Discerning Faith

July 10

(Acts 14:8-10 NIV)  “In Lystra there sat a man crippled in his feet, who was lame from birth and had never walked. {9} He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed {10} and called out, "Stand up on your feet!" At that, the man jumped up and began to walk.”

(Acts 3:1-7 NIV) ““One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer--at three in the afternoon. {2} Now a man crippled from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. {3} When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. {4} Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, "Look at us!" {5} So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them. {6} Then Peter said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk." {7} Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong.””

(Matthew 13:58 NIV) “And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.”

(Luke 13:34 NIV) “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!”

Because their time and resources were limited, Paul and Barnabas looked for those who had faith to believe. Two indicators of faith were a listening ear and good eye contact. When Paul looked into the eyes of the attentive crippled man, he saw faith. He saw willingness in the man’s eyes. We cannot knock the doors down in people’s lives -- faith must open the door from the inside before the Lord will enter. Jesus dealt with this early in His ministry, leaving Nazareth because of their lack of faith -- and near the end of His ministry, when He lamented Jerusalem’s unwillingness to believe. Perhaps that is why He spent the majority of His time ministering in other places. Spend time with those who know they have a need -- those who want change in their life. It is difficult to bring healing to the faithless who think they are just fine. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day

Living to Preach Another Day

July 9

(Acts 14:6-7 NIV) “But they found out about it and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding country, {7} where they continued to preach the good news.”

(Matthew 9:36-38 NIV) ““When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. {37} Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. {38} Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.””

(Galatians 6:9 NIV) “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

Paul and Barnabas became aware of a plot to kill them, and they fled. They did this more than once in their ministry, but they were never silenced by fear -- they just took the gospel message somewhere else. When we meet resistance, it is not wrong to move on, but it is wrong to stop sharing the truth. Many Christians have been intimidated into becoming a “silent witness”, which usually translates into “no witness at all”. We go to church on Sunday, we go home, we go to work, and when we die people read our obituary and say, “Wow, I didn’t know he was a Christian.” There is nothing wrong with being prudent, but it is wrong to quit. Paul and Barnabas moved on, but they moved on for the purpose of living to preach another day. Do not become weary in doing what is right. The fields are ripe for the harvest. The work can be dangerous, but it is our calling. Don’t quit! -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day

The High Cost of Ministry

July 8

(Acts 14:5 NIV) “There was a plot afoot among the Gentiles and Jews, together with their leaders, to mistreat them and stone them.”

(Mark 11:18 NIV) “The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching.”

(John 5:18 NIV) “For this reason the Jews tried all the harder to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.”

(Luke 10:1-3 NIV) ““After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. {2} He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. {3} Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.””

Paul and Barnabas didn’t just start arguments. They caused plots to be hatched -- plots to do them harm and kill them. Sometimes ministry comes at a very high cost. Jesus said it would be that way. He told the disciples that He was sending them out like lambs among wolves. This may come as a shock, but the Lord’s greatest concern is not our personal safety. Instead, His chief concern is saving souls from hell. Jesus gave up His life to help accomplish that mission. What are you willing to give? When we do ministry, we may get roughed up. Sometimes the price may be even higher. But if we spend our lives avoiding danger, we will never excel at being a disciple. Paul’s ministry came at a high cost, and so will yours. Will you pay the price? Millions of other disciples down through history have given their all. How much will you give? -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day

Truth Divides

July 7

(Acts 14:2-4 NIV) “But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. {3} So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to do miraculous signs and wonders. {4} The people of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews, others with the apostles.”

(John 7:40-43 NIV) ““On hearing his words, some of the people said, "Surely this man is the Prophet." {41} Others said, "He is the Christ." Still others asked, "How can the Christ come from Galilee? {42} Does not the Scripture say that the Christ will come from David's family and from Bethlehem, the town where David lived?" {43} Thus the people were divided because of Jesus.””

(Luke 12:49-53 NIV) “I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! {50} But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is completed! {51} Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. {52} From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. {53} They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”

(1 Thessalonians 2:2 NIV) “We had previously suffered and been insulted in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in spite of strong opposition.”

Preaching and witnessing about Jesus causes division. The Name that brings peace also disturbs the peace. Jesus caused division. Truth always causes division. The church must never value holding the crowd, more than preaching the truth. We must not shade the truth, or compromise the gospel, in a quest to never be offensive. When the church values “unity” more than truth, and bodies more than souls, the gospel suffers. When we make “being together” more important than being saved, souls are at risk. The gospel brings salvation, but it also brings division. As witnesses for Jesus, we are not called to strive for unity, but to speak the truth in love. Some will believe and praise God -- others will mock the name of Jesus and curse us. Continue to speak the truth in love, and learn to live with the opposition and division it brings. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day