Combat Jealousy

Event: Paul and Barnabus In Pisidian Antioch
S - Scripture
Acts 13 v. 44-45 The next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered together to hear the word of God. But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with Jealousy, and contradicted what was spoken by Paul, and reviled him.

O - Observation
Jealousy. It’s so destructive. It’s so reflective of our sinful nature. Jealous is a symptom of ego. Why them and not me? I desire what they have, after all, I am more worthy than them. Jealousy, since it is connected to pride ties to the first thing in the list of things God hates. Proverbs 6 v, 16a, 17a, " There are six things which the Lord hates,.. Haughty eyes." Pride, Jealousy is what did in the devil. How do we combat Jealousy? 2 Peter 5 v, 5b, "Clothe yourselves, all of you with humility toward one another, for God opposes the proud, but gives grace towards the humble."

A - Application
Do I have jealousy in my own life? Am I combating it? 

P - Prayer
Jesus, Clothe me in extra layers of humility. Love Will

Image by PIRO from Pixabay 

Invest time at your church

Event: Paul's Farewell to the Ephesian Elders
S – Scripture
Acts 20 v. 28 Take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the Church of God.

 

O – Observation
Maintenance. Upkeep. Keeping things clean and in working order. I like to compare my wife's car with my older kids cars . Sandi keeps her car clean and protected. The Kids, well, the inside is a closet (except Paige). Its junky. It’s not as attractive. So it is with our churches. We need to spend time on our Church proper. We need to help with its functions.  The 80/20 rule really should not apply here. You know where 20% of the people do 80% of the work. It should be 100/100. Help with ushering, teach Sunday school, fold bulletins, help mow the grounds. There's always plenty to do. For me, God has given me an amazing Church in Alive in Christ.  It would only seem appropriate to give back to the Lord by giving my time and talents to my church.
 
A - Application
Am I investing any time in the operations of my church?
 
P - Prayer
Jesus, Help me to manage my time so that I can give it to the operations of my church.  Love Will.
 

Photo by Emmanuel Ikwuegbu on Unsplash

Long for the Good Stuff!!!

Event: Paul and Barnabus In Pisidian Antioch
S - Scripture
Acts 13 v. 42 As they went out, the people begged that these things might be told them the next Sabbath.

O - Observation
The Good Stuff. The message that Paul told the people in Antioch was so good, they were begging for more. That's what happens when you let the Holy Spirit flow through you. That's what happens when one fully grasps the amazing reality of what Jesus did for you. You want more. 1 Peter 2 v. 2-3, "Like newborn babies, long for the pure Spiritual Milk, that by it you may grow up to salvation; for you have tasted the kindness of the Lord." I love this analogy. I love the longing, the craving, the begging for the Good Stuff. A Key word in Peter's comment is Pure. We need to cleanse our Palette, our hearts from our sinful desires. That is when we can begin to fully appreciate the Good Stuff.

A - Application
Am I longing for the good stuff?

P - Prayer
Jesus, Help me to crave a Relationship with you. Love Will 

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Thank God for your Freedom!!!

Event: Paul’s message to the people In Pisidian Antioch
S - Scripture
Acts 13 v. 38-39a Let it be known to you therefore, brethren, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and by him everyone is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law.

O - Observation
Freedom. That's what Jesus is. That's what his death and resurrection has done for us. No longer do we have to worry about being good enough to get into heaven, or to get God's graces. Romans 5 v.8, "But God shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. " Now that is freedom, that's love. God has sent Jesus to be the substitute for our sins. We can never be perfect, keep the law, therefore, because of his death we have been set free. Hebrews 9 v. 15, "Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred which redeems them from the transgression under the first covenant.”

A - Application
Have I thanked God for my freedom?

P - Prayer
Jesus, Thank you for the new covenant, my freedom. Love Will

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Recognize what Jesus did for us

Event: Paul’s message to the people In Pisidian Antioch

S - Scripture
Acts 13 v. 36-37 For David, after he had served the counsel of God in his own generation, fell asleep, and was laid with his fathers, and saw corruption; but he whom God raised up saw no corruption.

O - Observation
Blameless. Spotless. Jesus. Jesus is the perfect sacrificial lamb. David, a man after God's heart and is viewed as the Greatest King, still had a very sin filled life; Lust, Adultery, Murder, Pride. Jesus, however was perfect. He had to be perfect so that his sacrifice (terrible pain filled death) would be of value. Jesus told us in Matthew 5 v. 17, "Think not that I have come to abolish he law and the prophets, I have come not to abolish them but to FULL FILL THEM." Only God can be perfect, can be spotless, sin free. Which is all the more amazing that he would be willing to go through what he did for you and I.

A - Application
Have I compared and contrasted my spottiness to his?

P - Prayer
Jesus, Thank you for being the perfect sacrificial lamb for me. Love Will

Image by BeccaH from Pixabay 

Bring it!!!

Event: Paul’s message to the people In Pisidian Antioch

S - Scripture
Acts 13 v. 32-33a And we bring to you the good news that what God promised to the fathers, this he has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus.

O - Observation
Bringing. Webster defines bring as to "carry something or a person to a place." In this case Paul is bringing the Good News of Jesus Christ to the people at Antioch. Each of us has been given a wonderful, amazing gift. The gift of eternal life in heaven. It is the ultimate safe house. There will be no worries in heaven. Revelation 7 v. 17b, "And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes." Having this gift should compel us to bring it to others, to share the Good News. Romans 10 v. 15b, "As it is written, 'How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news." Bring is an action verb. Bring requires getting off the couch and doing something about it.

A - Application
Do I have beautiful feet? Am I bringing it? (The Good News!!)

P - Prayer
Jesus, Help me to be a great bringer for you. Love Will

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Let Us Love One Another

 Guest Blog Post by Gary Riedel

S - SCRIPTURE:1John 4:7,8 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and loves God. Whoever does not love does not know God because God is love.

O - OBSERVATION: So where does love originate? Love’s origin is God, because God is love. Often man kind confuses love and it actually becomes selfish in that we say we love someone or something in order to perhaps gain something we crave for our self. That really is not even close to love but in reality is just the opposite, such feelings are usually a result of satan’s meddling in our lives, and do nothing to truly build up the object of our affection but are only to satisfy 
ourselves. 

A - APPLICATION: If we continue with this section of scripture we see a real example of love.v9-11 This is how God showed His love among us; He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to 
love one another. And so as we’ve been talking about serving in our church, love is the prerequisite for true service, if love is not the reason for service, than our service is only going through the motions and we will grow resentful and maybe even bitter. But when God’s great love for us motivates us to serve others out of love for God’s creation and people of every 
origin, then God’s love working through us allows all to grow including ourselves and all glory goes to God alone.

P - PRAYER: Dear Lord, keep us ever mindful that all love comes from You, and that as we serve You by serving others Your love is made manifest to the world for Your glory.
In Jesus Name, Amen

Trust in God - Regardless of the Situation

Event: Paul gets Shipwreck on the way to Rome
S – Scripture
Acts 27 v. 34-35 Therefore I urge you to take some food, it will give you strength, since not a hair is to perish from the head of any of you. And when he had said this he took bread and giving thanks to God in the presence of all, he broke it and began to eat.
 
O – Observation
Unwavering in the belief and trust of God's promise. Today's verse is Paul's response to the members aboard the ship to Italy. They were stuck in the middle of a horrendous storm, the ship had been battered for 14 days. Sailors were bailing off the ship. They were dumping cargo. It was pure survival mode. But, yet, Paul had been promised by an angel of God that he and the passengers would be saved. So in spite of the circumstances, Paul remained calm and trusting to the promise. There was not panic, there was no cursing to God, no why me's. Just TRUST.
 
A - Application
Am I trusting in God's promise to me regardless of my current circumstances?  
 
P – Prayer
Jesus, Give me a Rock Solid Faith.    Love Will.
 

Spend time with the Eye witnesses

Event: Paul’s message to the people In Pisidian Antioch

S - Scripiture

Acts 13 v. 30-31 But God raised him from the dead; and for many days he appeared to those who came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witness to the people.

 

O - Observation

Eye witnesses of a miracle, of the confirmation that Jesus is God. These verses speak to the importance of the eyewitnesses. The first thing about them is that they were there. They saw everything first-hand. They saw Jesus die along with other people such as the centurion. He said in Matthew 27 v, 54b, "Truly this was the Son of God." After his death and resurrection, he appeared and was touched, John 20 v. 26b-27, "But Jesus came and stood among them, and said, 'Peace be with you.' Then he said to Thomas, 'Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side; do not be faithless, but believing.'" These eye witnesses wrote the accounts of Jesus for us to know the truth - the Gospels.

 

A - Application

Have I read or re-read the Gospels recently?

 

P - Prayer

Jesus, Thank you for the eye witnesses. Love Will

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Memory work a great tool for your toolbox!

Event: Paul’s message to the people In Pisidian Antioch

S - Scripture

Acts 13 v. 25 And as John was finishing his course, he said, 'What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. No but after me one is coming, the sandals of whose feet I am unworthy to untie."

 

O - Observation

The importance of memorization. Paul was preaching to the people of Antioch. During his sermon he quotes John the Baptizer. It’s  great line to memorize. It's a line to help remind us of our position. Memorizing Bible verses is like putting tools in a tool box. You can use the verses you have memorized for the various situations in life. Psalm 110 v.105, "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light to my path." God’s word is provided to us to give us guidance. What's the use of a flashlight if you don't bring it with you?

 

A - Application

Am I putting tools in my toolbox?

 

P - Prayer

Jesus, Help me to memorize your word.  Love Will

Image by Amberrose Nelson from Pixabay

Be a person after God's heart

Event: Paul’s message to the people In Pisidian Antioch

S - Scripture

Acts 13 v. 22 And when he had removed him (Saul), he raise up David to be their King; of whom he testified and said, 'I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’

 

O - Observation

A man after God's heart. A man who was not perfect for sure; murder, adultery, pride. But a man completely zealous for the Lord. A man that completely respected the plans that God laid out for him. One of the definitions from Webster for the word after is "following." David followed God's lead. Good times and bad. He was hated by Saul. Saul pursued to kill  him. David had two chances to kill Paul, but he didn't. He respected God's sovereignty. Even after Saul died, his arch enemy, he still played homage to Gods elected King Saul. Yep, David was a man after God's hear in Good times and Bad.

 

A - Application

Could Jesus say that you are a man after God's heart?

 

P - Prayer

Jesus, Help me to live my life "after your heart."  Love Will

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Follow God's pattern for Growth

Event: Paul’s message to the people In Pisidian Antioch

S - Scripture

Acts 13 v. 17 The God of the people Israel chose our fathers and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with uplifted arm he led them out of it.

 

O - Observation

God does amazing things for those who he loves and has a relationship with. Israel was his (Paul) example of this. Is a great pattern. Bless - Test - Bless. The Israelites came to Egypt via Jacob due to a famine. He blessed the family so that they became a nation. He tested them by allowing them to go into slavery. He blessed them by leading them out and into the promised land. Think of Job. He was a blessed man. Had great wealth. Then the test, he lost it all, but still stayed true to God, then blessed. So don't be surprised if you experience this pattern in your own life, is a way that God uses to grow us.

 

A - Application

Have I seen this pattern in my own life? Am I thankful for it?

 

P - Prayer

Jesus, Grow me closer to you.  Love Will

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Surround yourself with fellow Christians

Event: Paul and Barnabus In Pisidian Antioch
S - Scripture
Acts 13 v. 15 After the reading of the Law and prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent to them saying, "Brethren if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say it."

O - Observation
Seek out men (and women) of God. That's what the leadership of the synagogue did. They knew they had some special Godly people in their presence. So they sought to hear what they had to say. We should follow their lead. We should "find" the Godly people in our lives and listen to their council, their wisdom. Hebrews 12 v. 1, " Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every sin which clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us." Surrounding yourself with Godly men (and women) helps keep you on track, helps to keep you strong in your faith.

A - Application
Am I surrounding myself with Christian people?

P - Prayer
Jesus, Send a great cloud of witness to me.   Love Will

Photo by Melissa Askew on Unsplash

Be astounded at the eternal things!

Event: Paul and Barnabus On Cyprus

S - Scripture
Acts 13 v. 12 Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had occurred, for he was astonished at the teaching of the Lord.

O - Observation
Astounding!! Amazing!! That's what this verse drips with. Webster defines amazement as, "give someone a feeling of great surprise or wonder." I find it amazing that given the proconsul just saw Paul filled with the Holy Spirit, to cause the magician Elmas to go blind, just by speaking to him, was not the thing that astounded him. No, it was the teachings of the Lord. Jesus rising from the dead is astounding!! God sending his Son down to the earth to take the brunt of our sins, our punishment so that we may live is in fact unbelievably astounding. Especially when we don't have to do or pay anything for it, except believe. Yep, the proconsul was astounded at the right things, the eternal things.

A - Application
Am I astounded at the teachings of the Lord? Does it make me want to know more?

P - Prayer
Jesus, I am amazed by you!! Love Will

Image by Sergey Nemo from Pixabay 

Let Your Light Shine

 Guest Blog Post by Gary Riedel

S - SCRIPTURE: Matthew 5:16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

O - OBSERVATION: Matthew says we bring glory to God when we serve others with love, care, and understanding. The light is really God’s love brought to others through we who love Him because He first loved us. It reminds me of the old praise song; It only takes a spark to get
a fire going, that’s how it is with God’s love, once you’ve experienced it, you want to pass it on.

A - APPLICATION: So how do you and I let our light shine as we live our daily lives? We serve on mission trips to help those who experience unfortunate events in our country and around the world. We send our youth on mission trips so they learn about service to others and also learn that they grow through service. You see, you can’t sincerely out of love, give of yourself to others without receiving more for yourself. Which brings me to the final point, there are many opportunities  to serve all around us, in our daily life. We let our light shine even with a friendly greeting and a welcome smile. God’s love can even shine through our eyes, as we share concerned and warm encouraging looks to others, so let’s let God’s love shine through everything we say and do.

P - PRAYER: Heavenly Father, You gave the ultimate gift of love to all of us in Jesus, help us to serve You by sharing our love with others. In Jesus Name, Amen

Photo by Prateek Gautam on Unsplash

Learn the facts of our faith

Event: Paul and Barnabus On Cyprus

S - Scripture
Acts 13 v. 7 He was with the pro-council, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence who summoned Barnabus and Saul (Paul) and sought to hear the word of God

O - Observation
Intellectually speaking. In this verse a man of great intelligence was thirsting to hear the word, the wisdom of God. I'm sure he heard the "rumblings" of what  the Christians were saying. I would guess that he was an acute observer,  after all, Psalm 19 v. 1, "The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork." All this second hand information, doesn't impact a person like first-hand information. So Sergius  Paulus called Barnabus and Saul so that he could hear what they had to say. Intellectually speaking, the case for Christ , the case for creation, is ROCK SOLID. The fact are the facts.

A - Application
Am I taking the time  to learn and understand the facts about our faith?

P - Prayer
Jesus, Help me to share your wisdom with the intellectuals.  Love Will

Photo by Ben White on Unsplash