2/2/09

On Wednesdays I am teaching through the Book of Acts and this study has really impacted my walk and desire for the Lord.  I am looking at Ch. 15, and I saw something that really blessed me.  As I pastor a wonderful church and as we do life together and navigate through the transitions that come together, I often find myself saying – Father, if You would just pick up a phone and call me, then I will be better able to follow You.  I’ll even pay for the call!  However, following the Lord God is not like that.  He speaks through His Spirit in connection to His Word.

In Ch. 15, Paul and his merry men have just returned from their first missionary journey and get some confrontation from the Jewish brethern.  They have to flesh out the Gentile salvation question.  The unity of the church is threatened.  Four times in this chapter the words “seemed good” are used (vs. 22,25,28,34).  I got to thinking and realized that even during this time of Christian history, they struggled with understanding God’s Will.  Since this was a period of divine revelation and a time when scripture was being formulated, you would think God would have been clearer is helping them discern His will.  Yet, in these four verses, we get the word that means to think, or form an opinion.  Under the direction of the Holy Spirit, it “seemed” like the right thing to do.

That helped me.  Today divine revelation is closed.  We have God’s complete Word to us in the scripture. And often, as we seek His will and diredction for our lives and His church, we just have to pray, study the Word, and then – do as it seems good!  If what you do is for His glory and for other’s good, then He will lead, cover the mistakes, and protect the decisions.