The Small Branch

 There is often a big difference between being religious and truly loving Jesus.  There have been people throughout history that were "religious" but had nothing to do with the One True God.  Acts 19 talks about religious people who worship Artemis.  They joined in a riot where the whole crowd simply shouted "Great is Artemis of  the Ephesians!" (see verses 28 and 34).  But notice verse 32: "So then, some were shouting one thing and some another, for the assembly was in confusion and the majority did not know for what reason they had come together. " (emphasis mine).  Mob mentality.  How many "religious" people are caught up in mob mentality?  There are psychologist devoted to studying this phenomenon.  Basically, people go along with the mob whether they understand what the mob is fighting for or not.  God does not call us to have a mob mentality.  He wants us to know  Him.  He wants us to know  what we believe and why.   Going to church doesn&#

 Have you ever felt pressure to witness in "just the right way" so that someone would come to know Christ?  Have you ever thought, "Oh no, I forgot to pray for that person's salvation today!  What will happen?"  I'll admit to thoughts like that.  For me, they come from a background of people teaching me that Jesus was necessary for salvation, but then I had better get to work to sanctify myself.  Of course, that isn't what the Bible teaches.  I have been studying Acts recently, and I came upon some verses I wanted to share with you. Acts 16:14 says, "A woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a worshipper of God, was listening; and the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul." Acts 18:9 and 10 say, "And the Lord said to Paul in the night by a vision, "Do not be afraid any longer but go on speaking and do not be silent; for I am with you , and no man will attack you in order to h

 In Acts 17:16-34, Paul is in Athens, a city "full of idols" (v. 16).  We are told that the Athenians had so many idols that they even had one "TO AN UNKNOWN GOD."  Verse 21 gives us further insight: "Now all the Athenians and the strangers visiting there used to spend their time in nothing other than telling or hearing something new."  Even after Paul tells them about Creator God, the one True God, and Jesus Christ, they just want to hear him again.  Very few believed.  You see, the Athenians had a mishmash of beliefs and, because of their love of talking and debating new ideas, they just kept adding to the mishmash.  It makes me think of paint colors.  When you see a pretty new color, if you choose to add it to all of the other colors, all you end up with is a really ugly brown.  You have lost all the other colors.  Mixing ideas together doesn't always end up with great thought.  It certainly doesn't end up with noble-mindedness.  Often, we mix i

 What is nobility?  The dictionary defines nobility as the quality of being noble in character, mind, birth, or rank.  Noble means belonging to a class of aristocracy or having fine personal qualities or morals.  Basically, nobility means that you are somehow "above" those around you.   Acts 17:11 says, "Now these were more noble-minded  than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so."  The Bereans were considered to think like nobility because they searched the Scriptures checking what they were taught against Truth.  These men and women were "above" others in their thinking because they were thinking for themselves and thinking about Scripture.  They didn't trust anyone when it came to what they needed to learn.  They trusted in the Word of God and therefore made sure that those they were listening too measured up to the standard of God's Word.   Are

 Acts 16 tells of Paul and Silas' missionary journey.  At one point, they are put in prison after being beaten with rods.  Their feet are even put in stocks.  But look at verse 25: "But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them;"  You know they were probably in too much pain to sleep, but they aren't complaining.  They are worshipping.  Their eyes are fixed on Jesus, not themselves or their circumstances (Hebrews 12:1-2).  This is lesson enough for us, but did you catch the last part of the verse?  I must admit, as many times as I have read that verse, the last part didn't really strike me until this morning. The last part of Acts 16:25 says, "and the prisoners were listening to them;"  Their fellow prisoners, criminals, were  listening.   They weren't mocking or ignoring or even sleeping.  They were listening.   How many times in our lives are people listening to us?  When

 I haven't been posting much because I am feeling a little lost.  I know that God always has a plan for my day and a plan for the whole of my days, but sometimes I feel like I can't possibly figure out what that is.  I usually end up doing something lazy at that point because I just don't really know what to do with my time.   This morning, I was continuing my study of the New Testament in Acts.  Acts 16:6-8 says, "They passed through the Phrygian and Galatian region, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia; and after they came to Mysia, they were trying to go into Bithynia, and the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them; and passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas."  Paul and Silas needed direction.  They needed to know where to go and where to preach.  Did God make it a mystery?  something hard to figure out?  NO!  He made it clear to them by His Spirit. Why isn't it as clear to us?  Mostly, we aren't very good listeners.  If we