July 12, 2014
Today is my 56th birthday and this verse is more dear to me than ever. I have always loved it, but as I get older my love of the gospel “Good News” grows while my other cares decrease. When I was younger I had many cares. I sometimes struggled with being a people-pleaser. I wanted people to like me, to approve. I wanted to come across as being intelligent and witty. But I learned that people weren’t persuaded by intellectual arguments or cool cultural allusions. They needed the gospel. Only the gospel has the power to persuade and save. It is the power of God at work in me and in all who believe. I am thankful to God that He has given me another year of life to preach the Good News. I am not ashamed.
July 11, 2014
Paul was under house arrest in Rome for at least two years (Acts 28:30). During this time he was able preach the gospel without restraint to all who would listen. What the enemy had meant as death, the Lord had turned into a platform for declaring life. Paul’s captivity led to great freedom for his ministry and hearers. Instead of focusing on his difficult circumstance, Paul saw it as an opportunity to preach Christ. I wonder how many Roman guards became Christians during this 2 years? They were Paul’s captive audience day after day as he taught from the Scriptures.
July 10, 2014
The psalmist David wondered at the immensity and beauty of the night sky in comparison to the small stature of humanity. He poses a rhetorical question concerning God’s care for man, then answers it in the psalm with observations about man’s creation and authority under God. We can almost picture David gazing at the night sky and writing this meditation. Putting the words to music, he opens and closes the psalm with praise of God’s majesty. “O Lord, our Lord,” he writes, moving his attention from the great Creator (O Lord) to the personal Redeemer of Israel (our Lord). For the Lord God is both transcendent and immanent. He is omnipotent and holy, yet personal and present. The God who made everything cares for you.
July 9, 2014
Marriage is God’s idea. It is His provision for man’s need for companionship and oneness. This oneness is three-dimensional, involving the physical, the soul and the spirit. It is God’s plan for having children and parenting. The Bible opens and closes with a wedding and God is intimately involved in both. This proverb describes God’s favor in the finding of a good wife. She is to be treasured and received as a gift from God. When a husband and wife view one another as a gift from God to be received and cherished, they begin to experience the oneness that He intended.
July 8, 2014
Leadership gurus often instruct their clients to write a personal purpose statement to bring focus to their life. Paul was a man who often declared his personal purpose statement. Here, he announced his purpose to “testify to everyone” about the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. When a life is lived with such singular purpose, it burns like a laser with focused energy. Paul said, “This one thing I do,” not these thousand things I dabble in (Phil.3:13). What’s your life purpose?
July 7, 2014
Joy. Not the conditional stuff of happiness based on favorable circumstance. But joy, the stuff that pours into us from God’s omnipotent and unchanging Spirit. How do we find such joy? Not by searching for it. We find joy by taking “refuge” in the Lord and singing His praises. We find joy by loving His “Name” and letting the joy of God flood our souls. Are you suffering with the Monday blues? Rather than seeking happiness or even joy, seek the Lord Himself. For an overwhelming joy overflows from His Spirit to those who take refuge in Him.
July 6, 2014
For the remaining two years of his term, the Roman governor Felix kept Paul in custody at Caesarea. He often sent for Paul, so that he and his Jewish wife, Drusilla, could hear him talk about faith in Christ. What a strange time this must’ve been for Paul. The Scripture ascribes mixed motives to Felix. On the one hand, it mentions that Felix wanted a bribe and that he wanted to gain favor from the Jews. On the other hand, he gave Paul freedom and allowed his friends to visit. Felix also became very frightened when Paul talked to him. Yet Paul didn’t waver. When others would’ve become disheartened by being caught up in such political intrigue, Paul kept sharing his testimony and preaching the gospel. In this way, the elite ruling class of Caesarea heard his witness.
July 5, 2014
You’ve heard it said, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” Yet, the Bible teaches otherwise. Wisdom loves learning. No matter your age, retaining a child-like curiosity for learning is the secret to never growing old. Leaders are readers. And leaders are learners. The apathetic scoff at learning, while seeking the next passive entertainment. The know-it-all lacks the humility to learn, claiming to know better. Only the wise, the humble and curious are “always ready to learn.” The truly wise are those who have submitted their minds to Christ and experienced His transforming power over their thinking. As a result, according to Romans 12:2, they are able to “learn” God’s good, pleasing and perfect will for them.
July 4, 2014
On this date when Americans celebrate Independence Day, we are appropriately thankful for God’s blessing on the USA. Yet, many of us are troubled by the news of nations and terrorists threatening war and violence in the world. This same verse from Psalms 2 was quoted in prayer by the first century Christians (Acts 4:25-26) when they were being persecuted by their political leaders for preaching the gospel. They prayed that God would handle the threats and “futile plans” of leaders like Pilate and Herod, while giving them boldness to keep preaching the Word. So, on this July 4th, I’m praying like they did. Kings and rulers may plot against the Lord’s anointed, against Christ and His Church, but the Lord God who rules in heaven “laughs” (Psa. 2:4) at them.
July 3, 2014
The riotous crowd that had chanted to kill Paul now fell silent as he addressed them in their own tongue. Did he defend himself or respond in anger? No. He gave his testimony. Paul’s response was the epitome of the prayer that the early church prayed in Acts 4:29 when they prayed, “Lord, you consider their threats while granting us boldness to speak Your Word.” We can pray this prayer too. Paul was truly bold, but his courage came from a deep sense of calling by the Lord Jesus. The Lord is still calling followers that would depend on Him like Paul.