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Paul’s Ministry on Melita
Read Acts 28:1-10
“And it came to pass, that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and of a bloody flux: to whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and laid his hands on him, and healed him” (v. 8).
Being in a sanctuary and enjoying radiant beauty as the light streams through stained glass windows is calming. Soothing. Even healing. This is an excellent environment in which to open ourselves up to what God wants to say to us through His messenger. We are spiritually reinvigorated. But for what purpose?
While it is true that we personally need these times of worship and renewal, it is not only for our personal benefit, but it is also necessary to fit us for the work outside the walls of the church. We are called to go out allowing God to touch others through our lives. That is the essence of effective gospel outreach.
How is it with you? Is your pattern to drag into church on Sunday with the hope that your gospel “fix” will get you through another week of trials and tests? What you are really looking for is like getting another coat of “spiritual Teflon®” that will protect from the onslaughts of the world.
Here is a better way to look at this. Yes, come to church for the personal help you need, both from God and through the communion of believers, but go out into the world with the intention of staying focused on your real mission in life — to spread the good news. To comfort those hurting and oppressed. To help others encounter God. (Ken Farmer)
This week’s featured devotional is the Monday, May 19, 2014 entry of Opening the Word. Order your copy!
Photo credit: "IMG_4677" by Urban Girl used under CC BY 2.0 / Resized and cropped.
Confidence During Crisis
May 18, 2014 - Lesson 12
Printed Text: Acts 27:15-25, 33-36
Central Truth: Faith in God will bring us safely through the storms of life.
Lesson Outline:
- The Folly of Trusting Self (Acts 27:1-13)
- The Wisdom of Trusting God (Acts 27:14-26)
- Deliverance through Trusting God (Acts 27:27-44)
God’s Power Over the Sea
Read Psalm 107:23-30
“For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof” (v. 25).
Ever wonder how marine creatures ended up as fossils atop the highest mountains? I recently heard a creationist geologist explain his model of what happened during Noah’s flood. While his explanation is too complex for this devotional, evidence indicates that God used several cataclysmic processes to cover the continents with repeated surges of sea water that deposited the multi-layered graveyards of untold numbers of creatures.
Not even the most powerful tropical storms of today begin to duplicate the results of the flood, but they do display God’s mighty power. For example, consider Hurricane Sandy. With a wind field 1100 miles in diameter, Sandy’s storm surges and flooding rains inflicted an estimated $65 billion in damages in the United States alone. In the face of such power, how puny a human being seems!
How small we feel when the storms of life rage about us! That is when we need to remember that the God who controls the wind and waves of the sea, controls our lives. In answer to prayer, He will bring calm to our spirits — even in the midst of the tempest. (JLC)
Thou dost ever watch Thy children, And their strength and peace wilt be.
— August Gottlieb Spangenberg
If a storm is battering your little vessel, do not jump ship! The Master is on board and still speaks peace.
This week’s featured devotional is the Monday, May 12, 2014 entry of Opening the Word. Order your copy!
Photo credit: "I almost crossed this one" by Marsel Minga used under CC0 / Cropped.
God’s Message Interpreted
Read Daniel 5:17-31
“This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it” (v. 26).
Effective witness is based on God’s Word. When the strange message appeared on King Belshazzar’s wall, no one could understand its meaning. Not even the wisest astrologers and soothsayers of his kingdom were able to decipher the words that had materialized. What could the king do?
The queen recalled a man named Daniel, in whom was “the spirit of the holy gods,” a man of excellent spirit, knowledge, and understanding, who had interpreted dreams and dissolved doubts (vs. 10-12). The king called Daniel and presented him with the problem — and God gave His prophet the meaning of the words and conveyed through him the divine message.
Philip also used God’s Word as the foundation of witness when he spoke with the eunuch on the Gaza road. The eunuch was traveling in his chariot, reading a scroll, and puzzling over the words of Isaiah 53. Like Belshazzar, the eunuch read words he did not comprehend. “Does this man speak of himself or of someone else?” he asked (Acts 8:34). Evangelist Philip, using Isaiah’s words as his text, “opened his mouth . . . and preached unto him Jesus” (v. 35).
Salvation comes by way of God’s Word. We are saved through faith in Him and His promises, not by human platitudes or pronouncements. Using appropriate Scripture is a key means of giving effective witness. (SEH)
God delights in the sharing of His Word.
This week’s featured devotional is the Tuesday, May 16, 2014 entry of Opening the Word. Order your copy!
A Powerful Testimony
May 11, 2014 - Lesson 11
Printed Text: Acts 26:19-29
Central Truth: A Christian should take advantage of every opportunity to witness for Christ.
Lesson Outline:
- An Accusation (Acts 25:1-27)
- A Witness (Acts 26:1-23)
- A Rejection (Acts 26:24-32)
Delivered From Trouble
Read Daniel 3:26-30
“Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, came forth of the midst of the fire” (v. 26).
What a wonderful testimony of the power of God! The deliverance of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego must have greatly encouraged the faithful Jews and brought conviction to those who were compromising their faith.
Life may be fairly safe and comfortable where you and I are living today, but in many parts of the world God’s people are paying a high price to maintain their testimony and their separation from the world. As we move toward the end of the age, the furnace of opposition will be heated hotter and hotter, and the pressure to conform will become stronger and stronger. It will take a great deal of grace, prayer, courage, and faith for the holy people of God to stand tall for holiness, while others are bowing the knee to the gods of this world.
Revelation 13 and 14 tell of a day when those who refuse to obey the godless leader will not even be allowed to buy and sell the basic necessities of life. May God help us to be faithful to the end and keep our trust in the God of deliverance. (Marshall Mosley)
Trust in God’s power to deliver you!
This week’s featured devotional is the Thursday, May 1, 2014 entry of Opening the Word. Order your copy!
Photo credit: "flaming gold" by palo used under CC BY 2.0 / Resized and cropped.