Where are the Modern Day Pauls?

I was reading Acts last night and was amazed at how many hardships and persecution our early church leaders went through…and with a JOYOUS attitude! WHOWZERS!

I mean, today’s church gets complains and gets their feathers ruffled over a delay at the supermarket checkout line! What if we REALLY had to endure hardships and persecution at the level that Paul did? Hmm? Would we endure? And, if we were able to endure, would we do it JOYFULLY???

Acts 13:50-52

Then the Jews stirred up the influential religious women and the leaders of the city, and they incited a mob against Paul and Barnabas and ran them out of town.

So they shook the dust from their feet as a sign of rejection and went to the town of Iconium.

And the believers were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

There is a whole study we can do on verse 50…LOL…however, we will leave that for another day! For now, let’s look at verses 51 and 52. They SHOOL the dust from their feet…LOL! I LOVE it! They refused to let it get them down! And they were filled with JOT! Whoo Hoo! I mean, can you imagine having a whole town run you out and persecute you?

Acts 14:19-25

Then some Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowds to their side. They stoned Paul and dragged him out of town, thinking he was dead.

But as the believers gathered around him, he got up and went back into the town. The next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe.

After preaching the Good News in Derbe and making many disciples, Paul and Barnabas returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch of Pisidia,

where they strengthened the believers. They encouraged them to continue in the faith, reminding them that we must suffer many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God.

Paul and Barnabas also appointed elders in every church. With prayer and fasting, they turned the elders over to the care of the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.

Then they traveled back through Pisidia to Pamphylia.

They preached the word in Perga, then went down to Attalia.

OK, the man (Paul) is STONED and does not it get him down or deter him from his mission. After being stoned, which could not have been a fun experience, he continues on to many more cities sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is basically how his whole Christian went… persecution, preach, persecution, preach, jail, preach, hardships, preach, more persecution…and on and on.

Do not get me wrong, there are MANY martyrs in our modern word…we have brothers and sisters that go to China, the Middle East and all over the world spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ. Many lose their lives to share God’s love.

However, what about here in the USA? Or, other “free” countries? How uncomfortable are we willing to be in order for Truth to prevail? In my humble opinion, we are a bunch of fluff balls who would bring fire to Paul’s eyes if he walked our cities and towns.

Think about it, if the Body of Christ was REALLY walking the line and risking it ALL for the Lord, would there be pornography flooding our streets? Would there be gay television channels? Would abortion even be an issue? Would money have any relevance at all? What if we actually lived the way we were called???

What if?

Copyright © Lara Velez, All Rights Reserved

Let’s Pray;

Daddy God, I love You so very much. Please forgive me for my complacency and lack of fire. Please help me to walk the line for you and get a little…a lot uncomfortable. Help me to share YOUR good news with a world on a fast track to hell. Lord, wake Your church from its slumber. Help us to lay it all down JOYFULLY as Paul did and count it all joy for YOUR purposes. Help us to see that this world has NOTHING for us and to live in light if eternity. Help us, as Christian Mothers, raise a generation of fire starters for the TRUTH! Help us SEE Lord! In Jesus Mighty Name, Amen!

Your Homework

Memorize: So they shook the dust from their feet as a sign of rejection and went to the town of Iconium. And the believers were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit. – Acts 13:51-52

Dig Deeper:

I encourage you to read ALL of Acts and get to know the early church and them men and women who helped pave the way for US to know a Beloved Savior! They endured many hardships and persecution for us to know the Truth…what if they just say back and lived a life of apathy? Where would you and I be today??

Copyright © Lara Velez, All Rights Reserved