June 29: Wax On, Wax Off

2 Kings 15:1-16:20

Acts 19:13-41

Psalm 147:1-20

Proverbs 18:4-5f

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bg21M2zwG9Q

Did you watch "Karate Kid"?  And not that newer one with Jackie Chan - no, the first one, with Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita.  Daniel asked Mr. Miyagi to teach him kung fu, so Mr. Miyagi had him wax his car, paint his fence and sand the floor.  The link above shows the instincts Daniel developed following Mr. Miyagi's training, instincts that governed his response when he would be attacked.  

Ahaz, King of Judah, developed different instincts.  We read that he "did not do what was right in the eyes of the Lord his God". So when he was besieged by the kings of Aram and Israel, and defeat seemed imminent, his "wax on, wax off" response was to seek another's help.  He pleaded with the King of Assyria and, in doing so, exchanged surrender and enslavement to the kings of Aram and Israel for surrender and enslavement to the King of Assyria.  And he exchanged the practice of sacrifice at the alter of the Lord for sacrifice at an altar modeled after one in Damascus.  From bad to worse.  

The point is, the instincts we develop are the ones we are going to use when confronted with life's problems.  Some instincts are going to make things better - like Daniel-san's.  Some are going to make things worse - like Ahaz's.  Get into a fight with your spouse?  Some instincts lead you to seek comfort elsewhere, exacerbating the situation, maybe wind up in divorce, and hurting your kids.  From bad to worse.  

I'll tell you the instinct I want to develop: the instinct to praise God.  The one where my response to any situation, and especially any difficult situation, is to praise Him.  The psalmist is pretty direct: "Praise the Lord.  How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise Him!"  Where Ahaz's actions declared his dependence on the Assyrian king, praise declares our dependence on God.  Where Ahaz's surrender declared the Assyrian king's sovereignty over Ahaz's situation, our praise declares God's sovereignty over our decisions.  And where Ahaz's instinct drove him to mirror the Assyrian king, our praise of God will cause us to mirror His greatness to those who see us.

Father instill in us the instinct to respond rightly to all situations.  Teach us, in all situations, to praise You. 

June 28

Acts 18

Rosaria Butterfield's story is amazing and compelling, by any standard.

She was a radical lesbian feminist professor at Syracuse University, specializing in Queer Theory. She was enjoying a committed lesbian relationship. Respected by students and colleagues, she had all the outward signs of success and prosperity. Rosaria took on the challenge of writing an article critiquing "Promise Keepers," a national movement of large gatherings of Christian men in stadiums all over this country. After publishing her article, she organized the predictable responses into fan mail and hate mail. But one particular response fit neither pile, so there it sat, in what Rosaria called the "the tense middle area." The letter had been sent by Pastor Ken Smith. He and his wife invited Rosaria into their home for dinner and friendship. For two years she shared dinners at their house but never set foot in a church. The Smiths showed her the love of Christ and talked about life. What came next in this story is what Rosaria describes as a "train wreck" at the hand of God. She experienced the love of Christ and it touched her deeply. Two years after starting her friendship with the Smiths, Rosaria started her friendship with Jesus. Now Rosaria is a wife and mother who speaks out on how to bridge the gap between the LGBT community and the church. Her life story was changed because of a dining room table. 

Acts 18:26 When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately. 

The first century church grew house by house. There were no church buildings for the first 300 years of our history. The location of the church was around dining room tables. If you want to see the gospel renewed in America, it starts with you. Are you willing to invite people far from God to come and eat at your dining room table? Hospitality is the key that will open the door to the renewal of the unbelieving community.

--

"Multiplying leaders to change the world"

Thursday, June 27

THURSDAY, JUNE 27, 2019

"One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: 'Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent.  For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.'  So Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God." (Acts 18:9-11)

Throughout Paul's ministry, he undertook many transitions, moving from city to city and interacting with many different groups and co-workers.  At this moment, the Lord Jesus came to Paul to reassure him in a period of transition:  shifting the focus of his ministry from the Jewish synagogues to the Gentiles.  While he would face much opposition, Jesus affirmed that "I am with you" and that Paul would be kept safe.  These words must have given life and hope to Paul, whose striving for the Gospel brought on stress, loneliness, and heartache.

I subscribe to a daily quote e-mail list, and today's entry featured C. T. Studd, a British missionary to both India and China.  Aside from having one of the all-time great names, he followed boldly in Paul's footsteps and willingly surrendered a life of great comfort and success for hardship.  Both Studd and Paul trusted in Jesus's promise:  "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." (Luke 5:31,32)

In light of this truth, love for others compels us to become friends with those who haven't yet received Christ.  Paul becomes friends with Titius Justus, a Gentile who worshipped God.  This transformation also touched the synagogue leader, Crispus, and his household.  Ultimately, many Corinthians were baptized.

From Paul's journeys and stories of great missionary heroes like C. T. Studd, we recognize that God does move powerfully in specific moments.  Yet, while we trust God for His miraculous intervention, we bring the crucial element of faithfulness to the table.  Without faithfully following Christ and trusting Him at His promises, the Gospel seed remains unplanted.  We then must continue to persevere through difficulties and keep planting that seed into people's lives.  We believe God for a great harvest, and we live our faith by serving as a faithful farmers.

Where is God calling you to invest your life?  How could you trust Him more today?  What promises and reassurances has He given you for today?

Lord God, thank You for calling us to follow Your Son and to experience the great joy of seeing our lives and others' transformed by the Gospel.  Help us serve as faithful farmers.  Help us to build loving friendships with others and to have opportunity to share the Gospel message with them.  Please soften the Gospel soil in our hometown and throughout Connecticut.  Please move in our day so that we might see a great harvest.  In Jesus's Name, amen.

June 26

Psalm 144

David was an incredible warrior.  If he were alive today he would probably be in some elite branch of a special service division. Training is key to success, especially if you are a soldier. Think about David's life though.  Did he have special training when he fought Goliath?  No, in the physical sense he went in with some stones and sling shot, but in the spiritual world, he went in with God on his side.  David understands that it's the Lord who trained his hands for war and is fingers for battle. We too are trained for battle. Our training, much like David's, begins and rests in our relationship with God and in our prayer time. Apart from Him we can do nothing. We are reminded in 2 Corinthians 10:4 that "the weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world".  The Lord has not left us defenseless. He knows we live in the battle field, the Christian life does not take place on a playground. Jesus promised we'd have trouble. (John 16:33) So how do we train? What equipment do we use? In His wisdom, God has left us His Word, the Sword of the Spirit, and His Holy Spirit. There is a battle we face everyday.  It is for our souls, our spouses, our children, other family members and friends. We need to know God was well as David did and be aware of God's many attributes, His chesed, (loving kindness), God is our fortress, high tower, deliverer, shield and refuge. Before David even went out to physically do battle, he dropped to his knees. That's where the true fight begins and Kingdom victories are won. David's victories rested in trusting a covenant keeping, Sovereign God. He lived in a relationship with God that exemplifies what a prayer life is. Life might not always turn out how we think it should, but that doesn't change who God is.  Lord, I ask that you meet us where we are in our battles, on our knees, seeking your face, knowing that even though we don't see the full picture, or always understand, the victory is Yours.

Randi

Bible blog post Monday June 24th

Why Wait???  (2 Kings 6:1-7:2, focus on 6:33 and Proverbs 17:24)

"Why should I wait for the LORD any longer?" (Deut. 6:33). This was a question asked by a king who had been receiving guidance and instruction from the Lord (via Elisha) but was presently facing a long and difficult famine in the land.  It was so bad that people were killing their children to eat as food.  That kind of suffering is unimaginable.  The king had suffered as did the people of Israel.  He was weak physically, he was leaning on the arm of one of his officer's, and the very nature of his question reveals he was weak spiritually and in his faith.  Rather then seek help and wisdom from the man (Elisha) who had guided and helped him in the past (through the power of God) he sought him out to destroy and blame.  The king's circumstances overwhelmed him and he was not able to see hope or his God beyond the difficulties of this world so he questioned why he should bother waiting for God at all.  Little did the king know that the LORD had already planned to provide in a way that non of them could have imagined.  Hope lay just beyond his sight.

I know there are some out there struggling, suffering, feeling hopeless, depressed, hurting, unsure, feeling lost, afraid, lonely, anxious, angry and a host of other feelings.  Sometimes our difficulties cause our eyes to wander away from the truth, the power, the faithfulness, the hope that is to be found in the LORD.  I want to encourage you to not loose hope.  To keep your eyes, your heart, your hope fixed on the LORD and the wisdom of all his promises.  When the Israelite's had suffered in captivity in Babylon God sent them this message to encourage them "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.  You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.  I will be found by you," declares the Lord, "and will bring you back from captivity." Jeremiah 29:11-14.  These words were spoken to encourage the people 70 years before their freedom would actually occur.  The words that are the most encouraging, or should be, are not "I have plans to prosper and not harm...."  No we should be encouraged to know that when we call on the LORD, pray to him, seek him, he will hear us and he will be found by us.  We won't have to go through the difficulties alone.  We can and will find hope in the midst of struggle when we keep our eyes and hope fixed on the LORD, when we choose to wait on him.

I love the Proverb in today's reading: "A discerning man keeps wisdom in view, but a fool's eyes wander to the ends of the earth."  Keep focused on the wise eternal promises and hope found in God, seek them and they will always be found.  Don't let your eyes wander and focus on the difficulties of this world because there is no hope to be found there.

If you are not facing a difficulty or struggle in life right now then I encourage you to pray for those who are.  Be an encourager, a beacon of hope for others.  Hold a hand, cry with others, lend a shoulder, and be a reminder to others of the love and grace that God has for them. Help remind them why they should wait on the Lord, remind them of the hope to be found in Him.  Help them in their journey to seek the LORD with all their heart so that he will be found and their hope restored.

Be encouraged in the LORD and don't give up, hope lay's just beyond your sight!

June 22: Omnidirectional, not Linear

2 Kings 3:1-4:17

Acts 14:8-28

Psalm 140:1-13

Proverbs 17:22

Omnidirectional: being in or involving all directions.  

I can almost hear God asking "did you see what I did there?"  The three kings of Israel, Judah and Edom and their armies ran out of water.  They turned to God (ok, maybe they should have BEFORE they set out for battle with Moab), and God gave them the water they needed, that they could continue on to the battle…and the victory!…against Moab.  

That they could drink to restore their strength for battle would have been God sighting enough…but God wasn't done yet.  He used that very same water to fool the Moabites into thinking the three armies had fought each other.  So when they came to plunder the Israelites' camp, they were unprepared for battle, and were slaughtered.  The thing that threatened to cause the three armies' defeat was crucial for their victory.   God took one thing and worked it in multiple directions.  

See, I struggle enough getting from point A to point B.  It is difficult enough to cause "B" by using "A".  This inadequacy of mine only serves to emphasize the greatness of God, who can take something and cause it to further His will for everyone involved - even those we think might not be touched.  I struggle with the linear, with working in one direction, and our God is omnidirectional.  There is nothing beyond Him.  

This is the God we serve.  The God who can cause water to spring seemingly from nowhere, and use it not just to slake thirst, but to win battles.  The God whose miracle of the widow's oil didn't just save the widow and her children, but likely touched the neighbors from whom she obtained the jars; whose miracle of the Shunemite's son didn't just bless the woman, it likely amazed all her friends.  

So because He is omnidirectional, we can trust He has His hand upon all situations.  We can believe He can, as the psalmist prayed, rescue us from evildoers, and protect us from the violent.  And even when, having simply served Him, we are attacked, as were Paul and Barnabas by the Jews from Antioch and Iconium, even when we may have been dragged out and stoned, we can trust that He is in control; we can maintain the "cheerful heart" that is "good medicine", and not the "crushed spirit [that] dries up bones".

Father, even when we cannot see it, remind us that Your hand isn't just upon us, it is upon everything, and all that comes to pass You will have permitted, not just for one purpose, but for all purposes.  

Thursday, June 20

THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2019

"A friend loves at all times,

    and a brother is born for a time of adversity." (Proverbs 17:17:

"Though the Lord is exalted, he looks kindly on the lowly;

    though lofty, he sees them from afar.

Though I walk in the midst of trouble,

    you preserve my life.

You stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes;

    with your right hand you save me." (Psalm 138:6,7)

These two verses from today's readings tie together for me under the banner of humility and love. These two elements provide the backdrop for strong human relationships and also our relationship with our Father.

From Psalm 138:6, we understand that God draws near to those who are humble. We understand from other Scripture passages that humility works in reverse, too: that those who are humble seek God more fully. In addition to recognizing God's awesome love and concern, that humility comes from a recognition of our very dependence on God and His sustaining power in our lives. David encapsulates this attitude graphically in Psalm 63:1:

"You, God, are my God,

    earnestly I seek you;

I thirst for you,

    my whole being longs for you,

in a dry and parched land

    where there is no water." 

Humility breeds a hunger for healthy relationships, while pride promotes self-sufficiency and user-abuser relationships. Humility encourages mutual sharing of joys and burdens. As Proverbs 17:17 explains, the love of real friends endures and perhaps strengthens in times of adversity. Real friends embrace us and declare that we are neither alone nor abandoned. They re-emphasize God's promises to stand close to the broken-hearted and crushed in spirit. They encourage us to remain faithful to God's purpose and caring for others, even when we are hurting and low in reserves.

We all face challenges, but God has provided both His intimate friendship and the love of others to carry us through. He has brought comfort to us in our trials so that we may, in turn, comfort others. (2 Corinthians 1:3-5) How would you like to be loved today? How could you love others in that way?

Father, thank You for making it possible to approach You as a friend through the shed blood of Your Son. Many of us are hurting and broken at this moment, and we ask that You would send real friends into our lives today. Draw close to those who are weak and burdened, and give them rest under the yoke of Your Son. Develop a greater love and greater humility in us, so that we may become deeper in our relationships with You and others. In Jesus's mighty Name, amen.

June 19

Acts 13

As I was reading this, I was picturing in my mind what it might have looked like when Barnabas and Saul were offering themselves to the Lord as vessels to be used to bring glory and honor to God.  Maybe it looked like us on a Sunday morning. They were worshiping, praying, praising, and listening for God's voice. They were also fasting, perhaps because they sensed a need to seek God in a special way. Let's assume they fasted and prayed about the need of the world to hear the gospel and know Jesus. As we read on, we can see how God answered their prayer - hands were laid on, they were prayed over and sent out to spread the message.  As we learn about gospel rhythms, we see that this is often how God moves. God answers prayer by sending the people who have it on their hearts to develop spiritual disciplines and then respond when called.  I believe we too have been set apart and anointed by the Holy Spirit, just as Barabas and Saul.  In him we were also chosen, and have been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will. (Eph. 1:11) We each have different gifts which will be used to bring God glory. I pray as we go into the day we practice the gospel rhythms and then take time to listen to God's voice and watch for opportunities to unfold to share the gospel.

Randi

June 15: Of Slow Learners

1 Kings 14:1-15:24

Acts 10:1-23A

Psalm 133:1-3

Proverbs 17:7-8

When one thinks of slow learners, on has to consider Jeroboam. We recently read that Ahijah, the prophet in Shiloh, told Jeroboam he would be king over 10 of Israel's tribes because of Rehoboam's and, consequently, Israel's sinfulness.  You'd think he'd learned his lesson, that he now knew to follow God's commands.  But he didn't.  

So God punishes him; He causes Jeroboam's hand to shrivel up.  Jeroboam once again acknowledges God, and asks for intercession that he might be healed, and he is. And you'd think this time, he'd really learned his lesson, he'd learned to follow follow God's commands.  But he still hadn't.  Scripture tells us he "did not change his evil ways".

So today we read That God causes Abijah, Jeroboam's son, to fall ill.  Jeroboam knows he needs help, but he still wants it on his terms.  So what does he do?  He sends his wife, in disguise, to the prophet Ahijah in Shiloh, with bread and cakes and honey, to obtain a favorable result.  In other words, he lies, he bribes, and he makes his wife complicit.  Even when his son's life is at stake, Jeroboam refuses to learn.  

It is so easy for me to look at Jeroboam and think "what an idiot.  It would be so much easier to be obedient to God."  But the truth of the matter is, I am Jeroboam.  I sin.  God shows me the error of my ways.  I repent…and then sin again.  And often, rather than confront my sinfulness, I try to bargain or cheat my way to what I want.  

Father, thank You for revealing the Jeroboamic persistence of our sinfulness.  And thank You for the redemption Your Son obtained for us, redemption we could not have obtained for ourselves.  Help us to learn to love You, to be obedient to You, more quickly and more easily than Jeroboam.  

June 14

Acts 9

Saul was clearly one of the bad guys. His track record placed him on the list of ten people you never want to get near. Yet there was this report of a transformation in his life. Who would be the first to give this guy a break? Would Saul have to go several years establishing an unblemished record or would someone take a risk and reach out to him?  These were key questions for the early church, and they are key questions for us.

When people come to us, most of them have emotional baggage. They have broken lives and a lot of pain. There must be a first mover to welcome them into the family. Someone needs to have courage and walk across the room. It is our responsibility to take the first step.  

Thank God for the example of Barnabas.

Let's all practice being a Barnabas this weekend. Welcome someone who is high risk into the orbit of your friendship. We love because God first loved us.

--

"Multiplying leaders to change the world"

Thursday, June 13

THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 2019

Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples....

"Lord," Ananias answered, "I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name."

But the Lord said to Ananias, "Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name."

(Acts 9:1,13-16)

In Acts 9, we read about a crucial turn of events:  the conversion of the chief persecutor, Saul, to become a follower of Jesus.  For Saul, the circumstances of Jesus's appearance—and his subsequent blindness—were unmistakable.  The change in his life proved to be thorough and immediate, and, after fellowshipping with other believers and growing in faith, he would indeed become the "chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentile and their kings and to the people of Israel."  Saul, later Paul, would undertake a global mission and, by the Spirit's power, would spread the Gospel message throughout the known Mediterranean world, across multiple cultures and people-groups.

Putting ourselves in Ananias's sandals, we realize that God's transformative power often goes beyond our human understanding or trust.  We struggle to grasp how "that guy" or "those people" could become renewed after coming to life in Christ.  Yet, it happens with great frequency.

As followers of Christ, we may sometimes become complacent and forget the great depths from which God saved us through the grace and mercy through Jesus Christ.  We may even come to view our changed lives as some kind of testimony to our own goodness.  When we slip into this mode of thinking, we miss the richness of grace and may even become judgmental and short-sighted.

God's ways often seem inverted to our own plans and thoughts, but we can and should trust Him.  His plans may involve twists and turns, but they are His purposes and for His glory and the good of His people.  With Job, we may declare:  "I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth." (Job 19:25)

May we embrace God's ways and trust Him for great change, even today and even in what seem to be hopeless situations.  May He raise up new Pauls in our day to spread the Gospel and to bring light out of darkness!

Lord God, thank You for rescuing us from our sin.  Thank You for bringing us into relationship with Your Son, Jesus Christ, according to Your grace and mercy.  Give us opportunities to share the Gospel message with the hurting and broken.  Give us greater confidence in Your plans and purposes.  Help us to trust You to do what seems impossible, to Your glory and for the good of Your people.  In Jesus's mighty Name, amen.

"I Know My Redeemer Lives" (https://youtu.be/qonfozR3BLo)

June 12

Acts 8:14-25

Think of some things that might impress you and that you are able to buy, like food, clothes, a car, a computer etc.   Now think of some things that although you might be impressed, money can't buy, like love, time, peace, talent, manners. In today's reading, Simon saw that when the apostles laid hands on the Samaritans and prayed for them, they received the Ruach Ha Kodesh, the Holy Spirit.  Simon was impressed and wanted what he saw. Simon thought that the Holy Spirit was merely a power that could be bought or sold. He wanted to control the working of the Spirit, and regarded the Holy Spirit as a power he could use as he wanted, instead of a Person who ruled his life. His sin was a desire to possess spiritual power for personal ends. Of course, Simon was wrong in this thought and once he realized, he repented. The gifts of God are received freely from Him, all we need to do is get on our knees and pray. Please join me:

Holy Spirit, You are God. We praise you because you are holy, and thank you for dwelling in our hearts. Thank you for working in my life. You guided me into salvation, renewed my dead spirit, and you opened my eyes to the Truth. Help me to see you more clearly – to recognize your movement in my life. Make me more sensitive to you so I can follow you more closely. Still, I know that I am selfish and rebellious. I need you to help me be obedient when I recognize your leading. I need you. I ask you for your help and comfort today. You know my pain and anxieties very well. Thank you for praying over me. Help me to rest in your comfort today.  Help me to walk in you, the Spirit of God. Grow good fruit in my life. You are the one who produces these in me: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. I cannot live out these things on my own, I need you. Father, I recognize my need for Your power to live this life. Please fill me with Your Holy Spirit. 

I pray we all have a spirit filled, God blessed day.

Randi

Monday Blog Post

This Post was written by Chuck Goulart

1977 a lightning storm knocked out power in NYC, but don't worry we got this! just flip some switches in the right order at the right time and we can use power from other areas! One person forgot to flip one switch which overloaded ConEd and blacked out NYC for 25 hours resulting in chaos, and mayhem, looting, riots and a ton of other chaotic events.

1999, 330 million dollar Mars orbiter was lost due to a small detail, an engineer at Lockheed and Martian a US based company installed software that works on American system of measurement when ALL THINGS NASA use the metric system. This caused the wrong calculation ending in the loss of this spacecraft.

2008, A 1.4 billion dollar a US B-2 Stealth bomber crashed in Guam because of a faulty air pressure sensor. Some water droplets on the sensor was the cause, but the mechanics were suppose to make sure they were dry. This was overlooked and brought down one of the most expensive planes ever made.

Details are so important! When reading today's passages, 1 Kings 7:1-66 stood out! Coming from a construction background details are critical. Reading Solomon's blueprint plans for his house "the palace of the forest of Lebanon" named for the amount of cedar trees from the Lebanon forest that Solomon used. I love picturing in my minds eye what this palace would look like. Some things I learned "the Sea" in verse 23 AKA "Molten Sea" was enormous, made of bronze and used for washing the feet of the priest and cleaning parts of sacrifices. The stones were huge and cut precisely by hand, this is no easy task even with today's hi-tech tools. One big thing stood out to me in all of the building of Solomon's palace. Solomon took 7 years to build the temple of the Lord, but took 13 to build his own house. I was wondering how many things in my life I pour a lot of time in? How much detail I put into the things I like, and I want to do? More importantly how many things for the Lord where I don't give Him my all!

Today I will take an inventory of those things in my life that take time away form serving the Lord and not myself.

Details are important

1977 a lightning storm knocked out power in NYC, but don't worry we got this! just flip some switches in the right order at the right time and we can use power from other areas! One person forgot to flip one switch which overloaded ConEd and blacked out NYC for 25 hours resulting in chaos, and mayhem, looting, riots and a ton of other chaotic events.

1999, 330 million dollar Mars orbiter was lost due to a small detail, an engineer at Lockheed and Martian a US based company installed software that works on American system of measurement when ALL THINGS NASA use the metric system. This caused the wrong calculation ending in the loss of this spacecraft. 

2008, A 1.4 billion dollar a US B-2 Stealth bomber crashed in Guam because of a faulty air pressure sensor. Some water droplets on the sensor was the cause, but the mechanics were suppose to make sure they were dry. This was overlooked and brought down one of the most expensive planes ever made.

Details are so important! When reading todays passages, 1 Kings 7:1-66 stood out! Coming from a construction background details are critical. Reading Solomons blueprint plans for his house "the palace of the forest of Lebanon" named for the amount of cedar trees from the Lebanon forest that Solomon used. I love picturing in my minds eye what this palace would look like. Some things I learned "the Sea" in verse 23 AKA "Molten Sea" was enormous, made of bronze and used for washing the feet of the priest and cleaning parts of sacrifices. The stones were huge and cut precisely by hand, this is no easy task even with today's hi-tech tools.  One big thing stood out to me in all of the building of Solomons palace. Solomon took 7 years to build the temple of the Lord, but took 13 to build his own house. I was wondering how many things in my life I pour a lot of time in? How much detail I put into the things I like, and I want to do? More importantly how many things for the Lord where I don't give Him my all! 

Today I will take an inventory of those things in my life that take time away form serving the Lord and not myself.    

Chuck Goulart
Anytime Appliance

Repair Service

and More, LLC.
203-943-0961

 "Our greatest fear should not be of failure but of succeeding at things in life that don't really matter." –Francis Chan

June 8: Of Hunger

1 Kings 3:4-4:34

Acts 6:1-15

Psalm 126:1-6

Proverbs 16:26-27

"The appetite of laborers works for them; their hunger drives them on."

What do you hunger for?  I don't mean food.  I mean, what do you ache for, with all your life, with all your heart?  Why do you get up in the morning, by what do you evaluate your day when you go to bed?  I think whatever that is, that is what is going to drive and direct your efforts throughout the day, each day, every day.

In today's reading from Acts, what drove the 12 disciples was "the ministry of the word".  Their hunger to do that was so strong, they would not be distracted, even by a legitimate problem within the body.  And while it might have made sense to some that they drop everything to wait on tables, that was not what they hungered to do.  Instead, they ached to spread the Gospel.  

If you're anything like me, the big problem, the big challenge, is developing a hunger for something truly worthwhile.   If I am going to be honest, in my teens I got out off bed to have a good time; in my twenties I went to bed evaluating my day based on the progress of my career.  And in my thirties, I acted as though I was aching for my family's welfare - roof, food, clothing - but truthfully it was money I sought.  In the merciless light of 20/20 hindsight, it was easy to see my choices, however innocuous, even seemingly worthwhile, were empty.  See, even the money I sought to provide for my family I know today wasn't going to be any assurance of a good life.  

What then to choose?  How then to choose?  We get a bonus in today's reading - the best choice one can make when looking to determine the course one's life should take: wisdom.  I don't know what inspired Solomon to ask for it, but I pray that, instead of pretending I have the answers, I follow his example.  That way, the hunger that drives me will be worth it.  

Father, give me the humility to know I do not have the answers, and the insight to ask for the wisdom I need, so that, like the disciples, I am able to discern the appetites You want me to have, the things for which You want me to hunger.

June 7

Acts 5

Ananias and Sapphira were playing a very dangerous game. It is called the game of "pretend."  To pretend is to feel one way but then publicly act another way. In psychological terms it is pseudo-community and it is dangerous. In fact, it was so dangerous that God dealt with it in a drastic way.

So how do we play pseudo-community today?

"Honey,are you angry with me? NO!!!!   No way!!! Everything is fine!!!"

You have a disconnect with another person and you are not courageous enough to resolve it, so you say, "Oh, so nice to see you today." They ask, "How are you doing?" "Just fine," you reply, even though you aren't. By the way F-I-N-E is a secret code for men. It means Freaked out, Insecure, Neurotic and Exhausted. I use it often.

"How much did you get for the property?" The next few words from Ananias and Sapphira would determine the length of their lives on planet earth.

It is important to tell the truth all the time. We must also love at all times. In the end the Christian life is pretty simple; love God, make friends, (which is another way of saying make disciples) and tell the truth at all times.

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"Multiplying leaders to change the world"

Thursday, June 6

THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019

 

[The disciples prayed:]  “Now, Lord consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.  Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”

 

After they prayed, the paced they were meeting was shaken.  And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.

 

(Acts 4:29-31)

 

 

This passage falls within any eventful Chapter 4 of Acts.  Chapter 2 features the birth of the Church, brought about through the visible and powerful outpouring of the Holy Spirit.  In Chapter 3, we read about Peter and John’s ministry at the Temple, where they healed a lame man in the Name of Jesus.

 

Their faithfulness triggered a strong rejection from the Sanhedrin’s leaders.  While the leadership wished to punish Peter and John, they recognized that a miraculous power had indeed come.  In Acts 4:13,14, we read about the conflict within the leadership:  “When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.  But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say.”

 

Even today, the world cannot refute the powerful testimony of a changed life.  For every believer, we have some testimony of God’s tremendous intervention on our behalf, both at the time of repentance and coming to faith or through the course of our Christian walk.  We will do well to share that great news with others, which will prompt some reaction and offer opportunities to go deeper with spiritual conversations.

 

We must also remember that the power for this transformative ministry came from the Holy Spirit.  He continues to intervene today, filling us and strengthening us to bear fruit and to shine forth the light of Christ.  In our day, we often worry about what others might think.  Throughout history, and starting here, we encounter real spiritual conflict between the Kingdom of Christ and other kingdoms.  Standing with the Kingdom of Christ brings eternal benefits and draws us closer into relationship with God and other believers.

 

How would you like to see the Spirit’s power poured out in your life?  In our area?  How could you trust God for greater boldness in your witness?

 

 

Lord God, thank You for pouring out Your Holy Spirit on the early disciples and bringing about the transformation of many hearts and minds.  We thank You for the faithful testimony of the Church throughout many eras and many countries.  Your Kingdom has outlasted many empires, rulers, and world systems.  Your Kingdom is the desire of our hearts, and we wish to become better ambassadors of this Kingdom in our day.  Bring about wholeness and holiness in our lives so that we may better reflect Your character in our world.  We seek the boldness given by the Holy Spirit so that we may not shrink back from standing for You in our day.  In Jesus’s mighty Name, amen.

 

 

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Bible Blog June 5^th

2 Samuel 23:24-24:25

Acts 3:1-26

Psalm 123:1-4

Proverbs 16:21-23

As we read through 2 Samuel 23:24-24:25, we see David recognize he has sinned and then asks the Lord to take away the guilt.

We also see God's forgiveness of David sins, which makes us think has there ever been anyone in your life that you have sinned against?  Will you go to God for forgiveness for that sin today?  And will you apologize and reconcile with the mighty that person in your life that you need to apologize to or reconcile with? Today we see forgiveness and mercy tie in together in Psalm. God does not cause people to sin, but he does allow sinners to reveal the sinfulness of their hearts by their actions. David's sin was pride and ambition, he put his faith in the size of his army rather than in Gods ability to protect them regardless of their number. We sin in a similar way when we place our security in money, positions or the might of our nation. We can fall into the trap of doing thing our own way and not Gods.

In Acts 3:1-26 we see that Peter and John heal in the name of Jesus Christ by the authority of Jesus Christ. The apostles were doing healing through the Holy Spirits power not their own. I pray we have courage like Peter to see opportunities as we see in Acts and use them to speak up for Christ. Jesus received the glory not the apostles for the healing of the crippled man. By Peter using Jesus name, Peter showed who gave him the authority and power to heal. The apostles said what God cold do through them and not what they could do. When we live by Gods word, he washes away the deadly effects of sin and then hope of eternal life gives us Joy. We can be enlightened by Gods wisdom or pulled down by the weight of our own foolishness. Let us acknowledge the Lord, let us acknowledge Jesus in everything we do or the opportunities that arise and when opportunities arise let us humble ourselves and give all the glory to God,

Amen

June 1: How Much Does God Love Us?

2 Samuel 17:1-29

John 19:23-42

Psalm 119:129-152

Proverbs 16:12-13

Today's OT reading answers the question in the title powerfully, eloquently.  Consider Absalom: a part of the 0.1% - the good looking, wealthy son of a king.  He committed a crime that warranted death, received banishment instead, and then was forgiven.  Absalom was blessed - by God, and through his earthly father.

So when he gets home, what does he do?  He plots to overthrow the king.  He is so successful David fears for his life and the lives of the members of his household, that he abandons the palatial life to escape into the wilderness.  And after his father leaves, Absalom goes even further by sleeping with his father's concubines. 

Not too long after that, God comes to David's aid, and his forces defeat Absalom's.   David has the opportunity to exact vengeance on the ungrateful, traitorous son.  He has every right to every ounce of anger and outrage he can muster.  What is his response?  "Be gentle with young man Absalom for my sake."  And when he hears of Absalom's death he weeps and mourns.

David's love for the sinful Absalom is a wonderful hint at the character and magnitude of God's love for us.  We have rejected God, we have used what He's given us to oppose, even to attack Him.  Despite all that, He loves us, He mourns our separation from Him, and wants only for us to be reconciled to Him.  

How do we respond?  If you're like me, you sin.  And however strong your prayer life, when you sin, you are ashamed, and you do EXACTLY the same thing Adam and Eve did - you hide.  You separate yourself from God.  I read today's reading and think how much of a counterproductive idiot I've been.  When I sin - as I inevitably will - my response shouldn't be to hide myself from God's love.  It should be to repent of my rebelliousness and run right back to Him.  He is mourning the separation my sin has caused.  He wants only for us to be reconciled.

Father, the guilt of our sinfulness make it difficult to remember how much You love us, how You only want for us to be with You, and You have done everything necessary to make that happen.  Rather than hide ourselves in shame, teach us to rise up, turn around, and run back to You.