Are you gifted in the prophetic?

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TODAY’S SPECIAL: Romans 11-12; Psalm 138

TO CHEW ON: “Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith.” Romans 12:6

When you think of “prophecy” what comes to mind? Are you of the opinion that a prophet is someone who can foretell the future?

Actually, the word “prophecy” in the New Testament doesn’t refer  primarily to predicting the future at all. This definition from my study Bible bears that out:

“Prophecies” - propheteia - means to speak forth. The primary use of the word is not predictive in the sense of foretelling but interpretive, declaring or forth-telling the will and counsel of God” - Dick Mills, New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1689.

Artist Rebekah R. Jones (from whom I have learned much about Bible art journaling) also formerly administered a prophetic arts Facebook group (Prophetic Arts for Jesus). In an article on her blog, she explains the connection between art and the prophetic. Her helpful definition of prophecy and its function comes from Seth Dahl’s The ABCDs of Prophecy—a book for children. I quote her (quoting Dahl):

“The reason He (God) wants us to have this gift is because of what prophecy does. Look at what it says in 1 Corinthians 14:3: ‘He who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men.” These lessons will teach your children that “edification” is “to build up,” “exhortation” is “to cheer up,” and “comfort” is “to draw near” - from “Prophecy and the Creative Community”.

Here are links to the three words in a lexicon, so you can check them out for yourself:

edification: oikodome (Strong's #3619)
exhortation - paraklesis  (Strong's #3874)
comfort - paramuthia - (Strong's #3889)

And here’s the 1 Corinthians 14:3 definition of prophecy in the Amplified:

“But [on the other hand], the one who prophesies—who interprets the divine will and purpose in inspired preaching and teaching—speaks to men for their upbuilding and constructive spiritual progress and encouragement and consolation” - 1 Corinthians 14:3 AMP.

All that to say, I believe we all exercise the gift of prophecy as we build up, cheer up, console, comfort, and encourage each other. And I would submit we can use many means—direct teaching and preaching of course, but also friendship, and the arts (writing, music, the graphic arts) to exercise this gift.

How will you use your prophetic gift today?

PRAYER: Dear Father, help me to be in tune with the Holy Spirit as I use my spiritual gifts. Help me to faithfully use the gift of prophecy—speaking the will and counsel of God—using various means to build others up as well as cheer, console, comfort, and encourage them in You. Amen. 

PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 138

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked AMP are taken from the Amplified® Bible, Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission." (www.Lockman.org)

Fighting life's battles

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TODAY’S SPECIAL: 2 Chronicles 32-34; Psalm 79

TO CHEW ON: “‘Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid nor dismayed before the king of Assyria, nor before all the multitude that is with him; for there are more with us than with him. With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles.’” 2 Chronicles 32:7,8

Judah’s King Hezekiah gave the encouragement, above, to his subjects in the face of Sennacherib’s (king of Assyria) invasion of Judah. But before he said these things, he was busy doing what he could to fortify and protect his territory from the Assyrian threat.

• He stopped the flow of water to the land (2 Chronicles 34:3,4).
• He repaired the Jerusalem wall (2 Chronicles 34:5).
• He manufactured and distributed new arms (2 Chronicles 34:5). 
• He organized the army (2 Chronicles 34:6).

Then he gathered the people for the pep talk.

Not surprisingly, Sennacherib reaction to Hezekiah’s speech was to mock it and Hezekiah’s faith in God. Sennacherib sent a delegation to Jerusalem to challenge Yahweh and  instill fear (2 Chronicles 34:10-15).

Sennacherib’s mockery and threats brought Hezekiah and Isaiah (the prophet) to their knees: they “prayed and cried out to Him…” 2 Chronicles 34:20.

Then God intervened supernaturally: “… sent an angel who cut down every mighty man of valor, leader, and captain in the camp of the King of Assyria" (2 Chronicles 34:21).

I think Hezekiah here demonstrates some great life principles for us too. When we’re under attack or in trouble—physically, financially, socially or in whatever way we:

• Do all we can. We follow doctors’ orders, put our financial house in order, attempt to make peace with our enemies, or whatever the situation dictates.

• Encourage ourselves in God, refusing to give in to the fear and what-ifs of the situation, reminding ourselves that “there are more with us than there are with them.”

• Pray. Though we've done all we can, in the end our trust is in God and His coming through for us. In His time He will, as He did for Hezekiah and his subjects.  

PRAYER: Dear Father, help me to remember that I have more than the “arm of flesh” with me; I have the Lord, God of heaven and earth. Amen.

PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 79

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Thanks for reading! This year we are using The Bible Project "Timeless Reading Plan" to read through the Bible in 2018. If you'd like to read along in your own Bible, you can download a pdf of the reading plan HERE.

Write your way through feeling to faith

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Numbers 35-36; Psalm 52

TO CHEW ON: "But I am like a green olive tree

in the house of God;

I trust in the mercy of God forever and ever.

I will praise You forever,

Because You have done it;

And in the presence of Your saints

I will wait on Your name for it is good." Psalm 52:8-9

When I journal, I often find myself using David's method of writing the psalms. He starts with troubled thoughts, spilling them all onto the page—the distress, the anger, the outrage, the desire for revenge. (When he wrote these, I wonder if he had any idea that thousands of years later people would still be reading and finding comfort and enlightenment.) Then he writes his way back through his feelings to faith in God.

Psalm 52 is such a cathartic entry. According to an epigram in my Bible, it is a "Contemplation of David when Doeg the Edomite went and told Saul and said to him, 'David has gone to the house of Ahimelech." The story, (found in 1 Samuel 21 and 22) is of the time David was running from King Saul. Saul, jealous of David's popularity and fearful that the people would want him to be their king, was trying to kill him.

David went from his hideout to the town of Nob to get food for his men from Ahimelech the priest. Doeg, a servant of Saul's, saw him and reported to Saul that Ahimelech had helped David. Saul summoned Ahimelech and his sons, scolded them for helping his enemy and ordered them all killed. Doeg did the deed. He even went so far as to  kill the families of Ahimelech and his sons.

Is it any wonder David cries, "God shall likewise destroy you (probably referring to Doeg) forever. He shall take you away and pluck you out of your dwelling place and uproot you from the land of the living"?

But his focus doesn't stay on the villain. Instead, he writes his way back to mental and spiritual tranquility as he expresses his trust in God. He reminds himself of his position as God's responsibility: "I am like a green olive tree in the house of God," and the attributes of the God he worships:  "I trust in the mercy of God forever and ever. I will praise You forever…. I will wait on Your name, for it is good" (vs. 8-9).

Are you troubled and distressed about something that's going on in your life? Try David's way of talking yourself down from whatever ledge you're on by writing about it. Any ordinary scribbler will do as a journal. As you diarize your path from feeling to faith, you may be writing your very own psalms. They may someday encourage someone else. Even if they don't, looking back on the experience of finding your way back to faith in God will buoy you up

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for the writings of David that show me it's normal to experience the gamut of emotions and okay to express them. As I do this, please help me, by Your Spirit, to find my way to truth and trust. Amen.

PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 52

MORE: Spiritual Journals

If journaling, or the thought of keeping a spiritual journal is new to you, here are a few links to give you ideas of how to go about it:

"How to Develop a Spiritual Journal"

"Journal for You" (page contains links to more resources)

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Letters old and new

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TODAY’S SPECIAL: Acts 15:22-35

TO CHEW ON: “So when they were sent off, they came to Antioch; and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the letter.
When they read it, they rejoiced over its encouragement.” Acts 15:30,31

In these days of instant messaging across the world, it’s interesting to try to put ourselves in the place of these early Gentile Christians. Their missionaries had gone to Jerusalem to get a verdict from church leaders (the Apostles) on how they were to conduct themselves in this new life. Now Paul, Barnabas, and a delegation had returned with the Apostles' decision in a letter. What would the letter say?

Letters played an important role in Bible times.

Sometimes letters sealed a fate.

• Uriah carried his own death sentence letter from David to Joab at the battlefront - 2 Samuel 11:14.
• Jezebel (King Ahab’s wife) sent letters to Israel’s leaders with a plot to kill Naboth so Ahab could take his garden - 1 Kings 21:8.

Kings sent threatening letters to their rivals and enemies.

• The king of Assyria sent one such to Hezekiah, prompting a panicked prayer meeting and divine help - 2 Kings 19:14.

Sometimes kings sent letters on behalf of their subjects.

• The king of Syria asked the king of Israel to heal Naaman of leprosy - 2 Kings 5:5.
• King Artaxerxes sent letters on behalf of Nehemiah asking for safe passage  for him through territory and wood for rebuilding Jerusalem - Nehemiah 2:7-8.

The book of Esther is full of letters.

• The king sent letters mandating male authority in the home - Esther 1:22.
• Haman’s plan to annihilate the Jews was spread by letter - Esther 3:13.
• Mordecai’s victory allowing the Jews to defend themselves was spread by letter as was the establishment of a holiday to remember this event - Esther 8:10; 9:20.

Of course we know how the New Testament is largely made up of letters—missives that, thankfully, do more than threaten or carry evil plots. The letter in our reading today is one such. We discover that the reading of it brought joy and encouragement (Acts 15:31), as did most of the letters of Paul, John, Peter, and James (along with teaching, reproof, and training in righteousness, delivered with large amounts of love).

Do you still write letters? I suppose emails and even text messages could be considered modern letters.

What can we moderns do with letters?

• Send information about plans and events.
• Think through and discuss ideas about anything—how to garden, to faith in God
• Express gratitude and appreciation.
• Assure the recipient of our care, concern, and prayers.
• Tell someone we’re remembering them on a special day (birthday, anniversary etc) 
• Encourage and cheer.

Let’s continue to use this old-to-new way of communicating for good today!

PRAYER: Dear Father thank You for distance communication that has survived the centuries. Help me to use the amazing modern communication resources at my fingertips for good today. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Write yourself out of a funk

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Psalm 31:1-24

TO CHEW ON: "Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart
All you who hope in the Lord." Psalm 31:24

Do you notice how the writer's mood changes as we make our way through this psalm? David starts off in an emotional funk but ends in a much better place. Let's track his thoughts as he journeys from desperation to hope.

1. He cries for help (vs. 1-5):

From his bad place David cries to God "Deliver me...bow down Your ear...Deliver me speedily...Be my rock of refuge...Pull me out of the net...Into Your hand I commit my spirit."

2. He does some self-lecturing (even though, judging by what follows, his feelings aren't yet on-board) (vs. 6-8):

"I will be glad...You have considered my trouble...You have known my soul in adversities...(You) have not shut me up into the hand of the enemy; You have set my feet in a wide place."

3. He lays it all out (vs. 9-13):
David speaks his feelings and fears:  

"I am in trouble...I am a reproach...I am repulsive...I am forgotten...I am like a broken vessel...They scheme to take away my life." 

Thankfully he doesn't stay there!

4. He declares his faith in God (vs. 14-15a):

"But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord;

I say 'You are my God'

My times are in Your hand..."

In other words, even considering the worst that people can do, David reminds himself that God, not his enemies, is ultimately in charge of his life.

5. He requests specific help (vs. 15b-18):
David puts into words exactly what he needs:

"Deliver me from the hand of my enemies and from those who persecute me... Make Your face shine on me...Let the wicked be ashamed...Let the lying lips be put to silence."

6. Finally he offers praise to God, in faith that God has heard and will answer (vs.19-24):

"Oh how great is Your goodness...You shall hide them (those who fear You) in the secret place of Your presence...Blessed be the Lord...You heard the voice of my supplication when I cried out to You...Be of good courage ...All you who hope in the Lord."

My journal entries are sometimes a bit like this — a writing journey from trouble to trust. I find it helps to pour it all out on paper: the mixed-up feelings, the fears, the self-recrimination and revulsion. But it's important not to stay there but to move from a focus on self back to a focus on God.

If you're in trouble today, try writing your own version of Psalm 31. Just make sure you end up in the place David did — with your eyes on His face that shines on you.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for David's very real relationship with You, showing even his dark moments. I have them too. Help me to work my way out of them and back to You like he did. Amen.

MORE: Journaling resources

How to Keep a Spiritual Journal

Journaling: Being a Brave Soul (with more resources listed within the post and a link to more articles in Ann Voskamp's 2009 series about journaling).

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The impression of a life

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Acts 13:1-12


TO CHEW ON: "As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, 'Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul to the work to which I have called them.'" Acts 13:2

Some Bible characters are depicted in more glowing terms than others. Barnabas is one of those about which it's hard to find anything bad.

He first appeared early in Acts as one of the believers who sold his property and gave the money to the apostles. Perhaps it was this lightness of possessions that made it possible for him to play the prominent role he did in the early church. Here are some other things we discover about him as we follow him through the New Testament:

• His brand was encouragement.

Right from the outset he was known as an encourager with his real name Joses replaced by the nickname Barnabas - "Son of Encouragement" - Acts 4:36-37.

• He championed the cause of the outsider.

He brought Saul/Paul into the fellowship in Jerusalem when everyone else was afraid of him (Acts 9:27). Then he encouraged a Gentile church plant (Acts 11:22-24).

• He was trustworthy.

He was chosen by the Antioch church to courier an offering to famine-stricken believers in Judea (Acts 11:30).

• He was useful for the spread of the gospel.

In our reading today, we see that the Holy Spirit singled him out, with Paul, for a special assignment - Acts 13:1-2.

• He was tough.

He endured persecution, and gladly - Acts 13:50-52. In fact he had a reputation for risking his life for Jesus and the Gospel - Acts 15:25-26.

• He wasn't a free-loader.

He labored, along with Paul, at a day-job to cover his expenses - 1 Corinthians 9:6.

• He was content to let his student shine.

He went out of his way to get Paul involved in the church, but once Paul came into his own, Barnabas let him take the limelight as the chief speaker - Acts 14:12.

But even Barnabas wasn't perfect.

• He was stubborn determined

Because he was fixed on his plan to take his cousin John Mark with them on a second missionary journey (JM had proved himself a quitter by leaving them on a previous trip), the Paul-and-Barnabas-duo split up - Acts 15:36-39.

• He could be influenced by the wrong crowd.

He let himself be swayed by those Christian leaders who counseled that they separate themselves from uncircumcised Gentiles — a move that Paul labeled hypocritical - Galatians 2:13.

All in all, though, this overview of Barnabas leaves us with the impression of a life well lived. It brings me to the question what would the various snippets of my life add up to if someone gathered them into a list of characteristics, as I have done with Barnbas's? What about yours?

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for Bible characters like Barnabas, whose human failings assure me that You use even the imperfect. May the final impression of my life be as positive as Barnabas's is. Amen.

MORE: The Feast of St. Barnabas

Today is the Feast of St. Barnabas. The liturgy for today begins with this collect:

"Grant, O God, that we may follow the example of your faithful servant Barnabas, who, seeking not his own renown but the well-­being of your Church, gave generously of his life and substance for the relief of the poor and the spread of the Gospel; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen."

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Barnabas—extraordinarily ordinary

Paul and Barnabas sent - Artist unknown

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Acts 11:19-12:5

TO CHEW ON: "For he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith." Acts 11:24

In the New Testament we have many major characters like Peter, John, and Paul on whom we often focus. But there are also minor ones like Barnabas—a man Luke describes as "a good man full of the Holy Spirit and faith." What qualities of character and action did he have to merit such a description? In our reading today Barnabas lives out five.

Barnabas was:

Perceptive.
We can conclude this because the disciples chose him to check out what was happening in Antioch with the new Greek converts. And when he got to Antioch, he recognized that God was at work there (Acts 11:22,23).

Positive and encouraging.
What he saw when he arrived in Antioch made him glad and he encouraged them all (Acts 11:23).

A worker who served the crowd.
He rolled up his sleeves and pitched in, working beside the original evangelists. His faith and Holy Spirit-empowered life accounted for many more conversions (Acts 11:24).

A worker who focused on one.
He remembered that new convert Saul, the one everyone had earlier feared because of his reputation for persecuting believers. But Barnabas had trusted him and introduced Saul to the fellowship in Jerusalem sometime back (Acts 9:26-30). Now he went to Tarsus to fetch Saul and add him to the Antioch ministry team (Acts 11:25,26).

Honest with money.
When Agabus prophesied a famine for Judea the believers (now called Christians) took up an offering and sent Barnabas and Saul to Judea with it.

I don't know what you picture when you hear that someone is full of the Holy Spirit and faith. A person who performs miracles? A powerful orator? Someone who lives a notch above us everyday plodders?

I love this picture of Barnabas whose life is a demonstration of how ordinary are the qualities the Spirit uses: discernment, a positive encouraging attitude, a work ethic, an awareness of others' strengths and where they could be of use in the church, and reliability and honesty.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for the example of Barnabas. Help me not to spurn the lowly character qualities that, when empowered by Your Spirit and faith, can enable us to accomplish much in Your kingdom. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Grace to all

"I commend to you Phoebe ... who is
a servant of the church" by A.P.

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Romans 16:1-27

TO CHEW ON: "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen." Romans 16:24

In this last chapter of Romans, Paul takes considerable pains to send personal greetings. It's remarkable how many people he knows by name, considering he has never been to Rome when he writes this.

It's a motley band that includes one of the first converts in Asia (Romans 16:5), women (Romans 16:1-3,6,12), fellow prisoners (Romans 16:7), and many others who have worked alongside him at various times. My Bible footnotes this section with the explanation, "The list interestingly contains numerous names common to slaves and freedmen" -Wayne A. Grudem, New Spirit-Filled Bible, p. 1574.

The end of the chapter contains more greetings, this time for the Romans from people who are with Paul. Timothy, Lucius, Jason, Sosipater, Tertius (Paul's secretary), Erastus (city treasurer of Corinth, the probable place from which Paul writes the letter), and Quartas all greet their Roman brothers and sisters.

These warm wishes underline the fact that the church is a social institution—something that can be both a weakness and a strength.

The social aspect of the church has its dangers. Paul's letters are full of warnings to watch out for people that would inveigle themselves into the fellowship to bring arguments, divisions, false teachings, a competitive spirit, immoral lifestyles, and more.

But we humans are social beings. We love to gather with others to share our lives. Weeping, laughing, eating, playing, and working are just plain more bearable and enjoyable when they're done in company.

Jesus, acknowledging the many-member makeup of the church prayed for its unity: " '...that they (those who will believe in Me) also may be one in us, that the world may believe that You sent Me' " - John 17:21.

The modern trend to criticize the church and say, I'm a believer but I don't need the church, is understandable. There is a lot of room for hurt and misunderstanding and abuse in the church. But rather than abandoning it, let's answer Jesus' prayer for church unity by pursuing the kind of cooperation, encouragement, and love that Paul demonstrates in Romans 16.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for the church—Your body on earth. Help me to be a cooperative part of that body, loving fellow Christians and working toward Your ideal of unity. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The Christian's job description

Image from Pixabay.com

TODAY'S SPECIAL: 2 Timothy 4:1-18

TO CHEW ON: "Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all long-suffering and teaching." 2 Timothy 4:2


"Preach the word [as an official messenger]; be ready when the time is right and even when it is not [keep your sense of urgency, whether the opportunity seems favorable or unfavorable, whether convenient or inconvenient, whether welcome or unwelcome]; correct [those who err in doctrine or behavior], warn [those who sin], exhort and encourage [those who are growing toward spiritual maturity], with inexhaustible patience and [faithful] teaching" - 2 Timothy 4:2 AMP


The job description Paul gives Timothy here is one we can all adopt. It addresses  three W questions and one H.

WHY?
When we look at the context we see the reason why the job Paul is about to describe is important. It's because someday he (Timothy) and all of us will appear before our King and Judge Jesus (2 Timothy 4:1).


WHAT?

• "Preach the word!"

The "word" here is logos the same word used in John 1:1, 14 etc. It's the message of Jesus and His incarnation as God's communication to us. It's the message of our sin penalty paid and our relationship with God renewed. It's the word that Jesus equates with truth in John 8:31,32.

"It's not their own notions and fancies that they are to preach, but the pure plain word of God" - Matthew Henry's Commentary.

It's the word that's becoming increasingly unpopular in our culture. Beth Moore, in her September 2015 simulcast, speaking of living as an audacious Christian acknowledged this:

"We need the audacity to live the tension that comes with loving in truth … I want to love like Jesus, but Jesus never loved but with truth. We are going to do the greatest disservice to our culture if we deny the truth. If we think we're better for the world without the word, we'll end up looking just like the world" - Beth Moore, from my notes.

• "Preach the word"

Preach (kerysso) means to proclaim publicly.

• "Convince..."

Convince (elencho) is to convict, confute, find fault with and correct by word or deed.

• "...rebuke ..."

Rebuke (epitimao) means to tax with a fault, chide, rebuke, reprove, censure severely.

"He must tell people their faults" - Matthew Henry's Commentary.

• "...exhort..."

Exhort (parakaleo) means to call to, call upon with entreaty, comfort, instruct, encourage. 

"He must direct, encourage, and quicken those who began well" - Matthew Henry's Commentary.

WHEN?

• "Be ready in season and out of season." The way the Amplified puts it is better than any commentary: "… be ready when the time is right and even when it is not [keep your sense of urgency, whether the opportunity seems favorable or unfavorable, whether convenient or inconvenient, whether welcome or unwelcome]…"

HOW?

• "…with all long-suffering and teaching"

That is with patience (makrothymia) - endurance, constancy, steadfastness, perseverance, slowness in avenging wrongs.

and

teaching (didache) - doctrine.

"He must do it rationally, not with passion but with doctrine" - Matthew Henry's Commentary.

I ask myself does the way I live my life fulfill this assignment? What about you?



PRAYER: Dear God, if anything, this job is more challenging than ever. Help me to know how to carry it out in the moments of this day. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked AMP are taken from the Amplified® Bible,
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
Used by permission." (www.Lockman.org)

Is your life a spur?

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Hebrews 10:19-39

TO CHEW ON: "And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works." Hebrews 10:24

Little did Joanne Simpson know, when she took a class of students on a mission trip to Guatemala, that it would change the direction of her life. But, as I remember her telling it, it was only a short time later that she left her post as principal at the Christian school she had founded in Alaska, to help distribute food, clothing and other items to widows and orphans in Guatemala City. That work eventually grew into Shadow of His Wings orphanage and school. It shelters around 40 girls from one to nineteen years old, rescued form the streets (often prostitution) of Guatemala City.

The example of people like Joanne spur me on to love and good works. (I love how various translations cast a different light on that bit about stirring up: "studying how we may stir up (stimulate and incite) to love and helpful deeds and noble activities"[Amp]; "spur one another on toward love and good deeds" [NIV]; "motivate one another to acts of love and good works" [NLT]; and "Let's see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out... spurring each other on"[Msg].)

I know I probably won't be rushing off to some distant place to start an orphanage. But the story of Joanne leaving the security of a North American lifestyle to serve in a way that was, at first, completely unrelated to her experience and training is a challenge to me to break out of the mold of conventional thinking. The way God grew things from an idea of a home for orphans to the full-fledged complex it is today shows how God can create big things from small beginnings.

The world is full of people like Joanne — people in whose lives such obedience in doing works of love and kindness is fleshed out. A friend of mine spends time helping a newly widowed lady get to appointments, shop etc. A retired dentist and his wife take a regular turn at working at the Salvation Army. These folks don't broadcast their commitments, probably don't even realize anyone is watching. But by their quiet example, they are accomplishing a double-whammy. They are serving others while stirring up onlookers, like me, to join them.

As Joanne says "There truly never is an end to what the Lord will do when we just take one step of obedience toward His will and His way" (quoted from a note at the back of the 2010 Shadow of His Wings calendar).

I ask myself, what will I do today in the department of "stirring up love and good deeds" in others? What will you?

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for the example of obedience and love I witness in many of the lives around me. Help me to obey Your nudges to serve and show love to those who cross my path today. Amen.

MORE: More goads
 Kathleen Gibson writes about the impact of the kind deeds and acts of love shown her and her family when her husband came down with West Nile after being bit by a mosquito in the summer of 2007. She says:

"In the midst of the maelstrom that the mosquito manufactured, and in its ongoing two-year aftermath, Rick and I have learned something we previously knew primarily from the other end: As Christians, we make an immense difference in the lives of people in crisis when we don't shun the small things we can do, because of the large things we can't.

What does that mean? It means we don't refuse to send a quick note or e-mail because we don't have time to write a long letter. It means we don't neglect sharing a wide smile just because we have nothing else to offer. Or forget about popping in for five minutes because we're too rushed to spend an hour." (Read entire "Time for a Little Good Press.")

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.



Scripture quotations marked AMP are taken from the Amplified® Bible,
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
Used by permission." (www.Lockman.org).

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.


Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.


Scripture quotations marked MSG are taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

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Do your 8-12-year-olds have daily devotions? Point them to Bible Drive-Thru.

Barnabas

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Acts 11:19-25

TO CHEW ON: "When he (Barnabas) came and he had seen the grace of God, he was glad, and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord. For he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord." Acts 11:23-24

A while ago I read a book called How You Leave Them Feeling.* In it, author Jesse Ferrell puts forth the thesis that you will succeed in business, indeed in life, to the extent that you leave people feeling good about themselves. I think Mr. Ferrell would have approved of Barnabas.

Barnabas was from a Jewish Cypriot priestly family. John Mark was his cousin (Acts 4:36) He is mentioned often in Acts. Here are some of the qualities that endeared him to his fellow Christians and continue to make him a model for us today.

1. He was generous. He was one of the early Christians who sold his property and gave the proceeds to the church (Acts 4:34-36) while at the same time remaining self-supporting (1 Corinthians 9:5,6).

2. He was a welcoming person and an encourager. When some in the Jerusalem church suspected that the newly converted Saul was actually a spy, Barnabas accepted his story at face-value and introduced him to the top leadership (Acts 9:27)

3. He was an astute judge of talents and gifts. When he saw the way the Gentiles were flocking to the Lord in Antioch, he set out to find Saul (later Paul) as just the right person to get involved (our reading today).

4. He was a team player. When Agabus prophesied a famine and the Antioch Christians took up an offering for fellow-believers in Judea, Barnabas and Saul delivered the "relief"(Acts 11:28-30). Later, Barnabas accompanied Saul/Paul on what we now call Paul's first missionary journey. (Acts 13:2,3)

5. He let others shine. It looks like during that first missionary journey, Barnabas relinquished the leadership role he had in his relationship with Paul. Note how Luke at first refers to them as Barnabas and Saul, then later it's always Paul and Barnabas (Acts 13:2,3 vs. Acts 13:43,46)

6. He championed the underdog.  He spoke on behalf of the Gentiles (Acts 15:12).

7. He believed in second chances. When Paul didn't want to take John Mark with them on another trip because he had deserted them earlier, Barnabas stood up for the young man, insisting that he should come. Their disagreement led to Paul and Barnabas splitting from each other and forming two outreach teams (Acts 15:36-41).

I love the picture our reading in Acts 11 paints of him. The first thing we see is a smile: "he was glad" (vs 23). He encouraged them - was an optimist and positive, not negative; someone who looked for a way something could be done instead of reasons why it couldn't. He is described as a "good man" (vs. 24). That could mean lots of things. I take it to mean he was honest, fair and kind. Finally, Luke also describes him as "full of the Holy Spirit and faith" (vs. 24).  I wish I could have met him.

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to learn about living the Christian life from people like Barnabas. Amen.

MORE: Feast of St. Barnabas

Today is the celebration of the Feast of St. Barnabas on the church calendar. Here is the Collect that begins the liturgy for this day.

Grant, O God, that we may follow the example of your faithful servant Barnabas, who, seeking not his own renown but the well­being of your Church, gave generously of his life and substance for the relief of the poor and the spread of the Gospel; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

*My review of How You Leave Them Feeling.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Do your 8-12-year-olds have daily devotions? Point them to Bible Drive-Thru.

Living bones

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Ezekiel 37:1-14


TO CHEW ON: "'And I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken it and performed it.' says the Lord." Ezekiel 37:14

Ezekiel's startling vision of a vast valley of bones reassembling into bodies, their coming back to life as he speaks God's words over them, catches the imagination. Hear their words of explanation as to why they are in that state: "Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off!" They were, after all, a people in exile.

But God is a God who breathes life into dead things. "Then you shall know that I am the Lord when I have opened your graves...I will put My Spirit in you and you shall live..."

We may identify with those hopeless bones for a number of reasons:
- Perhaps we're away from God and in spiritual exile ourselves.
- Perhaps we're tired and burned out.
- Perhaps we're discouraged from long praying and working with no visible results.

Whatever the reason, let's claim the promise of God's Spirit who, along with breathing new life into our hopeless dead selves and circumstances:

• Gives unusual wisdom and insight (Genesis 41:38-39; Daniel 4:8).

• Helps us to want to live wisely and according to His principles (Ezekiel 36:27).

• Guides us into truth (John 14:17).

• Actually lives within us (Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19).

• Teaches us (1 John 2:27).

We don't have to live in discouragement and deadness. God is in the business of putting new life into people and circumstances!


PRAYER: Dear God, I bring my hopeless situation of ___ to You today. Please breathe on it by Your Spirit. Help me to be Your agent in it, bringing to it Holy Spirit resources. Amen.

MORE: Cathedrals Quartet - "Dry Bones"

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

A new song

(OOPS! This post published by mistake on Oct. 6th...that's why some of you are seeing it again. Sorry!)

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Psalm 96:1-13


TO CHEW ON: "Oh, sing to the Lord a new song!

Sing to the Lord all the earth." - Psalm 96:1

My husband—an eight-year-old at the time—tells of a surprising scene the morning after his father asked Jesus into his life. His dad was at work in the barn, determinedly chewing gum (he had tossed out his cigarettes) and singing! This man who claimed he couldn't carry a tune was unable to suppress the joy of new life that bubbled up inside him. He had a new song.

Why do we, who put our faith in God, sing? The Psalms refer to singing more than seventy times.* It also plays a part in New Testament worship.

• For the Israelites it was sometimes linked to victory in battle - Psalm 27:6.

• It was an expression of gratefulness for salvation - Psalm 95:1.

• Song was a natural outflow of praise on remembering God's past work in individual lives and nationally - Psalm 126:2.

• Of course it was part of formal worship as well - Isaiah 39:29.

In the New Testament and for us:

• It is linked with prayer - 1 Corinthians 14:15.

• It is a way to encourage and build others up - Ephesians 5:19.

• And it is a way to build ourselves up - Colossians 3:16.

A "new song" is another facet of singing in general. It suggests we have found new reasons to praise. It proves we are not in a singing rut, doing it by rote or because that's what Christians do, but because there is something alive in us that needs the expression a new song brings. The new songs of Revelation imply that new melodies and lyrics will accompany the unveiling of God's plan at the culmination of history - Revelation 5:9, Revelation 14:3.

I love how a commentary article in my Bible encourages us to sing:

"Singing is a dynamic and vital part of our devotional life with God.... Even if you feel that you do not sing well, know that your heavenly Father loves the sound of your voice (Song of Solomon 2:14). It is not important how well you sing but simply that you sing. Praise is a pathway to joy" - Leslyn Musch, "Truth-In-Action Through Psalms 90-106," New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, pp. 770-1.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for the inner witness of Your Spirit's presence through song. Please stir up a new song in me today. Amen.


MORE: "Bein Happy" -  by Lori and Russ Taff, sung by Mark Lowry and the Gaither Vocal Band.

* Leslyn Musch, "Truth-In-Action Through Psalms 90-106," New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 770.