Sunday, June 23, 2013

Week 26: Hearts Purified by Faith

This week's Bible reading plan is as follows:
  • Sunday: 2 Kings 4:18-5:27, Acts 15:1-35, Psalm 141:1-10, Proverbs 17:23
  • Monday: 2 Kings 6:1-7:20, Acts 15:36-16:15, Psalm 142:1-7, Proverbs 17:24-25
  • Tuesday: 2 Kings 8:1-9:13, Acts 16:16-40, Psalm 143:1-12, Proverbs 17:26
  • Wednesday: 2 Kings 9:14-10:31, Acts 17:1-34, Psalm 144:1-15, Proverbs 17:27-28
  • Thursday: 2 Kings 10:32-12:21, Acts 18:1-22, Psalm 145:1-21, Proverbs 18:1
  • Friday: 2 Kings 13:1-14:29, Acts 18:23-19:12, Psalm 146:1-10, Proverbs 18:2-3
  • Saturday: 2 Kings 15:1-16:20, Acts 19:13-41, Psalm 147:1-20, Proverbs 18:4-5
Our S.O.A.P. this week is from the book of Acts, Chapter 15, verses 7 to 11:

Scripture:
"Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. 8 God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. 9 He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith.10 Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear? 11 No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are."
Observation:
Peter addresses the congregation in Jerusalem during a dispute about whether non-Jewish (gentile) believers in Jesus Christ should comply with 'Jewish rules and religion' by being circumcised and being forced to keep the law of Moses. Some Jewish believers had brought this issue up -- without consent from the apostles and their elders in Jerusalem. They thought that you cannot be saved, unless you're circumcised and keep the law of Moses (verse 1).

Funny how hard it can be sometimes, to let go of the 'moral rules and religion of your upbringing', and replace them with faith in Jesus Christ. These Jewish believers sure were struggling with that. But Peter is very clear in his response, our SOAP verse for today. Peter had the authority to speak out on this issue, because God had used him to be the first apostle to bring the gospel to the non-Jews, remember Acts 10 and 11. He mentions that God knows each person's heart, and that He accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them (the non-Jews), just as He gave his Spirit to the apostles and Jewish believers. I love what Peter says next: "God did not discriminate between Jewish and non-Jewish believers, because he purified their hearts by faith."

Application:
God is the one who gives us his holy Spirit, and God is the one who purifies our hearts by faith. We can partake in the new life that Jesus Christ gives without being bound by rules and religion. Purification of the heart is not a one-time thing though. It's an on-going process! I need to continually ask God to fill me with his Spirit and to purify my heart by faith. As our Father in Heaven, he wants his children to depend on him, to have faith in him. When we learn to depend more and more on him, not on our own rules, our hearts become purer and purer, and we more and more resemble his son Jesus Christ. That's what I want for myself, and for you as well...

Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, thank you that you did not discriminate, and that you gave your Spirit to us. Thank you for purifying our hearts by faith. Help us to increasingly trust you in everything. Not by our own power and strength, but through your Spirit, in the power of your son Jesus Christ. In His Name we pray. Amen.

Have a great week. Pray that the gospel of Jesus Christ may continue to be proclaimed and believed by many all around the world.

Dick

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