Monday Thought -- June 30, 2014

Good Morning Friends,

“But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.” (1 Timothy 6:6-11)

There is no denying that money is important in life. It’s necessary to provide for our daily needs. It’s necessary to accomplish many of the goals we set in life. We need it to go to college. We need it to start a business. We need it to provide a place to live. However, to make money the goal of our life is a big mistake! And, it’s a mistake that many people fall prey to.

If you make money the goal of your life there are many temptations and traps that lead to great problems. Money doesn’t cause all evil, but loving money enough to make it your goal in life is one of the root causes of a lot of evil. Pursuing money causes many to desert the faith. Pursuing money ultimately brings great sorrow. Money is just not a worthwhile goal for our lives!

Pursing the things of God, now that’s a worthwhile goal in life. Things like righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. To pursue those does not lead a person down a fruitless path. To pursue those leads a person down a path that makes life worthwhile.

And here’s a promise from Jesus: pursue the things of God and He’ll take care of the things you need. “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33)

Put money in its rightful place. Put God in His rightful place.

His. by Grace,

Steve

Friday Thought -- June 27, 2014

Good Morning Friends,

“Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity. -- If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” (1 Timothy 5:1-2; 8)

How we treat people matters to God.

The people around us are to be treated in ways that demonstrate our respect for them and in ways that are consistent with the heart of God. They aren’t there to be used by us for our own benefit, but to be treated in ways that will be helpful to them.

How we treat our family also matters to God.

There were those in New Testament times who ignored their family’s needs and used their commitment to God as the excuse to do that. They claimed that everything they had belonged to God, so they couldn’t use it to meet their family’s needs. That’s a great misunderstanding of God’s will. God cares about our family and He expects us to care for them and provide for them, too. Many non-Christians are known for the good ways they take care of their family. Christians must not be open to shame because of our treatment of our families.

People matter to God and how we treat them is a reflection of our love for and commitment to Him.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Thursday Thought -- June 26, 2014

Good Morning Friends,

“Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives' tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.” (1 Timothy 4:7-8)

America is dotted with fitness centers. Fitness equipment brings in a lot of sales. Fitness equipment can be found in specialty stores, department stores, and garage sales. Americans will spend over three billion on fitness equipment this year. Gym memberships will bring in over nineteen billion dollars this year. Walkers and joggers and bikers can be seen around town at almost any hour. Fitness is “in,” especially in Oregon. People want to take care of their bodies. And Paul says that is a valuable thing to do. However, its value is limited. It only helps for a few years. We all will age and grow weak no matter how much time and money we put into staying fit.

Godliness, on the other hand, has greater value and longer-term value. It doesn’t just keep your body fit, it keeps your whole life fit. It doesn’t just last the few years of this life on earth, its value extends into eternity.

Yet it seems that there is a much greater emphasis on physical fitness than there is on godliness. Perhaps that’s because it’s easier to measure. Perhaps it’s because you can easily see the results of your fitness training in just a few weeks. Perhaps it’s because the people of our world have such limited vision, most of them seeing only what helps in this life!

The Bible is not saying that we shouldn’t work on our physical fitness. It’s a good idea and a biblical idea to take care of the body that God gave us. But there is another fitness that is even more valuable -- the fitness of your spirit -- godliness. Be sure you give time and effort to working on that, too!!!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Wednesday Thought -- June 25, 2014

Good Morning Friends,

“Beyond all question, the mystery of godliness is great: He appeared in a body, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory.” (1 Timothy 3:16)

When the word “mystery” was used by those who spoke Greek, like Paul, it referred to something that was once hidden and was now revealed. That is a very good description of the coming of Jesus Christ into the world. Although the Old Testament provides prophetic hints about the coming of the Messiah, few could really understand what God was going to do to redeem mankind, it was hidden. But it wasn’t hidden forever! There came a day when God revealed His plan so that it could be clearly seen.

“He appeared in body.” God came into the world Himself. He didn’t send an angel to represent Him. He didn’t pick the holiest human being He could find and empower him. He came Himself, in humility and as the greatest expression of love imaginable.

“He was vindicated by the Spirit.” The life of Jesus was no ordinary life. Miracles happened when Jesus was present. He healed the sick, raised the dead, fed the hungry, calmed the storm, walked on water, and did those kinds of things over and over. The Spirit’s power was evident in the life of Jesus, God’s miraculous mark was on Him.

“He was seen by angels.” The announcement to Mary, the visit to Joseph, the appearance to the shepherds announcing His birth, their ministry to Jesus in Gethsemane, the angels knew something special was happening on earth when Jesus came. Their presence and ministry testified to the uniqueness of Jesus.

“He was preached among the nations and believed on in the world.” From poor fishermen, like Peter; to learned scholars, like Paul. From priests, to reprobates. The stories of the lives changed by the Gospel of Jesus are amazing and testify that God is in those stories. And lives are still being changed today by the power of Jesus.

“He was taken up in glory.” Death didn’t hold Him. The world couldn’t keep Him. He has returned to His rightful place of honor and glory by the right hand of God.

It’s an amazing story! He did it all for you and me, so that we could be saved.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Tuesday Thought -- June 24, 2014

Good Morning Friends,

“I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone -- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. -- I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing.” (1 Timothy 2:1-4, 8)

First Timothy contains a good deal of instruction about what was to go on in the church. Paul is going to talk about the role of women, leadership, preaching, and other subjects that directly impact the life of the church. But “first of all” he gives instructions about prayer. Prayer took priority for Paul in the life of the church. There wasn’t anything that he considered more important than prayer.

He started with a very tall order -- pray “for everyone.” Prayer will make a difference in the lives of the people around you, so pray for them. When you see needs in the lives of others, bring them to the Lord. Examine your own prayers to see if there is a focus on the needs of others, or are your prayers primarily focused on your own needs?

Especially pray for those in authority, for kings and other leaders. What they do will impact your life, but even more importantly, what they do will impact the spread of the Gospel! Your prayers can make a difference in the actions of your leaders! But they are ungodly, you say? So what, Paul’s king was Nero when he penned this letter and no modern king tops Nero in ungodliness -- so pray for them anyway!

Why pray? Because God wants men to be saved -- all men -- and prayer can help that happen. We don’t pray for peaceful and quiet lives just so our lives are more comfortable. We are to pray for those things so that the Gospel can be spread more easily!

And, as you pray, check your life and attitude, because your heart impacts the power of your prayers! Are your hands holy? Is your attitude toward others right?

His, by Grace,

Steve

Monday Thought -- June 23, 2014

Good Morning Friends,

“I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service. Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners -- of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.” (1 Timothy 1:12-17)

By the time Paul wrote this letter to Timothy he had been a Christian for many years, probably over 25. Yet, Paul never forgot from where he came and what God had done for him. It’s not that he dwelled on his past sins, but he did remember the extent of God’s grace that was shown to him. He never forgot how much he had for which to praise God.

He praised God for the grace that brought him into the kingdom. Paul didn’t deserve to be saved. Perhaps even more than most of us, Paul deserved to be punished, even destroyed. He was responsible for troubling the early church, even responsible for the deaths of some who held on to Christ. He wasn’t a very good candidate for salvation, not from a human perspective. But God saw the depth of his hurt, his need, and his potential in Christ. By grace, God drew Paul into the kingdom.

And every one of us has a similar story. Your story is probably not as violent as Paul’s story. Most of us have never opposed the Gospel, but most of us have ignored it, perhaps even ridiculed it. By grace, God drew each of us into His kingdom. We should never forget that. It is grace that brought you where you are.

And Paul praised God that grace did not just bring him into the kingdom and leave him on the sidelines as damaged goods not really useful for anything. God gave Paul an assignment in the kingdom, appointed him to His service. That was grace, too.

And God’s grace extends that far to us, too. God’s grace draws us into the kingdom and God’s grace continues to draw us further, into service for the Gospel.

Paul had a great deal for which to be thankful. So do we!!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Friday Thought -- June 20, 2014

Good Morning Friends,

“Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.” (James 5:13-18)

Prayer is powerful because God is powerful and He answers prayer!

Effective prayer requires humility. Keeping your need to yourself is often a matter of pride. It goes back to the American way – I can take care of things by myself. God desires that we acknowledge our need of Him and recognize our need for others. When we ask others to pray for us, God is pleased with that act of humility.

Effective prayer requires faith. The prayer offered in doubt doesn't please the Lord. It is the prayer offered in faith that God responds to most readily. God wants us to trust Him and to pray out of that trust.

Effective prayer requires a clean heart. Unconfessed sin hinders our relationship with God and hinders the effectiveness of our prayers. God is ready to wipe the slate clean as soon as we acknowledge our sins to Him. Confession opens the way to greater power in prayer.

Effective prayer requires righteousness. It is the prayer of a righteous man that is powerful and effective. Of course, no man is righteous on his own merit. To be righteous means to be in right relationship with God and that comes only through Jesus Christ! The only effective prayer is prayer that comes from the heart of the person attached to God through the sacrifice of Jesus.

Effective prayer comes from ordinary people, not super people! Elijah was human like you and me, and God heard his prayer. And God will hear your prayers, too – spoken in humility, in faith, in purity, and through Jesus.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Thursday Thought -- June 19, 2014

Good Morning Friends,

“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” (James 4:7-10)

There are responsibilities that we have before God.

When tempted to be disobedient to God’s direction, we have a responsibility to say “yes” to God and to say “no” to the devil. When we do, the devil will flee! But the devil won’t flee as long as we waver in indecision. He’ll hang around as long as there’s a chance that we’ll give in to his evil schemes.

When we have drifted away from the Lord, we have a responsibility to turn back toward Him. God will pursue us, but He won’t force us back to Him. And when we do make the slightest turn toward God, we’ll find Him there, waiting to embrace us again. Remember the story of the prodigal son? When the son turned toward home he found the father waiting for him – actually running toward him.

When we give in to temptation and sin, we have a responsibility to confess and repent. Forgiveness is readily available. God wants to wipe the slate clean and make our relationship with Him right again. But God won’t until we bring the sin to Him, that’s our responsibility.

If we keep a proud heart and God will bring us back to reality. But if we humble ourselves, then God will lift us up. In some ways, God’s reaction to us is determined by our own heart!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Wednesday Thought

Good Morning Friends,

“Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing.  My brothers, this should not be.” (James 3:5-10)

The tongue is the most powerful part of your body. The tongue can do more good than any other part of the body.

The tongue has the power to share the most important message in the world with other people. It can affect people’s lives for all eternity. Paul declared that “faith comes by hearing” and that hearing requires someone to be speaking – using their tongue to share the message of Christ.

The tongue can be used to encourage others. I’m amazed at how universal discouragement is. People need to be praised, they need to hear kind words, they need encouragement. Generally it is true that a person is his own worst critic. We have the power in our tongues to help people.

With the tongue we can praise God. That pleases God because He loves to be worshipped. It is also good for us, praise invites God’s presence and power in our own lives: “God inhabits the praise of His people.”

The tongue can do amazingly good things -- and it also has the power to do amazingly harmful things!

It can discourage people by being critical and judgmental. It can damage people’s lives by spreading lies about them, or even spreading the truth in hurtful and unnecessary ways. It can be used to curse God and reject Him. It can be used to boast of our own goodness and success.

And the worst thing about the tongue is that it is the hardest part of the body to control. Many things make it out of our mouths without us realizing what we are saying or what the effect will be. The tongue can’t be controlled! It will spew forth what is really in our hearts. “For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.” (Matthew 12:34)

The only way to move toward controlling your tongue, is to allow God to do His work on your heart!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Tuesday Thought -- June 17, 2014

Good Morning Friends,

“What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, ‘Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?  In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, ‘You have faith; I have deeds.’ Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.” (James 2:14-18)

One of the thrusts of the book of James is the principle that our lives will reflect what we really believe. They won’t reflect what we say we believe – they will reflect what we really believe. Therefore, genuine faith will always have an impact on our lives. Genuine faith will affect the way we think, the way we speak, and the way we act.

Now, understand that faith doesn’t make the same impact on each person in the same order, at the same speed, and to the same extent. Each of us responds differently to what God is doing in our hearts. So, my faith will look different from your faith through the course of our Christian lives. Nevertheless, though we are affected differently, we will both be changed by our faith.

That is not a principle that is isolated to the book of James. Jesus made the same point, “For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.” (Matthew 12:34) What is happening in our hearts will make a difference in what comes out of our mouths.

So, take a look at your life -- your thoughts, your speech, and your actions. How have they been changed by your relationship with Jesus Christ? If they haven't been changed at all then you better take another look at your relationship with Christ.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Monday Thought -- June 16, 2014

Good Morning Friends,

“My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.” (James 1:19-20)

Someone once noted that man has two ears and one mouth, so he ought to listen twice as much as he talks!

Our mouths often get us in trouble. We say things that we shouldn’t have said and wish we wouldn’t have said. Things come out in ways we did not mean. We say things without thinking how they will sound to the person with whom we’re talking. James offers helpful advice -- be slow to speak. Think before you speak. Only speak when you know that what you are saying is what God wants you to say. Of course, that’s easier advice to give than it is to follow.

Mixed with less talking should be more listening. Listening is a developed skill that requires discipline. We often find ourselves jumping to a conclusion about what the person is going to say without taking the time to fully listen to them. Too often our conclusion is wrong. We listen with only half our mind, using the other half to plot out our reply. Half-listening often leads to half-understanding, you get part of what they say but not all of it. Partial listening or not listening at all sends a message to the person talking. It tells them that you don’t think what they are saying is worth listening to. That’s not a very good way to build up a relationship or encourage the person talking. James offers good advice that will improve many of the relationships you have -- be quick to listen – be disciplined when someone is talking to you to listen carefully to what they say.

James offers one more bit of advice: be slow to anger. Don’t fly off the handle. Don’t let

your anger get control of you, keep control of it. That doesn’t mean you should never get angry. Jesus saw the injustice and unrighteousness around Him and He got angry -- angry enough to drive people out of the Temple with a whip! But His anger was controlled and expressed in the way He wanted to express it. That’s the key -- control your anger and know how to express it in appropriate, God-honoring ways!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Friday Thought -- June 13, 2014

Good Morning Friends,

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” (James 1:2-4, 12)

James mentions “trials of many kinds.” Just a brief look at the lives of the people around you will confirm that there are many kinds of trials that people must face. Hurricanes strike multiple times a year to the coastal regions of the U.S. Typhoons strike with equal frequency in the South Pacific. Tornados hit the Midwest. Devastating snow storms affect the North and East. Earthquakes and tsunamis are regular occurrences. Drought, disease, infestation of insects – all of these are trials we can read about in our own lifetimes.

Those are all natural disasters. But natural disasters are not the only kinds of trials that strike people. Wars and terrorist strikes cause devastation for some. Crime sprees hit every city and state. There are many trials that are caused by human activity.

And large scale trials aren’t the only kind of trials that affect men and women. Trials strike individual lives, too. Cancer, heart attack, disease, injury, layoff, and on and on the list goes. You may be facing some kind of trial yourself right now. If not, you probably have faced some trial in the recent past or will in the coming months. Trials of many kinds afflict us all.

James says that we can face them with joy. That’s not because the trials are pleasant to experience. It’s because of the promise of God to use even the difficult things of life to accomplish good things in our lives. In fact, it is only through the perseverance that trials bring that growth and maturity come. There is one more reason James gives that we can face the trials in our lives with joy – because there will come a day when the trials will end and on the other side of the trials is reward. That is God’s promise!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Thursday Thought -- June 12, 2014

Good Morning Friends,

“Some were convinced by what he said, but others would not believe. They disagreed among themselves and began to leave after Paul had made this final statement: ‘The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your forefathers when he said through Isaiah the prophet: “Go to this people and say, ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.’ For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.” Therefore I want you to know that God’s salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen!’” (Acts 28:24-28)

In Rome, the Jews were willing to come hear Paul preach, but many of them were unwilling to believe what he said. The Jews who gathered to hear Paul preach are like every other group that has heard the Gospel: some accepted the message and some rejected it. The message wasn’t different, they all heard the same things. The difference was within the hearers.

Isaiah had prophesied about how people would respond to God’s message – and he had probably seen the same kind of response to his own preaching. For many it would be the hardness of their hearts that would not allow them to accept the message that they heard.  t was as though there was something keeping the truth from getting through to them.

It takes a soft heart to be able to hear the Gospel. A soft heart is one that understands its own sinfulness. The problem with many of the Jews, and the problem with many people today, is that they don’t realize or can’t accept that they have a problem they can’t solve. The Jews believed that they were O.K. with God. They pointed to the sins of others but could not see their own sinfulness. They weren’t being honest about themselves and it was their lack of honesty that kept the Word from being able to penetrate.

A second aspect of a soft heart is its willingness to accept help. Not only must a person realize his own sinfulness, but he must accept the fact that there is no hope of doing anything about it himself. There may have been some among the Jews of Paul’s day who would have admitted their sinfulness, but in their pride, they believed they were capable of overcoming it on their own. They could work hard enough and be disciplined enough to make it on their own.

A willingness to admit our own sinfulness and admit that we are hopeless to do anything about it -- those are prerequisites to receiving Christ -- and prerequisites to God’s continuing work in our lives, too.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Wednesday Thought -- June 11, 2014

Good Morning Friends,

Paul was given into the hands of a Roman centurion in order to be transported to Rome to stand trial before Caesar. The trip turned out to be more eventful and dangerous than they had planned. The safe travel time of the year was quickly coming to an end and storms were beginning to sweep across the Mediterranean Sea. At one point, Paul warned them to delay the trip, spending the winter in port.

“‘Men, I can see that our voyage is going to be disastrous and bring great loss to ship and cargo, and to our own lives also.’ The centurion, instead of listening to what Paul said, followed the advice of the pilot and of the owner of the ship.” (Acts 27:10-11)

Paul’s advice was good advice, but it was ignored. The pilot and owner of the ship made a bad decision to continue the journey and the centurion made a bad decision to go with them instead of waiting till spring and catching another ship to Rome.

God does allow people to make bad decisions! God provided direction, but it was ignored. But as the story continues, even though they made a bad decision, God did not abandon them. When a life-threatening storm hit, God spoke again with words of encouragement and comfort.

“After the men had gone a long time without food, Paul stood up before them and said:  ‘Men, you should have taken my advice not to sail from Crete; then you would have spared yourselves this damage and loss. But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed. Last night an angel of the God whose I am and whom I serve stood beside me and said, “Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.” So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me. Nevertheless, we must run aground on some island.’” (Acts 27:21-26)

I know there are times when I fail to recognize God’s direction and make bad decisions. There are other times when I stubbornly choose my own way, even though I know God’s direction is different. It gives me great encouragement to know that God doesn’t abandon me when I make wrong decisions. There may be painful consequences to those choices, but God is still with me.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Tuesday Thought -- June 10, 2014

Good Morning Friends,

“Then Agrippa said to Paul, ‘Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?’ Paul replied, ‘Short time or long -- I pray God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains.’” (Acts 26:28-29)

Paul had preached to the Jewish Council, Governor Felix, Governor Festus, and now King Agrippa. To each of them he had made the same appeal, giving them an opportunity to hear the Gospel and respond to it. In one sermon, Paul hoped to see Agrippa converted. And Agrippa was aware of what Paul was trying to do. Agrippa was not ready to make such an important decision -- at least that’s the excuse that he used -- it was too short a time to make such a radical change in his life.

So, here’s a question: How long does it take to become a Christian?

Time isn’t the important thing, and Paul knew that. He appealed to Agrippa to become a Christian now, in a short time, or later, taking longer to examine what Paul had preached. But the truth is, it doesn’t have to take a long time to become a Christian.

Paul himself was converted in a very short time. Jesus met him on the road to Damascus and Paul’s conversion started right then and there.

The Ethiopian heard Phillip teach him about Jesus for just a short time, in a chariot ride, and then was ready to respond to the Gospel.

And there are many other stories that can be told of people who heard the Gospel and were immediately convicted by it and were ready to respond. In fact, the reason many don’t respond the first time they hear is not because they are unsure of its truth, but because they are not ready to submit their will to the Lord. For most, it doesn’t take more study to become a Christian, just a brokenness of will.

Agrippa wasn’t ready for that and he delayed his decision, perhaps delayed it never to again consider it. It’s easy to leave the Gospel aside and get back into the activity of life, never to bring it back to make a decision again. And that indecision may have cost Agrippa eternity!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Monday Thought -- June 9, 2014

Good Morning Friends,

“Then Agrippa said to Festus, ‘I would like to hear this man myself.’ He replied, ‘Tomorrow you will hear him.’ The next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp and entered the audience room with the high ranking officers and the leading men of the city. At the command of Festus, Paul was brought in.” (Acts 25:22-23)

Paul was arrested in Jerusalem on charges brought by the leaders of the Jews. As a result of those charges, Paul stood before the Jewish Council, the most powerful men in Israel and made his defense, which included the presentation of the Gospel.

Then, Paul was taken to Caesarea where his case was put before the governor, Felix, and Paul made his defense there, too. Again, Paul’s defense included the presentation of the Gospel and Paul had several opportunities to speak with Felix about Christ.

Felix was replaced as governor by Festus and he also brought Paul before him to face his accusers. Again, before a new governor, Paul was able to share about Christ. And when King Agrippa and his wife, Bernice, visited Caesarea to welcome Festus to office, Paul was given the chance to speak before them and shared the Gospel. In fact, when Agrippa and Bernice heard Paul speak it was not just them, but also with the “high ranking officers and the leading men of the city.”

When Festus tried him, Paul appealed to the Roman Emperor. In the chapters to come we’ll find Paul being transferred to Rome and there he’ll have the opportunity to speak with many Roman officers, including the palace guard about Christ. And, eventually, even Caesar will hear Paul’s defense and be exposed to the Gospel.

The Jews meant Paul’s arrest for his harm, to hinder the growth of the Gospel. Instead, God used it for good, to provide opportunity for governors, kings, powerful men, and even Caesar to hear the message of Jesus.

That is the way God works! Man tries to hinder Him, and God turns their feeble attempts into something that He can use for His kingdom. You can trust God to do that!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Friday Thought -- June 6, 2014

Good Morning Friends,

“Several days later Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was a Jewess. He sent for Paul and listened to him as he spoke about faith in Christ Jesus. As Paul discoursed on righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and said, ‘That’s enough for now! You may leave. When I find it convenient, I will send for you.’ At the same time he was hoping that Paul would offer him a bribe, so he sent for him frequently and talked with him.” (Acts 24:24-26)

Felix was the governor of the region of Israel. He was a successful politician and a powerful man. When Paul was brought before him by the Jews, he listened to the charges against him but did not condemn him. Instead, he kept Paul in prison, just to keep the Jews happy, but gave him freedom and comfort while he was there. In Paul’s defense before him an interest was sparked in Felix and he wanted to hear more. But though there was an interest in Felix, he never came to Christ, at least not to our knowledge.

He was being drawn to Christ, you can see that from his interest in hearing more and from his response to Paul’s message. When Paul preached, Felix was afraid. Paul talked about judgment and Felix recognized he was not ready to be judged by God. Paul talked about righteousness and self-control and Felix was honest enough to recognize that he did not have these traits. Judgment was a frightening prospect for the governor, but not frightening enough for him to respond to Paul’s message of faith in Christ.

Fear drew him to God, but convenience kept him away. If a man waits until a convenient time to come to Christ, he’ll be waiting all his life. It’s never convenient to come to Christ. There are always issues to deal with. There are always other things that distract us. The life-change that Christ brings isn’t convenient. So, Felix said no to Christ. It was a choice that God allowed him to make -- and the worst decision he ever made in his whole life!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Thursday Thought -- June 5, 2014

Good Morning Friends,

“Paul looked straight at the Sanhedrin and said, ‘My brothers, I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience to this day.’ At this the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth. Then Paul said to him, ‘God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! You sit there to judge me according to the law, yet you yourself violate the law by commanding that I be struck!’ Those who were standing near Paul said, ‘You dare to insult God’s high priest?’ Paul replied, ‘Brothers, I did not realize that he was the high priest; for it is written: “Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people.”’” (Acts 23:1-5)

Sometimes those in authority don’t deserve our respect. The high priest didn’t in Paul’s time. This was about 30 years after the crucifixion of Jesus. I doubt that the high priest involved in His death was still alive. Most likely it was another high priest, but he was cut from the same cloth as the one who presided over the trial of Jesus. Here was the man more responsible than anyone else for teaching the law of God to his people, yet he himself did not act in accordance with the law.

I can think of other more contemporary situations in which a leader did not live up to what he was sworn to uphold. In fact, you could easily say that about several recent U.S. Presidents. Sworn to uphold the law, but they ignored it in their own lives!

Yet, when Paul understood that the man who ordered him to be slapped was the high priest, he immediately repented for treating him with disrespect. The high priest’s failure to fulfill his responsibilities did not give Paul the right to disregard his own responsibilities toward him.

Paul told the Romans, “Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.” (Romans 13:7)

Peter agreed with Paul and wrote, “Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.” (1 Peter 2:17)

Respect those in authority, even when their attitudes and actions don’t deserve it.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Wednesday Thought -- June 4, 2014

Good Morning Friends,

“Then Ananias said to Paul: ‘The God of our fathers has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and to hear words from his mouth. You will be his witness to all men of what you have seen and heard. And now what are you waiting for?  Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.’” (Acts 22:14-16)

After being blinded by the light on the road to the city, Paul finished the trip to Damascus. God was faithful and sent Ananias to speak to Paul and share more fully about the gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul was convinced! The experience on the road was enough to convince him that Jesus was indeed Lord. There was no doubting it, no denying it.

When Ananias had completed sharing with Paul what he needed to share he put a powerful question to him: “And now what are you waiting for?” Paul didn’t need any more information. Paul didn’t need to be taught anything more. There were still questions in Paul, I’m sure, but they didn’t need to be answered. Paul had been given everything he needed to respond to God. Now the question was --- would he follow through, or take no action.

I’ve seen many people come to this same point in their own relationship with God and take no action. There’s always a reason --- or an excuse --- some additional information they want, some question they want answered. But the truth is, they just don’t want to take the next step, they don’t want to respond to what they already know to be true.

In fact, even after coming to Christ we come to points similar to this one. God has made His will clear to us. Not every question is answered, not every doubt calmed, but the next step is clear to us. Then the question comes: so, what are you waiting for? It’s time to decide. It’s time to take the step. No more debating. No more questioning. It’s time for action.

The question is: when God has made His direction clear, will you respond with action? What are you waiting for?

His, by Grace,

Steve

Tuesday Thought -- June 3, 2014

Good Morning Friends,

While in Tyre, Paul met with the Christians he found there. “Finding the disciples there, we stayed with them seven days. Through the Spirit they urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem.” (Acts 21:4)

From Tyre, he moved on to Caesarea and had a similar experience there. “After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, ‘The Holy Spirit says, “In this way the Jews of Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.”' When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem.’” (Acts 21:10-12)

By this time, most of us would have been convinced that God didn’t want us to go on to Jerusalem. A prophet had spoken and two groups of Christians had urged Paul not to go. Both messages came through the agency of the Holy Spirit -- God was talking to these Christians and they were passing the message on to Paul.

However, somewhere the message got garbled! I’d say it wasn’t the message the Holy Spirit gave to the people that was wrong, but how they interpreted His message.

“Then Paul answered, ‘Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.’ When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, ‘The Lord’s will be done.’” (Acts 21:13-14)

What Agabus and the Christians of Tyre and Caesarea heard from God was that Paul would suffer in Jerusalem, that it was dangerous for him to go there. That was a true message, as the next few chapters of Acts will reveal. What those Christians didn’t understand was that God still wanted Paul to go to Jerusalem. Paul understood that, the others didn’t. And, as it turned out, God accomplished amazing things to spread the Gospel through Paul’s imprisonment in Jerusalem and his transfer to Caesarea and then Rome.

It wasn’t that the Christians in Tyre and Caesarea had not heard God, it was that they filtered His message through their own feelings and misread His will. Just an encouragement to us to be sure we not only hear God’s message correctly, but understand how He wants us to respond to it.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Monday Thought -- June 2, 2014

Good Morning Friends,

“In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” (Acts 20:35)

There are many teachings of Jesus what are not recorded for us in the Gospels. In fact, John said at the end of his Gospel, “Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.” (John 21:25)

In Acts 20, Paul quotes one of the teachings of Jesus that is not found in the Gospels, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

That’s hard for a child to understand. A child loves to receive. They wait impatiently for Christmas and for their birthdays because they knew they will receive presents on those occasions. They love to receive.

But as you age, you come to understand what Jesus meant. The joy of receiving diminishes and the joy of giving increases. You begin to anticipate Christmas, not for what you will receive, but to see the look on the faces of those you love as they open the gift you’ve selected for them. A look of pleasure and surprise on their faces is worth far more than any gift you could receive.

The change from the joy of receiving to the joy of giving is a part of growing up. It’s a part of coming to understand what is important in life: it’s not the things you accumulate, but the people around you that make life enjoyable and satisfying.

His, by Grace,

Steve