The Movement of God.

Joshua 5-6, Acts 8

So the people shouted, and the trumpets were blown. As soon as the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted a great shout, and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they captured the city. ­– Joshua 6:20 ESV

The Bible gives us a glimpse into the history of God's interactions with man. It reveals moments in which God intervenes and interjects Himself into the affairs of men, revealing His divine presence and displaying His incomparable power. When it was time for the people of Israel to begin their conquest of the land of Canaan, God showed up in the form of the Captain of the Host. Joshua found himself face to face with the Lord Himself, dressed for battle and with drawn sword in hand. Joshua, not immediately recognizing who this individual was, asked Him, “Are you for us, or for our adversaries?” (Joshua 5:13 ESV). In other words, Joshua wanted to know if this warrior and His army were friends or foes. Did the Israelites have two enemies to contend with, or was this an unexpected ally? But the Lord's answer was basically, “Neither.” He simply replied, “No, but I am the commander of the army of the Lord. Now I have come” (Joshua 5:14 ESV). And Joshua immediately bowed down and worshiped Him. We know that this was no ordinary man, because of what He instructed Joshua to do next. “Take off your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy” (Joshua 5:15 ESV). These were the same words God spoke when He appeared to Moses in the burning bush years earlier. This was a sacred encounter with God. He had showed up and was letting Joshua know that His presence was going to have a dramatic impact on what was about to happen. The conquest of the land was not going to be done conventionally or by human means alone. It was to be a movement of God. It was going to have the fingerprints of God all over it, so that the people of Israel would know that their success was due to Him, not themselves. God's instructions to Joshua regarding the siege and fall of Jericho had to have sounded farfetched and a bit ridiculous. But Joshua's obedience brought victory. His willingness to do God's work in God's way resulted in God's will being done.

What does this passage reveal about God?

It is so easy for us to question the will and the ways of God. We sometimes wonder and question why God does things the way He does. In reading the story of the spread of the church in the book of Acts, it is difficult to understand why Stephen had to die a martyr's death. It is hard to comprehend why Saul had to persecute the church, dragging off men and women to prison. But the movement of God is not always recognizable to us. Luke records the events just as they happened. He makes it clear that “Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison” (Acts 8:3 ESV). But even this was a work of God. It was all part of the plan of God. Because at this point, the message of the good news of Jesus Christ has been confined to the city of Jerusalem. But Jesus had told His disciples, “you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8 ESV). The gospel was to be preached around the world. So God moved in the midst of men, bringing about a persecution that would result in a dispersion of the people of God so that they might spread the message of Christ. “Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word” (Acts 8:4 ESV). God moved and so did the people. And Luke makes it clear that Philip went down to Samaria, exactly where Jesus had instructed His disciples to go. And because Philip was forced to leave the safe and familiar confines of Jerusalem, many of the Samaritans heard the good news of Jesus Christ and believed. God moved and the Spirit of God came upon all those who believed. He put His seal of approval on the lives of those who placed their faith in Jesus. Philip even got the opportunity to share the gospel with an Ethiopian – someone who represented “the end of the earth.” Philip would end up traveling through Judea and settling in Caesarea, a busy trading hub on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The good news was spreading. This was clearly a movement of God.

What does this passage reveal about man?

Mankind has always needed a movement of God. If you take Him out of the story of human history, it would be a bleak and hopeless affair. God's movements among men have always resulted in powerful and significant outcomes. He moved at creation and brought mankind into existence. He moved again and brought about the destruction of virtually all mankind because of the prevailing presence of sin. But He moved in the life of Noah and provided a means of salvation. He moved in the life of Abraham and brought about the creation of the people of Israel. He moved in the life of Moses and delivered His people from captivity in Egypt. He moved among the Israelites, providing them with provision and protection all the years they wandered in the wilderness. He moved at Jericho, and the walls fell. Mankind desperately needs to see God move. But God almost always moves through men. He used Noah. He used Abraham. He used Moses and Joshua. He used Stephen, Peter, and Philip. God used the people of Israel to march around the walls of Jericho, but it was God who caused the walls to fall. God used Philip to share the good news of Jesus Christ with the people living in Samaria, but it was God who caused His Holy Spirit to fall. The movement of God among men always uses men of God. Simon the magician failed to understand that fact. He wanted the power for himself. He thought he could purchase the ability to display power like God possessed. But the movement of God is reserved for God alone. It can't be bought, replicated, or manufactured by human means.

How would I apply what I’ve read to my own life?

As a child of God I should long to see the movement of God in my life and in the world in which I live. The lost among whom I live don't need to see my handiwork, they need to see God at work in and around my life. When the nations living in the land of Canaan got word about how God had miraculously dried up the waters of the Jordan River, allowing the people of Israel to cross over, the book of Joshua records, “their hearts melted and there was no longer any spirit in them because of the people of Israel” (Joshua 5:1 ESV). They knew that the people of Israel had a powerful God who moved on their behalf. He displayed His power in practical and unprecedented ways. He moved and the world took notice. When God moves, it is always difficult for the world to ignore, explain or understand. They may try to discount it or deny it, but a true movement of God among men is usually undeniable and unavoidable. When God moves, men notice. We should long for a movement of God among us. As the people of God, we should pray for and expect God to move on our behalf and in our midst. When God moves, things happen. In Jericho, walls fell. In Samaria, the Holy Spirit fell. God wants to move in our midst. He is still the Captain of the Host, ready to fight on our behalf and defeat the enemies we face.

Father, I want to see You move today. We desperately need a movement of God in our midst. Sometimes I don't always understand how You work. I don't always like how You choose to move, but I recognize that when You choose to move among men, it it always obvious and undeniable. That is what we long to see. You are here. Let us see You move.  Amen

God-Exalted Leadership.

Joshua 3-4, Acts 7

Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. ­– Joshua 3:7 ESV

Joshua was God's hand-picked replacement for Moses. But it was essential that the people see him as Moses' equal and not just some unqualified stand-in. Also, God knew that Joshua was going to need some reassurance that his role as leader had God's “Good Housekeeping seal of approval.” So God let him know that He was going to “exalt” him in the sight of the people. He was going to elevate Joshua's stock in the minds of the people by giving clear and convincing evidence that he was indeed God's man for the job. It just so happened that the very time of the year that God had picked for the people to begin their conquest of the land of Canaan was the same time of year when the Jordan River overflowed its banks. This was not a coincidence or a circumstance that caught God off guard and unprepared. It was all part of His divine plan. Just when the people of Israel were going to have to cross over the Jordan, God made sure that the circumstances were as difficult and impossible as they could be. They had lost their esteemed leader, Moses. They were faced with the prospect of having to get over a flooded, rapidly flowing river. They were being led by an unproven, novice leader. In other words, the situation was just right for God to work. And He did. He instructed Joshua to have the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant into the waters of the Jordan and, when their feet touched the water, the river ceased to flow and left them standing on dry ground. The people were able to cross over the river and into the land of Canaan, safe and sound. God had exalted His new leader. He had proven to the people that Joshua was His man for the moment. “On that day the Lord exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel, and they stood in awe of him just as they had stood in awe of Moses, all that days of his life” (Joshua 4:14 ESV).

What does this passage reveal about God?

God confirms those whom He chooses to act on His behalf. Moses was given the ability to perform signs and wonders, confirming his position as God's spokesman and deliverer. David was given the ability to defeat Goliath, an adversary far greater in size and strength, and in doing so, revealed that God's hand was on him. The prophets spoke on behalf of God and their right to do so was confirmed by God's fulfillment of their prophecies. God exalts or lifts up those whom He chooses. He confirms those whom He calls. But it isn't always the way we might expect. Not every called one ends up working miracles or performing great signs and wonders. In the story of the early church, found in the book of Acts, we see the rise of Stephen to leadership. He had been recognized as a man of “good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom” (Acts 6:3 ESV). He was full of grace and power. God elevated him to a position of leadership within the church and gave him the ability to speak truth boldly and without compromise. He was clearly God's man for the hour. Luke describes him as having a “face…like the face of an angel” (Acts 6:15 ESV). And yet God chose to exalt Stephen in a way that most of us would find shocking and surprising. This man, whose life was marked by grace and power and who was filled with the Holy Spirit, was stoned to death by the hands of those with whom he attempted to share the good news of Jesus Christ. He was exalted in death. Jesus had warned the disciples that this was going to happen. “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake” (Matthew 24:9 ESV). Stephen became the consummate leader that day. He gave his life for the cause of Christ and was exalted by God in his death. Again, Jesus had taught His disciples, “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matthew 10:39 ESV). “For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it” (Mark 8:35 ESV). The truth is that God sometimes exalts His chosen leaders through suffering and even death. This was the case with Jesus. Paul writes, “he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name” (Philippians 2:8-9 ESV). Jesus was God's own Son, and yet He had been sent to suffer and die. He was the Chosen One, but His role was to be that of the suffering servant and sacrificial Lamb. His obedience “to the point of death” resulted in His exaltation.

What does this passage reveal about man?

We have a warped view of leadership. We have saddled the concept with misconceptions and misunderstandings, turning it into a self-centered and self-elevating notion surrounded with power, position, prominence and possessions. We see leadership as tied to authority and power. And in the world, all these things are true. But in God's economy, leadership is always about service, humility and sacrifice. Some of God's leaders, like David and Solomon, held positions of prominence and power. Others, like Stephen, found their tenure short-lived and marked by tragedy. Virtually all of the disciples would die in their service for the Kingdom. There is no doubt that they were chosen of God and served as leaders for the cause of Christ, but their leadership would be marked by suffering and death. There is something attractive to most of us about being a leader like Moses or Joshua. The idea of being God's instrument for accomplishing great signs and wonders is appealing. We all want to be used by God. We would all love for others to see the hand of God on our lives through the miraculous things He accomplishes through us. But what if God's exaltation of us involves our suffering and death? What if His calling on our lives is revealed through our suffering in this life? Prosperity, power and prominence are not necessarily the mark of God's hand on a man's life. Before David could become the king of Israel, he had to suffer for years, living as a fugitive in the wilderness with a bounty on his head. He lost his job, his wife, his mentor, his reputation – and yet he was God's chosen one. He had been anointed by God, but had to suffer on behalf of God. Joseph was God's hand-picked choice to provide a place for the descendants of Jacob to live in the land of Egypt during the time of famine. But Joseph had to suffer humiliation, slavery, false accusations, imprisonment and worse – all before he could experience the exaltation of God. His suffering was all part of God's divine plan. Stephen's death was all part of God's plan. It actually confirmed his calling by God. We don't understand it. We don't necessarily like it. But even in his death, Stephen revealed the hand of God on his life, calling out“Lord, do not hold this sin against them” (Acts 7:60 ESV). His life was a witness right up until he breathed his last breath.

How would I apply what I’ve read to my own life?

I must constantly learn to see my role as one of God's chosen ones, not through the world's false concept of leadership. I must see that sometimes suffering is God's form of exaltation. He may call me to suffer on His behalf. He may choose me to walk a difficult path. My life may at time be marked by suffering and shame, but that does not mean I lack His hand on my life. It may be confirmation that He has chosen me for something great. He may be exalting me by making less of me. Paul reminds me, “For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him” (Philippians 1:20 NLT). That prospect is not attractive to most of us. We would prefer to be Joshua; standing before the people, giving instructions, wielding power and authority, and acting as God's spokesman. But it may be that our leadership will be marked by suffering, insignificance, pain and even death. I want to be able to say as the apostle Paul did, “For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die” (Philippians 1:20 NLT). Whatever God calls me to, I want to honor His Son with my life – whether that means living it or losing it for Him.

Father, exalt my life however You see fit. Help me to see that suffering for You is just as much a form of leadership as accomplishing great things for You. Help me to see that as long as I am living my life in submission to Your will and dependent upon Your strength, I will be living a life worthy of my calling. Then I can leave the results up to You.  Amen

Godly Leadership.

Joshua 1-2, Acts 6

Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. ­– Acts 6:3 ESV

Moses was gone, but the people of God still needed someone to lead them. So God chose Joshua the son of Nun. He had spent most of his adult life as the personal assistant to Moses, so he was not a novice when it came to leadership. But he was going to be thrust into the spotlight and given the responsibility of leading the people of God as they began their conquest of the land. It was not going to be easy. Joshua knew the people of Israel well and had watched them repeatedly give Moses a run for his money, bucking his leadership and disobeying the revealed will of God for their lives. But Joshua was God's man for the task. And three different times during His commissioning of His new leader, God told Joshua, “Only be strong and very courageous” (Joshua 1:7 ESV). In the face of what had to look like formidable odds and saddled with leading a people who had proven themselves unwilling to follow, Joshua was told by God to be strong and courageous. But how? Because God was going to be with Him every step of the way. “Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9 ESV). Joshua's main responsibility to recognize his need for God, to never doubt the presence of God, and to faithfully obey the will of God.

What does this passage reveal about God?

The book of Joshua is really not about a man, but it is about the God who chose and led the man after whom the book is named. Joshua was an instrument in the hand of God to accomplish His will regarding the people of Israel. It was essential that Joshua be a man of God, in touch with the will of God and faithful to the Word of God. He had to know what it was that God wanted done and faithfully execute God's will, in spite of any opposition he might face – within or without. Even in the New Testament, as the church began to grow, it was as a result of God's Spirit working through the lives of ordinary men and women. Filled with the Holy Spirit, they boldly proclaimed the good news of Jesus Christ and spread the word regarding the free gift of salvation made available through His death and resurrection. The gospel was being preached and literally thousands of people were coming to faith in Christ. This influx of individuals into the church was creating a tremendous need for teaching and discipleship. New converts required careful instruction in the teachings of Jesus. There were all kinds of people coming to faith in Christ from all kinds of economic, social and ethnic backgrounds. This created a whole host of other problems for the leaders of the church as they had to deal with various disputes and differences among the quickly growing congregation. So God lead the apostles to look for additional men to help handle the load of leadership. But they were not to settle for any kind of man. They knew that they needed “men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom” (Acts 6:3 ESV). They would need to be men of God if they were going to work on behalf of God. Their qualifications were spiritual in nature, not secular. They were to be Spirit-filled, wise, and men of integrity, whose reputations within the community were impeccable. One of those chosen was Stephen, who Luke described as “a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 6:5 ESV). He was known for his faith and recognized for being filled with the Spirit of God. Those are the kinds of men God chooses to use. Luke goes on to say, “Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people” (Acts 8 ESV). He had been chosen to help handle an apparent oversight in the care of some of the widows within the church. He had been appointed to help serve, so that the apostles could spend their time preaching and teaching. But because he was a man of God, he didn't limit his actions to his assigned duty. He was ready, willing and able to do whatever God had for him to do.

What does this passage reveal about man?

God's choice of Joshua was based more on his useability than his abilities. Joshua wasn't chosen because he brought innate leadership abilities to the table that would be an asset to God's cause. He was a man who had a heart for God and had proven himself obedient to God. God has the uncanny ability to be able to look into the heart and see characteristics an qualities to which the rest of us are blind. When the prophet Samuel was looking for someone to replace Saul as the king of Israel, he found himself swayed by the external characteristics of the men he was considering. He was looking for a man who looked like a king. But God warned him, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7 ESV). To be an effective leader for God a man must first have a heart for God. As human beings we are far too easily impressed with the outside. Resumes and accomplishments can too easily replace the need for faith, integrity, and character. We can find ourselves choosing self-made men rather than Spirit-filled ones. Stephen was a man filled with the Spirit of God who exhibited the wisdom of God when he spoke. For a man to be used by God, he must be dependent upon and controlled by God. He must be a willing instrument in the hands of God, pliable, teachable, and useable.

How would I apply what I’ve read to my own life?

Am I a man "of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom?” Would I be characterized as “a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit?” Would people say of me, he is “full of grace and power?” The inner qualities of my life should be reflected in my outer countenance and directly impact my reputation among men. I should be known for who I am because of Who I serve. Too often, we are known by our talents, abilities, and accomplishments, many of which are purely of human origin. But Joshua was chosen by God, not because he was going to be useful to God, but because He was willing to be used by God. Stephen was chosen by God, not because he was a natural-born leader, but because he was a Spirit-filled servant who had a reputation for wisdom, grace, and godliness. That is the kind of man I want to be. That is the kind of leader I want to be. But it all begins with my willingness to be used by God, not seeing myself as somehow useful to Him. He doesn't need me. He can do His will without me. But God wants to use me. He wants to accomplish His will through me. But like Joshua, I must remember to “be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9 ESV). My usefulness to God is solely based on the presence and power of God in my life. Godly leaders are Spirit-filled, God-dependent leaders – full of the wisdom, grace, and power of God.

Father, I want to be the kind of man You use. Not because I bring anything of value to the table, but because I recognize that I am useless without You. I want to be dependent upon You and fully useble by You. May my life continually reflect Your presence and be marked by Your power. Amen

Man of God.

Deuteronomy 33-34, Acts 5

We must obey God rather than men. ­– Deuteronomy 34:29 ESV

Moses was a man, a flawed and sometimes fault-filled man. But he was God's man. Throughout his tenure as God's appointed leader of the people of Israel, Moses tried to live in obedience to God. He attempted to faithfully carry out God's will, in spite of his own feelings of inadequacies and the people's stubborn refusal to obey. It isn't easy to find examples of this man's faults and failings. There were times when he got frustrated and even angry with God. He often became exasperated with the very people he had been called to lead, and at times wished he could walk away from the job. But there are just as many examples of his faithful leadership and his loving intercession to God on behalf of a stiff necked people. We know that Moses was not perfect because God refused to allow him to enter into the land of promise. Instead, he died in the land of Moab, and was buried by God Himself. He was 120 years old when he died, and “his eye was undimmed, and his vigor unabated” (Deuteronomy 34:7 ESV). Moses was an incredible man, but a man nonetheless. He is an example of what it means to follow the Lord and to know God face to face. He had an intimate, personal relationship with the living God of the universe. He was used by God because he remained useable to God. He was willing to do whatever God called him to do. Yes, sometimes he exhibited reluctance and even reticence. But eventually he always overcame his fears and apprehensions, doing whatever God had called Him to do.

What does this passage reveal about God?

God works through men. He chooses to reveal His extraordinary power through the means of ordinary men and women. Moses was not chosen by God because he had any special qualities or characteristics that set him apart. God used him in spite of his faults. Moses was actually a murderer with a bounty on his head, but God chose to use him to set the people of Israel free from captivity in Egypt and to lead them to the land of promise in Canaan. In the New Testament, we see God using a group of men to spread the message of Christ's death and resurrection to the world. These were ordinary men who brought nothing to the table except their belief in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. After the resurrection of Jesus, God would fill these men with His Holy Spirit and empower them to do signs and wonders in the midst of the people of Israel, just as Moses had done. Like Moses, they would become spokesmen for God, speaking on His behalf and exhibiting His power and presence through their own lives and ministries.

God is not obligated to use men. He could just as easily accomplish His mission without the help of men or women, but He has chosen to use us. Just as in the days of Moses, God wants to exhibit His power and presence through the lives of ordinary men and women in order to show the world what a right relationship between He and His human creation should look like. When we live in obedience to His will and empowered by His Spirit, we become living, breathing witnesses to the world of the reality and life-changing power of God. The world gets to see God in us. His presence becomes tangible and highly practical.

What does this passage reveal about man?

When the apostles faithfully ministered as Jesus had commanded them to do, they quickly found themselves in trouble with the Jewish religious authorities. In fact, it wasn't long before they were arrested and thrown in jail. They had been teaching, preaching, healing and proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ. Thousands of people were hearing and accepting the message regarding salvation through Christ alone. “And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women” (Acts 5:14 ESV). These ordinary men were making an extraordinary impact on the world. And even when they found themselves locked in a jail cell, God would use their circumstance to reveal His power. He sent an angel to release them and commanded them to “Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life” (Acts 5:20 ESV). And they obeyed. The high priest had them re-arrested and brought before him. He confronted them saying, “We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and you intend to bring this man's blood upon us” (Acts 5:28 ESV).

Confronted by this powerful religious leader who had played a role in the death of Jesus, Peter and the apostles didn't bat an eye. Rather than back down and give in to his threats, they remained faithful to their calling. “We must obey God rather than men,” Peter responded. They would not give in or give up. Even when they were beaten and warned again not to speak in the name of Jesus, Luke records that they left “rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name” (Acts 5:41 ESV). These ordinary men, filled with the Spirit of God, would go on to do extraordinary things for God. “And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ” (Acts 5:42 ESV).

How would I apply what I’ve read to my own life?

There is no limit to what God can accomplish through the man or woman who is willing to be used by Him. Our usefulness to God has nothing to do with our own abilities, talents, or strengths. God is not obligated to use us or somehow dependent upon our abilities to accomplish His will. Like the apostle Paul, we often find ourselves weak and ill-equipped to do what God has called us to do, but we quickly learn as he did, that God's grace is sufficient. “‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10 ESV). I don't have to be strong. I don't have to be smart. I don't have to have my act together or bring a special array of talents to the table. I simply must be willing and ready to be used by God. It is the recognition of my own insufficiency and weakness that makes me useable by God. When I realize just how much I need Him, I am much more likely to be used by Him. What the world needs to see are more men and women of God who are empowered by God and being used by Him to accomplish His will in His power through their lives.

Father, I want to be a man of God, who knows You face to face and relies on Your power and presence in my life to accomplish the unimaginable and inexplicable, so that they world my truly know You exist. Amen

Blessed and a Blessing.

Deuteronomy 27-28, Acts 2

And all the people of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they shall be afraid of you. ­– Deuteronomy 28:10 ESV

God was serious when He called His people to live in obedience to His commands. They were not suggestions. They were not up for debate or open to interpretation. And God made it abundantly clear that obedience to His law came with unbelievable blessings, while disobedience would result in devastating consequences. If the Israelites obeyed God, they would enjoy a place of honor and exaltation as His people. They would experience God's favor in the form of fruitfulness, abundance, victory in battle, and recognition among the nations as being the people of God. But disobedience would be extremely costly. The warnings found in chapters 27 and 28 were meant to be deterrents toward disobedience. Their free-will choice to disobey God would not go unnoticed or unpunished. And it's interesting to note that many of the curses that are outlined in these two chapters are violations of the commands of God. “And you shall be only oppressed and robbed continually, and there shall be no one to help you. You shall betroth a wife, but another man shall ravish her. You shall build a house, but you shall not dwell in it. You shall plant a vineyard, but you shall not enjoy its fruit” (Deuteronomy 28:29-30 ESV). By disobeying the laws of God, they would experience first-hand what violation of those laws felt like. God had told them, “You shall not steal” (Exodus 25:15 ESV). Yet if they failed to obey that law, they would find out what it was like to be on the receiving end. They would discover the devastating consequences of life lived in opposition to God's divine will.

What does this passage reveal about God?

God's intention had been to make Israel a showcase of His grace and mercy. They were to be a witness to the nations of His abundant power and amazing love. He had told them, “And all the peoples of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they shall be afraid of you” (Deuteronomy 28:10 ESV). But their disobedience would have a completely different outcome. “And you shall become a horror, a proverb, and a byword among all the peoples where the Lord will lead you away” (Deuteronomy 28:37 ESV). They would go from being a blessing to becoming a curse. They would move from being blessed by God to being under His curse. But God's desire all along was that they might be a blessing. He wanted to pour out His grace, mercy, and love on them. He desired them to be a shining example of what it looked like for men to live in obedience to and in favor with God.

What does this passage reveal about man?

God's favor required man's obedience. The blessings of God were conditional and demanded adherence to His commands. Throughout these two chapters in Deuteronomy we see “if…then” statements that clearly indicate that enjoyment of God's blessings required obedience to His laws. But in spite of Moses' dire warnings, the Israelites would find it virtually impossible live up to God's exacting standards. They just didn't have it in them. Their hearts would prove to be unfaithful. Their strength would prove to be too weak. Their good intentions would not be enough to overcome their bad choices. And God knew exactly what was going to happen. He was not surprised by their inability to live up to His holy standards. He gave His law to them in order to illustrate just how holy He was and just how difficult it would be for ordinary men to meet His extraordinary requirements. The apostle Paul understood the role of the law well. “Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, ‘You shall not covet.’ But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness” (Romans 7:7-8 ESV). When God gave the law to the people of Israel, they found themselves facing an impossible task. They had been given God's righteous standards and yet were ill-equipped to meet those standards. They were sinful men and women attempting to live up to the righteous requirements of a holy God. And they would fail. Every one of the curses outlined in these two chapters would take place. They would end up in exile, living in a foreign land, serving as slaves to a pagan king and worshiping false gods. Their fortunes would be reversed. They would go from many to few, from blessed to cursed, from free to slave, from honored to reviled, and from worshiping the one true God to serving “other gods of wood and stone” (Deuteronomy 28:64 ESV).

How would I apply what I’ve read to my own life?

But God had a plan. He was not done. His relationship with the people of Israel would not end with their failure to keep His commands. The history of the Jewish people is a picture of God's faithfulness, love, mercy and grace. He had made a covenant with them and He was going to keep that covenant in spite of them. While they proved to be faithless, He would be faithful. He would do what He said He would do. Yes, He would fulfill every one of the curses. They would end up in exile. They would experience every single one of the consequences outlined in these chapters. But they would also experience God's amazing grace when He restored them to the land and returned them to their rightful place as His chosen people. And God would fulfill every one of His promises made to Abraham. He would make the descendants of Abraham a blessing to the nations. It would be through the nation of Israel that Jesus would come. He would be born a Jew, required to keep the laws of God and meet the exacting standards that God had given to Moses. Jesus would be the one man who would do exactly what God had commanded to be done. He would live in obedience to the laws of God, resulting in a perfectly sinless life, and making Him a perfectly blameless sacrifice for the sins of mankind. But Jesus was not just destined to die. He would rise again, and He would return to His Father's side in heaven, sending His Holy Spirit in His place. And we see the arrival of the Spirit in the second chapter of Acts, when He came upon the disciples and empowered them to speak in foreign languages they didn't know. These “Galileans” were transformed by the Spirit of God and became powerful witnesses for God. These common Jews would end up being a blessing to the nations, including “Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians” (Acts 2:9-11 ESV). The disciples would be blessed and a blessing. They would receive the power necessary to live in obedience to God's laws and reveal to the nations “the mighty works of God” (Acts 2:11 ESV). And that is exactly what God wants to do in my life. He has blessed me through His Son and He wants me to be a blessing to the nations. He wants my life to be a living testimony of His grace, mercy, love and forgiveness. He wants my life to exhibit His power and testify to the fact that a holy life is impossible without the help of the Holy Spirit. And the Holy Spirit is only available to those who have placed their faith in the only man who was able to live a holy life: Jesus Christ. “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 1For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:8-10 ESV).

Father, You have blessed me with the gift of Your Son. You have saved me. You have given me new life and the promise of eternal life. But You have also called me to be a blessing to all of those around me. May my life be a constant reminder and an illustration to those around me of Your grace, mercy and love. Never let me forget that I was as hopeless as the Israelites when it came to living the life You have required of all men. I was incapable of meeting your exacting standards. But You sent Your Son to do what I could never have done. He lived the life I couldn't have lived and He met the standard You required, making Himself the perfect sacrifice and payment for the sins of mankind. And His death made it possible for you to extend Your blessings upon all those who would accept His gift of new life through His death. Thank You! Amen

Chosen by God.

Deuteronomy 25-26, Acts 1

You have declared today that the Lord is your God, and that you will walk in his ways, and keep his statutes and his commandments and his rules, and will obey his voice. And the Lord has declared today that you are a people for his treasured possession, as he has promised you, and that you are to keep all his commandments, and that he will set you in praise and in fame and in honor high above all nations that he has made, and that you shall be a people holy to the Lord your God, as he promised. ­– Deuteronomy 26:17-19 ESV

The Jews were God's chosen people. They were the descendants of Abraham, the very offspring God had promised to give him after having called him out of Ur. Now they stood on the edge of the very land God had promised to give Abraham as his inheritance. God's original promise to Abraham had contained three parts: A land, a seed, and a blessing. The land was almost theirs. All they had to do was go in and conquer it according to God's plan. Obviously, God had given Abraham many descendants or seed, because by this time the Jews were large in number. But as Paul reminds us in the book of Galatians, God's promise regarding the seed was not just referring to the fact that Abraham would have many descendants. He would have a very specific descendant, through whom God would bless all the people of the earth. “Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, ‘And to seeds,’ as referring to many, but rather to one, ‘And to your seed,’ that is, Christ” (Galatians 3:16 NASB). God had something far greater in store for the people of Israel than simply their occupation of a particular plot of land somewhere in the Middle East. He had a more important reason for choosing them than just the pouring out of His divine grace, favor and mercy on them alone. God had set them apart in order that through them He might bring about the birth of His Son. The people of Israel were integral to God's plan for redeeming mankind. To them alone He had revealed His divine will and given His holy commandments. They experienced His divine presence. They enjoyed the benefits of His immense power and immeasurable grace. They were a people holy to the Lord, a conduit through which He would bring His Son into the world in order that He might bless the world.

What does this passage reveal about God?

God never does anything without a reason. His actions are always purposeful and meaningful. And while we might not always understand His ways, they are always righteous and just. God Himself tells us, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 44:8-9 ESV). God had His reasons for choosing Abraham. He had a plan in mind when He made the people of Israel His prized possession. He had a purpose behind the giving of His commandments to a people who could never keep them. There was a reasonable explanation to His making of a covenant with a nation who could never uphold their end of the agreement. A cursory study of the history of the people of Israel, as revealed in the Old Testament, would seem to reveal that they were a failed experiment that didn't quite turn out as planned. But the New Testament reveals that God's their seeming failure was actually preparation for the second part of His divine plan. While they would fail to be the blessing to the nations He had commanded them to be, He would still bless the nations through them. He would send His own Son as a descendant of Abraham. Jesus would be born a Jew, in fulfillment of God's promise to give the people of Israel a permanent King from the house and lineage of King David. Jesus appeared on the scene during a time in which the nation of Israel was struggling under the heavy hand of Rome. They were once again subject to the humiliating domination of a foreign power. They lacked a king, an army, and a national identity. They were weak, powerless, and hopeless, left to wonder where their long-awaited Messiah might be and when God was going to restore them to His divine favor. But when Jesus came, He declared a kingdom of a different sort than they were expecting. He came to offer a release from captivity to something other than Roman rule. His was a spiritual kingdom offering freedom from the bondage of sin and the inevitable condemnation of death that a sinful life deserved. Jesus did not show up on earth to rule and reign, but to suffer and die. It was all a part of God's plan.

What does this passage reveal about man?

God's plan for mankind is sometimes hard for us to comprehend. Even the disciples were confused when Jesus' life ended with His tragic and unexpected death by crucifixion. That was not what they had expected. It caught them off guard and left them demoralized and defeated. They went into mourning and hiding. As far as they were concerned, with the death of Jesus, their dreams were shattered. Their Messiah was dead, and so was any hope of Him setting up His kingdom on earth. But little did they know that this was all part of God's plan. Jesus had come to suffer and die, not conquer and rule. He came to provide release from captivity to sin, not from subjugation to Rome. Jesus died, but He rose again, and He revealed Himself to those very same disciples who had given up hope and hidden themselves behind locked doors. Luke tells us, “He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God” (Acts 1:3 ESV). Then “he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father” (Acts 1:4 ESV). There was more to God's plan. The Holy Spirit had to come, just as Jesus had predicted. God was going to transform a ragtag group of cowering, hopeless disciples into a powerful force that would literally rock the world. These simple Jewish men and women would end up being the catalyst for a major religious upheaval that would leave the world changed forever. None of them knew what was going to happen, even though Jesus had told them in advance. They were oblivious was to what God was going to do to them and through them in the days ahead. But God had chosen them for a reason. The disciples had thought their role as followers of Jesus was to be His assistants and co-rulers when He set up His kingdom on earth. Little did they know that they were going to be His witnesses “in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8 ESV). God had great things in store for them.

How would I apply what I’ve read to my own life?

God has a plan that is far greater than anything I could have ever imagined. His choosing of me has far greater ramifications than just my own personal salvation and escape from the consequences of my own sin. God didn't choose me just to save me. He wants to use me. Just like the disciples, I am to be a witness for Him on this earth. I am to be His ambassador, spreading the good news of His Kingdom wherever I go. I have been chosen so that I might witness to His grace, mercy, love and forgiveness. I have received the “promise of the Father” in the form of the Holy Spirit, so that I might have the power necessary to accomplish all that God has for me to do on this earth during my lifetime. It isn't about me. It is about God's Kingdom and the fulfillment of His plan for all of mankind. The disciples had thought it was all over. But little did they know that it was all just beginning. Their greatest days were ahead of them, not behind them. God was going to use them in incredible ways to spread the good news of Jesus Christ and salvation to the ends of the earth. And we are still part of that ongoing process. I must be about the work of the Kingdom. I must see my role here as an extension of what was begun by the first disciples of Christ all those years ago. God's plan is not yet finished. His redemption of mankind is not yet complete. His Son has not yet returned. So until He does, we have work to do. It was for this task that we were chosen.

Father, keep me focused on Your plan, not my own. Use me to accomplish Your will, rather than my own. I want to live with Kingdom purpose and a future focus. Your plan is still being unfolded, day by day. I want to be part of that plan. Never let me forget that You chose me for a purpose – not just to take me to heaven some day – but to make a difference on this earth as one of Your chosen ones. Amen

Just The Beginning.

Acts 28

And he stayed there two full years in his own rented quarters and was welcoming all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all openness, unhindered. – Acts 28:30-31 NASB

As we reach the final chapter of this amazing book, you would think we had come to an end of something. Not only of the book of Acts, but of Paul's life. But that would come some five or six years later. Even while in confinement in Rome, Paul managed to write his letters to the Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and to Philemon. He would later be released and continue to his missionary journeys, write 1 Timothy and Titus, then be imprisoned a second time in Rome, where he wrote his second letter to Timothy. Some time around the year 67, Paul was executed in Rome. But rather than the end, it was just the beginning.

God had started something truly significant in Jerusalem that day of Pentecost – His church – and it continues to this day. In fact, as I write this blog entry, I am in Recife, Brazil with a mission team from our church, ministering to children in a remote fishing village. We have participated in worship with local believers who don't speak our language, but who love our God and believe in Jesus Christ. It is an amazing experience and a vivid reminder that "preaching the kingdom of God and teaching concerning the Lord Jesus Christ" isn't just what Paul did, it is what we are all supposed to be doing. The "salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles and they will also listen" (Vs 28), and Paul was right – they are listening.

The God of the book of Acts is the God of our day. He is just as active and powerful as He was in Paul's day. His message of hope through His Son Jesus Christ is just as relevant and necessary as it was almost 2,000 years ago. Do you see Him? Are you experiencing His life-changing power? Have you witnessed His kingdom spreading around the world as His ambassadors take the good news of Jesus Christ to the far corners of the globe? It's happening and it is an amazing sight to see.

Father, thank You that the church didn't stop with the end of the books of Acts. And that it didn't stop with the death of Paul or any of the other apostles. Thank You that it is alive and well and growing all over the world. What a blessing to worship alongside Brazilians who love You and who love us as their brothers and sisters in Christ. Someone brought the Gospel here long before we arrived. The good news has taken root and is growing. What a privilege it is to play even a small part of spreading the message of Your Son's love to the children in a non-descript village in the middle of nowhere along the coast of Brazil. May they come to know Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and become part of the family of God. Amen

When Your Ship Is About To Sink.

Acts 27

…all hope of our being saved was at last abandoned. – Acts 27:20 ESV

This entire first section of this chapter sounds like a perfect description of the individual who finds himself attempting to live life without God. Luke a powerful picture of the difficulty of the journey he and Paul found themselves on as they traveled to Rome. But as I read them, they because almost a metaphor for the lost condition.

…the voyage was now dangerous – Vs 9

…the voyage is going to end in disaster and great loss – Vs 9

…the harbor was not suitable to spend the winter in – Vs 12

…we gave way to it and were driven along – Vs 15

…we were able with difficulty to get the ship’s boat under control – Vs 16

…fearing they would run aground – Vs 17

…we were violently battered by the storm – Vs 18

…they began throwing the cargo overboard – Vs 18

…a violent storm continued to batter us – Vs 19

…we finally abandoned all hope of being saved – Vs 19

Do you hear the desperation, the sense of defeat and resignation? These guys were being hammered by the storm just like many today are hammered by the cares and worries of life. Many reach the point as these men did, of total abandonment. They just give up. Even Christians can find themselves in the same spot. They get rocked by life's storms and reach the point where they just give up all hope of being saved. But I love what Paul said to them:

"And now I advise you to keep up your courage, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only the ship will be lost." – Vs 22

Paul was telling them that the very thing they put their hope for salvation in as sailors, their ship, was going to let them down. In fact, it was going down! That had to be hard news to accept for these guys. They had spent their lives depending on ships to get them where they wanted to go. They depended on ships to keep them safe in storms. They depended on ships for their livelihood. The depended on ships. And now Paul was telling them their ship was going to let them down, but they were going to live.

I think that is where God wants all of us to be. So He sometimes allows those things we have come to depend on most to let us down. The very things we have come to trust more than Him suddenly fail, disappoint us, or crash on the rocks of life, leaving us seemingly alone. It could be our finances, intellect, business acumen, personality, a relationship, education, or any of a number of other things that we have learned to lean on. But what Paul said to them applies to us when we find ourselves in those kinds of situations. "And now I advise you to keep up your courage, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only the ship will be lost."

Only the ship will be lost

God was there. He was not going to let them down. He was going to spare their lives. He was going to intervene. And He did. Which is what He has done so many times in my life over the years. When things have looked their bleakest and my "ship" of life has gone in the wind and waves, He has been there. When I thought all was lost and was ready to abandon all hope, God stepped in and reminded me to keep up my courage. One of my favorite verses is found in 1 Corinthians 16:13.

"Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong."

Don't lose heart. Stand firm in your faith. Act like a man. Be strong. Trust God. Quit trusting whatever ship it is that you have been relying on instead of God. Don't panic. He is there and He cares.

Father, thanks You for being there so many times in my life when I thought all hope was lost. You did it for me when you saved me, but you continue to do it daily. Forgive me for so easily placing my hope in things that can't deliver what I am expecting. They always let me down. Especially in the hard times. But You are always there, and I am eternally grateful. Amen

A Man On A Mission.

Acts 26

Here is Paul, near the end of his earthly journey. He is on his way to Rome, where his journey will end. And as he stands before King Agrippa and shares the story of his life, conversion, and ministry, he shares the mission statement by which he lived. It was the commission he had been given by Jesus Christ Himself that fateful day as he traveled along the road to Damascus. Jesus said:

"I am sending you, to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me." – Acts 26:17-18 NASB

There it is. Paul's mission statement. It was his life's calling and he followed it and fulfilled it faithfully. In fact, he was sharing this same message of hope and life transformation as he "defended" himself before King Agrippa and Festus. In fact, Paul seemed less interested in convincing his listeners of his own innocence than in convincing them to receive Christ. You can hear the conviction in his voice when he states to Agrippa:

"I would wish to God, that whether in a short or long time, not onlyr you, but also all who hear me this day, might become such as I am, except for these chains." – Acts 26:29 NASB

From darkness to light

Paul had a message to share. It was about light – the same brilliant light that had blinded him that day as he traveled to Jerusalem to continue his persecution of the church. It was about the light of the world, that shines into the darkness of men's lives, illuminating the reality of their lives, exposing and purifying their sinfulness, and transforming them into children of light. It was the very thing Jesus said He had come to do.

He [John the Baptist] came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light. There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name." – John 1:7-13 NASB

The Light still shines in the darkness. Now he does it through us. We can still shine His sin-exposing, darkness-defeating light into the lives of men, just by telling His story. By telling our story. Paul simply shared how the Light had illumined his life. He didn't share a theory or a theology, but a reality. The Light that is Jesus Christ had shined into his dark life one day and changed it forever. It had taken Paul from darkness to light, from sinfulness to forgiveness, from Satan's control to God's, from a man in debt and condemned to die to an heir of God with a priceless inheritance in heaven. Is that your story? If it is, then why not tell someone?

Father, never let me forget just how great the story of my life transformation is. You sent Your Son and He shined the light of His life into my dark life one day and radically changed me forever. I am covered by His light and it continues to reveal sin and redeem my life daily. He is giving me new life each and every day. He is transforming me daily. His light gives me hope. His light gives me direction. His light gives me life. Thank You. Amen

In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. – John 1:4 NASB

Guilty Of Believing The Truth.

Acts 25

Rather they had certain points of dispute with him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, who was dead, but whom Paul asserted to be alive. – Acts 25:19 ESV

Isn't that what it's always about? Disputes about religion and debates over the resurrection. From an outsider's perspective that's what it all boiled down to for Festus. This was nothing more than a disagreement over religion and a ridiculous debate about whether a dead man was still dead or had come to life. To him it all appeared ridiculous and probably not worth his time. Whatever charges the Jews had brought against Paul were spurious at best. So much so, that Festus couldn't even figure out what charges to include in his letter to the Emperor Nero when he tried to explain why he was sending this matter and the prisoner to his attention.

But the real issue is summed up quite nicely in verse 19. This really was about religion and the resurrection. And it still is today. On the one hand, the world has tried for centuries to make Christianity all about religion. They want to simplify this all down to just another attempt by men to explain the universe and give meaning to life. Check out just one of the many definitions of religion:

a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, esp. when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs.

Religion is something man creates. It is a list of rules and rituals. It is a set of beliefs and practices. It is man trying to explain the un-explainable and put it in terms he can control. Basically, religion is an attempt to box in God and make Him manageable, knowable, and please-able. But Christianity was never intended to be just another religion. It was a radical new way of life. It wasn't about rules, but relationship. It wasn't about rituals, but about a way to have a right relationship with God. But men couldn't understand that. Especially men who had spent their lives pursuing religion. For them, Jesus and His followers were simply burrs under their proverbial saddle. They were boat rockers, trouble makers, bent on upsetting the status quo. And they had to be done away with. Which is exactly what the Jews were attempting to do with Paul. And what they thought they had done with Jesus.

But the other issue is the resurrection. It is the real sticking point for most people. Few people still argue about the validity of Jesus as a real human being. Most acknowledge His existence. They just reject His resurrection. They'll admit that He came, lived, taught, and died. But when it comes to the resurrection, that's where they part ways. That's too much for them. It was too much for the Jews of Paul's day. It was too much for Festus. It was too much for Agrippa. Most men have no problem accepting the teachings of Jesus, accepting them as just one more set of philosophical and moralistic perspectives on life. But mention Jesus rising from the dead and the offer of eternal life through faith in Him, and that's when you get push back. That's when the eyes roll, the heads shake, and the real debate begins.

All throughout this chapter, Paul's innocents is declared. Festus declared, "I found he had committed nothing worthy of death" (Vs 25). The Jews could prove none of their charges against Paul. So why was he on trial? Because he believed the truth. He asserted Jesus to be alive. He was guilty of believing the truth about Jesus. A fact the Jews just could not accept. They wanted this to be nothing more than a debate about religion. They wanted Jesus to be a non-factor. They wanted His resurrection to be a non-issue. And that's what men want today. Men don't fear religion, but they are petrified of the resurrection. They despise it because the enemy does. Satan hates the idea of a resurrected Christ, because it reminds him that he lost the battle at Calvary. Now men don't have to remain slaves to sin. They can be set free from sin and death by the sacrifice of the cross and the miracle of the empty tomb. Jesus is alive. That is what we still declare today. We assert it, believe it, declare it, live it, put our hope in it and depend upon it. But amazingly, men still reject it. But may we continue to tell what we know to be the truth? Not about religion, but about how to have a right relationship with the living God through the sacrificial death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ.

Father, thank you for the reality of the resurrection. It is the answer. It is our hope. It is what sets Christianity apart and keeps it from being just another religion. The resurrected Lord is what gives us hope and a future. Let me never forget that. Don't let me argue religion, but declare the reality of the life, death, burial and resurrection of My Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Because He changed my life forever. Amen

Making the Most Out Of A Bad Situation.

Acts 24

Paul finds himself in another sticky situation. He has been brought before the governor, Felix, by the high priest, Ananias. The Jews have hired a professional attorney to prosecute the case, but have little more than trumped up charges to bring against Paul. He is being accused of being "a real pest and a fellow who stirs up dissension among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes" (Vs 5). And they accused him of trying to desecrate the temple.

But Paul doesn't seem to be phased by the circumstances. Because he knew something they didn't know. The Lord Himself had told Paul that he was going to Rome. So Paul was at peace with what was going on around him. In fact, he took advantage of the situation and used it to not only defend himself, but to share "about faith in Christ Jesus" with the governor and his wife. Paul was using a perceived negative situation and turning it into a positive one. Sure, Paul was being held prisoner, but rather than moan about his conditions, he made the most of them, sharing his faith.

Righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come.

What I find interesting was what Paul talked about with the governor and his wife. Paul had to know their situation. He must have known that Felix had stolen his young bride from her first husband. She was probably no more than 20 at the time. Felix was on his second marriage. Neither of them was known for having sterling moral character. So what does Paul talk to them about? Righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come. Not exactly a seeker-friendly sermon!

But I think what Paul was doing was meeting them right where they were. Drusilla was a Jew. She was the youngest daughter of Herod Agrippa I, and had been raised a Hebrew. She knew her relationship with Felix was wrong and immoral. So Paul talked to them about three things. Three things that still apply to every living human being today:

righteousness – literally, the state of him who is as he ought to be; acceptable to God

self-control – the virtue of one who masters his passions and desires

the coming judgment – that time to come when all mankind will be judged by God

Wow! Talk about a tough topic. Paul hit this royal couple right where it hurt. He discussed with them the requirement of perfect righteousness, which neither of them could achieve. He brought up their apparent inability to master their passions, allowing themselves to be controlled by sinful desires. And then he told them about the ramifications of a lifestyle of sin and unrighteousness: Judgment at the hands of a holy God. Paul shared with them the bad news that makes the good news so good. God demands righteousness. Man is only capable of unrighteousness. And their is a day of judgment coming when those who put their trust in their own ability to achieve righteousness will be judged on that ability and found lacking. No wonder Felix became frightened. Who wouldn't?

But Paul was also sharing the good news. Verse 24 tells us that he spoke about faith in Christ Jesus. Paul shared with Felix and Drusilla the answer to their problem. He let them know that they had one of two choices:

Please God - as a good Jew, Drusilla knew that righteousness was non-optional. She had been taught to keep the commandments of God. She had had it hammered into her head that God required a life of sinlessness in order to benefit from His blessings. But she had failed. She was divorced, technically living in adultery, and living a life of immorality with a pagan Roman. Felix was not even a God-fearer. He was an idol-worshiper who spent his life trying to appease the gods through sacrifice and self-effort.

Trust God – Paul was telling them of another way. It wasn't about works or self-effort. It was about faith and trust in the sin-substitute that He had provided: His own Son, Jesus Christ. Paul was sharing the good news of a new way to have a right relationship with God – not based on keeping the law or somehow achieving sinless perfection. He was letting them know that the old formula of more good behavior plus less bad behavior did not equal godliness. God was using new math. It was now faith in Jesus Christ plus nothing.

Paul's message to this couple was appealing and they invited him back repeatedly to hear more. We don't know if they ever accepted the offer of faith in Christ, but Paul was faithful to share it. And we should be just as faithful today, because it is still the message that people are dying to hear. We live in a society mired in unrighteousness and uncontrolled passions, and every one of them is facing a judgment to come. All men know that something is wrong, but they don't know what to do. So they turn to religion. Andevery religion in the world is based on some perverted form of self-effort. We have to do it. We have to earn a right standing with God. We have to pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps. Even those who don't turn to God, try to fix society through self-improvement. Their god has become mankind itself. We can fix ourselves. We can somehow hold off judgment by simply improving society.

Faith in Jesus Christ

But we know the truth. It is simply faith in Jesus Christ. There is no other answer. Righteousness and a right relationship with God is only available through Him. And what makes it good news is that it takes all the effort off of us. Jesus said "come unto Me all who are weary and heavy-laden and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28). Jesus offers rest to those who are wearied and worn out by trying to keep the rules, trying to live righteous lives on their own, attempting to "be good" and only finding it impossible to pull off. Rest for the weary. That is what people are wanting to hear today. Just like Felix and Drusilla. But first they need to know that God demands righteousness, that man is addicted to unrighteousness, and there is a coming judgment. Hopelessness paves the way for hope in Jesus Christ. Coming to grips with our own inability opens the door to accepting Christ's all-sufficiency. And that's what makes it good news.

Father, thank you so much for providing a way for me to have a right relationship with You. Thank you that it is not based on me, because if it was, I would have failed. But You have provided Your Son. You have given me a gift I don't deserve and a salvation I never could have earned. Now give me the boldness to share that gift with others. To tell them the good news that is the answer to their bad news. Amen

Courage To Carry On.

Acts 23

Take courage! – Acts 23:11 ESV

Circumstances can have a powerful impact on us. When things are going well, we can be cheerful, upbeat, and confident. Then in a matter of minutes, our mood can change dramatically. We can become downcast, dark, and depressed – all as a result of one simple change to our circumstance. In many ways, we are controlled by our circumstances – by what is happening around us and to us. The same thing was true for Paul. He had good days and bad days. Acts 23 records one of his bad days. He has been dragged out of the Temple by a mob of irate Jews who mistakenly think he had taken a Gentile into the Temple. They are so angry, they intend to kill him. He is rescued by the Romans, but things continue to heat up as Paul attempts to defend himself before the High Priest and the Sanhedrin. Once again, the Roman commander has to step in and rescue Paul to keep him from being "torn to pieces." Now that's what I call a bad day!

A Gentle Reminder

That night, under guard and the protection of the Romans, Paul gets a visitor. It was Jesus Himself. Verse 11 tells us "the Lord stood at his side." In the midst of his difficult circumstances, Paul finds he is not alone. At the time when Paul could have been at his lowest emotionally, the Lord shows up. Sitting alone in that barracks in the darkness of night, knowing that the Jews are out to kill him and his ministry could come to a violent end at any time, Paul was in need of a reminder. He needed to be told once again that Jesus was at his side. But he also need to hear the words the Lord had to say to him:

Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome. – Acts 23:11 ESV

Be bold!

Not only was Jesus with Paul, He had words of encouragement for him. He told Paul exactly what he needed to hear at that moment. He tells him to "take courage!" Other versions translate that word, "be of good cheer." "be of good heart," and "be encouraged." The word literally means to be courageous or bold. Jesus would not have shared these words if Paul had not needed to hear them. Paul was probably suffering from a lack of courage. He wasn't feeling particularly bold. He was probably not experiencing a lot of "good cheer" as he thought about what the next day might hold.

But Jesus said, "take courage!" Why? Because He had other plans for Paul. He wasn't going to let a few bent-out-of-shape Jewish religious leaders derail His plans for Paul's life. Paul had a job to do in Rome and the Lord reminds Him of that.

A valuable lesson

Paul's visit from the Savior didn't change his circumstances. In fact, the next morning was going to bring more bad news. Not only were the Jews out to kill him, a group of forty of them had made a pact not to eat or drink until they murdered Paul. So things actually got worse, not better. But that didn't really matter for Paul, because he had the guarantee of the Lord Himself that nothing was going to prevent him from going to Rome. So Paul wasn't going to let his circumstances dictate his outlook.

Paul learned a valuable lesson that day – one he later shared with other brothers and sisters in Christ who were also going through difficult circumstances. You find Paul using this theme of courage throughout his letters. What Jesus shared with him that night in a Roman barracks became the message he shared with persecuted believers throughout the world. And it a message we still need to hear today. Paul uses the same words (tharseo) that Jesus used in his own letters.

So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. – 2 Corinthians 5:6 ESV

Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. – 2 Corinthians 5:8 ESV

I rejoice, because I have complete confidence in you. – 2 Corinthians 7:16 ESV

So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?” – Hebrews 13:6 ESV

So we can be hopeful and confident in the midst of our circumstances. Why? Because Christ is with us and because He is not done with us. He has a plan and He is working it out to perfection. We do not fear what men will do to us. We don't have to fear circumstances. We can trust the Lord. We can be bold, confident, and hopeful of the future, because the Lord is at our side.

Father, help me believe that. Let me find my confidence and hope in You and not my circumstances. Because circumstances change, but You do not. Circumstances can disappoint, but You never do. Circumstances are a lousy test of truth, but You are truth. Help me see Your Son Jesus Christ at my side each and every day, regardless of what is going on around me. Keep reminding me that You have a plan for me and You are working it out in Your time. I can trust You. Amen

Christ Made Visible.

Acts 22

I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting. – Acts 22:8 ESV

As Paul was sharing his testimony to the Jews who had dragged him out of the temple, he tells them all about his past. He tells them that he used to persecute the Way. He used to arrest and throw into prison the very people he now calls brothers and sisters. He was an agent for the high priest. In those days, Paul thought he was doing God's work. He was helping eradicate just another start-up sect that was threatening the monopoly Judaism held on the people of Israel. Paul was methodical and merciless in his efforts to destroy Christianity from the face of the earth.

But what Paul didn't know was that the very thing he was trying to destroy was Jesus Christ Himself. That's what Jesus tells him on that miraculous encounter on the road to Damascus. Look at what Jesus says to him:

"Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ And I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting." (Vs 7-8)

Once Paul (Saul) had woken up to the reality that he was talking with the resurrected Jesus, I can just imagine him thinking in his mind, "Whoa, wait a minute! I'm not persecuting YOU! What have I done to you? I never met you. I've just been doing my job, trying to rid the world of this start-up sect of ragtag followers of yet another Messiah wannabe."

"Why are you persecuting ME?"

What Paul learned that day on the road to Damascus was a fundamental truth of the New Testament: The relationship between Jesus and His church. We ARE His body. What Paul was doing to the followers of the Way was a direct attack on Jesus Christ Himself. Because we are His body. This is a lesson that Paul learned well. Just take a look at what he had to say to the Corinthian believers about the topic later on in his ministry:

Now you are Christ's body, and individually members of it. – 1 Corinthians 12:27 NASB

For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. – 1 Corinthians 12:12 NASB

He also told the believers at Ephesus:

And He [God] put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. – Ephesians 1:22-23 NASB

He also reminded the Colossians of this fact:

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do share on behalf of His body, which is the church... – Colossians 1:24 NASB

The body of Christ

What Jesus told Paul that day on the road struck a chord with him. That's why it became a focal point of his teaching. And that message still resonates for us today. We, the church, are the body of Christ. We are the fullness of Him on this earth. We are His hands and feet, with the responsibility to do His work in the world. That's why He left us here. That's why He gave us the Holy Spirit. That's why He gave us spiritual gifts. We are not to be isolated islands, but members of one body, intent on one purpose. As members of Christs body, we each have a part to play, a function to perform. No one member is any less or more important than the other. Paul makes that clear in 1 Corinthians 12.

We are to work together, suffer together, rejoice together, and minister together as one body. We are to make a difference together. Just like those early members of the body of Christ were doing in the days of Paul. We are His body. So we need to appreciate one another more. We need to care for one another more. We each need to be using our giftedness more. We need to be working together more. So that the body of Christ on this earth might be healthy, strong, alive, and active in its ministry of carrying out the work of Jesus Christ. We are Christ! Paul never forgot that point. My prayer is that we won't either.

Father, help me remember that, as a believer, I am not just a member of an organization, but I am a member of Your Son's body. I am part of an organism that You have chosen to place on this earth to represent You. Together we are Christ on this earth. We are to show the world what Christ looks like. When they see us, they should see Him. Show me how to play my part well. Selflessly, sacrificially, joyfully, willingly, and completely. Amen

Obeying God’s Will Willingly.

Acts 21

The will of the Lord be done! – Vs 14

Those are hard words for me to say sometimes. And I think they were just as difficult forLuke and the other friends of Paul to say. They had been "begging him not to go up to Jerusalem" (Vs 12). They were so emotional about it that Paul said, "What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart?" (Vs 13). This was not the first time Paul had been warned by those who loved him not to go up to Jerusalem. In Tyre, the disciples had been informed by the Holy Spirit that Paul was going to suffer. So they tried to talk Paul out of going. But Paul was going to Jerusalem because the Holy Spirit had told Him to go (Acts 20:23), and he knew that "bonds and afflictions" were waiting for him there.

Paul was willing to suffer. He was even ready to die if necessary. He states that clearly in verse 13.

For I am ready not only to be bound, but even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.

Paul had been warned. He had prophets give him detailed accounts of what was going to happen when he arrived in Jerusalem. But nothing would persuade him to change his mind. Why? Did Paul have a death wish. I don't think so. Sure, Paul had the perspective that "to live is Christ and to die is gain" (Philippians 2:21), but that doesn't mean he was in any mad rush to, as Hamlet once said, "shuffle off this mortal coil."

Paul was perfectly willing to be in the will of God. Even if that meant …

… being completely misunderstood (Vs 21)

… having his actions misinterpreted (Vs 27-29)

… being mistreated (Vs 30-32)

… or even being mistaken for someone else (Vs 38)

For Paul, God's will didn't mean life was going to be a piece of cake, but it did provide peace of mind in the midst of difficulty. God's will wasn't about avoiding trials at all costs, but accepting trials as part of the cost of serving Christ. That's why Paul was able to say, "I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I might gain Christ, and may be found in Him" (Philippians 3:8-9).

When God's Will Isn't Our Way

I love what Luke records in verse 14. He says, "And since he would not be persuaded, we fell silent." Luke includes himself in the group of those who were weeping and begging Paul not to go to Jerusalem. He did not want to see his good friend and brother in Christ suffer. So he begged Paul not to go. But when Luke realized that Paul was determined to follow the Holy Spirit's leading, he finally said, "The will of the Lord be done!"

Many times in my life I have found God's will in direct contradiction to my way of thinking. His plan did not fall in line with my desires. Sometimes I have found tough times have remained when I have asked them to be removed. I have seen my prayers go unanswered (seemingly) and my worst fears come to fruition. But at no time in my life can I look back and say that my way would have been better than God's will. Because He always knows best. He always does what is best. And while Luke and the other brothers and sisters of Paul could see no value in Paul going to Jerusalem, they were willing to commit their way to the supremacy of God's will. They let Paul go, and with him, they let go of their need to have things go their way.

Father, continue to teach me to trust Your will. Help me to let go of my need to always have things go my way. Keep me focused on the bigger picture of Your divine plan and not my short-sighted view of my circumstances. I won't always understand, but that's OK. I just need to learn to trust You more! Amen

Strong To The Finish.

Acts 20

I have preached this passage before, so it was hard for me to find something that was new and unexpected this morning as I read. Years ago, when I served as an elder at our church, verses 28-35 came to mean a lot to me. So I have spent a lot of time thinking about them and trying to apply them to my life. But this morning, after a few additional read-throughs, I ended up going back to verses 18-27. There was something about what Paul had to say to the elders at Ephesus that impacted me like it never had before. At first blush, it could come across like Paul was bragging. After all, by my count he uses the personal pronouns "I," "me" and "myself" at least 20 times in the span of 10 verses.

"No brag, just fact"

In the 1960s Walter Brennan starred in an obscure TV Western called The Guns of Will Sonnet. He played a crotchety old army scout searching for his son, a gunfighter on the run. Any time Brennan’s character would meet someone, he would tell them that he was a faster draw than his son and then add reply, “no brag, just fact.”

So was Paul bragging or just stating the facts? Based on the events of his life, I think I would say it was the latter. What Paul shared with the Ephesian elders was simply a glimpse into his life that he intended to be an encouragement to these men as they served their flock back in Ephesus. What Paul shares is a seemingly comprehensive list of qualities that characterize the life of any shepherd of God. For that matter, these qualities should probably be found in each and every child of God, whether they are a pastor, elder, deacon, or layman. Check out Paul's list:

He served with humility - Vs 19

He shed tears regularly – Vs 19

He endured trials repeatedly - Vs 19

He shared boldly and profitably – Vs 20

He taught publicly – Vs 20

He testified tirelessly – Vs 21

He ministered faithfully – Vs 24

He sacrificed personally – Vs 22-24

He suffered willingly – Vs 24

He died to self daily – Vs 24

He testified earnestly – Vs 24

He declared wholeheartedly – Vs 27

Paul put it all on the line. Whatever he did, he did with conviction, passion, and determination. He didn't give up, let up, check out, or sell out. He didn't shrink back or cave in. He didn't have a pity party or an early retirement party. He was faithful to the end. He ran the race to win. Paul gave it his all and he gave all he had to give.

The life of a giver

Paul sums his life all up in one sentence: "In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive'" (Acts 20:35).

Paul was a giver. But am I? Do I give my life away like he did? Am I willing to make the kinds of sacrifices that he did? Suffer for the sake of the gospel like he did? Share boldly and publicly like he did? Testify tirelessly like he did? Serve humbly like he did? What about you?

Father, give me the perspective of Paul. Give me the heart and the commitment of Paul. Let me serve as he did, love as he did, testify as he did, share as he did, teach as he did, even suffer if necessary as he did. May my life be a testimony to the indwelling presence and power of the Holy Spirit. Use me Father and, if necessary, use me up! Amen

The Radical Ways of "The Way."

Acts 19

There's a lot packed into the 41 verses of chapter 19. But one thing that stands out to me is the amazing impact Christianity was having on the culture of the day. It was spreading rapidly. It was changing lives. It was getting the attention of the religious elite and the political power base. Ordinary people were coming to Christ and doing extraordinary things. The Holy Spirit was coming into the lives of people and radically reforming their behavior. The message of Jesus Christ was spreading rapidly. The name of Jesus Christ was becoming associated with the miraculous. So much so, that the seven sons of Sceva (sounds like an alternative rock band) tried to use the name of Jesus to cast out a demon. The only problem was that they knew the name, but not Savior behind the name.

The Way

During the early days of the church, Christianity was simply known as The Way. It was probably a term coined by the followers of Christ themselves and was used to reflect the fact that following Christ was not only the way of salvation, but it was to be a radically new way of life. Jesus Himself had claimed, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me" (John 14:6).

The way of Jesus was anything but ordinary. It was a radical path that produced remarkable changes. And you see them all throughout this chapter. In verses 18-19 you see believers bringing their occult books containing magic spells and incantations to be burned. They destroyed thousands of dollars worth of books representing their former way of life. Life in Christ was bringing a new way of living.

In verses 23- 41, we see that The Way was causing "no small disturbance" to the community. So many lives were being changed that the sale of household idols had plummeted, leaving the craftsmen who made them in an uproar. Because of the teaching of Paul, people had not only changed their way of life by accepting Christ, they had changed their way of thinking. They were now saying, "...that gods made with hands are no gods at all." The way of Jesus Christ had led to a radically new way of living.

Way Out of Whack

Something is missing today. We still preach and teach that Jesus is the way, but we don't seem to be seeing the same radical change in behavior in the lives of His followers. We don't seem to see the church having the same radical impact on the culture that it did in Luke's day. The Way doesn't seem to be making "no small disturbance." It has become less a way of life, than a way of believing. It has become just another belief system. Our way seems no different than any other way. There appears to be no power, passion, commitment, or radical life transformation associated with our way. Like the seven sons of Sceva, could we be quilty of speaking the name of Christ, but lacking a real relationship with Him? Do we talk about the way, but lack intimacy with the One who is the way?

Jesus is still the way. He still has the power to transform lives in a radical way. He still has the power to impact culture in a revolutionary way. He still expects His people to live in such a way that we create "no small disturbance." Our way of life should get peoples' attention. Our way of thinking should stand out. Our way of salvation should be attractive to all those around us, because it really works!

Father, make me radical in the way I live my life. Make the way I speak reflect Your ways. Make my thoughts align with the way You think. Let my ways Your ways. So that the Way of Christ might make a radical difference in the world today. Amen

What A Coincidence!

Acts 18

I can't help but read chapter 18 of Acts and smile. All throughout this portion of Luke's story, he seems to have placed subtle little reminders of just how in control our God is of all circumstances. I don't know if Luke intended to drop these little "hints" of if I just happen to read them that way, but they jump off the page every time I read this chapter. Take a look for yourself:

Isn't it a coincidence ... that Claudius had decided to issue an imperial edict kicking all the Jews out of Rome?

Isn't it a coincidence ... that Aquila and his wife Priscilla just happened to have been living in Rome when this decree was issued?

Isn't it a coincidence ... that out of all the places in the world they could have moved, Aquila and Priscilla decided to move to Corinth?

Isn't it a coincidence ... that this couple just happened to be tent-makers, the same trade that the apostle Paul had learned growing up in Tarsus? And that they would provide Paul not only a place to live while in Corinth, but a source of income to support his ministry?

Isn't it a coincidence ... that this exiled Jewish couple would end up being two of the first converts to Christianity in Corinth?

Isn't it a coincidence ... that when Paul decided to turn his back on the Jews and take his message to the Gentiles, that Titius Justus, a Gentile worshiper of God, just happened to live next door to the synagogue?

Isn't it a coincidence ... that Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, ended up coming to Christ, even though the Jews had initially "resisted and blasphemed" as a result of Paul's ministry to them?

Isn't it a coincidence ... that Gallio, the proconsul of Achaia, refused to listen to the Jews' trumped up charges against Paul, rejecting their accusations and freeing Paul to continue his ministry there?

Isn't it a coincidence ... that Aquila and Priscilla were willing to leave their business behind in Corinth to follow Paul all the way to Ephesus?

Isn't it a coincidence ... that upon arriving in Ephesus, Aquila and Priscilla just happen to find that Apollos, a Jew with a Greek name who grew up in an Egyptian city, has recently arrived in Ephesus, and is teaching about Jesus and debating with the Jews in the synagogue?

Isn't it a coincidence ... that this very educated man, who was very knowledgeable in the Hebrew scriptures, knew about Yahweh, the teachings of Jesus, and the preaching of John the Baptist, just happened to meet Aquila and Priscilla, who were able to tell him "the rest of the story" and lead him to Christ?

Isn't it a coincidence ... that Apollos had the desire to move on to Achaia, the very place where the Jews had tried to have Paul convicted?

Isn't it a coincidence ... that Apollos, this recently converted Jew, was able to help those who had come to Christ is Achaia and successfully refute the Jews there, while Paul had only stirred them up, causing them to drag him before the proconsul?

Isn't it a coincidence ...?

What a God?

You see it all throughout the book of Acts. The amazing intervention of our almighty God as He works behind the scenes to accomplish His divine will in His own unique way. There are no coincidences when it comes to God. There is just His sovereign will being worked out in the lives of men and women -- including those who know and love Him, as well as those who, like Claudius and Gallio, stand opposed to Him.

God's sovereignty is visible throughout the pages of the book of Acts. It is a not-so-subtle reminder that it's God Who is orchestrating events and accomplishing His plan through the lives of men, not the other way around. I am sure Claudius thought he was in control when he gave the edict kicking all the Jews out of Rome. But God had a bigger plan. I am sure Aquila and Priscilla had perfectly good reasons for their choice of Corinth as the new headquarters for their tent-making business. But God had an even better reason with eternal ramifications. I am sure Titius Justus was confident that his selection of a home that backed right up to the synagogue was his idea. But God had something more important in mind that just a good real estate investment.

You see, God is always at work -- even when we can't see Him. He is working behind the scenes, moving in ways that are invisible to us, but that end up impacting us, in significant ways. We would like to take a lot, if not all, of the credit for the things that happen in our lives. But when we do, we fail to acknowledge that God is bigger than our puny plans. And chapter 18 is a reminder to remember that very fact. He is going ahead of me. He stands behind me. He always surrounds me. No politician can thwart His plan. No amount of opposition can stop His plan. No distance can limit His plan. No misguided religious establishment can confuse His plan.

What a comfort?

So what are we worried about? God is in control. He knows what He's doing. He has a plan and He is working it to perfection. He can be trusted. And that should bring us all comfort.

Father, thank you for reminding me that You are in control. You are in heaven orchestrating the details surrounding my life. Long before I know it, You are moving behind the scenes, arranging for an Aquila and Priscilla to come into my life. You are moving politicians and people in positions of power, to make decisions they think are their own, that will end up accomplishing Your will. I have no reason to fear their edicts and decrees, because my God is bigger than their most perverse plan. What they mean for evil, You will use for our good and Your own glory. Help me to remember that each and every day. Amen

Singin’ In The Chains!

Acts 16

But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God..." - Vs 25

This story has always amazed me. Here are two guys who have been doing the work of God, get arrested, dragged into court, falsely accused, beaten and imprisoned, and they still manage to turn their ordeal into a praise and worship time! Incredible.

I mean, I have a hard time praising and worshiping if I have to park too far from the church on Sunday morning. I can end up complaining instead of praising if somebody pulls out in front of me in traffic. Yet here are two guys who, in my mind, had every right to complain about their lot in life, but instead they praised God. They had been caned and chained, but still managed to pray and praise.

It's All A Matter of Perspective

What allowed Paul and Silas to react the way they did? How were they able to respond so positively to such a negative situation? Was it just a matter of having positive outlook on life? No, I think it was perspective. They had their eyes focused on the future, not the present. They were willing to accept the sufferings of today for the glory awaiting them. Paul said it this way in Romans 8:24:

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

Paul knew that any suffering he would go through in the present was incomparable to what he would experience in the future.

For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison. - 2 Corinthians 4:17

Paul had hope. Not hope for release. Even thought he could have expected it. After all, Peter had been miraculously released. He didn't put his hope in justice, even though he had been accused, beaten and imprisoned unjustly. He didn't put his hope on vindication or payback. Instead, he would lead the guard who imprisoned him to Christ.

No Paul's hope was on the future. His hope was on the reality of heaven. So what was a little pain compared with that kind of gain? Paul and Silas were able to pray and praise because they had their sights set on the unseen, the invisible, yet indisputable reality of heaven.

"While we look not at the things that are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things that are not seen are eternal." - 2 Corinthians 4:18

Singing a Different Tune

I sing the blues way too much. Instead, I need to learn to sing the praises of God -- regardless of the circumstances. I need to get my eyes off the temporal and start looking at the eternal. Because my God is an eternal God with an eternal plan. He knows what He is doing. I can trust Him. Even when it looks like all is out of control. I need to remind myself of what Paul knew:

We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed and broken. We are perplexed, but we don't give up and quit. We are hunted down, but God never abandons us. We get knocked down, but we get up again and keep going. Through suffering, these bodies of ours constantly share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies. - 2 Corinthians 4:8-10

Father, thank you for this reminder this morning. Help me to see my circumstances from your perspective and not mine. Help me to pray and praise instead of bicker and complain. Because you are in control. Amen

Good News and Bad News.

Acts 14

The good news is you're going to heaven. The bad news is that you're going to have to go through some tribulation before you get there.

Whoa! Wait a minute. Did I sign up for that? That must have been in the small print of the travel brochure, because I didn't see it. If I had known about the tribulation part, I would have given this whole good news thing a second thought.

In chapter 14 there's an interesting conflict going on that I think I have always struggled with. It is the same tension that causes many to accept Christ, then walk away from Him. It involves the good news of the gospel and the bad news of tribulation or trials. You see, in this one chapter we have the apostle Paul sharing both. Yet most of us want to accept the reality of the one, and reject the possibility of the other.

The Good News

We all could use a little good news once in a while. And the good news (euaggelizzo in the Greek) that Paul shares is what we refer to as the gospel. Luke refers to it three times in this chapter:

and there they continued to preach the gospel - Vs 7

we...preach the gospel to you that you should turn from these vain things to a living God... - Vs 15

After they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples... - Vs 21

The gospel literally means to "bring the good news." It is the good news regarding Jesus Christ. That He is the Son of God, sent by God, to reconcile mankind to God. He became a man so that He might live the life we were meant to live -- a life free from sin. Then in spite of His sinlessness, He willingly paid the penalty for our sinfulness, by dying in our place on the cross. He became the sinless sacrifice that God required. He did what we could not do. He satisfied the demands of a holy, righteous God. He was put to death, so that we would not have to die. But God did not leave Him dead. He raised Him back to life just three days later. The same power that restored Jesus to life is what now makes it possible for us to be restored in our relationship with God. We can have forgiveness of sin and freedom from guilt and condemnation. Just by accepting God's free gift of grace through His Son Jesus Christ. And that's good news.

And just as in Paul's day, that good news message has been eagerly and gladly accepted by those who hear it. Including me. But the good news comes with what appears to be bad news. At least it seems that way to us. So we ignore it. We act as if it isn't really there. We even refuse to tell those who accept the good news that there might even be any bad news. So when it comes, which the Bible says it will, they become confused.

The Bad News

We get the bad news in verse 22. There we learn that Paul was "strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying,

Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.

Wait a minute! How could talking about tribulations bring any kind of strength and encouragement to a group of new disciples? What could possibly be encouraging about hearing that our path to the kingdom will be a tough and possibly unpleasant one? What was Paul thinking?

Paul was thinking about the kingdom. And he was thinking about the reality of the conflict we face as Christians as we try to live as citizens of God's kingdom in this kingdom. This world is not our home. We are aliens and strangers. We are simply passing through on our way to some place much better. And while we are here, we will stick out like a sore thumb. As children of God, we will live differently than those around us. We live according to a different standard and obey a different set of kingdom rules. All of which will puts us in conflict with the world in which we live. We have an enemy, Satan, who hates us and wants to destroy us. We live in a world that opposes us and also hates us. Then we struggle with our own flesh, that does everything in its power to convince us to live according to its will, not God's.

You see, God never said this would be easy. In fact, we are warned throughout His Word that trials and tribulations are a part of the Christian life. Peter tells us:

Do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you. - 1 Peter 4:12

Jesus Himself told us:

In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world. - John 16:33

Paul reassures us in Romans 8:35-36:

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: 'For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.' No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

Tribulations and trials are a real part of our walk here on this earth. We all know it because we experience them daily. But we spend so much time questioning God when they come. We pray for Him to remove them. We plead for release from them. We act as if they are an anomaly, a mistake of some kind that shouldn't be part of the life of a believer. But they are. Jesus promised it. Paul confirmed it. Life proves it.

The bad news really is good news.

In Romans 5, Paul gives us a little more insight into this issue of the good news and bad news. Here is what he said:

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. - Romans 5:1-5

According to Paul, our trials and tribulations have a purpose. They are an integral part of the maturing process we call spiritual growth. They can both break us and make us. They can drive us to our knees and into the arms of God. They can reveal our weaknesses and God's power. They can force us to take our eyes off this world and focus them on eternity -- where our real hope resides and the best part of the good news awaits us!

Father, I want to thank you again for the good news of Jesus Christ and all that it means. But I also want to learn to thank you for the tribulations and trials of life. I want to see them as part of the good news, instead of just a lot of bad news. Help me to see your hand in it all. You can and do use anything and everything to make me like Your Son. Thank you!!! Amen