“For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”  (Acts 4)

 

Reader, Any honest and God called, God taught, God guided minister, whether they be preacher, teacher, pastor, missionary, evangelist, or whatever they call themselves, bishop, elder, etc.  will tell you two (2) things. Number one (1) the Scriptures, when taught and when learned MUST, MUST, MUST be within the context of the writers intention(s) and meaning, period.  There is no give, there is no lee-way given and non expected period.

Number two (2) and this one may sting…God is number ONE (1) always, only, and forever. You, who ever you be, wife, child, mother, father, boss, friend, whoever you are, you are and will always be number two (2), but know this….if the right with God and balanced and you are number two (2), know this, he puts you before he puts himself.  It is a woman, child, or whoever that can take second place to God and be content.

To those in second (2nd) place, let me counsel you.  If you are lonely, if you feel left out, if you feel distant, if there exists a wall between you and number three (3) number three (3) being the one (1) closest to God it is because you need to be a number three (3) in your own relationship with God. My beloved reader, if you want peace and  you want contentment in the place where you are, put God first (1st), your loved one(s) second and you take third (3rd) place because thrird (3rd) place brings you closer to everyone and third (3rd) place is the place of peace.  Reader, read 1 Corinthians chapter three (3), the first (1st) three (3) verses, that’s 1 Corinthians 3:1-3.

Going back to the first thing a honest minister will tell you regarding text and context. While it is essential that the reader or studier understand the writers intentions and meaning first (1st) and foremost, one can apply the writing in different ways.  Applying  the writing in different ways is not the same as interpreting the passage dofferently than the writer intended, understand?

For example:  In the chosen text above from Acts four (4), we find the apostles, after they had been put under arrest or held over night, being released and forbidden to and threatened, if they continued to preach in the Name of Christ.

The arrest is    [SideNote: Reader, Sometimes i use present tense when referenceing the past because I’m trying to put us in that time. It’s not bad grammar but a tool or conceit.]    due to the healing and preaching in the Power of the Holy Spirit and in the Name of Christ, for we are told,  “…many of them which heard the [W]ord believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand.”

The number of five thousand (5,000) speaks to the number of men and not to the number of women and children present. The women and children are not meantioned because when the husband/father believed and was saved, so did their house, generally speaking. That is why we read in Acts that So and So was saved AND THEIR WHOLE HOUSE, meaning family and sometime servants.

Back to the reason for Peter’s arrest. Peter specifically,  had been preaching on the topic of resurrection and using the Lord as the Example. Peter was spirit filled or baptised (I know baptised with the Spirit is uncomfortable for some, but it’s there, in the Book, plain as black and white) with the Spirit and he healed a man and preached Christ and was then arrested.

The next day, the authorities warned or charged Peter, not to continue preaching and acting in the Name of Christ. Peter’s reply is, “For we cannot but speak [about] the things which we have seen and heard [and loved.]

Reader, In the above sentence I highlighted the words of Peter. You will notice I also interjected some words that are not highlighted. We do this in order to apply the words spoken by Peter to another dynamic. AGAIN, we are not misinterpreting Scripture, all of the above gave you the context of the text, now we are going to apply it to ourselves and everyday life.

 

Reader,  A.W. Tozer said, “Preaching without application is heresy.”  In other words, the minister can preach a message, a burden, a sermon, and if he does not demonstrate how the text, teaching, Scripture is to be applied to everyday life, some, many, maybe most will apply the teaching however they want, they will justify themselves, condemn others, and walk in darkness.  A word from God’s minister must, must, must have an application.

An Example: Once I used Noah and his family as a spring board (In reverence) to the doctrine of election. A person, later approached me and thanked me for the message. He told me, he completely understood the message and was in total agreement. This is what he said: “From your sermon I now know, anyone and everyone can be/will be saved.”   Reader, that was diametrically opposed, that was the opposite, that was contrary, that was yang to yin, to what we were teaching!!!

That’s a true story, though somethings were changed to hide the id. of the person in the story…duh duh (Law and Order reference)

Reader,We will apply the words of Peter to your life.

A person talks about what s/he likes, loves, is in to, adores, identifies with, wants to be. You and I should pay attention to the comments, complaints, words, sayings, shoutings, screams, mumblings, murmurs, sighs, cries, utterings, and mutterings of those around us. Why should we pay attention?  Because you, me, we, mwie (Pronounced, MWEE, Hybrid of me and I, as in mwie loathe the personal pronoun, “I.”) all talk about what we are interested in.

Humans, all of us talk about that which we are interested in & involved with. Humans talk about what they like and love. Mwie (Remember hybrid word in place of “i” and “me”) all talk about what interests us and what attracts our attention. This is how we engage others and get to know others and understand others.  Mwie (beta test: like it or no?) should listen to and hear; hear and listen to what others say, how they say it, when they say it.  There have been times when an attacker of innocense (No one is innocent by nature, Mwie use the word innocent as meaning: not deserving of.) told others about their plans and the others didn’t take them seriously, and many persons died.

We should pay attention to what others are saying or we could/might pay a greater cost later.

We can know where a person is, mentally and emotionally, by listening to what they talk about. A preacher that doesn’t talk about his Master is not a good preacher. The Avon lady that doesn’t speak about her products isn’t a good Avon lady. A pro athelete that doesn’t speak about the game, is in it for the $$$$$$$$, only. One can learn much by how a person speaks, what a person speaks about, and when a person chooses to speak.

A person who talks about violence and killing and spends time playing virtual/video games should be heard and listened to. Words give us a picture and an understanding of what is behind the face.

Mwie are in our element and at home when and while discussing the Preeminent Christ, The Godhead, the Scriptures, Christ-ianity, The Christ-ian life, cults, the wife of my youth, my children, plants, perennials, pruning, jiu jitsu, logic, Critical thinking, politics, S. Holmes, insects, comics, Pro-wrestling, MMA, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Batman, Criminal Minds, Law and Order:Criminal Intent, Psycopathy, Sociopathy, Crime, etc. etc. etc.

The paragraph above introduces you to who mwie are.

Christ said it best, “From the heart, the mouth speaketh.”  Reader, listen to others so you can know/read them better and trust what your ears AND your insticts hear.

Listen and hear the words, the tone, consider the timing, etc.
Godspeed.