Acts 18:1–28

November 19, 2012

Acts 18:5 - "Pressed in the spirit..." (Jane's KJV)

Paul knew he was supposed to tell the Jews in Corinth the Good News about Christ. There weren't audible words and there wasn't a vision. There was none of that, but Paul knew. He was "pressed in the spirit" and he obeyed. But the people would not accept Paul's teaching. They opposed Paul and became abusive. Acts 18:6 - "So he shook off the dust from his clothes and said to them, 'If you are not saved, it will be your own fault! I have done all I can do!' " (See Luke 9:5 for a cross reference.)

Our responsibility is to do what the Spirit "presses" us to do. I strongly felt the Spirit "press" me to begin a journal to record my walk through the Bible and my personal thoughts and prayers. I obeyed and started. It was three years ago on November 16, 2009. I had no idea what God had planned for the journals that covered Genesis to Chronicles. I had no idea my personal prayers, thoughts, and writings about God's words would end up in the hands of my sister and brother-in-law. If I had known that, I would have probably been reluctant to start. But I believe I still would have obeyed when the Spirit "pressed." I have no idea how this journal will be used in the future. All I know is I am fulfilling my responsibility—through obedience—and it has been personally very rewarding.

But my responsibility ends with my obedience. What my sister and brother-in-law (or others) do with it is not what I am held accountable for. "I have done all I can do!" Some listened to Paul, and some did not. The Lord appeared to Paul in a vision and told him to keep doing what he was doing. Acts 18:9–10 - "Don't be afraid.  Continue talking to people and don't be quiet. I am with you, and no one will harm you, because I have many people in this city."

Paul is taken to court. Acts 18:12 - "The Jews made a united attack and brought him into court." His crime? Being obedient and preaching the Word of God. His own people were out to get him and were determined to prevent him from continuing God's work. They were blinded. They could not see truth. They were tunnel visioned and united—let's get Paul! So they take him to court in Southern Greece in a foreign area under Gallio's jurisdiction.

The Jews were God's chosen people, but they did not handle it by going to God, seeking arbitration under Jewish law, or coming to an understanding by agreeing to disagree. No—they were united in their desire to be in control, to be in charge, and in their desire to "get" him. So they took him to a foreign court, asking a foreign judge to punish Paul. And again... Paul's crime? Being an honest upright man who was following God's word and was telling others about it. Prior to being taken to court the Lord appeared to Paul in a vision and said:

"Don't be afraid. Continue talking to people and don't be quiet. I am with you, and no one will hurt you..." Acts 18:9–10

So Paul was taken to court. As he was about to speak in front of the judge, Gallio stops him and says, "I would listen to you (the Jews) if you were complaining about a crime or some wrong. But the things you are saying are only questions about words and names—arguments about your own law. So you must solve this problem yourselves. I don't want (NIV says - I will not) to be a judge of these things." (Acts 18:14–15 And Gallio made them leave the court.

I wonder what the judge assigned to our case is going to do? I have no idea. But you have to wonder, is he refusing to be the judge of these matters? I don't know. Here is what I do know:

• We are God's people. My sister and brother-in-law say they are Christians as well.
• God's Word clearly lays out how Christian people should handle conflict.

 I Corinthians 6:1–8 - "When you have something against another Christian, how can you bring yourself to go before judges who are not right with God?" (Side note: this is not making a statement against the judge assigned to our case or any other individual judge about their personal beliefs which may or may not be "Christian." This is talking about Believers taking their conflict to the world's court system instead of following God's clearly outlined system for handling disputes among fellow Believers.) "Why do you not let God's people decide who is right? Surely you know that God's people will judge the world. So if you are to judge the world, are you not able to judge small cases as well? You know that in the future we will judge angels, so surely we can judge the ordinary things of this life. If you have ordinary cases that must be judged, are you going to appoint people as judges who mean nothing to the church? I say this to shame you. Surely there is someone among you wise enough to judge a complaint between believers. But now one believer goes to court against another believer—and you do this in front of unbelievers!" It continues... "The fact that you have lawsuits against each other shows that you are already defeated. Why not let yourselves be wronged? Why not let yourselves be cheated? But you yourselves do wrong and cheat, and you do this to other believers!"

God's word is very clear!  Here is more of what I know:

• My sister and brother-in-law flatly refused to follow God's plan on how to handle disputes. They tried to "appear" as if they wanted to follow Matthew 18 and "restore fellowship." They called our Pastors and tried to arrange a meeting between all of us, but it was all a guise. Their true purpose was to humiliate us and harm our ministries while attempting to shame us into submission. We are so grateful our Pastor's saw through the attempted manipulation. Oh, the lies that would have been said. They would have claimed the same things they've now said under oath. How at the first meeting they came back to "just listen" to us so they could understand what was troubling us (when nothing could be farther from the truth); they just don't understand what has happened; I am emotionally unstable, etc. The first meeting (just like this lawsuit) was fueled by anger and filled with vicious attacks, and the eventual letter they sent to our Senior Pastor clearly shows what tactics they would have used. 
• Our Pastor offered to facilitate an arbitration (using a person of their choice) within a national Christian organization they claimed to be affiliated with. Arbitration would have clearly followed God's plan—and they flatly refused. They were not interested in a meeting where facts from both sides would be presented. They were not interested in a compromise. They only wanted total control, dominance, and manipulation. 
• God provided two fellow Believers, two Christian men to buy the project for over a million dollars which would have thereby ended the dispute. Each party would have recouped most of their investment. My sister and brother-in-law flatly refused to even consider it even though they mentioned the sale of the project as an option only weeks earlier. The truth was revealed. They wanted it all. The "sale option" they presented was only a threatening scare tactic they hoped to use to bring us once again under their control. The sale of the project would have prevented their carefully crafted plan of taking it ALL. They threatened to sue to stop the sale if we sold it without their "permission." We found out later we would have had the legal right to do so, but we would have never tried to use a "legal right" to be in control. 
• My sister and brother-in-law united together and filed this vicious lawsuit in the world's court system—determined to "get" us in whatever way they could.
• The purpose of the lawsuit is to have the world's court uphold their devious and deceitful plan. Wow! That was kind of startling to write. We, over the course of time, have come to understand the tip of the iceberg of their capacity to commit devious wrongs and cheat others. But I am just now beginning to understand there is a lot more to the iceberg, and there is a lot which has not yet been exposed. It explains why they are trying to get the world's court system to help them achieve their wrong, cheating, and (let's call it what it is) sinful goals. Oh.my.goodness. Their dependence is not on God, it is on the world, which "shows that you are already defeated." 
• God sent us His promises of protection and provision through Jane (Her Name Was Jane) to encourage us and strengthen us.
• The judge has had their motions to determine what parts of their lawsuit can continue on for three years and four months and he still has not made a ruling. Clearly the hand of God at work.

Is the judge, like Gallio, refusing to make a ruling? I don't know. What we absolutely know is God is in control and we trust Him. We are convinced that however this ends it will be by the hand of God, and all will know that HE IS THE LORD!


Next Entry: Acts 18:1–28 (Continued)