Galatians 2:9
James, Peter and John, those reputed to be pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me. They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the Jews.
The right hand is important in fellowship. Even left-handed people shake hands with their right hand. The right side is considered the side of importance and power. Consider the saying, “He’s my right-hand man.” It is a position of trust.
Here Paul and Barnabas were given the right hand of fellowship – they were accepted as fellow ministers and believers in the body of Christ. This was important, because before his salvation, Paul had a reputation as being a deadly enemy of the church.
How were the early believers able to trust him enough to embrace Paul into their spiritual family? The answer is in this verse. It happened when they recognized the grace given to him. They were able to see that he had a calling from God to bring the Gospel of Christ to the Gentiles.
So often Christians find themselves unfulfilled. This shouldn’t be the case. We all have a calling from the Father. Sometimes we blame God and say that He hasn’t spoken to us about our calling. I think that in many cases it is more a problem of inactivity. The verse above says that they recognized the grace that Paul was given to minister to Gentiles. If he had never done anything, there would not have been any recognizing.
Today, don’t just go to church. Make it your goal to be the church. Do something for the Lord. Allow His Spirit and His grace to work through you. Who knows, maybe you or others will recognize a gift of God’s grace in you. Then you can be fulfilled as you pass on the blessing of God to others.
Tags: accept, Bible, calling, Christian, church, devotion, fellowship, fulfilled, gift, grace, recognize, right hand, spiritual family, trust, unfulfilled
Galatians 6:4-5
Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, for each one should carry his own load.
It is the great destroyer of life.
“Why can’t you be like…”
“Why can’t I be like…”
It will rob you of your joy. It will make your life miserable.
I love to hike, but when I first started, it was a very frustrating experience. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed the hiking part. But I would be zooming along as fast as my little Italian legs could carry me. Then these other hikers who were all legs (and seemed to be only strolling along) passed me like I was standing still.
The envy that I felt robbed me of the pleasure I should have been experiencing. It was only when I learned to enjoy MY hike that the pleasure returned.
It is the same in our daily lives. We are all different. Don’t compare what someone else is doing to what you are doing. You can always find somebody doing better than you, just as you can always find someone doing worse. Comparing only serves to make you frustrated.
Take some time today to thank God for who you are. Thank Him for your gifts, callings, strengths and weaknesses. They all combine to make you a unique and precious gift in the Body of Christ.
Tags: Bible, calling, Christian, compare, comparing, devotion, encouragement, envy, frustration, gifts, joy, strengths, thankful, unique
Psalm 78:19
They spoke against God, saying, “Can God spread a table in the desert?
Once again we find that Israel is complaining. They seemed to have spent most of their time angry and grumbling at God. Usually they didn’t even give God the opportunity to prove Himself before they went off on their own tirade.
In this instance they didn’t think that He was capable of feeding them all in the wilderness. They were complaining over what they saw as a short supply of food. God, however, once again proved that He was more than able to abundantly supply their needs.
Hopefully you have enough food as you read this. The truth is that our life is more than just being well fed physically. There is a deeper hunger that natural food, no matter how plentiful, cannot ever satisfy.
The issue I want to deal with today is not food for our body, but food for the soul. As with your body, God is equally able to feed your spiritual man. As we come into His presence each new day we can have a rich feast awaiting our soul. God has already provided everything we need for life and godliness. It is up to us to believe God and pull up to the table.
Spend some quality time with the Lord today. Let Him satisfy your inner hunger. Go your way rejoicing in the goodness and bounty of the Holy Spirit working in you. Find out for yourself that God can truly spread a table in the wilderness.
Tags: Bible, Christian, complaining, desert, devotion, encouragement, God's faithfulness, goodness, presence of the lord, spiritual food, wilderness
Faith is not a one-time thing. It is a way of living.
Romans 4:12
And he is also the father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.
(NIV)
The word footsteps in this passage actually means a path that was created by many people walking the same way over time. Over and over again there were men and women who followed the same path of faith that Abraham used.
God is not a respecter of persons. He doesn’t ask everybody to do something different. He requires the same from all of us – faith. We must learn to trust God in all things, just like Abraham had to. Each new generation of believers can see where others have walked before.
Sure, the technology changes. We use new words and have new concerns to deal with. But our God doesn’t change. The same God who took care of Abraham in the wilderness, is the God who will see us through the challenges of the times we live in. Only He knows the end from the beginning and can safely take us through to an abundant life.
Think about it! This path of faith that we are walking is the same path that Abraham trod thousands of years ago. Over time, with each new believer adding their steps, the path has become clearer and clearer. It led them to see the glory of God and it will take us to the same location.
How unfortunate that so many believers don’t look at the path in that way. They think it is too narrow and constrictive. They want to see more than just the view from this trail. We must keep reminding ourselves that this path is the one that can truly lead us to the abundant life. If it brought Abraham there, then with God’s help, I can reach that destination as well.
Tags: Abraham, abundant life, Bible, challenges, Christian, devotion, disciple, faith, footsteps, glory, overcoming, path, trust
Acts 1:9-11
After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”
(NIV)
Yesterday I shared about the reason we need to know about the return of the Lord. We saw that Jesus taught His disciples that the important thing was being a witness. After explaining all this to the disciples, He rose from the earth and was taken out of their sight. The tragedy is that there are too many Christians around who are just like those disciples. You know them. It’s almost as if their life can be summed up with those words, “WHY ARE YOU LOOKING UP INTO HEAVEN?”
That seems to be their whole outlook on life. Their only goal is to find out when Jesus is coming back. “Lord, is it today? Can somebody tell me? Is it going to be this week?” Their whole Christian life is looking to see when Jesus is coming back. In doing that they miss the main emphasis given to us by Christ, which is “BE A WITNESS.”
What we usually find when we read through the Scripture is that when Jesus or the Apostles talk about the Second Coming of the Lord, the main theme of the teaching is usually about something else. The Return of Christ itself is not their main focus. When we think about it, the main emphasis should be the change that is needed in our lives to prepare us for the return of the Lord. The apostles only seem to use the return of Christ as a side illustration to emphasize the urgency that is needed to spur us on to change our ways.
There are so many people worried about what’s going to happen next. They are always asking, “Am I going to make it?” If that’s you – SNAP OUT OF IT! God is going to see us through. I’ll tell you now how it all ends – we win. All the rest is about how we get there. The end has already been written even though we haven’t reached it yet.
Christ is returning. That is a Scriptural fact. The real issue is what I am doing with this knowledge. Am I sitting back, doing nothing until He comes to get me? Or is it propelling me forward to share God’s love with others? The choice is yours.
Tags: Bible, Christ, Christian, Christian witness, church, devotion, God's will, Jesus Christ, prepare, return of Christ, second coming, testimony
The Bible talks a lot about the return of Christ. Why is that so important to us?
Acts 1:6-8
So when they met together, they asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”
He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
(NIV)
The Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ is probably the most talked about subject in all of Christianity. Unfortunately, many believers miss the point of why God put this teaching in the Scripture. Too many people want to know about Christ’s return for the wrong reasons. Some want to know simply to satisfy their curiosity. Others like sensationalism. These are not good reasons to study the Word of God.
As Jesus prepares His disciples for His departure into Heaven, He tells the them to go to Jerusalem and wait there for the baptism of the Holy Spirit. When that happens, they will be given all the power that they need to bring the Gospel to the ends of the earth.
As they share this time with the Lord, they ask Him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” This was a burning question that they had on their minds. Think of it. Jesus rose from the dead! When Jesus was ministering on earth He was able to feed 5,000 people with just a few loaves and fishes. Just imagine Him leading the army of Israel. The Romans can’t kill him. He can supply all the food they need. He can get money out of a fish’s mouth. How could they lose with a commander like that? The disciples must have decided that now is the time to restore the Kingdom of Israel.
Surprisingly, Jesus tells them that they don’t need to know the Father’s timetable. The most important thing to know is how to be a witness. We know about the Return of Christ in order to be a WITNESS. Why? By knowing the times and seasons, we can better understand the hour in which we are living. We can better understand the closeness of Christ’s return. It is this information that will give us the incentive we need to bring others into the kingdom before it’s too late. That’s why Jesus shares with them the exhortation that they don’t have to worry about the “when”.
You don’t have to be anxious about the day or the hour of His return either. These things are all in the Father’s hands. That’s His job. What you and I need to know is how to be the best witness we can be. We must major on how to bring God’s glory to the earth while we still have that chance.
Tags: Bible, Christ, Christian, Christian witness, church, devotion, encouragement, God's will, Jesus Christ, prepare, return of Christ, second coming, testimony
Have you seen anything awesome lately?
Psalm 47:2
How awesome is the LORD Most High, the great King over all the earth!
(NIV)
I have been thinking lately about our language. Particularly, the words we use. Words that have become commonplace in our everyday speech patterns. I wonder about them. Now I want to give my humble opinion about what I call God words. These are words that really can only be applied to God and His works.
The first I thought about was the word awesome. It’s a word I hear used all the time – about everything.
“Awesome cookies.”
“That movie was awesome.”
“You did awesome on that test.”
Is that really how this word should be used? I looked it up in the dictionary. Under awesome it said, “Inspiring awe.” That didn’t help too much. What’s awe? The dictionary said, “Reverential fear, dread mixed with veneration.” Now tell me, does that really describe a cookie?
I am reminded of a trip I took as a chaperone of high school students. Some of them were city kids who had never been away from home. At one point we took them to see the Grand Canyon. When the view suddenly opened up, there was silence. These students who were always laughing and joking about everything were standing there with their mouths dropped open, unable to speak. That is awe.
The next time you hear or use the word awesome, let it remind you of its true meaning and the awesome God that we serve.
Tags: awe, awesome, Bible, Christian, devotion, glory, Grand Canyon, language, presence of the lord, reverence, words
Acts 2:42
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
(NIV)
This was the description of the early church in the book of Acts. The church was an exciting place. They were growing and reaching their world with the Gospel of Christ. The secret was their devotion to Christ in a number of ways – one of which was the fellowship.
It all come down to what devotion means. The Greek word for devotion literally means “strong, steadfast, and enduring toward.” Believers would probably all agree that we need to be strong and enduring toward reading the Bible. We must continue steadfastly in prayer. What we have a problem in is the fellowship.
When it comes to meeting together with the body of Christ, many act like it is only a good idea if there is nothing better to do. Parties, sports activities, and playtime come first in the lives of many Christians. Then we wonder why the church in America seems to be very ineffective in reaching our culture.
It’s time for us to return to the values that propelled the early church forward. We must embrace the same spirit of fellowship. Be a part of what God is doing in these last days. Devote yourself to the fellowship of believers that God has called you to. Let this work in you as it did in those who first received the Gospel.
Tags: attendance, Bible, Christian, church, devoted, devotion, early church, fellowship, meeting, testimony, unity
Lamentations 3:22-24
Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.”
Never get the idea that God is just waiting for us to mess up so that He can strike us down. It is just the opposite. He is looking out for our best. The Lord wants each of us to experience the ultimate fulfillment in life.
To bring this about, He walks with us, guiding us each day – showing us compassion and faithfulness. Let’s face it, if it were God’s goal to judge us, He would not have to wait long for us to make a mistake. Each one of us has a personal history such that if He wanted to, the Lord could lock us in Hell and throw away the key.
The fact is, God has proven His intent through the death and resurrection of Christ. He loved us enough to go to the cross. He wouldn’t have done that if He was intent on condemning us.
Come to God today in a spirit of expectancy. Be ready to hear and obey His plans for your life. Wait on Him in the stillness of trust and dependancy. Spend some time just listening for that still, small voice inside you. It will be well worth your time.
Tags: Bible, Christian, devotion, encouragement, faith, God's faithfulness, God's love, Holy Spirit, holy worship, presence of the lord, trust, wrath
Isaiah 54:10
Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you.
They seem so powerful, so enduring. Their immense size and lofty construction give us the idea that they will last forever. Yet a viewing of the pictures of the Mount St. Helens tragedy illustrates how even a mountain can crumble at any time.
We, as human beings, tend to be impressed very easily. We are quick to use labels such as “always”, “never”, and “forever.” We seem to apply these to the most inappropriate parts of life – governments, economies, relationships, and so many other man-made institutions. The events of September eleventh proved the foolishness of that kind of thinking.
Don’t fall into the trap of assigning eternal value to temporary things. In spite of all this, there is a stable place in the world. Even though the seemingly unshakable can topple, God’s love, His covenant, and His compassion will never fail. They are established, eternal, and unshakable.
Meditate on the Lord’s faithfulness today. Give Him praise for His unchanging and unwavering love – that love which reaches down to us at our point of need. Spend time in the presence of the Eternal One today. Receive from Him what you need to be established in your way.
Tags: Bible, Christian, devotion, encouragement, established, eternal, faith, God's faithfulness, mountain, presence of the lord, temporary, unshakable
The Spirit and the Word 