SCRIPTURE: Acts 1:1-11 - Dear Theophilus, in the first volume of this book I wrote on everything that Jesus began to do and teach until the day he said good-bye to the apostles, the ones he had chosen through the Holy Spirit, and was taken up to heaven. After his death, he presented himself alive to them in many different settings over a period of forty days. In face-to-face meetings, he talked to them about things concerning the kingdom of God. As they met and ate meals together, he told them that they were on no account to leave Jerusalem but "must wait for what the Father promised: the promise you heard from me. John baptized in water; you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit. And soon."
When they were together for the last time they asked, "Master, are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel now? Is this the time?"
He told them, "You don't know the time. Timing is the Father's business. What you'll get is the Holy Spirit. And when the Holy Spirit comes on you, you will be able to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, all over Judea and Samaria, even to the ends of the world."
These were his last words. As they watched, he was taken up and disappeared in a cloud. They stood there, staring into the empty sky. Suddenly two men appreared - in white robes! They said, "You Galileans! - why do you just stand here looking up at an empty sky? This very Jesus who was taken up from among you to heaven will come as certainly - and mysteriously - as he left."
REFLECTION: When are you tempted to be a spectator to the movements of God's redemptive plan rather than a participant involved in the action? Why? What are specific ways you can get off the bench and get up to bat for what God is up to in the world? What are some ways you can be a witness to others in your circle of influence?
You know that Jesus will come again in the future. What implications does it really have on your life?
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Friday, April 2, 2010
Day 39 - Why are you here?
SCRIPTURE: Philippians 1:12-26 - And I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News. For everyone here, including all the soldiers in the palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ. And because of my imprisonment, many of the Christians here have gained confidence and become more bold in telling others about Christ. Some are preaching out of jealousy and rivalry. But others preach about Christ with pure motives. They preach because they love me, for they know the Lord brought me here to defend the Good News. Those others do not have pure motives as they preach about Christ. They preach with selfish ambition, not sincerely, intending to make my chains more painful to me. But whether or not their motives are pure, the fact remains that the message about Christ is being preached, so I rejoice. And I will continue to rejoice. For I know that as you pray for me and as the Spirit of Jesus Christ helps me, this will all turn out for my deliverance. For I live in eager expectation and hope that I will never do anything that causes me shame, but that I will always be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past, and that my life will always honor Christ, whether I live or I die. For to me, living is for Christ, and dying is even better. Yet if I live, that means fruitful service for Christ. I really don't know which is better. I'm torn between two desires: Sometimes I want to live, and sometimes I long to go and be with Christ. That would be far better for me, but it is better for you that I live. I am convinced of this, so I will continue with you so that you will grow and experience the joy of your faith. Then when I return to you, you will have even more reason to boast about what Christ Jesus has done for me.
COMMENTARY: Why are you here? God is a purposeful God. Everything He does permeates purpose. He has created you with a purpose in mind. What is it? What are you passionate about? Why did God put you here on this earth? Millions of people never find the answers to these questions. Some resign themselves to a mediocre life, some claim there is no purpose to life. God's Word says otherwise. We were created for a purpose and we find that purpose in relationship to the King.
Eric Liddell, Scottish missionary to China and Olympic gold-medal-winning runner said, “I believe God made me for a purpose; for China . But He also made me fast . And when I run, I feel His pleasure.” Eric Liddell knew his life purpose and pursued it with all his heart—even to his death in a Japanese internment camp in China in 1945. Paul knew his life purpose also—and it consumed every moment of his life. He even saw his imprisonment as serving to help further the spread of the gospel. Paul did not care whether he lived or died as long as he was faithful to Christ.
God does have a purpose for your life. Your destiny may not lie on the mission field or in any other area of “professional” ministry. God's purpose for your life may lie in the business world, in the arts, in education or on the homefront, raising children and building a strong family. Whatever your purpose may be, find it and pursue it with gusto! God is not playing games with you. He is not trying to keep you in the dark about your life purpose. He wants you to find it and fulfill it. That is why He created you. People with purpose live life with passion.
REFLECTION: What is your purpose? What is your passion? Find them both in relationship with the King. To live is Christ!
PRAYER: Lord, help me discover my life purpose in You. Give me the grace and the fire inside to pursue that purpose with passion!
COMMENTARY: Why are you here? God is a purposeful God. Everything He does permeates purpose. He has created you with a purpose in mind. What is it? What are you passionate about? Why did God put you here on this earth? Millions of people never find the answers to these questions. Some resign themselves to a mediocre life, some claim there is no purpose to life. God's Word says otherwise. We were created for a purpose and we find that purpose in relationship to the King.
Eric Liddell, Scottish missionary to China and Olympic gold-medal-winning runner said, “I believe God made me for a purpose; for China . But He also made me fast . And when I run, I feel His pleasure.” Eric Liddell knew his life purpose and pursued it with all his heart—even to his death in a Japanese internment camp in China in 1945. Paul knew his life purpose also—and it consumed every moment of his life. He even saw his imprisonment as serving to help further the spread of the gospel. Paul did not care whether he lived or died as long as he was faithful to Christ.
God does have a purpose for your life. Your destiny may not lie on the mission field or in any other area of “professional” ministry. God's purpose for your life may lie in the business world, in the arts, in education or on the homefront, raising children and building a strong family. Whatever your purpose may be, find it and pursue it with gusto! God is not playing games with you. He is not trying to keep you in the dark about your life purpose. He wants you to find it and fulfill it. That is why He created you. People with purpose live life with passion.
REFLECTION: What is your purpose? What is your passion? Find them both in relationship with the King. To live is Christ!
PRAYER: Lord, help me discover my life purpose in You. Give me the grace and the fire inside to pursue that purpose with passion!
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Day 38 - Faith Journey
SCRIPTURE: Acts 22:1-10 – “My dear brothers and fathers, listen carefully to what I have to say before you jump to conclusions about me.” When they heard him speaking Hebrew, they grew even quieter. No one wanted to miss a word of this.
He continued, “I am a good Jew, born in Tarsus in the province of Cilicia, but educated here in Jerusalem under the exacting eye of Rabbi Gamaliel, thoroughly instructed in our religious traditions. And I’ve always been passionately on God’s side, just as you are right now.
“I went after anyone connected with the ‘Way’, went at them hammer and tongs, ready to kill for God. I rounded up men and women right and left and had them thrown in prison. You can ask the Chief Priest or anyone in the High Council to verify this; they all knew me well. Then I went off to our brothers in Damascus, armed with official documents authorizing me to hunt down the followers of Jesus there, arrest them, and bring them back to Jerusalem for sentencing.
“As I arrived on the outskirts of Damascus about noon, a blinding light blazed out of the skies and I fell to the ground, dazed. I heard a voice: ‘Saul, Saul, why are you out to get me?’
“’Who are you, Master?’ I asked
“He said, ‘I am Jesus the Nazarene, the One you’re hunting down.’ My companions saw the light, but they didn’t hear the conversation.
“Then I said, ‘What do I do now, Master?’
“He said, ‘Get to your feet and enter Damascus. There you’ll be told everything that’s been set out for you to do.”
COMMENTARY: Paul’s faith began in an amazing way on the road to Damascus (see the beginning of Acts 9 for more details). He was bold to share his story and ultimately The Story, the one of God and man. This passage give us a thorough yet succinct explanation of the person Paul was before he met Christ, how he met Christ and the person he became after he met Christ.
REFLECTION: Reflect on your story – how you came to faith and how your faith journey is continuing today. Who were you before Christ? What was meeting Christ like? In what ways is your life different now as a result of meeting him? Are other people different today because of your interaction with Jesus?
Think about how you might describe your life-altering encounter with the Living God. Write or type your story of faith in just two or three paragraphs. Then ask someone you know to help you include the most appropriate details. We are getting very near the 10 days of the initiative where we can use just this sort of testimony as we share the love of Christ where ever God opens the doors in the 10 days following Easter.
He continued, “I am a good Jew, born in Tarsus in the province of Cilicia, but educated here in Jerusalem under the exacting eye of Rabbi Gamaliel, thoroughly instructed in our religious traditions. And I’ve always been passionately on God’s side, just as you are right now.
“I went after anyone connected with the ‘Way’, went at them hammer and tongs, ready to kill for God. I rounded up men and women right and left and had them thrown in prison. You can ask the Chief Priest or anyone in the High Council to verify this; they all knew me well. Then I went off to our brothers in Damascus, armed with official documents authorizing me to hunt down the followers of Jesus there, arrest them, and bring them back to Jerusalem for sentencing.
“As I arrived on the outskirts of Damascus about noon, a blinding light blazed out of the skies and I fell to the ground, dazed. I heard a voice: ‘Saul, Saul, why are you out to get me?’
“’Who are you, Master?’ I asked
“He said, ‘I am Jesus the Nazarene, the One you’re hunting down.’ My companions saw the light, but they didn’t hear the conversation.
“Then I said, ‘What do I do now, Master?’
“He said, ‘Get to your feet and enter Damascus. There you’ll be told everything that’s been set out for you to do.”
COMMENTARY: Paul’s faith began in an amazing way on the road to Damascus (see the beginning of Acts 9 for more details). He was bold to share his story and ultimately The Story, the one of God and man. This passage give us a thorough yet succinct explanation of the person Paul was before he met Christ, how he met Christ and the person he became after he met Christ.
REFLECTION: Reflect on your story – how you came to faith and how your faith journey is continuing today. Who were you before Christ? What was meeting Christ like? In what ways is your life different now as a result of meeting him? Are other people different today because of your interaction with Jesus?
Think about how you might describe your life-altering encounter with the Living God. Write or type your story of faith in just two or three paragraphs. Then ask someone you know to help you include the most appropriate details. We are getting very near the 10 days of the initiative where we can use just this sort of testimony as we share the love of Christ where ever God opens the doors in the 10 days following Easter.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)