What Were You Expecting?

“You’re out of your mind!” they said. When she insisted, they decided, “It must be his angel.” Meanwhile, Peter continued knocking. When they finally opened the door and saw him, they were amazed. Acts 12:15-16 (NLT)

Peter was in prison. An angel came, spoke to him and led him through the halls of the jail to freedom. After he was outside, the angel disappeared. Peter, realizing what just happened, went to the home of some of the church members he knew were praying for his release.

As he knocked on the door and spoke, the servant girl got so excited she left him standing outside and ran to tell the group who were inside praying. They didn't believe her! They actually told her she was out of her mind.

How often do we do this? How often do we pray and ask God for something and then move on as if he's not going to answer our prayers? How often do we keep going about our business like nothing new is going to happen? Somehow we are going through the motions but missing the best part of prayer....the excitement of expectation!

The Bible is very clear that if we pray, God answers. Shouldn't we be expecting him to answer? Shouldn't we pray and look, waiting to see what he is going to do? When we were talking about this in a Bible Study group, one of the ladies used the analogy of waiting for a delivery (assume pizza here because it is her favorite food). If you make a call to have pizza delivered and you really want that pizza, you keep looking out the window for the driver. You get the plates out, the napkins, your drink. You prepare for the food and you wait expectantly, knowing it will arrive.

It should be the same in our hearts with God. When we pray, we should prepare for him to answer. Now he may not deliver the answer exactly as we worded it (which is a good thing) but he is working on an answer and we should be expectantly looking, preparing and waiting to see what it is.

How would our lives change if we were always looking for what God was doing? How exciting would it be to live each day watching for God to show up? Most of the time he is showing up but we miss what he's doing because we are so stuck in our mundane that we lose sight of his extraordinary.

Listen to my voice in the morning, LORD. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly. Psalm 5:3 (NLT)

Living The Dream

And Agrippa said to Festus, “He could have been set free if he hadn’t appealed to Caesar.” Acts 26:32 (NLT)

As you read through Acts you get to the end where it talks about Paul's journey. Paul had traveled all over talking about this favorite passion, Jesus. No matter where he went or what he did, he shared Jesus with everyone he met.

Paul was in Jerusalem doing just this when the folks from the local synagogue became angry because he was sharing that he was called to share God's love with the Gentiles (non-Jews). Apparently, they were a little prejudice. It caused such an uproar that the Roman guard got involved, arrested Paul and beat him trying to get the truth of his crime out of him. Paul played the "I'm a Roman citizen" card and the beating stopped.

Paul was taken to be tried by the Governor. The Jews were plotting in the background to get him back so they could kill him. Paul appealed to Caesar - probably to save his life. I read the text above saying Paul would have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar and I thought "Maybe Paul spoke too soon. God could have protected him from the Jews. He could be free!" That's what we all want, right? To be free?

Freedom was not Paul's goal.....On Paul's journey to Rome to meet Caesar, he had multiple opportunities to share his love for God. He talked to Felix, Governor of Caesarea, and his wife. He shared God's love with Festus, Felix's replacement. He witnessed to King Agrippa. On the ship to Rome, he talked to the sailors and other prisoners sharing with them that God told him not to be afraid because he would safely arrive in Rome to talk to Caesar. On the island where they were shipwrecked, he showed God's power when he didn't die from a deadly snake bite and when he healed a ton of the islanders. And then he got to Rome where he was put under house arrest. There the book of Acts ends with these verses:

For the next two years, Paul lived in Rome at his own expense. He welcomed all who visited him, boldly proclaiming the Kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ. And no one tried to stop him. (vs 30-31)

Living in the middle of God's plan doesn't always mean the road will be smooth. More than likely it means that the road is going to be very uncertain and down-right difficult at times. But it also means that you will get to share God's love and power. It means that as you walk this path with him, he'll be there with you, walking beside you the entire way. It means life will never be boring, it will be an incredible adventure. And it means you will get to share the desire of your heart, Jesus Christ, with everyone you meet. But be warned, it is not for the faint of heart.

Crazy Love

Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. 15 Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many. Hebrews 12:14-15 (NLT)

When I first came across this text, I applied it to discipleship. You know, no matter where you are, who you meet, no matter what you are doing, look after each other. Offer God's Grace. OK. I can do that. Then this weekend, I attended a family wedding. 

It's been a really long time since this many of us has gotten together and still some of us were unable to attend. We were missing a couple of my nieces, my daughter and some cousins. As we all began to arrive, we greeted each other with hugs and joy.  It was really nice.

As I watched my family, these verses popped into my mind. Our family has history. In reality, after some of it we might not want to be in the same room with each other. But what family doesn't? I don't know of any family that doesn't have something they look back on that causes sadness or anger. 

And then I started thinking about each of us individually. We all have history. There is someone in our life that has caused us pain AND there is someone that we ourselves have caused pain. None of us are exempt from sin. None of us have escaped hurting someone or being hurt. 

In verse 14 it says "Work at living in peace." Living in peace doesn't just happen. It's something we work at. It is something we choose. And in verse 15 looking after each other is something we must choose as well. Can we look at the history we carry and write someone off? Sure. But that is not what God wants. He wants us to look at the mess and share the Grace he has so overwhelmingly offered to us.

He wants us to do what he does. He looks at us, looks at our mess and he chooses us. He offers us love over and over and over again so that none of us fails to receive his grace. That is the only example we need to follow.

As the music started and my family filed onto the dance floor to be crazy, act silly and laugh together, I was thankful for family and I was especially thankful for God's grace. This is one woman who is a recipient of God's grace...over and over again. For this I will be forever grateful.

Minute In It - It's All About Love

A little time in the Word every day changes you. Take a few minutes, read these verses and substitute your name where ever it says the word Love or It.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NIV)

What do you think?

Trust Built

May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Ephesians 3:19 (NLT)

A while ago someone promised something to my husband that was kind of over the top. It seemed totally far-fetched to me. As time went on and the person didn't deliver, I told my husband "They are not going to do deliver. It's just not going to happen." My husband listened to me but didn't say anything.

Some time passed and the person did deliver. They gave what was promised. As I looked at my husband I said, "WOW. I can't believe it." His response? "I knew they would eventually come through. I trusted them."

What was the difference between his response and mine? He knew them better. He had spent more time with them and had experiences with them that built that trust. Even when it didn't look like they were going to deliver on their promise, he didn't falter.

It made me think of our various relationships with God. When I am walking down a path and I tell people I am making these decisions because God wants me to and he promised to take care of it, well, quite frankly they think I'm crazy. They think things like "She's in for a disappointment. God isn't going to deliver." And then he does.

If you've walked with God through any difficult stage of life, you learn to trust him. You learn through experience that he is going to show up and he is going to do what he said. Then, as everyone else is wondering if it's just a coincidence, you can look up, smile and say "I knew you would come through. I trusted you."

True Freedom

 For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.  For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Galatians 5:13-14 (NLT)

Yesterday America celebrated her birthday. Most people celebrated with fireworks, picnics, parties and food. It's a great day to remember this country and how/why we came to be. This text made me think......

America was founded in the belief that all men, women and children were created equal (granted we have and still struggle with the equal part). And it was founded to give men the right to religious freedom.  We are blessed to live in a country where freedom is so important and key to who we are. 

It seems God also calls us to that same kind of freedom. Freedom from our sinful natures. Freedom to be better than who we can be, freedom to reach for something bigger than ourselves. Paul says all this can be summed up in one command "Love your neighbor as yourself." Isn't this all the same thing? Freedom to respect and love each other as we would respect and love ourselves. Freedom to serve each other and take care of our fellow man.

God doesn't put caveats on who should be treated this way. We all should be treated this way and we all should offer this to each other. Deep down in my soul I know if we did this, we would be truly free. And the world would be a better place.

Grace Reimagined

God gave Paul the power to perform unusual miracles. When handkerchiefs or aprons that had merely touched his skin were placed on sick people, they were healed of their diseases, and evil spirits were expelled. Acts 19:11=12 (NLT)

Can you imagine? Can you imagine being able to heal someone? Can you imagine being able to have a piece of clothing touch your skin and then touch someone else and heal them? And later in the chapter it says that the demon said "I know Jesus and I know Paul" (v 15). Even the demons knew his name.

I can't imagine that kind of power. It's not that I can't imagine it, I can do that. I know God has the power to do anything and it says in the passage that God gave Paul the power. What I can't imagine is being able to do that and still stay focused on God.

How do you stay humble enough to serve God and serve others when God is working in your life like that? I think as a human I'd get awfully distracted. I'd be tempted to start believing I had something to do with it. Even if you are thinking things like "Look at the way God is using me" or "Look what God is doing through me", those are not feelings of humility. And as soon as you start down that path it's a slippery slope.

How did Paul do it?  He stayed connected to Jesus. He knew who had the power and where it came from. He also knew his place. In 1 Timothy 1:15 Paul said "I am the worst of all sinners." Notice the word am? He didn't say "I was." He said "I am." Currently. Presently. As I walk around healing people and leading people to Jesus, I am the worst. Paul knew deep down inside something we often refuse to think about. Paul knew that he alone had nothing to offer. It was Jesus and only Jesus. And he embraced it.

I want that. I want to know that no matter how much I do or how great it looks on the outside that I am the worst of sinners. I want to know deep down in my soul that it is about Jesus and only Jesus. It will be then that I truly understand grace.

Sometimes You Have To Move On

Then Paul went to the synagogue and preached boldly for the next three months, arguing persuasively about the Kingdom of God. But some became stubborn, rejecting his message and publicly speaking against the Way. So Paul left the synagogue and took the believers with him. Then he held daily discussions at the lecture hall of Tyrannus. This went on for the next two years, so that people throughout the province of Asia—both Jews and Greeks—heard the word of the Lord. Acts 19:8-10 (NLT)

How many of us have been part of a church or religious group and had discord (soft way of saying arguments)? I have in the past and it is not fun. It's amazing to me that we as saints can get into it with each other over things that really aren't about the Kingdom of God at all!

Now this post isn't meant to go after religious institutions or religious people. We are all a work in progress and God isn't finished with us yet. I praise his name for that! I still have a lot of growing to do! What did strike me about this text though was how Paul handled it. It sounds to me like they were having discord and the impression you get is that it was kind of intense. What did Paul do? He changed locations. He didn't stop doing what God told him to do. He just moved to where there was less resistance.

He didn't get side-tracked with the distraction of folks who aren't working with the Holy Spirit. In other words, he kept what he cared about in his sights and let the rest fall away. He was listening to the Holy Spirit and let him guide the process instead of getting stuck trying to fix it himself.

All too often we try to do God's work for him. We try to convince someone against their will to make different choices. We say things that we aren't supposed to say or we say them at the wrong time. If only we would listen to the Holy Spirit when we deal with each other instead of trying to fix things ourselves. Only God knows when a person's heart is ready to hear him.

Paul ended up staying in the new location for two years. Guess there was a lot of work to do there. Guess the Holy Spirit knew that! I wonder what would have been lost if Paul stayed and tried to change the minds of the folks who weren't yet ready to hear God. Thank God we'll never know.