The Daily Dose

Follow Me

Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”  Matthew 4:19

Can you imagine walking up to someone and saying, “Follow me!”  Forget about the making fishers of men part for a second and just think about it.  Where would they follow you and what would they learn if they were following you.  Maybe you have some followers if you have a business, lead a team or ministry somewhere.  Are they following your example, or do they only do what you tell them to do regardless of what your personal behavior?

So, Jesus told Simon and Andrew to follow Him. To them this meant that they would leave their business of fishing, leave their homes to travel with Jesus and leave behind all the relationships they had up until that point.  There is no indication from scripture that they struggled with this calling.  The passage says immediately they left what they were doing to follow Him.  They believed they met the Messiah and that they would be part of His liberation of Israel from Roman oppression.  It didn’t take long, however for them to realize there wasn’t going to be a revolt.  Instead, Jesus was showing them how to gather up people into the Kingdom of heaven.  He said: Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men.

It is interesting that He said I will MAKE you fishers of men and not I will show you how to be fishers of men.  As we read further down the passage, we see that as they followed Jesus and served in His ministry, they were close to all the miracles and wonders He was doing wherever He went.  It didn’t happen overnight, but the more time they spent with Jesus, the more they became gatherers of people.  Finally, after Jesus’ resurrection, on the day of Pentecost, the disciples gathered more in one day than they had the entire three years that they were with Jesus.  Because of the time they spent with Him and obeying His command to go and wait until the Holy Spirit filled them with His power, they truly became fishers of men and turned the world upside down with their witness. (see Acts 17)

Jesus gives the same call to us today.  He wants us to follow the leading of His Spirit and fill up with His power to gather up the people of our day.  Those that we work with, those in our neighborhoods and those throughout our communities.  The closer we walk with Him the more effective we will be.  It will require setting aside some quiet time with Him each day to press in and grow your relationship with Him.  Learn to hear His voice and direction and He will lead you in demonstration of His power.  Soon you will be gathering up people all over the entire world.

Today I want to encourage you to follow Him.  Press into Him each day and learn what mission He has for you to follow Him in.  Ask Him about who He would have you to reach out to each day.  Whether to encourage, pray with or simply sit with and let them know the love God has for them.  Follow Him in your daily walk and His presence will MAKE you His lure to gather people into God’s kingdom.

Today’s scripture reading:  Matthew 4:18-25

18 And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.

19 Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

20 They immediately left their nets and followed Him.

21 Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them,

22 and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.

23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people.

24 Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them.

25 Great multitudes followed Him—from Galilee, and from Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.

The Lord’s Day   

I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet. Revelation 1:10

As we go through the book of Revelation in the coming weeks, my plan is to not try to explain the depth of the contents but rather pull out a relevant truth that we can apply to today.  I’m not going to pretend that I understand all there is to know about this book but in reading through each section, more knowledge and revelation will come. I hope you will enjoy The Daily Dose through the book of Revelation.

As we continue on in chapter on, the portion for today is John’s introduction to the message he received for the church.  He gave some great details about how these things all came about.  First, he talked about his captivity and the reason he was in this setting of being exiled. Then he talked about the day it all happened.  The Lord’s day.  I always thought that meant it was Sunday, the first day of the week, and it very well could have been.  I have heard other explanations as well that it was a Holy day.  One of God’s feast days.  A day set apart from other days to give attention to God and His great love and plan.  That is exactly what John was doing that day.  He said, he was in the Spirit.  Maybe prayer, maybe meditation, maybe rest?  The most important thing he was doing was positioning himself to be available if the Spirit wanted to reveal something to him.  He was setting aside this time to press into his heavenly Father.  It didn’t matter that he was banished away from all society, and it made no difference that he was cast out to be with other criminals.  God reached him right where he was. 

On that day of the Lord where John was taking time to be with his Savior, Jesus came to him and announced Who He was so there would be no doubt and confusion about it.  The Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last. In other words, the eternal One.  When John turned to look at the loud voice that sounded like a trumpet, his vision began. 

We still have the opportunity today to hear secrets from our Father in heaven.  Oh, they may not be the vision of world prophecy of the end of the age like John had, but we can learn the secret plans He has for our lives on a personal level.  The requirement is the same.  Get alone with God.  Press into He Word and His Sprit with prayer, worship and thanksgiving.  Set aside time on the Lord’s day to position yourself to be in a quiet place to hear His direction in the inside of your heart.  Even if you just hear His gentle message of love and goodness He desires for you, that will be peace and comfort in whatever environment you are in.

Today I want to encourage you to set some time aside to talk and listen to your Father in heaven.  Make it a priority in your day to give Him some time so when He has something to share with you, you are in a position to receive.  Give the Lord a special day each week that you step away from the normal activities and focus your attention and love on Him.  Rest in His presence and get filled up for the coming week.  Even if you never have a vision of things to come, your strength will be restored as you allow His Spirit to minister His grace and love to your weary soul.

Today’s scripture reading: Revelation 1:9-11

9 I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. 

10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet, 

11 saying, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,” and, “What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.”

Five Keys

John, to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him Who is and Who was and Who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne.  Revelation 1:4

As we begin our journey through the book of Revelation, there are 5 keys to keep in mind:

1. The central theme is the revealing of Jesus Christ – What is next for the church.  It is not the revealing of the Antichrist, and it is not the revelation of the apostle John.  It is what God showed Jesus to let the church in on as His body here in the world.
2. Jesus’ servants are to understand this revelation – it is a mystery to the outside world but to His own, He gives supernatural insight and wisdom.  An encrypted message to stand the test of time.
3. The stories and the events in heaven and on earth during the Tribulation period are woven around the central theme of Jesus as God’s redemptive plan. – It is still His-Story
4. The informational chapters provide more details about the accounts of heaven and earth – some things seem out of order, but they are background and historic details to give context.
5. The events in Revelation occurred in the past, present and future.  When reading it today remember that it was written almost 2000 years ago.

In today’s reading, the apostle John starts out this letter with a greeting to the churches.  Since Jesus gave him messages for the churches John starts out with the same kind of greeting as the other epistles of the New Testament.  He sent God’s grace and peace from the Lord Jesus.  The One Who was, is and always will be.  He continued his encouragement to the churches by reminding them that even though the world is full of turmoil and uncertainty, hope still remains in the unshakable foundation that we have in our relationship with God our heavenly Father through our salvation in the blood of Jesus.

Then John took time to talk about how great our God and Father was, is and is going to be.  He reminded the churches that He reigns over all creation.  He is the beginning and the end.  Despite the challenges and trials, they were facing at that time in history, John encouraged them to take comfort in knowing that God holds all of time and eternity in His hands.  He is the One certainty in our ever-changing world.

We can take this greeting and hold on to it still today.  In the uncertainties of this life, God is our refuge and our fortress!  He is the same today as He was back when John wrote to the churches.  We can also share God’s grace and peace with others today just as John did in this letter.  Remind other about God’s love and that His plan is at work in the world even still today.  Pray God’s empowering grace and peace for others as they are the light each day in this dark world and walk in His grace and peace as you complete each assignment you have been given. 

Today I want to encourage you while reading the book of revelation to see each passage as a source of encouragement and strength as you navigate this life with faith and perseverance.  Join me in holding on to the eternal hope and assurance that the book of Revelation offers.  In the midst of life’s storms, we can have His peace and grace as our guide and take joy in His promise of eternity with Him.  This does not mean that we will never be uncomfortable or experience struggles.  But it does mean that we have the empowering grace of God on our side to make it through every trial and test that we face.

Today’s scripture reading: Revelation 1:4-8

4 John, to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, 

5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, 

6 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

7 Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.

8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

His-Story

“Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.”   Revelation 1:3

Finally!  The book of Revelation!  The last book of the New Testament and the Bible.  I am so excited to go through this book with you all and I pray you will be blessed!  For years I avoided it for a few reasons.  1. I told myself “I won’t be here when it happens, so it doesn’t really apply to me”.   2. I felt like it was a mystery that I could never understand.  However, when I realized that the meaning of Revelation is revealing, I was pretty sure God was not trying to hide His revelation from me.   3. I was mostly afraid of what I vaguely knew about it and didn’t want to think about things to come.  I didn’t realize that right at the beginning of the book in verse three, there is a special promise of blessing for those who read it, heed it and keep what is written in the book of Revelation.  You are assured the special blessing of God on your life when you take the time to read this book, listen to what this book is revealing to your heart and then hold on to that revelation in your daily life.

I came to this realization many years ago when I was listening to the books of the Bible on my Bible app. When I got to Revelation, I was hesitant to listen, but then I thought maybe listening to it would make it easier to understand.  As I began to hear the words and continued through each chapter, I began to notice that it seemed to keep coming back to the recurring theme that the plans of the “Antichrist” (God’s enemy) were being continually prevented.  My perception up to that point had always been that Revelation was a book about Satan tormenting God’s people.  Finally, it dawned on me . . . Oh, the book of Revelation is still His story!  Revelation is not a shift in the Bible from being God’s love story to Satan’s hate story.  It is still God’s story and still His Book!  The entire book of Revelation is written from heaven in the presence of God and He continues to interfere with the enemy’s plan, who is trying once again to rule over God’s people and creation.  The book of Revelation is the climatic ending of epic proportion of God’s book where His enemy is finally put away forever, never to be heard of again.  It’s the ending of the best book ever written God’s Book!! (The final battle scene)

This realization stirred up such a hunger in me to listen to it over and over again.  Until the point that now it is my favorite book in the entire Bible.  Then, just over five years ago, I completed a verse-by-verse study of the book.  So much I have learned from it.  My perspective has totally changed, and I no longer have any fear of God’s coming events.  It truly is a book of Revelation and a book of God’s blessing!

So today I want to invite you to join me as we venture through the book of The Revelation of Jesus Christ. If you have previously been of the mindset that I was, thinking it’s not for you, today I challenge you to take a closer look and see what blessing He has for you in it.  For me, the blessing started when I realized it was not the Antichrist’s book, but the conclusion of God’s love letter where He will put away His enemy and mine for all eternity!!  I pray each day that you will be blessed as we walk through this prophecy of Revelation, section by section. Please take time to pray over it each day for the revelation that He has for you in it.  Read through it slowly, and I can promise you a special blessing will come out of it, but don’t take my word for it.  Take God’s!  He’s the one that promised you would be blessed for reading, hearing and keeping it until the end is here!

Today’s scripture reading:  Revelation 1:1-3

1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, 

2 who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw. 

3 Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.

Unstoppable Faith

Then Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him.  Acts 28:30-31

In today’s dose, we are finishing up the book of Acts.  I hope you have enjoyed reading through this book. It is one of my favorites because of the demonstration of the power of the Holy Spirit that inspired the first Christians to walk out their lives and calling with unstoppable faith. This book always motivates and energizes me to follow the examples of these believers. Acts shares many details of the establishment and growth of how the Christian faith began. It also shows us how Christianity was able to spread to the nations of the world.  It is much more than a history book of Christian faith.  It is the foundation for living a life of faith in God successfully.  Below are four points for us to look at today and decide if our relationship with our Savior is based on these foundations.

1. Walking out God’s mission in the middle of adversity –Jesus told the disciples at the beginning of Acts to go tell the good news to all the nation.  There was little if any warning about the objections and trouble they would face while on the mission.  Having ministered with Jesus for the three years before, the disciples had already experienced trouble being part of the journey.  They held on to Jesus’ command and persevered through the opposition and kept focused on the goal of reaching the lost.

Our objective and assignment is the same today.  As God’s people, we are to grow up in our faith so that we can help and lead others to Him. We may not have three years of walking closely with the Holy Spirit and growing up in the things of God like the disciples did, but we can always encourage others along the way.  In the growing process, troubles and tests will come, but keeping our eyes on the One Who sent us will empower us to overcome every obstacle that tries to trip us up.

2. Be confidence in God’s Promises – All through the book of Acts, the people of God continually encouraged and reminded each other of the promises of God in the scriptures and that Jesus gave them.  Holding on to these promises resulted in the joy and rewards of carrying out the mission they were given.  God’s promises were what they turned to when fear tried to break into their peace and stop them. 

The promises of God are with us still today in His word.  That is why it is essential to spend time with Him and His word each day.  The more of God’s promises you hide in your heart, the more you will be reminded of them when you feel the pressure to give up or move on from the work you are currently doing.  When the onslaught of fear and anxiety threaten you, turn immediately to the peace of God’s promises.  Stop the spirit of fear in its tracks before it comes out of your mouth.  Instead, speak out what God says and your faith will be put into action instead of the fear.

3. Continue in prayer – The Christians of the first church met often together to pray and encourage one another.  Many times, they came together daily.  In taking time to connect and pray together, their commitment to the mission was strengthened and as they prayed for boldness to share, the Holy Spirit’s power was released to allow them to be persistent and never back down in their message of the truth of God’s love for all people.

In the same way that it is essential for us to spend time with God and His promises (scripture) each day, it is equally important for us to get together with other believers in person to connect and pray for one another.  We need each other and it is so powerful to share with other believers what you are struggling with and also what you have been able to overcome.  Your stories will inspire others to boldness and theirs will motivate you to keep up the good fight of faith.  Then take time to pray together and continue to pray for each other when you are apart.  Coming together for weekend services and regularly getting together in a small group setting is not negotiable.  It is vital to the life of your mission to take the time to reconnect with others that also need your presence to keep them focused when life happens.

4. Always be watching for divine appointments – As the Christians in Acts shared the message of salvation and came together to minister to one another, God continually orchestrated divine appointments.  The Holy Spirit was working in the hearts of people that would be in place at just the right moments to hear the word of God’s love.  These early Christians welcomed all who came to them, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ without being hindered by the circumstances surrounding them.

God is still arranging these appointments for us today.  By positioning ourselves to meet with Him each morning in prayer and worship, we can be more aware of these divine meetings when they happen.  Always be on the look out to encourage and bless others as opportunity provides.  Whether an inspirational word, an invitation to a group or weekend service or even quietly slipping a $20 bill to someone in need.  These acts of love coupled with the hand of God’s Spirit can be the very seed that pulls someone’s heart closer to their decision to receive God’s great salvation.

Today I want to encourage you to consider and learn from the book of Acts when challenges come.  Embrace God’s calling and assignment with unwavering faith and courage.  Don’t pray for opportunities to go away or to be hidden and protected away from the world.  Instead, pray for the power of the Holy Spirit to persevere in prayer and in boldly proclaiming the goodness of God’s love while remaining open to divine appointments.  Despite the obstacles you may face, trust God’s promises and press forward with unstoppable faith, knowing that He is with you every step of the way.  Allow the inspiring examples of the first Christians to ignite a fire of faith in your heart to propel you forward on your journey of courage and conviction.  Embrace God’s calling with the strength and power of the Holy Spirit knowing that nothing can stand in the way of His purposes being fulfilled in your life when you do.

Today’s scripture reading: Acts 28:17-31

17 And it came to pass after three days that Paul called the leaders of the Jews together. So when they had come together, he said to them: “Men and brethren, though I have done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans, 

18 who, when they had examined me, wanted to let me go, because there was no cause for putting me to death. 

19 But when the Jews spoke against it, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar, not that I had anything of which to accuse my nation. 

20 For this reason therefore I have called for you, to see you and speak with you, because for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.”

21 Then they said to him, “We neither received letters from Judea concerning you, nor have any of the brethren who came reported or spoken any evil of you. 

22 But we desire to hear from you what you think; for concerning this sect, we know that it is spoken against everywhere.”

23 So when they had appointed him a day, many came to him at his lodging, to whom he explained and solemnly testified of the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets, from morning till evening. 

24 And some were persuaded by the things which were spoken, and some disbelieved. 

25 So when they did not agree among themselves, they departed after Paul had said one word: “The Holy Spirit spoke rightly through Isaiah the prophet to our fathers, 

26 saying, ‘Go to this people and say: “Hearing you will hear, and shall not understand; And seeing you will see, and not perceive;

27 For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.” ’

28 “Therefore let it be known to you that the salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will hear it!” 

29 And when he had said these words, the Jews departed and had a great dispute among themselves.

30 Then Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who came to him, 

31 preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him.

Who’s next

From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”  Matthew 4:12-17

Here we go!  Jesus begins His public ministry and surprisingly, His message is the same as John the Baptist’s was.  Repent, because the kingdom of heaven is coming.  I like the wording of this in the NKJV because it says the kingdom of heaven is at hand.  Jesus told the people of His day that the kingdom of God was within their reach.  When Jesus finished His ministry here in the world, he passed the torch to the disciples who also preached the kingdom of heaven.

So, what exactly is the kingdom of heaven that John, Jesus and those after them were talking about?  Were they talking about the place where God lives in Heaven beyond this world and universe?  Were they talking about when Jesus will set up His kingdom here on the earth?  No, the kingdom of heaven that they were talking about is kingdom principles that govern the life of a person who is submitted to the power of the Holy Spirit.  This is why they taught the people that kingdom living was with in their reach right here in this world.  Sure, sin is still here and will continue, but the body of Christ, the people of God, live and operate in a different kingdom.  The kingdom of light.  So now we shine the light right in the middle of the darkness.  We live in the dark world, but the Light of the kingdom of heaven lives in us.  When we live our lives the way Jesus lived His life, we are the light that this dark world is desperately seeking.

Not only are we the light by loving the lost and hurting people of the world, but we also have the same message that Jesus had.  We tell others about the life of repentance and living by the kingdom of light so that when we are gone, they can continue the work that Jesus started thousands of years ago.

Today I want to encourage you to be the light wherever you go.  Don’t gossip and complain like those without a Savior do.  Instead, be kind, loving and generous to those who are outside so that they will see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:16)  Then teach them how to share the message of repentance and to love others the kingdom of heaven way, so that they will continue this work long after you are gone from this world.

Today’s scripture reading: Matthew 4:12-17

12 Now when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, He departed to Galilee.

13 And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali,

14 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:

15 “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles:

16 The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death Light has dawned.”

17 From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

The Sword of the Sprit

“But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ”  Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the LORD your God.’  Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ” Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.”   Matthew 4:4,7,10-11

These verses in Matthew were taken from the passage when Jesus was led into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan.  I wanted to highlight Jesus’ responses because He responded with divine wisdom, but not beyond what we can do.  He is our ultimate example, and if we follow what He did in His life we can be successful in our life.

So, in this passage, He gives us such a clear path to follow when we face temptation.  First of all, if Jesus was tempted, we know it isn’t sinful to be tempted.  It is only sin when you yield and give in to temptation.  Next, Jesus is clear on how to resist it.  He doesn’t argue with Satan, He doesn’t ignore or avoid the temptation.  He cuts it down with His Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. (Eph. 6) Each response He gives to all of Satan’s temptations are quotes from God’s Word.  That is why the Apostle Paul said in 2 Corinthians 10:13 that with every temptation, we have a “way of escape”.  That “way” is the Word of God!

When you read this passage in full, notice that Satan also quoted Psalms 91 (He will give His angels charge) to Jesus to try to trick Him.  But the power of God’s Word was only released when spoken in faith from the mouth of Him who believed it,  Jesus.

God’s Word has that same potential for power when we speak it in faith, but we have to believe it.  We know that faith comes from hearing and hearing the Word of God according to Romans 10:17.  That is why it needs to be spoken out loud.  So, we continually “hear” it to grow our belief and faith.  The verse doesn’t say faith comes from reading and reading the Word of God, we must hear it.

Today I encourage you to start overcoming temptation by speaking God’s Words every day, then believe what you hear.  The difference is speaking in faith and believing, not simply knowing what God said!  Follow the example Jesus gave us and draw your Sword of the Spirit to take down temptation as soon as it comes.  Speak the truth of God’s Word to the enemy’s lies and defeat him every time!

Today’s scripture reading: Matthew 4:1-11

1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

2 And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry.

3 Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”

4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’”

5 Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple,

6 and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’

and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’ ”

7 Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’ ”

8 Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.

9 And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.”

10 Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’”

11 Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.

Finally

Now when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard; but Paul was permitted to dwell by himself with the soldier who guarded him.  Acts 28:16

Have you ever been on a long trip with young passengers that inevitably ask that dreaded question, “Are we there, yet?” Sometimes it comes very early on in your travels.  Children just don’t seem to understand time and distance and get impatient when they have to sit still for a very long time.

I wonder if the apostle Paul ever felt this way as he traveled to Rome.  It was not just a few short hours or days.  His journey took months to reach his destination.  When he left Caesarea, it was probably a few weeks before they landed at Fair Haven, which was before they ran into the 14-day storm.  Then after swimming ashore at Malta, they spent another three months there for the winter.  Finally, they boarded a ship and headed for Rome with another series of stops that added over another week to the journey.  Through it all, I didn’t once hear Paul say, “Are we there yet?”  If fact, I don’t even know if her was really ready to reach Rome.  It was an uncertainty for sure.  Except, he knew that God was taking him there for a reason and he was ready to tell others about the way of salvation when he got there.

Notice, all along the way as he traveled, he did the same thing that he was called to do at Rome.  Preached the love of God in the gospel message.  He didn’t wait until he got to Rome to start up his ministry again, he just continued to do it wherever he was forced to be at the time.  Through many test, trials, setbacks and even shipwreck, he used each opportunity to lead others to Jesus.  There was no, “Are we there, yet?” questions because to Paul, he was always there.  Wherever he was, he was there to do ministry and fulfil his mission.

Finally, he made it to Rome, and once again, time to get to work.  Not time to wait until he went before Caesar, but time to lead others to the Lord Jesus.  Paul really didn’t know that when he arrived at Rome, he would be separated from the rest of the prisoners and be permitted to live by himself with his own private bodyguard.  Of course, his friends, Luke and Aristarchus were with him also.  It really looked like God had thought of every detail because He did.

This leads me to ask the question to myself.  Do I get impatient on the journey of my life, or do I just do what I am called to do each day no matter where I am on the journey?  Ideally, I recognize the hand of God on each step I take and proclaim His goodness and empowering grace wherever I go.  I don’t want to get impatient and ask, “When are we going to get to the good part?” or “When will things start to be easier?”  I want to enjoy where I am each leg of the journey knowing that my God is with me and taking me through every storm and shipwreck that may happen along the way.

Today I want to encourage you to love and enjoy the life you have been given.  Live each day on your mission and purpose.  Don’t let stress of the unknown weigh you down, instead, trust that the Holy Spirit is leading you and making each step to take plain and clear.  When it feel like it is taking a long time to get to where you want to be, don’t complain about having to sit and wait.  Praise God right where you are and make ways to do your ministry no matter what is going on around you.  I want to leave you with this final encouraging scripture in 1 Peter 3:10-12 that says: “He who would love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking deceit.  Let him turn away from evil and do good; Let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers; But the face of the Lord is against those who do and speak evil.”

The actual formula for loving life and seeing good days:

1. Refrain your tongue from evil speaking, complaining and speaking lies and deceitful words.
2. Turn aways from evil ways and do good acts of kindness and love.
3. Seek peace in every situation and chase/pursue after it.

The rewards of loving life and seeing good days:

1. God’s eye of protection and grace will be on you.
2. His ears will be open to your prayers and requests.
3. His face will not be against you but for you.

Today’s scripture reading: Acts 28:11-16

11 After three months we sailed in an Alexandrian ship whose figurehead was the Twin Brothers, which had wintered at the island. 

12 And landing at Syracuse, we stayed three days. 

13 From there we circled round and reached Rhegium. And after one day the south wind blew; and the next day we came to Puteoli, 

14 where we found brethren, and were invited to stay with them seven days. And so we went toward Rome. 

15 And from there, when the brethren heard about us, they came to meet us as far as Appii Forum and Three Inns. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage.

16 Now when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard; but Paul was permitted to dwell by himself with the soldier who guarded him.

kindness has a cost

And the natives showed us unusual kindness; for they kindled a fire and made us all welcome, because of the rain that was falling and because of the cold.  Acts 28:2

 When Paul and the rest of the shipmates arrived on the island of Malta, the natives there showed them unusual kindness.  They all made it to shore, which was great, but once there, it was about to turn into another decision.  Now what?  I’m sure they wondered when they got there, what do we do next?  But just on time, the natives showed up and showed kindness and hospitality.  We know this was not their normal response because the passage says that it was unusual kindness, meaning it didn’t usually happen.

As I read through the passage, it struck me that each group of people there had a part and they all contributed in some way to what was playing out.  Notice first, that the natives welcomed them to the island by using their resources to supply heat and a dry place for all to dry out after swimming to shore.  Keep in mind that there were 276 of them that made it to land.  It must have been quite a big fire to be able to reach 276 people.  Even Paul got involved by putting more wood on the fire.  He was not the host or even someone working there, but he helped out with kindness by giving of his hand.

This is not an isolated instance for Paul, throughout the entire chapter, we have seen that Paul was a worker and always gave of his time and resources.  His kindness to others was demonstrated by valuing people no matter what the cost.  That’s what kindness is.  It is giving of your time, resources and energy to make others feel more important than the things around you.

I have never thought of kindness as a gift.  The scriptures tell us that it is fruit that shows up when the Holy Spirit is present.  However, the gift part is when giving kindness.  When you show kindness to others, you are giving and giving is the way that we become and example of Who Jesus is and what He gave to save us.  He spared no expense in His act of love and kindness to give everything He had down to His last breath so we could be reconciled to God our heavenly father.  Now we are the ones that spare no expense to show others the love of God in our lifetime.  You cannot be kind without giving something.  Don’t set a limit on what you will give to show others God’s love today.  When you are willing to give it all, kindness will show up where ever you go.

Today I want to encourage you to do your part in being kind to all people.  Don’t let selfishness, pride and lack of resources stop you.  Instead, give of your time, energy and money to invest in the eternity of those around you.  When you do, you will begin to understand that this is the reason you have been given life, health and resources, to help others in this world.

Today’s scripture reading: Acts 28:1-10

1 Now when they had escaped, they then found out that the island was called Malta. 

2 And the natives showed us unusual kindness; for they kindled a fire and made us all welcome, because of the rain that was falling and because of the cold. 

3 But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat, and fastened on his hand. 

4 So when the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he has escaped the sea, yet justice does not allow to live.” 

5 But he shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm. 

6 However, they were expecting that he would swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But after they had looked for a long time and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god.

7 In that region there was an estate of the leading citizen of the island, whose name was Publius, who received us and entertained us courteously for three days. 

8 And it happened that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and dysentery. Paul went in to him and prayed, and he laid his hands on him and healed him. 

9 So when this was done, the rest of those on the island who had diseases also came and were healed. 

10 They also honored us in many ways; and when we departed, they provided such things as were necessary.