Happy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving. Definitely the best holiday of the year. Hope you had a great one. Just wanted to pass along a thought I had yesterday. Decided I'd look up the first mention of any form of the word "thank" in the Bible. It's Leviticus 7:12 If he offer it for a thanksgiving, then he shall offer with the sacrifice of thanksgiving unleavened cakes mingled with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil, and cakes mingled with oil, of fine flour, fried.

So the first mention of thanksgiving has to do with sacrifice. I thought that was interesting.

I'm glad that somewhere in our history, the leaders of this nation thought it important to set aside a special day and give thanks to God. And I'm glad that there are still those who celebrate it for what it is – a day of thanksgiving to the God who has blessed us in so many ways.

But if you think about it, the way in which we celebrate a day of thanksgiving has little to do with sacrifice. Not saying there's anything wrong with feasting. God ordained some of those for the Jews in the OT. Not saying there's anything wrong with getting together with family and friends for a meal and good times. The Lord encouraged His people to do it.

But I believe we'd do well to take note of the fact that in the Bible the giving of thanks is closely associated with the word "sacrifice." So let's be sure to include some of that, both today, and every day, as we humbly acknowledge God as the giver of so many good and perfect gifts. Happy Thanksgiving!

Psalm 107:22 And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.

Psalm 116:17 I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the LORD.

Jonah 2:9 But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.

Hebrews 13:15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.

Click here to listen to an excellent lesson on Biblical Thanksgiving by Brother Wade Shiu.

Biblical Decision Making

Joel 3:14 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.

Going through some lessons in an excellent workbook entitled Christian Manhood (click here) with our young men on a once-a-month basis. The lesson this past Sunday night was on decision making. Here are some notes I gathered in my study.

INTRO

There is nothing we do more than make decisions. It would be impossible to calculate the number of decisions we make throughout the course of the day. Some are made subconsciously without even realizing it. Others are made very carefully and thoughtfully and deliberately. Some are seemingly inconsequential. Others can and will drastically alter the course of our entire lives.

Since we cannot escape making decisions; since we make them on a momentary basis; since the decisions we make all carry consequences and shape the course of our lives here on earth and into eternity, it’s important that we study how to make good, wise, biblical decisions.

TYPES OF DECISIONS

COMMON OR EVERYDAY DECISIONS

1. Follow the word of God. Psalm 119:133; Psalm 119:105

2. Make a habit of self-denial. Luke 9:23; 1 Corinthians 9:25-27

3. In ALL things seek to glorify God. 1 Corinthians 10:31; Colossians 3:17; Revelation 4:11

4. Beware of slothfulness. Do hard things. Proverbs 26; Ecclesiastes 9:10; Colossians 3:23-24

5. Learn to be resourceful. Avoid wasting. Proverbs 18:9

6. Beware of the crowd. 1 John 5:19; Exodus 23:2

TEMPTATION DECISIONS

Truths About Temptation:

1. Temptation is common to all. 1 Corinthians 10:13; James 1:14

2. It presents us with a choice – to yield or to resist. 1 Corinthians 10:13; James 1:14-15

3. God will provide a way of escape, but it’s up to us to take it. 1 Corinthians 10:13; 2 Peter 2:9; Hebrews 2:18

Making the Right Choices Regarding Temptation:

1. Do not put yourself in compromising situations. Proverbs 22:3; Romans 13:14; Matthew 6:13

2. Run from them when necessary. 1 Timothy 6:11; 2 Timothy 2:22; 1 Corinthians 6:18

3. Decide ahead of time how you will respond. Daniel 1:8

SPIRITUAL DECISIONS

1. Salvation – choose to place your trust in Jesus Christ while you still have opportunity. Romans 10:9-10; Isaiah 55:6-7; John 6:44; 2 Corinthians 6:2

2. Conviction – choose to agree with the Holy Spirit when He puts His finger on something in your life, and work to get it right immediately. 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Peter 3:21; Genesis 6:3

3. Surrender – on a daily basis, renew your commitment to doing God’s will, not your own. Romans 12:1-2

4. Direction – decide to act on the promptings the Holy Spirit will place on your heart. Ephesians 5:18

PRIORITY DECISIONS

1. Our problem is that we are halt between two opinions. 1 Kings 18:21

2. We must be single-minded. Matthew 6:24, 33; James 1:8; Psalm 86:11

3. God over everything else. Matthew 23:27; Matthew 4:10

4. Spiritual over temporal. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18; Romans 8:6

5. Others over self. Philippians 2:1-5

6. What is best over what is OK. Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 6:12

LIFE DECISIONS

How to determine where to go to college, what type of career to pursue, who to marry, where to live, whether or not to take that job, etc. Weighty decisions that will drastically affect your life.

1. Follow the word of God. Psalm 119:133; Psalm 119:105

2. Seek out and give heed to sound, Biblical counsel. Proverbs 11:14; Proverbs 12:15; Proverbs 15:22; Proverbs 20:5

3. Devote much prayer to the matter. Philippians 4:6-7; 1 John 5:14

4. Coupled with prayer, trust the Lord. Psalm 62:8; Proverbs 3:5-7

5. Walk in the light God has given you. If your actions prove you are not interested in following God’s instructions, He is under no obligation to provide further instruction. Proverbs 2:7; Proverbs 3:5-7; Ephesians 5:17

Proverbs 2:7 He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.

THINGS WE OUGHT TO CHOOSE

1. To serve the Lord. Joshua 24:15

2. The blessings of obedience. Deuteronomy 30:19

3. The fear of the Lord. Proverbs 1:29

4. A good name. Proverbs 22:1

5. Things that please God. Isaiah 56:4; 66:4

Paul's Trip to Jerusalem

Acts 20:22 And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there: Acts 21:4 And finding disciples, we tarried there seven days: who said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem.

Scofield notes on the above verses:

In Acts 20:22 Paul’s own spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:23, note) is meant; in Acts 21:4 the Holy Spirit. Paul’s motive in going to Jerusalem seems to have been his great affection for the Jews (Romans 9:1-5), and his hope that the gifts of the Gentile churches, sent by him to poor saints at Jerusalem (Romans 15:25-28), would open the hearts of the law-bound Jewish believers to the “gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24).

Let’s line up the verses and run this matter through the book of Acts.

Acts 18:21. He leaves Ephesus saying, “I must by all means keep this feast that cometh at Jerusalem.”

Acts 19:21. Paul purposed in his spirit to go to Jerusalem.

Acts 20:16. He hasted to get to Jerusalem for the feast of Pentecost, if at all possible. (It appears that he did not make it to Jerusalem for the feast of Acts 18:21 because in 20:16 he determines to sail by Ephesus – where he left in 18:21 – on his way to Jerusalem for the feast of Pentecost.)

Acts 20:22-23. Paul is bound by HIS spirit to go to Jerusalem. Says he doesn’t know what will happen, but figures if he’s persecuted, then it’ll be no different than his treatment in any other city.

Acts 21:4. Warned by disciples in Tyre, “who said to Paul through the Spirit that he should not go up to Jerusalem.”

Acts 21:10-12. In Caesarea, Agabus (through the Holy Ghost) tells Paul exactly what will happen when he goes to Jerusalem. His companions and the believers urge him not to go. Paul answers, “What mean ye to weep and to break MINE heart.”

Acts 22:17-20. The Lord gave Paul one more shot once he got to Jerusalem. While he was praying in the temple, he was in a trance and saw the Lord telling him, “Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning him.” Instead of dropping everything and skipping town, Paul stayed and tried to reason with the Lord. The Lord answered, “Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles.”

It couldn’t be any more clear. Paul went to Jerusalem because he wanted do – despite the fact that God left no doubt about the fact that it wasn’t what He wanted Paul to do. A couple lessons we learn from this. (1) Don’t follow Paul’s example. It didn’t end well, and it never will. (2) Don’t exalt a man. It’s OK to follow Paul – as he follows Christ. But even Paul’s going to let you down every now and then. So keep your eyes on Jesus. He’s always faithful. He’s always true. He never fails.

Acts 23:11. And here’s the third lesson: (3) Don’t let past failures keep you from doing what you can for the Lord today and in the future. Yeah, Paul messed up. But God wasn’t through with him. “Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.” Forget what’s behind, reach forth to what’s before, and press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:13-14).

ADDITIONAL NOTES

Acts 24:11. Paul says he went to Jerusalem to worship.

Acts 24:17. Paul says he went to Jerusalem to bring alms.

Scofield’s note from Acts 9:26 – The Acts records four visits of Paul to Jerusalem after his conversion: (1) Acts 9:23-30. This seems identical with the visit of Galatians 1:18-19. The “apostles” of verse 27 were Peter, and James, the Lord’s brother. (2) Acts 11:30. Paul may have been in Jerusalem during the events of Acts 12:1-24 (see v. 25). (3) Acts 15:1-30; Galatians 2:2-10. (4) Acts 21:17-23, 35.

Believers & the Law in the Book of Acts

Old habits die hard. The mystery revealed by God through the Apostle Paul is that God would draw Jew and Gentile alike into one spiritual body, the church; that there was neither Jew nor Gentile, but that all were one in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:26), and that they were not under the law but under grace (Romans 6:14).

Now the church began way back in John 20:19-23 when God breathed life into that body of believers (compare Genesis 2:7; Ezekiel 37). However, as you read through the book of Acts, it’s apparent that the idea took a little while to catch on (2 Peter 3:16), even for the one who was eventually God’s instrument in making the revelation known.

Let’s run the verses on this.

Acts 15:19. The Jerusalem council determines not to bind the Gentile believers with the yoke of the law.

Acts 15:9-11. But during the council Peter also states (1) that there is no difference between the Jew and Gentile and (2) that the Jews have never been able to keep the law anyway.

Acts 16:3. Yet, before Timothy joins Paul on his travels, Paul has him circumcised. (Paul later learns better and doesn’t make the same mistake with Titus, Galatians 2:3-5).

Acts 18:18. Paul makes some kind of vow and shaves his head at Cenchrea. The reference in my margin is to the vow of the Nazarites (Numbers 6:18), but the shaving of the head in that instance was to be done at the door of the tabernacle. Whatever this was for, the implication is that it had something to do with Jewish law-keeping. I mean, I doubt he shaved his head because he lost a bet on a football game.

Acts 21:18-26. Curious. When Paul gets to Jerusalem, the elders introduce him to thousands of believing Jews who are zealous of the law and confront him about teaching Jews who live among the Gentiles to forsake the law of Moses.

Wait a second. If the Gentiles are not to be bound by the yoke of the law (Acts 15:19) and there is no difference between the Jews and the Gentiles (Acts 15:9-11), then why are these Jews zealous of the law, and why is it a problem for Paul to teach SAVED Jews who are a part of the church to forsake the law of Moses?

However, Paul responds by going along to the elders’ suggestion that he go down to the temple and purify himself with four men which have a vow on them. Seems like this would have been an excellent opportunity to withstand them to the face (as he did Peter in Galatians 2:11).

Interesting, huh? And here’s what I can take from it. What a blessing it is to have God’s complete revelation! 2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Thoughts from Acts

Acts 14:17 Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.

God’s witnesses:

• The creation – Romans 1:20; Psalm 19:1-6
• The conscience – Romans 2:4, 15
• The Christian – Luke 24:46-48; Acts 1:8

Acts 19:19-20 Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.

Not until the books were burned did the word of God grow and prevail. I wonder what it is that’s keeping God’s word from prevailing in our hearts and lives. Maybe it’s time for a bonfire?

Acts 20:35 I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

There is a course this fall at DSB on How to Read and Study the Bible. Here’s a classic example of the principle of progressive revelation; that is, that God reveals truth over time, and earlier truth must be interpreted in light of later truth. In this instance, the quotation is found nowhere in the gospels. Of course, that doesn’t mean Jesus never said it (John 21:25). God just chose to include it later on down that road.

And if you’ll try it out, you’ll find it’s true. It IS more blessed to give than to receive.

Acts 22:4 And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.

The term “the/this/that way” is used throughout the book of Acts in much the same way that “the faith” is used throughout the epistles – as a reference to Biblical Christianity in general. John 14:6 w/ Acts 9:2; 19:9; 19:23; 22:4; 24:14; 24:22.

Acts 25:6 And when he had tarried among them more than ten days, he went down unto Caesarea; and the next day sitting on the judgment seat commanded Paul to be brought.

Acts 25:17 Therefore, when they were come hither, without any delay on the morrow I sat on the judgment seat, and commanded the man to be brought forth.

Unless I’m missing something, here’s a glimpse at our rotten, sinful human nature. Without any delay? On the morrow? Really? Sorry, Festus; Agrippa might have believed you, but it’s God that you’ve got to worry about. And He’s pretty sharp on His record keeping (Revelation 20:12). He knows you delayed for more than 10 days, you liar.

Now, wait a second. Which of us isn’t guilty of the same? Bending the truth just a bit to somebody who would never know the difference, just to make us look better. Let’s read James 2:10 and Revelation 21:8, and thank God we have a Savior!