Acts 14 / Sept 30 - God confirmed it

Well, greetings friends! I've missed you!
Today we get back to Acts with a piece of history that really has several things we could talk about. The continued power to heal displayed by the Apostles. The Irony that Barnabas and Paul show up to tell the people about the God of the universe and they end up trying to keep the people from sacrificing and worshiping them. Or how about Paul's death...or so it seemed. The Jews stone him (they hit him with big rocks until he was dead) and then they dragged him out of the city supposing that he was dead. Then the Apostles come and pray over Paul and he gets up, walks back into the city and leaves the next day. Lots of stuff we could discuss.

But I don't want to talk about any of that. I want you to consider verse 3. It says that God confirmed the message, that was being boldly delivered by His apostles, by enabling them to perform miracles. This is something that is often forgotten. The miracles that the apostles and that Jesus performed were not for the benefit of those who believed or to make the apostles more popular, they were to confirm the message.

When I say something about God I can pull out the bible and say "see, here's what God did." You see it in His Word and so you believe. They didn't have that in the first century. The message was not confirmed by the truth of the Word but by the astonishment of the miracles. If you heard someone talk and all you got was words...then another guy comes along and talks and then heals someone who are you going to listen to?

But remember and please realize. Miracles were not the thing that was important. The miracles were simply confirmation that was was being said, the Word was true. Consider this; many Christians were sick and died in the New Testament when there were ample opportunities for the Apostles to heal them. Including one guy who Paul says was a great help to him...but he is not healed. Why? because He and those around them already believed. They didn't need the confirmation of the Word because they accepted and believed the Word.

What do you need to believe? Are you always looking for some physical confirmation? Or do you accept the Word? Jesus told Thomas, blessed are those who believe but have not seen.

Good to be back with you!

by the way, for those of you who know me and my family...I got to play catch with a football with my son, Trent, this afternoon. I was late to NAU to teach because I was having such a good time. We stood in the living room and tossed the ball back and forth and he caught it at least as good as T.O. and threw, well, he didn't throw very well. But he's 10 and it is the first time we ever played catch. He was laughing and we had a great time. Thanks God for simple times and simply confirmations that you are there and you care.