Acts Fellowship Church

People in general have at least two fears.

One is loneliness.  Everyone has at one point felt alone.  It is something people dread to experience.  Isolation could be considered one form of torture.  In fear of loneliness, people develop relationships (friendships, marriages, partnerships, etc.) and face the prospect of getting relationally hurt in the process.  To them, nothing is more painful than loneliness.  They are willing to risk the relational hurts as they run to avoid loneliness.

Two is relational hurts.  Everyone has at one point or another has experienced this as well.  It occurs when a friend betrays you; when a loved one dies; when someone close to you moves away; when someone you love gets seriously ill; when something terrible happens to your children; when there is a divorce; when  you (yourself) fail others; etc.  In fear of being hurt and hurting others, people choose the road of loneliness while forfeiting the potential blessings that come from interactions with others.  They are willing to endure the pain of being an island to avoid the hurts that come from relationships.

While people try to dodge one or the other (or perhaps both) in their lives; eventually, it catches up to everyone.  If one lives long enough, he or she is guaranteed to experience these emotions.  Is there any hope?  Can we avoid being lonely and being relationally hurt?  Yes, there is hope, but we cannot avoid these experiences while on earth. 

The hope comes from Jesus.  In Him, we are never alone, for He has promised that He will never leave us nor forsake us.  God has given every believer the Holy Spirit as a deposit guaranteeing what is to come.  In addition, we also have hope in Heaven, for there will no longer be any pains.  God will wipe away all the tears from wounded hearts.  He will take away all our sorrows.

Only in Christ, can we find hope to endure the challenging times of loneliness and relational hurts.  Jesus can empathize with us.  He hung alone on the cross.  He suffered the pain of abandonment, rejections, misunderstandings,  and betrayal in relationships.  May Christ be our answer to these fears. 

John Hancock was a signer of the Declaration of Independence; President of Congress; Revolutinary General; Governor of Massachusetts.  He called on the State of Massachusetts to pray for the following topics (it would do us well to pray the same for our country):

* that all nations may bow to the scepter of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and that the whole earth may be filled with his glory.

* that the spiritual kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ may be continually increasing until the whole earth shall be filled with His glory.

* to confess their sins and to implore forgiveness of God through the merits of the Savior of the World.

* to cause the benign religion of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to be known, understood, and practiced among all the inhabitants of the earth.

* to confess their sins before God and implore His forgiveness through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

* that He would finally overrule all events to the advancement of the Redeemer's kingdom and the establishment of universal peace and good will among men.

* that the kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ may be established in peace and righteousness among all the nations of the earth.

* that with true contrition of heart we may confess our sins, resolve to forsake them, and impore the Divine forgiveness, through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ, our Savior. ... And finally to overrule all the commotions in the world to the spreading the true religion of our Lord Jesus Christ in its purity and power among all the people of the earth.

May God bless America!!!

During an interview with 60 Minutes in June 2005 (and updated on Dec. 07), Tom Brady had the following exchange with Steve Kroft...

BRADY: Why do I have three Super Bowl rings, and still think there's something greater out there for me? I mean, maybe a lot of people would say, "Hey man, this is what is." I reached my goal, my dream, my life.   Me, I think: God, it's gotta be more than this. I mean this can't be what it's all cracked up to be. I mean I've done it. I'm 27. And what else is there for me?

KROFT: What's the answer?

BRADY: I wish I knew. I wish I knew. I mean I think that's part of me trying to go out and experience other things. I love playing football, and I love being a quarterback for this team, but, at the same time, I think there's a lot of other parts about me that I'm trying to find. I know what ultimately makes me happy are family and friends, and positive relationships with great people. I think I get more out of that than anything.

Brady said, "I wish I knew.  I wish I knew."  Brady has a 60 million dollar (10 year) contact with the New England Patriots plus millions in endorsements.  He is on top of his game at only 30 years of age, and yet he is still unfulfilled.  

At the end of that interview, they had this exchange...

KROFT: Anything that really scares you? Anything that intimidates you?

BRADY: The end of my playing career. Big time. ... 

Even with all the success, there is a sense of unfulfillment.  The Bible tells us the answer to "what I am missing"... it is Jesus Christ as the Lord and Savior of our lives.  May Brady soon understand this incredible truth.   

John 21:11
11 Simon Peter went up and drew the net to land, full of large fish, 153; and although there were so many, the net was not torn.  NASU

One possible explaination why God mentions the exact number of fishes caught...

153. The reason why the disciples were careful to count, and John to record, the number of fishes brought to shore must again involve symbolism, as there seems no other reason for it. It has been calculated that there were 153 distinct nations in the world at the time of Christ (the number is not much different at present); these were represented at Pentecost by seventeen ethnic groups (see Acts 2:8-11), when the disciples first began to carry out the Commission, preaching to the world in microcosm, as it were. The number 17 is also symbolic: when all the numbers are added up through 17 (that is, 1+2+3+...+16+17), they add to 153. Furthermore, the digits in 153 (i.e., 1+5+3) add to 9, which when multiplied by 17, again makes 153. It is also interesting that there are three digits in the number, and if each is multiplied by itself three times, then the total once again adds to 153. That is: (1 x 1 x 1) + (5 x 5 x 5) + (3 x 3 x 3) = 153. There seems no other number that could possibly be more appropriate to represent all the peoples of the world than this number, and it is surely more than coincidence (in fact, providential) that the Creator saw to it that exactly 153 great fishes entered the "gospel net."

Matt 24:14
14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a testimony unto all the nations; and then shall the end come.  ASV

*** Currently, there are over 190 independent countries in the world. 

There are nearly 19,000 deaths per year in the U.S. from hospitals from bacteria infection called "mersa."

There are around 7,000 deaths annually in the U.S. from incorrect perscriptions.

There are about 16,000 alcohol related deaths per year in the U.S.

"Everybody dies, but how many of us truly live?"  Something to think about.  We all have one chance to live to the glory of God.  After that... it's only regrets.  As the song goes... "In my life, Lord, be gloried... be glorified... today."

Though sin reveals our need for grace, it is also important to note that sin is never caused by God or ever pleases God.  Sin has a heavy penalty.  I do affirm, however, that God does work in spite of our short comings to fulfill His sovereign plans and that God can bring about good from a bad situation (Rom 8).  However, there are proper and improper ways to respond to our sins.  When we sin, we must always... repent and turn to God in Christ Jesus.

We should never sin more (or be permissive of sin) so that grace may abound.  Though sin exists, it is to be fought (because we understand that God's grace is not cheap).  These days, many people do not know how to "fear" the holy God of the universe who will bring His fierce wrath upon anyone who is not found in Christ Jesus.  So much is written about "grace" that it is almost expected and demanded.  It seems like we have created a generation of Christians that feel "entitled" to the grace of God.  Grace is unmerited favor of God that is given by His choice.  That means God doesn't have to give His grace at all.

Sin is ugly and disgusting to God.  The magnitude of the punishment (consequences of sin - the cross) reveals the seriousness of the crime (sin).

I am a blessed man.  My three boys (ages 10, 8, 6) gave me $20 each to spend as I please for this year's Father's Day.

I am rich!!!  Not monetarily speaking (though I am $60 richer) but with my 3 favorite disciples (my kids). 

What does "Sola Scriptura" mean?  It means "Only Scripture."  In other words, (for a Christian) only authoritative source that we have is the "Bible." 

What does that mean?  That means at least 3 things...

1.  The Bible is the only resource we need to know   a) God's nature, b) His attribues, (c) what He has done, d) what He will do, e) His plan of salvation, d) etc.

2.  The Bible is the only resource we need to know   a) who we are, b) how to be saved, c) what it means to be saved, d) what is pleasing and glorifying to God, e) etc.

3.  The Bible is the only resource we need to grow spiritually and to mature which means that no one is with an excuse.  Each believer (especially in the U.S.) is fully resposible for his/her own spiritual growth.  It is also God's "manna" for our day through which He desires to have a relationship with us.

It's easy to deceive ourselves as to what's really in our hearts.  Peter sincerely said that he would not deny Christ, but he was sincerely wrong.  Jesus told Peter that he would deny Him 3 times. (Matt 26:31-35)

How can we know what's really in our hearts?  Is there a way?  The answer is yes.  Here are 4 objective ways to see what's "really" in our hearts (as God would see it).

1.  Check Your Investiments: (Matt 6:19-21)  Make a list of things you value and treasure in life. It is there that you will find your "real" heart.

2.  Monitor Your Actions:  (Mark 7:20-21)  Out of the heart comes actions.  So, if we evaluate how we live each day and week, there we will see where our heart is.  Our actions will reveal our "true" heart.

3.  Tape Record Yourself:  (Matt 12:33-34; 15:18)  Mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart.  Are things that come out from your mouth godly or secular?  It will reveal much about your heart.

4.  Examine Your Affection:  (Matt 15:7-9)  Do you have a religion or a relationship with the living God of the universe?  Do you seek God with a right motive and a right attitude?  It's not just about emotions but seeking God for who He is.

If we find our hearts at a place where we don't want it to be, then all we can do is to go before God and repent and turn to Him for His grace and mercy.  Only God can transform our hearts.