Sunday, December 19, 2010

January 17 (Genesis 18; Matthew 17; Nehemiah 7; Acts 17)


What really upsets you? Being late? Not being included? Your appearance? Your team losing? Having to do something you don’t want to do? Something else? I wonder how much in line our hearts are with the apostle Paul. In Acts 17:16 we read that Paul is in the mega city of Athens. There he sees the cities full of idol worship and such a sight, “provokes his spirit within him” (v.16). It made him upset. You see the Apostle Paul was so jealous for the glory of Jesus that when he saw people praising anything else it upset him.

The truth is that people will never be satisfied until they worship Jesus with all of their heart. This is how we are wired to function. Paul knew that and he also knew that Jesus was worthy of all worship. So when you get upset today ask yourself if you are really getting upset about the proper things, and ask God to make you so concerned for His glory that it bothers you to see others not living a life pleasing to Him.

1 comment:

  1. Brother David, I'm a German Irishman so that should be enough said but my wife says I have a temper, I don't know where she gets that! I would like to say its justified anger. I know I should be slow to anger but Paul also says be ye angry and sin not. I think Jesus had a temper too. People like to paint Jesus as a weak sort of man who just humbled himself to everyone. The truth as I see it, is as a carpenter he's tough and the little scene at His Temple would be proof. After all you don't just overturn a bunch of moneychangers tables without rubbing the fur the wrong way alittle. Working construction myself I know alittle about the work and you don't get the job done being weak. So is there such a thing as righteous anger? Couldn't Paul have experienced the same thing in Athens?

    ReplyDelete