Author: missionspaul

A blog by Regional Leader of NorthEast and Midlands Elim UK Churches.
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Who I am.

Who I am.

Acts 12: 22

“They shouted, “This is the voice of a god, not of a man.”

Carrying the message from God makes you only a messenger.

Having the crowd shout and cheer you on only makes you popular.

Sounding like a god only makes you look more than you are.

Don’t believe the headlines.

Noise cannot be trusted.

Perspective is paramount.

Knowing who I am not is as important as knowing who I am.

 

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Man is not God

Man is not God

Acts 12: 21

“On the appointed day Herod, wearing his royal robes, sat on his throne and delivered a public address to the people.”
Those who are the communicators in our world, who stand behind pulpits of power to speak words in to people’s lives, need to understand that no matter how great they become that they are not God.
They may have a great name. But they are not God.
They may have a seat of great authority. But they are not God.
They may have robes of great heritage. But they are not God.
They may have a great title. But they are not God.
Preachers, teachers and whoever communicates are not God.
They may try to look like Him.
But they are only a man/woman with a title.
Titles don’t make you God.
Large gatherings of people don’t make you God.
Man is not God.
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BLASTUS

Acts 12:20

“He had been quarrelling with the people of Tyre and Sidon; they now joined together and sought an audience with him. Having secured the support of Blastus, a trusted personal servant of the king, they asked for peace, because they depended on the king’s country for their food supply.”
In this unusual digress from the story of the church, we have the context for the death of this terrible leader.
The people of Tyre and Sidon were suffering from food shortage and under threat of the violence of Herod asked Blastus to mediate for them. Blastus worked for Herod and was trusted and so an ideal person to arrange a meeting (which was really a complaint) without anyone losing their life.
I don’t think Luke is writing this story for any other reason but to give the context to what was going to happen to Herod.
I want to qualify something before I write further my thoughts today. There are many times when a Church leader/pastor makes changes, leads, challenges etc and the correct response of that Church should be ‘Yes please lead us as you see God leading you.’ So in that context it is wrong for grumbling to happen within the membership of that church. A Church leader is never going to please everyone, that’s a fact and that is my introduction to what I am about to write.
However, I do know that church members who are disgruntled at times do not find it easy to express their concerns in a correct setting, because the isn’t any. The members may have given years of service to the Church, generationally even and are now facing changes and leadership decisions that they are struggling to follow, for example, they may wish to receive pastoral visitation that just isn’t happening or they may wish their Pastor could preach more regularly.
Where do they go with their frustration?
Does the Church have a complaint/comments box like in other organisations of society, like hotels for example? No, in fact what the Church has is its annual ‘No Grumbling series’, after all no one wants to die in the desert through the act of grumbling.
The members retreat, but inside their four walls they die anyway, spiritually stunted by frustration and all along they were not divisive, they were like the people of Tyre and Sidon seeking for peace and the prosperity of the church.
Meanwhile the Church devoid of criticism because it is rebellion (and you might as well be committing witchcraft if you are going to criticise) becomes weaker, less effective and frankly boring and tired because provocation to become greater is taken away.
Why does this happen? It is because we are short of people called Blastus.
Blastus-people may or may not be in leadership but they are trusted, faithful, dependable people of the Church. They serve with sleeves rolled up. They want the best for their Pastor and they want the best for the Church. They are approachable and do not roll their eyes if members even suggest what may be deemed as criticism.
May our churches have more people called Blastus!
Will you be Blastus today? Your Pastor needs you and so does the members of the Church.
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This is how it works: the devil attacks, God saves, the devil loses.

This is how it works: the devil attacks, God saves, the devil loses.

Acts 12:19

“After Herod had a thorough search made for him and did not find him, he cross-examined the guards and ordered that they be executed. Then Herod went from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there a while.”
Some people if they do not get their own way, they will throw their toys out of the pram and either move into destruction mode and then run away or do both.
It is exactly what the devil does.
Herod was outwitted by a move of God. Every thing God does demonstrated that the enemy is not as clever or as powerful as he makes himself out to be. God embarrasses the devil every time. We serve an intimidating God. The devil has to destroy, he is a destroyer and even if it means destroying his own workers he will do so.
God is capable of freeing you but He is more interested in destroying the work of that enemy in your life. Let the enemy implode holding onto the chains that once held you!
Once he implodes he will run from you, he is confused by you. For he once had you in his grip, he was going to destroy you, but you escaped from his clutches and your freedom placed a death sentence on him. Let him run.
And can you see what it says at the end of this verse? “…for awhile.”
He will come back at some point and he will strike again. That is the walk of faith we signed up for.
But again we will win and the devil will lose.
That is the full time score!
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A new day

A new day

Acts 2:18

“In the morning, there was no small commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter.”
In the evening the enemy could have captured you. During the night you could be trapped.
But in the morning ….!
God is the God of the next day. They laid him in the tomb and the next day the tomb was secured even more but then … as the dawn was rising so was Jesus! God has the last word. His next day always comes after the enemies next day.
So friends whatever you are facing today just wait, for there is a new morning and the enemy will wake up in its camp and realise that God has given the victory to you!
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Hand signals

Hand signals

Acts 12:17

 “Peter motioned with his hand for them to be quiet and described how the Lord had brought him out of prison. “Tell James and the brothers about this,” he said, and then he left for another place.”
There was so much noise. The place was full of incredulous excitement at the news that God had answered the prayers of the church, Peter was indeed amongst them!
It was so noisy that Peter had to use a hand signal to quieten them down. Can you picture this? I wonder if Peter put his hand horizontally across his throat in a cutting action. I know it’s not a nice motion but it’s effective. Or what about a more sedate hands been pushed down to indicate the volume needs to go down. Or was it simply a vertical finger against his mouth?
Hand signals are great aren’t they?!
I don’t think I have ever spent a devotional time thinking about hand signals! And before I go completely off track as my brain tends to do, what Peter was trying to do was to get the church to shut up.
I like that message.
I love the loudness of church, the music, the dancing, the excitement, don’t get me wrong I am definitely a clapper and a toe-dancer, in fact get me into Africa and the white man becomes something else altogether!
But sometimes I just want to give the Church a hand signal!
Sometimes I just want the noise to stop, I don’t want the loud promotions of what the church are going to do next, I want quietness, I want to listen to the sound of silence.
Like right now. I am awake, it is very dark, everyone is asleep, it is me and I know God is here, my Bible is open and I quieten the voices tempting me to open emails, or to look at my list of things to do, I glue myself to my chair and I remain in quietness.
I am ready for the explanations of life to begin.
Speak Lord.
This is a word for you today, “Shut up” and I motion with my hand and you can make it up what hand signal I am using!
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Who is knocking on the door?

Acts 12:16

“But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished.”
He kept on trying to get them to open the door.
Patiently knocking maybe or was he getting more and more frustrated, did he knock harder as the minutes went by?
But he didn’t give up nor should you. Just keep on. Get through today. Do what you did yesterday. The addict wakes up today and knows they have to repeat it all again. Persistence pays off. You may not be an addict but you are trying to stir the Church perhaps. Maybe you are trying to get the Church to open the door.
Maybe this is not about Peter, maybe this is about Jesus who knocks on the door of our hearts and wants us to open the door to him, He wants fellowship with you, He wants you.
Welcome Him today.
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Three nouns

Three nouns

Acts 12:15

“You’re out of your mind,” they told her. When she kept insisting that it was so, they said, “It must be his angel.”
There’s only 2 possible answers:
Rhoda has lost her mind or Peters guardian angel (everyone believed each had one) was at the door appearing to look like Peter.
Rhoda you have either made this up or its a fake!
This is not the non believer saying this. This is the praying Church!
Cynicism is believing people are motivated by their own interest.
Scepticism is doubting that what has been presented is true.
Unbelief is having an absence of faith.
These three nouns are still found in the Church today. Let’s be rid of them. If we do, then maybe we will actually see more answers knocking on our door!
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Look outside for the call from inside

Look outside for the call from inside

Acts 12:14

“When she recognised Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, “Peter is at the door!”
Rhoda knew it was Peter knocking on the door and was so excited she kept him waiting.
The answer to the prayers of the praying Church inside was outside trying to get in!
So often the answer to our prayers are found outside the prayer meeting.
We need to be active and alert outside as well as inside.
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Is there someone at the door?

Is there someone at the door?

 

Acts 12:13

“Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer the door.”

 

Rhoda the servant girl of Mary. She was used to obeying her mistress. Tonight her task was to watch the outer entrance. Inside a special prayer meeting was taking place. With the doors locked, tension was in the air as the Christians gathered not knowing how big the persecution would be and whether Peter would die tomorrow or not. Rhoda was unaware that night that the most important place was not only in the prayer meeting but at the outer entrance.

Rhoda was ready.

Many years ago I had just come out of bible college and in my church I had a dear old man called Harry. He was my doorman. I appointed him as doorman because he had the nicest smile and the most welcoming handshake. He took his job seriously, this was his place, God wanted him at the door. The only problem I had was I never knew if he would actually turn up to do the job, well not for certain anyway. When I asked him ‘Harry are you going to be on the door on Sunday?’ He would reply ‘Yes God willing’ or even ‘Yes DV’ (which I later found out meant the same thing!) However, there was no greater doorman than Harry.

Let me ask you this.

Are you ready?

Are you ready to receive the provision of God? Are you ready to welcome what God wants to give you? If he knocks on the door will you go near to open it?

Are you a doorman, a doorwoman? Are you ready?

Are you listening? Are you waiting in anticipation? Maybe Rhoda wasn’t anticipating, but she heard. She heard the door knock.

Can you hear it today?

I stand at the door and knock ….