Acts 22:20 Watching over the coats...

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Aug 10, 2019
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Canada
#1
Today is the first Sunday since March that I'm unable to attend worship services....I'm in the Canadian military and sometimes my shifts fall on a Sunday. Usually I'm given permission to leave and attend worship when I'm scheduled on a Sunday, but today we're undermanned. Oh well, duty calls. I started my slow walk back to faith about 12 years ago in 2007 and its only over the past year that I've become much more intentional in putting Christ at the center of all things...and I still have a long way to go. Old habits die hard. Part of my testimony is acknowledging the person I was before I was saved, before I accepted the healing Grace that God provided me with the sacrifice of His Son.

Even though I can't get to church I can still dive into His word, Sundays are not at all busy. Acts 22:20 says this: 'And when the blood of Stephen your witness was being shed, I myself was standing by and approving and watching over the garments of those who killed him.’

Saul (aka Paul) didn't participate in the stoning of Stephen, but he approved. Sin isn't just what we do of course, its also what we fail to do. This is a sin I've been guilty of, I still have trouble defending the faith in some circumstances although I'm getting much better at it of late.

The broader culture is so "ME" centered these days...and even the simple belief in a power beyond oneself is ridiculed. How often do we see Jesus ridiculed in popular culture, on TV shows like South Park and the Simpsons....followers pushed to the margins as simpletons who believe in the invisible man in the sky. In today's world we're all supposed to be masters of our own destinies, the belief that we're all part of a larger story is not something that has much traction and hasn't for a long time now.

I'm going to share a song I hear often....that speaks to this point. The persistent lie that we're fed is that we're in charge.


Of course testifying here is easy....we're all preaching to the choir to use an old phrase. But it is good practice, if we can do it here we can put on that armor that we need to do it when it counts, at times when the reaction is at best indifferent or at worst hostile.
 
Dec 12, 2013
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#2
You know.....I think maturity plays a big roll....when I started getting right in 1989-90 I wrote a letter apologizing for my lifestyle, lack of witness and testified of JESUS and then gave it out to everyone I could find that I had "partied" with (lots of drugs) and I had a zeal to witness, but was scared or embarrassed etc. to do so.....Then I had to start giving devotionals in the church I was attending in like 1992 and going to Seminary to "catch up" on my knowledge as we had to study through the bible twice a year for 4 years and they gave us and taught us the tools to use to actually study with. Now after speaking on the radio, cable tv, internet, some 30 churches, church camps etc.....I have no problem witnessing the truth and could care less if they mock me, ridicule me, make fun of me.......at the end of the day they are not rejecting me, but rather JESUS.......

Semper Fi from an 80's American Marine bro......keep swinging the sword and let the chips fall where they fall
 
Aug 10, 2019
552
437
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Canada
#3
Thanks brother, brother in Christ, brother in arms....I'm nearing the end of my military career, sometime next year I'll begin another chapter, thinking of taking some theology type courses...its paid for as part of the transition back to civilian life, have to see if religious studies will qualify.
 
Dec 12, 2013
46,515
20,395
113
#4
Thanks brother, brother in Christ, brother in arms....I'm nearing the end of my military career, sometime next year I'll begin another chapter, thinking of taking some theology type courses...its paid for as part of the transition back to civilian life, have to see if religious studies will qualify.
Cool........yeah I went to catch up on knowledge and because I was identified with the denomination was able to attend practically for free.........learned a multitude in those few short years......it seems the end of the age is near for sure.......time is short for humanity and soon the God of heaven rises to burn the earth in his wrath....many, yea most are blind to this truth
 
Aug 10, 2019
552
437
63
Canada
#5
Cool........yeah I went to catch up on knowledge and because I was identified with the denomination was able to attend practically for free.........learned a multitude in those few short years......it seems the end of the age is near for sure.......time is short for humanity and soon the God of heaven rises to burn the earth in his wrath....many, yea most are blind to this truth
I'm not so sure the end is near, I think my end is closer than the end of this age....either way I'm ready.