Saturday, August 23, 2014

Acts 16:6-7

Forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the gospel in Asia and Bithynia.  

Our timing is not always in line with God’s timing.  Being sensitive to the Spirit is the best way to “stay” in God’s will, with His plans and purposes, with His time table.  Part of knowing the right thing to do is often knowing the right time to do it.  How does one learn to be sensitive to His Spirit?  By spending time with Him.  Jesus promised His sheep would recognize His voice. 

I’m reminded of phone calls and how we learn to recognize the voice of a friend – just hearing their voice registers in our memory that we know them, that we share a relationship with them, even though we can’t see them.

Paul logically thought he would go to Asia – to preach.  It would seem to make sense.  He was close and preaching the gospel was his mission.  But God had other plans. Paul is being guided by hindrance. The Holy Spirit often guides as much by the closing of doors as He does by the opening of doors.

How do we know? 
Knowing His word
Godly counsel
Prayer with an open, expectant heart
Being still before Him
(not necessarily in this order)

Friday, August 22, 2014

Confrontation is not a dirty word.

Some thoughts on Matt 16;21-28:  Jesus tells His disciples what is to come regarding His suffering and death and His resurrection.  Peter tries to deny it and Jesus confronts him; tells him he is an offense, a stumbling block, that he is thinking like a man not like a disciple.  This must have been hard for Peter to hear, especially following his previous confession that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God.  But Peter needed to see that his present perception, his way of seeing things, was contrary to the will of God.  I find this somehow comforting.  Peter always seemed to struggle with this, and yet I believe it was his faith, not just individually but in example, upon which the church is founded.  I think Peter was truly and completely in awe of Jesus, in the majesty and mystery of Who He was, that he loved Him deeply and knew that he too was loved by this man, this Son of God clothed in humanity.

At this point Jesus knows His time here is short and what is coming, the physical and spiritual suffering he would endure, was probably weighing upon Him.  Peter’s comments were a distraction from the purpose and plan of His Father, a temptation to turn aside and take the “easy way out”.  


But He knew His death and resurrection would be Peter’s (and our) salvation.  That no matter how hard we may try - we will fail.  Only He could redeem that which was lost and restore what was broken.  We will stumble and fall but He has provided a way.  In our weakness He is strong; when we rely upon and cling to Him and live in the awe and wonder of Who He is and of His great love towards us who are called by His name.

In those times when we fail, Jesus will confront us.  Not to condemn us but to show us where our perspective needs adjusting, where our hearts need changing and always to reveal that we are loved and precious in His sight.

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

He is faithful

“I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat. . . Then His disciples answered Him, “How can one satisfy these people with bread here in the wilderness?” (Mark 8:2-4)

How amazing it is that you can come upon a familiar verse or story that you've heard many times before and yet in that moment He comes and takes you deeper and deeper into His presence. 

I must confess that at times I’m somewhat critical of the disciples for their lack of faith. They had the benefit of living with Jesus and seeing the miracles firsthand.  But then I, who have the benefit of the cross and His Spirit within me, also struggle with faith even knowing all that He has done for me.  How fortunate that He is ever patient and faithful, even when I am faithlessly forgetful .  Perhaps too, I just need to focus on His faithfulness rather than my short-term memory in faith.