May 15, 2019

John 10:31-42 New Living Translation (NLT)

Did you know getting familiar with the Voice of God’s Spirit is the perfect way to navigate through the difficult places in life? Jesus tells his disciples, “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth.  He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard from me.  He will tell you about the future” (John 16:13).  It is the work of the Spirit to guide God’s people; to speak into our spirits in order to protect us and help us avoid danger, as well as guide us into blessings.  It was the guiding of the Holy Spirit that helped those in the early church prepare for a future famine (Acts 11:27-29). The Holy Spirit hindered the Apostle Paul from going to certain places to preach the Gospel because it wasn’t safe, so he taught Christ’s disciples to listen, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God” (Romans 8:14).

In our passage today, Jesus has been speaking at the Temple.  The Spirit of God is upon him to preach the Gospel and to heal lives.  The religious leaders have been listening for Jesus to say something that would be grounds for his termination. Even in the face of Christ’s many miracles, these religious leaders accuse him of blasphemy, because Jesus says, “The Father and I are one” (John 10:30).  Because the religious leaders want to capture and kill Jesus, the Holy Spirit supernaturally guides the Lord through the midst of a crowd to escape.  

As we extend our lives to the work of the Spirit, we are assured of his guidance.  The Spirit sees what we do not see; knows what we do not know, and understands the heart of the Father and his will for our lives.  Ask the Holy Spirit to lead your life; to be your Guide.  Invite him to take on the role of being your Teacher and Leader, because no matter what the enemy may use to attack you, the Spirit will make a way of escape.  The key is to cooperate with the Spirit.

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May 14, 2019

Acts 9:32-35 New Living Translation (NLT)

The other night John and I watched an old western staring Henry Fonda, My Name is Nobody.  Most of the time, we have really enjoyed watching some older movies, but this one was a stretch as far as me really enjoying it.  For me, the plot was just too vague for too long with filler taking up too much space. What was the main character’s purpose?  He travels from town to town for what?  Have you ever watched or read something and thought, “Where is this going?”

Our lesson today, from Luke in the Book of Acts, is quite the opposite of the movie.  Jesus is the Somebody that everyone needs. It’s clear from the very beginning of the reading that God is wasting no time to reveal His heart or purpose.  Peter has been filled with the Holy Spirit and he is on a mission to bring the Good News of Jesus the risen Lord everywhere he goes; Peter is relentless in his passion to serve God and people.  He travels to wherever the Spirit leads him and he speaks the words the Spirit places on his lips.  And what happens?  A dunamis (Gk. powerful) domino effect.  One man is instantly physically healed by the touch of Christ through Peter which leads to a whole community turning to serve God, as well.  The evidence of God’s love and purpose is overwhelmingly evident; there is no missing the plot.  Then, Peter moves on to the next town.

What does this mean for you?  God wants to do something powerful in and through your life, but you must focus and make His purpose your purpose. Like Peter, God just wants the best life for you which is the Spirit of Christ abiding and living in you.  We are children, sons, and daughters of an All-Powerful God who desires to change lives and communities; turn every heart toward His love. It’s salvation in action.   You and I can drag ourselves through each day with no real purpose, or we can be led by the Spirit into great opportunities to reveal the realities of the true Lord of Life.  You decide.

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May 13, 2019

Psalm 100 New Living Translation (NLT)

What is your favorite hobby? We all have varied interests and doing those things that bring us joy can be very diverse. God placed healthy desires in you; things to develop that would bring you joy, because He loves you.  He wants an abundant life for you.  Personally, I like to bake goodies.  When I was a very young girl, my grandmother taught me how to bake.  She made the most amazing baked goods; spent hours in the kitchen every day.  Baking was one of the ways she shared the love of God with others.  She put such “heart” into everything she made and whether she realized it or not she helped me see the value of doing such things that I also enjoy as an act of worship.  Worship is about Oneness with God; bowing down to thank God for our lives and the blessing of his design.  When you look at your life, do you understand every aspect of you is unique and lovingly crafted, so you will acknowledge and thank your Creator as you enjoy your life? 

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May 10, 2019

Psalm 23:4-6 New Living Translation

Testimonies are powerful teaching tools; they inspire us to hope for more.  I always enjoy hearing people share how God has touched their lives or provided for them during difficult times.  The Body of Christ can always benefit from the sharing of testimonies; they encourage and enrich our faith.  When we listen to testimonies it spurs us to seek for more encounters in the beauty of God’s presence.  We believe God is Good and takes good care of his own, but it affirms our faith and fills us with joy as we hear others share good news.  

Today we will explore the rest of the passage from Psalm 23.  Note the writer (David) is one of the Shepherd’s sheep and he is testifying about the loving care he has personally received.  Does God’s love make you feel protected, held in high esteem, and blessed?  If so, tell somebody…testify!

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May 9, 2019

Psalm 23:1-3 New Living Translation (NLT)

As I spend time pondering our passage for today, I am filled with such an awareness of my need for the Good Shepherd. The Lord is my All-in-One! He is everything I need to live as a daughter of the Most High. I lack nothing, because he is my Everything.  He is my Guide who helps me experience contentment; I know I would never find my way into obedience without the Lord. He is my Instructor; I need a lot of Wisdom.  He is my Restorer when life drains me.  Right now, I am not feeling the best physically and he is helping me rest and receive healing; He is my Care Giver.  He is my Peace and he helps me drink in his calmness even in the midst of adversity.  And, the best part of all is he does it by drawing me close to himself; he loves taking care of us.  What do you need from the Good Shepherd today?   

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May 8, 2019

Luke 12:29-32 New Living Translation (NLT)

Worry is not of God, but it seems to come natural, doesn’t it.  Worry is connected to facing potential problems and our concern to “get” answers or provision.  In Hebrew, the word “get” has several meanings.  The first meaning has to do with “movement” and the second meaning has to do with “acquisition.” Sometimes we expect the world to provide for us, but Scripture teaches it is actually God who gives us the power to get provision in order to reveal his promise to us (Duet 8:18).  So, in my spirit I hear this question, today, “Where do you go first to get what you need?” 

Leading up to our passage for today, the crowd has been listening to Jesus teach about the need to “get” their hearts right before God.  Notice movement (change) is required.  The Lord is the One who must be pleased and satisfied with every human soul.  Then, Jesus shares with those gathered the parable of the Rich Fool; a fool is a person who dishonors and disobeys God.  A fool gets and stores up earthly riches but suffers poverty when it comes to his/her relationship with God (Luke 12:21). Notice true movement and acquisition is focused on God. Then, Jesus turns to the crowd and tells them not to worry; instead, live dependent upon God.  Bingo; there’s the Answer…mission accomplished.

God chose you and he is going to take care of you as you seek His way of loving and living; so, live dependent upon God and stop worrying. Be an active part of His spiritual family, because he flows through His children.  Give to the work of the Kingdom; this is sowing for an eternal harvest.  We need to stop focusing on “getting” everything from the world, turn to receive the true substance of the unshakable Kingdom, and respond to God’s call to be giving members of His family.

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May 7, 2019

Acts 26:9-18 Contemporary English Version

Do you make the most of every opportunity the Lord provides you each day?  It begins with a proper perspective.  Not every situation we face is going to be good, but every situation can be an opportunity for good in the hands of our loving and good God.  If we believe the Lord has positioned us in life and He directs our steps, then we are going to trust Him even when we face a hard or bad situation.  Tough days can become the most fertile ground for us to bear righteous fruit.  Those times become our best opportunities to witness the work of the Lord in our lives.  The Lord wants the world to know Him, so how we face things is a testimony to how we view the goodness of the Lord.  Think about it.  Your testimony of the Lord’s presence with you each day is a way to witness to the resurrected and Living Lord those around you need to know.

In our passage today, the Jews have brought charges against the Apostle Paul; he is in prison awaiting trial for inciting problems among the Jews with his testimony. Yet, he is going to make the most of this opportunity for the Lord.   Many Jews hated the content of Paul’s message; that Jesus is the promised Messiah from God—for the Jews and the world—and that the Messiah has been raised from the dead. The resurrection is central to the Christian belief; Paul wants to tell his story about his encounter with the Living Lord to validate the Truth. King Agrippa, of Jewish descent, gives Paul an opportunity to defend himself and explain the foundation of his beliefs. 

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May 6, 2019

Acts 9:20-31 Contemporary English Version

Has Jesus turned your whole life upside down with the Truth of God’s love?  No matter whose life is touched, anyone who has an encounter with Jesus is forever changed; never to see things quite the same again. In an instant we know the Truth about our hearts, our need for salvation, and the Truth about God’s gracious and forgiving love. We see that so clearly not only in our lives and the lives of other followers of Christ, but in all the biblical accounts of people meeting Messiah.  The Apostle Paul experienced a 180 degree shift in his life after meeting Jesus on the Road to Damascus.  He went from persecuting the disciples of Christ to preaching Jesus as the Messiah; God stopped him in his tracks and gave him a clearer vision of His heart.  In that moment, Saul experienced the Truth, but he also experienced the grace and forgiveness of God.  The Truth made Saul a new man with a fresh and accurate vision.

Because of this change in Saul, he finds himself being hated by his own peers. Have you had to leave some people behind to follow Christ?  Before meeting Christ, Saul had no problem hating and persecuting Christians, but now he has met the risen Messiah and finds himself compassionate for the disciples and passionate for the Gospel.  If you read the New Testament letters, you will discover the Lord never wasted Paul’s background or training.  Instead, the Lord turned it to benefit the Kingdom and the work of Christ in ministering the gospel to the Gentiles.  God will not waste your past successes nor failures; instead he will use it for the salvation of the world if you will allow it. Your life story can always lead others to Christ.  Give the Lord your whole life and see what the Spirit can do with it.

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May 3, 2019

Psalm 30 Contemporary English Version

God’s Word is always calling us away from sin and selfish living, but do we always listen? As believers, we experience the temptation of sin and we wrestle with faith.  In the midst, do we call out for God’s help?  Some times we know we are a mess in need of mercy and grace.  Other times, we just feel invincible; secure in our own ability to perform or fix ourselves.

God is the Author of our success; we are the author of our failures. The Lord certainly knows how to humble us when he gets angry with our choices; he hides his face and allows our faith to be tested.  If God did not humble us, we would allow all kinds of things to go to our heads and fill us with self-exalting pride.  The Good News we should always remember is that God delights in restoring us, so call on his name.  He will always be there to bring the precise help you need when you need it.  He will help you overcome sin and destructive behaviors and he will help you increase in your faith by showing himself faithful in every circumstance.

In our passage from the Psalter today, the psalmist David had allowed his success, wealth, and power to go to his head, so God disciplined him.  Then, God delivered him.  In David’s song, he praised God for delivering and healing him.  God used this weakness in David, to turn him toward the work of Grace.  Only the Grace of God can turn our failures into trophies for His glory.  

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May 2, 2019

Revelation 3:14-22 Contemporary English Version (CEV)

Are you an active listener in your relationships?  We all face difficulties in communicating well.  Active listening requires the listener to fully concentrate on what is being shared, pause to comprehend, respond to do something with the information, and then remember what that person has said because it is important to him or her.  This type of listening is essential if we are going to successfully fulfill commitments.  Active listening is truly essential for personal growth; it requires an honest assessment of what this information means for one’s life and relationships.  

God’s Word requires active listening.  Scripture teaches, “What God has said isn’t only alive and active! It is sharper than any double-edged sword. His Word can cut through our spirits and souls and through our joints and marrow, until it discovers the desires and thoughts of our hearts. Nothing is hidden from God! He sees through everything, and we will have to tell him the truth.” (Heb 4:12-13).  Throughout the Word of God we are commissioned to listen; actively listen. This is about your relationship in Christ—the Living Word.  When you come to read and listen to the Word are you taking time to fully concentrate, comprehend, respond, and remember what has been shared?

In our lesson today, Jesus is addressing the Church at Laodicea; they think they can see but they are blind to the Truth.  Will the people of God listen to the Voice of Truth?  In this reading, the Truth is getting ready to pass judgment on the Church.  Remember, the writings, from the Book of Revelation, are for the Church of all time.  Jesus shares the Word with the Apostle John because the Lord knows every heart and many hearts are far from him.  The Lord is grieved by the worldliness of his Church. Because Jesus loves us so much, he tells it like it is.  To change hearts all the people of God need to do is repent and practice active listening.

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