SOME DO IT THEIR WAY

READING: Deuteronomy 17:1-7

Verse 5: “then you shall bring out to your gates that man or woman who has committed that wicked thing, and shall stone to death that man or woman with stones.”

There is much apostasy in the world today. That means many are rejecting the truths of God. Much of this is because people attempt to create their own ways of worship and their own ways to worship. These are ways that look better to them, feel more comfortable or may seem easier. Today’s verse informs us that the Lord strenuously objected to people serving or worshipping other than as He commanded. He was insistent even to the point where those who did were to be executed. The Lord did not take the complicated approach of specifically naming every improper way to serve or worship. He simply made the point that they were to worship only in the way that He designated. He kept it simple! The approach that God took left no room for apostasy to be practiced. We must continue to pray for the acceptance of God’s way in our world today. His ways are pure ways. That’s a thought – about God’s Word.

RESPONSE

1. Allow the Spirit of the Lord to examine you to determine if you are honestly offering yourself before Him, or if there is anything that needs to be addressed.

2. Regardless of the results of the examination above, will you meet the challenge of an even deeper offering of yourself?

BUT NOW I SEE

READING: ACTS 9:10-19

Verse 18: “Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized”

Verse 18 above describes the restoration of Saul’s sight after he was blinded. It describes a physical experience, but it also seems to symbolize a spiritual one. Previously Saul had been spiritually blinded by deceptions about the Gospel. His encounter with the Lord Jesus caused him to acknowledge his spiritual condition. The act of physically receiving his sight when the scales fell, can be taken to symbolize the gift of receiving spiritual sight. The essence of Saul’s experience is duplicated by every Christian. We have been transformed from being spiritually sightless to being spiritually sighted. It is worthy to note that his first act following the restoration of his sight, was to be baptized into godly excellence. May our spiritual sight produce the same result in our lives. Praise God for all who say “I once was blind, but now I see”. That’s a thought – about God’s Word.

RESPONSE

1. What do you need to see in a new way at this time in your life?

2. Will you make yourself accountable to someone regarding this matter of new vision?

SHINE! JESUS! SHINE!

READING: ACTS 9:1-9

Verse 3: “As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven.”

This verse describes Paul’s life changing experience. A light shone around him from heaven, then later when his eyes were opened, (verse 8) he saw no one. Maybe this experience represents just what the light of the Lord will ultimately accomplish in our lives as Christians. His light in the form of His presence, His truth and His reality; is always shining. This may not be so in the intense physical manner that Saul experienced during his conversion, but it is powerfully present nonetheless. May it be that the more we become aware of Jesus as the Light of God, the more we also will become blinded to everything else. We know that ultimately the Holy Light will effectively obscure all else as He fully shines upon us. The Lord Jesus is truly Light of the World, and as His own we will experience Him in the total glory of that light. That’s a thought – about God’s Word.

RESPONSE

1. Do you only absorb the light of His presence, truth and reality, or do you also reflect it?

2. Think of and thank the Lord for a time when you were His expression of light.

DROP IN OFTEN!

READING: DEUTERONOMY 16:1-6

Verse 2: “Therefore you shall sacrifice the Passover to the Lord your God, from the flock and the herd, in the place where the Lord chooses to put His name”

In this passage, the people of God were instructed to observe the Passover. They were told to do so in the place where the Lord chose to put His name, or where He chose to make His name abide. For the people of God in our time, that is a current instruction. This place could be a church building where His name has been placed and continues to abide. It could also be a person's private place of worship and prayer. Even better, they should both apply. However, no matter where we worship at a given time, it seems the important point is that the place be based on the Lord’s choice of location, and not our own. This choice should not follow the crowd, be automatic because of history, or occur by default. His word says to seek Him while He may be found and to call on Him while He is near. This is always best done in the place of His choice. He is there to receive us in a special way and invites us to drop in often. That’s a thought – about God’s Word.

RESPONSE

1. Where are the places where God has put His name for you?

2. Are you faithful to be found at those places or is this something that needs to be refreshed?

HOW ABOUT ANCIENT WISDOM?

READING: DEUTERONOMY 15:1-6

Verse 1: “At the end of every seven years you shall grant a release of debts”

How many mailings have you received inviting you to “take advantage of” the newest interest rate, get a better credit card or take the ultimate loan? How many callers are trying to entice, argue or manipulate people into accepting the financial “offer of a lifetime”. What about those who want buyers to use their product for a whole year before beginning to pay on their special credit plan? They are too many to count! Creditors want people in debt to them, and the longer the better! How different this was for the ancient Hebrews. For them the Law of the Lord established that creditors had to release borrowers from their debts at the end of every seven years. Many who today are being tempted into indebtedness, or suffering from it, would benefit greatly if we still respected Deuteronomy 15. If it were in use today, God’s ancient wisdom could still produce good practices for faithful stewards. That’s a thought – about God’s Word.

RESPONSE

1. Does your attitude toward debt agree with modern thought or ancient wisdom?

2. Take a few minutes to pray a prayer of praise or repentance as appropriate, regarding your attitude toward indebtedness.

DISTRACTION IS NOT MANDATORY

READING: ACTS 7:54-60

Verse 55: “But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God.”

We attend worship services in order to worship the Lord and to participate in Christian fellowship. Sometimes, however we get distracted and overly involved with the trappings of our services. I’m referring to such matters as the comfort of the seats, the temperature in the church, the volume of amplification, the often present crying child or the alarming cell phone. Acts 7:55 gives an example of overcoming environmental factors. In this verse, Stephen is the subject at a hearing where perjurers and false witnesses are using a mock trial as an excuse to kill him. Hostility was at the maximum and he had no human support. In that extremity, Stephen responded in the manner that models the ideal behavior that can apply even to us as modern day Christians. Being full of the Holy Spirit, he saw only the glory of God. He focusd on the Lord! Stephen’s example of godly focus is the ultimate answer to every distraction. That’s a thought – about God’s Word!

RESPONSE

1. Is there something that distracts you during church services?

2. If not, you can thank the Lord for your freedom from distraction. If so, you can pray to be focused on the Lord.

QUANTUM LEAPS AND TINY STEPS

READING: ACTS 8:26-38

Verse 29: “Then the Spirit said to Philip ‘Go near and overtake this chariot.”

It is often not given to us in advance to know where instant obedience will lead us or what it will accomplish. At times, one obedient act on the part of a Christian is merely God’s way to position that person for something that will ultimately be far greater. A case in point is the experience of Philip that is described in Acts 8. The sequence of events described in those verses began with an angel telling Philip to go south on the road from Jerusalem to Gaza. Philip did that and then followed step by step through a process that led to the salvation of an Ethiopian leader. Through that whole process, Philip never had a plan or revelation of the eventual outcome. However, his series of small steps produced a major result because he faithfully accomplished what was placed before him. The same potential is present for you and me in this very day! That’s a thought – about God’s Word!

RESPONSE

1. What “next step” is before you?

2. Are you responding to the Lord’s “next” step” for your life or are you pursuing other activities?