Wednesday, May 31, 2006

 

June 1 Acts 26

Go ahead and look first at Acts 26 . See how God speaks to you individually. Then come back, if you wish, and see what God has put in my mind/heart.

Key Verse(s): Acts 26:25

I am not insane, most excellent Festus," Paul replied. "What I am saying is true and reasonable”.

Title: Virtual Insanity


Observation: There comes a time when we examine what the world holds to be true- such as the expectation that more money will make you happier. Certainly a large mass of people are constantly striving for more money, so they can purchase things that will make them happy. Many of us have already seen that this is a dead end trap.

In the same way, when we understand the economy of God, and begin to act like it, people will think we are crazy. Recently a friend of mine came into some unexpected money. She is not a wealthy woman. But to my knowledge she gave every bit of it a way. This makes no sense if you believe more money makes you happier. But the sense that I got was that this was how she got the most joy out of what she had been given.

Its not merely money- time also is crucial. We are always in a panic and rushed in our culture. Giving our time away may even seem more foolish than our money. Yet it is in the time we spend serving others that we fully develop our own identity and our reason for being at this time and at this place.

Application: I need to be “insane” to understand the sane life that Jesus calls me to.

Prayer: Lord God, help me to be willing to follow you, no matter where you call me or what you call me to. Let me be willing to leave “rationality” behind in order to follow you where you lead.

In Jesus Name,
Amen.


Tuesday, May 30, 2006

 

Post #100! May 31 Acts 25

Go ahead and look first at Acts 25 . See how God speaks to you individually. Then come back, if you wish, and see what God has put in my mind/heart.

Key Verse(s): Acts 25:11a

If, however, I am guilty of doing anything deserving death, I do not refuse to die.

Title: Being willing to pay the price


Observation: When we err, we often want others to be forgiving, for others to extend grace rather than have us pay the debt we have incurred (if it’s a debt that can even be paid). Certainly, that’s the basis of our faith- Jesus paid the price for our sins that we could in no way afford to pay. We are blessed with living in the era of grace.

Still, I admire those who can admit that they are wrong. And I am even more impressed by those who are willing to take responsibility for their actions, good or bad. In fact this may be the secret that guru’s are selling in their $99 package to a whole new you (along with a $2 “exercise” rubber band “strength trainer”)- you have to take responsibility for you actions or the world is just a collection of cruel and random events.

Actually I have noticed that the truly gifted rarely succeed. I have seen many truly gifted in ministry. What I have noticed is that things come so easily for these truly gifted ones, they generally are unable to see or unwilling to admit their mistakes. Most of them flicker and burn out in the first 5 years. Some return after failing in another career. Being able to own you mistakes, being willing to face God with all of who you are good and bad, allows Him to bring healing and wholeness into our lives.

I have let someone down I have a working relationship with. After forgetting a meeting the second time in two months, I was tempted just to close down the relationship, rather than own my failure. Yet I know that running from it will not help me to grow. Admitting that I was wrong and that I need to hold up my end of the bargain will make me better, allow us to work together better, and position me in a better place to serve God.

Application: I need to be able to admit my mistakes, my weaknesses, and my failings. And be willing to the work necessary to make things right.

Prayer: Lord God, help me to be honest with you and honest with myself about my strengths and my weaknesses. Allow me to be teachable, and leadable by your spirit. Give me a heart that desires correction. And help me to lead well those whom you have placed under my leadership. Help me, by the gift of the Spirit, to be worthy of their trust.

In Jesus Name,
Amen.


Monday, May 29, 2006

 

May 30 Acts 24

Go ahead and look first at Acts 24 . See how God speaks to you individually. Then come back, if you wish, and see what God has put in my mind/heart.

Key Verse(s): Acts 24:16

So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man.

Title: Simple, Easy Truth on the Layaway Plan


Observation: Paul is speaking before a powerful leader in front of his accusers, some of the Jewish leaders. And he acknowledges both the truth of their faith, in his belief in the Law and the Prophets, as well as explaining that he is a follower of the Way, which was an early shorthand for following Jesus.

It might have been easier for him to shade the truth. To either claim he had no connection with the Jewish way or to omit some facts about his following of Jesus. It might have been easier to tell less than the full truth, some convenient almost truth, so that it would go easier for him.

Too often we are tempted to tell less than the truth in much less perilous situations than this. We are in a culture that expects us to lie, live under a legal system which encourages us to at best conceal the truth, to not testify fully for fear of incriminating ourselves. The desire to avoid hassle or conflict can cause us to be less that forthright, less than truthful, in certain circumstances. The truth can be painful- but far less painful than losing your credibility.

Application: I need be direct in my speech. I need to be willing to pay the consequences for being forthright- whether that’s in time or in difficult conversation- rather than just skim along the surface of a conversation, nodding without agreeing with the speaker, just avoiding a confrontation I don’t want to have. I must be forthright in a difficult conversation I need to have tomorrow.

Prayer: Lord God, help me to be willing to pay the price of honesty. Lord, I long to have a clear conscience before everyone, as Paul did. Help me to be transparent in both word, motive, and action.

In Jesus Name,
Amen.


Sunday, May 28, 2006

 

May 29 Acts 23

Go ahead and look first at Acts 23 . See how God speaks to you individually. Then come back, if you wish, and see what God has put in my mind/heart.

Key Verse(s): Acts 23:11

The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, "Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome."

Title: God’s Plan From the Middle


Observation: Paul goes through many dangerous situations in this chapter. There is a mob of people who want to hurt him. Then there is a group who take an oath to kill Paul. He has been arrested and is now being taken to a military camp of the Romans. None of these things seem particularly promising.

Yet Paul is encouraged by God Himself. He tells Paul that he is right where he is supposed to be and on track and on mission. This is what we need. But if you just took this chapter in isolation it might seem that God had abandoned Paul. Instead, seen from a distance we can see all these things were used to God for the mission that He had put Paul on.

Application: I need to have a bigger perspective. I need to be willing to trust God in the midst of circumstances that don’t make a lot of sense. I need to encourage those in the middle parts, that they might see what God is doing in the midst of the storm.

Prayer: Lord God, help me to have a sense of what you are doing, when my feelings get hurt, when I don’t understand the situation, when I can’t see you in the circumstances, to trust you and to love you. You are faithful. Thank you God.

In Jesus Name,
Amen.


Thursday, May 25, 2006

 

May 25 Acts 22

Go ahead and look first at Acts 22 . See how God speaks to you individually. Then come back, if you wish, and see what God has put in my mind/heart.

Key Verse(s): Acts 22:19-20

" 'Lord,' I replied, 'these men know that I went from one synagogue to another to imprison and beat those who believe in you. And when the blood of your martyr[a] Stephen was shed, I stood there giving my approval and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.'

Title: It Isn’t Where You Are, It’s Where You’re Going


Observation: Paul raises an objection before God. You can’t use me, he says. You can’t use me because of what I once did, of who I once was.

And God did not listen. God gave him a life of purpose and meaning, commissioning him to go the non-Jewish people and tell them of the love of Jesus

Application: I can’t let my past, mistakes and insecurities, limit what God can do with me now. I need to be willing to be moved to wherever God wants me to be.

Prayer: Lord God, help me to not put preconditions on what I will or won’t or can or can’t do. Give me your eyes to see what you have created me to be, and where you want me to go and who you want me to be.

In Jesus Name,
Amen.


Tuesday, May 23, 2006

 

May 24 Acts 21

Go ahead and look first at Acts 21 . See how God speaks to you individually. Then come back, if you wish, and see what God has put in my mind/heart.

Key Verse(s): Acts 21:13

Then Paul answered, "Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus."

Title: Heart Break


Observation: Our hearts break when we think of loss. When we will not see and touch those whom we love. Our mind rebels, we try to clutch on to those we love, to protect them, to shelter them, to keep them with us. I can not help but feel empathy for those to whom Paul was mentor, teacher, co-worker, and friend. I, too, probably would have tried to dissuade him from going to
Jerusalem, where he would be arrested and would lead to his eventual martyrdom.

Saying goodbye hurts. It’s hard to let go. The thread that binds us to God and to His gift of eternal life can feel tenuous compared to the presence of another person we love. While we believe in the resurrection and that we will be united again with those who die in the Lord, it seems flimsier at times then the presence of the actual person. And we grieve.

Yet what would be sadder than Paul moving toward his own death is if Paul had nothing worth dying for. He had experience the love of Jesus Christ, the One who had shaken him out of his self-appointed life direction. One who had loved him, healed him, commissioned him, and sustained him through times good and bad. The love and salvation of Jesus Christ were enough; he was willing to die to bring others the news of God’s great love. As Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14

And now, brothers and sisters, I want you to know what will happen to the Christians who have died so you will not be full of sorrow like people who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus comes, God will bring back with Jesus all the Christians who have died.

We grieve in our loss. But we are not without hope. We have not been left orphans. We will see God and see our loved ones who die in the Lord once again.

Application: I need to trust God in His promise of resurrection, and not fear death or separation. I also need to be willing to die to promote the Gospel.

Prayer: Lord God, give me a reason to live and a reason to die. Help me to echo the words of Paul, To Live is Christ, to die is gain. And yet Lord I plead for life, that I might discharge the duty you have given me to teach my young son your ways, that I might see more people come to know you, that I might enjoy more of the goodness in the world in which you have placed me. Still, Lord, I submit to your sovereign will. Come quickly, Lord Jesus!

In the Name of Jesus,
Amen.


Monday, May 22, 2006

 

May 23 Acts 20

Go ahead and look first at Acts 20 . See how God speaks to you individually. Then come back, if you wish, and see what God has put in my mind/heart.

Key Verse(s): Acts 20:35

In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.' "

Title: Finishing Well


Observation: I used to play basketball on the playground in the inner city with the teenagers in my youth group. Old age and treachery were an even match for youth and skill. The thing that I noticed was that a lot of the young players on the court had beautiful, graceful, quick, athletic moves to take the ball toward the basket. But few of them actually made the shot after leaping and pirouetting. And all the strength, agility, leaping ability was to no avail if the ball didn’t actually go through the chain link net.

If we model the Christian life for a while, and by our words and actions get people interested in finding out about Jesus, that is a good thing. But it is a far better thing to be consistent, and finish our service, ministry, and life well. I have seen too many spiritual leaders abuse the trust of those who have followed their lead.

Paul here not only had lived this kind of life, he commended the life to any other who wanted to follow Jesus. He gave us words of Jesus unrecorded in any of the gospels, “It is better to give than receive.” Certainly he had given his life in service, but he also said that this was the better way of living. And we have been given the ultimate example in Jesus who gave his life so that we might be brought into personal relationship with Jesus.

Application: I want to finish well. I know it’s early in my ministry, but I don’t think its ever too early to think about finishing well. I need to build relationship with others and with Jesus that will bring glory to the father. I want to be consistent in my following of Him. I want to practice what Jesus taught, that it is better to give than receive.

Prayer: Lord God, help me to give my life selflessly. Help me to be willing to sacrifice so that others might flourish in your love. Father, help me teach this truth to my son. Lord, help him as he asserts his independence to witness my model of service and love to him that you have shown me.

In Jesus Name,
Amen.


Sunday, May 21, 2006

 

May 22 Acts 19

Go ahead and look first at Acts 19 . See how God speaks to you individually. Then come back, if you wish, and see what God has put in my mind/heart.

Key Verse(s): Acts 19:15-16

(One day) the evil spirit answered them, "Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?" 16Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.

Title: Playing With Fire


Observation: Challenging the power of a demon, ultimately the power of Satan. In our society, we mostly scoff at the idea of personification of evil. If anything we see Satan as a symbol. Yet, to quote Hal Lindsey, Satan is alive and well on planet earth.

I once worked with a pastor who once held this position. Fresh out of Yale seminary at the time, he told the adult Sunday school class he was teaching that Satan was merely the symbol of sin and the fall of man. One of the wiser members gently inquired, “Didn’t Jesus say he saw Satan fall like lightning? (Luke 10:18)”

Flustered, my pastor friend said, “Jesus must have been mistaken.”

He decades later greatly regretted those words. He had seen the power of evil up close and personal. When we challenge Satan, we find ourselves playing with power that we don’t understand. Instead of playing around with the power of evil, we need to turn away from focusing on Satan so that we can focus on the Almighty. As we try and seek and follow Jesus, we may face spiritual attack, but in that moment we will be on the safer ground of an obedient follower of Jesus.

Application: We are not to obsess or marvel at the power of evil. We need to acknowledge that the world we live in is currently under the authority of Satan. And yet we need to not fear demons. As Romans 8:38-39 reminds us

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[ neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Prayer: Lord God, help me to not seek out power for the sake of power. Allow my actions to flow out of my love for you. Help me avoid the idolatry of power and control, and follow the wind of the Spirit. Help me never to be afraid, but to constantly live in the knowledge of your unbreakable love.

In Jesus Name,
Amen.


Friday, May 19, 2006

 

If You Wanna Touch the Sky, Better Learn How to Kneel

I am in a pondering mood. My mother, the mother of my child, and my son are all fast asleep in my home. It is good for us to be together. This fragile fragment of a fractured family has resurged, resillient and strengthened. And with the joy of our little child, and my brother's three children, we have hope and joy for the future that comes out of a clouded past. With God's help, we will avoid the disasterous personal tectonics that shifted the ground underfoot in the 90's. My little family is trying to find new ways to live and relate and to find more fully our new identity enrobed by the Holy Spirit to model and share. We have not arrived; but the journey is probably the only home we will have until we see Jesus face to face.

Our little church is on a journey. My walk with you has only been the last lap of a forty year marathon. Some have run from the beginning, others of us have joined later. But in the last year, our lap together, we have so much for which to be thankful. When I arrived, I was initially unaware of the five families who had left our little fellowship just weeks before I arrived. I was aware of the financial predicament that we were in. Attendance slumped in the later summer and early fall. Jim and Terrie announced they were moving, two key staff members as well as church members. And yet God has made a way, like he always has. Attendance is up now. Giving is up from last year. We have baptized five new believers. We have added two new staff members since the beginning of the year. April was our best giving month in my tenure. Attendance in April and the first half of May, excluding Easter, averaged 120 which as far as I can tell is about as good as attendance in our church has ever been over a comparable period. The temptation might be to push even harder, to work harder, to capitalize on the good work that God has done through us and among us.

But I do not believe that's the next step. I do not believe that God's work is done by humans trying harder to accomplish things for Him. One of the truths that I have come to realize, once again, is that we must live the words God Almighty gave to the Psalmist (46:10)- "Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted in the nations, I will be exalted on the earth!" Without stillness, without reflection, without rest, I will revert to the insticts and training that left me emotionally stranded, spiritually hopeless, and intellectually defeated. While the perimeter, the walls and boundries of my life, are now patrolled by two and not merely one, it does not mean that I cannot bring destructive behavior into my life. I must resolve to reflect on both my life and God's grace in order to discover who I am and what I am called to accomplish.

In the month of June we will collectively endeavor to rest. I have directed staff to reduce their workload and to rest from some of their duties from June 5 to the end of the month. Already, there have been both request for, and successful attempts to, go around these boundries. I have compromised already on a few dates and times. Still, I believe that we need to rest and reflect on who God is in our lives individually and corporately. We will not become all that we were created to be by our own devising or merely trying to work harder.

Actually, rest may be harder than you imagine. Sometimes we keep busy so we don't have to face God, be open to Jesus about our work and relationships, or even have time to listen to the teaching of the Holy Spirit. We like to fly around, create hobbies, do anything but be still and come before the Lord of the Universe. While God is all-loving, and all-forgiving, coming before his Presence with our lives can be frightening. Even though we are assured of His forgiveness and Grace, rejoicing in our giftedness for service well used and humbly accepting our failures to do so is daunting.

I want to encourage you to spend time with Him in the coming month. I know that when there are fewer activities at church, you will be tempted to fill your schedule with other things. I also know that as we merge down to one servie in latter June, it would be easy to not go at all. Yet, what we need, both for ourselves and for our families is not more activities- we already do too many of those- but a new sense of God's transferable holiness to us and a renewed sense of life mission. If we string our activities end to end we might find purpose in them, but only in intentionally seeking out God's will for our lives will we find the fulfilment and purpose that he wants to grant out of His love. We need to model for our children the priority of our relationship with Jesus, even if it means there is less time to be with them. They may not understand now, but they will not forget our example.

So come along on this scary adventure of meeting Jesus in rest. Read scripture. Meditate on it. Pray. Examine your life. Sense the wind of the Spirit encouraging you and leading you. Coil yourself for the next leap that God has for you individually and collectively in the ministry of the church. He is faithful to do more than we can ask, or even imagine, in our lives and in our community. May Jesus Christ be praised in both our work and in our stillness.

In His Name,

Amen.

Wednesday, May 17, 2006

 

May 18th Acts 18

Go ahead and look first at Acts 18 . See how God speaks to you individually. Then come back, if you wish, and see what God has put in my mind/heart.

Key Verse(s): Acts 18:9-10

One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: "Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city."

Title: God’s Encouragement


Observation: God encourages us in many ways. Sometimes we experience a sense of confidence or boldness that God gives us. Other times it’s an unexpected sense of peace. Sometimes we are moved by worship or study or prayer to the point of tears, being drawn into the presence of God. Sometimes it’s through other believers who will stand shoulder to shoulder with us as we live out the gospel.

Our God is an encourager. In fact, part of the Holy Spirit’s mission is to encourage the saints, to give us the ability to continue when we don’t want to. The Spirit of God is alive and active, but we do have to listen to the Spirit.

If we are struggling, we need to stop, turn, and face God. To acknowledge that we are sinners and to accept forgiveness. Metaphorically, we need to kneel in apology to God for our sin or lack of belief and rise in the knowledge and experience of his forgiveness.

God has many in this city. In American Canyon alone there are 21 churches. There are Christians who we can partner together with. God has not left us comfortless. He will pick up and heal the brokenhearted

Application: When I am discouraged I need to remember to look to God. To see Him. To let Him tell me who I am, to let Him be the one who judges me, to let Him be the one to decide my worth.

Prayer: Lord God, help me to seek you when I am discouraged, not the variety of crutches that I usually use. Help me to find my sense of self and worth in you. Allow me to be willing to be whoever you want me to be, wherever you what me to be, for whyever reason You decide.

In Jesus Name,
Amen.


Tuesday, May 16, 2006

 

May 17th Acts 17

Go ahead and look first at Acts 17 . See how God speaks to you individually. Then come back, if you wish, and see what God has put in my mind/heart.

Key Verse(s): Acts 17:13

Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.

Title: Examining the Scriptures


Observation: Preachers can get into to trouble when they are given too much unquestioned authority. There is always the temptation is to twist the text to say what you want it to say, to make it fit more neatly into the three point outline. Or perhaps we are tempted to use the scripture as a launching point to pontificate on something that we want to say. Instead, we need to be held to account to allow the scripture to speak, that human philosophy would not be preached, but the manifest wisdom of God would be presented.

The Bereans seemed to understand that. While Paul was probably accredited to them as a reliable preacher from the Jews in other cities in Greece, they were only willing to follow Paul as far as scripture allowed. They were insistent that everything being spoken must align with scripture.

We would do well to do the same. We need to not get caught up in the latest fads or “winds of doctrine [eph 4]” but try out everything in accordance with God’s word. Only then will we be on the bedrock of faith that we can legitimately build a life on.

Application: I need to be faithful to allow the text of the scripture to speak, to not read into the text things that I want to say. I need to be faithful in study so that I don’t merely get the cursory or surface level, but understand deeply the words that God has given me to speak on. I need to be accountable for what I preach- to God and to the church.

Prayer: Lord God, give me the patience, time, and humility to slog through the texts that I preach on. Help me to see the value in study, and give me your peace in understanding that that time spent in research is time well spent. Re-kindle my love for studying your word deeply and delighting in the nuance of text. Help me to be faithful as I render them in speech.

In Jesus Name,
Amen.


Monday, May 15, 2006

 

May 16 Acts 16

Go ahead and look first at Acts 16 . See how God speaks to you individually. Then come back, if you wish, and see what God has put in my mind/heart.

Key Verse(s): Acts 16:25

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.

Title: Vigilant


Observation: Paul and Silas were up and praying and singing hymns at
midnight! After being mobbed, arrested, and beaten they were up late at night, singing praise to God. No wonder the rest of the prisoners were silent, listening to their testimony.

And I think this vigilance paid off. In the moments after the earthquake they could have done the reasonable thing and run away. Paul had made many escapes before. Instead, awake and alert, they were attentive to the Spirit and saw the jailer and his desperate attempt to end his life.

And instead of saying, “Good, he deserves it”, Paul intervenes to save his life. And then uses this teachable moment to share with the Jailer the Good News of Jesus Christ. The great miracle that takes place is not the earthquake, it’s the salvation of this family. And Paul is vigilant enough to be used by God in this manner.

Application: I need to be vigilant. To be aware of the moments that are available to me to speak the words of Jesus into a hurting life, into a compromised life, into my own life and the collective life of my family. To insert into the mundane the extraordinary power of Jesus.

Prayer: Lord God, help me to see your working and join you in the work. Allow me to not give into my selfish needs, but keep me humble so that I might take the greatest of titles, Servant of the Most High.

In Jesus Name,
Amen.


Sunday, May 14, 2006

 

May 15 Acts 15

Go ahead and look first at Acts 15 . See how God speaks to you individually. Then come back, if you wish, and see what God has put in my mind/heart.

Key Verse(s): Acts 15:13-18

13When they finished, James spoke up: "Brothers, listen to me. 14Simon[a] has described to us how God at first showed his concern by taking from the Gentiles a people for himself. 15The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written:
16" 'After this I will return
and rebuild David's fallen tent.
Its ruins I will rebuild,
and I will restore it,
17that the remnant of men may seek the Lord,
and all the Gentiles who bear my name,
says the Lord, who does these things'[b]
18that have been known for ages.[c]

Title: Another Mother to Celebrate


Observation: Scholars debate who this James is. But most believe it is the brother of Jesus, James. While the brothers of Jesus did not believe during his ministry (in fact they came with Mary to collect him because they thought Jesus was out of his mind), they did come to faith. And here we see a brother of Jesus with a deep knowledge of the OT scripture and the wisdom to lead the council at
Jerusalem. Mary did not merely teach Jesus well, she led and taught her other children thoroughly about God.

Application: I need to encourage my wife, to continue to lead her as she leads my son. While I have an important role in educating Josiah, she is with him all the hours that I am at work. The more I love, encourage, and teach her, the more she will be able to love, teach and encourage Josiah.

Prayer: Lord God, help me love my wife. Help me to choose not to be too busy to care for my family. Bless Lori’s teaching of Josiah and her modeling of Jesus’ love and in time give her the words to communicate that Jesus wants to be Josiah’s best friend.

In Jesus Name,
Amen.


Wednesday, May 10, 2006

 

May 11 Acts 14

Go ahead and look first at Acts 14 . See how God speaks to you individually. Then come back, if you wish, and see what God has put in my mind/heart.

Key Verse(s): Acts 14:8-10

In Lystra there sat a man crippled in his feet, who was lame from birth and had never walked. He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed and called out, "Stand up on your feet!" At that, the man jumped up and began to walk.

Title: Courage to Believe God


Observation: Paul was speaking and God inspired him to tell the crippled man to stand up and walk. Its amazing! What if he couldn’t walk after that. What if he fell. What if Paul had gotten God wrong.

I am amazed by Paul’s courage. When the Holy Spirit gave him prompting to say the impossible, he did not shy away but spoke the miraculous word. And the man was healed.

Healing takes faith. Faith to believe that God will do a miracle, that God will give a messenger the word, and for the person who God is working with. We have to cooperate with God for him to do the things he wants in our lives.

It may be that God never prompts me to heal someone. But it may be that God wants me to speak to someone in line at the store, to talk with a homeless person, to go to a powerful, wealthy person and unapologetically speak about their need for Christ.

Application: I need to believe that God does miracles, God prompts me to speak, and follow through. I need to know Jesus well enough to know when the Spirit is thinking and then be unafraid to announce what God’s blessing is.

Prayer: Lord God, help me to see your working and believe you for great things. Lord help me to walk by faith and not sight. Allow me to be willing to look foolish as I cling to you. Help me not to want to win credibility with anyone but you

In Jesus Name,
Amen.


Tuesday, May 09, 2006

 

May 10 Acts 13

Go ahead and look first at Acts 13 . See how God speaks to you individually. Then come back, if you wish, and see what God has put in my mind/heart.

Key Verse(s): Acts 13:13

From Paphos, Paul and his companions sailed to Perga in Pamphylia, where John left them to return to Jerusalem.

Title: Friends on the Journey


Observation: Friendship, partners in the ministry, can be an incredible source of encouragement on a mission trip. And here Paul and Barnabas are out on a major mission and John leaves them to go back to
Jerusalem. They could have been very discouraged that their mission partner had left them. We learn later that this was a major issue of John leaving, to the point that Paul wouldn’t take him along on the next missionary journey he would take. It would so upset Paul that it would break up his very successful partnership with Barnabas in sharing the gospel.

Yet, these two do not lose sight of their mission here. Even though John (sometimes called John Mark) would leave them, the story goes on from their, without missing a beat, to a time of fruitful ministry. They did not lose their focus despite their friend leaving them. They were clear on their mission and the One whom they served.

Application: I need to remember that that the circumstances of the ministry to which I am called are not the arbiters of my being faithful. I have the ability to follow the leading of Christ in difficult or easy circumstance. I need to praise God in either situation.

Prayer: Lord God, give me the ability to praise you when things are going well (like now, praise God!) and when things are going poorly. Help me to give you all the credit and to point to you in all circumstances.

In Jesus Name,
Amen.


Monday, May 08, 2006

 

May 9 Acts 12

Go ahead and look first at Acts 12 . See how God speaks to you individually. Then come back, if you wish, and see what God has put in my mind/heart.

Key Verse(s): Acts 12:5

So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.

Title: A Leader is Nothing, THE LEADER is everything


Observation: The disciples are still in trouble. They are being persecuted. Their leader, the Apostle Peter has been arrested. Perhaps its time to fulfill the destiny to which Jesus prophesied, that Peter would be killed.

The amazing thing about these disciples is that the realized that their human leader, Peter, was not their real leader, nor the source of their strength. It was, and is, found in the Lord Jesus Christ. SO instead of panicking or feeling, they relied on their True Leader, Jesus, and spent time in prayer, for their earthly leader and for God’s blessing and leadership. And they were so earnest in prayer they almost missed the miracle that God did!

Application: I need to remind and remember that I may be called to lead, but I am in no irreplaceable. God is the leader of all things that will stand the test of time. It is my role not to concentrate power in my hands, but to diffuse it to those who are ready to lead. It’s my role to give away as much as I can, so that the work of God will not be stifled if I become incapable of leading.

Prayer: Lord God, give me the wisdom to know whom to entrust leadership. Help me not to be defensive or guard “power” to make myself feel important. Help me to find a way to build a team that works both independently and interdependently to Your glory.

In Jesus Name,
Amen.


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