Job 17-19; Acts 10:1-23

Have you ever been in a dark place spiritually? I have. A few years ago I started having financial difficulties, cancer had touched my family, and family relationships were strained (arguments!). Like Job, I said my spirit is crushed and I didn’t know where the end was at. Job said “my eyes are dim with weeping, and I am but a shadow of my former self”. Well, I wasn’t that bad….but I was hurting.

Do you know what helped me the most? It was concerned friends; they showed up. They didn’t have to say a lot, but just sitting with me and offering their sincere help and not criticizing me helped lift the burdens I was under. I knew that they loved me just by their actions.

I learned higher values in life, like not living for the pleasures of this life but for those of the next one, to turn the other cheek, and to cling to the promises of God even when we don’t feel His presence. I didn’t want to just feel better or be healed……I discovered it is more important to find and know God, especially in the middle of your problems!

Job 14-16; Acts 9:22-43

I like how Paul’s preaching became more and more powerful and how the Jews could not refute his proofs that Jesus was the Messiah.

I remember once not long ago, some JWs came knocking on my door and wanted to talk about their view of Christ. I have a lot of respect for JWs and Mormons who are willing to get out and go knock on doors (even if they are doing it for the wrong Jesus!). (Check out on YouTube “Mormon’s Theology Cartoon” for the Cliff Notes on what the Mormons believe.) I ALWAYS welcome anyone who wants to talk about the Lord especially if they come to MY door! They became frustrated when I was able to answer many of their questions with Scripture and with questions about what they believed.

I could not always do this. Earlier in my life people would question my faith and I felt I could not provide very good answers to their questions or arguments. I promised myself that I would study various faiths so that I would not be caught flat-footed again. The Holy Spirit was so powerful in Paul that his detractors wanted to kill him! Wow, what God can do with someone who is willing to study and boldly proclaim the Gospel! Do you have confidence in your Bible knowledge? Studying Scripture never ends and it blesses us beyond what we would think.

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Job 11-13; Acts 9:1-21

When Jesus knocked SAUL (Paul) off his donkey on the road to Damascus, He launched him into the most contradictory life!

Jesus: “I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”

The Jews: “Conspired to kill him…

 The Disciples: “Were all afraid of him, not believing that he really

was a disciple.”

 Saul/Paul: “Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.” 

2 Corinthians 11:24-27

Suffering, death threats, beatings, stoning, Shipwreck, Starvation - WHO would SIGN UP for THAT???

But check this out – here’s Paul’s take on the Life Jesus called him to:

“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.”

2 Corinthians 4:16-17

WHAT?

And from his prison cell awaiting execution by beheading – Paul says:

“Rejoice with me!”

 Are you experiencing suffering in the life God has called you to?

If you aren’t, you will.

But as a follower of Jesus – WITH your suffering and troubles – comes unexplainable JOY – and the deep awareness that your FUTURE with Jesus makes temporary pain SO WORTH IT!

What a contradictory – but awesome – life.

See you Tomorrow!

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Job 8-10; Acts 8:26-40

It looked so ILLOGICAL.

Philip was in the middle of this huge harvest in Samaria – entire cities of people believing in Jesus – when God suddenly sent Philip south into the desert – by himself. And on the road south of the believing masses – God sent Philip – to ONE GUY.

To be sure, the desert guy was a man of influence; the banker for the Queen of Ethiopia. And his conversion to Jesus may well have influenced that entire nation. But there’s another dimension to this story – that God was willing to reach past the masses – clear out along the desert fringes – for 1 person. It’s His nature.

It’s cool to have a God whose ways are higher than ours.

And it’s especially cool – that those higher ways included reaching out as far as He had to along the fringes – for you and me.

Have a GREAT Wednesday!

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Job 5-7; Acts 8:1-25

Here’s Job – in the darkest moment of his life. He’s already poured his heart out to God – and then his buddy ELIPHAZ chimes in:

“If it were I, I would appeal to God; I would lay my cause before him.”

What a jerk.

Job’s life had just been demolished – all 10 children killed, all his wealth stolen, his health wrecked – and here’s his “friend” Eliphaz – telling him how HE’D handle it. Makes you want to give Eliphaz the old Johnny Carson quip, “May the fleas of a thousand camels infest your armpits!”

I’ve seen people pull an “Eliphaz” with cancer patients. They mean well –but when a friend most needs their SUPPORT, there they are – doling out hypothetical advice. 

Compare Eliphaz’s response with Jesus after the death of Lazarus.

Jesus knew that moments later his grieving friends’ tears would be irrelevant. He knew he was going to raise Lazarus. So how does he respond to their sorrow? Words? Advice? Nope. He CRIES. “Jesus wept.”

SO – next time I’m summoned to the side of a HURTING friend – how do I start the conversation? Answer: I don’t. I listen. I share their hurt. There’ll be plenty of time for advice. But as the saying goes: “People don’t care how much you know – until they know how much you care.”

See you Tomorrow!

Monday, August 23, 2010

Job 3-4; Acts 7:44-60

A Pastor was visiting a family when their son burst into the house:

“You should have seen me KILL that RAT!!! First I HIT him with a SHOVEL – then, I KICKED him against the WALL! Then I STOMPED and STOMPED and STOMPED –”

The mother frantically pointed to the visiting pastor. Finally seeing him, the boy concluded – “And then the LORD called the poor thing HOME!”

I’m like that kid. When I get into trouble – my FIRST instinct is to try and TALK my way out of it. Not so with STEPHEN. He’s hauled into court by false accusers, and with the judges looking to kill him for his faith in Jesus, Stephen doesn’t try to get out of it. With his LIFE on the line, Stephen boldly confronts them:

“You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit! Was there ever a prophet your fathers did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him— you who have received the law that was put into effect through angels but have not obeyed it.”

They didn’t thank Stephen for his honesty. They took him out and STONED him (for those of you from SoCal – that means they killed him with rocks). Stephen is just as bold WHILE they’re killing him:

“While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’ Then he fell on his knees and cried out, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them.’ When he had said this, he fell asleep.”

WOW. The Holy Spirit makes you bold. Fearless. Calm.  

It’s like King David said, “Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.”

Stephen didn’t try to get out of trouble. He didn’t need to – because GOD was with him.

Same goes for you. When you walk by God’s Spirit, you won’t be frantically looking for ways out of trouble. You won’t have to.

HE will be with you, too.

Have a GREAT Monday!

Job 1-2; Acts 7:22-43

When you feel like everything’s going wrong in your life, do you wonder if God’s punishing you?

This is often not the case, like it was with Job. When Satan sees that we are living for God, he will attack the good things we have. As we see in the beginning of Job, Satan attacked Job’s character, his property, his children, his health, and his relationships.

The enemy’s goal is to cause us to believe that living for God is just too tough. But our God is all powerful! He is the author of love! And we have access to his power, if we’ve put our faith in him!
Fight the enemy’s attacks with Bible verses like these:

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 5:5 NIV

How we praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we belong to Christ.
Ephesians 1:3 NLT

I can do everything through him who gives me strengh.
Philippians 4:13 NIV

Esther 9-10; Acts 7:1-21

Abraham was a man of faith. He never saw the land God promised him. In fact, his decendants didn’t begin the journey to this promised land until 400 years or more after his grandson, Jacob, had died. But Abraham continued to believe God until the day he died.

And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: “Abraham believed God, so God declared him to be righteous.” He was even called “the friend of God.” James 2:23 NLT

Jesus made a similar promise to us about our salvation and eternity with him in heaven (John 3:16). Like Abraham, we don’t know when God will fulfill this promise to us. But if we want to have faith that endures like Abraham, we are called keep our eyes on the ball!

Colossians 3:2 explaines, ” Let heaven fill your thoughts. Do not think only about things down here on earth.” So go ahead! Take God at His Word, and live in light of eternity!!

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Esther 3-5; Acts 5:22-42

William Carey was on his way to India as a missionary. A friend who didn’t want him to go said, “If God wants to save the heathen, He can do so without your help or mine.” Carey agreed – then he pointed out that the only thing that would be lost – if he didn’t go – was his OWN spiritual success.

Question: If I choose not to follow God’s plan for my Life, who loses?

Haman was a bad guy. He duped King Xerxes into ordering the annihilation of all the Jews in his kingdom. Only Xerxes wasn’t aware that his own queen – Esther – was Jewish.

Queen Esther’s friend Mordecai informed her of the execution order  and asked her to appeal to the king. Esther pointed out that visiting the king without an invitation was punishable by death. Mordecai responded:

“If you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish.”

If Esther declined God’s assignment, He would use someone else to rescue His people. And the opportunity to serve God – would be lost.

Esther took the risk, spoke up, and God delivered the Jews yet again.

William Carey got it. So did Queen Esther. How about me?

If I choose not to follow God’s plan for my Life, who loses?

Only one person: Me.

SO – next time God calls on me to serve Him – how do I respond?

Step up quickly and say “Yes” to the adventure!

Or – as a former shoemaker once put it:

“Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God.”

- William Carey

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Esther 1-2; Acts 5:1-21

One word describes the Message of Jesus Christ in Acts chapter 5: UNSTOPPABLE.

What a WEIRD equation we find here:

Threats + Flogging + More Threats = Rejoicing and Bold Disobedience.

I can’t imagine what the members of the Jewish high court must have been thinking – “We arrest these guys, threaten them, have them beaten, threaten them some more – and they walk out of here – CELEBRATING!!! – and go RIGHT BACK to their Teaching!!!” 

I wonder if they allowed themselves to see the obvious – that Jesus Christ was simply UNSTOPPABLE.

I’m incredibly encouraged by the reality that no matter what the opposition – then or now – Jesus is still UNSTOPPABLE.

It’s like the Apostle Paul said in Romans chapter 8:

“If God is for us, who can be against us? …Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? …No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”

As you share Jesus’ Love and Message this week – remember:

He can’t be stopped. And neither can you.

Have a GREAT Wednesday!