Waiting on the Lord

April 30

(Acts 9:32-43 NIV) “As Peter traveled about the country, he went to visit the saints in Lydda. {33} There he found a man named Aeneas, a paralytic who had been bedridden for eight years.”

(Matthew 9:20-22 NIV) ““Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. {21} She said to herself, "If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed." {22} Jesus turned and saw her. "Take heart, daughter," he said, "your faith has healed you." And the woman was healed from that moment.””

(Luke 13:10-13 NIV) ““On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, {11} and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. {12} When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, "Woman, you are set free from your infirmity." {13} Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God.””

(John 5:5-9 NIV) ““One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. {6} When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, "Do you want to get well?" {7} "Sir," the invalid replied, "I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me." {8} Then Jesus said to him, "Get up! Pick up your mat and walk." {9} At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.””

In this day of instant everything, it is difficult for us to wait. The man Peter healed had been confined to a bed for eight years. The other Scriptures today listed people who had been waiting for healing even longer. But when these verses are preached today, it’s usually the instant healing that gets the attention and emphasis. That’s what most of us want. We want that moment of healing… but what about the years of waiting? Is that time not also under God’s sovereign hand? Is God just sleeping during those times? We must accept the waiting in order to get to the holy moment of healing. We must learn to wait upon the Lord. Suffering while we wait may be one of our most difficult tasks as disciples of Jesus, but there are great things to be learned in the wilderness of pain. Wait upon the Lord. You won’t be sorry you did. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day

The Advocate

April 29

Acts 9:27-28 NIV) “But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus. {28} So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord.”

(Job 16:19-21 NIV) “Even now my witness is in heaven; my advocate is on high. {20} My intercessor is my friend as my eyes pour out tears to God; {21} on behalf of a man he pleads with God as a man pleads for his friend.”

(1 John 2:1-2 ESV) “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. {2} He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.”

Some wanted nothing to do with this new convert named Saul. They didn’t trust him, or want him in their church. But Saul had an advocate in Barnabas. Barnabas got to know Saul. He listened to his heart, and realized that Saul was genuine. So he took the risk of being an advocate for Saul. He stood up for Saul among the church leaders and encouraged them to open their hearts to the miracle of conversion. He called on them to welcome this new face into the church. All of us need an advocate at times -- here on earth, and again when we stand before God. Who will be your advocate when you stand before God? There is only one who has enough influence with the Father to successfully advocate on our behalf. His name is Jesus. He wants to get to know you. He has a heart for you. Do you know Jesus well enough to count on Him as an advocate? -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day

Good Times - Hard Times

April 28

(Acts 9:31 NIV) “Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord.”

(Matthew 13:19-23 NIV) “When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. {20} The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. {21} But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. {22} The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. {23} But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

(Hebrews 10:32-39 NIV) ““Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you stood your ground in a great contest in the face of suffering. {33} Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. {34} You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions. {35} So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. {36} You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. {37} For in just a very little while, "He who is coming will come and will not delay. {38} But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him." {39} But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.””

Saul was converted and started preaching. His life was threatened and he fled. And the church grew stronger. Church growth does not always happen just during good times. Hard times can grow us as much as the good times. Life is seldom all good, or all bad. It is mixed together like a stew. We’ve been led to believe by our ancient foe that hard times mean we are losing. That’s not true. If we fold up and bail out every time things get tough, we will never win. Winning armies, winning teams, and winning churches, will endure losses on their pathway to victory. Good times and hard times come together in a package. Persecution is the norm for the faithful church, but so is winning souls in the midst of adversity. Anyone who lives as Christ’s disciple will suffer losses. Get over it, and get on with it. We are on our way to winning. The early church thrived in times of great testing -- so can we! -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day

Fight or Flee

April 27

(Acts 9:23-25 NIV) “After many days had gone by, the Jews conspired to kill him, {24} but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him. {25} But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.”

(Acts 9:29-30 NIV) “He talked and debated with the Grecian Jews, but they tried to kill him. {30} When the brothers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.”

(1 Samuel 19:8-12 NIV) ““Once more war broke out, and David went out and fought the Philistines. He struck them with such force that they fled before him. {9} But an evil spirit from the LORD came upon Saul as he was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand. While David was playing the harp, {10} Saul tried to pin him to the wall with his spear, but David eluded him as Saul drove the spear into the wall. That night David made good his escape. {11} Saul sent men to David's house to watch it and to kill him in the morning. But Michal, David's wife, warned him, "If you don't run for your life tonight, tomorrow you'll be killed." {12} So Michal let David down through a window, and he fled and escaped.””

Sometimes you fight -- sometimes you flee. At times Saul stood his ground… other times he ran for his life. King David did the same. Those with wisdom know whether to fight, or to flee. Only a fool does one or the other, all of the time. Those who flee from every battle, never finding a hill worth dying on, seldom make an impact on this world. But those who never back down, who make every molehill into a mountain worth dying on, seldom last long. Being courageous in the face of overwhelming odds is sometimes the right choice. Retreating so that we can live to fight another day is sometimes an even better choice. Saul fled, because Damascus and Jerusalem were not the hills he was destined to die on. One day he would stand toe to toe with kings and emperors, but not yet. Sometimes you fight -- sometimes you flee. Choose your battles wisely. It’s a sign of wisdom. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day