Singing in the Stocks

Acts 16:25

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.

 

After Paul had driven the evil spirit out of the slave girl, her owners and the townspeople became enraged seizing them and taking them before the magistrates. After the charge was verbalized, the crowd began attacking them, and the magistrates tore off their clothes giving orders for them to be beaten. The blows rained on them hot and heavy followed by a quick trip to prison with strict instructions to the jailer to keep them safely. Certainly, this was unlike any ordinary court of law with order and decorum. Fearing for his life, he put them in the inner prison and in stocks.

 

Just imagine when their bodies felt like with lacerations and bruises beyond belief and then being  confined in an awkward position. A situation like this this would cause most people to grumble, curse, and even question God. But not Paul and Silas! Amazingly they began singing hymns. What an eye-opener for me! How many times have I become discouraged during a trial or times of intense pain? Have I ever resorted to singing hymns? What a witness! As the prisoners were listening, an earthquake shook the foundations of the prison opening doors and loosing bonds. The jailer instantly assumed Paul and Silas had escaped and was preparing to kill himself. Unlike Peter's experience in jail, Paul and Silas remained. Calling out to the jailer, he ran to them and fell at their feet. What a perfect divine appointment! Sharing the gospel, the jailer and his household believed. According to God's perfect will and timing, what man meant for evil, God meant for good. Suffering and opposition do not necessarily mean God is shutting the door.

 

The jailer took them to his home, washed and cared for their wounds and fed them. The household rejoiced that Jesus had saved them. But when it was day, the magistrates sent for them. Paul would not go telling them that he and Silas were Roman citizens. The police and the magistrates were appalled that they had treated the men so badly and came and apologized to them. Leaving the city, they visited Lydia again, the one whom God had opened her heart to pay attention. How exciting to see God working in the spread of His gospel! Sometimes without opposition and sometimes with intense opposition.! During all of it, Paul and Silas focused their eyes on God and never lost sight of their mission.

 

Father,

Strengthen my heart for the proclamation of Your gospel. Take away my fear and give me that same spirit that allowed Paul and Silas to sing in the stocks. Help me keep my eyes on You and not on the circumstances.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Opened Her Heart

Acts 16:14

One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.

 

In response to the Macedonian vision, Paul and Timothy made their way to Philippi, a leading city in Macedonia and a Roman colony. Remaining in the city for a few days, they went outside the gate to the riverside where there was supposed to be a place of prayer. It was here at a divine appointment that Paul met Lydia. How beautiful is God's timing! In the first place, Lydia was not from that city but from Thyatira (a goodly distance away). Yet, she had come to the river to worship and to pray with other women.

 

Lydia herself was a business woman, a seller of purple goods which implies she was a woman of means and decisive action, but the important thing about her was that she was a worshiper of God. As Paul talked to her, The Lord opened her heart to pay attention. What a beautiful way to express the drawing of the Lord! When the Lord draws a person to Himself there is no distance too great, no messenger too far away, and no heart unprepared. He will bring to pass all the circumstances necessary for that one saving moment. The text transitions immediately from her listening to the baptism of Lydia and her household. Clearly, her heart was responsive, and she was ready to follow the Lord. Seizing the opportunity, she invited Paul and Timothy to stay at her house. Such a house guest as this would mean more teaching and more growth! Not only was her heart opened, but it was also hungry for the words that would help her grow as a disciple of the Lord.

 

Father,

As I read Your word and walk through each day, open my heart to pay attention to the opportunities for growth and for witness that You bring in my life. Help me be decisive in each day's circumstances, constantly learning and growing.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Put to Death

Col. 3:5-7

Put to death what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In this you once walked, when you were living in them.

 

Put to death sounds so decisive! There is no wiggle room, no place for hanging onto bad habits or allowing outbursts of the flesh. So what to do? I know that I can't accomplish this new life in my own strength, but by the same token, I just can't sit idle waiting for this new life to drop down on me complete and finalized. I know that the process of dying to self is a continuous struggle of obedience to His will in place of my disobedience and self-will. But specifically, how do I start this process of submission?

 

II Cor. 13:5 says Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you. I need to take a good hard look to see if my life stacks up with the clear teaching of the Bible. If I say yes, then am I living like Christ is in me? If I am, then 'Christ in me' should be a huge determiner of what my life should be. Christ in me...How powerful is that! Living carelessly and foolishly is an affront to His sacrifice and His holiness.

 

II Cor. 7:1 says Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God. I do have the promises of the Word. With the light of the word in my life revealing areas of sin and self still hanging on, I can cleanse myself. There is no room for godliness when sinfulness is there.

 

Heb. 3:12-13 says But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called today, that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. This is a hard one...having other believers exhort me. Certainly, it would point out the pride still hanging on in my life. Sin is deceitful and has the potential to harden my heart toward the promises of the word, hardening my heart and convincing me that certain behaviors in my life are just bad habits and not sin, that they are really alright, and that they are not disobedience. How deceitful is my sin!

 

II Pet. 1:9-10 says For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. There fore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make you calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fail. What qualities are referred to in these verses? Faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, and love. Whoa! How could I possibly have all these in my life? Peter explains that since God has granted me salvation, I am a partaker of His divine nature and have escaped the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desires. I have His great powerhouse of promises to infuse my life with His power and strength. He has promised that I will not be ineffective and unfruitful in the knowledge of Jesus. But am I claiming that promise?  Am I allowing Him and His word to give me victory over my sinful desires? Or am I so nearsighted that I am blind to the true state of my soul, spirit, and body? Have I forgotten that I am saved, cleansed, and have a new nature? If I know all this then I must be diligent to make my calling and election sure.

 

Father,

Your promises are so true and so powerful. But even as I read these passages, I know how far I have to go to be pleasing in Your sight. Help me to live in the reality of Your words. Give me Your strength and grace. Open my eyes. Make me God-sighted! Teach me how to live for You.

In Jesus name,

Amen



 



Coveting

Col. 3:5

Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

 

Coveting is merely wanting something someone else had, but is it a 'merely' in God's eyes? In our culture coveting is often verbalized and even considered a compliment. How twisted! If I think about coveting, I think it is not nearly as bad as the sins involving sex, but yet here it is in the same list. What really makes it clear to me is when the verse equates coveting with idolatry. How does God feel about idolatry? I Cor. 10:7 says Do not be idolaters. Simple as that, black and white! Don't do it!

 

I Cor. 10 puts it into perspective when it describes the Israelites on their wilderness walk. It was here that they desired evil things [ coveting]. But why are the things evil? Are they evil in themselves or is it the desire for them that makes them evil? I would think it was because coveting is breaking an express command of God even though it is a socially acceptable thing. The desire for these things is an affront to the holiness of God. He considers this desire idolatry! How that reveals the true evil in coveting! I would never knowingly commit idolatry, but yet I would struggle with coveting. Obviously, the world's values have compromised the way that I think, but God has identified the heart of the issue. Since no man can serve two masters, I cannot allow coveting in my life. I can not allow another idol to co-exist with God. In God's eyes there is no coexisting, He is either Master of all or not at all. Instead, I need to take heed lest I fall. I need to listen up, to get my mind transformed, and to confess those feelings as soon as they creep into my head. God faithfully promises to provide me a way of escape from this temptation of coveting, but I have to want to escape. He is true to His promises, am I true to my commitments?

 

Father,

I confess that I have coveted. I am shamed by what I have allowed in my heart. Renew me and grant me repentance. Teach me to live in full obedience to what You say.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Earthly In You

Col. 3:5

Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

 

When I read the lists of evil behaviors, I tend to think that these behaviors belong to someone else. 

After all I don't engage in sexual immorality, pornography, lust, or evil desires. I know that I have been gloriously saved and am growing in the Lord. But somehow in all these lists, there are one or two things listed that surprise me like covetousness, anger, grumbling, etc. These are sins that rear their ugly heads in my life much more than I would like them to. I must remember no matter how great the sin is from a human point of view, their end result is the same, separation from God. They keep my from having a close, intimate relationship with Him.

 

Obviously they must be problematic or they would not be included in this list. No doubt the root of all these evils whether horrendous or socially acceptable is my essential earthiness, my old nature. All believers still have that struggle with the defeating flesh, the law of sin that dwells in my members. What a conflict! The point is that I must continually put to death what is earthly in me. Putting to death is pretty much a full time job! One for which I must watch and pray and be constantly on guard. Before I can Put on [v. 12], I must put to death. The put on and the put to death cannot be roommates. No man can serve two masters. When  my fleshly behaviors surface, I must take them down immediately and not allow them even visiting privileges.

 

Father,

Make me aware of fleshly deeds that are mucking up my life. Give me your grace to put to death what is not pleasing to You.

In Jesus name,

Amen



Christ in Me

Col. 1:27

To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you.

 

What a mystery is this! First that God chose to share the message of salvation with the Gentiles and  included us and allowing us to be His saints! Not only that but we become saints in and through the grace of God. It is not any works that we have done, but only His grace. Not to say that we don't work powerfully in and through His grace.

 

Then even more glorious is the fact that Christ is in us. He indwells us!

• The very one who delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son,
• the very one in whom we have redemption the forgiveness of sin,
• the very one who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation,
•  the very one who created all things in heaven and in earth,
• the very one who is before all things, and in Him all things hold together,
• the very one who is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, the very one in whom dwells all the fullness of God, who reconciles to Himself all things, who made peace by the blood of His cross,

This very one indwells all believers including me! Wow! What a glorious mystery is this! The question is how to live in the reality of these absolute truths! As Paul said, Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all His energy that He powerfully works in me! Am I toiling for the gospel? Am I allowing Christ to work powerfully in me?

 

Father,

Teach me how to live in the reality of the fact that Christ is in me! Draw me ever closer to Him so that as I know Him more He may give me a passion for Him. 

In Jesus name,

Amen



God Meant It for Good

Gen. 50:20

As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.

 

God has promised His children, those who love Him and are called according to His purpose, that all He does is for their good. The question comes over what is good. Man most often determines what is good in the here and now, but God sees the bigger picture. Joseph is a good example. The treatment that he received at the hand of His brothers was evil. After they sold him, he arrived in Egypt where he was prospering until he received evil treatment at the hand of Potiphar's wife. Finding himself in prison, he interpreted the dreams of the butler and the baker asking that they ask for his freedom. But he was completely forgotten and left in prison. He could have said many times that nothing was for his good. Where was God in his life as he was unjustly accused and left in prison.  But then one day, He was called out of prison to interpret Pharaoh's dream. It was here that man could see some good, but did that mean God wasn't doing good before? Man's perception is so at odds with God's. We can't always see the hand of God and understand His plan, but by faith we must trust His dealing with us.

 

He was elevated to a high rank in Egypt handling the years of famine. When his brothers came for food, he didn't seek revenge which would have been the normal response. But he took care of his family bringing all of them together. When his father died, the brothers feared that Joseph would seek revenge, but he told them not to fear. He knew the evil that they had done to him, was used by God for good. Oh to have faith like this! After all Joseph endured, he never wavered in his trust of God. He was securely in God's hand although many people would not see the good in his life for so many years. So often it is hard to endure rough treatment when it is unjust, but I Pet. says, for what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you leaving you an example to follow in His footsteps. How these verses characterize Joseph's life. What a lesson for me!

 

Father,

Keep me strong and safe in Your hand. Help me to see all life through Your eyes. Teach me Your way, O Lord, that I may walk in Your truth: unite my heart to fear Your name.

In Jesus name,

Amen