A Net in Time

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They Had Everything in Common

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Five verses remaining in this chapter of Acts. All week I’ve been thinking about how the people gathered when Peter and John returned prayed for boldness. And I don’t feel bold. I don’t feel bold enough to pray even though I know how big and caring God is. That makes me feel rather small inside.   And so I come to this section entitled They had everything in common. I find myself intrigued. Let’s dig in shall we? 

text they had everything in common Image of underside of mushroom

Acts 4:32-37

32 Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. 33 And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. 34 There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold 35 and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. 36 Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, 37 sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

Of one heart and soul

I was talking with a friend tonight and she mentioned how much she likes her new pastor.  He’s young and preaches sermons that are biblical.  BUT she struggles with some decisions being made.   And we talked a bit about how sometimes young pastors need to let things go in order to keep the peace in a congregation.  Making decisions without helping the congregation understand can be detrimental to the body of believers.   I come to this passage with that conversation in mind.

These people, this small congregation (I’m assuming small since they were all gathered together in a time when Christianity was frowned upon), were gathered together.  The full membership of this group of believers and we read: those who believed were of one heart and soul.

Can you imagine that?  Being such a unit as a group of believers?  I have a hard time conceiving of it.  I’ve never really been part of a body of believers like that. 

It sounds great though eh? 

Not only were they are one heart and soul but no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common.  GAH, that almost sounds like a cult eh?  Like the hippy groups that all stayed together?  BUT this was a group of believers genuinely caring and loving each other. No one was superior.  Equality and sharing everything.  This is where cults and hippy groups and communes fall apart eh?  Eventually someone wants to rise up, be the leader, or wants to take stuff from others or decides that something they have is theirs’ alone.  They forget the God is the one who brings them altogether… .that held belief in God.   I forget it too you, you know?  Even though I am  not part of a community like this… where we share everything in common… I sometimes forget that the person wearing perfume ahead of me is part of the family of God.  The mom with the screaming child is part of the family of God.  And so on.  It’s hard sometimes to remember. to hold it close that God is more than. 

And yet, these people did that.  They held it close this knowledge they were all in it together. And so they shared it all and held all their stuff in common.  A close knit group. 

Apostles Free to Share

This community was so close knit that the apostles were free to exercise the great power God gave them to share their testimony and to speak to the resurrection of Jesus.  And God’s grace… it’s actually says GREAT GRACE was upon them all.   Think on that.  If you are a believer you’ve already experienced grace upon grace, but would you call it great grace? 

33 And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.

What a special time you know?   Having the boldness to speak out. Being able to freely share the truth about God with others?  And being part of a close knit community.  How fantastic! 

No needy among them

Have you ever been part of a group of believers where if there is a known need, it stops being a need?  A co-worker goes to a smaller local church.  Having major car issues.  A couple in his church paid for his car to be operational… covered all costs.  That’s the kind of thing happening here.   People selling land, houses and what not so the needy among them could stop being needy. 

34 There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold 35 and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. 36 Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, 37 sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

Nice group to be part of right?  The freedom they had.   To ask and receive, to give and have it be useful. The immediacy would be so affirming.

Could I handle it?

I have to admit, I hold on to “my stuff” fairly hard.  It’s been good to this to take a hard look at some of the stuff I have and choose to get rid of some of it.  But still, it’s hard though.  The thought of getting rid of my stuff.  I’ll happily share a meal or stuff from my cupboards, give a kid a rabbit, or share produce from my garden, but it’s HARD to give up my stuff.  Stuff I worked hard to pay for. ERGO… as much as a community that is so tightly knit sounds really cool…. I’m fairly sure I’d struggle with it.  Selling land or homes or stuff to meet the needs of others…. OUCH.

BUT at the same time, if you are part of a tightly knit bunch you’d love each other. And for someone I love I’d give them the shirt off my back if they needed it.  So that is probably the key right?   God’s love for them brings them all together, Christ’s resurrection binds them together.  God’s great grace brings them into love and fellowship with each other.   Just totally together.  So then it wouldn’t be a struggle. It would family doing for family.  And that’s important.

woman and man hands reaching each other
Photo by Sachu Zayn on Pexels.com

Follow Along

 If you are interested in the rest of the series you will find them here eh?   

Praying for Boldness

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So on biblegateway, Acts 4:23-31 is given the title of Praying for Boldness.  After having reviewed the previous passage I’m wondering why?  The men, Peter and John, had already been bold in how they spoke to the council and answered them.   So let’s give this passage a look see and discern why huh?

Acts 4:23-31

23 When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, 25 who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit,

“‘Why did the Gentiles rage,
    and the peoples plot in vain?
26 The kings of the earth set themselves,
    and the rulers were gathered together,
    against the Lord and against his Anointed’—

27 for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 28 to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. 29 And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, 30 while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 31 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.

mottled shades of light blue and green. Text Praying for Boldness Acts 4:23-31

So Peter and John were told not to say anything and were released by the council. Their first action was to simply return to their friends.  Can’t blame them.  They’d have known that their friends would be worried about them and would need an update. They told their companions what was done and said. 

23 When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 

The response to this report was praise!  God was good. No harm happened to Peter and John.  They were questioned but not beaten.  They were threatened but not imprisoned, they were released. You can’t expect much better eh? 

24 And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God

Praise for who God is, the futility of those who would work against him, and here we have it.  A prayer for continued boldness on their part! 

Breaking down their Prayer

Recognition of who God is

  • sovereign Lord
  • Creator of heaven and earth and everything in the world
  • one who knows the future

and said, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, 25 who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit,

“‘Why did the Gentiles rage,
and the peoples plot in vain?
26 The kings of the earth set themselves,
and the rulers were gathered together,
against the Lord and against his Anointed’—

Cause you see, those quoted verses came from Psalm 2 and were spoken by David.  What was true in David’s time remains relevant to the time at hand. The Holy Spirit was David’s guide then. I love how the friends of Peter and John could see the futility of folks plotting against God.  It didn’t work in the past (in David’s time) and it won’t work now.  They have FULL confidence in God in this. 

After all they saw how the city was aligned against Jesus, the leadership as well as the Jews and Gentiles.  And despite all that God’s preordained plans still came to fruition. 

27 for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 28 to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.

They come to their ask Praying for Boldness

So now we come to their request of God. God, you see their threats.  They are real. We know your plans will out in the end, but it’s scary.  So let us, your servants, continue to speak your truth boldly.   That as you act and move that we are able to tell folks what is what. 

 29 And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, 30 while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”

God heard them.  He made the place they were in shake.  He filled them with the Holy Spirit.  They were emboldened, speaking the truth of God’s word. 

 31 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.

You know what!?!?!   I need to see God more clearly again. To have that strong confidence in him that I know that regardless of what happens it’s going to be okay.  That confidence will let me speak his truth to those around me. Sometimes I wonder what happened to me over the years.  Got to complacent in some ways, wasn’t challenged enough to really live out my faith maybe?

But I live in the now, not the past.  God is working at rebuilding me and that’s a good thing. I can hold to what I know and let him build the rest.

What about YOU?

Do you have a strong confidence in God?   Are you able to be bold in sharing his word?  Can you see clearly how God has worked in the past fulfilling his plans?  Does that help you see the future with him more clearly?  

Follow Along

 If you are interested in the rest of the series you will find them here eh?   

a Beginning or an end?

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It’s a beginning that’s for sure.  Of just perhaps it’s not quite the beginning that we thought it was.  Every beginning means something right?  So is it a beginning or an end, or both?  Let’s be a bit philosophical tonight eh?  🙂  A word prompt needs to be like that sometimes eh? 

image of man with cartoon rocket ready to take off. Text is a beginning or an end?

a beginning or an end?

It’s a beginning that’s for sure
A beginning of a new year,
the beginning of the end.
A beginning to gardening season,
and end to a season of rest.

In the beginning God created the world
it was a time when the universe,
so to speak, was nothing but a void.
But God spoke and gradually, the more
he spoke, the more was created.
A beginning of creation, was also
the ending of nothingness.

A new job starts, a beginning with
hope and promise. Bills paid, food to
buy, mad spending money.
A ending to quietness in a day, of depending
on others for help, a lack of freedom to
help others. It’s all balance.

In the beginning every thing was perfect.
God and man talked and walked together,
harmony was real. But then a deceiver came
along and this harmony was ended. A beginning
of sorrow and hardship came into being.
But even in the hardship, a new beginning
was promised to us, we the children of God.

Vacation time away, a beginning
of rest and relaxation. Time away
from all that is normal and steady.
An brief ending to routine, a necessary
stability for mental health. A worry about
things left undone, or needing to trust
others to pick up the slack.

For to us a son is born
to us a son is given.
The governance of the world
will rest upon his shoulders.

a promise of a new start.
So we don’t need to fear the
future, because the future is
a promised new beginning, one that
promises an end to pain and suffering.

Before I forget, I put up a contest on my blog the other day!  A chance, if you are Canadian, to win a colouring book!   Go check it out eh?

Decisions are Made Everyday

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April showers bring May flowers, how does your garden grow?   Decisions, choices, pervade this season of life.  Well….   Any season of life right?  🙂  Decisions are made everyday.  Shall we explore that a little bit?

hand reflected in water, text decisions are made everyday

Decisions are Made Everyday

Everyday, decisions are made,
little bitty ones,
big, strong, life-changing ones.
and loads and loads of ones that
fit inbetween.

Decisions to try to be the
better person. To try to see
another’s perspective when they
seem to only see the negative in
anything you do. It’s very hard.

Decisions to not sell small pets to
someone for a variety of reasons.
They didn’t respect your illness,
decided a particular day had to fit
their agenda, or poked and prodded a wee
one without regard for the animal’s thoughts.

A decision to work earlier and finish
exactly on time to ensure timing worked
for another appointment as exhaustion
settles deeply into one’s bones. Falling
asleep as a decision made to set for a spell.

Winter gardening, early season sowing,
following the moon, following proven advice<br />of waiting till May 24 weekend to plant,
Vertical gardening, raised beds, and
4 x 4, three sisters, and plot gardens.
So many choices early in the year.

Best advice for gardening I heard this year,
plant what you know you or someone you
love will eat. Do not plant anything else.
He was talking about veggie gardens of course,
though the same can apply to flowers. Plant
what YOU like, not what someone else says.

Kinda fits with decisions about life right?
Doing what is right and good and fits with
your life and your calling in how to live.

Jesus did that too you know?
Driving out people from the temple
who were disrespecting it. Teaching men to
know him better and spread that news.
Choosing death and allowing life to fill
him up again. For those he loves and holds
in high regard. People he calls family.

Our decisions should reflect that you know?
His high regard for God.
Choices that hold others dear.
Decisions that say YOU are important, when
we look at those around us.

Reflect him well in our decisions eh?

A Remnant Exists

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Remnant, this word makes me think of making clothes and the off cuts one gets. Remnants are what they are called and often seen as garbage.  Are they?  Depends on one’s perspective I think.  Of course, not being a seamstress I don’t know if I can do this thought justice. So let’s continue to think eh?   I’m reading a book right now where the main character could be considered a remnant.  He exists not fully understanding who he is.  Perhaps that is something I could work with… Let’s see eh?  

text: a remnant exists, image of cloth remnants

A Remnant Exists

A remnant exists,
the cut off from a gown,
a shirt, a hat. Bits and
pieces of material not worth
using to make what it was cut off
of. But there are those who
would happily take those
remnants and use them to create with.

A remnant exists,
a boy, hidden in time, from
evils that would see him
destroyed. He learned to
fight, to defeat all comers,
and partially destroyed his soul.

But he works hard,
a future he wants that
he just barely sees.
Could this remnant boy
turned man figure out
how to reinvent himself?
Can he bring himself to continue
to do good? Despite his past,
despite those leanings within
to not do good, to continue his
path forward.

It rather makes me think
of God’s remnant. His small
group of people he preserves
over the years. Noah, Abraham,
David, Jesus, the disciples,
and my fellow believers.
A small group always in the
midst, surrounded by so many
who think they are garbage, or
deluded, or worthless. Not taking
the time to see a different
perspective. See the value a
believing holds in a faithful,
proven, creator God.

Decline Happens

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Decline is the word of the day, a prompt that intrigues me while at the same time leaving me with a now what?   So I’ll write and see how it strikes me today.  I was delighted to read about Kate discovering a new project to work on.  It’s sad that she’ll have to decline activities in order to fulfill obligations, but how exciting to have a new project in the works eh?   Decline happens right?   Sometimes it a choice we make and other times it something that happens overtime. 

text decline happens, image of lady declining food

Decline Happens

Decline happens.

One can decline to
attend events, invitations,
and so forth.
And in so declining you are
choosing other things to be
more important than the event
or invitation offered.

It’s the way it goes right?
You say no to one thing in
order to say yes to something else.

It’s kinda like… I can say no to
doom scrolling in order to ride
my bike or walk on the treadmill.
I can say yes to talking with my hubby
before work instead of doing the dishes.

It’s all choices.
BUT decline of body and mind
isn’t all about choice.
One’s body changes as one gets
older and it takes more work to
to regain, or even to keep fit mentally
and physically. Aches and pains
are signs of a life well-lived but
sometimes it’s rather inconvenient.

But those inconvenient moments
provide encouragement to keep
on trying to stave back the decline.
To not let tiredness and defeat rule
the day…. to remember that God
calls me to be more and doesn’t say
“give it up if you’re tired”. Take rest
indeed, but use that as rest, not
an excuse to stop moving forward.

So what will I (or you) continue
to decline in order to help
stop the natural decline of living?


Lazy in Our Faith?

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Today that question is asked, can we become lazy in our faith?  If so, what does that really mean?  Is that a good or bad thing or possibly a combination?   And besides, just what does it mean to you to be lazy?   There are different takes on it I’m learning.  🙂   OH… and if you like to write, join us for this week’s word prompt with Miss Kate. 

image of man lying on couch looking lazy, text lazy in our faith

Lazy in Our Faith

There are times when I think
I don’t know the meaning of
the word lazy.
You’ll always find me
doing something, whether it be
scrolling on my phone (it’s doing something),
or exercising, or caring for critters,
reading, gardening, walking about,
working at home or as a grocery clerk.

You’ll rarely find me just
doing nothing (which to me is
the very definition of lazy).

BUT I’m learning from others that
being lazy doesn’t mean doing nothing,
but can just be chillin’.
Hanging out a home having a
day where nothing is planned, but
a time to relax and do what you will.

So a day of doing lego, could be
deemed as having a lazy day.
Sitting around reading, is
being lazy. Just as can be
gardening, doom scrolling, walking
about the block or whatever. It’s
an attitude of mind.

So here’s a question I need to ask
myself (and perhaps one you ask to).
Can we be lazy in our faith?
Should we ever be lazy in our
relationship to God?
We are told to work out our salvation
in fear and trembling right?

What does it mean for us if we do
become lazy in our faith?
Not taking the time to pray, or read
scripture, or ponder on things.
Are there consequences we aren’t
always aware of until perhaps
it seems insurmountable?

Or does becoming lazy in our
faith denote a high level
of comfort and lack of fear?
I don’t always know the answers
but asking questions can help
promote thinking it through.
And that’s a necessary process yes?