December 4, 2012
The Holy Spirit was continuing to guide the people and giving them clear directions. Acts 13:2 - "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul to do a special work for which I have chosen them." They were chosen for a special work; they were sent out by the Holy Spirit; and they preached the Good News. In their travels they met a magician named Bar-Jesus. He was a false prophet. He was also someone who wanted to look important, so he hung around the governor who was an important and smart man. The governor asked Barnabas and Saul to come to him because he wanted to hear about God. Bar-Jesus felt threatened by this. So he was against Barnabas and Saul and he tried to keep the governor from believing in Jesus.
Saul (who was also called Paul) was filled with the Holy Spirit. He looked directly at him and said, "You son of the devil! You are an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of evil tricks and lies, always trying to change the Lord's truths into lies. Now the Lord will touch you, and you will be blind. For a time you will not be able to see anything—not even the light of the sun." (Acts 13:10–11) What Paul said would happen—happened. Bar-Jesus became blind. He was purposely trying to prevent God's truth from being told, but God's truth was told—and the governor believed.
Observations:
And the message of the Lord spread to the whole country. People tried to bring trouble against them and they were forced to leave. Acts 13:52 - "But the followers were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit." Outward circumstances cannot prevent our inner joy.
But God!
Addendum: 2/28/17 ~ As I was reading this entry today (to add a link to The Path to Salvation) something jumped off the page at me. I've learned that when something jumps off the page it is usually the Holy Spirit letting me know there is something He wants me to see and learn.
Saul/Paul told Bar-Jesus (a false prophet) that God was going to touch him and he (Bar-Jesus) was going to become blind. "For a time you will not be able to see anything—not even the light from the sun." Here is what jumped off the page at me.
God blinded Bar-Jesus for a completely different reason. Bar-Jesus was a false prophet and sorcerer. He too was trying to prevent the message of God from going out, but not because of a misguided belief system. He was a sorcerer and false prophet.
Serguis Paulus was the governor and an important man. He asked for Barnabas and Saul (Paul) to come to him because he wanted to hear the message of God. This threatened the power and authority of Bar-Jesus so, "he tried to stop the governor from believing in Jesus." And Paul looked right at him and said, "You son of the devil! You are an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of evil tricks and lies, always trying to change the Lord's truths into lies. Now the Lord will touch you, and you will be blind. For a time you will not be able to see anything..." Bar-Jesus was immediately stopped in his tracks, became blind, and walked around groping to find his way. Blinded.
When the governor saw this—he believed—and was amazed at the teaching about the Lord.
Nowhere in scripture (that I could find) does it say that Bar-Jesus ever changed his heart. Bar-Jesus had already made his choice. The blinding of Bar-Jesus wasn't for the purpose of saving Bar-Jesus. Instead, it was for the purpose of reaching and saving someone else—the governor.
Two different people blinded by God for two very different reasons. Saul was blinded so HE would change HIS heart and life and then go out and change the world. Bar-Jesus, after a life time of choices to go against God's teaching and a refusal to surrender, was blinded so OTHERS would see truth, believe, and change THEIR heart and lives.
Goodness. What a difficult reality to think about. I want to live my life surrendered to HIS will so HE can change me first, and then use our story (which is HIS STORY) to impact HIS Kingdom.
I believe my sister and brother-in-law's lifetime of choices may have left them blinded to God's truth. I've been painfully reminded of this these last two weeks as I've went back over my "change your heart and lives" entries to add the link to the Path to Salvation. We have always believed they will either be like Saul of the Old Testament who stubbornly refused to change his heart, or they will become like Saul of the New Testament who chose to believe, repented, obeyed, and changed his heart. Our prayer has always been (and continues to be) that they will choose to be like Saul of the New Testament and radically change their hearts and lives which in turn would then radically impact God's Kingdom.
Unfortunately, the reality is this: not everyone chooses to change their hearts and lives. But, even if they don't, God showed me today that HE can use their blindness to impact others and reach others with HIS message. Either way, our response should be the same. Blessed be the Name of the LORD.
It brings tears to my eyes to even think about it. But no matter what:
The Holy Spirit was continuing to guide the people and giving them clear directions. Acts 13:2 - "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul to do a special work for which I have chosen them." They were chosen for a special work; they were sent out by the Holy Spirit; and they preached the Good News. In their travels they met a magician named Bar-Jesus. He was a false prophet. He was also someone who wanted to look important, so he hung around the governor who was an important and smart man. The governor asked Barnabas and Saul to come to him because he wanted to hear about God. Bar-Jesus felt threatened by this. So he was against Barnabas and Saul and he tried to keep the governor from believing in Jesus.
Saul (who was also called Paul) was filled with the Holy Spirit. He looked directly at him and said, "You son of the devil! You are an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of evil tricks and lies, always trying to change the Lord's truths into lies. Now the Lord will touch you, and you will be blind. For a time you will not be able to see anything—not even the light of the sun." (Acts 13:10–11) What Paul said would happen—happened. Bar-Jesus became blind. He was purposely trying to prevent God's truth from being told, but God's truth was told—and the governor believed.
Observations:
- Paul wasn't afraid—he looked straight at him.
- Paul wasn't afraid because of his own strength—he was filled with and guided by the Holy Spirit.
- Bar-Jesus was against everything that was right—he was against God.
- Barnabas and Saul were targets because of who they represented—not because of something they did.
- Accountability happens—and it is God's to give.
- God's will—WILL be done.
- Bar-Jesus was held accountable.
- God's word went out and people were saved.
"Please listen... listen!... You can have forgiveness of your sins through Jesus. The law of Moses could not free you from your sins. But through Jesus everyone who believes is free from all sins... listen." ~ Acts 13:16–39But many of the Jews did not listen and became angry at Paul and Barnabas instead. They spoke boldly to the people, "We must speak the message of God to you first. But you refuse to listen. You are judging yourselves not worthy of having eternal life! So we will now go to the people of other nations. This is what the Lord told us to do, saying: 'I have made you a light for the nations; you will show people all over the world the way to be saved.' " Isaiah 49:6
And the message of the Lord spread to the whole country. People tried to bring trouble against them and they were forced to leave. Acts 13:52 - "But the followers were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit." Outward circumstances cannot prevent our inner joy.
But God!
Addendum: 2/28/17 ~ As I was reading this entry today (to add a link to The Path to Salvation) something jumped off the page at me. I've learned that when something jumps off the page it is usually the Holy Spirit letting me know there is something He wants me to see and learn.
Saul/Paul told Bar-Jesus (a false prophet) that God was going to touch him and he (Bar-Jesus) was going to become blind. "For a time you will not be able to see anything—not even the light from the sun." Here is what jumped off the page at me.
The blinding of Bar-Jesus is the same thing God caused to happen to Saul on the road to Damascus, but the purpose and the results—were for entirely different reasons.God blinded Saul so He (God) could get Saul's undivided attention and so Saul would change HIS heart and life. Saul was doing everything in his power to prevent the message of Christ because he was misguided in his beliefs. God stopped him in his tracks; he was blinded; he heard Truth; he believed; he repented; he obeyed; he was forever changed; and he went on to change the world for Christ.
God blinded Bar-Jesus for a completely different reason. Bar-Jesus was a false prophet and sorcerer. He too was trying to prevent the message of God from going out, but not because of a misguided belief system. He was a sorcerer and false prophet.
Serguis Paulus was the governor and an important man. He asked for Barnabas and Saul (Paul) to come to him because he wanted to hear the message of God. This threatened the power and authority of Bar-Jesus so, "he tried to stop the governor from believing in Jesus." And Paul looked right at him and said, "You son of the devil! You are an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of evil tricks and lies, always trying to change the Lord's truths into lies. Now the Lord will touch you, and you will be blind. For a time you will not be able to see anything..." Bar-Jesus was immediately stopped in his tracks, became blind, and walked around groping to find his way. Blinded.
When the governor saw this—he believed—and was amazed at the teaching about the Lord.
Nowhere in scripture (that I could find) does it say that Bar-Jesus ever changed his heart. Bar-Jesus had already made his choice. The blinding of Bar-Jesus wasn't for the purpose of saving Bar-Jesus. Instead, it was for the purpose of reaching and saving someone else—the governor.
Two different people blinded by God for two very different reasons. Saul was blinded so HE would change HIS heart and life and then go out and change the world. Bar-Jesus, after a life time of choices to go against God's teaching and a refusal to surrender, was blinded so OTHERS would see truth, believe, and change THEIR heart and lives.
Goodness. What a difficult reality to think about. I want to live my life surrendered to HIS will so HE can change me first, and then use our story (which is HIS STORY) to impact HIS Kingdom.
I believe my sister and brother-in-law's lifetime of choices may have left them blinded to God's truth. I've been painfully reminded of this these last two weeks as I've went back over my "change your heart and lives" entries to add the link to the Path to Salvation. We have always believed they will either be like Saul of the Old Testament who stubbornly refused to change his heart, or they will become like Saul of the New Testament who chose to believe, repented, obeyed, and changed his heart. Our prayer has always been (and continues to be) that they will choose to be like Saul of the New Testament and radically change their hearts and lives which in turn would then radically impact God's Kingdom.
Unfortunately, the reality is this: not everyone chooses to change their hearts and lives. But, even if they don't, God showed me today that HE can use their blindness to impact others and reach others with HIS message. Either way, our response should be the same. Blessed be the Name of the LORD.
It brings tears to my eyes to even think about it. But no matter what:
Blessed be the Name of the LORD.
Next Entry: Acts 14:1–28
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