JESUS, OUR EXHORTATION

READING: ACTS 18:7-11

Verse 10: “For I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you...”

The New Testament creates some clear impressions of the Apostle Paul. There are many examples in the Bible of his boldness and courage. Therefore it is easy to picture Paul as an independent and confident person. He might not seem to be one who was needful of much encouragement. However, in Acts 18 we find that he did need it. The Lord Jesus spoke to Paul in a vision encouraging him to not fear and to speak and not keep silent. The Lord went on to assure Paul of his safety and security. I believe this encouragement for Paul came because God completely knew his heart, character and nature. From His all-knowing perspective, the Lord determined Paul’s need and responded to it. That should bless us all! Our God is faithful, complete and timely to provide for our encouragement and for our every need. He never fails! That’s a thought- about God’s Word.

RESPONSE

1. What is your response when you find yourself in need of encouragement?

2. At this time, do you see a need to improve your manner of receiving encouragement? If so how will you approach that?

OUR NEED TO KNOW

READING: DEUTERONOMY 29:23-29

Verse 29: “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.”

Sometimes I say to people “do you know what?”, but that’s not really what I mean. What I mean is that I want to tell them something. At those times if they wanted to, people could answer me by saying “Yes, I know what” and that answer would be valid because there is much that each of us does know. In fact, this verse of scripture confirms there are things we know, because they have been revealed to us. Part of this verse about revealed things is a generous promise from God, but another part contains an implicit warning. We are cautioned that there are also secret things that belong exclusively to the Lord our God. We can gratefully receive that portion He has promised to us and to our children. However, at the same time, we must carefully, respect, revere and refrain from knowledge that belongs only to the Lord. What He has not revealed is His alone. That’s a thought – about God’s Word.

RESPONSE

1. Is there a need for you to be more content and accepting regarding knowledge that God has not revealed to you?

2. What is your opinion of the attitude of mankind in general, regarding the acquisition of knowledge?

WHO IS DOING THE SHAPING?

READING: ACTS 17:22-29

Verse 29: “Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man’s devising.”

This verse records what Paul said as he preached in Athens. For today’s culture, on the surface that verse does not seem to represent much of a challenge. We are not much inclined toward attempting to reduce God to images of gold, silver or stone. However we must admit that in our time there is a similar problem. There are still attempts to redefine the Divine Nature in ways that are different but every bit as serious and disturbing as those of former times. Instead of gold, silver or stone; people attempt to create images of God using their own concepts of a god that seem desirable to them. There is an old saying that applies. The saying is “the more things change, the more they remain the same.” The lasting reality that applies, whether it is past, present or future, is the Word of Truth that says “...in Him we live and move and have our being...” (Acts 17:28). Accordingly, we know that God shapes people, not the other way around. That’s a thought – about God’s Word.

RESPONSE

1. What do you see as the most serious modern equivalent of worshipping false gods?

2. In what manner are you most sensitive to God’s shaping in your life?

EYES, EARS AND HEARTS TO PERCEIVE

READING: DEUTERONOMY 29:1-9

Verse 2: “Now Moses called all Israel and said to them ‘You have seen all that the LORD did before your eyes...’”

Too often it is true that the hearts of people are not easily captured by the grace and goodness of the Lord. In Deuteronomy 29, Moses listed some of God’s provision to the Israelites. He had accomplished great signs and wonders. He had led them daily for 40 years during which their clothing and sandals had not worn out. He had conquered the enemies of the Israelites, gaining land for them to inhabit and use to establish homes. In spite of God’s record of generous provision and care, His people had yet not arrived at the position of having eyes to see, ears to hear or hearts to perceive the goodness of the Father. In this present age as we consider the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus for our salvation, we see that God has done even more for us than for His people long ago. Let us pray fervently that, in these present days, many hearts will acknowledge and be captured by His continuing grace and goodness. That’s a thought – about God’s Word.

RESPONSE

1. Can you recall an occasion when you failed to properly regard some form of God’s provision to your life?

2. In your everyday living, how do you most appreciate your New Covenant provisions compared to the provisions of the Old Covenant?

THE GREATEST QUESTION

READING: ACTS 16:25-30

Verse 30: “And he brought them out and said, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’”

The question above was asked by the keeper of the prison where Paul was confined. God had sent a great earthquake that had opened the prison doors and loosed the prisoners from their chains. When the jailer saw the open doors, he assumed his prisoners had escaped, and was ready to kill himself. However, Paul restrained him, assuring him that all his prisoners were still there. At that point the jailer recognized that the power of God had intervened in his situation. His realization brought about the question that he asked. “What must I do to be saved?” This occurrence demonstrates that the Lord is creative and faithful to reach people in order to bring them into His Kingdom. Each of us who is a Christian, owes a praise of gratitude to our Lord. He made a way to intervene in our lives to save us! That’s a thought – about God’s Word.

RESPONSE

1. What do you say to the Lord about how He provided for you to be saved?

2. Given the opportunity to do so, how would you respond to the question “What must I do to be saved?”

TOUGH LOVE

READING: DEUTERONOMY 28:58-63

Verse 63: “And it shall be, that just as the Lord rejoiced over you to do you good and multiply you, so the Lord will rejoice over you to destroy you and bring you to nothing...”

A number of years ago many people adopted what they thought to be an innovation in the exercise of parental authority. They called it “tough love”. The idea was that at times the most loving response is to permit children to suffer the pain of the consequences of improper behavior, rather than rescuing them from those consequences. Although this may have been difficult for parents to allow, it was recognized as a powerful way for necessary lessons of life to be learned. Solomon said “...And there is nothing new under the sun.”, (Ecclesiastes 1:9). That definitely applies to this “invention” of tough love. As this verse 63 above demonstrates, God has used tough love with His people for thousands of years. There does seem to be an important principle involved. We should know that true love that is
godly in nature, does not condone sinful behavior. Instead, it insists on respecting the Lord’s standards of righteousness. That’s a thought – about God’s Word.

RESPONSE

1. If you had to face serious sin in your life, would you rather bear the consequences or be exempted?

2. If you were exempted from consequences, how would that affect your responses to further temptation?

FAST AND EARLY – LAST AND LATE

READING: PSALM 63:1-8

Verse 1: "O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You...”
Verse 6: “When I remember you on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches.”

It would be interesting to accomplish some investigation into prevalent thought patterns. For example, what thought would occur most frequently as the first thought people have upon awakening? Along the same lines, what would be the most widely experienced thought as people end their days. I don’t know if this research has already been done, or what the answers are to those questions. However, I do know the type of thought that is best for Christians to have as we begin and end our days. That answer is given by David the Psalmist. It can be seen in verses 1 and 6 above. His early thoughts and late thoughts were of God. No doubt this is part of the reason the Lord accepted David as a man after His own heart (Acts 13:22). He began and ended his days with his Holy Heavenly Father. That is a worthy example for us all! When our early and late thoughts are of the Lord, we also will be established in the blessing of increasing closeness with Him. That’s a thought – about God’s Word.

RESPONSE

1. What would be your greatest benefit from having your early and late thoughts to be about the Lord?

2. Do you consistently have early and late thoughts toward or about the Lord? If not will you take action to change that; what action will that be?