Acts 14:8-18 Stand upright on your feet

Acts 14:8-18
“Stand upright on your feet.”

8At Lystra a man was sitting who had no strength in his feet, lame from his mother’s womb, who had never walked. 9This man was listening to Paul as he spoke, who, when he had fixed his gaze on him and had seen that he had faith to be made well, 10said with a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet.” And he leaped up and began to walk. 11When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they raised their voice, saying in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have become like men and have come down to us.” 12And they began calling Barnabas, Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. 13The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, and wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds. 14But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their robes and rushed out into the crowd, crying out 15and saying, “Men, why are you doing these things? We are also men of the same nature as you, and preach the gospel to you that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, WHO MADE THE HEAVEN AND THE EARTH AND THE SEA AND ALL THAT IS IN THEM. 16“In the generations gone by He permitted all the nations to go their own ways; 17and yet He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good and gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.” 18Even saying these things, with difficulty they restrained the crowds from offering sacrifice to them.


The crowds thought Barnabas and Paul were gods like Zeus and Hermes and wanted to sacrifice oxen! Do you believe that man on his own, came up with false gods? Or could Satan have whispered in their ears to lead them astray from the living God,? The living God "WHO MADE THE HEAVEN AND THE EARTH AND THE SEA AND ALL THAT IS IN THEM."

"In that He did good and gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons,".
God allows the rain to fall on the righteous and unrighteous alike.
Matthew 5:45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
So the big question is, why?
Why does God allow good things happen to ungodly people and bad things to godly people?
Because we live in a fallen world due to sin and He loves us all. God is there for you in good times and bad. As Christians we should seek and praise Him always. The Book of Job gives us an example on praising Him in both good and bad seasons of life.
May we all be as a praise worthy example as Job!

"17and yet He did not leave Himself without witness,".
Founders.org says;
Isaiah says, “Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled. Who among them can declare this, and show us former things? Let them bring out their witnesses, that they may be justified: or let them hear and say, ‘It is truth.’ ‘You are my witnesses,’ says the Lord, ‘and my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe me, and understand that I am he. Before me there was no God formed, nor shall there be after me. I, even I, am the Lord, and besides me there is no saviour. I have declared and saved, I have proclaimed, and there was no foreign god among you; therefore you are my witnesses,’ says the Lord, ‘that I am God. Indeed before the day was, I am he; and there is no one who can deliver out of my hand; I work, and who will reverse it?'” (43:9-13).
http://founders.org/the-new-testament-meaning-of-witness/

When we become a born again Christian we are forgiven of sin and our spirit-soul is set free, marked for God by the free gift of salvation through His Son Jesus Christ. At that moment you become a witness for Jesus. Whether young or old your sinful past is wiped clean and you become an adopted child of God. It's your sinful past and salvation through Jesus that becomes a testimony. Jesus expects you to use your testimony as a witness for Him. "17and yet He did not leave Himself without witness,"."
Are you being a witness for God?
Stand upright on your feet, and become a witness for God.

Even the thief on the cross became a witness for Jesus Christ.

Blessings David