June 20, 2016
What more fitting epitaph of your life might be given than that you served God’s purpose in your own generation? Such was the summary of David’s life offered by the apostle Paul. God has a purpose for your life. It is both general and specific. It is general in that every person whom God has made, was made to glorify Him. It is specific in that each of us is called to serve God’s purpose in our “own generation,” offering our unique God-given gifts to serve His call. Two questions: 1) Do you know your specific purpose? 2) Are you obeying and trusting God to do it? As Queen Esther was asked, “Who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14).
June 18, 2016
Imagine attending a worship service that ends not with an invitation to go have lunch, but with a commissioning service that puts you on the next boat going out to sea. That’s what happened to Barnabas and Saul (“Paul”). Oh, to have worship services so Spirit-filled that people immediately surrender to do what God has called them to do. May churches around the world begin to experience an Antioch revival, a church known not for its seating capacity, but its sending capacity. Antioch, also called the “Cradle of Christianity,” where the Spirit called, and the people obeyed and went.
June 18, 2016
Elijah, in the power of the Spirit, called fire down from heaven and defeated the 450 prophets of Baal. He called on God to break a 3-year drought and the rains came pouring down. He pulled up his robe and outran King Ahab’s chariot in sandaled feet. But then, Ahab’s wife, Jezebel, threatened him and he lost heart. He was struck with fear and ran into the wilderness alone and asked God to take his life. He was exhausted, depressed and isolated. He literally went from a mountain top experience to the deepest valley in a day. But God sent an angel to care for him. We must take care after a great success or spiritual experience. Ironically, we are often most vulnerable after a “mountain top” win. And Satan often sends a “Jezebel” to attack us right as we come down from the heights and enter the valley.
June 17, 2016
The prophet Elijah challenged the people of Israel to stop “limping,” or wavering back and forth between “two different opinions.” He called them to choose who they would follow. As Joshua before him had challenged, “Choose this day whom you will serve” (Joshua 24:15). Then, Elijah proceeded to challenge the 450 prophets of Baal, to prove whose god was truly God. Regardless of modern thinking, not every religious “opinion” is equal. Some are true and some are false. And Elijah’s God proved Himself true. Are you still “limping” along thinking all paths to God are equal, that all “opinions” are true? How long will you continue wavering with such fallacious thinking? There is only one God, and one way revealed to us to follow Him and that is Jesus Christ (John 14:6). Choose this day whom you will follow.
June 16, 2016
In Genesis 9, Ham saw his father, Noah, naked with a hangover from too much wine and he went out and told his brothers. But his brothers took a garment and walked into Noah’s tent backwards to cover his nakedness without seeing him. They exhibited love because they sought to help cover their father’s sin, while Ham did not. Ham was a gossip. Love helps the sinner get forgiveness. It does not seek to condemn or make matters worse. Nor does it attempt to enlarge the sin by repeating it to others.
June 14, 2016
After Saul the Persecutor became Paul the Preacher, he sought to meet with the disciples, but they were afraid. But Barnabas, whose name means “Son of Encouragement,” vouched for Paul and presented him to the apostles. What a great friend to have! Someone who will mediate for you and put their own name on the line for you, so that you can have a second chance at life. How like Jesus was this Barnabas who encouraged both Paul and the apostles to be reconciled to one another.
June 13, 2016
The ten tribes of Israel rebelled against the House of David and rejected his grandson, Rehoboam as king. The author of this book commented that Israel was still in a state of rebellion during the time of his writing. He spoke of a political reality. Yet, his observation was Spirit inspired and had a spiritual fulfillment. For centuries later when it came time for the long awaited Messiah from the House of David to appear, Israel rejected him too. Those, whether Jew or Gentile, who have rejected Jesus as King are in rebellion to this day.
June 12, 2016
Philip preached Jesus to the Ethiopian eunuch from Isaiah 53. He could have taken his gospel message from anywhere in the Bible, for all Scripture testifies of Christ (John 5:39). This is Christ-centered or gospel-centered preaching: Showing how the written Word points to the Living Word. When the Ethiopian heard the good news, he believed and was baptized. For this kind of preaching calls for a response. The preacher that doesn’t preach Christ, hasn’t preached. True biblical preaching always points to Christ (1 Cor. 2:2).
June 11, 2016
When the priests placed the Ark in the newly completed Temple, it was filled with a cloud so dense that they could not remain inside. King Solomon recognized the cloud as the glory of the Lord and reminded his people that God had promised to dwell with them in such a way. For the Lord had told Moses, “…I will appear in the cloud over the mercy seat” (Lev.16:2). Just as the Lord’s glory inhabited the Tabernacle in the wilderness, so He showed forth His glory in Solomon’s Temple, representing His approval. It must have been quite a sight. The rejoicing crowd that joyfully watched the priests enter the Temple with the Ark, now stood dumbstruck with awe as those same priests came scurrying out with fearful faces. The previously cacophonous crowd fell silent as a dark cloud rolled out of the Temple doors behind the retreating priests. And then, in the sudden silence, Solomon’s trembling voice was heard, “The Lord said he would dwell in thick darkness.”
June 10, 2016
The newly appointed deacon, Stephen, was stoned to death for his witness, becoming the first Christian martyr. His verbal defense of the gospel before his accusers was a Spirit-inspired masterpiece, boldly proclaimed. He reminded them that it was Moses, whom they claimed to follow, that spoke of a coming prophet who would mediate God’s Word to them (Deut.18:14-19). Then, he compared them to the Israelites in the wilderness who rejected Moses, for they had rejected the Righteous One whom God had raised up “from their brothers,” Christ Jesus. Stephen was essentially preaching the words of Jesus, who said, “For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me” (John 5:46).