Greater Service

In Acts 28:30-31, Paul had come through many hardships and trials to have the privilege to come to Rome and meet Caesar.  God was so gracious in putting in the hearts of the Romans to allow Paul to live in his owwn rented lodging.  Here with the expectation of meeting Caesar and bringing the  message of Christ to the city of Rome Paul was truly thankful.  He was a prisoner in name only.  When John Bunyan was put into prison for preaching the gospel, he looked at prison as a time to write a book.  It was in prison that John Bunyan wrote Pilgrim's Progress.  Many of our brothers in Communist and Islamic lands have not looked at their time in prison as a waste.  They have looked at it as a time to prepare for greater service.  Paul boldly preached without hindrance the gospel of Jesus Christ.  He welcomed all who would listen to him.  Watchman Nee was put into prison for preaching the gospel.  The officials committed many atrocities upon this man but he still preached and even won many of the prison officals to the Lord.  A prison can be an opportunity or a dungeon with no hope.  It just depends on your outlook.  Your promises today are Deut 33:35, Psalm 27:14, 28:7, 29:11, 66:28, 118:14, Isaiah 40:29, 41:10, Phil 4:13 and Eph 6:11.  Your Insightful Sayings are:  True security is not found in what you have in the bank but what you have in your heart.  When a person chooses a clean lifestyle it will influence all those around them.

A comforting angel

No Christian need have a Gethsame without a comforting angel.  God would not need any furnaces if there was no gold to separate from the dross.  God is not only a present help when we are in trouble but also a present help to keep us out of trouble.  Much depends on the way we come into trouble.  Both Jonah and Paul were in storms but the circumstances were quite different.  All great souls have attended the school of hard knocks.  Some sentence sermons if you are going through trouble today.

Almost a Christian

In Acts 26:28, Agrippa after listening to Paul asked him if he thought in the short time Paul had been speaking if he would persuade him to be a Christian.  Paul response was whether it was a short time or long that Arripa would become a Christian like Paul.  We need to realize that it takes the Spirit of God to affect someone.  Let us pray that in this day of great upheaval and uncertainty that the Holy Spirit will do a quick work to bring salvation to our loved ones.  Our part is to tell them and live a consitent Christian life before them.  Your promises today are:  Psalm 28:7, 34:18, 147:3, Prov 4:23, 15:3, Isaiah 30:15 and Jer 31:13.  Your Insightful Saying for today  are:  Never make a promise unless you plan to keep it.  Never offer a friendship until you have learned to be a friend to yourself.

Good Conscience

In Acts 23:1, Paul made a statement in this portion that is very important.  He said that he had fulfilled his duty to God in good conscience.  Paul was stating that he had done to the best of his abilities the work of God.  This is a tremendous statement to be able to make.  I trust that at the end of our lives we can make that statement.  I remember after I had left my first church I asked myself that question.  Would I have done anything different?  I came to the conclusion that as far as I know I would not have done anything different at the time I face each situation.  It is very importanr that we do all things that God has ask us to do in good conscience.  We must be able to live with ourselves and walk in the power of the Holy Spirit.  Many people unfortunately do not,and let us pray that all of us will do what God tells us to do and we may walk with a good conscience.  Your promises today are:  Phil 4:8-9, Rom 12:1-2 and Matt 6:33.  Your Insighful Sayings are:  It is not how well you live that is as important as the fact that you lived.  Wealth is a funny thing its real worth depends on a person's perspective.

Walk in character

There is a story of a man who had to make a decision about the direction he was going to go.  The man was getting ready for a long trip.  He was told that he could go through a swamp which was a short cut or he could stay to the main road which would take a little longer.  He decided to take the short cut.  He walked through the swamp but unfortunately he got lost and ended wandering around in the swamp for a long time.  The short cut cost him precious time and he ended taking longer doing the short cut than if he had stayed on the main road.  The lesson we learn from this man is that even though sometimes a way seems quicker does not mean it is.  The Bible says that the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord.  The path to peace and love begins with a relationship with God.  He has ways to keep that peace and peace strong.  It is through prayer, reading of the Bible, going to church and sharing your faith.  For some this path seems boring and safe, so they choose some short cut and end up losing their way and get off the path and lose the very thing they once had.  Solomon put it this way man determines his way but God weighs the heart.  God knows what is going on in your heart so let him determine your path.  He knows what is best and faith is learning to trust God in all areas.

Faith

I was reading in my devotions this morning about Paul and the man he raised up and healed in the city of Lystra.  The man was healed because he believed in Paul and the message that he brought.  The element that raised the man up was faith.  Faith is a very complex and simple thing at the same time.  There is natural faith that is based in man and then there is saving faith which is based in God and His word.  Saving faith restores, healed, delivers and saves.  Saving faith draws us close to God.  Saving faith changes everything.  We go from the natural to the supernatural.  Paul operated in the realm of saving faith and so must we.  We live in a world that believes that nothing is real unless it is receive through the five senses.  Saving faith does not rely on the natural but the belief that God can do all things.  Heb 11:1 gives us the Bible definiton of faith.  We are certain of things hope for and have evidence of things not seen.  We just know God is going to hear and answer our prayers and petitions.  Today take God at His word and believe for your world and situation.  Release yourself from doubt and get the very best from God.