Acts 28:24  – “Some were convinced by what he said, but others refused to believe.“

As I read, prayed, and meditated on the Word of God today, I was challenged and convicted.  When I read about Paul’s trials and the stubbornness of the Jews in Acts, I was reminded of the saying, “Don’t confuse me with the facts; my mind is made up.”

The miracles, the transformation, and the scholarly presentation of scriptural evidence failed to persuade the Jews to turn to Jesus.   In Acts 28:24, some who heard Paul in Rome fit that description.  “Some were convinced by what he said, but others REFUSED to believe.”   That is revelatory and an intentional description by the Holy Spirit.  It was not that they did not see the evidence, but rather that they refused to believe it.

Paul referenced Isaiah and said the same thing Ezekiel said to the Jews, “You hear, but the truth does not penetrate and overcome your tradition and bias.  You see the miraculous but discount it, preventing the evidence from dismantling your religious or personal bias and preference.”

Tragically, some have heard gospel preaching all their lives, and it is nothing more than another story to them.   Some have seen and even been the recipient of the miraculous and have either remained unconvinced or refused to give up control of their hearts.

Jesus asked, “When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the Earth?”   Not just faith for miracles but faith that surrenders the whole heart to Him.

The Church in the Book of Acts had human issues, but overall, its focus was Jesus, not self.   Their gatherings were celebrations of who He is and what He had and was doing, anticipating what He would do.   They didn’t gather to be entertained.  Their gatherings were not fluff-filled.  Their mission was to fulfill the Great Commission and destroy the works of the devil.

Even when we don’t want to, we find ourselves gravitating to selfish motivations.  If we are convinced that Jesus did what He did, is who the Bible declares Him to be, and that only as He is LORD can we truly please God, we die to self.   We decrease, and He increases.   Our world becomes Christocentric, and from that condition and position, we find fulfillment in serving rather than being served.

The challenge is to become convinced and surrender rather than becoming stubborn and refusing to believe.  Without Him, there is nothing!   My cry is, “LORD, consume me with Your passion and compassion.  Help me see there is no me outside of You.”

We always have a choice in life.   To fully embrace Him, we have to choose not to choose not to be blind to the truth.  We cannot serve two masters.   If the self is the center of our world, Jesus cannot be.   If Jesus is the center of our world, self cannot be.   If He is first, all we need is provided.  It may not be without difficulty, but victory is within reach, ALWAYS!

Let’s make up our minds to follow Jesus!