FROM GOD

By Rick Mathes

Acts 5:39 but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them; or else you may even be found fighting against God.

When I was quite young I was cleaning out our garage and I stumbled upon a box of letters my natural dad had mailed to my mom with in a field of battle in WWII before he paid the ultimate cost with his life. The first thing I noticed was that our handwriting was very similar and I got an insight to a daddy I had no memory of. Most important was when I touched the letter with my hand I felt a connection with him as I do my Jesus when I handle the Holy Bible. The Word of God is just that, the words of Jesus to us. It’s a love letter from God and it sends us the instructions we need to follow from our maker that will optimize His image and likeness in us. Isn’t that just like the daddy (Abba) you have always wanted; lessons and instructions from God?

Our first and most important task is to pick up our cross and follow Him. We must die to self so that all of His gifts may be seeped, watered and blossomed. This is the invitation as we fervently pray in one accord.

The natural outcome of his death to self and resurrection in Him is to teach the gospel or be a soul winning evangelist. Both gifts come graciously from the hand of God empowered and guided by His partner the Holy Spirit. I have never attended or lead a Bible study that I haven’t gotten something worthwhile out of it. You just need to put up your spiritual antennae and let the Holy Spirit lead. When you’ve attended a powerful study you just have to tell someone and that is evangelism.

Discussing the Word is of God but dividing is of the devil. There aren’t any denominations in heaven. Father God is not a Presbyterian. Jesus is not a Southern Baptist and the Holy Spirit is not a Pentecostal. It isn’t what you know that get’s you to heaven, it’s who you know

When the Spirit is upon us we preach Jesus and are responsible to His commands as we exhort, rebuke and encourage fellow Christians with His words and admonishments: all from God. Iron truly does sharpen iron. Remember He sent them out in twos. There was much wisdom in this and we should learn from it.

We can accept what is of the devil by commission, omission, and permission. You can flat out boldly sin: commission. You can package your sin in religion: omission. Or you can permit others to sin without correcting: permission. All three are smoldering form the flames of hell because they aren’t from God, they are from Reverend Lucifer!