Foundations Feb 2, 2011

Wednesday, February 2, 2011
END TIMES READING PLAN: 2 Thessalonians 1-2

SCRIPTURE READING

Acts 9:22 (NIV); Yet Saul [Paul] grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ.

Immediately following his conversion, Paul devoted himself to sharing the news of Christ. To the measure that he had pursued Christians for persecution, he was now pursuing the lost for conversion. His understanding of the Scriptures was heightened when He learned that Jesus truly was the Messiah. His argument was solid. Filled with the Spirit, his speech became more powerful, and he amazed the Jews by proving the Jesus was certainly the Christ.

In our secularist society where everything is considered relative, many Christians are perceived as ignorant people holding onto fairytale dreams. Society says there is no truth, except for the truth that there is no absolute truth. We need to take the burden of society upon ourselves and really consider what it is we believe and why we believe it. If we cannot answer these questions for ourselves, how will we be able to answer the questions of unbelievers? The apostle Peter warned us to be ready to give an answer for the hope that we have. There comes a point when responding to questions of faith with, “because that’s what my mother taught me” or “because I know in my heart” just doesn’t cut it. We live in a real world where people have real questions and desire real answers, and God has actually given us the answers to their questions! It is important to bask in the love of the Father and allow Him to stir our feelings, but it is equally important to exercise our MINDS for Christ though meditation, conversation and reading.

PRAYER and MEDITATION

1)    Ask the Holy Spirit to show you how you have gotten lazy in your walk with Him. How have you neglected to exercise your mind?

2)    Ask the Lord to show you how you can grow in becoming well-rounded. How can you devote your mind to God as much as you devote your heart to Him? Does God want you to spend more time meditating on Scripture? Do you need to pick up a good Christian life book? Do you need to memorize Scripture?

3)    Spend some time responding to these questions: What do I believe? What do I believe regarding creation sin, salvation, eternity, etc.? WHY do I believe these things?