He Got Up and Went Back

July 12

(Acts 14:19-20 NIV) "Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead. {20} But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe."

(2 Corinthians 1:8-11 NIV) "We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. {9} Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. {10} He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, {11} as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many."

As Paul preached in Lystra, religionists from Antioch and Iconium came and spoke against him. Convinced that Paul was a threat to their way of life, the crowd decided to stone Paul. When they finished, they dragged him out of the city and left him for dead. Being a disciple is not all fun and games. But the faithful gathered around him, and it would be foolish to think they weren’t praying. Miraculously, Paul got up, and walked right back into the city where he had been attacked. He seemed to have no fear. Don’t miss the importance of the community of faith praying here. We can do things we couldn’t ordinarily do when we have the support and prayers of a community. That’s why “lone ranger” Christianity is such a bad idea. But also don’t miss the power of a life fully surrendered to God’s sovereign will. Paul got up and went right back. That’s courage! That’s faith! -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day 

Glory Thieves

July 11

(Acts 14:11-18 NIV) ““When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, "The gods have come down to us in human form!" {12} Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes because he was the chief speaker. {13} The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates because he and the crowd wanted to offer sacrifices to them. {14} But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting: {15} "Men, why are you doing this? We too are only men, human like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and everything in them. {16} In the past, he let all nations go their own way. {17} Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy." {18} Even with these words, they had difficulty keeping the crowd from sacrificing to them.””

(Acts 12:21-23 NIV) ““On the appointed day Herod, wearing his royal robes, sat on his throne and delivered a public address to the people. {22} They shouted, "This is the voice of a god, not of a man." {23} Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.””

At Lystra, Paul and Barnabas spoke God’s healing over a man who had never walked, and the man jumped up and began walking. The crowd went wild and began to declare that “the gods” had come down to Earth. The glory that belongs to God alone was coming to Paul and Barnabas, but they would have none of it. We should be so wise. When your ministry becomes effective some may begin to praise you. Some may even begin to idolize you. It feels good to be treated like a rock star, but don’t go there -- not even in your head. One of the worst things that can happen to Christians is for us to begin to feel like we deserve the accolades and the credit that come our way for being good people. We can begin to soak up the praise, but if we don’t pass it on to the Lord, we become glory thieves, stealing what really belongs to God. Resist the temptation to become little gods. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day

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