Today’s Verse – Deuteronomy 7:21
[Speaking to the Israelites about their enemies, Moses said:] “Do not be terrified by them, for the LORD your God, who is among you, is a great and awesome God.” —Deuteronomy 7:21 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… What foe can defeat us as the people of God? None when we gladly welcome the presence of our holy God among us! Our God, our Deliverer, is mighty in power, awesome in holiness, and greater than any of our foes. Throughout history, the LORD has repeatedly proven his love, presence, and power in and for us, his people. So, we can refuse to fear what the evil one threatens to do to us because our Savior has already defeated hell, sin, death, Satan, and demons. And we will enjoy that victory with him one day forever. My Prayer… Abba Father, calm my fears and soothe my anxious heart. By the power of your Spirit, please bless me with boldness and confidence as I seek to live for you in a world that is often hostile to my faith and opposed to your values. I ask these graces in the name of Jesus. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
Today’s Verse – Ecclesiastes 7:20
There is not a righteous man on earth who does what is right and never sins. —Ecclesiastes 7:20 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Yep, we’re all broken, flawed, and tainted (Romans 3:9-11, 23-24). Or, at least, that is what we were before God saved us, the Spirit sanctified us, and Jesus brought us into his family (1 Corinthians 6:9-11). Praise God! Praise God because of his grace. Praise God for the work of Jesus. Praise God for the presence of the Holy Spirit. Because of these, we can stand before God holy, without blemish, and free from accusation (Colossians 1:22). My Prayer… Forgiving Father and Holy God, thank you for redeeming me from my sinful ways through the loving self-sacrifice of Jesus. Thank you for empowering me to become more like him by the transforming power of your Holy Spirit. Thank you for helping me become more than I could ever be through your grace than I could ever be through my own efforts. Thank you, dear God, for saving me from sin, ransoming me from guilt, and redeeming me to share in your glory. In Jesus’ name, I praise you. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
Today’s Verse – Deuteronomy 7:19
[Moses addressed Israel, reminding them of God’s deliverance of them from Egypt, and his commands given to them:] “You saw with your own eyes the great trials, the miraculous signs and wonders, the mighty hand and outstretched arm, with which the LORD your God brought you out [from bondage and delivered you.]. The LORD your God will do the same to all the peoples you now fear.” —Deuteronomy 7:19 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Too often, I fear we look at the past work of God and think we will not see the display of his power in our day as our predecessors did in their day. God used Moses’ farewell address to remind a new generation of Israel that he had delivered their parents out of Egypt and now would go with them and empower them as he had their parents. We also need to expect him to do more in our day than all we can ask or even imagine by his power at work within us (Ephesians 3:20-21). We need to pray that God will do in our day what we heard he did in days gone by with our ancestors of faith (Habakkuk 3:2). And, dear believer in Jesus, we need to remember the promise of our Savior: Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these because I am going to the Father (John 14:12). Video Commentary… ToGather Worship Guide | More ToGather Videos My Prayer… Almighty God, who is infinitely able to work with power and might for your people, we ask that you use your power to call the unsaved to Jesus in our generation. Please use us as your tools and do mighty works of redemption and revival in our day as you have done in years gone by. Father, we believe in your power and your desire to save. We know the many ways you acted with power and grace in the past to deliver your people. Please act mightily in our day, redeem our generation, and call them back to you. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
Today’s Verse – Daniel 7:18
[When Daniel was alarmed by his visions of the future, he approached one of those standing by him in his visions. The presence told Daniel:] “But the saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom and will possess it forever — yes, for ever and ever.” —Daniel 7:18 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… The Kingdom will belong to God’s saints, his children, the followers of Jesus, and the people of the Most High (Daniel 7:27)… FOREVER! The Kingdom will belong to us. The Son of Man will be with us (Daniel 7:13), and the Kingdom will be ours, forever… and ever… and ever. Praise God for his promises, his grace, and his faithfulness. Because of God’s promises and Jesus’ triumph over sin, death, and hell, our future is secure, no matter how frightening that future may appear from our limited human perspective! My Prayer… Almighty God Most High, I look forward to the day that your Kingdom rules in power and your will is done on this earth as it is in heaven. Thank you for your promises to us and for giving your children a Kingdom that cannot be shaken (Hebrews 12:28). Bless me, O God, as I seek to live my life each day in reverence and awe at your awesome holiness and grace while trusting in the promises of my future in Jesus, in whose name I pray. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
We Are Family!
Note from Jesus Dear Brothers and Sisters, While there are many things you can learn from Paul’s message to the Thessalonians, today I want you to notice the warm language of affection and family that you find in the verses below. Paul states the truth of his love for these new disciples with these words of affection: We were so taken by you that we not only eagerly shared with you God’s good news, but we also shared with you our own lives. That’s how much you’ve come to mean to us. All the way through the verses below, Paul uses the language of family and affection because these new disciples not only needed affirmation (yesterday’s focus), but they also needed to know, feel, and experience the beauty of relationships in My family. In addition, they needed to be reassured that Paul’s motives were genuine. They had to know that Paul’s motives were based on his love for them and not a desire to get something from them. So Paul went to great pains to remind them that they were loved as the Father’s children. He reminded them that he cared for them as a father would. As their spiritual father in the faith, they meant everything to him. He stressed that he did what he did out of his love for them and not ulterior motives. Paul’s explanation of his motives was not a discussion of theory. He had demonstrated these things when he was among them. Notice Paul’s key phrases like “Don’t you remember…?” and “As you know…” which pointed to his way of life when he was with them. The family relationship between Paul and the Thessalonian Christians existed because they had all been adopted into the Father’s family (Ephesians 1:4-5). When I was with My disciples on earth, I taught them to pray “Our Father…” (Matthew 6:9). I want you to pray this same way. God is your “Abba” Father (Romans 8:15). You have been adopted into My family. I AM not only your Savior and Lord, but I AM also your older brother. I want you to experience the warmth, acceptance, and love that come from being in our Father’s family. Paul wanted the Thessalonians to experience this warmth, acceptance, and love, too. So notice his words of relationship and make them true in your fellowship with other believers. We are family! Verses to Live One of the fundamental ways you can experience My presence among you is through your life as My family. When you gather together to live as My family, I AM present with you (Matthew 18:20). Please notice the rich language of love, affection, and family in Paul’s words! Brothers and sisters, you yourselves know that our coming to you was not a waste of time. You remember how we had just suffered through brutal and insulting attacks in Philippi; but because of God, we boldly stepped into the open to tell you His good news, even though it would likely mean more conflict for us. For we haven’t approached you — or anyone else for that matter — with some error or impure motives or deceitful agenda; but as we have been approved by God and entrusted with the good news, that’s how we are telling the world. We aren’t trying to please everybody, but God, the only One Who can truly examine our motives. As you know, we didn’t sandwich the truth between cunning compliments — we told it straight — and before the eye of God, we never conspired to make a single cent off of you. We didn’t come seeking respect from people — not from you or anyone else — although we could have leveraged our position as emissaries of the Anointed One, the Liberating King. Instead, we proved to be gentle among you, like a nursing mother caring for her own children. We were so taken by you that we not only eagerly shared with you God’s good news, but we also shared with you our own lives. That’s how much you’ve come to mean to us. Don’t you remember, my brothers and sisters, how hard we worked and struggled? We worked day and night so that we wouldn’t be a burden to any of you and so that we could continue to proclaim to you the good news of God. Both you and God can confirm how well we treated the believers: we were always holy, just, and blameless. As you know, we comforted and consoled each of you as a father soothes his own children, encouraging you to live lives worthy of God — of the One calling you into His own kingdom and into His glory. So we have good reason to give thanks to God without pausing. For you have taken into yourselves the word of God we brought to you and received it as a message from God — not just something whipped up by someone like you or us — and that word is at work in you who believe. And, brothers and sisters, you even became imitators of the churches of God in Jesus the Anointed that gather in Judea because you were willing to suffer at the hands of your own countrymen as they suffered from the unbelieving Judeans. These are the same people who killed the Lord Jesus, as well as the prophets, and continued attacking until they drove all of us out. They don’t just offend God; they are clearly hostile to the rest of the people because they are trying to silence our life-saving message to the nations; and as a result, their sins are always filling up and overflowing. But in the end, they will face God’s wrath. Brothers and sisters, we are like orphans, separated from you for a short time (in presence, yes, but not in heart); and we desperately desire to see your faces again. However, as much as we wanted to come to you — I, Paul, assure
Assurance in Weakness
Note from Jesus Dear Friend, By his own admission, Paul came to Corinth with very little personal confidence. He wrote: I came to you in weakness — timid and trembling. (1 Corinthians 2:3 NLT) In the verses below from Acts, Luke shared that Paul’s work in Corinth began with difficulty, especially among his fellow Jews who “stopped listening and began insulting him.” However, Paul’s ministry and leadership were vital to the success of the early church and its mission, especially to the Gentiles. Despite the opposition he faced in Macedonia and “the great turmoil” he endured in Athens, I planned to use him to make a huge difference in Corinth. So I gave him these words of encouragement in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Paul. Speak! Don’t be silent! I am with you, and no one will lay a finger on you to harm you. I have many in this city who are already My people.” My words of encouragement helped Paul regain his confidence. He remained in Corinth for a longer time than he had originally planned. He increased his spiritual investment in the people of this strategic city. He blessed these precious new believers. With his follow-up letters and visits, Paul helped these Christians deal with difficult problems. He challenged them to live for Me with spiritual passion in a city known for its immorality and depravity. Despite the early problems the church in Corinth faced, it soon became an example of cross-centered grace that comes to life in My followers. So where are you in your faith and commitment? Are you discouraged? Are you frustrated? Are you facing opposition from a hostile culture? Are you dealing with problems in a congregation with many new believers? Are you needing to know that your efforts at reaching the lost and at growing new disciples are not in vain? Ask Me to help you! Ask Me to help you find assurance. Ask Me to help you find clarity. Ask Me to help you live out My will in your community and through your personal mission. Speak to Me openly about your concerns. Admit your lack of confidence and ask to be empowered by the Holy Spirit. Admit your fears and misgivings. Paul admitted his failings to Me and revealed many of them to others through his letters. Admission of failure is not an admission of defeat or faithlessness, but of recognition. It is the recognition of the enormity of the task, the difficulty of the challenges, the greatness of the opportunity, and your insufficiency in being able to live out My mission for you on your own! Paul would later talk about the source of his power in the face of his own insufficiency. His words are not only beautiful in imagery and meaning, but also powerfully true: For God, Who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. (2 Corinthians 4:6-7 NLT) Verses to Live I long to give assurance to those who seek to follow me. Moses needed reassurance that the Father would go with him into the wilderness to lead Israel, and the Father gave it to him (Exodus 33:12-23). The Father gave assurance to Joshua when he was called to lead the people of Israel after Moses’ death (Joshua 1:6-18). The essence of the promises to both Moses and Joshua was reiterated for you by the writer of the book of Hebrews (Hebrews 13:5-6). The Father gave Me assurance after My baptism and before I faced My temptation (Luke 3:21-22). As you read these verses below, remember that I gave reassurance to Paul. Yes, I long to give assurance to you, too! So, ask for it! Seek My will. Knock on the door of grace and find it opened to you (Matthew 7:7-11). From Athens, Paul traveled to Corinth alone. He found a Jewish man there named Aquila, originally from Pontus. Aquila and his wife Priscilla had recently come to Corinth from Italy because Claudius had banished all Jews from Rome. Paul visited them in their home and discovered they shared the same trade of tent making. He then became their long-term guest and joined them in their tentmaking business. Each Sabbath he would engage both Jews and Greeks in debate in the synagogue in an attempt to persuade them of his message. Eventually Silas and Timothy left Macedonia and joined him in Corinth. They found him fully occupied by proclaiming the message, testifying to the Jewish people that Jesus was God’s Anointed, the Liberating King. Eventually, though, some of them stopped listening and began insulting him. He shook the dust off his garments in protest. Paul: OK. I’ve done all I can for you. You are responsible for your own destiny before God. From now on, I will bring the good news to the outsiders! He walked out of the synagogue and went next door to the home of an outsider, Titius Justus, who worshiped God. Paul formed a gathering of believers there that included Crispus (the synagogue leader) and his whole household and many other Corinthians who heard Paul, believed, and were… washed through baptism. One night Paul had a vision in which he heard the Lord’s voice. The Lord: Do not be afraid, Paul. Speak! Don’t be silent! I am with you, and no one will lay a finger on you to harm you. I have many in this city who are already My people. After such turmoil in previous cities, these words encouraged Paul to extend his stay in Corinth, teaching the message of God among them for a year and six months. (Acts 18:1-11) Response in Prayer O Almighty
Great Sermon, But…
Note from Jesus Dear Friend, The text in the Verses to Live section comes from two different places. I want you to read them together to help you understand two very important principles as explained toward the end of this section. The first set of verses details Paul’s message before the philosophers of Athens at Mars Hill and the Areopagus, where the Areopagite Council met. Paul’s message is powerful and well known to many people. In fact, this sermon is used as an example of good cross-cultural communication. This message takes statements and ideas people know from their own culture and connects them to the truth of My story. Paul quotes some of the Athenians’ own poets to get his points across. His line of reasoning is great. In fact, he was well received until he talked about the resurrection. However, then “some shook their heads and scoffed.” The second set of verses describes Paul’s emotional state after leaving Athens and how it impacted his sharing the gospel. He came to Corinth from Athens “in weakness — timid and trembling”! As you put these two readings together, you will notice something very important that was missing in Paul’s words of wisdom that he presented in Athens. He did not have his usual emphasis on my crucifixion and what the cross means. Paul knew that preaching about My crucifixion was a problem in proper society. To use the word “crucify” or to refer to a “crucifixion” was considered base and inappropriate discussion. In Athens, Paul used the Athenians’ approach to wisdom and didn’t include the teaching of the cross and what My death actually meant. When Paul later wrote to the Corinthian Christians, notice how he reflected upon this approach as he came to Corinth “in weakness”: So now, where is the philosopher? Where is the scholar? Where is the skilled debater, the best of your time? Step up, if you dare. Hasn’t God made fools out of those who count on the wisdom of this rebellious, broken world? For in God’s deep wisdom, He made it so that the world could not even begin to comprehend Him through its own style of wisdom; in fact, God took immense pleasure in rescuing people of faith through the foolishness of the message we preach. It seems the Jews are always asking for signs and the Greeks are always on the prowl for wisdom. But we tell a different story. We proclaim a crucified Jesus, God’s Anointed. For Jews this is scandalous, for outsiders this is moronic, but for those of us living out God’s call — regardless of our Jewish or Greek heritage — we know the Anointed embodies God’s dynamic power and God’s deep wisdom. You can count on this: God’s foolishness will always be wiser than mere human wisdom, and God’s weakness will always be stronger than mere human strength. (1 Corinthians 1:20-25) As brilliant and beautiful as Paul’s sermon at Mars Hill in Athens may have been, Paul was not well received and came to Corinth determined to preach the message of My cross and God’s love revealed in My crucifixion. As he said later to the Corinthians: I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. (1 Corinthians 2:2 NIV) There is special power in this message because it does NOT depend on human wisdom, but is used by the Holy Spirit to reach people’s hearts. Please understand two things I want you to see in these verses: First, I do want you to understand the best way to communicate truth with the cultures you are trying to reach. When I came to earth, I came as the fulfillment of God’s promises to Abraham, David, and the prophets. So I came as a true Israelite. I lived as a Jew, worshiped as a Jew, and focused My message on speaking to Jewish people of that time. I demonstrated that true ministry is incarnational — it comes and lives in a culture as part of that culture to redeem that culture while being appreciative of that culture. However, truth will always run into places of conflict in every culture. This happened to Me, and John put it well: He [Jesus] entered our world, a world He made; yet the world did not recognize Him. Even though He came to His own people, they refused to listen and receive Him. But for all who did receive and trust in Him, He gave them the right to be reborn as children of God; He bestowed this birthright not by human power or initiative but by God’s will. (John 1:10-13) Second, don’t leave out any key part of the core gospel message.* Yes, the cross is scandalous. It always has been. To proclaim a crucified Messiah and Lord seems crazy at a certain human level of wisdom. But there is great power in the message of My crucifixion. The power of that message does not derive its strength from human wisdom, but from the Spirit’s appeal to the human heart. So yes, you are right to think of Paul’s sermon in Athens as a great sermon. Yes, it is even a good example of cross-cultural communication. But remember, no matter how great the speech, how wise the wisdom, or how eloquent the speaker, when she or he leaves out the message of My cross and resurrection, something vital is lacking in the message! * Paul defines this core gospel well in 1 Corinthians 15. Here are a few verses from that chapter: I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most
In the Center of My Will
Note from Jesus Dear Follower of the Way, The growth of My Kingdom will not necessarily be an easy undertaking. Spreading the good news of the Father’s grace is often met with opposition. However, do not see that opposition as an indication that you have done something wrong. After preventing Paul’s team from continuing to their intended destinations in Asia Minor, I sent Paul a vision of a man inviting his mission team and him to come over into Europe and help the people of Macedonia come to faith (Acts 16:6-10). I sent him this vision to show him it was My will that he and his team should go into Macedonia. From there they continued on to Achaia and Greece. They would need a sense of certainty because they faced challenges, hardship, opposition, physical abuse, ridicule, and jail when obeying this call. Nevertheless, they were doing what I wanted, where I wanted them to do it, and how I wanted them to do it. They were in the center of My will, yet many things about this missionary journey were hard for them. However, in the middle of these difficulties, great churches were planted, and incredible people were brought into My family. Important people among the Gentiles, especially among the women, became disciples. Paul grew incredibly close to the churches of Thessalonica and Philippi. He invested a lot of time in the Corinthians and a lot of prayer for them. Despite their early problems, these disciples became strong churches and congregations close to the apostle’s heart. The point I want to make is this: don’t try to determine if something is My will simply by seeing if it is immediately “successful” or if it is easy! Often, time must pass before you can see your efforts bear fruit. Satan will frequently viciously test you in the initial stages of your ministry to try to get you to give up. When I call you into a ministry or mission opportunity, don’t give up on it until I call you to do something else. Prayerfully ask the Spirit to help you discern the truth about what is happening. Be faithful to your mission. Leave the success of the mission to Me. Sometimes these tough times are necessary to reach those I’ve called you to reach. Sometimes the times are tough to prepare you for future efforts that need even greater endurance and perseverance. While endurance and perseverance aren’t always appreciated in your instant-everything society, these qualities are necessary if you are to truly develop the character and compassion of your Father. Being in the center of My will sometimes means hardships. Remember what I told my disciples on the eve of my death: “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.” (John 15:18 NIV) Verses to Live Notice that Paul had a strategic plan that he used to reach the cities of Macedonia. While he faced stiff opposition, he also influenced key people to follow Me. These were people who would later be important in the life of My church and for their Christian influence on their communities. The events recorded here occurred after Paul and Silas left Asia Minor and went to Macedonia in response to My call through Paul’s vision. After leaving Philippi and passing through Amphipolis and Apollonia, Paul and Silas came to Thessalonica. There was a Jewish synagogue there. As he had done in other cities, Paul attended the synagogue and presented arguments, based on the Hebrew Scriptures, that the Anointed had to suffer and rise from the dead. Paul: Who is this suffering and rising Anointed One I am proclaiming to you? He is Jesus. He came back the next two Sabbaths — repeating the same pattern. Some of the ethnically Jewish people from the synagogue were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas. Even more devout Greeks who had affiliated with Judaism came to believe — along with quite a few of the city’s leading women. Seeing this movement growing, the unconvinced Jewish people became protective and angry. They found some ruffians hanging out in the marketplaces and convinced them to help start a riot. Soon a mob formed, and the whole city was seething with tension. The mob was going street by street, looking for Paul and Silas — who were nowhere to be found. Frustrated, when the mob came to the house of a man named Jason, now known as a believer, they grabbed him and some other believers they found there and dragged them to the city officials. Mob: These people — they’re political agitators turning the world upside down! They’ve come here to our fine city, and this man, Jason, has given them sanctuary and made his house a base for their operations. We want to expose their real intent; they are trying to overturn Caesar’s sensible decrees. They’re saying that Jesus is king, not Caesar! Of course, this disturbed the crowd at large and the city officials especially, so they demanded bail from Jason and the others before releasing them. The believers waited until dark and then sent Paul and Silas off to Berea. When they arrived, they went to the synagogue. The Jewish people here were more receptive than they had been in Thessalonica. They warmly and enthusiastically welcomed the message and then, day by day, would check for themselves to see if what they heard from Paul and Silas was truly in harmony with the Hebrew Scriptures. Many of them were convinced, and the new believers included — as in Thessalonica — quite a few of the city’s leading Greek women and important men also. Reports got back to Thessalonica that Paul and Silas were now spreading God’s message in Berea; the Jewish people who had incited the riot in Thessalonica quickly came to Berea to do the same once again. The believers sent Paul away. A small group escorted him, first to the coast, and then all the way to Athens. Silas
Guidance for Seeking Hearts
Note from Jesus Dear Follower, I promised My followers that the Holy Spirit would guide them in their witness to the nations (Acts 1:8). Today, I want to talk to you about an example of that guidance. I also want to show you an occasion when this guidance produced fruit in places that Paul and his missionary team had not planned to go. Closed doors and changed plans are not necessarily reasons for discouragement or a sense of failure! The Spirit guided the mission efforts of My first disciples. The Spirit indicated that Barnabas and Paul should be sent on the first missionary journey (Acts 13:1-3). The Holy Spirit helped the church decide what to do about welcoming Gentile converts they brought to Me in Antioch and on their first journey (Acts 15:1-35). My church was growing and reaching out to the lost in more areas. Meanwhile, the Holy Spirit guided Paul and his partners Silas and Timothy in the direction and to the places they needed to go on their second journey. Part of the way through this journey, they were kept from going to their intended destinations. Instead, Paul had a vision that a man from Macedonia invited them to come to Macedonia and help. Although sharing My story was challenging almost everywhere they went, they also enjoyed success essentially everywhere they went. What began as frustration and closed doors ended up as great victories for the kingdom of God! My disciples in every era can become discouraged when they have a plan to carry out My mission, and their work is thwarted at every turn. Please read carefully what happens in today’s verses. Paul and his team didn’t get to go where they thought they should go as the door to these places was shut by the Holy Spirit. Instead, I opened another door to go into Europe — Macedonia, Achaia, and Greece. People were waiting to have the message shared with them in these places. Paul and his team couldn’t foresee this opportunity, but I knew and yearned for these people to find My grace! Philippi was one of those places where this was true. Lydia and those in her household who worked for her in her fine fabric business were some of those people whose hearts were yearning for My grace. In Philippi, Paul continued his strategy of going “first to the Jew, then to the Gentile” (Romans 1:16 NIV). There was no synagogue, so he went to the Jewish place of prayer by the river. Lydia and her household were there. They heard My message from Paul. They believed that message and were baptized. Their hearts were ready for the gospel. They not only responded to the message, but they also opened their lives up to work for the sake of the gospel. Lydia offered her house to be the place for the missionary team to stay and also for this new church to meet. More became My disciples in Philippi in the days that followed Lydia’s conversion, but her story is enough for Me to make My point to you today. Remember what I said earlier to the disciples: Here’s the knowledge you need: you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you. And you will be My witnesses, first here in Jerusalem, then beyond to Judea and Samaria, and finally to the farthest places on earth. (Acts 1:8) Sharing My message does not depend just on you and your plans. It’s about My guidance and power given to you through the Holy Spirit along with your willingness to respond to the Spirit’s leading. Verses to Live Please don’t become discouraged when you find closed doors. Some doors the evil one closes. Some I close for strategic reasons. Trust in this: I know those who are seeking Me. I long to get My people into position to share My grace with these seekers. Don’t let closed doors dishearten you. Instead, seek the Spirit’s guidance and trust that I will get you to the place and the people at the time that is most effective in sharing My grace. This trust was true in Philippi in Paul’s day. This confidence is also true for you in your day! Leaving there [Derbe and Lystra], now accompanied by Timothy, they [Paul, Silas, and Timothy] delivered to the churches in each town the decisions and instructions given by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem. The churches were strengthened in the faith by their visit and kept growing in numbers on a daily basis. They sensed the Holy Spirit telling them not to preach their message in Asia at this time, so they traveled through Phrygia and Galatia. They came near Mysia and planned to go into Bithynia, but again they felt restrained from doing so by the Spirit of Jesus. So they bypassed Mysia and went down to Troas. That night Paul had a vision in which a Macedonian man was pleading with him. Macedonian Man: Come over to Macedonia! Come help us! This vision convinced us all that God was calling us to bring the good news to that region. We set sail from the port city of Troas, first stopping in Samothrace, then the next day in Neapolis, finally arriving in Philippi, a Roman colony and one of Macedonia’s leading cities. We stayed in Philippi for several days. On the Sabbath day, we went outside the city walls to the nearby river, assuming that some Jewish people might be gathering for prayer. We found a group of women there, so we sat down and spoke to them. One of them, Lydia, was a business woman originally from Thyatira. She made a living buying and selling fine purple fabric. She was a true worshiper of God and listened to Paul with special interest. The Lord opened her heart to take in the message with enthusiasm. She and her whole household were… washed through baptism. Lydia: If you believe I’m truly faithful to the
Imprisoned to Redeem
Note from Jesus Dear Beloved, Grace can have a strong touch of redemptive irony! As you read in the verses below about Paul and Silas being thrown into jail, notice some of these touches of irony: By divine intervention, the prisoners’ chains are unlocked, and their cell doors opened but they remain in their cells, and when the jailer discovers what had happened, he brings them out of their cells and even takes them home with him rather than locking them back up. The jailer washes the wounds inflicted by those he supervised in the jail. The prisoners tell the jailer and his family My story of grace, baptize them, and free them from being bound to sin and death. The prisoners eat at the jailer’s table rejoicing with a family that was saved after the jailer did not lock the prisoners back up immediately after his baptism. All of this begins with Paul liberating a young woman who was being manipulated and exploited for money because of her “occult spirit.” The story ends with those in charge begging not to be humiliated for their grievous error of beating Roman citizens without a trial. And as a small sub-plot, Paul and Silas go free because they are both Roman citizens. However, if Paul were still partnered with Barnabas, Barnabas would have gone back to jail because he was not a Roman citizen. Many things that happen behind the scenes of history empower the spread of the good news. You will never know many of these things. Little subtle connections between people and events that lead to the spread of the good news may appear to be random “coincidences” from your side of history. They are, however, better called “God-incidences.” I’m talking about Our — Father, Son, and Spirit’s — purposeful acts of providence that help bring redemption to those in need of grace. You are not alone in your work for the Kingdom. Even when things appear to be disastrous messes, please know that Paul’s declaration remains true: We are confident that God is able to orchestrate everything to work toward something good and beautiful when we love Him and accept His invitation to live according to His plan. (Romans 8:28) As you’ve seen time and again, when the good news message about Me is shared, and people truly believe and are baptized, great things happen. Not one of these things happens by accident. Remember My promise made early in My ministry: Just ask and it will be given to you; seek after it and you will find. Continue to knock and the door will be opened for you. All who ask receive. Those who seek, find what they seek. And he who knocks will have the door opened. (Matthew 7:7-8) Verses to Live Read carefully the following verses that tell of the continuing work conducted by Paul, Silas, and Timothy. Notice how We — Father, Son, and Spirit — are involved in redeeming each situation and bringing grace. It was true when the events you read about happened, and it is true today. One day [in Philippi], as we [Paul, Silas, Timothy, and Luke] were going to the place set aside for prayer, we encountered a slave girl. She made a lot of money for her owners as a fortune-teller, assisted by some sort of occult spirit. She began following us. Slave Girl (shouting): These men are slaves like me, but slaves of the Most High God! They will proclaim to you the way of liberation! The next day as we passed by, she did the same thing — and again on the following days. One day Paul was really annoyed, so he turned and spoke to the spirit that was enslaving her. Paul: I order you in the name of Jesus, God’s Anointed: Come out of her! It came right out. But when her owners realized she would be worthless now as a fortune-teller, they grabbed Paul and Silas, dragged them into the open market area, and presented them to the authorities. Slave Owners: These men are troublemakers, disturbing the peace of our great city. They are from some Jewish sect, and they promote foreign customs that violate our Roman standards of conduct. The crowd joined in with insults and insinuations, prompting the city officials to strip them naked in the public square so they could be beaten with rods. They were flogged mercilessly and then were thrown into a prison cell. The jailer was ordered to keep them under the strictest supervision. The jailer complied, first restraining them in ankle chains, then locking them in the most secure cell in the center of the jail. Picture this: It’s midnight. In the darkness of their cell, Paul and Silas — after surviving the severe beating — aren’t moaning and groaning; they’re praying and singing hymns to God. The prisoners in adjoining cells are wide awake, listening to them pray and sing. Suddenly the ground begins to shake, and the prison foundations begin to crack. You can hear the sound of jangling chains and the squeak of cell doors opening. Every prisoner realizes that his chains have come unfastened. The jailer wakes up and runs into the jail. His heart sinks as he sees the doors have all swung open. He is sure his prisoners have escaped, and he knows this will mean death for him, so he pulls out his sword to commit suicide. At that moment, Paul sees what is happening and shouts out at the top of his lungs, Paul: Wait, man! Don’t harm yourself! We’re all here! None of us has escaped. The jailer sends his assistants to get some torches and rushes into the cell of Paul and Silas. He falls on his knees before them, trembling. Then he brings them outside. Jailer: Gentlemen, please tell me, what must I do to be liberated? Paul and Silas: Just believe — believe in the ultimate King, Jesus, and not only will you be rescued,