“Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.” (Romans 15:2, ESV) When Jesus walked here on earth, He often sent His disciples out two by two to minister in surrounding towns. Have you ever wondered why He never sent them alone? Could they not reach more towns and more people much more quickly if they traveled solo? Or did they need the strength and encouragement of each other’s presence? As one minister explained, “God doesn’t usually use us solo because alone we become a coward.” All of us need an encourager in our life,…
“But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone; nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.” (Galatians 1:15-17, ESV) For the past few days, we have studied events in the life of Paul, especially his conversion experience. When Paul met Jesus on the road to Damascus, he may not have immediately realized the significant changes that would come into his life. His associations would change. No longer would his Pharisee friends and the religious leaders accept him. On the other hand, the disciples of Jesus would be suspicious of him until he could gain their trust, and that would take time. His world was upside down. What should he do next? Where should he go? He had many things to figure out. THE DESERT YEARS The Bible gives us few details about the next three years of Paul’s life. Luke’s account in Acts 9 does not mention the three…
So the Lord said to him, “Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying . . . Then Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. “And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.” (Acts 9:11, 13-14, NKJV) The Bible does not tell us much about the man named Ananias that we meet in Acts chapter 9. We do know he was a resident of Damascus and a believer. God chose him to visit Saul of Tarsus (later called Paul} after his remarkable encounter with the Lord on the road to Damascus. In relating his testimony later, Paul called Ananias “a devout man according to the law, having a good testimony with all the Jews who dwelt there” (Acts 22:12, NKJV}. RISKY INSTRUCTIONS When God spoke to Ananias and instructed him to seek out Saul, he did not argue. He did, however, remind God about a few things that seemed risky to him. In fact, this assignment could be life threatening. Saul of Tarsus had…
Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” (Acts 9:3-4, ESV) Some people are just too evil to be saved. Oh, we may not actually say those words, but sometimes our actions (or lack of action) imply those inner thoughts. How could God ever reach someone so sinful, so evil, and fill them with His spirit? Impossible! I once met a very sweet, godly lady who shared that no one had…
“But you, God, break out laughing; you treat the godless nations like jokes. Strong God, I’m watching you do it, I can always count on you. God in dependable love shows up on time, shows me my enemies in ruin.” Psalm 59:8-10 MSG In moments of suffering and struggle, it can be challenging to declare that we see God working it out, but that is exactly what faith requires of us. Trusting in God won’t always feel like we are on the mountaintop, admiring the view of victory. Rather, we are more often than not trudging through the mundane and looking up from the valley, desperately searching for a glimmer of hope. Beauty can be found in our desperation, though, and we can take heart in the requirement of gazing up from the valley floor. Psalms 121:1 gives us some great advice: “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.” You go where you look. So look up today, set your gaze and mind on things above. You can proclaim, even if you don’t necessarily feel the emotion behind it, that God is strong and He is working on your behalf. We can always count…
“So David and his men went on the road, while Shimei went along on the hillside opposite him and cursed as he went and threw stones at him and flung dust. And the king, and all the people who were with him, arrived weary at the Jordan. And there he refreshed himself.” 2 Samuel 16:13-14 ESV I admire people who hold to their convictions and stand up for what they believe in. Shimei was one of those people, I think. He does appear to be having a hard time letting go of the past and accepting David as king. While David is passing through his town, Shimei begins cursing David and throwing rocks. I once had a kid throw a rock at me when I was young, and I can say that it hurts. The cursing continues, and David allows it, stating that the Lord may look on the wrong done to him and repay him with good. I’m not quite sure what my response would be to someone violently calling me out and throwing rocks at me, but I hope and pray it would be similar to David’s. He had incredible faith that God was paying attention and would work…