Saturday, February 27, 2010

Unconditional Praise

Reading: Psalm 33

"Sing for joy in the Lord, O you righteous ones; Praise is becoming to the upright." Ps 33:1


Examination:

Human nature is to praise something for the personal benefit that is received. This text from Psalm calls on believers to praise God because it is what we are designed to do and because God is worthy.


Application:

God gives me unconditional love. Once I accepted His gift of salvation I became irrevocably tied to His love. There is nothing that can ever be done to separate me from His love. There is nothing I can do to make Him love me more. His love is continually lavished upon me without a single qualifier.


My response to God should be unconditional praise. If I base my offering of praise to God to the circumstances of my life then I am going to live life as a schizophrenic worshiper. I am going to spend a lot of days confused. I am not going to consistently be anything other than self-absorbed and self-centered.


I need to praise God because at my core that is what I am designed to do. It is becoming of me.


Prayer:

This morning I sense a deep conviction about just how selfish I my behavior can be. I look to You because of what I might get out of it. When I get what I want I feel at peace with You and praise is easy. When things do not go my way I become irritated and confused. My praise to You ebbs and flows like the tides of the sea. I am sorry.


You are the very essence of greatness. By Your word all that is in the heavens and earth were created. When You speak things happen absolutely according to what You say. You have fashioned my heart and understand me as no other being can. You alone are my hope. There is no strength and no deliverer other than You.


I set my heart upon You today. Help me to balance the ups and downs of this life by having a realistic view of eternity and You. The brevity of this life is nothing compared the everlasting joy that awaits me in the eternal world that is to come.

Friday, February 26, 2010

Reckless Force

Reading: Psalm 30, 31, & 32

"Do not be as the horse or as the mule which have no understanding,

Whose trappings include bit and bridle to hold them in check,

Otherwise they will not come near to you." Psalm 32:9


Examination:

David gazed at Bathsheba, lusted after her, and then committed adultery. He then plotted and succeeded in killing her husband. David's example reveals an ugly side of humanity. We are made in God's image, but when we choose to knowingly rebel against God's law, we descend into brutish and senseless behavior.


Like the horse, David rushed ahead with reckless force, and like the mule, he was stubborn and tried to cover his sins. The way to control animals is to break them first and then harness them. David was experiencing this. His internal pain, personal torment, and regretful consequences had drained his soul.


Application:

I am no better than David. My flesh will take me further into sin than I ever intended to go. It will keep me there longer than I ever planned to stay. It will cost me more than I ever imagined I would pay.


I will be broken before God. That is not an option. It will happen. In the end, I will bow my knee before Him and acknowledge His Lordship over my life. There is nothing I can do to change this irrefutable fact. The only question is when and how?


I can choose to be a stubborn donkey and be broken by bit and bridle, or I can choose to surrender willfully to God and be broken by His love, mercy and favor.


Prayer:

I have a propensity towards sin that scares me. I have lived with myself long enough to fully understand that there is no end to what I am capable of doing. Sin will capture the drivers seat and I can quickly find myself amazed by how far I can fall in such a short period of time. Much of my past life has been spent with me stubbornly refusing Your attempts to break me. In pursuing freedom my own way I have only succeeded in creating my own captivity.


That is what is so amazing about Your grace. Where I am today is evidence of Your great grace and mercy. The people I have hurt, the places I have been, and the memories I struggle to forget have all been stripped of their power in my life. You have hidden me in a secret place and set my feet upon a firm rock.


Help me today to live out loud for You. I pray that You continue to draw me nearer to the image You desire to create with my life. Whether life finds me facing seasons of joy or seasons of sorrow, moment of success or moments of failure; I ask that the world see me walk in a manner that reveals Your glory and goodness.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Contempt in Familiarity

Reading: Psalm 23

"And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever." Psalm 23


Examination:

This is an old and familiar Psalm. It is a Psalm that many were taught as child. It is a Psalm that is consistently used in movies. It is a Psalm that can be read in a crowded room and most everyone would have heard it. The struggle with familiarity is that it breeds contempt. When that happens an amazing passage of scripture is robbed of its beauty, power, and promise.


There are four main promises in this passage; spiritual nourishment, spiritual restoration, correct guidance, and absolute protection.


Application:

As a child this was the first passage of scripture that I memorized. Of all the scripture in the Bible it is the one of which I am the most familiar. Of all the passages in the Bible it is often the one that I question the most.


I know what it means to be hungry for a word from God and hear nothing. I know what it is to have my soul be in dire need of healing but find no relief. I know what it means to feel lost as a goose and not understand where I got off path. I know what it feels like trust in God for protections and yet be attacked an run over.


So this leads me back to the age old question of what do I do when the promise of the Word does not match the reality of my life?


Prayer:

Father, in my arrogance I have often examined my life, compared it to Your Word, and made a determination that You were not doing Your job. To be honest, that is the conclusion that I often make still today. Nothing brings out the worst in me than being deeply hurt by someone I love and there are no deeper hurts I feel than when I feel hurt by You.


I ask that You forgive me. I have been so guilty of judging You unfairly. Bad circumstances will happen to me. Some of these rough times are just simply a result of living in a fallen world. All of humanity is affected by the choices we all make collectively and we set into motion bad things. Some of the rough times are the result of intentional attacks on me by others. People are capable of doing some really rotten things and sometimes I am at the receiving line of their attack. Then there are times that I suffer because of my own foolish choices. You are my shepherd but I have to stay with the flock. I have to heed Your poking and prodding. I have to be content with Your pasture. I have to lay down, stay down, and draw near. When I choose to not do this, I choose to walk away from Your Promise.


Father regardless of what I think or feel I know that Your Word is true. I pray that You will allow this old and familiar passage from Your Word to become fresh to me. Help me to experience Your nourishment, restoration, guidance, and protection in real and tangible ways. Keep me alert to the poking, prodding, and pulling of Your shepherd's staff so that I may always find myself in the pastures You desire. When disappointment comes to my life give me the wisdom and strength I need to just draw near to You.

Monday, February 22, 2010

Just Look Up

Reading: Psalm 19, 20, & 21

"The heavens are telling of the glory of God; their expanse is declaring the work of His hands." Psalm 19:1


Examination:

God's glory is revealed each day as the sun rises. He paints His splendor as the sun breaks on the horizon and ignites the skies with hues of purple, blue, pink, and orange. God's glory rolls across the beauty of the ocean. His fingerprint is evident in the crest of each wave as it crashes on the beach. God's glory illuminates the moon and stars each night. His smiling face and be seen stretching across the black skies of night.


Application:

Just look up. Seriously, what can compare to my God? What on earth can even come close to matching the splendor of just one of His creations? The sun, the moon, the stars, the oceans, all creatures, and human beings all dwarf anything created by man. This is the God that lives inside of me. This is the power to which I am granted daily access. This is the God I am called to serve. Why in the world would I be troubled by anything?


Prayer:

Father I pray today that Your will restore my soul. In a world of ups and downs Your truth is the only thing that remains trustworthy. Enable me fully experience the joy that is available in following Your commands.


I pray today that You make wise my simple mind. All the books in the world written by mortal men can not even begin to compare with the wisdom that is Yours to give. Lead me today with a real and tangible expression of Your wisdom.


I pray today that You create rejoicing in my heart. The grind of life has a tendency to leave my heart in pretty bad shape. Carry me today to Your secret hiding place where my heart can only be impacted by You.


Father You truly are more desirable that money. You truly are more fulfilling than solving a problem, crafting a plan, or accomplishing a goal. You truly are more enjoyable that a healthy marriage or beautiful children. You truly are more enjoyable that time spent with the best of friends. You truly are more intoxicating that fine wine and more savory than the best of meals. There is nothing in my life to which I can compare to You. As I walk out the events of this day I pray that the desire of my heart be to constantly look up to You: my perfect father, my anointed King, my matchless Creator, and my untouchable Protector.

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Storms of Life

Reading: Acts 27

"But before very long there rushed down from the land a violent wind, called Euraquilo; and when the ship was caught in it and could not face the wind, we gave way to it and let ourselves be driven along." Acts 27:14-16


Examination:

This verse would usher in two weeks of hell on earth for the crew and passengers of this ship. In studying this chapter I see a few things that are important to remember about storms of life.


Application:

There are normally warnings before storms hit. In this verse, Paul warned the ships crew what would happen, but they were too consumed with everything that was going on around them. The same is true of me. Most every trial I have faced in life I was given a warning that it was coming. Sometimes I heard it. Sometimes I did not. But hindsight usually reveals I ignored the warnings. The better I slow down and pay attention to what God is saying to me, the better my chances are of avoiding or either weathering the storm.


The length of the storm has a greater impact than the severity of it. The men on this ship stayed engaged and fought against losing their battle with the storm. Eventually they reached the end of their strength and began to lose hope; except for Paul. The men on the ship put hope in their resourcefulness and skills. Paul put his hope in God. I need to always remember that my resourcefulness has boundaries. If a storm lasts long enough I will reach the end of myself.


The promise of God before a storm is the greatest protection during a storm. Paul had spent enough time seeking and following God before the storm that he was clear to what God wanted to do with his life. He clung to the promise during the storm and actually had God affirm it. My relationship with God before a storm hits is critical. Human nature is to drift away from my dependency on Him when things are manageable, but this is a poor strategy for life.


Prayer:

Storms of life are strong. They are taxing, draining, aggravating and tormenting. I have often found that if they linger on long enough, my belief in You, my belief in myself, and my value for life can be tried, tested, and even destroyed.


As strong as storms of life may be, they are nothing compared to You. I ask that You allow me to fully grasp Your greatness and majesty. Elevate Yourself in my life to Your rightful place of prominence. Become a real and tangible force in my life. Teach me to walk after You in all that I think, do and say.


Father You do not promise an absence of storms in my life. Reality is that Your Word warns us they will come. What You do promise is that I can do all things through You. You promise I will never be tested beyond what I can bear. You promise I will never be crushed. You promise You will never leave me. You promise You will never forsake me. You promise nothing will ever hinder You from accomplishing Your purpose in my life.

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Don't Panic; Just Wait

Reading: Acts 24

"But after two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, and wishing to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul imprisoned." Acts 24:27


Examination:

Though God had promised that Paul would preach the gospel in Rome (23:11), the great apostle had to endure more than two years of Felix's refusal to decide his fate. In addition to this custody, Paul was subjected to other long stretches of time during which he could do little but trust God and wait for him to act. Few things test our patience and faith like being forced to wait.


Application:

I am always pressing towards something. If a plan stalls, I adjust my strategy and get it started again. I earn a living based on my ability to keep things moving and get them done. It is who I am wired to be. Talking about something, thinking about something, or patiently waiting on something to happen on its own all screech inside my soul like fingernails on a white board.


Don't panic, just wait. That is a simple message but it is so hard to carry out. Seasons of waiting on God have a tendency to press me into a state of desperation- which perhaps explains why God often puts me in situations where I have no other choice.


While I am waiting I examine everything about my life. I look under rocks I would normally never turn over. I see the ugliness of my sin, the beauty of my faith, and control of my God more clearly during times of waiting than during any other season of life.


Prayer:

Calling on Your glory and holding firm in my faith is quite a simple process when everything is going my way. It is, however, an entirely different matter when the circumstances of my life seem to defy the power of Your promise.


There are things in my life that You have promised to be which have yet to be. There are truths in Your Word that seem to exist outside the reality of my life. There are unanswered questions in my heart that desperately long for Your response. There are broken places of pain in me that still cry out to You for relief.


The longer I live with You to more I come to realize the brevity of life on this earth. It is absolutely insane that I would allow any season of earthly pain to rip my focus away from the eternal life of blessing that awaits those who are Yours through Christ. Father, I do not want my pursuit of You to be tied to my desire for things, answers, or blessings. I want my only desire to be that You receive the glory that You deserve.


I pray that You allow the promise of the life to come to be a present reality in my life today. I ask that my hunger for Your glory be the only fuel of my pursuit of You. I beg that the beauty, strength, and majesty of Your Son radiate from the life I live today.

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

My Anger

Reading: Acts 23

"The high priest Ananias commanded those standing beside him to strike him on the mouth." Acts 23:2


Examination:

Ananias was a religious leader but was an evil man. He was known for being profane, dishonest, and hot-tempered. Leaders reproduce what they are. This chapter is an example of anger at its best. It blinded the council from the truth, split the council over opinions, and consumed the council with vengeance.


Application:

My anger does not accomplish the righteousness of God. At its best my anger will blind me, split me, and consume me.


Prayer:

Father, why I allow my anger to lead me away is beyond me. Time and time again my life has proven that my anger is useless. Being angry is not a sin but my reaction to my anger often results in sin. I become stubbornly opposed to hearing truth. I create splits among people in order to argue my case. I allow my mind to be constantly consumed with thoughts about what I should have said or what I will say next. There is no uglier reflection of me than the one I see when I am angry. I desire to not be blinded, split, and consumed by my anger. I look at the amount of humility Paul had in this scene and I am amazed. I see something in him that I value to have in myself.


I ask that You encourage me today. Staying out of arguments, avoiding being offended, and keeping my emotions at bay are tasks that exist beyond my grasp. My only hope is that Your Spirit in me prove to be greater than the things that are in the world.

Monday, February 15, 2010

A Perpetual Do-Over

Reading: Acts 22

"'Now why do you delay? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name.' "Acts 22:16


Examination:

On the road to Damascus Paul met Christ and came face-to-face with the weight of his own guilt. Though he failed in a mighty way, the words of the Holy Spirit offered him an invitation to immediately be made clean.


Application:

The words from Acts 22:16 echo the most beautiful sentiment contained in all scripture; regardless of where I am or what I have done I can always pick myself up and start over again. The gift of my baptism into salvation created the luxury of having a perpetual do-over. If I am faithful to confess my sin, He is faithful to forgive my sin. The worse choice I can ever make is to allow my sin to hold me down and rob me of time.


Prayer:

Father the areas of failure in my life are no mystery. I have consistently failed in the same general areas for most of my life. It is amazing to me how You patiently sit and watch me struggle with the same sin over and over again.


This weekend has taken me back to some sins of my past and I have realized that I still carry their guilt. That is not mine to carry. The day I accepted Christ I surrendered to You everything that was mine; the good, the bad, and the ugly.


I am grateful today that I stand before You a new creature. I am comforted today that You no longer see the man I used to be. I am amazed that I get to greet each day by hearing You say, "Now why do you delay? Get up and confess your sins by calling on Christ's name. It’s a new day. Let's move on."


Strengthen me today to let go of the past and embrace the new day that is today.

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Parting Words

Reading: Acts 20

"When he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all." Acts 20:36


Examination:

This was Paul's last meeting with this group. He was returning to Jerusalem and he knew that it would be his last trip. He desired to strengthen them to endure what would come. He encouraged them to work hard, help the weak, and remember the words of Jesus.


Application;

Hard work for God does not equate to one day a week. God has called me to a lifestyle of serving him. Hard work does not include shrinking back from difficult circumstances. God has called me to live beyond my zone of comfort. Hard work does not mean I be conservative and do the minimum. God's will is that I breathe my last knowing I gave Him all I had.


Helping the weak is tough. The weak are messy. They argue. They get confused. They fall down. They demand much and give little. They turn on you and on God the moment things get tough. They take and have very little to offer in return. The patient and loving pursuit of those weak in faith or outside of the faith must never cease to stir in my heart. I must also be reminded that I too am a weak brother in need of help.


Remember the words of Jesus. I have to live the life of Christ. I will never be perfect as He was but He is my model none the less. The words of Christ should permeate everything I do. My heart, my words, my actions, and my thoughts should all be continually dipped in the grace of Christ. My life should be broken and poured out as a offering to my Father.


Prayer:

Father I pray that the words of Christ be driven into the deepest parts of my heart. This life to which You have called me is beyond my own abilities. I simply can't get there on my own. I ask that You work in my heart so that I my find the courage, drive, and strength required to work hard after Your call. I ask that You give voice to the work You have done in my heart so that I may be able to offer help to those in need.

Friday, February 12, 2010

Pointed Questions

Reading: Acts 19

"And he said, "Into what then were you baptized?" Acts 19:3


Examination:

Paul had the courage to ask the men in this chapter a couple pointed questions. The men to whom he spoke had the courage to give honest responses. The result of this conversation was a group of men being ignited by the Holy Spirit.


Application;

The first thing I need to take away from this passage is that I need to be honest with myself. Why pretend? Why fake it? I am where I am and I only know what I know. Christians are the world's worst at pomp and circumstance. We learn at an early age to give the right answers even when we do not believe them. We sing the right songs even when we do not feel them. We quote scripture even when we do not understand them. This is useless. The best thing in the world for my discipleship is to be honest about where I am. As I humble myself to admit my shortcomings, doubts, questions, and failures I open myself up to new revelations about God and His incredible work inside of me.


The second thing I need to learn from this passage is that I need to have Pauls in my life. Iron sharpens iron. God did not design me to live the life of Christ alone. I must ensure that I constantly keep myself surrounded by men who are willing to risk their relationship with me in order to ask me difficult questions that sharpen my faith. Life is too short and mistakes are far to painful to risk not having the eyes of another watching my back.


Prayer:

Father I want all of You that I can have. I pray that You open the eyes of my heart to see my shortcomings, empower me to understand the gifts that You have given me, and ignite me to live my life sold out for Your mission. I pray that You continue to give the Pauls in my life the wisdom and courage they need to speak the truth to me in love. Help me always find the humility I need to accept the truth in their encouragements.

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Not Far From Athens

Reading: Acts 17

"that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and exist..." Acts 17:27-28


Examination:

The city of Athens was a religious melting pot. As he walked the streets he recognized that the people of Athens all expressed a knowledge that some form of God existed. They created many idols in hopes of finding Him.


Application:

It is easy to sit where I am and remove myself from this scene in Acts. The thought of worshiping an idol is foreign to me. It is crazy to think I would ever spend myself seeking any form of support from an inanimate object. It just makes no sense, but then again; perhaps I am not as far from Athens as I would like to believe.


Career. Finances. Family. Relationships. Companionship. Goals. Hobbies. All these things have the potential to be either avenues of blessing from God or they can become the thing I seek in place of God. I would never bow to a statue but I will lose my composure the moment something threatens any of these areas in my life. What does that reveal about my faith?


Prayer:

Father I live life feeling rushed to overachieve. I press myself to go above and beyond what I feel is reasonable. I drive hard and earnestly seek tangible results. I feel like I can do anything if I just work at it hard enough and long enough.


While there is truth in this, it is also true that I am often guilty of turning my work ethic into a idol. I serve it and seek it as my source of deliverance. Dependence is a word that just does not taste good to me. I hate being dependent on anyone for anything; especially when they do not move according to my need for speed.


What do I do with this? I am powerless to do anything other than express to You my knowledge of it as being sin. Work ethic is only an asset when it is pointed towards You. You establish my boundaries and there is no amount of effort that can expand them beyond what You desire.


The only unlimited thing You offer for me is my experience of You. I desire to live on in You. I desire to move only with You. I desire to exist only for You. I grope for You today knowing that You are not that far away. Give me eyes that see, ears that hear, and a heart that responds. Regain Your place in my life as being the sole focus of my faith.

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Laying Down My Rights

Reading: Acts 16

"But Paul said to them, 'They have beaten us in public without trial, men who are Romans, and have thrown us into prison; and now are they sending us away secretly? No indeed! But let them come themselves and bring us out.'" Acts 16:37


Examination:

Born a Roman citizen, Paul had certain rights, including a public hearing. And no Roman citizen was supposed to be scourged. He could have engaged his rights at any time, yet he choose to wait. Had he used his rights as a Roman citizen he would have missed out on the suffering, but he also would have missed out on the miraculous events that took place that night.


Application:

This is not fair. I deserve better. Why me and not him? I have done everything I was supposed to and this is what I get? Those legitimate questions often pop into my mind. There are certain circumstances that just do not seem fair. There is nothing about suffering injustice is enjoyable.


Paul choose to suffer. The result of his suffering saw some crazy things happen that he would have never experienced outside of the pain to which he submitted. I am reminded this morning that I always want the growth, but I rarely desire to pay for it.


Prayer:

Father there is nothing in life worthy of pursuing that does not come at a price. Success requires long hours of dedication and personal sacrifice. Financial stability requires discipline and the pain of unmet desires. Physical health requires consistent exercise and a lot of saying no. A strong family requires intentionality and high levels of personal sacrifice. Nothing comes for free. Nothing of lasting worth just happens.


So this begs the question, why would I think my relationship with You should be any different? You describe the way to You as being narrow. You say that few will choose You. You warn that it will cost me everything. So why am I so surprised that my flesh often cries out against Your leadership in my life?


Outside of You moving and stirring in my heart there is no way that I can pursue a genuine relationship with You. Outside of Your tangible presence there is no way I can say no to my own desires and find joy in seeking Yours. My heart cries out to You today. I desire now more than ever before to be a part of Your movement.

Saturday, February 6, 2010

Diversity Please

Reading: Acts 13

"Now there were at Antioch, in the church that was there, prophets and teachers: Barnabas, and Simeon who was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul." Acts 13:1-2


Examination:

The diversity in the backgrounds of the leaders of the church at Antioch is amazing. Barnabas was a Jew from Cyprus. Simeon was also a Jew, but his Latin nickname Niger not only indicates he was of dark complexion but also that he moved in Roman circles. Lucius was from Cyrene in North Africa. Manaen had high contacts for he had been reared with Herod the tetrarch, actually Herod Antipas, who beheaded John the Baptist and who treated the Lord so shamefully at His trial. At the end of the list was Saul, a Jew trained in Rabbinical schools. Despite their variegated backgrounds, these men functioned as one.


Application:

Church is not designed to be a tribe of like kinds. God values diversity and the world is starving for it. In my life and world I have to guard against being surrounded only by people like me. The voices I hear, the faces I see, and the opinions I consider should be colored by the vibrancy that diversity offers.


Prayer:

The message of the gospel and the truth of Your Word are the only divisions You allow. When I look at what has happened with Your church it breaks my heart. There is nothing more indicative of racism, personal preference, and division than Sunday mornings. We have taken the unifying nature of the gospel and split it up based on skin color, worship style, preaching style, dress code, program structure, theological beliefs, and even building designs.


This is our shame. Though I am not sure of where to begin I beg today that You lead us in overcoming our natural tendencies to be surround by things that make us comfortable. Teach us to evaluate things only on the basis of Your grace, Your Son, Your mission, and Your truth. I pray that churches across the country stand up and refuse to continue down the broken pathways we inherited. Empower us to chart a new course and heal the sins of our past. I ask that the church my children's generation inherit be the diverse body I see reflected here in Acts.

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Sharing Fabric

Reading: Acts 10

"And on the next day he got up and went away with them, and some of the brethren from Joppa accompanied him." Acts 10:23-24


Examination:

Peter left Joppa on a mission. He was sure of his direction, but unsure of the specifics. God would end up using this mission to affirm the disciples in preaching the gospel to the gentile nations. It was a huge stepping stone in God's plans for spreading the gospel. All of this started with a man named Cornelius. Though he was outside of a relationship with God; he recognized and celebrated the movement of God he saw in the lives of others. Instead of being envious or jealous Cornelius choose to celebrate something good in the life of another.


Application:

There are two main things that God is bringing to my attention this morning. First, no one person owns the whole mission. In this passage there are several people playing critical roles in bringing this vision to life. God did not equip me to accomplish everything on my own. He gives me pieces of the tapestry and expects me to connect with the pieces He has placed in the lives of others. Envy, jealousy, and insecurity all block this from happening.


Second, I need to get on God's agenda. Everyone active in this chapter was moving on something birthed from God. Cornelius heard from God. Peter heard from God. All the people in Cornelius' house heard from God. In each step of the process they sought and heard the voice of God and then ran after it in complete self-abandonment.


Prayer:

Father I desire more of You. I do not want more rules, more rituals, or more knowledge; I want more of YOU. Your heart. Your voice. Your movement. I want Your manifest, tangible presence to be the backdrop of every tapestry I create. I desire for the halls of my heart to be filled with incredible, visible reminders of Your hand at work. I need to be faithful in weaving my part of the tapestry You have called me to join You in creating. Help me have a heart that is willing to share the fabric You have given to me and prevent my pride from not receiving fabric You have given to others.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

He Does Not Wait

Reading: Acts 8

"Now Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord..." Acts 9:1


Examination:

Saul was a deeply religious man. The intentions of his plans were to protect the God he loved. His actions, on the other hand, were dead wrong. Sin is anything that we think, do, or say that is counter to God's will. Saul was having people who were pursuing the will of God put to death. It does not get anymore wrong than that.


God did not wait on Saul to get his life straight before He offered him another path. In the midst of Saul's spewing rage of hatred and sin, God sent him a chance to change his name, his purpose and his destiny.


Application:

God pursues me. Regardless of what I think or what I am pursuing it is encouraging to think that God never stops pursuing me. My behavior has consequences but one of those consequences has nothing to do with God's desire for me to experience a deeper level of connection with Him.


Prayer:

Father I can't comprehend Your heart. I am often guilty of filtering my view of Your heart through the lens of a human heart. When I do that Your heart for me becomes conditional on my performance and behavior. Nothing could be further from the true nature of Your pursuit of me.


I ask that I enter the secret places of Your heart. Help my explore the depths of Your love for me. Pour out of my heart an expression of Your love to others. There is nothing on this earth to pursue besides You. I pray that I experience You in a way today that redefines in my mind what it means to be loved by You.

Monday, February 1, 2010

Simple Simon

Reading: Acts 8

"...and they all, from smallest to greatest, were giving attention to him, saying, 'This man is what is called the Great Power of God.'" Acts 8:10


Examination:

This text was used to describe the reputation of a man named Simon. He was a magician of sorts and people were amazed at him. They observed his work and complimented him as being empowered by God. But it was all empty. Simon was nothing. He had no power or authority. He was just a simple conman running a con for money.


Application:

There are two warnings in this text for me. First, people's affirmation is a poor indicator of success. Peer pressure is an incredible power. In verse one of this chapter I see then entire Jewish council affirming Saul as he persecuted the church. It is a scary reminder that people will tell you that your direction is ok all the way over the edge of a cliff. My affirmation must only come by evidence of God working in my life.


Second, esteeming a person is risky business. The reputation of a person adds weight to their words and works. It is really easy to get caught up in that. People are people. We all sin. We all fall short. We all make mistakes. Holding a person in high regard must be balanced by not allowing their opinion to take God's place of control in my life.


Prayer:

This to me is the first story of Simple Simon. Simon looked towards power, money, and influence as indicators of success. He desired to be a person of influence and that was the purpose of his pursuit.


I pray that You give me a pure pursuit of You. Work in my heart and remove from me my desire to be honored by people and protect me from foolishly following after a person who is not grounded in Your heart and Word.


Father there is much in this chapter from Acts that I do not understand, but this much is clear. If I follow the leading of Your Spirit I will experience things unexplainable and see first hand Your redemption of this world. That is my desire and that is my prayer. Above anything else center me in Your movement today.