Acts 25:26 The Failure of Human Government

Acts 25:26 (KJV)

Of whom I have no certain thing to write unto my lord. Wherefore I have brought him forth before you, and specially before thee, O king Agrippa, that, after examination had, I might have somewhat to write.

The whole account of Apostle Paul before: 

• Felix then
• Festus and the 
• Festus and Agrippa 

is a demonstration of the failure of human law. 

Roman government is the model upon which every civilized government I am aware of is based. Even in the monarchy of England, the principles of Roman government have been added to provide for a just government to rule the citizens. 

But it, and the “improved” models of it, are flawed and frequently fail. Paul is a case in point. Roman law dictated that he had to have his accusers face to face. Once Festus realized he was not qualified to address the accusations, he offered to send Paul to what I will call “the lower court” in Jerusalem. I believe it was because, having so little ability to judge in this matter, he hesitated to send him to the “higher court” in Rome. It would have made Augustus aware of his inadequacy in this office. 

Once Paul had appealed to Caesar; however, Festus had no choice but to grant Paul’s appeal. But he still had no idea what charges to present against Paul. To educate himself more fully, he presented Paul to Herod Agrippa and discovered that he ought to have been set free. His own laws trapped Festus, bound to do a thing he hesitated to do and now was sure should not have been done. 

Christ makes us free. Only Christ makes us free. The best human government is wholly incapable of setting a man at liberty. 

To my readers:
Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

Donate to Bible Baptist Church every time you make an Amazon purchase through this link, https://smile.amazon.com/ch/91-1265824

For this and, more than 5400 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

My books are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Acts 25:26 The Failure of Human Government

Acts 24:2 (KJV) Seek Their Souls

 

Acts 24:2 (KJV)

And when he was called forth, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, Seeing that by thee we enjoy great quietness, and that very worthy deeds are done unto this nation by thy providence,

The Jews, in their accusations of Paul to Felix, offered no mention of the Lord and no testimony of faith. They began by describing their relationship with Felix. They were thankful that because of him:

• They lived peacefully with Rome and
• He did good things for the nation

The fact is that they almost ascribed to him the qualities of deity, referring to his providence and offering to him prayer. 

Paul simply acknowledged Felix’s longstanding service, refuted the Jews’ accusations, and immediately went into a testimony concerning Christ.

I am afraid that a massive element of Christianity today, including among the Baptists, is happy just to have leadership that leaves them alone and provides sound leadership in our country. Unfortunately, that falls short of our true goal. 

What we ought to seek is to see them come to know Christ. Nothing else really matters. 

To my readers:
Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

Donate to Bible Baptist Church every time you make an Amazon purchase through this link, https://smile.amazon.com/ch/91-1265824

For this and, more than 5400 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

My books are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Acts 24:2 (KJV) Seek Their Souls

Ezra 8:23 (KJV) A Reason to Pray

 

Ezra 8:23 (KJV)

So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was intreated of us.

I am reminded right now of some of those things I read about Watchman Nee. It’s been years, and details escape my memory. I think I recall him recounting incidents where he, or those he had taught, made bold claims concerning God and then found themselves compelled to pray that God would back up those claims. If a person plans to do this, it would be wise to know the Word of God very well. God has no obligation to answer claims not supported in Scripture. 

I can hear someone saying it would be better to make none of those claims. It is not a bold claim that “whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”? These kinds of claims, therefore, are part and parcel to evangelism.

Consider the situation in which Ezra[1] has these people. 

• They were about to make a perilous journey 
• He had claimed God would care for them
• He, therefore, was ashamed to ask for a security force

I see these people compelled to fast and pray. 

Perhaps we would see our prayer life more potent if we found ourselves in such desperate circumstances and without any means of help in this world. 

---

[1] I can hear someone complaining that the preacher had no right to put them in such a place where they had to have answers to prayer.

To my readers:
Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

Donate to Bible Baptist Church every time you make an Amazon purchase through this link, https://smile.amazon.com/ch/91-1265824

For this and, more than 5400 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

My books are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Ezra 8:23 (KJV) A Reason to Pray

Ezra 6:7 (KJV) Think Again

Ezra 6:7 (KJV)

Let the work of this house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews build this house of God in his place.

I would suggest to those in civil authority that they pay heed to this passage. Darius lived thousands of years ago, but the God of heaven saw fit to preserve his words. Indeed, it is because civil government and the house of God are separate institutions. The Bible makes it clear that the higher of the two is the house of God. Therefore, when civil authorities interfere with the house of God, it will be to the harm and loss of those authorities.

Consider:

The greatest governments in history have vanished into extinction – ruined by immorality, graft, and lack of patriotism. The house of God, on the other hand, continues true to the faith once delivered. One might think this is not true because the house of God has changed from the Old Testament temple of New Testament churches.

Think again.
First, while God has set Israel aside, His work for them is only suspended, not discontinued. 

Second, the plan of God is being carried forward as it was in the Old Testament system, by the New Testament system. His work continues without so much as a hiccup.

Let the work of this house of God alone.
The United States Constitution declares as much. The founders of our nation understood this principle. Our country has hope for the future so long as its servants apply this principle. Our country is on shaky ground when her representatives presume to have some sort of authority over the house of God.

To my readers:
Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

Donate to Bible Baptist Church every time you make an Amazon purchase through this link, https://smile.amazon.com/ch/91-1265824

For this and, more than 5400 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

My books are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Ezra 6:7 (KJV) Think Again

Ezra 4:15 (KJV) Honest Reporting

Ezra 4:15 (KJV)

That search may be made in the book of the records of thy fathers: so shalt thou find in the book of the records, and know that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful unto kings and provinces, and that they have moved sedition within the same of old time: for which cause was this city destroyed.

Later another search would be done, and they would find Cyrus’ decree to allow the Jews to rebuild the Temple and reestablish their home in Jerusalem. 

That’s the thing about searches; one can find whatever he wishes to find if he wishes to find it. Historians do it all the time. The shame today is; while historians are every bit as prone to only seeing the information they want to find and ignore everything else, nowadays, they pretend to be more honest about it. It’s like they think past historical records were so biased one way that it behooves them to write a history that discounts what was written. If historians were too positive about George Washington, for instance, modern historians see themselves as justified to find all the “dirt” on him they can and just report that. Thus, in the name of historical accuracy, they skew history away from the slant once reported. 

Media reporters do it continuously. No longer do they try to report the news. Today they want to write a story. They wish to control the conversation by documenting events in such a way that only their side gets represented. 

Let a search be made. While you’re at it, find all the facts. Discover what you did not know and not just wanted you hoped you would find. 

To my readers:
Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

Donate to Bible Baptist Church every time you make an Amazon purchase through this link, https://smile.amazon.com/ch/91-1265824

For this and, more than 5400 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

My books are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Ezra 4:15 (KJV) Honest Reporting

Ezra 1:3 (KJV) He Is Able

Ezra 1:3 (KJV)

Who is there among you of all his people? his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the LORD God of Israel, (he is the God,) which is in Jerusalem.

History gives us no reason to believe that Cyrus was a convert to the living God of Israel. There had been witness enough that he was without excuse, but what we know about this man tells us, I think, a different story. Cyrus was tolerant of religion in general. He was not a believer in the God of Israel, but he was not an enemy of those who were believers. 

That he might not have become a believer in no way ought to discourage the Christian. There is no promise in the Bible that world leaders or people of great importance will come to believe in and have a genuine and abiding faith in the God we know to be our Saviour. We have seen several leaders lately who appeared to be Christians, but their actions demonstrate more of a friendliness with the faith and not a commitment to it. 

Rather I believe this is encouraging. Truly the king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord. He is able to turn whithersoever He will, not only those who are lovers of God but the rest of them as well. 

To my readers:
Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

Donate to Bible Baptist Church every time you make an Amazon purchase through this link, https://smile.amazon.com/ch/91-1265824

For this and, more than 5400 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

My books are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Ezra 1:3 (KJV) He Is Able

Acts 20:1 (KJV) After the Uproar

 

Acts 20:1 (KJV)

And after the uproar was ceased, Paul called unto him the disciples, and embraced them, and departed for to go into Macedonia.

After the uproar had ceased…

What an interesting phrase. 

It could be just a point of reference. It was after that when Paul said his goodbyes. 

But it makes me think. 

Paul didn’t leave in the middle of the uproar. 
He wasn’t run out of town because of the unfriendly atmosphere. Fear of the mob didn’t cause him to leave. Nor did he leave to quiet the uproar. Christianity may be unwelcome in some places. But it needs to be there anyway. 

Paul did leave once it ceased
I can imagine a few people begging him to stay. I can even imagine him wondering if maybe he ought to stay. Sometimes we get the impression the faith and those who have embraced it can’t survive without us. The plain truth is that people’s faith must rest upon the Lord and not a personality. Sometimes leaving a believer with nothing but God is necessary to prove they need nothing but God. 

To my readers:
Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

Donate to Bible Baptist Church every time you make an Amazon purchase through this link, https://smile.amazon.com/ch/91-1265824

For this and, more than 5400 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

My books are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Acts 20:1 (KJV) After the Uproar

Acts 19:39 (KJV) Understanding Law

 

Acts 19:39 (KJV)

But if ye enquire any thing concerning other matters, it shall be determined in a lawful assembly.

The Roman system was ruthless in a lot of ways but also insistent upon law. Our own government is modeled much after that of old Rome. 

Mind you, neither theirs nor ours is perfect. I think the U.S. government may be as ruthless as Rome ever was. 

I am interested in the consistency I see. In Acts 18:13 (KJV)
Saying, This fellow persuadeth men to worship God contrary to the law.

The Jew attempted to conflate their law with that of Rome. Gallio would have none of it. 

Acts 18:15 (KJV)
But if it be a question of words and names, and of your law, look ye to it; for I will be no judge of such matters.

He claimed jurisdiction over civil and criminal matters. Religious issues were not his concern. 

In Acts 19, we are in a different place with another official. The complainants, in this case, were Greeks. In this case, the town clerk, we don’t have his name, withstood his own countrymen because they had created an unlawful assembly. 

Roman officials were not perfect, but they understood jurisdiction and the difference between a peaceful protest and an unruly mob. 

Our country would be on a good path if we simply re-established these. 

To my readers:
Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

Donate to Bible Baptist Church every time you make an Amazon purchase through this link, https://smile.amazon.com/ch/91-1265824

For this and, more than 5400 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

My books are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Acts 19:39 (KJV) Understanding Law

2 Chronicles 33:10 (KJV) The LORD Spake, but

2 Chronicles 33:10 (KJV)

And the LORD spake to Manasseh, and to his people: but they would not hearken.

It seems to me that we live in a time very similar to that of Manasseh. 

• The leadership of our nation is wicked and opposed to God. 
• The people of our land respond by erring

In some respects, we do worse than those places that have had little or no Christian influence. God speaks today, but so few hearken. There are multiple avenues with which to get the Word of God to people. And we seem like we are using them all. 

• TV
• Radio
• Internet 
• Social media

There are churches scattered around everywhere, and the Bible is available at a very reasonable price to anyone interested. 

There has never been a time in history that Lord spoke louder than now. 

But we do not hearken. 

God got the attention of Manasseh. In a precursor to what the nation would soon face, He led him captive to Babylon. I am happy that he repented and was restored. It would have been so much better had he repented before he had to be chastened. 

To my readers:
Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

Donate to Bible Baptist Church every time you make an Amazon purchase through this link, https://smile.amazon.com/ch/91-1265824

For this and, more than 5400 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

For more resources from Pastor Marvin McKenzie visit http://puyallupbaptistchurch.com.

My books are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

2 Chronicles 33:10 (KJV) The LORD Spake, but