Daily Manna (Coffee with Jesus)

I loved going to the Oklahoma State Fair each year in early fall.  The heat of summer was ending as the air became cool and refreshing.  I loved the exhibits, fried food, and giveaways.  However, the Midway filled with carneys and barkers who tried to lure us in to games of chance—mostly with no chance of winning unless they decided to let you win—was eerily scary.  As a child my parents taught me how to navigate the Midway to get to the other side of greater things to see and do.

Come to find out, I’m not the only one who felt this way!  Max Lucado speaks of his own experience at the Texas State Fair;

“A gauntlet of barkers—each taking his turn. Dad had warned me about them. He knew the way of the midway. I can’t recall his exact instructions, but I remember the impact. I stuck next to him, my little hand lost in his big one. And every time I heard the voices, I turned to his face. He gave either protection or permission. A roll of the eyes meant “Move on.” He smelled a huckster. A smile and a nod said, “Go on—no harm here.”

My father helped me handle the voices.”

Why tell you this as we continue our journey with Paul through the province of Asia?  Paul taught the importance of God’s Holy Spirit of discernment to guide us to all truth.  Without calling on God to guide us through the “midway” of life, we will suffer harder times of navigating this world filled with a plethora of voices vying for our attention.  God, our Father in heaven, stands ready to help us handle the voices when we seek his face by praying in Jesus Name for discernment and wisdom.  Jesus promised!  “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth.” –Jesus, John 16:13 

Acts 19, The Message

19 ^1-2 Now, it happened that while Apollos was away in Corinth, Paul made his way down through the mountains, came to Ephesus, and happened on some disciples there. The first thing he said was, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed? Did you take God into your mind only, or did you also embrace him with your heart? Did he get inside you?”

“We’ve never even heard of that—a Holy Spirit? God within us?”

³ “How were you baptized, then?” asked Paul.

“In John’s baptism.”

⁴ “That explains it,” said Paul. “John preached a baptism of radical life-change so that people would be ready to receive the One coming after him, who turned out to be Jesus. If you’ve been baptized in John’s baptism, you’re ready now for the real thing, for Jesus.”

^5-7 And they were. As soon as they heard of it, they were baptized in the name of the Master Jesus. Paul put his hands on their heads and the Holy Spirit entered them. From that moment on, they were praising God in tongues and talking about God’s actions. Altogether there were about twelve people there that day.

^8-10 Paul then went straight to the meeting place. He had the run of the place for three months, doing his best to make the things of the kingdom of God real and convincing to them. But then resistance began to form as some of them began spreading evil rumors through the congregation about the Christian way of life. So Paul left, taking the disciples with him, and set up shop in the school of Tyrannus, holding class there daily. He did this for two years, giving everyone in the province of Asia, Jews as well as Greeks, ample opportunity to hear the Message of the Master.

Witches Came out of the Woodwork

^11-12 God did powerful things through Paul, things quite out of the ordinary. The word got around and people started taking pieces of clothing—handkerchiefs and scarves and the like—that had touched Paul’s skin and then touching the sick with them. The touch did it—they were healed and whole.

^13-16 Some itinerant Jewish exorcists who happened to be in town at the time tried their hand at what they assumed to be Paul’s “game.” They pronounced the name of the Master Jesus over victims of evil spirits, saying, “I command you by the Jesus preached by Paul!” The seven sons of a certain Sceva, a Jewish high priest, were trying to do this on a man when the evil spirit talked back: “I know Jesus and I’ve heard of Paul, but who are you?” Then the possessed man went berserk—jumped the exorcists, beat them up, and tore off their clothes. Naked and bloody, they got away as best they could.

^17-20 It was soon news all over Ephesus among both Jews and Greeks. The realization spread that God was in and behind this. Curiosity about Paul developed into reverence for the Master Jesus. Many of those who thus believed stepped out into the light and made a clean break with their secret sorceries. All kinds of witches and warlocks came out of the woodwork with their books of spells and incantations and made a huge bonfire of them. Someone estimated their worth at fifty thousand silver coins. In such ways it became evident that the Word of the Master was now sovereign and prevailed in Ephesus.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

A little knowledge is dangerous.  The folks in Ephesus only had half the story.  They didn’t know about Jesus, so Paul the rest of the story!  (Read the book of Ephesians for what he taught the church!)  On Paul’s third missionary journey he corrected doctrinal misunderstandings that had been creeping into the churches. Here is a sample:

“Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them.

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord.” Ephesians 5:6-10, NIV

The power to change comes from God. Magical formulas and magic words cannot secure this power. Christ conquered evil. So we are more than conquerors by His power working in us by God’s Holy Spirit!  It is Jesus who overcomes the enemy God who tempts us with distraction and deception through the voices of his demons who hover around us.  Satan is a liar and can be a loud one, at that!  He can also appear as an angel of light, who lures us in by telling us what he has for us is what we deserve.  Yikes!   This is why we pray daily for the guidance of God’s Holy Spirit to show us truth.

Jesus will not be diminished. Jesus has already won the war with Satan!  But until Jesus returns for His own, daily skirmishes will be fought with our real enemy who never tires in distracting us from all that is God. 

Jesus is our overcomer so we, as believers, can be overcomers with Him!  HE is our distinctive voice in our noisy world. We do not have to walk the midway of barking voices alone if we keep our hand in His and our eyes on His face.  And when He speaks: “Listen to Him.”

“You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them.” 1 John 4:4-5

“We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.” 1 John 4:6

“Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Ephesians 5:15-20, NIV

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians 6:10-12 

“…and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”  Matthew 17:5

Lord,

Thank you for saving my soul and making me whole. Thank you for the gift of Your Holy Spirit who guides us to what is true and right. Help all who believe to hear Your Voice above all other voices with humble, obedient hearts today and always.  I’m yours.  I’m listening.

In Jesus Name, Amen

GOD’S PLAN: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:16-17

JESUS’ OBEDIENCE TO GOD’S PLAN: “Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. 

When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:6-11

JESUS COMMAND TO ALL WHO BELIEVE: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20

BELIEVERS’ RESPONSE: “So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”  2 Corinthians 5:16-21

THE ACTS OF GOD’S HOLY SPIRIT: “Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.” –Jesus Matthew 16:18, NLT It all began with Peter but did not stop with him.  Jesus taught him to teach others who would teach others…!  And then there was Paul…

So, given God’s plan to save us, Jesus’ teaching and training of the original disciples, led by God’s Holy Spirit; the work of “going and making disciples” is multiplied in and through new believers in Jesus from town to town, city to city—just as He said. 

The ministry of reconciling (reconnecting people to God through Jesus) formed groups of believers (churches) who also would “go and make disciples” causing exponential growth in ways that the powers of hell cannot and will not conquer.  Troubles, disagreements, sacrifices, beatings and jailtime for preaching Jesus will occur, but the apostles and disciples know that “He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6)

“I am with you always, until the end of the age.”—Jesus, Matthew 28:20

Acts 18, The Message

Ephesus

¹⁸ Paul stayed a while longer in Corinth, but then it was time to take leave of his friends. Saying his good-byes, he sailed for Syria, Priscilla and Aquila with him. Before boarding the ship in the harbor town of Cenchrea, he had his head shaved as part of a vow he had taken.

^19-21 They landed in Ephesus, where Priscilla and Aquila got off and stayed. Paul left the ship briefly to go to the meeting place and preach to the Jews. They wanted him to stay longer, but he said he couldn’t. But after saying good-bye, he promised, “I’ll be back, God willing.”

^21-22 From Ephesus he sailed to Caesarea. He greeted the church there, and then went on to Antioch, completing the journey.

²³ After spending a considerable time with the Antioch Christians, Paul set off again for Galatia and Phrygia, retracing his old tracks, one town after another, putting fresh heart into the disciples.

^24-26 A man named Apollos came to Ephesus. He was a Jew, born in Alexandria, Egypt, and a terrific speaker, eloquent and powerful in his preaching of the Scriptures. He was well-educated in the way of the Master and fiery in his enthusiasm. Apollos was accurate in everything he taught about Jesus up to a point, but he only went as far as the baptism of John. He preached with power in the meeting place. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and told him the rest of the story.

^27-28 When Apollos decided to go on to Achaia province, his Ephesian friends gave their blessing and wrote a letter of recommendation for him, urging the disciples there to welcome him with open arms. The welcome paid off: Apollos turned out to be a great help to those who had become believers through God’s immense generosity. He was particularly effective in public debate with the Jews as he brought out proof after convincing proof from the Scriptures that Jesus was in fact God’s Messiah.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

How awesome for the well-educated Apollos, gifted in preaching, to listen to those who know even more about Jesus!  He knows and can only preach what he has learned but is open to know more about Jesus!  Because of his open heart and mind toward Aquila and Priscilla, the ministry of reconciliation (reconnecting to God through Jesus) is now preached to even more people who need to know Jesus.  Apollos is wise to listen and learn.  It is wise to have mentors in the know about Jesus! 

How would we respond?  When someone takes time because they care enough to correct us with truth, do we willingly listen?  Are we helping or hurting the cause of Christ?

“Apollos turned out to be a great help…”  Because of his mentors and his willingness to listen with understanding; Apollos grew in faith and knowledge of Jesus.  “Apollos turned out to be a great help to those who had become believers through God’s immense generosity.”  God paved the way, Apollos obediently followed. 

God gifted Apollos with great speaking and debating abilities.  Apollos used his gifts for God’s glory which caused many to believe that wouldn’t normally accept the message.  “He was particularly effective in public debate with the Jews as he brought out proof after convincing proof from the Scriptures that Jesus was in fact God’s Messiah.”

Making disciples is the work the Holy Spirit does in each one of us.  Certain gifts are given to believers by God at just the right time to help others know Him and believe that Jesus died and rose again for them, too.  These gifts are not to call attention to us but used in the ministry of reconciliation and growth from the inside out.  Paul explains this to the church in Ephesus:

“Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.

Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.” Ephesians 4:11-16, NLT (Read the whole chapter for what it means to acquire the unity of the Holy Spirit working in and through us!)

Oh, church friends, it is good to revisit the acts and subsequent letters of the original apostles who pioneered “going and making disciples”, taking to a work or art and heart, led by God’s Holy Spirit. 

If we truly want to know what Jesus, the rock of our salvation, wants from His church, the Body of Christ; we must study and take to heart the truth that exudes from the hearts of His passionate, loving, sold-out, committed, and confident apostles with whom the work Jesus began.

Lord,

Wow.  Thank you for those who went before us!  We are amazed by your deep love for us.  We are grateful for your gracious generosity and patience with us as we learn and grow in our own faith and in your work.  Lead us to more like you, dear Jesus.  Give us your wisdom to say the right words at the right time in the right, loving way, so others will know you, too.  Make me a disciple who makes disciples in your Name for Your glory.

In Jesus Name, Amen

There was this time in our lives when God called us to leave ministry positions in one place to join another ministry in another state for “such a time as this”.  This ministry on the outside looked right and good, flourishing with numbers of believers, but we would learn very soon that it was rotten at the core.  We didn’t know that, of course, until a few days of working alongside the leaders. 

When led by God but faced with what you didn’t expect and realizing it would be a hard road to follow, your first thought is to quit and question.  “Did I miss what God was calling me to do?”  “Did I totally misunderstand what God was saying to me about the work to be done here?”  Those are the exact questions I asked in the first two weeks of arriving.  I immediately saw the challenge ahead of me and trembled.  But I also saw the people in need of growing in their walk with God. 

God called me to help people to not just believe in Jesus but to follow in His ways, allowing their lives to be transformed by Him. We left two good salaries to do this because of our faith in God who led us.  Even though our income of cut in half, God provided.  Randy would be a “tentmaker” as a teacher in a new Bible college forming in the area as well as fill in as a sub teacher so we could pay our bills.  God provided.  Our income was doable and we trusted God all they way.  He did not let us down.  He protected us and provided for us. 

It was rough from day one as God used His gifts graciously given to me in the work to fulfill the mission of discipleship for this church.  From the beginning, I was met with underground opposition with quiet intimidating comments, made only to me in isolated hallways by small minded men who wanted to retain their position and power.  I had dealt with troublesome people before in God’s church but never to this degree.  One of my mentors even called it, “spiritual abuse.” 

I rose each day to be at work early to pray for God to guide me.  I studied His Word for His plan, assurance, and guidance for the next steps I should take for that day.  But I was accused of spending too much time in the Word and should get to the tasks at hand—listening to what the leaders wanted me to be and do for them.  At one point, I was told, “You were hired to make us look good, so do that.” 

I knew God called and sent there, but I asked often, how can your work be done, Lord, given this opposition?  How could I keep doing what you called me to do with “my hands tied behind my back” by those who had hired me?  How can I rise above the man, second in charge, who works overtime to discredit me with attempts to stop everything we’re trying to accomplish, Lord?  This man formed an alliance with another man who was third in charge who watched every move I made.  He would then falsely “tattle” with accusations of my work to the pastor in charge. Yeah, that was fun—not!

But our Lord heard my frantic prayers.  He upheld my strength by His power that is greater and gave me a peace that truly was His gift to me.  God proceeded to do a work in and through me to help others see Jesus, really see Him in all His glory as they learned to imitate Christ, developing the mind of Christ, so they could learn to walk in His ways.  To God be the glory!  I witnessed God working in and through many people.  No regrets. 

Unknown to me, the pastor’s plan all along was to hire me for only one year or less because that’s all their budget could afford.  Their budget was kept hidden from view, so no one really knew.  What I did know was God led me to build a discipleship program from infant to adults and train leaders as quickly as possible.  Somehow, I knew in my heart that I didn’t have much time.

The pastor who began this church hired me to, as he said, “do discipleship because we suck at it”.  He soon realized that his plan was working.  He began talking to volunteers to take my place in various ways.  Then he called me into his office after nine months of hard labor to let me go. What surprised him was my reaction.  I was the most relieved person on the planet!  I walked out praising Jesus and thanking Him for releasing me and moving me on.  I had no regrets!  I had done my best to follow what God told me to do and I grew through the challenge!  We were now jobless and had to move, but didn’t matter!  I knew God was leading and in control!  Why worry?  Several miracles of provision followed in the next 24-36 hours.   

Randy and I survived physically, although it took its toll on my heath.  We survived mentally and emotionally because we learned that most of the people saw the Truth.  In fact, we are still friends today after all these years.  Most of all, we grew spiritually because of the challenging circumstances which taught me that God is always in control and turns bad to good for those who believe as He turns ashes into beauty for His glory! Jesus is still King of kings and Lord of lords, and that obeying the Holy Spirit is the best way to live.  We also realized internally Paul’s words to the growing church in Ephesus;

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians 6:12

When you really believe these words, grudges with those who “sin against you” fall away when you forgive “for they know not what they are doing.” Don’t wait for an apology you will probably never receive.  Forgive and pray for your enemies that they will know Jesus and follow Him, too.  Go where God leads for as long as He tells you.  Don’t quit until God tells you to it is finished.  “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

–Paul to the Philippian church, Philippians 1:6

So, as Paul jumps from the “frying pan” of Athens in the “fire” of convincing the Corinthians about Jesus, we get it.  Most of what God calls us to be and do will include circumstances beyond our abilities to resolve; that’s why we trust HIM to complete the work—His work!  What we learn from what Paul learned and lived is: Where God guides, He provides the ways and means to accomplish HIS mission in and through us.  Always. 

The place will change but the ministry is the same.  Jesus died to save us, set us free from our sins and then rose again to give us hope for living forever—all because God so loved us.

Acts 18, The Message

Corinth

18 ^1-4 After Athens, Paul went to Corinth. That is where he discovered Aquila, a Jew born in Pontus, and his wife, Priscilla. They had just arrived from Italy, part of the general expulsion of Jews from Rome ordered by Claudius. Paul moved in with them, and they worked together at their common trade of tentmaking. But every Sabbath he was at the meeting place, doing his best to convince both Jews and Greeks about Jesus.

^5-6 When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was able to give all his time to preaching and teaching, doing everything he could to persuade the Jews that Jesus was in fact God’s Messiah. But no such luck. All they did was argue contentiously and contradict him at every turn. Totally exasperated, Paul had finally had it with them and gave it up as a bad job. “Have it your way, then,” he said. “You’ve made your bed; now lie in it. From now on I’m spending my time with the other nations.”

^7-8 He walked out and went to the home of Titius Justus, a God-fearing man who lived right next to the Jews’ meeting place. But Paul’s efforts with the Jews weren’t a total loss, for Crispus, the meeting-place president, put his trust in the Master. His entire family believed with him.

^8-11 In the course of listening to Paul, a great many Corinthians believed and were baptized. One night the Master spoke to Paul in a dream: “Keep it up, and don’t let anyone intimidate or silence you. No matter what happens, I’m with you and no one is going to be able to hurt you. You have no idea how many people I have on my side in this city.” That was all he needed to stick it out. He stayed another year and a half, faithfully teaching the Word of God to the Corinthians.

^12-13 But when Gallio was governor of Achaia province, the Jews got up a campaign against Paul, hauled him into court, and filed charges: “This man is seducing people into acts of worship that are illegal.”

^14-16 Just as Paul was about to defend himself, Gallio interrupted and said to the Jews, “If this was a matter of criminal conduct, I would gladly hear you out. But it sounds to me like one more Jewish squabble, another of your endless hairsplitting quarrels over religion. Take care of it on your own time. I can’t be bothered with this nonsense,” and he cleared them out of the courtroom.

¹⁷ Now the street rabble turned on Sosthenes, the new meeting-place president, and beat him up in plain sight of the court. Gallio didn’t raise a finger. He could not have cared less.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Where God guides—God provides.  God provided new friends for Paul in Corinth, a place of idolatry with great evil paraded in the streets.  Aquila and Priscilla provided Paul with a place to live with an income in tentmaking.

Paul fell to discouragement but God gave him the encouragement needed: “Keep it up, and don’t let anyone intimidate or silence you. No matter what happens, I’m with you and no one is going to be able to hurt you. You have no idea how many people I have on my side in this city.”  This isn’t the first time God has said this for those who listen to Him and obey His call—and it won’t be the last!  He still does!

PAUSE TO PRAY

When has God stepped in to encourage you at your lowest? 

What did He say?  What did He do?  As we reflect, thank God for all He has done, is doing, and will do throughout our lives of serving Him.  It is our humble, grateful hearts that He hears as He provides all that we need.

Our response:  Trust God.

Lord,

Thank you for the all the ways you have encouraged me in your work as a helper for others to know and follow you.  Guide me.  All my faith, hope, and trust is in You.  I love you back with all that is in me.

In Jesus Name, Amen

Have you ever visited a junkyard—a place where broken, old, and obsolete things end up to rust, decay, but not thrown away?

Is the junkyard in our own backyards?  Mentally, spiritually, as well as physically?

Paul has arrived in Athens, a place filled with statues of gods for all reasons and seasons.  This is the Athenian way of life.  Sold out to the One and Only God and His Son, Jesus who saved him, passionate Paul is sickened by this junkyard of idols.  But Paul is wise in the way he approaches the worshippers of this plethora of gods. 

Watch how Paul skillfully persuades the “stoic philosophers and intellectuals” of that day to listen to him.  He doesn’t beat them over the head with what he knows.  He doesn’t even begin with how he was changed by Jesus—yet.  Led by the Holy Spirit, he centers on their statue named the “unknown god” as a place to start.  This is a good teaching technique—begin with what they know then introduce them them to what they do not know.  Jesus used this technique often in his stories that related to what God wants us to know about Him.

Acts 17, The Message

Athens

¹⁶ The longer Paul waited in Athens for Silas and Timothy, the angrier he got—all those idols! The city was a junkyard of idols.

^17-18 He discussed it with the Jews and other like-minded people at their meeting place. And every day he went out on the streets and talked with anyone who happened along. He got to know some of the Epicurean and Stoic intellectuals pretty well through these conversations. Some of them dismissed him with sarcasm: “What a moron!” But others, listening to him go on about Jesus and the resurrection, were intrigued: “That’s a new slant on the gods. Tell us more.”

^19-21 These people got together and asked him to make a public presentation over at the Areopagus, where things were a little quieter. They said, “This is a new one on us. We’ve never heard anything quite like it. Where did you come up with this anyway? Explain it so we can understand.” Downtown Athens was a great place for gossip. There were always people hanging around, natives and tourists alike, waiting for the latest tidbit on most anything.

^22-23 So Paul took his stand in the open space at the Areopagus and laid it out for them. “It is plain to see that you Athenians take your religion seriously. When I arrived here the other day, I was fascinated with all the shrines I came across. And then I found one inscribed, to the god nobody knows. I’m here to introduce you to this God so you can worship intelligently, know who you’re dealing with.

^24-29 “The God who made the world and everything in it, this Master of sky and land, doesn’t live in custom-made shrines or need the human race to run errands for him, as if he couldn’t take care of himself. He makes the creatures; the creatures don’t make him. Starting from scratch, he made the entire human race and made the earth hospitable, with plenty of time and space for living so we could seek after God, and not just grope around in the dark but actually find him. He doesn’t play hide-and-seek with us. He’s not remote; he’s near. We live and move in him, can’t get away from him! One of your poets said it well: ‘We’re the God-created.’ Well, if we are the God-created, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to think we could hire a sculptor to chisel a god out of stone for us, does it?

^30-31 “God overlooks it as long as you don’t know any better—but that time is past. The unknown is now known, and he’s calling for a radical life-change. He has set a day when the entire human race will be judged and everything set right. And he has already appointed the judge, confirming him before everyone by raising him from the dead.”

^32-34 At the phrase “raising him from the dead,” the listeners split: Some laughed at him and walked off making jokes; others said, “Let’s do this again. We want to hear more.” But that was it for the day, and Paul left. There were still others, it turned out, who were convinced then and there, and stuck with Paul—among them Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Face it, we have our own junkyards of idols! I was recently convicted myself about all the things we have acquired over the years that take up our time and space.  I spent last week letting go of things I had worked to buy, be given, stored away, and rearranged many times.  We had acquired so much junk that I had to buy more places to store it! That’s crazy!

I shamed myself when I brought it all out into the open to see as I evaluated it’s importance in my life.  All this junk had occupied my time, focus, and space and even my peace! So, we cleaned out our own junkyard.  The useable good stuff went to a church that ministers to those in need, suffering calamities such as fires that destroyed their homes.  It was easy to let go of most of it, harder to let go of some stuff that brought back memories. However, when we finished (for now), we felt a peace that was missing.  It was good to let it all go and live with less management of stuff.

As I worked on this project; I thought and meditated, as I often do.  How much of this junk and its management got in the way or blocked my view of God at times?  Why was my focus on acquiring this stuff in the first place?  Did this stuff somehow and willingly become my idols?  Did I store this junk as assurance—because “I might need this someday”? Do I feel richer for having and storing this stuff? Ugh.

If we really want answers; we can look over the ledgers of our bank accounts.  Do our purchases reflect a junkyard of idols?  Do we purchase what we need or want?  Where does it go after the newness has worn off?  Do we purchase all kinds of things that have to be managed and cared for along with more storage spaces to accommodate them?  I thought of Jesus’ story about the grain farmer who had a bumper crop so he built bigger storage places for the harvest.  Jesus ended the story with; “But God said to him (the rich farmer), ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ –This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.” (Luke 12:16-21)

If Paul or Jesus came to our home and walked around, would he observe “idols” of all kinds that get in the way of our focus on God our Creator who loved us so much He sent His Son to save us for eternity?  Or would he find a lot of junk in our lives that we don’t need but we idolize the possession of them?  The world tells us we need all the right stuff and we must feel a certain way about ourselves to have peace. But Jesus says peace is a gift given to us who believe and trust; “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:25-27, NIV 

God is the Provider of all we need.  We learn that Jesus is all we need. The rest we acquire is non-essential to our wellbeing, wholeness, spiritual health.  When we come to the end of ourselves and all we think we must have; we discover all the stuff of earth just gets in the way of our focus on God and His rich blessings He longs to pour out over us.  Paul writes, “…whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.” Philippians 3:7-11, NIV

So, we learn it’s not just about the physical junk that lies around; but the mental and emotional junk we fill our minds with daily.  If we can’t hear God’s voice above the chatter of voices of this world, then maybe we need to clean out the closets of our minds!  Our minds can become so cluttered with the details of life that the clutter also becomes idols.  What we think about most is what we worship!  Paul warns; “For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.” Philippians 3:18-21, NIV

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” –Jesus, Matthew 6:19-21, NIV

“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. (Stuff) –Jesus, Matthew 6

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” –Jesus, Matthew 6:25-34, NIV

Lord,

May we look inward before telling someone else how to be saved by you and live in your ways.  Give us wisdom in our witness—just like Paul!  Help us to rid ourselves of the idols of junk that robs our peace.  May the peace that you give rule our hearts!

In Jesus Name, Amen

Crime solving dramas with distinct plot formulas are my favorite shows to watch. I watch so many in fact, that the formula is quite apparent and predictable.  The opening of the show begins with a body who has died under suspicious circumstances.  The rest of the show then involves finding out the who, what, when, how, along with finding the perpetrator.  The victim is identified, relatives notified, the prep arrested.  Clean and neat—all in one hour! 

Ah, but real life doesn’t work like that, does it?  It’s not so cut and dried; obvious and neat.  I have friends who work as FBI agents and as police officers who investigate crime.  Real life is not solved in an hour or two.  Problems create circumstances beyond our control and challenge us with various methods of dealing with them.  We can hide from them, ignore that they exist, run away, fall behind, or we can move forward with God’s Holy Spirit leading the way with power and wisdom.

Paul is greatly filled with the Holy Spirit.  It is Jesus who saved him!  Paul wants to tell the world who He is and what He has done.  Paul is obsessively passionate about preaching as often as he can, to as many people who will hear, in as many places in the world he can go and tell the Truth of Jesus.  Paul is also put in danger as he faces many who oppose Jesus and want to kill this Messenger of Good News.  So, Paul, at times, goes undercover!  But he will emerge in another place to preach Jesus tirelessly and relentlessly!

This makes Paul’s later words to the Philippian church (and to us) be drenched with significant meaning;

^“I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:3-6, NIV

Whether undercover or preaching to a crowd, believing friends sent by God helped Paul at each place on the journey so he could be and do what God’s Holy Spirit led him to be and do.  Keep this in mind as we continue to read.  Imagine the scene by mentally putting ourselves there. Paul’s work will continue to build churches of believers in Jesus from the inside out and outside in—both Jews and non Jews—because Jesus is for everyone! The work is messy, painful, dangerous, and challenging.  Sometimes he has to go undercover to stay alive, but Paul and His friends keep going—with the power of God within, around, behind and in front of them because Paul confidently believes that “He (Jesus) who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:6

Acts 17, The Message

Berea

^10-12 That night, under cover of darkness, their friends got Paul and Silas out of town as fast as they could. They sent them to Berea, where they again met with the Jewish community. They were treated a lot better there than in Thessalonica. The Jews received Paul’s message with enthusiasm and met with him daily, examining the Scriptures to see if they supported what he said. A lot of them became believers, including many Greeks who were prominent in the community, women and men of influence.

^13-15 But it wasn’t long before reports got back to the Thessalonian hard-line Jews that Paul was at it again, preaching the Word of God, this time in Berea. They lost no time responding, and created a mob scene there, too. With the help of his friends, Paul gave them the slip—caught a boat and put out to sea. Silas and Timothy stayed behind. The men who helped Paul escape got him as far as Athens and left him there. Paul sent word back with them to Silas and Timothy: “Come as quickly as you can!”

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

No matter what, preach Jesus!

No matter what, gather friends who believe to help preach Jesus.

No matter what, we are all called by God to do our part to make sure that Jesus is preached so others will know who He is and what He has done to save us!

Paul knows he needs brothers and sisters to help him and readily accepts their help to “slip out of town” under cover of night which is becoming a way of life!  Paul’s former self, AKA Saul was not that way—Saul gave orders to kill believers and all those who resisted him.  Now, Paul’s new identify is in Christ.  We see that Paul is a different man with renewed thinking who now relies on the help of others who believe to do what God has called us all to do—preach Jesus!

Paul writes later; “Because we understand our fearful responsibility to the Lord, we work hard to persuade others. God knows we are sincere, and I hope you know this, too.”  2 Corinthians 5.  Yes, Paul we see your sincerity and relentless tenaciousness in Truth telling! 

Paul includes all believers as messengers of Truth; “Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.

So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.” 

Read the complete passage from 2 Corinthians 5. 

Paul’s letters of care, correction and encouragement to the churches reveal Paul’s own life transformation in every word he writes.  Paul’s “one thing” is life is for others to know, believe and follow Jesus.

“I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:10-14, NIV

 Nothing else matters.  Whatever it takes, preach Jesus!  “Come quickly!”

Lord,

May we have the passion and love that Paul had to tell your story of salvation to others—no matter what—for this is a matter of life or death for our family and friends who live without you.  Teach us.  Give us your wisdom and words.  Show us your ways to tell others today.  Then give us boldness and confidence to obey.  Let your love in us and for the world lead the way!

In Jesus Name, Amen

Heavenly Father, God of all,

Thank you. Hallowed be Your Name.  May your Kingdom come, your will be done in all I think, say and do today. Great are you, Lord and greatly to be praised by all who believe and call on your holy name. 

Thank you for loving us so deeply and profoundly that you designed a plan to save us that was so perfect and perfectly laid out—from the beginning of creation.  You knew the time, place, and location.  You knew the humans you would have to work in, through and around.  You told the prophets to tell your people your plan with how it would be accomplished, with clues of who to look for, a Messiah, who would be sent to save us. Some listened. Some did not. 

Then you came, dear Jesus, born to a virgin who was devoted to you and your plan along with Joseph.  You knew they would be the best couple to accomplish this because of their love for you and for each other!

You grew as any Jewish boy would being the son of a carpenter who loved you; but you were also raised as the Son of God.  These are the thoughts that your earthly parents pondered.  You were perfect, the one without sin, the only one who could be the perfect Lamb without blemish sacrifice for our sins, indeed all the sins of the world.  You loved and taught others to follow you, seeking God first in all of life.  Then willingly and obediently you did exactly what you were sent to do.  You laid down your life for our life, taking the punishment we desire.

Yes, your love was demonstrated to the highest degree that day you gave your life to save all who believed then and all the lives to follow who would call on you and repent of sins.  You saved me.  With your act of obedience, I can now come to you freely, without a middleman priest to speak for me for you are the High Priest, dear Jesus, who died and rose again to give us entrance to heaven to the very throne of God!

Today is called Good Friday only for us because it was the day you suffered the greatest pain.  You had to suffer carrying the sins of the world to a cross and die a slow, excruciating death—after being mocked, beaten beyond recognition, and publicly humiliated!  The greater pain for you, Jesus was to lose communion with your Father until the debt of all our sins placed on your shoulders was paid in full by death.  We know, Father God, that you cannot be where sin is and that you turn your back on sin, not on us, but our sins that block us from you. 

But death did not win!  When you accomplished the mission, God resurrected you from death to life, scars and all!  Rising again, you gave all who believe our hope for eternal life—just like God said he would!

Jesus, you did indeed, paid it all.  All that was owed, all that is owed, and all that will be owed for generations to come.  I will contemplate these thoughts all day long as I go about my tasks in honor of all you have done for me—and for all who believe.

You are God, I am not.  What you did for me I cannot do for myself.  How you did it is beyond my thinking or imagining.  But why you did it brings me to my knees in deep gratitude.  Oh, how you love us. Thank you, Father. Thank you, Jesus.  Thank you, Holy Spirit for leading me once again to the Truth of life everlasting.

In the quiet of this first hour of the day, I praise you.  I love you, Lord with all my heart, mind, and soul.  I think of all the other people you have put in my life along my journey here to love and I give thanks for them. I also think of all the people who have mocked, slandered, and were a challenge to me in life as I lived for you.  “Forgive them, for they know not what they are doing” is what you prayed for your enemies.  I will do the same as I repent of my own sins in your Name.

Thank you for saving me from a life that has no meaning without you. Thank you for daily filling me with the power of Your Holy Spirit.  Thank you for taking time to daily cleanse my heart, renew my mind, transform my behavior, refresh my soul with your new mercies, and restore the joy and peace of you in me and me in you.  Thank you for your loving care and correction with provision and protection. 

Thank you for being with us always.  We call on Your Name, and you always respond with help, wisdom and assurance.

There is no one like you, God of all creation. 

Thank you, Jesus. 

Thank you, Holy Spirit.

To you, Holy God, be the glory, honor, and praise always and forever!

In Jesus Name, Amen

The world we create is the one in which we are in control, make all the rules, and tell others what they must do to adhere to our rules.  When anyone tries to come in our world, we tell them how to be like us or they cannot belong.  If they do not conform then they will not be accepted in our world.  (Ah, the school playground of life.)  Our world operates and holds its meaning in what we believe to be true—not necessarily what is true—only our version from our perspective.  Yes, I said that out loud.

So, given this insight about the world we create around us with our rules created to keep our world organized and intact, we are appalled when someone comes into our world to tell us about Someone who will change our way of thinking about life, relationships, and most of all—real love that is not based on adherence to rules but on the relentless love of God who gave His One and Only Son to save us from the sins in our world that we didn’t realize we had—the sin of rule-keeping without a relationship with God.

The “hard-line” Jews that Paul and Silas encounter created their own perfect world. Jesus is considered the intruder into their world of interpretations of the Law along with their additional man-made rules.  Jesus was not accepted as Messiah nor was he considered acceptable as King. 

Their interpretations and rules with forced obedience upon men and women in their world was taught as the only way to God.  Those in charge of the Jewish world in Thessalonica have the same thinking as those who sent Jesus to his death without realizing He came to fulfill all the scriptures, The Law of God, that they read and policed for centuries. 

Jesus is preached—their world is presently threatened.  They thought that killing Jesus would be the end of the discussion and they would all get back to their “normal” program of power and control.  But God had other plans.

Acts 16, The Message

Thessalonica

^1-3 They took the road south through Amphipolis and Apollonia to Thessalonica, where there was a community of Jews. Paul went to their meeting place, as he usually did when he came to a town, and for three Sabbaths running he preached to them from the Scriptures. He opened up the texts so they understood what they’d been reading all their lives: that the Messiah absolutely had to be put to death and raised from the dead—there were no other options—and that “this Jesus I’m introducing you to is that Messiah.”

^4-5 Some of them were won over and joined ranks with Paul and Silas, among them a great many God-fearing Greeks and a considerable number of women from the aristocracy. But the hard-line Jews became furious over the conversions. Mad with jealousy, they rounded up a bunch of brawlers off the streets and soon had an ugly mob terrorizing the city as they hunted down Paul and Silas.

^5-7 They broke into Jason’s house, thinking that Paul and Silas were there. When they couldn’t find them, they collared Jason and his friends instead and dragged them before the city fathers, yelling hysterically, “These people are out to destroy the world, and now they’ve shown up on our doorstep, attacking everything we hold dear! And Jason is hiding them, these traitors and turncoats who say Jesus is king and Caesar is nothing!”

^8-9 The city fathers and the crowd of people were totally alarmed by what they heard. They made Jason and his friends post heavy bail and let them go while they investigated the charges.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

As Paul and Silas travel from town to town in the region, they will be met with opposition because Jesus and His teaching will change everything about each person who believes and follows Him.  The enemy of God will step up his game of distracting and deceiving people while the power of God’s Holy Spirit works through men and women to preach Jesus who delivers us from our sins by dying in our place on that cross. 

Those who created their own worlds are fearful of losing their self-produced power over the people they oppress and burden with man-made rules by virtue of their office or position only.  The city fathers’ hysterically express this fear of loss with uncontrollable panic in verses 5-7.  Led by their own fear, jealousy, and hate for those entering to disrupt their created world; they drag believers of Jesus out to the street and shout; “These people are out to destroy the world, and now they’ve shown up on our doorstep, attacking everything we hold dear!” 

It is not the world –it’s their world the hardline Jews created for themselves.

But we’re not like that, are we?  Do we create our own worlds where the sky is a different color, the rules are made by us, and where love is guarded and given only to those who please us by obeying our rules, written, unwritten, or otherwise translated by us for our advantage? 

Pause to pray before responding. Ask God to correct us and cleanse our hearts of all that is offensive to HIM and to others seeking Jesus for salvation.  Study God’s Word and hold it up as a mirror.  Do we reflect Jesus in us? 

FUN FACT:  Thessalonica (our modern Salonika) was a strategic city for the work of the Lord. Not only was it the capital of Macedonia, but it was also a center for business, rivaled only by Corinth. The city was located on several important trade routes, and it boasted an excellent harbor. The city was predominantly Greek, even though it was controlled by Rome. Thessalonica was a “free city,” which meant that it had an elected citizens’ assembly, could mint its own coins, and had no Roman garrison within its walls.  God knows what He is doing through Paul and Silas!

The kingship of Jesus Christ is unlike that of the rulers of this world. He conquers with ambassadors, (2 Corinthians 5:20), not armies, and His weapons are truth and love.

He brings people peace by upsetting the peace in our created world by turning our thinking upside down to reveal Kingdom of God thinking! He conquers through His cross, where He died for a world of lost sinners. He even died for His enemies (Romans 5:6–10)!  Jesus saves—we point the Way to Jesus!

Good teachers and preachers begin with what their audience already knows.  Paul went into the synagogue and there discovered a group of people keenly interested in the study of the Old Testament Scriptures. In fact, they met daily to search the Scriptures to determine whether or not what Paul was saying was true. Paul had been overjoyed at the way the people in Thessalonica had received the Word.

“And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe.” —Paul, 1 Thessalonians 2:13

Lord,

Be at work in me.  Cleanse my heart, renew my mind, transform my behaviors, refresh my soul with your new mercies, and restore the joy and peace of you in me and me in you.  You came into my world and created a new person for the world in which you created; who will live forever.  I will thank you and praises you all day long, every day and forever!

In Jesus Name, Amen

Where is the moment we needed the most
You kick up the leaves and the magic is lost
They tell me your blue skies fade to grey
They tell me your passion’s gone away
And I don’t need no carryin’ on

You stand in the line just to hit a new low
You’re faking a smile with the coffee to go
You tell me your life’s been way off line
You’re falling to pieces every time
And I don’t need no carryin’ on

‘Cause you had a bad day
You’re taking one down
You sing a sad song just to turn it around
You say you don’t know
You tell me don’t lie
You work on a smile and you go for a ride
You had a bad day
The camera don’t lie
You’re coming back down and you really don’t mind
You had a bad day
You had a bad day…

(Composer, Daniel Powter)

This song was made popular in the early 2000’s and expressed the feelings of hopes dashed when disappointments come along in our lives that bring us down.  This is the  human, natural response in our culture. 

But then there’s Paul who is counter-culture with the message of Jesus, the Hope of Glory, who resides in all who believe and call on His Name.  Worldview is the opposite most times than what Jesus teaches us to believe with how to live our lives. 

Paul speaks from experience while inspired by God’s Holy Spirit when he writes letters of loving care, correction, and encouragement to the churches the teams of apostles and disciples began so they can grow in their faith and personal relationship to Christ in us (Colossians 1:27).   

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who^[a] have been called according to his purpose.”Romans 8:28

“Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:4-7, NLT

Paul is having a bad day—so, what does he do?  He and Silas pray with thanks to God while singing robust songs of praise—in a jail cell, shackled in chains. 

Wait, what?!

Acts 16, The Messaage

Beaten Up and Thrown in Jail

^16-18 One day, on our way to the place of prayer, a slave girl ran into us. She was a psychic and, with her fortunetelling, made a lot of money for the people who owned her. She started following Paul around, calling everyone’s attention to us by yelling out, “These men are working for the Most High God. They’re laying out the road of salvation for you!” She did this for a number of days until Paul, finally fed up with her, turned and commanded the spirit that possessed her, “Out! In the name of Jesus Christ, get out of her!” And it was gone, just like that.

^19-22 When her owners saw that their lucrative little business was suddenly bankrupt, they went after Paul and Silas, roughed them up and dragged them into the market square. Then the police arrested them and pulled them into a court with the accusation, “These men are disturbing the peace—dangerous Jewish agitators subverting our Roman law and order.” By this time the crowd had turned into a restless mob out for blood.

^22-24 The judges went along with the mob, had Paul and Silas’s clothes ripped off and ordered a public beating. After beating them black-and-blue, they threw them into jail, telling the jailkeeper to put them under heavy guard so there would be no chance of escape. He did just that—threw them into the maximum security cell in the jail and clamped leg irons on them.

^25-26 Along about midnight, Paul and Silas were at prayer and singing a robust hymn to God. The other prisoners couldn’t believe their ears. Then, without warning, a huge earthquake! The jailhouse tottered, every door flew open, all the prisoners were loose.

^27-28 Startled from sleep, the jailer saw all the doors swinging loose on their hinges. Assuming that all the prisoners had escaped, he pulled out his sword and was about to do himself in, figuring he was as good as dead anyway, when Paul stopped him: “Don’t do that! We’re all still here! Nobody’s run away!”

^29-31 The jailer got a torch and ran inside. Badly shaken, he collapsed in front of Paul and Silas. He led them out of the jail and asked, “Sirs, what do I have to do to be saved, to really live?” They said, “Put your entire trust in the Master Jesus. Then you’ll live as you were meant to live—and everyone in your house included!”

^32-34 They went on to spell out in detail the story of the Master—the entire family got in on this part. They never did get to bed that night. The jailer made them feel at home, dressed their wounds, and then—he couldn’t wait till morning!—was baptized, he and everyone in his family. There in his home, he had food set out for a festive meal. It was a night to remember: He and his entire family had put their trust in God; everyone in the house was in on the celebration.

^35-36 At daybreak, the court judges sent officers with the instructions, “Release these men.” The jailer gave Paul the message, “The judges sent word that you’re free to go on your way. Congratulations! Go in peace!”

³⁷ But Paul wouldn’t budge. He told the officers, “They beat us up in public and threw us in jail, Roman citizens in good standing! And now they want to get us out of the way on the sly without anyone knowing? Nothing doing! If they want us out of here, let them come themselves and lead us out in broad daylight.”

^38-40 When the officers reported this, the judges panicked. They had no idea that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens. They hurried over and apologized, personally escorted them from the jail, and then asked them if they wouldn’t please leave the city. Walking out of the jail, Paul and Silas went straight to Lydia’s house, saw their friends again, encouraged them in the faith, and only then went on their way.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Paul and Silas had a bad day.  But without being jailed, salvation would not have come to the household of the jailer!  They probably would not have met him in normal circumstances.  God arranged a divine appointment, and an earthquake for good measure, using their bad day for His glory and the jailer’s good!  There is no one like our God!!

Without being beaten and shackled, along with the divine earthquake, the nobility of Paul and Silas would not have been known by the judges.  God knows what He is doing—always.  They were set free to carry on the work God called them to be and do.

“Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”—Paul, Philippines 4:7, NLT

“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.”—Jesus, John 14:27, NLT

So, we had a bad day—how will we respond?

Read, take to heart, and memorize Paul’s words in his letter to the Philippian church.  These rich words of habitual resolve with praise will come as to all of us who believe with a desire to follow Jesus.  Read it over and over again until our first response to our challenging circumstances is—

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” 

God is always up to something new, don’t miss it!

Lord,

Forgive us when our first thoughts are all that is bad when bad things happen.  May our first thoughts be of You and what you will do in and through us as we live life in an imperfect world.  May your peace rule our hearts so that when troubles come, we will have the wisdom, tenacity, and focus that Paul had to look for what YOU will do through it all.  Bad days come and go—your love, mercy, and grace is forever!

Cleanse our hearts, renew our minds, transform our behaviors, refresh our souls, and restore the joy and peace that is unlike the world of you in us and us in you.

In Jesus Name, Amen

We were so excited to move from our small home to a larger home that would accommodate our growing family.  We had worked with builder who allowed us to choose the color schemes of our new home.  The purchase, however, was contingent on selling the home we had.  No problem, we had a buyer.  However, as our new home was near completion, we drove over to check out the progress and had a moment.  Randy and I walked in and both of us said, “this isn’t our home.”  We couldn’t explain it but felt it in our hearts and souls. 

The next day we found out our buyer had backed out and we were back to square one.  Another buyer for the new house we planned to live in offered a higher bid and because we no longer had a buyer, our new home was sold to someone else.  In one week, it was a roller coaster of emotions.  But we knew that was not our home.  We trusted God for His best.

Later that same week, the builder told us he had another completed home around the corner that was available.  He also told us he would wait for our home to sell.  We went the next day and looked it over and knew this was the right place for our family.  We made an offer that was accepted and we sold our home in the same week!  God’s timing.  God’s best. God’s will, His way. 

Who knew but God that we would move next to a couple who needed a Savior and a church to love them—which we readily could point them to and tell them about.  We became life-long friends.  We were there at the birth of their two children who are now grown and have lives of their own.  They helped us with our three children in their different stages of life.  God knew. God’s will. God’s best. Thought both of us have moved on from that area, we are still great friends.

We pray, we plan, and sometimes we wait.  Sometimes the plan is not at all what God wants, so he closes doors.  God knows, always knows, what is best for us and what will help those around us know Him more.  We pray—God works.   That’s how it’s always been and always will be. 

In the wait, remember; God is for us, not against us.  Trusts Him.  God knows what we need when we need it most.  We might plan what is good, but God decides what is best.  I am thankful for the times in my life when after seeking His will; God blocked my will for His best. God loves to pour out His best to His children with “more than we ask or imagine” as it will affect our lives as well as the lives around us who needed to know Him! 

Paul has a mission plan—complete with a map!  As he sleeps on his plan, God changes his mind and direction.  In obedience to God’s Holy Spirit, Paul traveled to Macedonia to preach Jesus to hungry hearts in need of a Savior.  He probably would have done good things with his plan but accomplished greater things with God in the lead.  God’s timing, His will, His way is always best.

Acts 16, The Message

A Dream Gave Paul His Map

^1-3 Paul came first to Derbe, then Lystra. He found a disciple there by the name of Timothy, son of a devout Jewish mother and Greek father. Friends in Lystra and Iconium all said what a fine young man he was. Paul wanted to recruit him for their mission, but first took him aside and circumcised him so he wouldn’t offend the Jews who lived in those parts. They all knew that his father was Greek.

^4-5 As they traveled from town to town, they presented the simple guidelines the Jerusalem apostles and leaders had come up with. That turned out to be most helpful. Day after day the congregations became stronger in faith and larger in size.

^6-8 They went to Phrygia, and then on through the region of Galatia. Their plan was to turn west into Asia province, but the Holy Spirit blocked that route. So they went to Mysia and tried to go north to Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus wouldn’t let them go there either. Proceeding on through Mysia, they went down to the seaport Troas.

^9-10 That night Paul had a dream: A Macedonian stood on the far shore and called across the sea, “Come over to Macedonia and help us!” The dream gave Paul his map. We went to work at once getting things ready to cross over to Macedonia. All the pieces had come together. We knew now for sure that God had called us to preach the good news to the Europeans.

^11-12 Putting out from the harbor at Troas, we made a straight run for Samothrace. The next day we tied up at New City and walked from there to Philippi, the main city in that part of Macedonia and, even more importantly, a Roman colony. We lingered there several days.

^13-14 On the Sabbath, we left the city and went down along the river where we had heard there was to be a prayer meeting. We took our place with the women who had gathered there and talked with them. One woman, Lydia, was from Thyatira and a dealer in expensive textiles, known to be a God-fearing woman. As she listened with intensity to what was being said, the Master gave her a trusting heart—and she believed!

¹⁵ After she was baptized, along with everyone in her household, she said in a surge of hospitality, “If you’re confident that I’m in this with you and believe in the Master truly, come home with me and be my guests.”We hesitated, but she wouldn’t take no for an answer.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

There’s a call comes ringing o’er the restless wave, “Send the light! Send the light”
There are souls to rescue, there are souls to save,
Send the light! Send the light!

Send the light, the blessed gospel light;
Let it shine from shore to shore!
Send the light the blessed gospel light;
Let it shine forevermore!

We have heard the Macedonian call today,”Send the light! Send the light!”…

This ancient hymn, “Send The Light” was written by Charles H. Gabriel and first published and made popular in 1891, especially among missionary endeavors. Gabriel is known to have written over 7,000 hymns, including His Eye on Sparrow, I stand Amazed in the Presence, The Way of the Cross, Higher Ground. 

His hymn is based on our scripture telling about Paul’s dream from God to change direction and go to Macedonia instead.

By following God’s plan, Paul and now Timothy is protégé met a beautiful soul named Lydia who was given “a trusting heart” for the Master.  We are also impressed with her “surge of hospitality” given to her by God after she was baptized!  She then gave them a place to stay in their journey.  We can be sure they became life-long friends!

PAUSE TO PRAY THE “ASK” WAY—By Jeremy Myers

Jesus taught us to be answers to our own prayers when, in the Sermon on the Mount, He told His disciples, ‘Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened” (Matthew 7:7-8).

When reading Matthew 7:7-8, most people think that Jesus was saying the same thing three different times: pray, and your prayer will get answered. In other words they read “Ask, seek, knock” as “Pray, pray, and pray again”.  But there may be a better way of understanding the words of Jesus.  Jesus is not simply telling His disciples to pray, but is giving them instructions on how to see answers to their own prayers.

Ask—

Jesus tells us to ask. This is the prayer part. It is taking our requests and needs to God, and presenting them before Him. It is not that He is unaware of our needs, for He knows what we need before we ask Him (Matthew 6:8).  Just as we talk over the issues of our day with our spouse or friends, so also God wants us to communicate with Him about the issues and needs which are heavy on our hearts and minds. So, we ask Him about these things. This is the first step to prayer.

Seek—

But after we ask, we don’t simply keep asking. We must begin to seek. Seeking is when we look around for how God might answer our prayers. After we ask God for something, the next thing we must do is start looking around with eyes of faith for how God might be providing answers to the issues we discussed with Him.

Knock—

After we ask God to help us with our needs, and seek for possible ways that God might answer our requests, we must then step out in faith and knock on the doors that present themselves. When we ask, we ask with faith. When we seek, we seek possible answers with eyes of faith. And when we knock, we step out and take risks with faith by pursuing opportunities that were brought to our attention during the seeking phase.  Sometimes the first door we knock on is the one that opens, but this is usually not the case. Sometimes we have to knock on ten, fifty, even hundreds of doors. For this reason, the knocking phase is often the most difficult, but it is here that perseverance is vitally important if we are going to see answers to our prayers.  Praying is more than just asking God for things and then sitting around, waiting for Him to respond.

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Praying, then, is communion, connection, along with rich conversation with God as we grow in our relationship with Him.  Jesus provided The Way for this to happen.  We now have the privilege to approach the throne of God boldly and make our request known to Him.  (Hebrews 4:16) 

God calls us Friend as well as Family.  This relationship is forever for those who believe and call on the Name of Jesus!

Lord,

Thank you for your protection, provision, as well as your constant communication with us.  Thank you for always being with us, guiding our steps.

In Jesus Name, For Your Glory, Amen

Humans are uniquely crafted by God.  He gives each one of us specific talents and then gifts us with certain abilities to carry out His purpose through us.  God never stops working on us as His Holy Spirit works in us from the inside out to be all He created us to be.  That’s how God works! 

The prophet Jeremiah explains this work of art and heart by God who spoke specifically to him about this miracle of life change and growth.  He told Jeremiah to go to a potter’s house and watch how the potter molds and shapes useful pots.  Jeremiah obeyed. This was Jeremiah’s response with another message from God:

“So I went down to the potter’s house and saw him working with clay at the wheel.He was making a pot from clay. But there was something wrong with the pot. So the potter used that clay to make another pot. With his hands he shaped the pot the way he wanted it to be.  Then this message from the Lord came to me: “Family of Israel, you know that I can do the same thing with you. You are like the clay in the potter’s hands, and I am the potter.” This message is from the Lord.”  Jeremiah 18:3-6, NIV

God’s chosen people, specifically those in Judah, had a difference of opinion with God!  They were disobedient to God. Being concerned with going their own way; they turned on Jeremiah when he delivered this word from God. (“Don’t kill the messenger” comes to mind!) The people suffered greatly for their disobedience and were sent off to captivity by a more powerful nation because they refused God’s power and protection. 

Later, God spoke through Jeremiah to His people again concerning their disobedience to God.  We believers often center only on verse 11 and skip the rest of this passage as we sometimes take this message out of context.  Here is the intent:

“This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”  Jeremiah 29:10-14, NIV

God’s people, created and crafted by God, no longer wanted God in their lives and disagreed wholeheartedly with God’s plan for them.  This difference of opinion with God did not go well for them.

But what happens when we disagree with each other while doing God’s work?

Acts 15, The Message

Barnabas and Paul Go Their Separate Ways

^30-33 And so off they went to Antioch. On arrival, they gathered the church and read the letter. The people were greatly relieved and pleased. Judas and Silas, good preachers both of them, strengthened their new friends with many words of courage and hope. Then it was time to go home. They were sent off by their new friends with laughter and embraces all around to report back to those who had sent them.

³⁵ Paul and Barnabas stayed on in Antioch, teaching and preaching the Word of God. But they weren’t alone. There were a number of teachers and preachers at that time in Antioch.

³⁶ After a few days of this, Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s go back and visit all our friends in each of the towns where we preached the Word of God. Let’s see how they’re doing.”

^37-41 Barnabas wanted to take John along, the John nicknamed Mark. But Paul wouldn’t have him; he wasn’t about to take along a quitter who, as soon as the going got tough, had jumped ship on them in Pamphylia. Tempers flared, and they ended up going their separate ways: Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus; Paul chose Silas and, offered up by their friends to the grace of the Master, went to Syria and Cilicia to put grit in those congregations.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Remember—God is in control.God has the ultimate plan to accomplish His will and purpose.  God prevails even in and through the hiccups of behaviors of his imperfect humans who love and serve Him in Jesus Name.  Through His many experiences Paul writes, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28, NIV  This knowledge comes from his tenacity to please God in all Paul is and does and from experience God’s grace within him.

What does that have to do with Barnabas and Paul?  When we disagree, for whatever reason, with each other, who are uniquely created by God with different ideas and ways to obey God’s call on our lives; this is not necessarily catastrophic —only a difference of opinion. 

If our tempers rise and we sin in our anger by tearing down each other’s reputation, then that is a problem.  To demonize the one who disagrees with us is a walk on thin ice and not appropriate to pleasing God. But to have differences of opinion with each other in the pursuit of God and His plan to save the world through Jesus’s sacrifice is not.  If we agree on the bare necessities God spoke to us about yesterday, we can continue the work God has uniquely given us to be and do.

In other words, if we agree on God’s original plan given to us by the authority of Jesus to “go and make disciples, baptizing them, and teaching them to obey Him,” then a resolution like Paul and Barnabas decided upon is valid.  As tempers flared, God’s Holy Spirit seemed to calm them down and gave them a solution.  Divide and conquer. They will continue the work God gave them.  

Paul will write later, “I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:3-6, NIV 

Paul uses these words of encouragement often to all the churches filled with people who love, obey, and serve God.  He writes from experience!

Occasionally God’s preachers, missionaries, and teachers will come back together again to report and praise God for all that HE, the Potter is doing in and through them throughout the book of Acts—the acts of God and His Holy Spirit demonstrated in His obedient servants filled with His love.

To sum it up: 

Don’t disagree with God and His Plan. 

Solve differences of opinions of accomplishing His Plan in loving ways that do not interrupt God and His Work to save the world through Jesus, our Savior and Lord.

Lord,

We will always need your help when we differ with each other.  We learn that our unique differences serve to expand our thinking and we see You who made us from new perspectives.  You are multi-faceted in Your ways as we seek the One and Only way to salvation.  Thank you for loving us, growing us and sustaining us the way you do. Thank you for using our imperfect beings for your glory as we point The Way for others to know, believe and obey you, too. Thank you for Life!

In Jesus Name, Amen