Tag Archives: friends

Don’t face Goliath alone, May 28, 2018

Today’s Podcast

What kind of Goliath do you face in your life? For the next few weeks i want us to explore some ways to defeat that giant that seems so indestructible.

Everyone has a Goliath or two in their life. Something that just looks bigger than life and an obstacle to that life of peace and internal freedom they seek. Maybe it’s a job that seems overwhelming or a boss that stays on your case every single day. Or maybe it’s a coworker that just bugs the daylights out of you and won’t take the hint to stay away. Maybe it’s a growing debt and it seems the light at the end of the tunnel is just the light from an on rushing freight train. Maybe your Goliath is some health issue that doesn’t go away. Constant pain, the big “C” word, cancer, or some other disease that limits your activity in some way. Maybe you have relationship problems in your home that you just can’t solve and your Goliath stands in that valley taunting you to no end.

There exists another Goliath that most people have, too, that we don’t readily acknowledge. We all have habits, addictions, that plague us. Things we can’t seem to stop no matter how hard we try. Your addiction may not be alcohol or drugs or pornography or one of those top five destructive things we talk about. But your addiction might be something as simple, but subtly destructive like television or some sport or eating certain foods or frequenting certain places. Things you know are harmful to your wellbeing, but you just can’t stop. You want to get away from the habit that you know drives a wedge between you and those you love and a wedge between you and God.

Everyone has something. None of us are exempt because we all inherited Adam’s seed. If nothing else, we all inherited that sin habit. We are born addicted to sin just like those babies you hear about who are addicted to drugs because of their mothers drug habits during her pregnancy. The poor kids need their fix as soon as they take their first breath and require the same rehab other users require.

So now that we recognize the problem that we all have addictive behaviors that we need to rid ourselves, what do we do about it? How do we defeat those Goliaths in our life? What can we do to overcome and stay “clean” of the things that just seem impossible to control.

We’ll look at several things to consider in the next few podcasts. But first things first. You cannot defeat your Goliath alone. You need others to help you conquer that thing slapping you in the face. The first one in your list of helpers is God.

Go back to the story of David and Goliath and listen to David’s words to Saul and Goliath. Saul questioned David’s ability to fight Goliath and David answered, “…The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.” Then when he faced Goliath and his taunting, David answered with these words, “…This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and i’ll strike you down and cut off your head.”

David knew in all those situations he wasn’t the one winning the battle. It was God who protected him and defeated the lion and the bear. And David knew God would defeat this giant of a man. The same is true of your Goliath. You cannot stand against that giant alone, but no one and no thing is bigger, better, stronger than God. When he is in the battle, he wins. Period.

So first, go wherever God is. Make sure you keep him close and ask for his help when facing your giants. The is the first source of strength and can help rid you of the thing that holds you back from the life he wants you to enjoy.

Next, you need a mentor who can help you through those tough times. Someone you can trust to pour your heart out and admit you have the habit, the addiction you need to shed. That mentor may have gone through the same thing you are facing, but at least has gone through some troubled times and can give sage advice on how to deal with your Goliath. A good mentor will also hold you accountable for your behavior, actions, and attitude. He will ask pointed questions and watch your life to keep you on a steady road.

A good mentor will help guide you through the seasons of life and challenge you to grow in all areas of life. As such, you will probably have more than one mentor. Each might be better equipped for a particular area in your life. Physical. Spiritual. Family relationships. Financial accountability. Everything where a giant resides needs someone who can help you through the pitfalls without being judgmental but rather being helpful and not afraid to point out your weaknesses in those areas.

It is also important to have a partner travel along the journey with you. This person will probably not be your mentor. You need someone who is struggling with habits and addictions just like you are. Someone you can challenge in a friendly competition to keep each other on track and grow together in your success.

Finally, you need a church. A Bible believing, scripture teaching congregation with small groups that study God’s word to apply its principles and precepts to daily living. Each of us need those small groups to grow. We need help in interpreting God’s word and applying it in today’s culture. Not to change it or assume some of God’s commands no longer apply to us, but some of the commands God gave were for a specific time and a specific purpose as he used his chosen people and some of the characters in it to show us who he is. Some of the scriptures, written in a specific culture must be applied in our culture in different ways. For instance, the laws concerning mold in a house no longer applies. We have other means to deal with mold because of the knowledge God has allowed us to gain through the centuries.

A church will help you grow and keep you accountable. It will help you in relationships and give you more relationships through brothers and sisters in Christ. It will help you know you are not alone in your struggles on this journey, but rather you will find that every church is filled with people addicted to sins of one sort or another who have been helped rid themselves of those addictions by the help of God’s spirit in them and the accountability to and encouragement others in the congregation of the church.

There you have the first keys to overcoming your Goliath. Never face him alone. Take with you God who will fight the battle with you. A mentor. A friend. A Christian congregation. These first tools will take you a long way in overcoming whatever stands in your way to defeating that giant that blocks your way to the fulfilling life God wants you to enjoy.

You can find me at richardagee.com. I also invite you to join us at San Antonio First Church of the Nazarene on West Avenue in San Antonio to hear more Bible based teaching. You can find out more about my church at SAF.church. Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed it, tell a friend. If you didn’t, send me an email and let me know how better to reach out to those around you. Until next week, may God richly bless you as you venture into His story each day.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved. In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Visibly distressed (John 13:21-27), March 23, 2017

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Today’s Podcast

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Thanks for joining me today for “A Little Walk with God.” I’m your host Richard Agee.
How much did it hurt when your friend hurt you by saying or doing something that you didn’t expect. Imagine what it would feel like if they did it and you knew it was going to happen.
Scripture
1. John 13:21-27
2. Jesus was becoming visibly distressed.

Jesus: I tell you the truth: one of you will betray Me.

The disciples began to stare at one another, wondering who was the unfaithful disciple. One disciple in particular, who was loved by Jesus, reclined next to Him at the table. Peter motioned to the disciple at Jesus’ side.

Peter (to the beloved disciple): Find out who the betrayer is.

Beloved Disciple (leaning in to Jesus): Lord, who is it?

Jesus: I will dip a piece of bread in My cup and give it to the one who will betray Me.

He dipped one piece in the cup and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. After this occurred, Satan entered into Judas.

Jesus (to Judas): Make haste, and do what you are going to do.

Devotional
1. We’ve all been hurt by a friend at some time or other or we haven’t lived.
  1. It’s the way of relationships in a broken world
  2. Misinterpret actions or words
  3. See things from our broken past instead of God’s perfect lens even if Christian brothers and sisters
  4. Marred by the consequences of past sins and the brokenness of this world
2. Probably never expected the hurt or betrayal, though
  1. We expect our relationships to be good
  2. We expect encouragement and support from friends
  3. We expect our friends never to stab us in the back or give us up to our enemies
3. Now put yourself in Jesus’ place
  1. Betrayed by His friend and abandoned by the rest
  2. But knew about it ahead of time
  3. Inspired the prophets to write about it centuries before He came to earth
  4. Lived with the reality every day
  5. Had to eat this last meal with His betrayer knowing what would happen next
4. Jesus was becoming visibly distressed! No kidding!
  1. Had a human side
  2. We all need others to lean on
  3. They were about to desert Him and one would betray Him
  4. He knew it all and it was coming in just hours
  5. His physical, mental, and spiritual agony was about to begin
5. We cannot begin to understand the stress Jesus felt
  1. But we can thank Him for His sacrifice
  2. We can praise Him for what He did for us
  3. We can follow Him when He calls
  4. We can love Him because He loves us more than we can know
If you want to learn more about my church, you can find us at SAF.church. If you like the devotional, share it with someone. If you don’t, tell me. I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow for “A Little Walk with God.”

How to make friends (Mark 1:38) July 7, 2016

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Proverbs 8-9

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Mark 1:38
Jesus: It’s time we went somewhere else—the next village, maybe—so I can tell more people the good news about the kingdom of God. After all, that’s the reason I’m here.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

Carole and I are living in our twenty-fourth home since we’ve been married. That’s a lot of moves in just under forty years. But I’ve discovered a few perks to moving that often compared to living in the house we’re in now for the last nine. When you move that often you don’t have to spring clean, you just move. When you move that often, you don’t stash away a lot of stuff you’ll never find again because you put every thing in boxes that you open on the other end of the move. Boxes are never labeled the way they should be, of course, so every box is opened to find the stuff you thought you had, right? When you move so often, it’s like Christmas because you find things you didn’t know you had when you open some of those boxes and see treasures you’d forgotten about in the business of life.

And when you move so often, you make friends in new places. And I think that’s the best part. But moving so often also means you leave friends behind and that’s never an easy thing to do. I think it’s this friends part that Jesus and His disciples faced as He told them it’s time to move on. They wanted to stay. Incredible things were happening right there. Lots of people were hearing the good news. People were learning about the kingdom and the message God had for them. People found healing for their bodies and for their souls when they came to Jesus. But I think Jesus began to see the problem that Carole and I have often seen in even great churches because of our many moves.

Especially now in our mobile societies, an interesting phenomenon takes place in our churches that’s hard to avoid, but we really must if we really carry out the mission God wants us to carry out. Carole and I have found that almost every church has walls. Not just physical walls that hold the roof up, but invisible walls that keep newcomers from joining in. No one really means for those walls to be there and most churches think they don’t have them. But they exist, nonetheless. Here’s why.

Because we don’t have real community churches anymore in which people walk to their church and meet each other across their fence every day during the week, for most parishioners, the only time they see each other is at church. So what happens? Before services, between services, after services friends catch up on the latest news. So what do the newcomers do? They slip in and out of the building because they don’t want to interupt ongoing conversations. They hear the laughter and see the smiles. Everyone knows it’s a friendly church except the newcomers because they’ve gone unnoticed except by the person who handed them a bulletin at the door.

We don’t mean to be unfriendly as churches. We don’t think we exclude people from our fellowship. But most churches actually do a very poor job of assimilating new people into their congregation. There are some giant churches in which people come and enjoy the music and the sermons and like to worship together, but even in those mega-churches, you’ll find hundreds of people who have worshiped there for months who no one knows and they don’t know anyone there. They’re still newcomers, really.

The only way Carole and I broke the code to force ourselves into churches quickly was to join the choir. Music is one of her gifts. I mostly tagged along as her driver and to make friends. But that’s how we made friends fast in the churches we attended as we moved from place to place. We, as newcomers, kind of boldly went where others might not. We never waited for someone to ask us, we asked to join. That made us strange birds, because no one volunteers at church as soon as they walk in the door, right? Well, we did and it’s how we made friends in every church we attended through our many moves.

Why did I tell you about our experiences? Because if you’ve attended a church for a while, I’m sure you have friends there you talk with before, between, and after services. Be careful not to exclude the newcomers. Look for them and invite them into your circle. Make them part of your congregation. You never know who you might see and what you might learn along the way if you’ll just stop and pay attention. You might even see me someday!

And if you’re a newcomer, understand the dynamics of a church. People don’t purposely exclude you or shun you. Expect to have to push your way into those groups. The best way to make friends in a new place is to volunteer in an activity that meets often. For us it was the choir. If you don’t sing, volunteer in a women or men’s group. Get into a vibrant Sunday School class and participate, but don’t just sit and do nothing in that class. Join whatever group or class or activity interests you that causes people to talk to you and you to them. That’s how friendships are built.

Jesus told His disciples it was time to move on. He had a message to spread, but maybe He wanted to make sure He disciples also learned to make new friends in strange places. It’s a thought!

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Prayer partners, good and bad (Matthew 26:36-38) June 22, 2016

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Psalms 72-74

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Matthew 26:36-38
Jesus: I am going over there to pray. You sit here while I’m at prayer.
Then He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee with Him, and He grew sorrowful and deeply distressed.
Jesus: My soul is overwhelmed with grief, to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with Me.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

Prayer was such an important part of Jesus’ life. We see Him getting away from the crowd and even from His disciples whenever He had important decisions to make. We find Him alone on hillsides, in the mountains, in gardens, slipping away in the night, rising early in the morning. Jesus got away to pray by Himself. He wanted time alone with His Father to discern the best course to take at critical junctures in His life.

In this scene just before Judas comes with a squad of soldiers to place the kiss of betrayal on the Master, Jesus once again slips away to pray alone. But in this instance, as He did when Peter, James, and John witnessed His transfiguration, He asks these three to watch with Him and pray. They cannot understand the incredible strain Jesus is enduring at the moment, but they can still join with Him in prayer…if they will.

They just finished a meal. They consumed some wine. It’s getting late. They’re not sure what they’re praying about. We know what’s about to happen. Have you ever had that problem? Jesus asks them to watch and wait, but their eyes get heavy and they don’t watch very well. But there are a couple of things I think we can learn from the small exchange we see in the first part of this garden scene with Jesus and His closest friends.

First, with Jesus as our pattern, we should go to the Father with every major decision and many if not most of the minor ones we face every day. God is interested in our lives. He wants to help us through the mundane as well as the spectacular. He wants to talk with us and give us the guidance we need to make the best choices in life, not just the good choices. We can’t do that unless we talk with Him regularly about our lives.

Second, when you face difficult times, whether it’s tough decisions, distress, or sorrow as Jesus faced that night, it’s good to have partners in prayer. Jesus took His three closest friends with Him to the deepest part of the garden to pray with Him about this monumental moment that soon would forever change not just history, but the very heart of men and women throughout the rest of time. Jesus wanted His closest friends, those He thought He could count on to help Him pray to help shoulder the spiritual burden He carried that night, to lift their hearts and prayers to His Father along with His own to help Him in this great time of need.

The third thing I learn from these few verses is that Jesus didn’t take all His disciples into this deeper part of the garden. He took only three of His disciples. Did that mean He didn’t have confidence in the others? Not necessarily. But just like each of us have some friends that are closer than others, so did Jesus. Just like we have some friends we can pour our heart out to and know we will not be judged for our thoughts, Jesus probably felt the same way about Peter, James and John. These three were His inner circle. They were His confidants. We need some of those in our lives.

You probably have a lot of associates around you. People who will do things for you and with you. You know their names and a little about them and they know you in the same way. You see them around at church or work or in the neighborhood, but you probably would not list them among your list of friends if you had to start making a list of friends. You probably do have a list of friends. People you invite over to your house often. You know all about them. You might even go on vacations with them. You know you could pick up the phone and ask them for help and they would be there for you. But you don’t tell them your deep dark secrets, because they are not that close. You trust them, but not with your inner secrets. But hopefully, you have two or three people on your list that are like that. You can confide in them. You can pour your heart out to them without judgment. You know they will listen and still be there at the end of the crisis. These confidants are rare in the journey of life and I think Jesus held Peter, James, and John in this last category. We all need just a few of those kinds of folks also.

Finally, even though those close friends, those confidants, those intimate prayer partners may let you down, it’s still good to ask them to help you pray. I think Peter, James, and John probably tried to prayer for a while when Jesus first asked and if they had known the gravity of the situation would have stayed awake longer and prayed better. But even so, it set their mind on the issues that Jesus would soon face. And God probably used this time to make them great prayer warriors later as He reminded them of their failure in the garden. So don’t be afraid to ask partners to pray with you, even if they forget, fail to follow up, fall asleep, or don’t respond in the way you might like. It could be a growing period for all of you.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Friends in the time of need (Matthew 26:18) June 18, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Luke 13-14

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Matthew 26:18
Jesus: Go into the city, find a certain man, and say to him, “The Teacher says, ‘My time is near, and I am going to celebrate Passover at your house with My disciples.’”

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

I like this about Jesus and the relationships He has built in His thirty-three years on earth. He told a few of His trusted disciples to go find a certain man. No doubt one of the many friends He made along the path of life He traveled over the last several years. Maybe the man was a family friend who didn’t berate Mary and Joseph for the son born to early to them to be Joseph’s legitimate heir. Maybe he was one of the guest at Cana who witnessed Jesus’ first miracle and became a close and trusted friend after believing Jesus was the Son of God. Maybe he was one of John’s followers present on the day John baptized Jesus in the Jordan River.

We don’t know who the man was, but Jesus sent His disciples to this particular, person to let him know He was coming with a bunch of His friends. And when Jesus’ disciples came to that man and told him what Jesus said, he didn’t even flinch. He set up the room. He got provisions for them. He welcomed them in. He was happy to see Jesus and meet whoever Jesus brought with Him.

I often wonder how many of those kinds of friends Jesus made in His wanderings throughout the territories of Judea and Galilee. I think of people like Lazarus, Mary, Martha, Zaccheus the tax collector, and others who probably gave Him an open door invitation to welcome Him into their home any time He was in the area.

With our travels, my wife and I have made a few of those kinds of friends. We can call and tell them we will be in the area and they expect us to stay with them. And when they are in San Antonio, we expect them to stay with us. They are friends that if they called at midnight and said they needed a place to stay, the doors would be opened and beds would be available. They’re like family. Nothing is spared. No invitation is needed. Just show up and we will have a good time together for as long as they choose to stay. And they reciprocate if we happen through their town.

Relationships like that don’t happen overnight. Those relationships grew over years and decades as we learned about our likes and dislikes, as our kids grew up with common interests, as we discussed values and ethics and determined we were like minded in our love of God. These relationships take the brunt of life and survive the worst crises life throw at us because they help us get through those tough times. We rely on each other for prayers, an understanding shoulder to lean on, something beyond sympathy for our plight, a willing hand to help us through those crisis moments.

Jesus sent His disciples to meet such an individual. A certain man. A person with whom He grew a relationship over time until like those friends I discribed above, He could drop in without notice and be welcome. So how do we grow those kinds of relationships? How do we get to the place with others that we can drop in or have them drop in without the feeling of interruption and welcome these friends with open arms, always feeling at home with them? What is it about those relationships that make them so close and so genuine that you can share your life deeply and relish every moment with them?

I think one of the most important aspects of these relationships is the common ground in values. Deep in your heart where eternal things matter, you are kindred spirits. As I think about that list of people that I’m comfortable dropping in and out of their homes, almost without exception, they have a deep love of God and faith in Christ for salvation. All are growing in faith, but most know Him intimately.

Second, we are all open with each other. No pretense. No hidden agenda. We aren’t looking to gain anything from each other except friendship. We expect nothing in return from the time we spend together or the things we do for each other. We communicate and share joys, sorrows, hurts, celebrations, a multitude of emotions without fear of ridicule or judgment.

Finally, I think those relationships grow because from the beginning of the relationships, with small things at first, but later with whatever is needed, we have learned to trust each other to help when needed. We know we can rely on each other when the chips are down. We know when nothing else seems to work, we can turn to each other and things will get done.

Do you have those kinds of friends in your repertoire? I think Jesus made those kinds of friends wherever He went as the perfect Man and Son of God. I also think it’s more difficult for us to make and keep those kinds of friendships because we are imperfect and often not very godly. But I can tell you from decades of experience, those relationships are certainly worth the effort.

Jesus sent His disciples to a certain man. Do you have a few of those around the world you can call on for help when you need them?

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Tell your friends first (Matthew 10:5-6) February 23, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Judges 12-16

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Matthew 10:5-6
Jesus: Don’t go to the outsiders or to the towns inhabited by Samaritans, a people whose Jewish ancestors married Gentiles. Go instead to find and heal the lost sheep of Israel.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

Now that’s a strange command to give the disciples knowing He came to save the world. Why would Jesus tell His disciples not to go beyond their borders? Why not go to the outsiders, the Gentiles? Why not go the Samaritans? Why did Jesus tell them to stay away from those towns and only share His message with the Israelites? Especially given the fact that He specifically sent Paul to the Gentiles later. He gave Peter the vision of unclean foods coming out of the sky to let him know he was supposed to go to Cornelius’ house to share the gospel?

I think the answer come in several smart strategic thoughts from the Master. First, He is still very early in His ministry. He wants to get His message out to as many as possible, but the Jews still hold their racial prejudice against everyone outside their community of faith. Remember Jesus didn’t come to start a new religion. He came to clean up the Jewish faith. Just like Martin Luther didn’t intend to start a revolution that began the Protestant movement away from the Catholic Church. The disciples always went to the synagogues to begin sharing the message of the Kingdom of heaven.

So, to ask these new disciples to go out to the Gentiles early in His ministry might have been too much for them. Pentecost hadn’t happened yet. Jesus was beside them, not in them. They had not received His Spirit in them yet. Asking His disciples to give His message to outsiders might have been too radical even for these twelve selected individuals at this point in their walk with Him.

Second, I think Jesus knew the disciples hearts would be with their own people if He sent them to the outsiders first with His message. The Jews jealously guarded the scriptures. They were God’s chosen and demonstrated to others their pride in their special place. They forgot their mission to bless the world, but they guarded their position and let others know they belonged to God. The disciples were part of that heritage. As I mentioned, in every town, Jesus always started in the synagogue in sharing His message. In the early days of the church, the apostles and disciples did the same. The often found themselves thrown out into the street shortly after their message, but they started in the synagogue…as was their custom the Bible often tells us.

So if their heart was back home, how well would they do on their missionary journey if preaching to the outsiders, the Samaritans? Jesus didn’t want them to have divided loyalties on their journey and the best way to do that would be to assign them to preach to the Israelites only. Share the message with those whose histories were similar to theirs. He wanted them to share His message without an initial barrier of racial prejudice from those who would hear them.

Third, the Israelites looked for a Messiah. Scriptures pointed to the coming of God’s Kingdom and the physical manifestation of God as Savior, the Messiah. If anyone believed in the arrival of a Savior, the Israelites would. They expected Him. They prayed for His arrival. Hebrew girls prayed that they would be the mother of the coming King. Devout Jews knew He was coming. All the disciples needed to do was let people know He arrived. He was here in the flesh.

By sending the disciples only to the Israelites, they would find more success than they would among the Samaritans or the Gentiles. To share their message outside the Hebrew community meant explaining from the start who the Messiah is to those not brought up in the faith. It meant dispelling their belief in the pantheon of gods they grew up with and observed from the Greeks and Romans around them. To share the message to outsiders so early in Jesus’ ministry when they didn’t have the benefit of His indwelling Spirit giving them the words they needed when they stood before others.

Early success in their ministry kept them going before Pentecost. After Pentecost, the power of the Holy Spirit in them overwhelmed any disappointment, frustration, sacrifice, even death when they shared the message Jesus gave them. But before Pentecost, I imagine the disciples felt some disappointment and frustration when rejected by those who should know the Messiah was coming to rescue them. They also experienced the joy and excitement of leading crowds to come and see the one they followed. They took others to meet this man who could do things only God can do.

The disciples did well as they went to their brothers and sisters to share the good news of the Messiah’s arrival. Some 500 people gathered on the hillside at Jesus’ ascension. They shared the story and people believed them. They came to see for themselves, to see this man they talked about, to discover the truth about this Messiah.

So what should we do? Start sharing with those around you first. Share your good news with those who know you. They are the ones who will see the change in you first and recognize there is something different about you when you really give your life to Christ. So tell family and friends first. Then you’ll find your early success there. Then reach out beyond your immediate sphere of influence to share the message to anyone who will listen. But those who know you best are most likely to listen to your story because when Jesus gets on board in your life, they will know by your love. Tell them where it comes from. That’s all He asks.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Find a friend (Acts 18:1-17), October 23, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Acts 18:1-17

Set – Job 11; Acts 18

Go! – Job 11; Acts 17-18

Acts 18:1-17
¹ From Athens, Paul traveled to Corinth alone. ² He found a Jewish man there named Aquila, originally from Pontus. Aquila and his wife Priscilla had recently come to Corinth from Italy because Claudius had banished all Jews from Rome. Paul visited them in their home ³ and discovered they shared the same trade of tent making. He then became their long-term guest and joined them in their tentmaking business. ⁴ Each Sabbath he would engage both Jews and Greeks in debate in the synagogue in an attempt to persuade them of his message. ⁵ Eventually Silas and Timothy left Macedonia and joined him in Corinth. They found him fully occupied by proclaiming the message, testifying to the Jewish people that Jesus was God’s Anointed, the Liberating King. ⁶ Eventually, though, some of them stopped listening and began insulting him. He shook the dust off his garments in protest.
Paul: OK. I’ve done all I can for you. You are responsible for your own destiny before God. From now on, I will bring the good news to the outsiders!
⁷ He walked out of the synagogue and went next door to the home of an outsider, Titius Justus, who worshiped God. ⁸ Paul formed a gathering of believers there that included Crispus (the synagogue leader) and his whole household and many other Corinthians who heard Paul, believed, and were ceremonially washed through baptism. ⁹ One night Paul had a vision in which he heard the Lord’s voice.
The Lord: Do not be afraid, Paul. Speak! Don’t be silent! 10 I am with you, and no one will lay a finger on you to harm you. I have many in this city who are already My people.
¹¹ After such turmoil in previous cities, these words encouraged Paul to extend his stay in Corinth, teaching the message of God among them for a year and six months.
¹² During this time, some Jews organized an attack on Paul and made formal charges against him to Gallio, the proconsul of Achaia.
Jews: ¹³ This man is convincing people to worship God in ways that contradict our Hebrew Scriptures.
Paul was about to speak, but Gallio spoke first.
Gallio: ¹⁴ Look, if this were some serious crime, I would accept your complaint as a legitimate legal case, ¹⁵ but this is just more of your typical Jewish squabbling about trivialities in your sacred literature. I have no interest in getting dragged into this kind of thing.
¹⁶ So he threw out their case and drove them away from his bench. ¹⁷ They were furious and seized Sosthenes, the synagogue official; then they beat him in front of the tribunal. Gallio just ignored them.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

I want you to see something special about Paul’s discovery when he visited Corinth. He went to the city alone and began looking for people. The two special people he found were Aquila and Priscilla. Their names will come up again in many of his letters to the churches he founded throughout Asia Minor.

Now here’s what I want you to note about the relationship that grew between Paul and his new friends. Paul was looking for companionship in Corinth. He had been beaten, jailed, stoned, given up for dead, abused in many ways for preaching the good news about Me in the cities he visited along his journey. He just wanted to find a friend.

Note that Aquila and Priscilla were in the same business as Paul’s family. They were tentmakers. Paul came alone to the city and needed to find a quick way to find a friend, make some money for food and lodging or find someone who would provide it. So it was natural for him to go to a tentmaker to see if they could use another hand. They soon became fast friends and accepted Paul’s message of Me with enthusiasm.

Not only did they accept My message, but they took Paul in, became the foundation for the first church in Corinth, gave Paul housing and food so he could concentrate on preaching the message I sent him to preach, encouraged him in his mission journeys, and so much more. They also discipled new Christians in their growing church and gave generously to the Jews going through trials in Jerusalem. Aquila and Priscilla are benchmarks of what Christian laypersons should be in My church.

What about you? Do you look for people in your community with common interests to join them in friendship so you can share the message with them? Do you find common ground so those that need to hear My message will accept it from a friend? Do you recognize that you must first be a friend before you can really be My messenger?

Take after Paul and find a friend to share My message. You’ll be amazed at what I can do in their life and yours.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Spend time with God (Psalm 145), September 15, 2015

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Psalms 145

Set – Psalms 145; Revelation 20

Go! – Ezekiel 38-39; Psalms 145; Revelation 20

Psalms 145
¹ I will lift my praise above everything to You, my God and King!
I will continually bless Your name forever and always.
² My praise will never cease—
I will praise You every day;
I will lift up Your name forever.
3 The Eternal is great and deserves endless praise;
His greatness knows no limit, recognizes no boundary.
No one can measure or comprehend His magnificence.
⁴ One generation after another will celebrate Your great works;
they will pass on the story of Your powerful acts to their children.
⁵ Your majesty and glorious splendor have captivated me;
I will meditate on Your wonders, sing songs of Your worth.
⁶We confess—there is nothing greater than You, God, nothing mightier than Your awesome works.
I will tell of Your greatness as long as I have breath.
⁷ The news of Your rich goodness is no secret—
Your people love to recall it
and sing songs of joy to celebrate Your righteousness.
⁸ The Eternal is gracious.
He shows mercy to His people.
For Him anger does not come easily, but faithful love does—and it is rich and abundant.
⁹ But the Eternal’s goodness is not exclusive—it is offered freely to all.
His mercy extends to all His creation.
¹⁰ All creation will stand in awe of You, O Eternal One.
Thanks will pour from the mouths of every one of Your creatures;
Your holy people will bless You.
¹¹ They will not be silent; they will talk of the grandeur of Your kingdom
and celebrate the wonder of Your power
¹² Until everyone on earth who has ears to hear knows Your valiant acts
and the splendor of Your kingdom.
¹³ Your kingdom will never end;
Your rule will endure forever.
You are faithful to Your promise,
and Your acts are marked with grace.
¹⁴ The Eternal sustains all who stumble on their way.
For those who are broken down, God is near. He raises them up in hope.
¹⁵ All eyes have turned toward You, waiting in expectation;
when they are hungry, You feed them right on time.
¹⁶ The desires of every living thing
are met by Your open hand.
¹⁷ The Eternal is right in all His ways,
and He is kind in all His acts.
¹⁸ The Eternal stays close to those who call on Him,
those who pray sincerely.
¹⁹ All of you who revere Him—
God will satisfy your desires.
He hears the cries for help, and He brings salvation.
²⁰ All of you who love God—
He will watch out for you,
but total destruction is around the corner for all the wicked.
²¹ My lips will sing the praise of the Eternal.
Let every creature join me and praise the holy name of God—forever and always!

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

David sang of Me and he sang to Me. His songs of praise filled his courts continually and filled My tabernacle day and night. I love to hear the praises of My people. David learned to trust Me in the good and bad seasons of life. He knew I was there for him. He learned I would always be with him and would never fail in My purposes for his life. Sometimes the days might look dark, but I was always in control and nothing ever happens outside of what I allow. I know you and I know what is best for those who follow Me.

Sometimes it was hard for even David to realize the situations he faced were temporary and My will for him would carry him to greater blessings. But David would stop and remember this world is temporary. You are not made for this world alone. When Adam fell to the temptations of Satan, I made a way of salvation for him and those who came behind him. Even though I made death one of the curses he faced, I also created a new home for those who accepted My salvation and turned back to Me.

Heaven is real. I have prepared it for all who believe in Me. I began preparing it at the first sin in the Garden of Eden when I also made a way of repentance and restoration for humankind’s immortal soul. I want you to desire to be with Me as much as I desire to be with you. David learned that lesson as he came to know Me on those wilderness hills tending sheep and never forgot those lessons. He put many of those lessons into verse and sang them to the sheep under his charge as a shepherd and sang them to the flock I gave him as king.

You can sing those same songs from your heart as you learn of Me, not just as God, but as your Savior, as your provider, as your creator, as your friend. David learned much about Me because he spoke with Me consistently and constantly about his life, his joys, his sorrows, his problems, his blessings. David didn’t want to know about Me, he wanted to know Me. So he spent time with Me on those Judean hillsides talking with Me. And I shared much with him that helped him write his songs.

Read David’s words again in Psalm 145 again today. Read them two or three times. Recognize the depths of understanding David had of Me. You can know Me, too. Just spend time with Me. I know you well. I’d like you to get to know Me better.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.