KEEP THE GOOD STUFF

READING: ACTS 13:42-52

Verse 50: “But the Jews stirred up the devout and prominent women and the chief men of the city, raised up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them form their region”

At times people have a way of disregarding God’s provision. This is often because they accept human interpretations of events, rather than God’s perspective. There is a popular expression that vividly illustrates this problem. The expression is “throwing out the baby with the bathwater”. There is also a scriptural illustration of this human fault, which demonstrates how sin can result. Verse 50 describes an event when almost the whole city of Antioch turned out to hear the Apostle Paul speak the Word of God. The Jews of Antioch were so envious of Paul’s success that they took strong opposition to what he was saying. Their human reaction of envy caused them to throw out, not bathwater, but the gift of God that was present for them. In the process, they also discarded the messenger of the Lord. Let’s pray that, for choices being made in our time, people will receive and not reject our precious gifts from Jesus. We should remember that in the Kingdom - there is no waste. We’ll keep both the baby and the bath water! That’s a thought – about God’s Word.

RESPONSE

1. When have you most recently seen a human interpretation accepted instead of a godly perception?
2. What do you need in your relationship with the Lord that will help you avoid “throwing out the baby with the bathwater”?

LOST, FOUND AND KEPT

READING: DEUTERONOMY 22:1-4

Verse 3 – “You shall do the same with his donkey, and so shall you do with his garment; with any lost thing of your brother’s which he has lost and you have found, you shall do likewise; you must not hide yourself.”

Losers weepers, finders keepers. That’s a rhyme that has been used to express a worldly viewpoint of what happens when lost items are found. It says that the person who loses something will suffer for that loss, and that the person who finds will have easy gain. The idea of, and desire for, easy gain is the root of so much of the greed of this age. It is an attitude that operates to support and validate that innocent sounding rhyme. However, let's introduce the eternal wisdom of the Lord. As so often happens, His wisdom is the opposite of the way of the world. In verse 3, the Israelites were instructed to hold and care for lost items until claimed by owners. This godly response is right! It establishes and supports the principle that finding is not an appropriate means of gain. May there be growth in the acceptance of this principle of restoring what becomes lost, rather than keeping what is found. That’s a thought – about God’s Word.

RESPONSE

1. Is there any issue of inappropriate gain in your life?

2. How can inappropriate gain take place other than regarding property?

THE SUCCESS OF ALL SUCCESSES

READING: ACTS 13:1-5

Verse 4 – “So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus”
 This verse describes the beginning of an apostolic mission. These apostles went being sent out by the Holy Spirit. The phrase “being sent out by the Holy Spirit” is a very important one. Only the Lord God Himself is able to know all of the human ventures that have taken place in the last 2000 years plus. By far the great majority of them are long forgotten in human records or even human memory. Of those ventures not forgotten, there is some retention of those that are more recent or notable, but actually much of the past has expired. Considering the sum total of all this historical past, there is a great and prominent exception. The exception Is the Gospel of God. This gift of grace persists solely, and without equal, as the most successful endeavor ever undertaken. One of the reasons for this reality goes back to what is stated in Acts 13:4. Those who have gone forth for the gospel, have not merely gone, but they have been sent by the Holy Spirit. The fruit of their accomplishments is vast beyond description or understanding, and will always continue to remain. The Gospel of God and its power are eternal! That’s a thought – about God’s Word.

RESPONSE

1. Can you identify a particular time when you were sent out by the Holy Spirit?

2. What aspirations do you have about being sent?

HOLY BOOMERANG

READING: ACTS 12:5-11

Verse 6: “And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison”

We know that the devil’s intentions are to kill, to steal and destroy, and that he is persistent at those goals of his. However I’m grateful for the times when the harder he tries to defeat God’s people and purposes; the greater is his defeat instead. In this case, verse 6 describes Peter’s imprisonment. He was chained to two soldiers while others guarded the door. These guards knew their lives were at risk if their prisoner escaped. Yet in spite of all these precautions, an angel of the Lord released Peter. In the end, the extraordinary measures taken to restrain Peter resulted in the following major result. They caused God’s method of rescuing him to be all the more glorious and powerful. Do you face a great challenge? Like Peter’s, your situation is intended to become yet another way in which the Lord will be glorified! He is Who He says He is, and He will do all that He intends, no matter how difficult it may seem to be. That’s a thought – about God’s Word.

RESPONSE 

1. What does Peter’s experience say to you about your challenges?

2. What commitment would the Holy Spirit have you make toward future difficulties?

NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART

READING: DEUTERONOMY 20:1-9

Verse 8 – “Then the officers shall speak further to the people and say, ‘What man is there who is fearful and fainthearted? Let him go and return to his house, lest the heart of his brethren faint like his heart’”

This passage of the Bible describes conditions which exempted men from combat. The conditions listed included faintheartedness. The fainthearted were sent home so they would not cause others to also become fainthearted. The Israelites were able to recognize the importance of the condition of the heart. They knew that the heart is more influential to godly success than skills or abilities. They realized that if it was not in the heart of a man to be a faithful soldier, that person could be a detriment to military success. The same principle applies to effectively serving the Lord. It takes hearts that are fully committed to the purposes of Almighty God, to carry out the work of His Kingdom. On the other hand, the fainthearted are destined for something less than what is truly God-honoring. Today may we be those who confess the following in agreement with David in Psalm 57. “My heart is steadfast O God; my heart is steadfast; I will sing and give praise.” That’s a thought – about God’s Word

RESPONSE

1. Do you think that you usually inspire steadfastness?

2. Will you commit to taking advantage of your next opportunity to be steadfast in a God-honoring manner?

BEYOND FANTASY

READING: ACTS 10:44-48

VERSE 44: “While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word.”

Here is the ultimate fishing fantasy. Phil has arrived at his favorite fishing spot. He has settled in with all of his fishing necessities and comforts, and is preparing to cast his best lure. But before he can even get the lure on his line, fish begin to jump into his boat. It’s true that the actual fun of fishing is catching the fish and bringing them in, but I think you get the idea of the fantasy. It is all about the ultimate in getting good results with ease. However, that is what it was like for Peter in this passage of scripture. Just like in the fishing fantasy, the objective was being accomplished even before the actions to obtain it were completed. However, Peter’s experience was not fantasy. Instead of that, it was the reality and power of the Holy Spirit! Such is the Spirit of the Lord through those who serve Him. That’s a thought – about God’s Word.

 RESPONSE

1. In your life an experience like Peter’s:
___ could be reality
___would have to be fantasy

2. Please pray one of the following prayers as appropriate:
___ gratitude for a relationship with God through which He/you can accomplish powerfully
___ establishment in a relationship with the Lord through which He/you can accomplish powerfully

IF I, THEN HE

READING: DEUTERONOMY 19:7-13

Verse 9: “and if you keep all these commandments and do them, which I command you today, to love the Lord your God and to walk always in His ways, then you shall add three more cities for yourself besides these three.”

Verse eight in this passage uses the word “if”. It reads “Now if the Lord your God enlarges your territory as He swore to your fathers...”. Might God swear to something and then be “iffy” about it? Verse nine gives us a clue to the answer to that question. This verse provides God’s instruction to the Israelites, to keep and do His commandments. As God gave them this instruction, there is no question that He would respond faithfully to the obedience of His command. He was and is completely faithful to His Word! However, if the Israelites failed to do what was required, they would not be able to receive the promise of God. The "if" applies to the people and not to the Lord. If they failed, the promise would still exist, but they would not be able to experience it. For an example, let’s consider a person who needs a shower. The water is running for that person, but he or she can’t get wet until stepping into the shower. Until that is done, fulfillment of the promise of a shower is available, but the shower is not achieved. The fulfillment of God’s promise was present for the Israelites, but they had to position themselves in order to receive it. Their experience teaches us today that surely the promises of God are yes, amen and available to bless us. There is no "if" in the Lord! Our obedience will produce His reward. That’s a thought – about God’s Word

RESPONSE

1. Are you looking for a fulfillment of promise for which you are not properly positioned?

2. List some “ifs of God” that you have accepted and the blessings that have resulted.