My scripture reading for today really hit home to me because I have found myself recently doing things my way and not the way God would have them. Even though what I was doing was not necessarily bad I was still doing it my way and with my strength and not Gods strength.
Acts 8:9-13 (ESV) 9 But there was a man named Simon, who had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, saying that he himself was somebody great. 10 They all paid attention to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the power of God that is called Great.” 11 And they paid attention to him because for a long time he had amazed them with his magic. 12 But when they believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. 13 Even Simon himself believed, and after being baptized he continued with Philip. And seeing signs and great miracles[a] performed, he was amazed. In Acts 8:9-13 I see an interesting transformation take place. It reads that a magician named Simon who practiced amazing magic in Samaria. Simon himself even told the people that he had power from God and it was called “Great”. Interesting here is because Simon had such influence over the people because of the magic he performed in the past that the people were believing him. We see that Philip comes on the scene preaching the good news about the kingdom of God and in the name of Jesus. When he does this we see that many men and women are baptized and even Simon the “great” magician believed and was baptized. Simon then followed Philip and seeing him do many wonderful signs and miracles and the most ironic thing it says that Simon was amazed (v.13) This shows me how influential “church”people who live in the world can be. If you do things that are different and seem impossible people look up to you and they put you on a pedestal when in fact you are no different than them. It does not matter how big of a person you make yourself out to be and if you believe it with all your heart you are still a sinner who needs repentance and Christ as your savior. We see later in Acts 9 that Paul (formerly Saul who persecuted the Christians and people like Philip) who was doing “Great Things” in the "name" of God (what the Pharisees leaders said) and yet he was still lost and in need of a savior. It took Saul on the road to Damascus to be blinded and have his eyes open to the truth before he could actually do the "Great Things" that God wanted done and not what the Pharisee leaders wanted. That was proclaiming the name of Christ to everyone. We see that because of this Paul became a marked man and was hunted for his new-found belief. If you expect God to do great things through you the thing that needs to happen is that God is actually doing it and not you yourself. No matter how much you try to do in the name of Christ, whether it be teaching a class in church or taking care of the elderly and even telling others about Christ in the streets; If you do not do it with the power of God all you are doing is in vain. When we become children of God we no longer live like we did in the past but we live by faith in the Son of God. Galatians 2:20(ESV) I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. |