The Daily Dose

In Him

_{From one man He made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though He is not far from any one of us. ‘For in Him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ Acts 17:26-28}

Have you ever wondered what your purpose here in this world is?  Have you ever felt like you didn’t belong here?  Maybe you have felt in the past that you were born at the wrong time or even considered that things would be better if you were not here at all?   Well, today I am going to give you an answer to all of these questions and concerns.  In the scripture reading today, Paul answered these questions for the philosophers of his day and his insights are true, even in the days we live in.

I love this passage because even though the people of Athens worshipped many gods, Paul didn’t write them off as too far gone.  He came and proclaimed Jesus to them and they were ready to hear.  Because they believed there were many gods, they were open to the possibility that there might be some they didn’t know about.  They even had a statue made for an unknown god.  I find it very interesting that Paul took time to look at their idols of worship.  He didn’t take on a religious mindset that it would be wrong to walk among their idols because it might be perceived that he was interested in worshiping them.  As he read their descriptions, he found the structure that was titled “unknown god”.  Now he had a point of reference to talk to the people about when he had the opportunity, and he did.  Ultimately, the people invited him to come into their place of worship and tell them about the good news.  There were some that believed, and the rest had something new to consider and I’m sure many more came along later.

So, there were five things Paul told them about their existence and these five points are relevant and accurate for us today.  Let me unpack them for you:

1. God marked out an appointed time for you!  You are here on purpose for such a time as this.  God has a purpose and plan for you to fulfill and He has given you the empowerment and gifts to complete that mission.  It is up to you to line up your life intentionally with that plan and stay on course.
2. Seek Him, reach out for Him and you will find Him.  The starting point for finding your purpose is to receive Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior.  Then make time for Him in your life each day.  This looks like quiet, alone time, praying and looking into His holy Word.  Searching out the promises He has given you in His Word.  Cultivate and grow your relationship with Him and let Him know each day that you desire to know His plan for your life and then follow the steps He gives you day by day.  Start by being kind to others, speaking words of encouragement and life.  Putting away complaining and murmuring and be the light right where ever you are.
3. Begin to recognize that God is not far from you.  He has deposited His very Spirit inside of you when you received His love and salvation.  You can talk to Him all day long and you can be in constant communication with Him all the time.  You can check in for wisdom and answers in every situation and He is close for consultation in whatever you face every minute of every day.
4. In Him you live and move and have your existence.  You can believe and understand that you are here on purpose.  God has personally designed you for this time on the earth.  You have gifts and abilities that are relevant to reaching people in the world today.  Seek out the plan and start by recognizing what brings you joy in your heart.  You can begin to identify your gifts by noticing what you love to do and what brings you the most satisfaction in life.  Your life and every movement is given to you by your loving Father in heaven.  He will help you find the path He has orchestrated for you and the people you are on mission to reach.
5. Lastly, you are His offspring.  This means you are a direct descendant of God.  He created you in His image and now He wants to empower you with His power.  Press into your relationship with your creator and Father and He will give you directions for success every step of the way.

Today I want to encourage you to consider these five things and how your life is agreeing with them.  Identify where you may need to adjust your course.  Mostly, take time to by with your Father.  He is gentle and He is kind.  He always has your best interest in mind and most of all, He wants to lead you on the path of rightness to where He has strategically place blessings for you to walk in and people for you to love.  He is not trying to keep good things from you, He is working on getting you on the road to where He has already placed your blessings and successes.  Trust Him today and talk to Him about whose life you can impact today.  In Him we live, move and have our being.

If you have never received His great gift of salvation, do that today by praying the prayer below sincerely and from your heart:

_{God in heaven, I know I’m a sinner and I need a Savior.  I want to turn away from my sinful life to the life You have planned for me.  Please forgive my sins, cleanse me from my past, and make me new today.  I know Your Son, Jesus died for me.  I believe in my heart that You raised Him from the dead.  At this very moment, I accept, confess, and proclaim Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior . . . to be Lord of my life from this day forward.  I now have a right relationship with God my Father through this salvation in the blood of Jesus. I thank You for giving me Your Holy Spirit to guide me and to empower me to accomplish the things You have planned for my life in Jesus’ name, Amen}

Today’s scripture reading: Acts 17:16-34

16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. 

17 So he reasoned in the synagogue with both Jews and God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there. 

18 A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to debate with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others remarked, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection. 

19 Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? 

20 You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we would like to know what they mean.” 

21 (All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)

22 Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. 

23 For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you.

24 “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. 

25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. 

26 From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. 

27 God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. 

28 ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’

29 “Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by human design and skill. 

30 In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. 

31 For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.”

32 When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this subject.” 

33 At that, Paul left the Council. 

34 Some of the people became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others.

My heart’s desire

Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. Acts 17:11

I started writing the Daily Dose everyday back in 2019.  It is hard to believe that I have been doing it for four years now.  Initially I started writing the Dose for me.  I was looking for a devotional but couldn’t find one with the format and content that encouraged me in my walk with God and also with a potion of scripture to study out and meditate on.  I emailed a small group of people each day what I was writing, but that was because I needed accountability to stay on my mission. 

At the end of the first year, I had compiled 365 daily devotionals to put together into a book, but by that time I had developed quite an addiction to writing every day and did not want to lose that desire.  That is when the Daily Dose blog came into existence.  The richness of writing has changed my life and has grown my spirit up to a place that I never imagined could be possible.  This is the reason I talk about journaling continuously to everyone that wants to grow in their spiritual life.

If I had to sum up the desire of my heart today it would be this verse in Acts 17:11. The reason I still write the Daily Dose each morning is now for you to receive God’s word with all readiness and search the scriptures daily to find the truth for every situation you are going through.  I pray that you would take the time to hear the message of each passage for yourself and not just take my word for it.  Let’s unpack this verse a little further.

To receive the message from God’s word with great eagerness?  This would involve not only having time set aside to spend with God and His word each day, but also getting connected into a body of believers through a local church.  Encouraging each other with the word and promises of God that you have spent the entire week digging into.  Desiring to get into that secret place and time with your heavenly Father each day to receive the revelation and empowerment to complete your mission for the day.

Next, examine the scriptures every day.  Take your time when reading the Daily Dose or whatever devotional you read each morning.  Spend time in the cross-reference by searching out what a passage is saying in its context.  Most of all, ask the Holy Spirit for help to understand what you are reading and to teach you the relevance it has in your life today.  Then you will grow into having a more noble character like these New Testament Christians in Berea did.

Today I want to encourage you to receive God’s message to you eagerly and on a daily basis by searching out the scriptures to know the truth and how it will strengthen you for today.  Not because I said to.  This is not for my benefit but for yours.  The only satisfaction that I will get from you digging in will be if you share with me how it has enriched your life.  However, you have everything to gain.  This is totally for your benefit to receive God’s goodness and grace and keep it your focus instead of the distractions of life.  Immersing yourself in the Word of God and His great love for you will be the only way to survive these perilous times that we live in, and you will have the answer flowing in you to be able to rescue others that are drowning in the sea of life.  My heart’s desire for you is that your life would be changed like mine has been by wrapping it up in the promises of my Father and His Word.

Today’s scripture reading: Acts 17:10-15

10 As soon as it was night, the believers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. 

11 Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. 

12 As a result, many of them believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men.

13 But when the Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God at Berea, some of them went there too, agitating the crowds and stirring them up. 

14 The believers immediately sent Paul to the coast, but Silas and Timothy stayed at Berea. 

15 Those who escorted Paul brought him to Athens and then left with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible.

Before it is too late

But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some brethren to the rulers of the city, crying out, “These who have turned the world upside down have come here too.  Acts 17:6

In today’s world, it feels like the culture we live in is upside down.  In many cases, right is wrong, good is bad and many call evil things good.  We are living in the fierce times that the apostle Paul talked about to the churches in many of his letters.  When looking at all the trauma on the earth today, it can be easy to lose hope and think that there is nothing more that we can do to impact our surroundings in a positive way.

In today’s reading, Paul’s team had many opportunities to feel this way also.  In this particular chapter, it looked like they were being successful in their mission at Thessalonica, but then things abruptly changed.  A group of people organized a mob to attack Paul.  But when they couldn’t find him, they dragged a group of disciples to the city rulers. These wicked men had an interesting charge against Paul and his team.  They claimed that Paul’s team was “turning the world upside down.”  I’m not sure exactly what they meant by that statement, but I’m pretty sure they were saying that the teaching of salvation was the opposite of belief and direction of the world.  They spoke of Paul teaching of the King of kings instead of the king of Rome.

It is alarming that God’s people were extorted and persecuted in this way, but it is also encouraging that those on the outside were noticing the impact Paul’s mission was having on the world around them.  Is it possible that we as God’s people could make that kind of difference in the world today?  Could we as believers began to touch the people in the world around us in such a way that the truth of God’s love and empowerment could turn today’s world upside down?  I believe we are still at a time, at least in America that the persecution is minimal and if we raise our voices now, at least in our little corner of the world, we can begin to turn the focus of those around us from fear to faith in the God of love and salvation, before it is too late.

Today I want to encourage you to take a small step in the direction of changing the world around you.  Begin to show those in your sphere of influence the love of God by being the hands and feet of Jesus.  Just like Paul and Silas faced challenges in their mission, you may meet some opposition when you reach out to others. However, let their example inspire you to stand firm in your convictions and your message of hope for the world. That message has the power to turn lives “upside down” and bring about transformation that will spread. then you will multiply the kingdom with the lives of those who receive this hope.  Start today while the risks are minimal and so that when the world heats up around you, you will already have His unstoppable momentum flowing in your life.

Today’s scripture reading: Acts 17:1-9

1 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. 

2 Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 

3 explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ.” 

4 And some of them were persuaded; and a great multitude of the devout Greeks, and not a few of the leading women, joined Paul and Silas.

5 But the Jews who were not persuaded, becoming envious, took some of the evil men from the marketplace, and gathering a mob, set all the city in an uproar and attacked the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people. 

6 But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some brethren to the rulers of the city, crying out, “These who have turned the world upside down have come here too. 

7 Jason has harbored them, and these are all acting contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying there is another king—Jesus.” 

8 And they troubled the crowd and the rulers of the city when they heard these things. 

9 So when they had taken security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.

His Comfort

Who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 2 Corinthians 1:4

Have you ever wondered why?  Why is this happening to me or why do things always go in a certain direction?  What about wondering why things are the way they are in the world around you or why disasters and tragedies come, sometime one right after another?

Well, wonder no more.  Today’s scripture is the answer to all the “why we go through things” questions.  It says that we go through things so that we can experience the comfort and peace of God and then we can relate with and comfort others who are struggling and suffering.  It actually says that we can comfort others with the very same comfort that we were comforted with.  Wow, that would mean God gives us His peace and comfort for us to share with others.  It makes sense though because He gave us comfort in the form of the Holy Spirit.  That is the evidence that it is His will for us to not suffer, but to be comforted and consoled.

This passage goes on to say that ultimately, as we trust God through our troubles and tribulations, we are empowered to strengthen and encourage others, resulting in their salvation.  Glory to God!  If we learn to receive His comfort as we go through things, we can watch as He uses those problems to bring others to His great salvation.

So, I actually had an opportunity this week to see this process displayed.  I have been through many hurts in my life which had resulted in me being very guarded and expectant of more hurt.  In the past, I have been afraid to let others into my life because I didn’t want to be taken advantage of or hurt again.  I didn’t realize that by keeping this wall up, I was actually empowering people to hurt me because I was expecting it.  My responses to others were always defensive and repelling because I didn’t want anyone to get too close.  The Lord comforted me where I was, and then He brought me out.  He showed me that if I released all the pain of the past and receive His love in the place of the pain, I could go on to love others never worrying about them hurting me in return.  Freely giving love to others brought such freedom.  Now I don’t worry about being taken advantage of or hurt because my focus is no longer on me, it is on the person who needs to know the love of God.  There have been some opportunities for me to be tempted to take a rejection or ulterior motive to heart and have hurt feelings.  However, when I turn it to God, He quickly shows me that they are the ones loosing and I have lost nothing.  I did all I could do to love and comfort them and when they are ready to receive that, the Holy Spirit will be the one to open their eyes to that love.

So when I could see my friend taking every word she heard to heart and letting them pierce her heart again, I told her how I was comforted when my heart was hurting.  She knew that she was being defensive and that was holding her back from being free from those hurts.  We prayed together and now she is able to be comforted with the same comfort that I was comforted with that resulted in my freedom.

Today I want to encourage you to be comforted.  Whatever you are going through and whatever is stressing you, turn it over to God and receive His comfort and peace.  Know that He will get you through way better than you could do along.  Then go on and let Him lead you to someone that you can share that very same comfort with.  Keep sharing it with all He brings your way and bring them into God’s family by giving them the comfort that you were comforted with when you were comforted.

Today’s scripture reading: 2 Corinthians 1:1-7

1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,

To the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in all Achaia:

2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,

4 who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ.

6 Now if we are afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effective for enduring the same sufferings which we also suffer. Or if we are comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.

7 And our hope for you is steadfast, because we know that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so also you will partake of the consolation.

A church at home

And when I come, whomever you approve by your letters I will send to bear your gift to Jerusalem. 1 Corinthians 16:3

The final chapter in 1 Corinthians has Paul’s closing remarks to the Christians at Corinth.  They apparently asked a question about giving and he gives them instructions on collecting and delivering.  He goes on to tell them his plans for visiting and where he will be until then.  He talked about some of his friends and ask that the people be encouraging and receive them when they come to Corinth.  This chapter seems to only be relevant to the current day when it was sent. 

Verse 19 is where I find something that can be related to today’s world.  It says: The churches of Asia greet you. Aquila and Priscilla greet you heartily in the Lord, with the church that is in their house.

I don’t think we fully grasp the concept that the first churches were in people’s homes.  I have to remind myself of this fact often when I am reading the New Testament books.  I have to remind myself that they didn’t have church buildings they could go to for worship.  They were not welcome to worship the Lord Jesus at the synagogues nor was that the place they could tell the good news that Jesus came to save all people.  The first Christians met in homes, and it was usually the home of the people leading the group.

This is what makes small groups today so inviting.  When you host a group in your home, you can invite neighbors and friends in that may not already know the Lord Jesus.  It is one of the greatest ways to reach those who would not consider going into a church building.  Yes, there are actually people out there who feel that way.  However, small groups are widely frowned upon in many churches today because of fear that people will leave their church community, when the truth is that small groups can actually grow a church or make a large church seem small.

By gathering in groups in your home, you have the opportunity to encourage and grow with those who want to live their life by faith.  You can watch videos on certain subjects in God’s word that you want to understand better that may not get so much attention in your weekend service.  You also gain a sense of accountability that others are there to walk with you through life and to help you overcome things you are struggling with. It is the coming together during the week that fills the churches on the weekends.  It can be easy to lose those who only come together once a week or month.

Lastly, we come to Paul’s farewell, verses 20-23. If he were posting his message today on social media, I believe it would look like this:

#Allthebrethrengreetyou #Greetoneanotherwithaholykiss #Thesalutationwithmyownhand—Paul’s #IfanyonedoesnotlovetheLordJesusChristlethimbeaccursed #OLordcome! #ThegraceofourLordJesusChristbewithyou #MylovebewithyouallinChristJesus #Amen.

Today I want to encourage you, in all seriousness, to consider leading a group of people in your home to help strengthen their relationship with their heavenly Father.  Put together a study on the things you are interested in knowing more about His love for you.  It could even be an activity group that you meet up to hike or play games, just add a time of devotional and some prayer with it and just like that, you have a church in your own home to get you through the week until the next weekend service meets at the church building.  We need to stay connected and encouraged all week long, not just on the weekends.  Make this happen by inviting others to meet at your home through out the week.

Today’s scripture reading: 1 Corinthians 16

1 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given orders to the churches of Galatia, so you must do also:

2 On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come.

3 And when I come, whomever you approve by your letters I will send to bear your gift to Jerusalem.

4 But if it is fitting that I go also, they will go with me.

5 Now I will come to you when I pass through Macedonia (for I am passing through Macedonia).

6 And it may be that I will remain, or even spend the winter with you, that you may send me on my journey, wherever I go.

7 For I do not wish to see you now on the way; but I hope to stay a while with you, if the Lord permits.

8 But I will tarry in Ephesus until Pentecost.

9 For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.

10 And if Timothy comes, see that he may be with you without fear; for he does the work of the Lord, as I also do.

11 Therefore let no one despise him. But send him on his journey in peace, that he may come to me; for I am waiting for him with the brethren.

12 Now concerning our brother Apollos, I strongly urged him to come to you with the brethren, but he was quite unwilling to come at this time; however, he will come when he has a convenient time.

13 Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.

14 Let all that you do be done with love.

15 I urge you, brethren—you know the household of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves to the ministry of the saints—

16 that you also submit to such, and to everyone who works and labors with us.

17 I am glad about the coming of Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus, for what was lacking on your part they supplied.

18 For they refreshed my spirit and yours. Therefore acknowledge such men.

19 The churches of Asia greet you. Aquila and Priscilla greet you heartily in the Lord, with the church that is in their house.

20 All the brethren greet you.

Greet one another with a holy kiss.

21 The salutation with my own hand—Paul’s.

22 If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed. O Lord, come!

23 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. 24My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Follow up

So, they went out of the prison and entered the house of Lydia; and when they had seen the brethren, they encouraged them and departed.  Acts 16:40

  Have you ever had a friend or even someone from your past randomly come to your thoughts?  Maybe it was someone you hadn’t talked to in a while or maybe it was a person that seemed like they had it all together and never really seemed to need encouragement.  It happens to me quite often.  For many years I didn’t know what to do with the thoughts when they came, but then the Holy Spirit showed me to pray for those who come to mind.  As I began to pray for those seemingly random people coming into my memory, I would feel inspired to reach out and encourage them.  Sometimes I would think: “they are doing fine and don’t care what I have to say to them.”  Other times I would consider that I hadn’t spoken to that person in years and now I am sending them a message out of the blue?  Wouldn’t that be weird? 

Despite my reservations, now I am determined to reach out and encourage whomever I have random thoughts about.  I now recognize that the person whoever it is was put on my heart by the Holy Spirit to pray for and encourage them.  I cannot even remember a time that I reached out randomly to someone, and they didn’t respond with something about my encouragement being exactly what they needed at that time.  But even if there was a time, I still continue to follow that leading because I know that is why the person came to my mind in the first place.  Then after a couple days have passed, I circle back around and check in again to let that person know I am still praying and thinking of them.  It’s just a follow up message to check back in to let them know they are not alone.

In today’s reading, the apostle Paul and Silas were released from Prison after being wrongly accused.  However, they didn’t just up and leave town, huffing and puffing about the mistreatment they received in Phillipi, the circled back around to check in the with the church at Lydia’s house.  Not so that the people there could encourage them as they continued on their mission, but so that Paul and his team could encourage the brethren there and tell them to keep up the good fight of faith.

Can you imagine going through a terrible set of circumstances that were no fault of your own, but then turning around and encouraging someone else who wasn’t even really going through anything traumatic.  I imagine Paul wanted to let the church know that everything turned out for good and they should not be afraid to continue in the work they were doing in the region.  It was the right thing to do so that the people there would be strengthened in their faith for the impossible.

So today I want to encourage you to check up on those you have been walking through life with in the good and the bad.  Send out a message of support and let them know you are praying for them.  Regardless of what you are going through or have been through, let others know God is still at work and miracles still happen.  You may not see your prison chains fall off in the physical world, but you can for sure see them fall in the spirit realm.  Share your miracles and victories with those who are afraid and worried and assure them that God will never let them down when they put their trust in Him.

Today’s scripture reading: Acts 16:35-40

35 And when it was day, the magistrates sent the officers, saying, “Let those men go.”

36 So the keeper of the prison reported these words to Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent to let you go. Now therefore depart, and go in peace.”

37 But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us openly, un-condemned Romans, and have thrown us into prison. And now do they put us out secretly? No indeed! Let them come themselves and get us out.”

38 And the officers told these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Romans. 

39 Then they came and pleaded with them and brought them out, and asked them to depart from the city. 

40 So they went out of the prison and entered the house of Lydia; and when they had seen the brethren, they encouraged them and departed.

At the midnight hour

 Have you ever been at a low point in life and felt like there was no hope for things to get better?  Maybe you have been in situations that you needed a breakthrough, and you were down to the last few minutes that you need that breakthrough to come, but it didn’t look like anything was going to change.  Life can be full of “midnight hours”, times when you are down to the line and need God to come through for you. Times when you felt things could not possibly get worse.  How do you handle those time and what plan do you have in place for when those times come?

In today’s reading, Paul and Silas were having one of those “midnight hour” moments, quite literally.  They had been accused of stirring up trouble in Phillipi and because of that they were put in prison.  Not only were they locked up, but they had been badly beaten as part of their punishment.  As they sat in prison together, they didn’t talk about how they were going to get out of that place.  They didn’t complain about how badly they were beaten and what part of their body hurt most.  They never even mentioned devising a plan for what they were going to do next.  Instead, they prayed and sang songs to God! Praising and worshiping Him.  Then when it didn’t look like things could get any worse than they were, there was an earthquake.

I have read this account many times, but never really considered that an earthquake was not really a good thing to happen.  Earthquakes are usually destructive and dangerous. Sometimes people die in earthquakes, and they can be very frightening to experience.  However, this earthquake had a purpose as they always do when God is involved.  But Paul and Silas did not know it was going to happen and they certainly didn’t know what the results were going to be.  When it looked like all hope was gone at their midnight hour, they praised God and sang to Him.  He responded with an earth-shaking releasing of their chains and all those who were imprisoned.  Their breakthrough came when they turned their focus to heaven and the greatness of the heavenly Father.  They turned their attention from the bad circumstances surrounding them and gave glory to God right in the middle of the place of no hope.

This is a great example that we can follow still today.  When we are up against a wall with no hope of escape or help, we can praise God for His faithfulness and His great love for His family.  Thank Him that you are a part of His kingdom and pray about how you can be a blessing to Him and others in your “midnight hour.”  Midnight hours will come at times in life, but you can have a plan ahead of time to be prepared.  Ask the Holy Spirit today to remind you when those times come to pray and sing songs to God.  Then when you are up against it, you can rejoice in the Lord and in the power of His might.  I’m not saying you will experience an earthquake each time you do, but I guarantee you He will answer when you call on Him.  He will send you the strength and encouragement you need to get you to that new day.

Today I want to encourage you that no matter what you are going through, you can praise God in your hours of hopelessness and trouble.  Praise is a weapon that will chase your enemy far from you.  Praising God brings Him close in good times and bad.  Doesn’t it make sense that when you need Him most that you call on Him with thanksgiving and know He will come rushing in to save you.  He gave His only Son to save you, why would He hold anything else back from you now?

Today’s scripture reading: Acts 16:25-34

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

26 Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed. 

27 And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself. 

28 But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, “Do yourself no harm, for we are all here.”

29 Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 

30 And he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

31 So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” 

32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 

33 And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized. 

34 Now when he had brought them into his house, he set food before them; and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household.

Get rid of it

And this she did for many days.  But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And he came out that very hour.  Acts 16:18

  We all have voices that talk to us each day.  Not in a insane kind of way, but voices of doubt, fear, or anger.  If we listen carefully, we can also hear the voice of reason and the wisdom of the Holy Spirit that speaks within our heart.  There are also external voices that are around us continuously.  Voices of media, friends and the people closest to us.  We hear these voices through a filter that has been built up over years of practice.  Maybe you listen through a filter of hurt and offense.  You could be hearing these voices through the filter of shut down and you don’t let anything get into your heart.  Ideally, we hear the external and internal voices through the filter of God’s word, and let the scripture be the standard that we make our decisions by, not the influence of this world’s words.

In today’s passage, Paul and his team were hearing an external voice of a young girl that was possessed by an evil spirit.  She followed them for many days and loudly proclaimed their mission for being there.  She was not wrong in what she said.  However, Paul was greatly annoyed with her proclamation and did not want her to be associated with God’s ministry (since the people of that region knew who she really worked for).  He called that spirit out of her in the name of Jesus and the evil spirit left her that very hour.  What a wise move, but even Paul allowed that voice to go on for many days before he did anything about it.  I suppose he was hoping she would go away on her own, but when she didn’t, he finally had enough.

How many times do we let voices in our heads or around us go on as if we have no control over what we hear and think.  Whether you are being haunted by a past memory or a current media post that seems to be replaying in your thoughts, you do have the power to get rid of it.  The key is in speaking to that voice and get it out.  Get rid of those unwanted thoughts, memories, and hurts that try to continuously plague you.  Speak the word of God’s promise to deliver you from your enemy and call it out in the name of Jesus!  Then when those ideas try to come back into your head, replace them instead with praise and thanksgiving that you are free and it is gone.

Today I want to encourage you to remember the vivid picture of the apostle Paul calling out the spirit of divination and follow his example when facing your own doubts and fears.  Call the spirit out in the name of Jesus and replace it with a promise you find in God’s word over the situation.  Then stop going to the place that brings you those memories or hurts and slam that door shut never to be open again.  You do have control over you thoughts and your words so start taking your authority over them by casting out every imagination that is against what God, your heavenly Father says about you!  Get rid of those unwanted voices today whether internal or external and then take the steps necessary to never let them haunt you again.

Today’s scripture reading: Acts 16:16-24

16 Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling. 

17 This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.” 

18 And this she did for many days. But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And he came out that very hour. 

19 But when her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to the authorities.

20 And they brought them to the magistrates, and said, “These men, being Jews, exceedingly trouble our city; 

21 and they teach customs which are not lawful for us, being Romans, to receive or observe.” 

22 Then the multitude rose up together against them; and the magistrates tore off their clothes and commanded them to be beaten with rods. 

23 And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely. 

24 Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.

Faithful to the Lord

And when she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” So she persuaded us. Acts 16:15

I love this passage about Lydia.  In fact, it is one of my favorites.  I know I say that a lot, but I especially like this account because Lydia is one of the first women talked about who had a church in her home.  We know she was wealthy because the passage says that she was a seller of purple which was expensive and mostly sold to royalty.  No doubt she had a home big enough to have gatherings of significant size and most importantly, the text also says that she was faithful to the Lord.

Being faithful to the Lord cannot be evident if it doesn’t show up in every area of life.  In this reading, Lydia’s faithfulness shows up most in her hospitality and generosity.  On the very day that she met the apostle Paul and his team, she invited them to stay at her home.  In fact, she pleaded with them to come right then and there.  It implies that she was ready to host and take people into her home at all times, a very gracious and giving quality.

This gives me a lot to think about.  As I consider my own faithfulness, I have to ask if I am also willing to take people in? Yes, we host many events and groups in our home, but if I am being honest, I really like having my own space and quiet place.  However, faithfulness includes being prepared.  Am I stewarding my home to be ready at any time to invite others in?  Am I using my time to be making preparation for the things and people I don’t know I need to be ready for?  Is my heart open to giving recourses of generous amount to bless those God would bring my way? This is not to say that I need to be constantly striving and stressing about everything being perfect, it simply means that I create a space that is welcoming, comfortable and ready when opportunity comes.

Today I want to encourage you to approach each day with an open heart.  God’s timing is perfect and His transforming power can touch your life in unexpected ways.  Your faithfulness, like Lydia’s has the power to impact not only your life, but the lives of those around you.  Be ready to welcome others into your home and into your space.  This is part of showing others God’s great love and generosity.  Then your journey will be filled with the joy of knowing Him more deeply as you serve others every chance you get.

Today’s scripture reading: Acts 16:11-15

11 Therefore, sailing from Troas, we ran a straight course to Samothrace, and the next day came to Neapolis, 

12 and from there to Philippi, which is the foremost city of that part of Macedonia, a colony. And we were staying in that city for some days. 

13 And on the Sabbath day we went out of the city to the riverside, where prayer was customarily made; and we sat down and spoke to the women who met there. 

14 Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul. 

15 And when she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” So she persuaded us.

Alternate Endings

“And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”  Acts 16:9

Have you ever wondered what your life would be like if you had made some different choices along the way?  Maybe it was a decision you made or maybe it was someone else that made a decision that altered your world.  Today’s text is about the apostle Paul who had a dream (vision at night) of someone calling for him to come over to Macedonia to help.  Wow!  This “dream” completely changed the direction that his ministry team was heading.  They were on their way to Asia, but they were forbidden to go by the Holy Spirit.  Two times they tried to go in one direction, but the Holy Spirit stopped them.  How interesting!  If Paul had pressed through and ignored the Holy Spirit, Paul’s life would have had an entirely different outcome.  Instead of going to Europe and planting churches there, he would have gone to Asia to plant churches instead.  This decision had lasting effects that we are still seeing results of today.

There are many examples in the scriptures that also could have had alternate endings.  Because of life choices, we can see that Moses, Joshua, Jonah, and just about everyone else in the Bible could have made different decisions in their lives if God had not intervened.  Moses was content to stay on the back side of a mountain, never considering that God was going to lead him to deliver His people out of bondage.  How different would his life have been if he had chosen to stay there instead of following God.  Joshua was forced to stay an extra forty years in the wilderness because of a group of other people that were unwilling to follow God’s direction.  His life would have look very different if he decided he wasn’t going to stay under the leadership of Moses and wait for God’s promise. Jonah flat out ran away from God instead of obeying Him.  The list could go on and on.  It’s no telling how differently their lives would have ended up if they had not stayed their course, but one thing is for sure, they probably wouldn’t have made it into the Book.

Be encouraged today because no matter how far Moses was from Egypt, and no matter how far Jonah ran away, as soon as they repented, God faithfully got them back on track. Even Joshua who was knocked off course by other people, remained faithful until it was time to pick up God’s plan again. God’s plan for the space of time that these were on the earth was completed because they chose to follow God’s “alternate ending”.  I recognize that I spend a lot of time trying to encourage everyone to seek out what God has planned, but the reason is because it is the purpose you have been given in life and the only thing that really matters. My point is that at some point in your life, you will come face to face (so to speak) with God.  A life choice will be placed in front of you and you will be forced to choose a direction with or away from God.  You may not even realize that you are facing Him, but that doesn’t make you any less responsible for the choice you make.

Today I want to encourage you, if you have had an encounter with God and may have passed on His plan and initially said, “No, that’s not for me”, there is still hope!  Repent and turn back to God and He will graciously get you back on a recalculated course.  Maybe you’re a victim of someone else’s rejection of God’s direction.  Don’t stay there, God is willing to move you back to your planned course and He will as you listen and follow.  Persevere and hang on until the path comes back into view.  If you don’t remember ever having this encounter with the Father, ask Him today to show you any place you may not have recognized His call and thank Him for empowering you to accomplish all that is in His heart for you to do.

Today’s scripture reading:  Acts 16:6-10

6 Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. 

7 After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them. 

8 So passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas. 

9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 

10 Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them.