4 JUL 23 Tuesday: A Closer Walk Devotional

 4 JUL 23 Tuesday: A Closer Walk Devotional

“But the believers who were scattered preached the Good News about Jesus wherever they went.  Crowds listened intently to Philip because they were eager to hear his message and see the miraculous signs he did.” Acts 8:4, 6

When Jesus told the disciples that they would take the message of salvation and freedom from sin and death to the nations, they probably had a difficult time comprehending how.  For the most part, people get used to staying in one place and enjoying the people they have always enjoyed.  To go to a different city, state, or country means a big change.

As we read at the beginning of Acts 8, we see that moving into a new place and among new people was not their plan.  God orchestrated the move and they moved.  That happens to us today.  People are forced to move due to their job, political unrest, and persecution.  These moves are important and we shouldn’t miss what God may be doing in the midst of it.

Philip, the apostle, moved to a new city and found people whose hearts were already prepared for the Lord to receive the good news and be saved.  In every place and every land, there are people being prepared for the good news to take root and be set free from the bondage of sin.  Even if you just impact one person, it is worth the move, suffering, and change.  It brings glory to God and grows you as a disciple.

Today in the United States, we celebrate our freedom from England’s rule.  Many of those Christians came to this land for freedom of religion and to share the gospel.  If you are reading this in America, it is an extra special day to know that God weaved through the mess of history to bring you people that carried the good news to your ears.  He set you free from the wrath of God and established you as Christ’s own forever.

Are you celebrating your freedom from sin, death, and the wrath of God?

Reading Plan: Psalm 33; 1 Sam. 11:1-15; Acts 8:1-13;  Luke. 22:63-71

3 JUL 23 Monday: A Closer Walk Devotional

 3 JUL 23 Monday: A Closer Walk Devotional

“A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem: and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria.” Acts 8:1

At the beginning of Acts chapter one verse eight the Lord charged his followers to the task of world mission by being empowered witnesses of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  The scope was the world which includes the nations of the world.  It was and is a big mission to accomplish through ordinary people.  The Lord has given us a powerful, unchanging message, and the Holy Spirit in order to change the lives of all that receive Him.

In order to reach the nations, you actually have to go to them.  We cannot just wait around and expect them to show up on our doorstep unless our focus is on Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, Solar Power salesmen, and political activists.  They need the true life-saving Gospel for sure! There are more people who have never heard the good news once that are not in your city but are in a town in another country.

When we don’t move, God may create an issue that moves to where he expects us to be.  The believers in Acts didn’t yet obey Acts 1:8, so they got Acts 8:1.  They were ultimately scattered by persecution into the very places that Jesus “commanded” them to go.  Think about that.  We are often busy on our own mission pursuing the American Dream, materialism, and pleasure, and ignoring Jesus’ Mission.

How long will the church remain rebellious and disobedient to the commands of Jesus?! Will the church wait until persecution comes to start living for Him and not themselves? What are you waiting for?

Reading Plan: Psalm 106:1-18; 1 Sam. 10:17-27; Acts 7:44-8:1;  Luke. 22:52-62

Discipleship at the pool of Bethseda

23 JUN 23 Friday: A Closer Walk Devotional

 23 JUN 23 Friday: A Closer Walk Devotional

“All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and fellowship, and to sharing meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer.” Acts 2: 42

The section of Acts 2 of our reading plan is a great place to learn about the marks of a healthy church and healthy disciples.  This is the most basic recipe of a church.  There were no buildings, professional clergy, budgets, or programs.  When most of us look for a church or those that are not believers look at a church they see these things.  

If they have up-to-date facilities with nice bathrooms, children and youth programs, professional staff to our liking, and money to pull all of that off, sign me up.  You might think I was describing the YMCA or some club if you didn’t know I was talking about a church.  That is the sad part about this today.  We have come to expect the church to serve our needs versus us submitting to God’s rule and obeying his ways.

Form follows function as some great businessmen would say.  What you produce depends on how you are designed to function.  A pastor friend scratches his head and wonders why people are not making disciples and living for Jesus even though they talk about it every Sunday.  He asks, what is wrong with them? It’s actually “how” they do church that produces observers and consumers, rather than producers and doers of the word.  Doing church and being the church are vastly different things and are not a game of semantics.

If you want someone who is a faith practitioner versus an attendee, you must change the process.  The early church didn’t have to keep people entertained and satisfied, they were a training center that prepared people to live for Jesus, be on a mission, and enjoy one another.  The end product was a people who were disciple-making practitioners that multiplied wherever they went.

Is the church producing what it was designed for?

Reading Plan: Psalm 88; 1 Sam. 3:1-21; Acts 2:37-47;  Luke. 21:5-19

22 JUN 23 Thursday: A Closer Walk Devotional

 22 JUN 23 Thursday: A Closer Walk Devotional

“Utterly disgrace them until they submit to your name, O Lord.  Let them be ashamed and terrified forever.  Let them die in disgrace.   Then they will learn that you alone are called the Lord, that you alone are the Most High, supreme over all the earth.” Psalm 83: 16-18

The writer of the Psalms often uses imprecatory prayers in his conversation with God.  He identifies an enemy not just of his own, but God’s enemy.  These anti-God neighbors are truly breathing threats to end the life of the writer and the people of God.  This is a plea for defense and an ultimate end to those that come against God specifically and by extension the chosen people.

From the spiritual side, God’s sovereign election places people into two camps, the saved and the condemned.  John 3:18 says that those that do not believe are condemned already and are just awaiting sentencing.  This is no different than when the Jews were the only chosen of God.  If believers were to do nothing, their enemies and God’s enemies would remain on the road to hell.

Interestingly, the psalmist hopes that the enemy would be humbled or disgraced until they submit to the name of the Lord.  Let them be ashamed and terrified of the reality of who God really is.  When a person is born again, they see God for who he is and the fear of the Lord takes effect.  The words of the beatitudes hit that person. (Matt 5)  They become poor in spirit and realize they have been enemies with God and now they really need God.

They mourn over their own sin as shame, guilt, and disgrace set in.  They are humbled before the Lord and are moved to submit their lives to God.  Their distaste for the things of God changes into a hunger and thirst for him.  They have tasted and seen that the Lord is good. (Ps. 34) This is a beautiful thing to experience for yourself, but also for those that rebel against God.  

 

If you want them to suffer the wrath of God, don’t share the gospel with them.  But we cannot do that! We are commanded to love our enemy and to tell them the good news.  The results are up to God.  Now you can pray this psalm “for” your enemy with a bit of a different goal.

Are you praying for your enemies and the ungodly in your world?

Reading Plan: Psalm 83, 34; 1 Sam. 2:27-36; Acts 2:22-36;  Luke. 20:41-21:4