A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES: AN ALL IMPORTANT DECISION P/2

 

                                                  

                                                           Read Part One HERE

A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES                                                                                             

                  AN ALL IMPORTANT DECISION

                                    PART TWO

"I, Abraham, am so grateful to God for my son Isaac... He truly is God's gift to my wife Sarah and me... Especially, because he was born to us when I was already when one hundred years old and Sarah was ninety years old... Isaac has now grown up... It is time for him to get married.... I am too old to find a wife for him....I have, therefore, asked my trusted servant Eliezer to find a wife for my son.... I know that he can be trusted to choose a suitable wife for my son...However,  haveI told him that he should not choose a wife for my son from among the people we are living...I have told him to go to the country I am from originally... And find a wife for my son from among my relatives... I believe that the Lord will send an angel ahead of my servant to help him find the right wife for my son Isaac."... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn that Abraham asks his trusted servant Eliezer to find a wife for his son Isaac...

 

                             A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   AN ALL IMPORTANT DECISION                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    PART TWO                                                                                    

Isaac, Abraham's and Sarah's son, grows up and one day Abraham instructs his servant Eliezer to find a wife for his son. His structions are very specific about who he should choose for the wife of his son Isaac as you can read in Genesis 24:1-9

Abraham was not old and advanced in years, and the Lord had blessed him in every way. He said to the chief servant in his household, the one in charge of all that he had, "Put your hand under my thigh. I want you to swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am living, but will go to my country and my own relatives and get a wife for my son Isaace." The servant asked him, "What if the woman is unwilling to come back with me to this land? Shall I then take your son back to the country you came from?" "Make sure that you do not take my son back there," Abraham said, "The Lord, the God of heaven who brought me out of my father's household and my native land and who spoke to me and promised me on oath, saying,"To your offspring I will give this land" - He will send His angel before you so that you can get a wife for my son from there. If the woman is unwilling to come back with you, then you will be released from this oath of mine. Only do not take my son back there." So the servant put his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham and swore an oath to him concerning this matter.

Having made a promise to his master Abraham, the servant Eliezer begins to prepare for his trip to the country where his master has originally come from. He plans to leave as soon as all the preparations have been made.   

Read Part Three HERE                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

                                                                                                                         

                        

 

A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES: AN ALL IMPORTANT DECISION PART/1

 

                                                                                                                                          

                                                                                  

A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

             AN ALL IMPORTANT DECISION                                                                          

                                   PART ONE  

"Please allow me to introduce myself... My name is Abraham, though I used to be called Abram until God changed my name into Abraham... My wife's name is Sarah... We live in Canaan even though we are not originally from this country.. We are here because God told us to leave our family and our country and go to a land that He would show us... God told us as well that He would make us into a great nation and that I would be a blessing.... When God spoke these words to me I had a hard time believing them because I did not have a son... However, God eventually gave us a son... My wife Sarah became pregnant when she was already very old... And I was ten years older than her... Our baby son was born when Sarah was ninety years old and I was one hundred years old.... We named our baby Isaac."... Please read the typed out attachment of Abraham, his wife Sarah and their son Isaac...

                       A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES                                  

                         ATTACHMENT AN ALL IMPORTANT DECISION

                                                            PART ONE

In this story we will focus on a young woman named Rebekah. However, before doing so, we will take a brief look at a man named Abraham. You can read of him in Genesis 12:1-3

The Lord had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you: I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you , and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."

Abraham had obeyed God and had taken his wife Sarah, his nephew Lord and his servants with him and they had travelled to the land of Canaan. Eventually they had a son named Isaac as you can read in Genesis 21:1-5

Now the Lord was gracious to Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did for Sarah what He had promised. Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him. Abraham gave the name Isaac to the son Sarah bore him. When his son Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him. Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.

It has taken a long time for God to come through for Abraham and Sarah. However, they eventually had a son so God's promise that Abraham would become a great nation can actually be fulfilled. How is that for you, are you still waiting for God to fulfill a promise to you? If that is you then don't give up for God will fulfill His promise to you but it will be in His time and not in your time.

Read Part Two HERE

 

 

DESTINATION ROME VIA MALTA: A CHALLENGING SEA JOURNEY P/25

                                                                                 

                                                                                    Read Part One HERE

A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                    PART XXVIII - XII

"It has been two years since I, Paul, arrived in Rome as a prisoner of Ceasar... When I first arrived here I spent a day with a group of Jewish leaders... They told me they did not know anything about my situation...They then invited many more Jewish men to listen to me... And they all came to my home... I remember that day very well still... I spent all day teaching them from the Scriptures that the promise of the long-awaited Messiah had in fact been fulfilled in the Lord Jesus Christ... I remember as well that the majority of the men listening to me that day were unwilling to accept my words to them... It was obvious that their hearts were just as calloused as the hearts of their foreathers... I ended the meeting that day by telling them that God's salvation has been sent to the Gentiles... And that they would listen.... Sadly, many of these men never came back to hear me preach... But I am glad to say that there have been many others, Jews as well as Gentiles, who have come to my home... And they have now become followers of The Way... Today I received news that I have been released.... That mans that I am once again free to come and go as I wish... But I am not really free... For I am a bond slave of the Lord Jesus Christ....He will let me know where I am to go next.... Will I return to Rome one day?.... Possibly... Will I be imprisoned again at that time?... Possibly... I am willing to come back to Rome and be imprisoned again and even be put to death if that serves the cause of Christ."... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn that Paul stayed for a full two years in Rome before being released....

                        

                         ATTACHMENT A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                                                          PART XXVIII - XII

Does this last meeting with the Jewish men so discourage Paul that he stops preaching the good news while in Rome? No, not at all, for there are those who are willing to listen to him as you can read in Acts 28:30-31

For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. Boldly and without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.

He lives in Rome for two years before being released because of lack of evidence against him. During that period many lives are touched and changed because of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. The lives that are changed may well have included the lives of those Jewish people who were open to his message at that first meeting.

Some years later Paul is once again imprisoned in Rome and at that time he is beheaded.

P.S. I  have come to the end of "A Walk Through The Book Of Acts." Next time I will begin to share a story called "An All Important Decision."

DESTINATION ROME VIA MALTA: A CHALLENGING SEA JOURNEY P/24

   

                                                                                    Read Part One HERE

A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                      PART XXVIII - XI

"I, Paul, looked at the large group of Jewish men in front of me.... They had come to my home in Rome at my invitation.... I cannot go out to see them because I am under house arrest... But they are able to come to me... We have spent most of the day together... I have used that time to explain to them from the Scriptures that the promise of the long awaited Messiah has been fulfulled in the Lord Jesus Christ.....However, I have come to realise that many of the people present are not willing to accept my explanation... Even though they know the Scriptures I have used to make that point.... It is clear that they are very much like their forefathers in that their hearts are calloused.... Just as the hearts of their forefathers were calloused.... I have now only one more thing to say to them...They will be very upset with my final statement.... Nevertheless, it needs to be said.... For it is the truth... I have to tell them that God's salvation has been sent to the Gentiles.... And they will listen.".... Pleae read the typed out attachment when you will learn of Paul's final words to the Jewish men who had gathered at his home in Rome...

                          ATTACHMENT A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                                                            PART XXVIII - XI

"From the reaction of the people Paul realises that the majority of the people present at the meeting at his home in Rome are not willing to accept his message so he closes the meeting with a quotation from the Prophet Isaiah and then announces to them to whom God will send His salvation from now on as you can read in Acts 28:28

"Therefore, I want you to know that God's salvation has been sent to the Gentiles and they will listen."

No doubt, it is heartbreaking for Paul to see most of his hearers unwilling to accept his message. His words that God is turning to the Gentiles instead is an indictment of their stubbornness. Nevertheless, Paul prayed for the rest of his life for his Jewish brothers to come to faith in Christ Jesus as we know from Romans 9:2-3

"I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race."

Read Part Twenty-Five HERE

 

 

 

 

DESTINATION ROME VIA MALTA: A CHALLENGING SEA JOURNEY P/23

                                                                                   Read Part One HERE

                                          

A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                   PART VIII - X

"I, Paul, had finished my teaching on the kingdom of God to the Jewish people who had gathered at my home in Rome.... They then began to discuss this teaching among themselves...Initially, their discussions seemed to be quite peaceful.... However, unfortunately, it did not remain peaceful...After a while, their discussiona became very heated.... It was clear that they could not come to an agreement as to what to think of what I had said.... This caused a number of them to get up as a sign that they no longer wanted to stay... I then sensed the Holy Spirit impressing upon my heart to share a final scripture with them... It is a passage from the Book of Isaiah....It was not an easy truth to have to share with them....However, I knew I had to obey the Lord... So I shared with them the words the Prophet Isaiah was told to speak to the people of his day... They were words my visitors would be very familiar with... It was the passage in which the Prophet declares about the people being unwilling to hear and see.".... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn about Paul sharing with the Jewish people at his home a passsage from the Book of Isaiah....

                             ATTACHMENT A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                                                               PART XXVIII - X

Sadly a disagreement breaks out among the Jewish people attending the meeting at the home of Paul in Rome as you can read in Acts 28:25a

They disagreed among themselves...

Paul ends the meeting with some strong words after which the people leave as you can read                    in Acts 28:25b - 27

.... And began to leave after Paul had made this final statement: "The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your forefathers when he said through Isaiah the Prophet: "Go to this people and say, "You will ever be hearing but never understanding; you will ever be seeing but never perceiving." For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them."

It will have been a very sad day for Paul when he sees most of the men turning away from the message he had been preaching to them all day. However, he knows he has fulfilled his task by sharing the truth of the Gospel with them. The result is not in his hands. It is up to the people to accept his message or not. Sadly most of them seem to have rejected his message, at least that day.

Read Part Twenty-Four HERE

                                                                 

DESTINATION ROME VIA MALTA: A CHALLENGING SEA JOURNEY P/22

 

                                                                                    Read Part One HERE

A WALK  THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                     PART XXVIII - IX

"I, Paul, was very pleased that the meeting with the Jewish leaders the other day had gone quite well.... We had met at my home here in Rome at that time... They seemed to have been very open to what I had shared with them.... They had told me as well that they had not heard about a court case against me.... And I had had an opportinity to begin to talk with them about "the hope of Israel.".... That had caused them to ask me to share with them my view on The Way.... They seemed to have heard about it.... But what they had heard seemed to have been rumours only....I was very pleased when they asked me at that time if we could meet another day....I was only too happy to arrange another meeting with them...They came this morning....This time there were many more of them....The Jewish leaders have obviously spread the word around their community about this meeting today at my home...I am very pleased that I have a spacious home so I could receive many people and did not have to send  anyone away because of lack of space...I have already been talking to them for a number of hours.... We did have a short break a little while ago... But I have much to share so I continued talking very soon afterwards....I have been patiently teaching them on the Kingdom of God... And have been carefully explaining to them that the prophecies about the law of Moses and the prophets have been fulfilled in the person of Jesus..... From the expressions on the faces in front of me, it seems, at least some of them are in agreement with me....I'm sure I will soon find out."....

                          ATTACHMENT A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                                                            PART XXVIII - IX

Another day has been arranged for Paul to speak to the Jews. The  Jewish leaders invite many others from their community and at the arranged day they all come to hear him speak as you can read in Acts 28:23

They arranged to meet Paul on a certain day, and came in even larger numbers to the place where he was staying. From morning till evening he explained and declared to them the kindgdom of God and tried to convince them about Jesus from the law of Moses and from the Prophets.

Everyone listens very careully to what Paul shares with them. As a result some realise the truth of what he shares with them as you can read in Acts 28:24

Some were convinced by what he said, but others would not believe.

That day some became followers of The Way while others remained doubtful about what Paul shared.

Read Part Twenty-Three HERE

                                                     

                  

DESTINATION ROME VIA MALTA: A CHALLENGING SEA JOURNEY P/21

 

                                                                                    Read Part One HERE

A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                   PART XXVIII - VIII

"I, Paul, was quite surprised to learn from the Jewish leaders here in Rome that they had not heard about my case.... I was quite pleased about it as well.... That could possibly mean that they would not have any pre-conceived ideas about me... More importantly, it could possibly mean that they did not have any pre-conceived ideas about my message.... In fact, it seems they are quite keen to learn more about my message...I had begun to introduce my message to them when I had said to them that I am in chains because of "the hope of Israel."....The reason I decided to say that was because I was hoping I might provoke them to ask me a question.... I was hoping they might ask me to tell them more about "the hope of Israel."... And it seems they wanted to hear more....For they asked me to share with them my view on "the hope of Israel"..... Who is none other than the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ... His followers are called the followers of "The Way.".... It seems they have only heard remours about it from people who call us a sect.... I hope to soon be able to rectify that view."... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn that Paul has been asked to share his view on "The Way."....

                         ATTACHMENT A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                                                      PART XXVIII - VIII

Paul will have been pleased to know that the Jewish men who have come to meet with him at his home in Rome, are completely unaware of what has happened to him in Jerusalem, for that means they will not have any pre-conceived ideas about him in their minds.

The visitors then let Paul know that they are interesed to hear more from him as you can read                 in Acts 28:22

"But we want to hear what your views are, for we know that people everywhere are talking against this sect."

These words will have been music to Paul's ears for they are an invitation for him to declare the gospel of Jesus Christ in all its fullness to them. Who knows some of them may come to believe in the same Lord he loves and serves.

Read Part Twenty-Two HERE

DESTINATION ROME VIA MALTA: A CHALLENGING SEA JOURNEY P/20

   

                                                                                   Read Part One HERE

A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                  PART XXVIII - VII

"I, Paul, had told the Jewish leaders who had come to meet me at my home in Rome why I had ended up being in Rome.... I had told them that I had appealed to Ceasar.... I then knew it was time to tell them my real reason as to why I am in chains.... I am in chains becuase of "the hope of Israel."... I knew that these men in front of me would understand this term "the hope of Israel.".... For all of us, Jews, have for a long time already been looking forward to the prophesied Messiah.... He is considered to be "the hope of Israel.".... I now know that the prophesied Messiah... "The hope of Israel".... Has already lived among us...More than that.... He has died for us.... Has been resurrected.... And has already gone back to heaven... One day He will return as King of kings and Lord of lords.... These men do not know that as yet... They are still looking for "the hope of Israel" to appear... My prayer is that they will soon know... As I do....That "the hope of Israel" has already appeared.... As for my situation.... The Jewish leaders in front of me do not seem to have received any information about my case at all... They may, therefore, be quite open minded about hearing from me about "the hope of Israel.".... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn that Paul begins to talk to the Jewish leaders in Rome about "the hope of Israel."....

                           ATTACHMENT A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                                                           PART XVIII - VII

Paul then continues speaking to the Jewish leaders who had come to meet with him at his home in Rome by explaining to them why he is bound in chains as you can read in Acts 28:20

"For this reason I have asked to see you and talk with you. It is because of "the hope of Israel" that I am bound in chains."

Paul, knowing that he is in Rome to testify about the Lord Jesus, then uses that opportunity to begin to speak to his Jewish visitors about the fact that he is bound in chains because of "the hope of Israel," the Lord Jesus Christ. Having quietly listened to Paul, the visitors respond by letting Paul know that they do not know of his case as you can read in Acts 28:21

They replied, "We have not received any letters from Juda concerning you, and none of the brothers who had come from there has reported or said anything bad about you."

Paul may well have been relieved that these Jewish men have no knowledge of any case against him for it will make it easier for him to preach to them.

Read Part Twenty-One HERE

DESTINATION ROME VIA MALTA: A CHALLENGING SEA JOURNEY P/19

 

                                                                                   Read Part One HERE

A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS 

                    PART XXVIII - VI

"I, Paul, looked at the people in front of me... They were the Jewish leaders who had gathered at my home here in Rome... I could see that they were quietly listening to what I had begun to share with them.... I had invited them to my home because, as a prisoner of Caesar, I am not free to go out and about ... However, I am free to invite anyone I choose to my home...So I arranged this meeting three days after my arrival in Rome...I began to share with these Jewish leaders that, though I had not done anything wrong against our people, I had been arrested by the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem... Afterwards, I had been handed over to the Romans.... However, the Roman leaders in charge of my case had not found me guilty... So they had wanted to release me...But the Jews objected.... Consequently, I had no choice but to appeal to Caesar... That's why I am here.... I do want to people in front of me to know as well that I do not bring any charge against my own people...In fact, I know that I am really here because the Lord wants me to testify about Him here in Rome....He has been using the circumstances in my life.... As well as the people.... Be they Jews or Gentiles... To bring me here...I have no doubt that I will have opportunity to testify about Him.... Who knows.... I may have opportunity this very day to do so."... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn details of Paul's meeting with the Jewish leaders in Rome....

                    ATTACHMENT A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                                                         PART XXVIII - VI

Paul let the Jewish leaders living in Rome who are meeting with him, know that he has not been found guilty of anything he has been accused of as you can read in Acts 28:18

"They examined me and wanted to release me, because I was not guilty of any crime deserving death." 

He then shares with them the reason for his being in Rome as you can read in Acts 28:19

"But when the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar - not that I had any charge to bring against my own people."

Paul does not tell the Jewish leaders, who are visiting him, that he is in Rome because the Lord has told him he is to testify here just as he has done in Jerusalem. Instead, this time he uses as his reason the fact that the Jews objected to his release. No doubt, he is choosing his words carefully and he knows that talking to them about the visit of the Lord to him when he was in the barracks in Jerusalem will not help him in presenting his case in a clear and acceptable manner.

Read Part Twenty HERE