Studying

I am so thankful to the Lord that He is fanning the flame in my heart to do His will. Through friends, family and fellow brothers and sisters in Jesus has he graciously done so much; much more than I could have asked for. I've found myself in the Word more often, studying the Truth claims of God and listening for the whisper of God. The people, by God's divine providence that are in my life who I now call my family have encouraged and strengthened me in Him. I have prayed that I would hunger for His truths and once again prayer has been answered.

I'm currently in the book of Acts, in chapter 17 and there was something I never really thought much of before.

Athens had tons of idols and gods they worshiped. When Paul got to Athens he walked around and examined his surroundings, "For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an alter with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Acts 17:23"

What I didn't see before was that Paul had gone out to learn about Athens. "looked carefully" hold's the connotation that he studied them. To look carefully is to examine in depth.

What I now see is that Paul knowing God's will, he took steps in the direction he was being led and along with that it meant being prepared for what God had planned. In order to speak to the people in Athens, God had ordered His steps to that alter of the unknown god. God was preparing Paul to speak and from this Paul was able to preach this at a meeting of the Areopagus;

"The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. 'For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.'

"Therefore since we are God's offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by man's design and skill. In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. 31For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead."

When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, "We want to hear you again on this subject." At that, Paul left the Council. A few men became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others.

Because Paul was walking by faith, we too get to hear this message about God too. What a great testimony and encouragement to us as believers this is. To know who God is, and that "...He determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live." The Lord has ordered our steps, as he is leading and guiding us he is preparing us and working out His will through us.

May we walk by faith in Him and learn all that He has to teach us. I pray that the passion we see in Paul would rise up within us and we would burn with passion for Jesus to walk by faith.

Our God is an Awesome God. Glory to Him forever more. In Jesus' precious name, Amen.