GOD ENCOURAGES HIS SERVANTS

From today's devotional

Acts 11.1-30

In this powerful chapter, we see God at work in the lives of Peter and Saul (who would later be called Paul). In each instance, God provided encouragement as they sought to serve him. Members of the Jerusalem church were spreading rumors that Peter had been associating with Gentiles—the “wrong” type of people. Even back then people liked to gossip! Some finally did the right thing and confronted Peter about the rumors. Peter explained that God gave him a vision to encourage him to share the gospel with those who were not Jewish (in other words, the “wrong” type of people). As if that were not enough confirmation, as soon as the vision was finished, three Gentiles came to Peter saying that God had sent them to hear the gospel. Upon hearing the gospel message, they gave their lives to Jesus. The Jewish Christians who confronted Peter were moved by God’s encouragement to Peter, and now understood that salvation was offered to all people, not just to one race or people. Hopefully, they also stopped gossiping!

Although we wish it didn’t happen, Christians can find themselves criticized, even by other Christians, for doing the right thing. This is often rooted in misunderstanding. It is at those times that the persecuted Christian should seek guidance from God’s Word. It is important that Christians continue to be obedient to God, who sends encouragement and signs to keep them on the right path.

This leads us to the second example, that of Saul. So many people in the city of Antioch gave their lives to Jesus that they started a church. The Jerusalem church therefore sent Barnabas (his name means “son of encouragement”) to Antioch to encourage this new church. In fact, it was at this very city that those who followed Christ were first called “Christians!” Barnabas was so overjoyed by what he found at Antioch that he traveled to find a relatively new believer named Saul. Together, they taught the Word of God to the Antioch church to ensure that the new believers would grow properly in their faith. This encouragement and mentoring from Barnabas helped Saul to mature and later become a great missionary.

Sometimes we are concerned that we are too young in our faith or that we do not know enough to make any difference in God’s kingdom. It is important, then, that we connect with someone who is more mature in their faith and who will encourage us in our growth. We should pray for the Lord to send someone our way who will be our spiritual mentor. Then, we need to pray for humility and wisdom so that we can grow as God directs. God has a calling and purpose for each and every one of us, just as he did for Peter and Saul. And God provides encouragement for our journey with him, often in surprising ways.

Romans 12:3 MSG

I’m speaking to you out of deep gratitude for all that God has given me, and especially as I have responsibilities in relation to you. Living then, as every one of you does, in pure grace, it’s important that you not misinterpret yourselves as people who are bringing this goodness to God. No, God brings it all to you. The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by what he does for us, not by what we are and what we do for him.

ALLOWING THE HOLY SPIRIT TO CONNECT OUR DOTS!

From today's devotional

Acts 10.1-48

This narrative illustrates a sovereign Holy Spirit stirring up, then responding to the personal prayers of a sincere seeker, and a saint, in separate venues, and imparting to each the grace to obey. This is our holy God’s supernatural style at its best! It is proof positive that he values the prayers of each person. Cornelius was fervent in his seeking. An angel drops in and announces, “Now send some men to Joppa for a man named Simon Peter” (v 5). Peter, intent on a quiet moment of rooftop prayer, was hungry, and, as it turns out, sleepy. A vision, a voice rouses him: “Three men are here looking for you. Hurry down and go with them. Don’t worry, I sent them” (vv 19b, 20).

When we’re earnestly connecting to God and his purposes, he “connects our dots” and opens doors for the gospel. The result? Open door, open hearts. Peter announces the good news, and while he was still speaking “…the Holy Spirit took control of everyone who was listening” (v 44).

Note that it took the Lord three attempts to get through Peter’s grid. We’re all human, hard of hearing, and in need of multiple “pokes.” So, in your prayer journey, follow the example of this seeker and saint; lean into your relationship with Yahweh Shammah (“he who manifests his presence in a place”), and listen more attentively. Then resolve to follow the flow of the Holy Spirit, being open to share God’s marvelous story, and watch him do what only he can do.

Isaiah 48:16-19 MSG

And now, the Master, GOD, sends me and his Spirit with this Message from GOD, your Redeemer, The Holy of Israel: “I am GOD, your God, who teaches you how to live right and well. I show you what to do, where to go. If you had listened all along to what I told you, your life would have flowed full like a river, blessings rolling in like waves from the sea. Children and grandchildren are like sand, your progeny like grains of sand. There would be no end of them, no danger of losing touch with me.” And now, the Master, GOD, sends me and his Spirit with this Message from GOD, your Redeemer, The Holy of Israel: “I am GOD, your God, who teaches you how to live right and well. I show you what to do, where to go. If you had listened all along to what I told you, your life would have flowed full like a river, blessings rolling in like waves from the sea. Children and grandchildren are like sand, your progeny like grains of sand. There would be no end of them, no danger of losing touch with me.” (Isaiah 48:16-19 MSG)

Ephesians 5:25-28 MSG

Husbands, go all out in your love for your wives, exactly as Christ did for the church—a love marked by giving, not getting. Christ’s love makes the church whole. His words evoke her beauty. Everything he does and says is designed to bring the best out of her, dressing her in dazzling white silk, radiant with holiness. And that is how husbands ought to love their wives. They’re really doing themselves a favor—since they’re already “one” in marriage. (Ephesians 5:25-28 MSG)

PASSIONATE SERVICE

From today's devotional 

Acts 9.1-43

Before Saul’s conversion, his quest for fulfillment of his purpose drove him to persecute Jesus’ followers relentlessly. Armed with a strong belief in his mission, this young man had an overarching need to satisfy his passion. Saul – his name before his conversion when it was changed to Paul – was not only a Jewish scholar but also a devout Pharisee who was determined to kill those who left traditional Judaism and followed the teachings of Jesus.

What a joy to know that the story did not end there. While on his way to Damascus, through the grace of a loving God, Saul’s journey led him to meet the God he was persecuting. This encounter on the Damascus road was no ordinary meeting, but a blinding experience by the supernatural God who had a purpose for Saul’s life. Saul’s miraculous conversion led him to embrace his new destiny and his new name. His journey into ministry began immediately with a passion far greater than he had at first!

Not only does Saul experience a dramatic change, but we also find a changed Peter, who before Pentecost was timid, faithless, and uncertain of his commitment to Christ. Peter is now filled with the Spirit, preaching, teaching, healing the sick, and even supernaturally raising a woman from the dead. Oh the joy of knowing your purpose and walking in it with bold, passionate confidence!

Hebrews 12:4-11 MSG

In this all-out match against sin, others have suffered far worse than you, to say nothing of what Jesus went through—all that bloodshed! So don’t feel sorry for yourselves. Or have you forgotten how good parents treat children, and that God regards you as his children? My dear child, don’t shrug off God’s discipline, but don’t be crushed by it either. It’s the child he loves that he disciplines; the child he embraces, he also corrects. God is educating you; that’s why you must never drop out. He’s treating you as dear children. This trouble you’re in isn’t punishment; it’s training, the normal experience of children. Only irresponsible parents leave children to fend for themselves. Would you prefer an irresponsible God? We respect our own parents for training and not spoiling us, so why not embrace God’s training so we can truly live? While we were children, our parents did what seemed best to them. But God is doing what is best for us, training us to live God’s holy best. At the time, discipline isn’t much fun. It always feels like it’s going against the grain. Later, of course, it pays off handsomely, for it’s the well-trained who find themselves mature in their relationship with God. (Hebrews 12:4-11 MSG)

THREAT OR OPPORTUNITY?

From today's devotional

Acts 8.1-40

The chapter commences with a string of potent threats – Saul’s animosity, Stephen’s murder, terrible suffering, dispersion of the Church, and the incarceration of men and women. But, on verse 4, the passage hinges. What the world means for evil, the Lord turns to good. What is intended as a setback becomes a door for remarkable ministry.

As a result of persecution, the scattered disciples – Philip in particular – go “from place to place telling the good news” (v 4). Without design or strategy, the first believers begin to fulfill Jesus’ mandate to preach the gospel “in Jerusalem, in all Judea, in Samaria and everywhere in the world” (Acts 1.8).

Philip is sent not only to unorthodox Samaritans, but also to an Ethiopian eunuch. As a result of Philip’s boldness, outsiders experience the kingdom of God via preaching, healing, exorcism, Scripture and baptism (both of water and of the Holy Spirit).

We can draw great encouragement from this text. At the macro level, we simply cannot see what the Lord sees. When western missionaries were expelled from China in 1949, for example, who could have predicted the amazing growth in the Chinese church over the past six decades? Or the impact that redeploying thousands of missionaries would have on nations such as Korea and Vietnam?

On a personal level, we often stop in our tracks when we encounter difficulties. Did you fail to get a promotion? Rather than plunge into despondency, we should ask the Lord for spiritual eyes to see opportunities. Perhaps, we should spend more time with our families. Perhaps, we should pursue additional professional seasoning.

Disappointed in love? Even as our heart aches, we should be asking questions like, “Lord, what are you trying to teach me? How should I change? In what direction are you taking me now?” In physical pain? The Lord used even those potential threats to birth opportunities. When I first learned that I had a rare cancer two years ago, life felt very heavy. But the Lord used my fears to make me more conscious of his presence, more sensitive to others, and more conscious of my human limitations.

Psalm 94:12-15 MSG

How blessed the man you train, GOD, the woman you instruct in your Word, Providing a circle of quiet within the clamor of evil, while a jail is being built for the wicked. GOD will never walk away from his people, never desert his precious people. Rest assured that justice is on its way and every good heart put right. (Psalm 94:12-15 MSG)

Acts 1:7-8 MSG

He told them, “You don’t get to know the time. Timing is the Father’s business. What you’ll get is the Holy Spirit. And when the Holy Spirit comes on you, you will be able to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, all over Judea and Samaria, even to the ends of the world.” (Acts 1:7-8 MSG)

GOD’S PERSONAL SPACE (GPS)

From today's devotional

Acts 7.1-60

In one of the most dramatic courtroom defenses of all time, Stephen answers the charge against him by calling on evidence already known very well to everyone at the trial. His detractors charged that Stephen spoke against their Temple in Jerusalem and against their customs and interpretations of the law God had revealed through Moses (Acts 6.13, 14).

In 52 short verses, Stephen rehearsed to the court many of the great events recorded in the Hebrew Scriptures, focusing especially on the lives of four godly people—Abraham, Joseph, Moses, and David. In each of their lives they had experienced God’s profound presence – and they had been faithful in the life changes God provided – largely outside the holy land, and entirely outside the Jerusalem Temple. The point was clear: from the earliest Hebrew history, God is powerfully, personally present everywhere. And, under his leadership, customs always change. These four Hebrew men and other godly people were also rejected by those close to them.

Stephen’s faithful re-telling of their own story so upset and angered the religious leaders conducting his trial, that they killed him. Nevertheless, his defense so pleased God, that Stephen was given a vision of Jesus “standing at the right side of God!” (v 56). Stephen was right: in life and in death we are always in God’s Personal Space (GPS). Hallelujah!

Romans 3:21-24 MSG

But in our time something new has been added. What Moses and the prophets witnessed to all those years has happened. The God-setting-things-right that we read about has become Jesus-setting-things-right for us. And not only for us, but for everyone who believes in him. For there is no difference between us and them in this. Since we’ve compiled this long and sorry record as sinners (both us and them) and proved that we are utterly incapable of living the glorious lives God wills for us, God did it for us. Out of sheer generosity he put us in right standing with himself. A pure gift. He got us out of the mess we’re in and restored us to where he always wanted us to be. And he did it by means of Jesus Christ. (Romans 3:21-24 MSG)

HEART OF A VOLUNTEER—EXCELLENCE

From today's devotional

Acts 6.1-15

What quality of service do the poor deserve? It’s a shocking question. We expect our pastors to craft soul-stirring presentations week after week. We expect worship to be musically excellent. But what about our outreach to the poor? What standards of excellence do we require there?

I love the fact that the Early Church demanded the best when it came to serving the least. Stephen led the first New Testament relief and development ministry, but he wasn’t a volunteer who was arm-twisted into filling a slot. He had to earn the privilege of serving the poor. He had to demonstrate a Spirit-based pattern of living. That’s excellence! He had to exhibit God-given wisdom. Excellence again.

It only makes sense. Stephen and the team needed to work across cultural boundaries. They needed to implement an efficient mass feeding program. And they needed to represent Christ in the process. What’s more, they never viewed it as a second-rate mandate. It was a noble platform for service right alongside the faithful sharing of the gospel.

Never view ministry to the marginalized as easy work performed to a standard of “good enough.” When it came to caring for the poor, the Early Church put their best people on it. It’s no different today. Are you up to the privilege?

THERE’S NO STOPPING US

From today's devotional

Acts 5.1-42

Paul told Timothy, his protégé, “Everything in the Scriptures is God’s Word. All of it is useful for teaching and helping people and for correcting them and showing them how to live. The Scriptures train God’s servants to do all kinds of good deeds” (2 Timothy 3.16, 17).

In this chapter of the book of Acts, we find that Paul’s statement about the uses of Scripture holds true. In the opening narrative, we discover that God knows the secrets of our hearts and he has power to openly correct and rebuke, as he did in the case of Ananias and Sapphira. God’s desire is always for truth in our inner being. God thoroughly equips his people to do what he assigns, as he did for the apostles by ushering in the kingdom with miracles (not magic), and equipping them to do good works.

We find that although our training in righteousness may result in good works for the poor, the needy, the sick, and those whose hearts long to see God in practical ways, it sometimes causes others to become jealous. They hatch plans to do us harm as a reward for the good works we do in the name and power of Christ. Before his departure to heaven, Jesus told his followers to expect hatred from the world. The apostles faced prison, but even there, God’s power was at work in the circumstance. They were persecuted, but God gave them victory, allowing them to rejoice that they were chosen to suffer for him.

God’s power was so strong that even one of the council members who had the power to kill Peter and the others, backed away from such action against the apostles’ preaching. God allowed this man to speak an awesome word of truth: “… if God is behind it, you cannot stop it anyway, unless you want to fight against God” (v 39). There is no stopping God’s child who is in God’s perfect will because of the presence and power of God himself!

Deuteronomy 6:4-5 MSG

Attention, Israel! GOD, our God! GOD the one and only! Love GOD, your God, with your whole heart: love him with all that’s in you, love him with all you’ve got! (Deuteronomy 6:4-5 MSG)

DON’T BEAT AROUND THE BUSH…JUST TELL THEM!

From today's devotional

Acts 4.1-37

In this chapter, Peter and John find themselves arrested and standing before officials of the highest Jewish court in the land. They had angered the religious leaders by proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ: his death, burial, and resurrection. And, they had healed a man who had been crippled from birth. Now they were being asked, “By what power and in whose name have you done this?” (v 7b).

I am sure while they were standing there Jesus’ words were ringing in their ears. “…because of me you will have to stand before rulers and kings to tell about your faith… When you are arrested, don’t worry about what you will say. You will be given the right words when the time comes. But you will not really be the ones speaking. Your words will come from the Holy Spirit” (Mark 13.9, 11).

What a great reminder for us today. We are called to be witnesses of the good news of Jesus Christ. When we are doing what God has called us to do, our words and actions will draw attention. When asked, “By what power and in whose name have you done this?” – don’t beat around the bush, just tell them. Then be ready for the Holy Spirit to give your words a voice.

We live in a world that desperately needs to know the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Don’t be fearful to speak or doubtful that the Holy Spirit will help you speak. As the Holy Spirit gave Peter a voice, he will do the same for us. Peter’s words rang loud and clear. “This man is standing here completely well because of the power of Jesus Christ from Nazareth…” (v 10b). In addition, Peter, emboldened by the Holy Spirit, went on to say, “Only Jesus has the power to save! His name is the only one in all the world that can save anyone” (v 12).

As you witness for Christ many may oppose you, but the ones who believe will be eternally grateful that you were not afraid to speak. Just think, as a result of Peter and John’s boldness, the believers in the Lord grew to about 5,000.

1 Peter 2:21-25 MSG

This is the kind of life you’ve been invited into, the kind of life Christ lived. He suffered everything that came his way so you would know that it could be done, and also know how to do it, step-by-step. He never did one thing wrong, Not once said anything amiss. They called him every name in the book and he said nothing back. He suffered in silence, content to let God set things right. He used his servant body to carry our sins to the Cross so we could be rid of sin, free to live the right way. His wounds became your healing. You were lost sheep with no idea who you were or where you were going. Now you’re named and kept for good by the Shepherd of your souls. (1 Peter 2:21-25 MSG)

GIVE WHAT YOU HAVE

From today's devotional 

Acts 3.1-26

The power of Pentecost heals the paralysis of the world. The wind of Pentecost carries the Church to people in need. The fire of the Spirit kindles warmth for others. The excitement and enthusiasm created by the Spirit motivates believers to be instruments for the healing of the world.

On their way through the Beautiful Gate of the temple to a prayer meeting, Peter and John met a cripple. The man was carried there by his friends to beg; Peter and John were led there by the Spirit to touch human need. Peter said to the man, “I don’t have any silver or gold! But I will give you what I do have…” (v 6). The hand was Peter’s, the power was Christ’s, and soon that cripple was walking, leaping, healed, and free (vv 7, 8).

What did Peter have to offer to a man experiencing the brokenness of the world? You know, you can only give what you have. You can only share what you possess! Peter told the crowd what he did not have: material possessions (v.6), their own power (v 12), or religious piety (v 12). Then, what did Peter and John have? Certainly they had compassion (v 4). They stopped when they saw the man in need and did not pass him by on their way to worship. They had holy boldness as they commanded the crippled man, saying, “Look up at us!” (v 4)

Peter was convinced that the exalted Christ was completely competent (“omni-competent”) to heal this man. The apostle knew that God’s people, through the years, were the beneficiaries of God’s miraculous, intervening power. Peter also had a conviction about Christ. He believed that nothing was impossible for Jesus to accomplish; that Christ was not a faded memory but a living power, the author and pioneer of life. It was this conviction that gave Peter courage—courage to offer Christ alone to the cripple, and courage to confront the crowd with the truth (vv 14-19).

Fear paralyzes so many people around us. They are trapped and chained by their own insecurities. Like Peter and John, you have what they need, who they need, and who they are truly looking for. His name is Jesus and he is completely able to save.

WOW! WHAT JUST HAPPENED?

From today's devotional

Acts 2.1-47

Have you ever thought about this Bible book’s title: “The Acts of the Apostles”? These men and women were weak and imperfect human beings just like we are; some even smelled of fish! Yet, the book of Acts records how Jesus’ earliest followers, through the help of the Holy Spirit, spread the good news about Jesus everywhere—to Jews and Gentiles!

When reading the exploits of the apostles, we sometimes think of them as superheroes. We may even make them super saints, elevating them to a level far beyond anything we could ever attain, enjoy, or experience. But God is no respecter of persons! It was not their cleverness, intellectual prowess, or administrative genius that caused them to be successful in leading people a world away with the good news of Jesus; it was the awesome power of the Holy Spirit working in and through them. Today, that same indwelling Spirit is now ready to express Christ’s love, grace, and power through every yielded believer.

Acts chapter 2 presents the apostolic church pattern for spiritual power in which we honor the work of the Holy Spirit. The life of the Church and the believer depends on the Holy Spirit within them. God says, “Don’t depend on your own power or strength, but on my Spirit” (Zechariah 4.6b). Such a pattern also points out that we are to know the Scriptures. True faith is built on the unchanging, never-failing Word of God. Know it and believe it! We find that the apostles were willing to experience the love and strength of New Testament fellowship, as they moved from house to house and in the temple. We have no power apart from God and we are to remember Calvary and the price that Jesus paid to grant us access into his family. Finally, the Church finds its power in praying always— in all places, for all people, and with all patience. We must never stop talking to God and obeying God’s Word.

The Church was birthed when the Holy Spirit, promised by Christ, was poured into the lives of 120 believers (vv 1-4). The result was an explosion of the gospel—empowered believers and a vibrant, growing Christian community attracting the lost with a Christ-centered message of hope and a lifestyle of compassion (vv 42-47).

WHY DID JESUS LEAVE?

From today's devotional

When we read of Jesus’ ascension, we often quickly turn to ponder his return. When will he come back? As exciting as that question is, I believe that there is an even more profound question that needs to be answered first. It is one that is absolutely fundamental to the understanding of our faith; it is a question that I don’t think I have ever heard anyone ask. Why did Jesus leave in the first place?

The answer can be found in Jesus’ teachings and conversations during his last days. Before his death, Jesus commissioned his disciples to preach the gospel of the kingdom to the ends of the earth, and he taught them about the kingdom of God.

Jesus spoke passionately about the kingdom of God – the revolutionary kingdom in which God’s rule defines how we live and act. Jesus gave us a critical assignment to build this kingdom. He taught his disciples about it, and he empowered them—and us—with the Holy Spirit.

Why did Jesus leave? In his own words, Jesus said, “I tell you that I am doing what is best for you. That is why I am going away. The Holy Spirit cannot come to help you until I leave” (John 16.7a). Jesus left us a mission to accomplish. He said he would return when our assignment was finished. The disciples, on fire for this kingdom-building mission, preached and taught Jesus’ kingdom message, and they took the Roman Empire by storm. Today, twenty centuries later, the job Jesus gave us to do is not yet completed.

1 Timothy 1:15-19 MSG

Here’s a word you can take to heart and depend on: Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. I’m proof—Public Sinner Number One—of someone who could never have made it apart from sheer mercy. And now he shows me off—evidence of his endless patience—to those who are right on the edge of trusting him forever. Deep honor and bright glory to the King of All Time— One God, Immortal, Invisible, ever and always. Oh, yes! I’m passing this work on to you, my son Timothy. The prophetic word that was directed to you prepared us for this. All those prayers are coming together now so you will do this well, fearless in your struggle, keeping a firm grip on your faith and on yourself. After all, this is a fight we’re in.

Here’s a word you can take to heart and depend on: Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. I’m proof—Public Sinner Number One—of someone who could never have made it apart from sheer mercy. And now he shows me off—evidence of his endless patience—to those who are right on the edge of trusting him forever. Deep honor and bright glory to the King of All Time— One God, Immortal, Invisible, ever and always. Oh, yes! I’m passing this work on to you, my son Timothy. The prophetic word that was directed to you prepared us for this. All those prayers are coming together now so you will do this well, fearless in your struggle, keeping a firm grip on your faith and on yourself. After all, this is a fight we’re in. There are some, you know, who by relaxing their grip and thinking anything goes have made a thorough mess of their faith. Hymenaeus and Alexander are two of them. I let them wander off to Satan to be taught a lesson or two about not blaspheming. (1 Timothy 1:15-19 MSG)

Acts 1:1-8 MSG

Dear Theophilus, in the first volume of this book I wrote on everything that Jesus began to do and teach until the day he said good-bye to the apostles, the ones he had chosen through the Holy Spirit, and was taken up to heaven. After his death, he presented himself alive to them in many different settings over a period of forty days. In face-to-face meetings, he talked to them about things concerning the kingdom of God. As they met and ate meals together, he told them that they were on no account to leave Jerusalem but “must wait for what the Father promised: the promise you heard from me. John baptized in water; you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit. And soon.”

When they were together for the last time they asked, “Master, are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel now? Is this the time?” He told them, “You don’t get to know the time. Timing is the Father’s business. What you’ll get is the Holy Spirit. And when the Holy Spirit comes on you, you will be able to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, all over Judea and Samaria, even to the ends of the world.” (Acts 1:1-8 MSG)

Mission Possible

From today's devotional

Acts 1.1-8

What an awesome task Christ assigned to his disciples when he commissioned them to proclaim the gospel and make disciples of people from all nations. If such a significant mission was dependent upon the personal capacity of these few followers, then the Great Commission could be appropriately described as “Mission Impossible!”

Jesus assured his disciples of success by letting them know that he possessed all authority in heaven and earth and promised that he would be with them through the completion of the assignment (Matthew 28.18-20). What a relief!

The book of Acts is the inspired record of how Christ kept this promise. By sending the Holy Spirit to indwell them, Jesus was not only with them, but his Spirit was also in them (v 8; John 14.15-18). As we journey through the book of Acts, we will be instructed and encouraged to live as witnesses of Christ, with the help of the Holy Spirit. The book of Acts teaches us that the Holy Spirit empowers every believer to fulfill the divine purpose given to us by our holy Father as we operate in the authority of God’s Son, Jesus Christ.

Proverbs 17:28 MSG

Even dunces who keep quiet are thought to be wise; as long as they keep their mouths shut, they’re smart. (Proverbs 17:28 MSG)

Romans 15:7-13 MSG

So reach out and welcome one another to God’s glory. Jesus did it; now you do it! Jesus, staying true to God’s purposes, reached out in a special way to the Jewish insiders so that the old ancestral promises would come true for them. As a result, the non-Jewish outsiders have been able to experience mercy and to show appreciation to God. Just think of all the Scriptures that will come true in what we do! For instance: Then I’ll join outsiders in a hymn-sing; I’ll sing to your name! And this one: Outsiders and insiders, rejoice together! And again: People of all nations, celebrate God! All colors and races, give hearty praise! And Isaiah’s word: There’s the root of our ancestor Jesse, breaking through the earth and growing tree tall, Tall enough for everyone everywhere to see and take hope! Oh! May the God of green hope fill you up with joy, fill you up with peace, so that your believing lives, filled with the life-giving energy of the Holy Spirit, will brim over with hope! (Romans 15:7-13 MSG)

Ephesians 3:8-13 MSG

This is my life work: helping people understand and respond to this Message. It came as a sheer gift to me, a real surprise, God handling all the details. When it came to presenting the Message to people who had no background in God’s way, I was the least qualified of any of the available Christians. God saw to it that I was equipped, but you can be sure that it had nothing to do with my natural abilities. And so here I am, preaching and writing about things that are way over my head, the inexhaustible riches and generosity of Christ. My task is to bring out in the open and make plain what God, who created all this in the first place, has been doing in secret and behind the scenes all along. Through followers of Jesus like yourselves gathered in churches, this extraordinary plan of God is becoming known and talked about even among the angels! And so here I am, preaching and writing about things that are way over my head, the inexhaustible riches and generosity of Christ. My task is to bring out in the open and make plain what God, who created all this in the first place, has been doing in secret and behind the scenes all along. Through followers of Jesus like yourselves gathered in churches, this extraordinary plan of God is becoming known and talked about even among the angels!

All this is proceeding along lines planned all along by God and then executed in Christ Jesus. When we trust in him, we’re free to say whatever needs to be said, bold to go wherever we need to go. So don’t let my present trouble on your behalf get you down. Be proud! (Ephesians 3:8-13 MSG)

1 Peter 1:3-5 MSG

What a God we have! And how fortunate we are to have him, this Father of our Master Jesus! Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we’ve been given a brand-new life and have everything to live for, including a future in heaven—and the future starts now! God is keeping careful watch over us and the future. The Day is coming when you’ll have it all—life healed and whole. (1 Peter 1:3-5 MSG)

James 1:12 MSG

Anyone who meets a testing challenge head-on and manages to stick it out is mighty fortunate. For such persons loyally in love with God, the reward is life and more life. (James 1:12 MSG)

Proverbs 4:3-9 MSG

When I was a boy at my father’s knee, the pride and joy of my mother, He would sit me down and drill me: “Take this to heart. Do what I tell you—live! Sell everything and buy Wisdom! Forage for Understanding! Don’t forget one word! Don’t deviate an inch! Never walk away from Wisdom—she guards your life; love her—she keeps her eye on you. Above all and before all, do this: Get Wisdom! Write this at the top of your list: Get Understanding! Throw your arms around her—believe me, you won’t regret it; never let her go—she’ll make your life glorious. She’ll garland your life with grace, she’ll festoon your days with beauty.” (Proverbs 4:3-9 MSG)

John 14:21 MSG

“The person who knows my commandments and keeps them, that’s who loves me. And the person who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and make myself plain to him.” (John 14:21 MSG)

Isaiah 40:27-31 MSG

Why would you ever complain, O Jacob, or, whine, Israel, saying, “ GOD has lost track of me. He doesn’t care what happens to me”? Don’t you know anything? Haven’t you been listening? GOD doesn’t come and go. God lasts. He’s Creator of all you can see or imagine. He doesn’t get tired out, doesn’t pause to catch his breath. And he knows everything, inside and out. He energizes those who get tired, gives fresh strength to dropouts. For even young people tire and drop out, young folk in their prime stumble and fall. But those who wait upon GOD get fresh strength. They spread their wings and soar like eagles, They run and don’t get tired, they walk and don’t lag behind. (Isaiah 40:27-31 MSG)

Galatians 5:22-24 MSG

But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely. But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely. Legalism is helpless in bringing this about; it only gets in the way. Among those who belong to Christ, everything connected with getting our own way and mindlessly responding to what everyone else calls necessities is killed off for good—crucified. Legalism is helpless in bringing this about; it only gets in the way. Among those who belong to Christ, everything connected with getting our own way and mindlessly responding to what everyone else calls necessities is killed off for good—crucified.

1 Corinthians 15:51-57 MSG

But let me tell you something wonderful, a mystery I’ll probably never fully understand. We’re not all going to die— but we are all going to be changed. You hear a blast to end all blasts from a trumpet, and in the time that you look up and blink your eyes—it’s over. On signal from that trumpet from heaven, the dead will be up and out of their graves, beyond the reach of death, never to die again. At the same moment and in the same way, we’ll all be changed. In the resurrection scheme of things, this has to happen: everything perishable taken off the shelves and replaced by the imperishable, this mortal replaced by the immortal. Then the saying will come true: Death swallowed by triumphant Life! Who got the last word, oh, Death? Oh, Death, who’s afraid of you now? It was sin that made death so frightening and law-code guilt that gave sin its leverage, its destructive power. But now in a single victorious stroke of Life, all three—sin, guilt, death—are gone, the gift of our Master, Jesus Christ. Thank God! (1 Corinthians 15:51-57 MSG)

Romans 12:1-2 MSG

So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. (Romans 12:1-2 MSG)

Romans 8:1-2 MSG

With the arrival of Jesus, the Messiah, that fateful dilemma is resolved. Those who enter into Christ’s being-here-for-us no longer have to live under a continuous, low-lying black cloud. A new power is in operation. The Spirit of life in Christ, like a strong wind, has magnificently cleared the air, freeing you from a fated lifetime of brutal tyranny at the hands of sin and death. (Romans 8:1-2 MSG)

John 11:25-26 MSG

You don’t have to wait for the End. I am, right now, Resurrection and Life. The one who believes in me (Jesus), even though he or she dies, will live. And everyone who lives believing in me does not ultimately die at all. Do you believe this?

Isaiah 53:2-6 MSG

Prophecy of Jesus' death:

The servant grew up before God—a scrawny seedling, a scrubby plant in a parched field. There was nothing attractive about him, nothing to cause us to take a second look. He was looked down on and passed over, a man who suffered, who knew pain firsthand. One look at him and people turned away. We looked down on him, thought he was scum. But the fact is, it was our pains he carried— our disfigurements, all the things wrong with us. We thought he brought it on himself, that God was punishing him for his own failures. But it was our sins that did that to him, that ripped and tore and crushed him— our sins! He took the punishment, and that made us whole. Through his bruises we get healed. We’re all like sheep who’ve wandered off and gotten lost. We’ve all done our own thing, gone our own way. And GOD has piled all our sins, everything we’ve done wrong, on him, on him. (Isaiah 53:2-6 MSG)

Lamentations 3:25-27 MSG

GOD proves to be good to the man who passionately waits, to the woman who diligently seeks. It’s a good thing to quietly hope, quietly hope for help from GOD. It’s a good thing when you’re young to stick it out through the hard times. (Lamentations 3:25-27 MSG)

How Can We Hope in a God Who Abandons Us?

From today's devotional

Jeremiah steadfastly recognized that the Lord had not abandoned his people, despite the pain of their situation. Rather, God’s people had abandoned him. Jeremiah, the weeping prophet, is also called the prophet of hope, because he foresaw a day when the Lord would reign in the midst of a restored, renewed and reconciled people — people who had finally returned to him.

Jesus knew this paradox between abandonment and hope. In the midst of his suffering and death on the cross, he cried, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? (Mt 27:46). Yet Jesus also knew that he would be resurrected on the third day, opening the gate of eternal life to all believers. The despair of the cross has now become the gift of life to perishing sinners.

Abandonment, sorrow, struggle and pain — all these are transitory. Wholeness, healing, joy and peace are permanent, for they are part of the very nature of God. That is what sustains the believer through difficult times. Although Jeremiah grieved over Jerusalem’s destruction, he knew God would prevail.