All You Need Is Love - 1Cor. 13:13

"There are three things that will endure -- faith, hope, and love -- and the greatest of these is love." 1Cor. 13:13

What a great verse -- it really boils things down doesn't it? Love is what makes all the other gifts work the way God intended; without it, those gifts could lead you to pride, arrogance or legalism. This is what Jesus condemned the Pharisees for when they didn't want him to heal people on the Sabbath. It's what I'm guilty of when I look down on someone who struggles with something I have no problem with. I feel so blessed with the gifts that God has given me, but if I don't exercise them with love and compassion I am no better than the Pharisees. I have to squash pride at every turn and remember that it is not about me! If I am not careful, I will allow Satan a foothold even in the gifts God has given me.

Jesus, help me to quickly identify when my pride is getting the best of me; I pray that you will work through your gifts despite my weaknesses.

Today's reading: Num. 24-27; 1Cor. 13

God Wants You - Mk. 8:20-23

"It is the thought life that defiles you. For from within, out of a person's heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, eagerness for lustful pleasure, envy, slander, pride and foolishness. All these vile things come from within; they are what defile you and make you unacceptable to God." Mk. 8:20-23

God wants who we ARE, not what we APPEAR to be. The Pharisees were all about outward appearance, and Jesus condemned them for it. It is my heart that reflects the REAL me, and this is no hiding this from God. The list above condemns us all -- thank God I'm covered by the blood of Christ! The list of rules and regulations in the Old Testament make at least one thing abundantly clear--man, on his own, could NEVER approach God--yet God provided a way. I AM many of the things listed above, but when God sees me, he sees Jesus. What an awesome God!

God, I am sorry for the thoughts that reflect the ugliness of my heart. Thank you for making all things new.

Today's reading: Num. 21-23; Mk. 6, 7

In Whom I Trust - Ps. 28:7

"The Lord is my strength, my shield from every danger. I trust in him with all my heart. He helps me and my heart is filled with joy." Ps. 28:7

I am going on my 9th day away from home and family--it's been a long haul for me. I hate being away, I miss them terribly. I feel like an incomplete person without them, and the world around me doesn't seem right. Little insecurities and fears tart to rise up and rob me of peace and sleep--things that wouldn't normally be a concern, but Satan knows how to push the right buttons. Then I read Psalms like 28 above, and all is right again. God is SO good! He knows just what I need to hear -- he IS my strength, and I DO trust him with all my heart; I trust him with my circumstances; I trust him with my family and I trust him with my life -- I have no fear...

Thank you God for your perfect word of encouragement. I love it that you care for me; I love it that I can trust you for ALL things!

Today's reading: Num. 19, 20; Ps. 28; Mk. 5

Thorny Ground - Mk. 4:18, 1

"The thorny ground represents those who hear and accept the Good News, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for nice things, so no crop is produced." Mk. 18, 19

OUCH! Stop poking me! All right, I confess this is my constant daily struggle. Even though I never let the message get crowded out entirely, I often wonder how well I'm really doing with all God has blessed me with. How good is my crop production? Oh, I KNOW it could be better, but how much? Will he say, "Well done good and faithful servant?" The cares of this life and the desire for nice things are voices that are always screaming very loudly in my head, trying their best to drown out the message -- I refuse to allow them to, but I struggle for balance. How I would love to be able to say, like Paul, that I gave it all -- that I was poured out like a drink offering.

Lord, I pray that YOU keep my on balance and walking toward you, even if at times the steps are small.

Today's reading: Num. 17, 18; Ps. 29; Mk. 4

Lost In Space - Num. 16:41

"But the very next morning the whole community began muttering again against Moses and Aaron, saying, 'You two have killed the Lord's people!'" Num. 16:41

Up until this point I have tried to give the Israelites the benefit of the doubt: They had been slaves for 400 years, they didn't know how to handle freedom; God used this time to teach them like children; we are really no better than they with the mistakes WE make... But this verse takes it over the edge for me! They KNEW God was unhappy with them, he had just sentenced them to 40 years of wandering in the wilderness; they heard God's voice condemn THEM not Moses; they saw Moses save everyone he could from God's punishment; they witnessed God's judgement on the rebellious group; and yet they still were SO blinded that they were going to complain and blame Moses and Aaron again? -- these people were truly lost! It tells me that if people are set on unbelief, it won't matter if God himself shows up! And further helps me to understand Jesus' instructions to the disciples to preach, but if the people would not listen, to shake the dust from their sandals and move on.

God, help me to empathize, not criticize.

Today's reading: Num. 14-16; Mk. 3

Whose Strength? - Num. 13:30, 31

"But Caleb tried to encourage the people as they stood before Moses. 'Let's go at once and take the land,' he said. 'We can certainly conquer it!' But the other men, who had explored the land with him answered, 'We can't go up against them! They are stronger than we are!'" Num. 13:30, 31

This reminds me of the martial arts scene in "The Matrix," where Morpheus tells Neo, "Stop THINKING you can, KNOW you can." When God is with us, and has us on a mission to do something, nothing will stop it from happening. We have to be more like Caleb--instead of looking at outward appearances, have faith in who God is, and just KNOW. "If he is for us, who can be against us?" Physical strength or size has no meaning in God's economy, with him, ANYTHING is possible!

God, I pray you will bless me with Caleb-like faith.

Today's reading: Num. 12, 13; Ps. 90; Mk. 2

Amazed - Mk. 1:27,28

"Amazement gripped the audience, and they began to discuss what had happened. 'What sort of new teaching is this?' they asked excitedly, 'It has such authority! Even evil spirits obey his orders!' The news of what he had done spread quickly..." Mk. 1:27, 28

Am I still amazed? I have to admit, at times I have to fight for that feeling; but it's a fight worth fighting. With amazement comes excitement, and with excitement comes passion, and with passion the gospel spreads -- this is what Mark 1:27-28 teaches me. Contrast this with what we read today in Numbers 10-11 with the Israelites complaining to God about their circumstances. They had essentially ceased being amazed, even though God provided for them via miracles EVERYDAY! Key in this is God's response--he burned with anger against them--not a position I want to find myself in!

God, keep your provision in my life fresh and exciting everyday. I pray I never cease to be in awe of you.

Today's reading: Num. 10-11; Ps. 27; Mk. 1

God's Will - Acts 28:30-31

"For the next two years, Paul lived in a rented house. He welcomed all who visited him, proclaiming the Kingdom of God with all boldness and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ. And no one tried to stop him." Acts 28:30-31

Here is the irony: Paul was essentially arrested for preaching the gospel. Now he is in "prison," in his own house, receiving visitors and STILL preaching the gospel -- and no one is trying to stop him! Does this make any sense?! No, not from a human perspective; but God's plan is spiritual, and it WILL happen whether we understand it or not. This was God's way for Paul to do his job -- preach to the Gentiles. Paul understood this and took advantage of it, he did not complain about his circumstances. Would I do the same, or only be able to see that I was in prison?

I pray that I can always make GOD'S plan more important than MY circumstances.

Today's reading: Num. 8, 9; Acts 28

Feast - Ps. 23:5

"You will prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies." Ps. 23:5

I love everything about Psalm 23 -- it always brings me peace, comfort and confidence. Verse 5 is different from the ones that precede it as this is where it turns prophetic. What it tells me is that those destined for the Lake of Fire will actually see what they will be missing for all of eternity. It reminds me of the story of the rich man who dies, is suffering in hell and yet can see Lazarus in heaven. I'm sure that part of eternal suffering is the knowledge of what could have been--ow brutal is that?!

Lord I repent for the sinner that I am. I am only worthy to stand before you because of the sacrifice of your son Jesus, Thank you for loving me so much that you put this perfect plan in place, I can't wait to eat with you!

Today's reading: Num. 7, 8; Ps. 23; Acts 27

Prophecy - Ps. 22

"My God, my God! Why have you forsaken me?... I am scorned and despised by all! Everyone who sees me mocks me, they sneer and shake their heads saying, 'Is this the one who relies on the Lord? The let the Lord save him! If the Lord loves him so much let the Lord rescue him!'... My enemies surround me like a pack of dogs; an evil gang closes in on me. They have pierced my hands and feet. I can count every bone in my body. My enemies stare at me and gloat. They divide my clothes among themselves and throw dice for my garments."

You would think we were reading one of the gospels, but it is actually Ps. 22:1-18, written/prophesied by King David! How awesome is that?! God wanted to make it clear that he transcended space and time, so he describes Jesus' death long before it happens through David in undeniable detail. If the doubters have a hard time denying this, then they should definitely be concerned about some of his concluding remarks, "Let all mortals--those born to die--bow down in his presence." Ps. 22:29

God, thank you for leaving NO DOUBT that you have a plan.

Today's reading: Num. 5, 6; Ps. 22; Acts 26

Man On A Mission - Acts 25:22

From 2/18/2007 reading:

"I'd like to hear the man myself, " Agrippa said. And Festus replied, "You shall, tomorrow." Acts 25:22

Paul never lost sight of the mission he was on, spreading the gospel to the Gentiles. Since Paul was arrested in Jerusalem, here are some of the people who have heard the gospel because of him: The Commander who arrested him and his guards heard Paul's entire testimony; because of his preaching, the Pharisees and the Sadducees become divided over the issue of the resurrection (with the Pharisees defending Paul); God then tells Paul he must preach in Rome--he is sent to Ceaserea where Felix and Drusilla hear his message and keep him there for two years--countless more heard the gospel during that time I would imagine; then Festus takes over and Paul has another opportunity to give his testimony; then Agrippa and Bernice; and after them potentially Ceasar! While we might view being a prisoner as a negative, Paul simply sees it as opportunity for God to accomplish what he sent him out to do--now that is focus!

Jesus, I pray that you enable me to care more about my mission than my circumstances.

Today's reading: Num. 3, 4; Acts 25

Still Small Voice - Acts 24:24

"A few days later Felix, came with his wife, Drusilla, who was Jewish. Sending for Paul, they listened as he told them about faith in Christ Jesus." Acts 24:24

I can't help but think that the Holy Spirit was talking to Felix. He knew of The Way, his wife was Jewish, and he kept Paul under house arrest for two years (and if he was not succeeded, it probably would have been longer). It says that Felix was frightened by what Paul told him about righteousness, self-control and judgement. Where would the fear come from if not conviction by the Holy Spirit? I imagine he met with Paul numerous time during those two years, but in the end, never converted. It was as if he knew deep down that what Paul was saying was true, but just could not get himself to accept; so he just kept Paul around so he could ask more questions and continue to explore the topic. For how many is this a similar story. They know the truth when they hear it, but just cannot get themselves to accept the change that would be required (only SEEMS difficult when you are on the outside looking in!). There are many PERCEIVED difficulties: what would their family think (we don't know Drusilla's position on all this)? What would friends say? Co-workers? It's just SO radical! For everyone the burden is different, but we are all called to pick-up our cross daily and follow him. Funny how, in retrospect, now I see how hard living in the world WITHOUT God is, and how with Christ it is so much easier (see yesterday's post). "For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Holy Spirit, thank you for your still small voice--help it to grow ever louder in my life.

Today's reading: Num. 1-2; Acts 24

Perfect Love - Lev. 26:3-6

"If you keep my laws and commands... I will give you peace in the land, and you will be able to sleep without fear." Lev. 26:3-6

With God, we live and go through life without fear. "Perfect love casts out fear." The gift of Jesus Christ WAS perfect love, and with it I have no fear. "If he is with me, who can be against me?"! God Almighty is walking with me everyday, guiding me, directing me, protecting me, counseling me and PROMISING me that he will never lead me astray as long as I follow him. What would I fear? "For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity but of power, love and self-discipline." Even though their are aspects of the Old Testament that, to us, seem harsh, this was a love letter written to his people -- HIS children. Asking them to return to him, and promising that he would always protect them and be their God. The offer still stands...

This verse in Leviticus reminds me of one of my favorite Proverbs: "You can lie down without fear and enjoy pleasant dreams. You need not be afraid of disaster or the destruction that comes upon the wicked, for the Lord is your security." Prov. 3:24-26 In a world full of uncertainty, God's promises are my security.

God, thank you for never leaving me alone; thank you for your protection; thank you that I can trust you; thank you for the incredible peace I live in, that only your Holy Spirit can provide.

Today's reading: Lev. 26-27; Acts 23

I Will Follow - Ps. 25:4-5

"Show me the path where I should walk, O, Lord; point out the right way for me to follow. Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you." Ps. 25:4-5

In this Psalm, David expresses his confidence in the Lord's leading. It is awesome to hear a man of God verbalizing his faith and trust in the Lord, and to hear how he involves God in his daily life. How often am I going off on my own? Making decisions that "seem right to a man"? This is dangerous ground to be walking on all by myself; God wants to lead -- I should let him! Like yesterday, I can't help but think that even though David seems confident, some of his words betray a sense of insecurity at the same time. It's almost as if he feels the need to remind God of all the good things he has done compared to all the evil people around him. I'm not trying to take anything away from King David. He was an AWESOME man of God, and even God said that he was a man after his own heart. But he was a man. And mere humans have a hard time reconciling their sinfulness in the face of a perfect God. He makes this statement at the end of the Psalm, "May integrity and honesty protect me, for I put my hope in you." Again, a hope that something HE does will protect him from God's wrath; yet earlier he asks God to forgive his sins and, "look instead through the eyes of your unfailing love." So which is it, his integrity and honesty that saves him, or God's love? For David, I am sure that he at times asked the same question. For us, because of Jesus, there is no doubt.

God, I thank you for David and the all the men of faith who came before Jesus. I thank you for their life of faith they left for me to emulate. I thank you for their ability to maintain hope when at times there was very little reason to. I pray that I can live up to their example.

Today's reading: Lev. 25; Ps. 25-26; Acts 22

Who Is Worthy? - Ps. 24:3-5

"Who may climb the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? Only those whose hands and hearts are pure, who do not worship idols and never tell lies. They will receive the Lord's blessing and have right standing with God their Savior." Ps. 24:3-5

God gives David a revelation of who is worthy to stand before the Lord -- in a word NO ONE. By this guideline, no one qualifies, no one is worthy. I wonder what David thought about this? Did he think HE would stand before the Lord based on this? If it were me, I would have my doubts. No wonder these men were saved by their faith. As Hebrews describes, all they had was a hope, and they died before that hope was realized. They had hope even in light of verses like the ones above, they even died for this hope--now that's faith! Only one figure in history fits the description, that would be Jesus, my Savior. These verses make it clear that without him, none of us could stand before an absolutely holy God.

God, thank you for loving me SO MUCH that you would allow your son Jesus to die for me just so I could be your friend... I love you too.

Today's reading: Lev. 23, 24; Ps. 24; Acts 21

Purpose Driven Life - Acts 20:22-24

"And now I am going to Jerusalem, drawn there irresistibly by the Holy Spirit, not knowing what awaits me, except that the Holy Spirit has told me in city after city that jail and suffering lie ahead. But my life is worth nothing unless I use it for doing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus--the work of telling others the Good News about God's wonderful kindness and love. Acts 20:22-24

I guess I am on one of those themes again. For the last few days it has been the simplicity of our role in spreading God's word. Wow! Are Paul's words convicting or what?! Here's what stands out to me:

DAILY LIVING driven purely by the Holy Spirit, ungoverned by ANY planning concerns--If God says go, he goes; NO FEAR of what circumstances the world might deal out; his life is NOT HIS OWN, it is God's; God has a work assignment PRE-PLANNED for him; LIFE is all about SPREADING the word (sowing seed-see previous posts).

It's not complicated, but because I am human, it's not easy either. God keep my PURPOSE front and center daily.

Today's reading: Lev. 20-22; Acts 20

Predestined? - Acts 18:9-10

"One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision and told him, 'Don't be afraid! Speak out! Don't be silent! For I am with you, and no one will harm you because many people here in this city belong to me'" Acts 18:9-10

So God wanted Paul to stay and preach because, "many people here in this city" belonged to him. Stepping out on a theological limb, I take this verse to mean that there were people in this city who God knew before-hand would accept him IF they heard the gospel preached. They had choice, but he knew what their choice would be (I know, opening a can of worms here!) -- Paul just had to do his job and open his mouth (see yesterday's post). Pretty cool that it is not my wisdom or knowledge that is responsible for leading people to salvation, only my obedience to be willing to not be afraid, speak out and not be silent. SEEMS simple...

God, give me the courage to be obedient when you call me to preach your word -- your people are waiting.

Today's reading: Lev. 15-17; Acts 18

Sowing Seed - Acts 17:32

"When they heard Paul speak of the resurrection of a person who had been dead, some laughed, but others said, 'We want to hear more about this later.'" Acts 17:32

Paul understood his mission--simply present the gospel, some will believe and some won't. The result was not his responsibility, it was God's. His only responsibility was to be obedient and do the presenting. Our job is the same, but too often we shy away from opening our mouthes because we fear we don't know enough, or we will look stupid in front of a particular group of people--GUILTY AS CHARGED! I HAVE to remember that it is not about me. And if I will just be obedient more often, more seed is sown and a greater harvest results. Paul never shied away--no matter how educated or intimidating the group was, he did his job and trusted that God would do his. A great model to follow.

Jesus, I pray that can care less about this world and more about what you have commissioned me to do. Give me Paul's focus, show me how to be "poured out" for you, reduce my worldly desires.

Today's reading: Lev. 13, 14; Acts 17

The Ultimate Guide - Acts 16:10

"...So we decided to leave for Macedonia at once, for we could only conclude that God was calling us to preach the Good News there." Acts 16:10

I love Acts 16:6-10. It is purposely written in a way to make sure the reader understands that the Holy Spirit is the one who does the leading in a believer's life -- IF he is allowed to lead! It occurs to me that God NEVER left man alone, he was always there to guide us -- we just didn't always choose to follow (and still don't). In Exodus, we see him leading by a pillar of cloud and a pillar of fire; then we had the prophets, judges and kings who God used to direct and guide the people; then we had Jesus, the final chapter in God's ultimate plan, come and live among us to tell/show us how to live and receive salvation; and now we have the same Holy Spirit that guided Paul and Silas in Acts 16 to lead us in our daily walk today.

God, thank you for never leaving me alone. Help me to be a better follower.

Today's reading: Lev. 10-12; Acts 16

Where's The Faith? - Acts 15:28-29

"For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay no greater burden on you than these two requirements: You must abstain from eating food offered to idols, from consuming blood or eating the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality. If you do this, you will do well." Acts 15:28-29

I don't get this -- it seems like a total contradiction of what Peter preached earlier AGAINST the requirement of circumcision. What is the difference between requiring circumcision or any of these other rules?! To me it is either saved by faith and faith alone (Jesus plus nothing), or fall back into a works based mentality: "...a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors were able to bear..." Acts 15:19 And how did they decide on just these few rules out of the entire Law? Seems rather arbitrary. I do notice that it states the Holy Spirit was involved in all this, so who am I to question? Maybe it was for health/dietary reasons in that culture and for that time; but it still seems to contradict other teachings of Paul that indicate that NOTHING is unclean for a believer. I guess this is where my lack of theology training shows up! Maybe someone more educated than I can comment and help out.

Jesus, I know that your Holy Spirit does not err, so please forgive my inability to comprehend. Thank you for being obedient to the point of death just so I could be saved.

Today's reading: Lev. 7-9; Acts 15

Rules To Live By - Lev. 7:11-18

I am overwhelmed by the rules and regulations God laid out for the Jews (maybe that is the whole point?) in Leviticus. Sacrifices for: Guilt offerings, Sin offerings, Peace offerings, Grain offerings, and the list goes on -- each with their own very complicated set of instructions:

"These are the instructions regarding the different kinds of peace offerings that may be presented to the Lord. If you present your peace offering as a thanksgiving offering, the usual animal sacrifice must be accompanied by various kinds of bread--loaves, wafers, and cakes--all made without yeast and soaked with olive oil. This peace offering of thanksgiving must also be accompanied by loaves of yeast bread. One of each kind of bread must be presented as a gift to the Lord. This bread will then belong to the priest who sprinkles the altar with blood from the sacrificed animal. The animal's meat must be eaten on the same day it is offered. None of it may be saved for the next morning. However, if you bring an offering to fulfill a vow or as a freewill offering, the meat may be eaten on the same day, and whatever is left over may be eaten on the second day. But anything left over until the third day must be completely burned up. If any of the meat from this peace offering is eaten on the third day, it will not be accepted by the Lord..." Lev. 7:11-18

God, thank you for sending Jesus as the single perfect sacrifice for all my sins.

Today's reading: Lev. 4-6; Acts 14 (I know, I cheated, I used Lev. 7 to summarize my thoughts)

Forest for the Trees - Acts 13:29

"The people in Jerusalem and their leaders fulfilled prophecy by condemning Jesus to death. They didn't recognize him or realize that he is the one the prophets had written about, though they hear the prophets' words read every Sabbath." Acts 13:29

While one MIGHT be able to understand the Jews of Jesus' time lacking the ability to recognize who he was (especially since they were fulfilling prophecy in so doing!), where does this leaves the Jews of today? In retrospect, the truth seems crystal clear. They still "hear the prophets' words read" that describe Jesus with undeniable clarity as being the Messiah, yet they still reject him. I know that I miss a lot of what God is doing all around me, but this is a biggie! As Habakkuk warned, "Look, you mockers, be amazed and die! For I am doing something in your day, something you wouldn't believe even if someone told you about it." Hab. 1:5

God, keep my eyes open to what you are doing, I don't want to miss you!

Today's reading: Lev. 1-3; Acts 13

Possibilities - Acts 12:6

"The night before Peter was to be put on trial, he was asleep, chained between two soldiers, with others standing guard at the prison gate." Acts 12:6

From a human point of view, I would describe Peter's situation as hopeless. Herod was all about public displays that would improve his popularity. He had just had James put to death, now it was Peter's turn. The account of Peter's miraculous deliverance from prison was written, I believe, to specifically teach that there is nothing impossible when God is involved. Peter is as much sentenced to death, guarded by Roman soldiers inside and outside his cell who will themselves be killed if Peter escapes. Yet, with the help of an angel, Peter simply walks out--past soldiers and through locked doors--NEVER lose hope! How often do I gauge what is possible simply in human terms, effectively putting God in a box of my own construction. God wants me to see that, if he wants it to happen, ANYTHING is possible.

God, PLEASE increase my faith and vision. Let me be more like Caleb and Joshua, who clearly understood who was in charge, regardless of how the circumstances LOOKED.

Today's reading: Ex. 39, 40; Ps. 15; Acts 12

No Mas! - Ex. 36:6

"'Bring no more materials! You have already given more than enough.' So the people stopped bringing their offerings. Their contributions were more than enough to complete the whole project." Ex. 36:6

When God is the architect of a project, HE provides more than enough to complete it. The people of Israel were not mandated to give to the project. "If their hearts were stirred and they desired to do so, they brought to the Lord their offerings." Yet, through the people, God brought an abundance to the project. Even though man is skeptical, insecure and lacks faith, God shows us that we CAN trust him to complete what he sets in motion. The key is whether this was God's idea or man's! If it is God's will, it WILL happen! I think we come up with a lot of great ideas, then fail to take the time to ask God what HE thinks and wait for his answer. If we want to succeed, we have to let God be the project manager.

God, give me patience to wait on you.

Today's reading: Ex. 35, 36; Acts 10

Peace Treaties - Ex. 34:12-17

I usually only post once a day, but I was torn--God was having me focus on two different scriptures. See the next post for what was actually my first post of the day. But I just could not ignore this verse in Exodus given what we are seeing happen in the Middle East today. I encourage you to read 12-17 keeping in mind the decisions that Israel is currently making. Here is an excerpt:

"Be very careful never to make treaties with the people in the land where you are going. If you do, you will soon be following their evil ways... You must worship no other Gods, but only the Lord, for he is a God who is passionate about his relationship with you."

He concludes with vs. 27:

"Write down all these instructions, for they represent the terms of my covenant with you and with Israel."

"Terms" represent an agreement or CONTRACT to me, and they were ACCEPTED by Israel. The question is, are they living up to the terms? What does God say the consequences will be? Man, it's all there in black and white! Seems clear to me, but who am I?

God forgive all of us for being so weak and worldly.

The Zone - Acts 9:31

"The church then had peace throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria, and it grew in strength and numbers. The believers were walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit." Acts 9:31

Athletes talk about being in that place when they are competing at the highest level. Where there are no distractions, no noise, just total focus, absolute confidence and no fear. The Zone. I feel like that's what the church was experiencing in Acts 9. "...walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit." What else could you want?! You are walking with the God of the Universe, in fear and awe that with him NOTHING is impossible, and that he is on YOUR side. At the same time, you have the peace, comfort and confidence that only the Holy Spirit can give. Does it get better? THAT is the zone I want to be walking in daily.

Jesus, I pray that you remove the distractions and improve my focus.

Today's reading: Ex. 33, 34; Ps. 16; Acts 9

Truth Is Truth - Acts 8:4, 13

"But the believers who had fled Jerusalem went everywhere preaching the good news about Jesus." Acts 8:4

This seems to be God's ultimate game plan. That no matter what the enemy attempts, no matter how intense the persecution, no matter how fragmented God's people become, the message will be preached, the truth will be recognized and people will be saved, "in ever widening circles." It's almost like trying to stop an avalanche from moving downhill; it's not possible, and try as you might, it gets bigger and picks up speed as well as intensity. TRUTH is the operative word here. People will recognize it no matter their background. Consider Simon in Samaria -- he was a very powerful sorcerer in his own right, but recognized the difference once Philip got there. "Then Simon himself believed and was baptized. He began following Philip wherever he went and was amazed by the miracles and signs Philip performed." Acts 8:13

You can't stop the Truth.

Lord, thank you for being the author of this plan, that that it does not require our will or ability to carry it out, only your Holy Spirit. Let me never be blind to the role I am supposed to play.

Today's reading: Ex. 30-32; Acts 8