrated--sometimes even angry-- that I didn’t get my way. And I’m ashamed to admit, I get very impatient now when my prayers aren't answered in my time, much in the same way I did as a child.

My dad has always told me that God has three answers to prayers: yes, no and not now. Not now means that God will answer my prayer, but in His time, not mine. This works to teach me patience. Yes means yes but may not be for the best, a kind of “be careful what you wish for” scenario at times. And no means that God has something even better in store for me. While I’ve never found any biblical evidence to support my dad’s thinking, I’ve found that the “rule of three answers” has always been pretty accurate in my prayer life.

I can certainly handle the “yes” answers and I’m starting to get used to the “not now” but I’m still a big cry baby when God tells me no. After all, don’t I know what’s best for me and my life? Shouldn't I be the one to make the really big decisions? Aren't I a big girl now?

Unfortunately, I don’t have a clue what’s best most of the time. I didn’t create me, therefore I can’t possibly know what’s best for me. My future is not in my hands and pretending to know what’s best is like driving a car blindly, not knowing where to turn because I don’t know the final destination.

It was only after I began to realize that “no” really meant “ask for something else” did the finality of a “no” answer become not-so-final after all. Instead, “no” is more of a new beginning--a change in course, a detour to a destination far better than the one I had originally thought ideal.

In the first third of Acts chapter three, we find Peter and John at the Temple precisely at the hour of Jewish prayer. They watch as a man, lame from birth, is carried to the Beautiful Gate--not by strangers, no doubt, but by people fully aware of the severity of his affliction. The man obviously made it a habit to come to the Temple at the busiest time of day--the Hour of Prayer--to beg from those going to worship.

The man sees Peter and John and asks to receive alms. Peter instructs the man to look at them and tells him that he has no silver or gold but he will give him what he does have and, in the name of Jesus, heals the man. A man who was crippled since birth, an obviously well-known man, unable to walk or work, was immediately healed in plain sight of countless onlookers. The man then stood and began to walk and leap, praising God all the while.

But he didn't ask the men to heal him; all he wanted held mere monetary value. He had probably never even entertained the idea that his condition could ever be cured. Instead he spent day after day at the Beautiful Gate, begging for whatever the others around him could spare. And he was no doubt content with what he received, never realizing what he was missing. He probably could’ve spent the rest of his life carrying on much in the same way he always had without even daring to think of what his life could be. He was content with mediocrity and satisfied with the mundane.

The lame man didn’t receive what he wanted from Peter and John, instead he received something far greater than he could’ve ever imagined. He just didn’t know what to ask for. Romans 8:28 says, “And we know all things work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose.” (ESV) It's my favorite verse and the one that's gotten me through many bouts of "this is so unfair" and "why is this happening to me?" So while my life and it’s direction may be somewhat out of my hands, I know that God is saying to me, “I’ve got this. Just trust Me.” Now when I pray, I pray with purpose but with a fuzzy image of the outcome because I know, in the end, it’s all in God’s hands and it will all come together just as He intends. And chances are, it’ll be far better than anything I could’ve imagined for myself. That’s one of the many wonderful things about God; He always knows what’s best for me and what I need, precisely when I need it.