Proclaiming the Excellencies

 Guest Blog by Gary Riedel

S - SCRIPTURE: 1Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him Who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.

O - OBSERVATION: This has always been a special verse for me, God tells us we are chosen by Him, that we are part of the priesthood of all believers, a Holy people of His own possession! Wow! I would remind us that we are none of this by our own merit, but all of these by God’s  gracious will and because of the sacrifice of His only Son Jesus. “But God shows His love for us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

A - APPLICATION: The last portion of this verse is the witness (our mission) portion and the acknowledgment of Who gets the credit for choosing us to proclaim the excellencies of Him Who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. God chose us to be His witness! What an incredible honor, how could we not give this calling from God our best effort!

P - PRAYER:Gracious Father, May we always remember it was You who chose us to share Jesus with the world! Please help us in our human weakness to do Your bidding so that all might come to the knowledge of the truth. In Jesus Name, Amen

Photo by Gift Habeshaw on Unsplash

We will be judged

Event: Saul’s Conversion

S - Scripture
Acts 9 v. 3-4 Now as he journeyed he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed about him. And he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, Why do you persecute me?" 

O - Observation
Judgment. The ultimate judge. God. In these verses, Saul is getting judged. Saul is experiencing firsthand the emotions that will be experienced on Judgment day. Romans 14 v. 11, "for it is written, As I live says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me and every tongue shall give praise to God." I think of Judgment day, everyone will bow to God, They will be either saying Sweet or S&#t. Sweet, my faith is true. I will be in heaven. Or, S&#t. I'm screwed. Unbelievable Joy! Or Terrification  beyond  description.

A - Application
Am I preparing myself for Judgment?

P - Prayer
Jesus, I call upon your name to save me. Love Will

Be Passionate for Christ

Event: Saul’s Conversion
S - Scripture
Acts 9 v. 1-2 But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

O - Observation
Passion. Good. Evil. Warfare. These two verses remind me of passionate people. People passionate for a cause. The obvious, Saul, hating Christians, wanting to eradicate them. Pursuing a trail to hunt them down. Christians, willing to put their name on letters to their synagogues, even thought they would be criticized by their leaders, (Clueless, I'm sure at that time that their letters in the end was their stamp to death.) Its war. Ephesians 6 v. 12, "For we are not contending against flesh and blood, but against principalities against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in heavenly places."

A - Application
So it we are in a war, (we are), am I choosing to be passionate for the Lord?

P - Prayer
Jesus, Place a burning passion in my heart for you. Love Will

Don't let anythng stop you!

Event: Phillip and the Ethiopian

S - Scripture

Acts 8 v. 36 And as they went along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, "See here is water! What is to prevent my being baptized?"

O - Observation
No stoppers. This verse reminds me of two key concepts. 1) Nothing should prevent you from acting as an agent of the Lord. You do not have to be a paid "professional", pastor, DCE, worship leader, to take part in growing the kingdom. Phillip didn't say, "Well let's get you back to Jerusalem where the rest of my church is. No check out the verse  before. Acts 8 v. 35, "Then Phillip opened his mouth, and beginning with this scripture he told him the good news of Jesus." 2) Nothing should get in the way of a child like faith. The eunuch displayed this when upon hearing the good news logically, matter of factly said, here's water, I want to get baptized. There was no humming or hawing. Just a childlike reaction to the good news.

A - Application
What's stopping me?

P - Prayer
Jesus, Let me follow through with the opportunities you give me. Help me to have faith like a child.    Love Will

Photo by Joshua Eckstein on Unsplash

Recognize the people God puts in front of you!

Event: Phillip and the Ethiopian

S - Scripture
Acts 8 v. 30-31a  So Phillip ran to him (Ethiopian, a eunuch, a minister of Candace, queen of Ethiopians) and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and asked, "Do you understand what you are reading?" And he said, "How can I unless someone guides me."

O - Observation
It's amazing who God will put in front of you. And the common statement, "I need someone to guide me, explain to me what it all means." In this case, God put an influential person in another country for Phillip to share the good news. No wonder Phillip was led by God to go down a desert road! But the Eunuch, like a lot of people today was looking for spiritual guidance. At least he was starting in the scriptures! So many folks today, sense the void, the need for spirituality, but have no idea on how to find it. Thus the looking in all the wrong places. Perhaps, you and I have been placed in people's lives to help guide them.

A - Application
Am I pulling a Phillip and helping guide folks to Christ?

P - Prayer
Jesus, Thanks for putting the people in front of me. Give me wisdom how to guide them to you.  Love Will

Photo by Tim Graf on Unsplash

Follow God's Lead

Event: Phillip and the Ethiopian

S - Scripture
Acts 8 v. 26-27a But an angel of the Lord said to Phillip, "rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." This is a desert road. And he rose and went.

O - Observation
Wow!!! Following God's lead. Even when it doesn't make sense or he hasn't revealed the why? Phillip was instructed to go down a desert road. Away from people, villages, cities. Didn't make sense. But, to me the most amazing thing is, he did it. He didn't ask questions, he just went. Moses and the Israelites are another example, they just followed God's lead. At the time it didn't make sense. The Israelites trapped by the Red Sea and the charging Egyptian Army. Phillip to the desert. In both cases, God had an amazing plan. In both cases, they followed God's lead.

A - Application
Am I following where God is leading me? Really?

P - Prayer
Jesus, Strip away my fear and help me to follow your lead where ever that is.  Love Will

Photo by Ben White on Unsplash

It is good to intercede for others!

Event: Simon the Sorcerer

S - Scripture
Acts 8 v. 24 And Simon answered, "Pray for me to the Lord, that nothing you have said may come to me."

O - Observation
Sincerity. Intercession. This is the last we hear of Simon (in this chapter, perhaps the rest of the bible.) I'm not really sure what happened to him, but I would have to believe, his heart was changed, that he was sincere in his desire to be with Jesus. Simon asked for the disciples to pray for him, to interceded for him. Two thoughts on this. 1) We should be praying, interceding for others. Moses did this for the people of Israel. Jesus did it for others, even while hanging on the cross!!! Which leads to point #2. Romans 8 v. 34, "Who then is the one who condemns? NO one. Christ Jesus who died more than that, who was raised to life. Is at the right hand of God and is also INTERCEDING for us."

A - Application
Am I interceding for others? Am I thankful for Jesus intercession?

P - Prayer
Jesus, Thanks for interceding for me.   Love Will