6/10/19

Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God.
Romans 5:1 – 2

The apostle Paul writes that we are made right with God – justified – by our faith in Him. It means being corrected, put on the right path, redirected. We are no longer in opposition to God’s plan for our lives, but in line with His desires for us.

When you set up a document in a word processor, you can select the “justification”, which side the text is aligned with, so that the document looks the way you want. God wants us aligned with His side, not our own selfish ways, so He justifies us through faith.

Some people remember the meaning of justified in the phrase “just-as-if-I’d”, as in “just as if I’d never sinned”. Through the sacrifice of our Lord, our sin is washed away, and our faith justifies us to God. How will you be faithful today, that you may be justified, made right with Him and aligned with His purpose?

Gracious God, we ask forgiveness for the times that we wander from You, seeking the things we want and not what You want for us. Make us strong in our faith that we may follow Jesus to life eternal. Amen.

6/9/19

The coming of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-21) opens a new opportunity for Christ’s followers. Jesus instructed them to wait there for the promise of the Father. “This,” he said, “is what you have heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” (Acts 1:4-5). John also said that they would be baptized with fire (Matthew 3:11) and so they were when the tongues of flame appeared on them and they were given the ability to speak in different languages.

All of these signs were to strengthen them and give the assurance that even though Jesus no longer walked with them as a human, His presence would always accompany them, just as He promised. This gave them the courage to go and share the Good News as Jesus had called them to do.

Being able to speak in different languages was a wonderful gift, but it was a lesson for them and us – we must find a way to speak to those who need to hear about salvation. That doesn’t always mean learning a foreign language, it means learning their situation and being able to speak truth into their lives in meaningful ways.

It is difficult to help others if you don’t know their circumstances. Jesus went out and interacted with a wide variety of people, wanting to know them, and wanting them to know Him. He didn’t just sit in Jerusalem teaching, waiting for seekers to approach Him; He went out seeking them, and calls us to do the same.

Heavenly Father, we are often slow to see the people You send us to and the problems You call us to solve. Make us bold in our outreach, not waiting to help others and share Your love, but actively searching for ways to serve You in the world. Amen.

6/8/19

No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: ‘In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. Even upon my slaves, both men and women, in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy. And I will show portents in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and smoky mist. The sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the coming of the Lord’s great and glorious day. Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’

Acts 2:16-21

Peter begins his lesson to the people with a scripture quote from the prophet Joel, indicating that the coming of the Holy Spirit had been foretold, that God’s “slaves” – those who followed His commands – would be given gifts of visions and prophecy to share. This means that their testimony is true, and should have been expected by those who fear God.

God had long called Israel to be a nation of priests (Exodus 19:6) to proclaim Him to the world. Now with the coming of the Holy Spirit, they have additional guidance and strength to accomplish that mission. Peter’s teaching begins to explain this to those gathered there, showing that God is keeping His promise and that the people need to respond.

God calls us to be part of His nation of priests as well. Our service demonstrates our obedience to Him and our witness to the world that He is Lord of all. May others come to know His love by our example.

Loving Lord, we hear Your call to service through the gift of the Holy Spirit. Make us strong and send us where You would have us go that Your kingdom may come on earth. Amen.

6/7/19

Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning!

Acts 2:14-15

Peter begins to tell those assembled what is happening, and it will be the first testimony of Christ by the disciples to the crowds. Jesus told them when He returned to heaven that they were now His messengers, responsible for sharing His story and His love.

Peter becomes the spokesman for the group, and will teach simply but emphatically about Jesus’ resurrection. He doesn’t have any special training, but the gift of the Holy Spirit enables him to speak to the crowd in a way they can understand. That is Christ’s commandment, that we go to make disciples of all the world, and the best way to do that is by sharing how we know Him personally.

The things Jesus taught and Peter shared will change us and show us all a better way to live in God’s world. Through the coming of the Holy Spirit we are all blessed to be God’s representatives, called to speak the Word to everyone.

Gracious God, we are comforted by the presence of the Holy Spirit, guiding and inspiring us to follow the path You have for us. Let us be enthusiastic workers for Your kingdom, empowered to share Your love with all the world. Amen.

6/6/19

All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” But others sneered and said, “They are filled with new wine.” But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, “Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning.
Acts 2:12-16

The coming of the Holy Spirit has an effect on the disciples that is visible to everyone, but they do not all understand what has happened. As humans are prone to do, some ridicule the disciples and dismiss the event, saying their experience is nothing more than a drunken outburst, that they are not in control of themselves.

They did get that part right – the disciples are not in control of themselves, they are in the grip of grace, under the power of the Holy Spirit. Someone who has not felt the very presence of God has no frame of reference for comparison and those are most likely to attribute heavenly connections to merely human behavior.

When you ask God into your life, it makes a visible change in how you speak and act. If God has touched you, it is impossible to be the same worldly creature you were previously. Others may think your behavior is unusual, but that is what sets us apart as Christians. Instead of responding as the world does, we respond as Jesus would, caring for our brothers and sisters regardless of their situation or ability to do something for us in return.

Loving Lord, we are grateful and humbled by the gift of Your Holy Spirit. May we go as You have called us to share this joy with all the world, showing that Your love is given to everyone, no matter who or where they are. Amen.

6/5/19

Amazed and astonished, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.” All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?”
Acts 2:7-12

God had chosen the perfect time – as He always does – for the disciples to witness to a large and diverse group of people. The festival of Pentecost called faithful Jews from all over world to bring the offerings of their first fruits to the temple in Jerusalem. As the scripture records, there were people of all different nations and regions, and each heard the Word of God in their own native language. They were amazed by this, and many thought the disciples were drunk…or worse!

Are we like those who discounted the wonder that was occurring? Perhaps we would have sneered “oh, it’s just Google Translate!” Often our worldview and supposed sophistication lead us to dismiss everyday miracles all around us. We need to be more aware of God reaching out to us, wanting to grab our attention and have us focus on the connection with Him that is essential to our lives.

Today, open yourself to God’s gentle nudges. It could be very simple, but it could also be life-changing. Listen for His greeting and be ready to hear the call He places on each of our lives to share His love with everyone.

Gracious God, thank You for calling us into Your holy work here on earth. Help us to hear the invitation and respond enthusiastically, ready to go where You send us with the Good News. Amen.

6/4/19

Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. Amazed and astonished, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language?
Acts 2:5-8

Have you ever been to a country where a different language is spoken? Even if you are familiar with it, when you hear your own language, it is like a beacon – we are intricately connected to our roots through our language. That’s how it was for those who heard the disciples speaking in different languages on the day of Pentecost.

The Holy Spirit came to them with the gift of being able to reach others through speaking their own language. This gift wasn’t for the disciples specifically, but that those around them might be touched by God’s love. That’s how it is with all of God’s gifts, they are given to us for a purpose, to further His work through us.

What gifts has God given you to build His kingdom here? Each of us have something special He can use to continue the mission Jesus gave us – to make disciples of all the world. Ask God to help you put your gift from Him to good use in the world. Someone out there needs what you have to share.

Loving Lord, thank You for all the good gifts You provide for us. Help us to be good stewards of these resources that You may be glorified and Your children brought back to connection with You. Amen.

6/3/19

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.
Acts 2:1-4

Jesus told the disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the coming of the Holy Spirit, God’s divine presence given to each of us. It is our inspiration and guide, helping us to follow His teaching and share His love with the world. This was a new experience for the followers of Jesus, who were used to having Him present with them. In this new phase of their mission, they were responsible for the spread of the Good News themselves.

Jesus said we would not be left alone. He promised that “the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you.” (John 14:26) While Jesus would no longer be physically present, we can be encouraged and supported by the Holy Spirit in our lives.

God wants us to be part of His saving work, and to be with us in our lives every day. Through the Holy Spirit we are blessed with His love and care, enabled to go into the world to share the Word with everyone. May we burn with the fire of Pentecost today and always!

Loving Lord, we are grateful for the coming of the Holy Spirit in our lives. May it fill our hearts and move us to speak and act in Your name. Bless us to bless others that all the world may know You. Amen.

6/2/19

Our scripture this week (Acts 16:16-40) tells the story of Paul and his friends traveling to Macedonia to share the Gospel there. The lesson is one of obedience to God’s will, subordinating our desires and doing what He asks of us. While Paul’s group has success, they also meet opposition and suffer personal hardship, but God blesses their obedience in their mission.

It seems we find it hard to be obedient in everyday circumstances, how much harder is it to obey when we are challenged by the world? God understands the difficulties we face and gives us the strength and support we need to accomplish our tasks if we trust in Him and not in ourselves! If Paul had trusted himself, they would never have gone to Macedonia, until God sent the vision to Paul he was trying to go elsewhere.

When we go it alone, we often fail. God wants us to follow His plan for our lives, which isn’t always easy. We must choose to be obedient, He will not force us. His love is always there for us, to be the source of our hope and our guide to the work He has for us. When we go God’s way rather than our own, it may be difficult – Jesus tells us it is a narrow gate that leads to salvation (Matthew 7:13-14) and we must stay on the path – but when we keep God’s commandments we are blessed.

Ask God what He has in mind for you today and every day. We may not receive a vision as Paul did, but when we ask earnestly for guidance, God always has an answer. Listen for His voice and be ready to obey, and like Paul and Silas, God will have a mission for you.

Wise and wonderful God, we are grateful to be part of Your plan for salvation. Help us to listen for the direction You give, to be ready to go in Your name to share the Good News with all our brothers and sisters. Amen.

6/1/19

The officers reported this to the magistrates, and when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, they were alarmed. They came to appease them and escorted them from the prison, requesting them to leave the city. After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia’s house, where they met with the brothers and sisters and encouraged them. Then they left.
Acts 16:38-40

Why didn’t Paul and Silas claim their rights in the first place and avoid the beating and imprisonment? They could have spared themselves the pain and shame. Does this perhaps sound a little familiar? We could ask the same thing of Jesus – why didn’t He claim His heavenly citizenship and use the power that was rightfully His to escape death? God had a better plan in both cases and Paul and Silas were obedient to God’s will, like Jesus, even when it meant suffering for themselves.

Paul had planted the seed of a church in Philippi at Lydia’s house. Now he also has made believers of the jailer and his household. This fragile community of Christians will need protection to grow and flourish in a Roman stronghold. Now he has “leverage” to use there – publicly beating and imprisoning Roman citizens without a trial could result in the city leaders being dismissed, imprisoned or executed – this provides “insurance” for the Philippian church.

When have you been called to endure undeserved hardship for the sake of your faith? In our society we may not face physical abuse or arrest, but are we sometimes made fun of or dismissed by society because of our choice to follow Jesus? Ask God for guidance and strength to stand against worldly and eternal evil when you are threatened by it. God will bless your efforts!

Gracious God, thank You for heroes of the faith who opposed evil even when it meant personal hardship and pain. Make us strong like they were to proclaim the Gospel against all the enemy’s attacks. Amen.