Growing the Church

October 28

(Acts 21:4 NIV) “Finding the disciples there, we stayed with them seven days.”

(Acts 21:7-8 NIV) “We continued our voyage from Tyre and landed at Ptolemais, where we greeted the brothers and stayed with them for a day. {8} Leaving the next day, we reached Caesarea and stayed at the house of Philip the evangelist, one of the Seven.”

(Acts 16:5 NIV) “So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.”

Paul and his fellow workers had scattered seeds of the gospel all around the Mediterranean Sea, and those seeds had taken root and grown. When Paul began he was the first Christian to enter many cities. But as he headed back to Jerusalem, he found Christians almost everywhere. The infant church was reproducing itself. When Paul reached Caesarea, he stayed at the house of Philip, who was one of the seven men chosen to run the church’s feeding program for widows and orphans back in Acts, Chapter 6. Phillip had compassion gifts, and had been called to a “hands on” service ministry. But Phillip had other gifts as well. This man who waited on tables had also been given the gift of evangelism, and led many to Christ. What are your gifts? You likely have more than one. Be sure to discover them and use them for the glory of God. It’s both our privilege and our calling. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day  

A Face Like Flint

October 27

(Acts 21:1-6 NIV) “After we had torn ourselves away from them, we put out to sea and sailed straight to Cos. The next day we went to Rhodes and from there to Patara. {2} We found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, went on board and set sail. {3} After sighting Cyprus and passing to the south of it, we sailed on to Syria. We landed at Tyre, where our ship was to unload its cargo. {4} Finding the disciples there, we stayed with them seven days. Through the Spirit they urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. {5} But when our time was up, we left and continued on our way. All the disciples and their wives and children accompanied us out of the city, and there on the beach we knelt to pray. {6} After saying goodbye to each other, we went aboard the ship, and they returned home.”

(Acts 21:10-12 NIV) “After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. {11} Coming over to us, he took Paul's belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, "The Holy Spirit says, 'In this way the Jews of Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.’” {12} When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem.”

(Acts 20:23 NIV) “I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me.”

(Isaiah 50:7 NIV) “Because the Sovereign Lord helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore have I set my face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame.”

The prophet Isaiah once said that he had set his face like flint and would not be disgraced. Today we see Paul ignore the pleadings of friends, set his face like flint, and head for Jerusalem. The prophet Agabus warned Paul that he would be bound and imprisoned by the Gentiles. But Paul already knew that “prison and hardships” faced him wherever he went (Acts 20:23). He had looked death in the face several times and not flinched. He had counted the cost and was willing to pay it. Paul went to Jerusalem with full knowledge of what awaited him there. The counsel of friends and family can be good, but often they love us more than they love God, and they want us to love them more than we love God. They worry more about our personal safety than about the mission God has given us. Paul’s friends forgot that he loved Jesus more than he loved his life. We are called to that same love! -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day

The Sting of Love

October 26

(Acts 20:25, 36-38 NIV) “Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again… {36} When he had said this, he knelt down with all of them and prayed. {37} They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him. {38} What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to the ship.”

(Matthew 16:21-25 NIV) ““From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. {22} Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. "Never, Lord!" he said. "This shall never happen to you!" {23} Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men." {24} Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. {25} For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.””

As Paul prepared to leave for Jerusalem, he dropped a bombshell -- he told his friends that he would never see them again. There were tears, hugs, and kisses, but they knew these were not just idle words. Love is a double-edged sword. It is great to love and be loved, but love causes pain when it comes time to part ways. If we truly love, we will eventually weep, because nothing lasts forever here on Earth. There will come a day when we see those loved ones for a final time on this side of eternity, and that can cause deep anguish. But we should still love! We should love each other so much that it hurts to say goodbye. We should love people in such a way that it is painful to lose them -- or for them to lose us. How many will shed tears when you depart? We should live and love in a way that causes that number to continuously grow. Love can sting, but it is well worth the pain. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day 

Grace and Giving

October 25

(Acts 20:33-35 NIV) “I have not coveted anyone's silver or gold or clothing. {34} You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. {35} In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

(Mark 10:17-23 NIV) ““As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" {18} "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good--except God alone. {19} You know the commandments: 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.'" {20} "Teacher," he declared, "all these I have kept since I was a boy." {21} Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." {22} At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. {23} Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!””

(2 Corinthians 8:1-7 NIV) “And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. {2} Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. {3} For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, {4} they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. {5} And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God's will. {6} So we urged Titus, since he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part. {7} But just as you excel in everything--in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us --see that you also excel in this grace of giving.”

Paul calls the Ephesians to display a proper attitude toward money and possessions. We would be wise to hear his call as well. Resist the covetousness that is prevalent in modern culture. It is the tap root of greed, envy, and theft. The silver, gold, and clothing of others is of no interest to those living in God’s Kingdom. We are called to work for our daily bread. By the grace of God, our hands supply our own needs, and the needs of others. Kingdom people are giving people, not taking people. The sense of entitlement we see today is a product of living on the wide road to destruction. Those on the narrow road that leads to life, will excel in the grace of giving. Seeking treasure in heaven, they will be richly generous with ministry and money. They know that more blessing is found in giving than in receiving. This was the attitude of Jesus. Is it your attitude? -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day