Dad's Ramblings -- "Bigoted"

"Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more fairminded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so."
 
                                                                           Acts 17:10-11
 
Christians are often accused of being bigots. Bigot is defined by the dictionary as "one obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his own church, party, belief, or opinion." I plead "guilty." I am obstinately devoted to what Scripture teaches. During the "No Special Rights" elections in Oregon regarding homosexuality, I was called a bigot because I do not believe homosexuality is an appropriate lifestyle. I think I am fairminded and open to listen to many opinions. But I reject any ideas that I cannot support from Scripture. Those who do not accept the authority of Scripture have only their own ideas, and they have no basis to determine what is true. Being bigoted in the sense of being devoted to biblical teaching is a good thing, because it keeps a person from believing everything that comes down the pike. So I need to "search the Scriptures daily" to see if anything is true or not.
 
Today's Thought: If being devoted to biblical truth makes one a bigot, so be it.
 
Have a "bigoted" day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- Equal Opportunity Employer

"And some of them were persuaded; and a great multitude of the devout Greeks, and not a few of the leading women, joined Paul and Silas....Therefore many of them believed, and also not a few of the Greeks, prominent women as well as men."
                                 
                                                                   Acts 17:4, 12
 
Why does the Scripture make a point of saying many "leading" and "prominent" women believed? Many of Jesus followers were women and in Acts, we see such women as Lydia, Dorcus, and Pricilla. Women are also often mentioned in the letters of Paul. Perhaps it is because women have influence. I have known many women who have powerful ministry in the church. God is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
 
Today's Thought: Women have a large part in the ministry of the Kingdom.
 
Have an "appreciation of women" day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- Demanding Accountability

"And when it was day, the magistrates sent the officers [those who had beaten Paul and Silas], saying 'Let these men go' .... But Paul said to them, 'They have beaten us openly, uncondemned Romans, and have thrown us into prison. No, indeed! Let them come themselves and get us out.' "
 
                                                                         Acts 16:35, 37
 
Sometimes public officials (especially politicians) act as though they are not accountable, that they can do what they want and then sweep it under the rug. Paul said, "No way, Jay. They must admit that they were wrong." It is a whole lot easier to avoid confrontation than make them face the music. I know. I try to avoid confrontation, especially with those over me. But there are times when we must stand our ground and hold their feet to the fire, and demand public admission of wrong-doing. (Please forgive all the cliches.)
 
Today's Thought: Public officials need to be held accountable for their misdeeds.
 
Have a "standing up" day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- Living Faith

"And he [the jailer] brought them out and said, 'Sirs, what must I do to be saved?' So they said, 'Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.' Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house."
                                          
                                                                                    Acts 16:30-31
 
The jailer had heard Paul and Silas praying and singing, so he knew that they believed in God. But his heart was opened to their message because their actions matched what they said. People are more apt to hear the word of the Lord from someone who not only talks their faith but also lives it. Words and actions together build confidence that the message is true. I need to demonstrate my faith – not just speak it. As James wrote, "Show me your faith, and I will show you my faith by my works" (James 2:18).
 
Today's Thought: What I say is either affirmed or denied by what I do.
 
Have an action day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- Witnessing Through Trials

"Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were loosed. And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself. But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, 'Do yourself no harm, for we are all here.' "
 
                                                                     Acts 16:26-28
 
So what kept Paul and Silas from escaping? Surely God had delivered them; yet they stayed and apparently persuaded all the other prisoners not to run away. People were saved, both physically and spiritually, because they refused to run. It takes a lot of integrity to forego apparent opportunities to run from my problems instead of using the opportunity to witness God's grace in the middle of them. We are not told what Paul and Silas prayed (vs. 25), but it must have been, "Lord Jesus, use this for Your glory," because that is how they responded.  (For a current example of witnessing through trials, go to www.caringbridge.org/visit/juanitapomeroy, the website for the wife of the A/G pastor in Lincoln City, Oregon.)
 
Today's Thought: God can use my problems to minister to other people if I don't run from them.
 
Have a ministering day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- The Midnight Song

"Then the multitude rose up together against them; and the magistrates ... commanded them to be beaten with rods. And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison .... But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them."
 
                                                                   Acts 16:22-23, 25
 
In the darkness of midnight, Paul and Silas – their bodies bruised and hurting – were focused on God instead of their situation. Too often in my own dark hours of pain, my focus is on myself, and my song is, "Does Jesus Care when my heart is pained too deeply for mirth or song."  I wish my faith was mature enough to always sing hymns of praise at midnight. Other people are listening to how I respond to my challenges, and my witness would probably be more effective if they heard me singing praise to God instead of "Woe Is Me."
 
Today's Thought: The Midnight Song should be hymns of praise to God.
 
Have a singing day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- The Wrong Spirit

"Now it happened, as we went to prayers, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us .... (She) followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, 'These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.' And this she did for many days. But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, 'I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.' And he came out of her that very hour."
 
                                                                      Acts 16:16-18
 
Even though this girl was speaking the truth, it was with the wrong spirit and it annoyed Paul. Paul did not need demonic affirmation of his message. In fact, it was detrimental, detracting from his ministry. Why he put up with it for "many days" is a puzzle to me. You can tell the spirit behind the words. When a child says, "I'm sorry," the spirit that he says it with tells whether he is sincere or not. I remember buying an album of Sandy Paddy one time, and the first time I listened to it, I said to Mildred, "Something's wrong with this music." I later learned that it was recorded while she was having an affair. The music was right but the spirit was wrong. I need to be sensitive, not just to the words, but to the spirit behind the words.
 
Today's Thought: The spirit words are spoken with is as important as the words themselves.
 
Have a sensitive day. Love you.