Acts 7:57-58a
At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, dragged him out of the city and began to stone him.
Stephen had just been brought before the Sanhedrin to defend charges of his blasphemy against Moses and God. He recounted the history they knew so well from Abraham forward. He spoke with the power of the Holy Spirit about their rejection of Jesus as well as their fathers' rejection of Moses and the other prophets. He called them out on not following God. So what did they do? The covered their ears, got angry and killed Stephen.
When God speaks to me through His word and others what is my response? When I am shown that I am not living properly or when I've taken what I know and twist it to fit my own agenda do I respond in anger like the Sanhedrin? I like to think I'm not covering my ears. But I've always got to check myself so I am open to being corrected.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Friday, January 30, 2009
Exodus 25-27; Acts 6
Exodus 25:8
And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them.
Before the fall, Adam walked in the garden with God. But the barrier of sin made that kind of fellowship between Holy God and sinful man no longer possible. But God still sought to dwell among His people. And they painstakingly followed the details for how to construct and furnish this dwelling right down to the kind of thread to be used.
On this side of the cross God's dwelling is within His people. We are reconnected to Him on a personal level once again and can experience a taste of the relationship where He walks with us. But He is no less holy than He was in this Exodus passage I read. And I'm sure today His dwelling place needs to be pure and constructed to His exacting standards just as it was required for Israel.
And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them.
Before the fall, Adam walked in the garden with God. But the barrier of sin made that kind of fellowship between Holy God and sinful man no longer possible. But God still sought to dwell among His people. And they painstakingly followed the details for how to construct and furnish this dwelling right down to the kind of thread to be used.
On this side of the cross God's dwelling is within His people. We are reconnected to Him on a personal level once again and can experience a taste of the relationship where He walks with us. But He is no less holy than He was in this Exodus passage I read. And I'm sure today His dwelling place needs to be pure and constructed to His exacting standards just as it was required for Israel.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Edoxus 23-24; Psalm 14; Acts 5
Acts 5:1-11
But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession. And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles’ feet. But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.”
Then Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and breathed his last. So great fear came upon all those who heard these things. And the young men arose and wrapped him up, carried him out, and buried him.
Now it was about three hours later when his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. And Peter answered her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much?”
She said, “Yes, for so much.”
Then Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.” Then immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. And the young men came in and found her dead, and carrying her out, buried her by her husband. So great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things.
Sin, yes even a "little" lie, demands a very high price. Especially when one tries to pull a fast one on God. And this didn't happen in the Old Testament. The Holy Spirit had come and they were supposed to be "living under grace" right? What would my church look like if something like this happened? Just a thought.
How do I balance my fear and awe of The Holy God with the Abba Father who has adpoted me into His family? I don't want to be disrespectfully caviler or casual. Yet, like a little kid, I want to feel the freedom and security of figuratively crawling up on my daddy's lap crying for Him to help clean me up after I've been out playing in the mud.
I know there have been times when I've tried to run from or hide things from God. And like many, I've made committment to God and failed to keep them. Why didn't I face the same fate as Ananias and Sapphira? I deserve to be struck down just as much as they were. I so want to be able to say, "Lord, I am all Yours." Little by little I think I'm getting closer. But I keep finding more of me that I've held back.
But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession. And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles’ feet. But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.”
Then Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and breathed his last. So great fear came upon all those who heard these things. And the young men arose and wrapped him up, carried him out, and buried him.
Now it was about three hours later when his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. And Peter answered her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much?”
She said, “Yes, for so much.”
Then Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.” Then immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. And the young men came in and found her dead, and carrying her out, buried her by her husband. So great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things.
Sin, yes even a "little" lie, demands a very high price. Especially when one tries to pull a fast one on God. And this didn't happen in the Old Testament. The Holy Spirit had come and they were supposed to be "living under grace" right? What would my church look like if something like this happened? Just a thought.
How do I balance my fear and awe of The Holy God with the Abba Father who has adpoted me into His family? I don't want to be disrespectfully caviler or casual. Yet, like a little kid, I want to feel the freedom and security of figuratively crawling up on my daddy's lap crying for Him to help clean me up after I've been out playing in the mud.
I know there have been times when I've tried to run from or hide things from God. And like many, I've made committment to God and failed to keep them. Why didn't I face the same fate as Ananias and Sapphira? I deserve to be struck down just as much as they were. I so want to be able to say, "Lord, I am all Yours." Little by little I think I'm getting closer. But I keep finding more of me that I've held back.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Exodus 21-22; Psalm 12; Acts 4
Acts 4:13
Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.
Training and education aren't bad things in and of themselves. But Peter and John's boldness wasn't a result of relying on their own resume. They had been with Jesus. God was able to use them because they were available and obedient. Am I bold enough to step out of my comfort zone? Am I limiting my usefulness to God when I remain where I know I can rely on my natural abilities and experience? I've tried several different areas of involvement and know many things I'm terrible at. I have so many weaknesses and shortcomings and failures. How do I deal with those? Do I ignore them or treat them as indications that those areas of ministry aren't for me? It's not that I'm worried about embarrassment or even failure for myself. I just don't want to fail God. Oh how I want to be filled with the Holy Spirit and have the boldness of Peter and John. I want people to marvel at how God can use anybody for any task He calls them to. And I want there to be no doubt that the only way it is possible is because I have spent time with Jesus.
Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.
Training and education aren't bad things in and of themselves. But Peter and John's boldness wasn't a result of relying on their own resume. They had been with Jesus. God was able to use them because they were available and obedient. Am I bold enough to step out of my comfort zone? Am I limiting my usefulness to God when I remain where I know I can rely on my natural abilities and experience? I've tried several different areas of involvement and know many things I'm terrible at. I have so many weaknesses and shortcomings and failures. How do I deal with those? Do I ignore them or treat them as indications that those areas of ministry aren't for me? It's not that I'm worried about embarrassment or even failure for myself. I just don't want to fail God. Oh how I want to be filled with the Holy Spirit and have the boldness of Peter and John. I want people to marvel at how God can use anybody for any task He calls them to. And I want there to be no doubt that the only way it is possible is because I have spent time with Jesus.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Exodus 17-20; Acts 3
Exodus 19:5-6a
Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.
All the earth is God's. He can do what He wishes with all of it. But the one thing He won't do is force me to obey. I have to wilingly offer that myself. And when I become a person who obeys, who strived to keep the covenant I share with Him, I am a special treasure. I was special before, a unique creation He loved enough that He was willing to send Jesus to the cross on my behalf. But when I accept Jesus and and live in this covenant, I become complete and enter the circle of relationship with God for which we were all created. I am also enlisted into His priesthood and a representative of His holy nation. I become His hands, His feet, His mouthpiece.
Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.
All the earth is God's. He can do what He wishes with all of it. But the one thing He won't do is force me to obey. I have to wilingly offer that myself. And when I become a person who obeys, who strived to keep the covenant I share with Him, I am a special treasure. I was special before, a unique creation He loved enough that He was willing to send Jesus to the cross on my behalf. But when I accept Jesus and and live in this covenant, I become complete and enter the circle of relationship with God for which we were all created. I am also enlisted into His priesthood and a representative of His holy nation. I become His hands, His feet, His mouthpiece.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Exodus 14-16; Acts 2
Exodus 14:12-15
"Is this not the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, ‘Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness.”
And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The LORD will fight for you, and you shall keep silent.”
And the LORD said to Moses, “Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward.
Here they were, trapped between the Egyptian army and the sea. Very limited in their options. The people had no confidence in God. Staying where they had been as slaves to the Egyptians was the easier way than following God. Moses knew God would deliver them. I don't know what he really expected to happen. But from him saying, "The LORD will fight for you," I get the impression that Moses figured God would just eliminate the army as the people stood there.
Yet God says, "go forward." Forward was into the sea. That's just crazy talk, isn't it? Then I keep reminding myself that I trust in the God of the impossible. But my trust in Him needs to be more than mere agreement that He can do the impossible if He chooses. I need to act on what I say I believe. When He says "Go forward." then I go. Sea or no sea. Israel did see the salvation of the Lord, just not in the way anybody would have imagined. But they didn't experience the salvation until they went forward through that impossible path.
"Is this not the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, ‘Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness.”
And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The LORD will fight for you, and you shall keep silent.”
And the LORD said to Moses, “Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward.
Here they were, trapped between the Egyptian army and the sea. Very limited in their options. The people had no confidence in God. Staying where they had been as slaves to the Egyptians was the easier way than following God. Moses knew God would deliver them. I don't know what he really expected to happen. But from him saying, "The LORD will fight for you," I get the impression that Moses figured God would just eliminate the army as the people stood there.
Yet God says, "go forward." Forward was into the sea. That's just crazy talk, isn't it? Then I keep reminding myself that I trust in the God of the impossible. But my trust in Him needs to be more than mere agreement that He can do the impossible if He chooses. I need to act on what I say I believe. When He says "Go forward." then I go. Sea or no sea. Israel did see the salvation of the Lord, just not in the way anybody would have imagined. But they didn't experience the salvation until they went forward through that impossible path.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Exodus 12-13; Psalm 21: Acts 1
Psalm 21:6-7
Surely You have granted him eternal blessings and made him glad with the joy of Your presence. For the king trusts in the Lord; through the unfailing love of the Most High he will not be shaken.
I recently encountered a dear friend with whom I hadn't had any contact in a couple of decades. These past years, as well as their current circumstances are less than ideal, divorce, single parenthood, bankruptcy, recent loss of a parent. Yet this person said their faith has remained strong. It's one thing to say you have faith and joy when everything is going smoothly. But what about when it's not? How does this person still have any joy or trust in God's goodness?
They have learned the secret that really isn't a secret at all. It's written right there. God's love is unfailing and if my trust is in Him, nothing will shake me. The troubles, the trials I endure here on earth can't keep me from being glad because there are eternal blessing that can't be taken away no matter how bad circumstances are in this life. And I am never alone when I go through tough times. His presence is there, always.
Surely You have granted him eternal blessings and made him glad with the joy of Your presence. For the king trusts in the Lord; through the unfailing love of the Most High he will not be shaken.
I recently encountered a dear friend with whom I hadn't had any contact in a couple of decades. These past years, as well as their current circumstances are less than ideal, divorce, single parenthood, bankruptcy, recent loss of a parent. Yet this person said their faith has remained strong. It's one thing to say you have faith and joy when everything is going smoothly. But what about when it's not? How does this person still have any joy or trust in God's goodness?
They have learned the secret that really isn't a secret at all. It's written right there. God's love is unfailing and if my trust is in Him, nothing will shake me. The troubles, the trials I endure here on earth can't keep me from being glad because there are eternal blessing that can't be taken away no matter how bad circumstances are in this life. And I am never alone when I go through tough times. His presence is there, always.
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