It’s always a good idea to look back into the past to review what you’ve done or accomplished. That look back might be for the past day, week, month, or year. It needs to be an honest look at what you may need to improve upon in your life, as well as things that are good. This review of the past is Biblical.

For instance, it’s a part of the Jewish year. There’s a ten-day period from Rosh Hashana through Yom Kippur and is known as the Days of Awe. During that time, a person is introspective and looks for sins they may have committed during the previous year. If that person can apologize to someone they’ve wronged, that needs to be done. All of the introspective thoughts are to lead the person to repentance before Yom Kippur, which is the Jewish day of atonement.

“And this shall be a statute for ever unto you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you: for on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the LORD” (Leviticus 16:29-30). 

Of course, Christians don’t have a specific day to look back and review. For anyone who has accepted the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, our sins are forgiven. He is our High Priest who sprinkled His own blood on the altar in order to take away our sins. That fact doesn’t take away our need to review the things we’ve done and come to a closer walk with our Lord. Our life should be led by the Holy Spirit, and whatever we do needs to be done for Him.

This look back should open our eyes to sins we need to repent of, as well as the things we’ve done right so that we can build upon them.

When Paul and Barnabas went on the first missionary journey, they were breaking new ground. Just before Jesus ascended to Heaven, He gave marching orders to His followers.

“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15).

This was a new idea since the Jewish people didn’t actively go and invite Gentiles to become Jewish. During the first years of Christianity, Peter preached some marvelous sermons that convicted those who heard, and many thousands of people gave their lives to Christ. It’s a shame that today we tiptoe around the Gospel, and present it more or less as an afterthought instead of speaking boldly of what Jesus Christ accomplished on the Cross. The early Christians didn’t travel very far from Jerusalem to spread the Gospel until the persecution there caused them to scatter. They kept their faith, and the Gospel began to spread.

It would be a number of years before a real effort was made to spread the Gospel. Antioch was where it would begin. The men of faith in Antioch were strong in what they believed, and they desired to serve the Lord.

“As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away” (Acts 13:2-3).

The Holy Spirit spoke to them because they served the Lord and desired to hear His voice. Fasting is Biblical and should be practiced today. Possibly a reason we don’t see the Holy Spirit working, nor do we hear His voice, is because we’re too distracted by television or cell phones to serve God first.

“And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus” (Acts 13:3-4).

And so, the first missionary trip began. It wasn’t the men of Antioch who sent them, but the Holy Spirit.

This journey took Paul and Barnabas to many cities where they had much success in spreading the Gospel. Paul knew that God had an order of things. Many centuries earlier, God had called Abraham to be separate and had promised a Redeemer would come from his lineage. Jesus was born to a Jewish virgin and fulfilled many prophecies. Salvation was first presented to the nation of Israel. Paul would begin by going to the synagogue to preach the Gospel, but it was the Gentiles who responded to the Good News.

Later he would write, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16).

Paul had seen this fact come alive on that first journey. Every place they traveled, they first went to the synagogue and unashamedly spoke the Gospel. The results of their testimony of Christ was mixed. Christians today need to stop being ashamed of Christ and boldly share the Gospel.

Their first stop was in a city on the island of Cyprus called Salamis. “And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John to their minister” (Acts 13:5).

The person here called John wasn’t the Apostle John, but rather John Mark who went with Paul and Barnabas on this trip. They first preached the Gospel in the synagogues. This was to be the pattern that Paul and Barnabas would continue to follow. Every city they came to they first went to the synagogue, which then opened doors for them to share the Gospel with Gentiles. They were bold, unashamed, and led by the Holy Spirit.

There were many events on that trip that were worth remembering. For instance, when they came to Paphos, they encountered a man named Barjesus.

“And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus: which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God” (Acts 13:6-7).

Barjesus was Jewish, but didn’t serve God Almighty. He tried to stop Sergius Paulus from hearing God’s truth. False faith can never stand against true faith, and Paul confronted the evil.

“Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him, and said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?” (Acts 13:9-10).

Today many Christians are afraid to confront evil. Perhaps if we spoke boldly and stood firmly upon God’s truth, we wouldn’t have public schools that promote lies and perversion, or liberal politicians who serve Satan.

This mission journey brought many people to faith, especially Gentiles. This must have surprised Paul and Barnabas, but they never shied away from sharing the Gospel with anyone who was willing to listen. Most of the opposition they encountered was from the Jewish community.

“And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead. Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe” (Acts 14:19-20).

Paul’s life didn’t end that day. Nothing could stop him from preaching God’s truth until God allowed his life to end.

“And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch, confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:21-22).

Paul and Barnabas didn’t forget the new Christians. Day-to-day trials and tribulation can cause a new Christian to falter. That’s why we need to encourage each other in the Lord. They returned to check on their disciples to be sure that they were continuing in the faith.

“And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed” (Acts 14:23).

I’m always surprised that those early believers were taught so much in a short time. Too many who claim to be Christians today have sat in pews for years but still don’t know what they believe.

When the journey was over, Paul and Barnabas returned to Antioch. “And when they were come and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles” (Acts 14:27).

They shared what God had done, not what Paul and Barnabas had done. One of the amazing accomplishments of this journey was opening the door for Gentiles to be saved. This all happened because two men obeyed the Holy Spirit and preached the Gospel.

Can you imagine what might happen today if so-called missionaries would preach the Gospel instead of confusing doing works with spreading the Gospel?

Paul and Barnabas never confused works with spreading the Gospel. They fulfilled Christ’s directive by preaching the Gospel to everyone. I’ve known of too many people who claim to be missionaries but have other agendas. One man spoke of wonderful success he had in India. As it turned out, he wasn’t preaching the Gospel to the unsaved, but was converting already saved Christians to move from other denominations to join his denomination. He spoke of what he did rather than what God did.

I’ve also heard missionaries talk of the wonderful houses they build for the unsaved, but never rejoicing over any souls that were saved by building those houses. Some of these people couldn’t even speak the language of the country they went to, but still spoke of their own successes instead of what God had done.

Preach the Gospel to the unsaved, but don’t bribe them with works. Be sure you are listening to the Holy Spirit instead of just following your own agenda.

An important part of these verses is that Paul and Barnabas went over the details of the journey. Their testimony to those who had sent them out was amazing. Subsequent mission journeys were patterned after the example of Paul and Barnabas. They followed the directive of the Holy Spirit, they boldly preached the Gospel, they confronted opposition and evil, and they mentored their disciples.

Each of us is placed in a mission field. We may not be called to a foreign land, but we all have people around us who need to hear the Gospel. It’s up to us to boldly preach the Gospel to friends and family, neighbors and co-workers. Look back at the past year. Like the Jewish time of the Days of Awe, see what you might need to repent of, remembering that Jesus has forgiven all sin.

Have you missed an opportunity to share the Gospel with someone? Pray that you won’t let fear stop you from sharing God’s truth. By looking back, we can see what we’ve done for ourselves and what God has done through us. Let God be glorified through you.

God bless you all,

Nathele Graham

twotug@embarqmail.com

www.straitandnarrowministry.com

ron@straitandnarrowministry.com

Ron and Nathele Graham’s previous commentaries archived at https://www.raptureready.com/featured/graham/graham.html

All original scripture is “theopneustos” – God breathed.

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Have you made any New Year resolutions yet? I seem to have the same list year after year. I resolve to lose weight, be more organized, stop procrastinating, allow God’s love to show more in my life, and study Scripture daily. I have great intentions and usually start out on the right foot. My resolve lasts for about a week. This year I think I’ll let the Apostle Paul give me some better things to strive for.

“Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men” (Romans 12:9-18).

Christians sometimes forget that Scripture is our guide. Instead of asking “What would Jesus do” and then doing it, we identify with the world’s way of behaving. If we try to put Jesus first in every situation, then His way will become a habit and our worldly habits will begin to fade.

“Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good” (Romans 12:9). 

The word “love” in Scripture comes from various Greek words, each one with a different shade of meaning. Here, the word “agape” is used. We often say this is God’s love, and it is. Affection, good will, and brotherly love are examples of agape. This is a good thing to strive for, and I will take my thoughts captive before the Lord and love as He loves. This love needs to be without “dissimulation,” which means it has to be sincere. I can’t be two-faced about agape. It might be easier to abhor evil than it is to love with the love of God. I really don’t like the wickedness in this world, like people who commit murder or continually lie and such. On the other hand, Jesus said that if I’m angry with someone, I’m in danger of judgment; and if I call someone a fool, I’m in danger of hell fire! I need to see evil from God’s point of view and mold my attitudes around His example.

I need to hold tighter to things that are good, upright, and honorable, and to make His ways my ways. It’s easy to make resolutions, but it’s a choice whether we follow through with them. That can be difficult.

“Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another” (Romans 12:10).

Brotherly love is the love between family members. Christians are one family in Christ, so the same love I feel for my earthly family is how I should feel towards my Christian brothers and sisters. I need to treat them honestly and encourage them in a closer walk with Jesus. Paul isn’t advocating being nice to Christians while not caring for non-Christians, but he was admonishing me to respect my Christian brothers and sisters. The truth is, I have much more in common with fellow Christians. We have faith in Christ in common.

The next verse should be easy. “Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord” (Romans 12:11).

I don’t have a business, so I don’t have to worry about being slothful there. Now, what about “fervent in spirit; serving the Lord”? The word “fervent” means like boiling water…bubbling and alive. That’s how my spirit needs to be…bubbling and alive with God’s love. That’s how I need to serve the Lord. Oops. Wait a minute. When Jesus was twelve, He and His family had gone to Jerusalem for Passover. When Joseph and Mary headed home, Jesus wasn’t with them. They searched for Him and finally found Him in the Temple talking with the religious teachers. Mary reprimanded Him, but His answer is something I need to pay attention to as I put my resolution into effect.

“And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? Wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?” (Luke 2:49).

Maybe I do have business. I shouldn’t be slothful in it, and it’s one that I need to be fervent in: Serving the Lord.

I see that I have a lot to work on in myself this year, but there’s more.

“Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer” (Romans 12:12).

I’ve got this one covered. When things are going my way, I rejoice! I sing songs of praise and thank God in prayer. Wait a minute. Paul said to rejoice in “hope.” That doesn’t mean to rejoice in things I have here and now. Hope looks forward to things to come. So, even if I’m going through some trials and tribulation, I still need to rejoice. No matter what I’m facing, Jesus will never leave me alone. He will see me through problems, so I need to rejoice in Him. That’s what it means to be patient in tribulation. I won’t face the Great Tribulation, but there are troubles in life that come along each day. Even so, I need to be patient and rejoice.

“Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality” (Romans 12:13).

I’ve noticed that many well-meaning Christians will do anything and everything to help the unsaved. Bless their hearts for their kindness. I’ve also noticed that these same Christians ignore the needs of the brethren. I need to pay attention to this and look for needs that my brothers and sisters have, then do what I can to help. Maybe the need is to comfort or encourage a fellow Christian, or be hospitable by inviting someone for lunch or dinner. It’s Scriptural to help fellow Christians. We are seen by God as holy because He sees us through the blood of Jesus Christ. My holiness isn’t because of anything I’ve done to earn it, but it’s because of my faith in what Jesus did to redeem me. I can show my gratitude for what He did by caring about fellow Christians.

“Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not” (Romans 12:14).

This won’t be easy. How can I possibly bless someone who persecutes me? I’m only human, and it hurts to be persecuted, especially for something I don’t deserve. If someone mocks my faith, or snubs me because I’m a Christian, that’s just wrong. How can I not curse them? Once again, I’m convicted. Jesus is my example. He was perfect and had no sin, yet He was persecuted and mocked. He was arrested and crucified by people who should have praised Him. He was betrayed by His friend Judas, and snubbed by His friend Peter. He could have cursed Jew and Gentile alike for what was done to Him. Yet, He willingly went to the cross. As He hung there suffering for my sins, He looked down upon the Roman soldiers and the others at the foot of the cross and forgave them.

“Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots” (Luke 23:34).

Jesus forgave all those who persecuted Him. Jesus forgave me. This year, I need to be more forgiving.

Is it easy to be happy for someone else, or feel deep sorrow in their grief? Not always. Some people seem to have everything going their way. Others face sorrow, but it can seem as if they deserve what they get. Oh, that’s a very bad attitude, and I need to pray that God will change my heart about this.

“Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep” (Romans 12:15).

We are all just humans with emotions. We all are happy when something good happens to us, and our heart breaks when we’re in deep sorrow. When I was a child, I would rant and rave to my mother about how unfair life was. Why did others seem to have so many wonderful things, and I seemed to have a lot of struggles? I have to admit if something bad happened to someone who, in my opinion, deserved to hurt, I wasn’t sorry. My mother would tell me that I should put myself in their place and understand the joy and sorrow of other people. I can’t possibly know what another person is going through. The smile they have may cover up a lot of pain and sorrow. When something good happens to a fellow Christian, I need to truly be happy for them.

As for weeping, that’s when we need each other most. “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10).

I need to keep my heart turned to Jesus because He is my example to follow. He didn’t care what social status a person had; His grace was for anyone who came to Him. He came to sinners.

“Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men” (Romans 12:16-17).

Humility is something I need to work on and treat others in the same manner in which I would like to be treated. I am a sinner saved by the grace of God, and no matter what their lot in life is, everyone needs that grace. Once again, Jesus is my example. He loves all sinners no matter what their social status happens to be. He loves me.

“If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men” (Romans 12:18).

Walking away when someone is “pushing my buttons” could be the way I can live peaceably. I need to consider my actions and my motives before I do anything that might antagonize someone else. An apology can go a long way to keep peace with others.

“Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up” (James 4:10).

Humbling myself before the Lord will show others that I am a peaceful person. I need to keep Jesus first in my thoughts and live my faith rather than just profess it. Paul doesn’t say to just live peaceable with Christians, but with all men. If I’m peaceful and humble, I can be a better witness for Jesus.

Each morning I will start anew. I’ll ask God to guide me to a closer walk with Him, then make decisions based on Christ’s example.

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:1-2).

By God’s strength, I can set aside my pride and sacrifice my will to His.

My resolution this year may be harder to keep than losing weight or not procrastinating. If I can stick with it, though, it will be much more important.

Thank You, Jesus, for forgiving me when I fail and helping me to make a fresh start each day.

God bless you all,

Nathele Graham

twotug@embarqmail.com

www.straitandnarrowministry.com

ron@straitandnarrowministry.com

Ron and Nathele Graham’s previous commentaries archived at https://www.raptureready.com/featured/graham/graham.html

All original scripture is “theopneustos” – God breathed.

If you’d like to be on my mailing list to receive the commentaries, just drop me an email and let me know.