No Guarantee of Safety

June 6

(Acts 12:1-4 NIV) “It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. {2} He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. {3} When he saw that this pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. {4} After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover.”

(Luke 14:25-33 NIV) ““Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: {26} "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters--yes, even his own life--he cannot be my disciple. {27} And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. {28} "Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? {29} For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, {30} saying, 'This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.' {31} "Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? {32} If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. {33} In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.””

(Luke 21:10-19 NIV) ““Then he said to them: "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. {11} There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven. {12} "But before all this, they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. {13} This will result in your being witnesses to them. {14} But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. {15} For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. {16} You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. {17} All men will hate you because of me. {18} But not a hair of your head will perish. {19} By standing firm you will gain life.””

Righteousness is no guarantee of safety. James was arrested and quickly executed by Herod for his faith. Peter appeared headed for the same fate. The disciples had no guarantee of safety. Thousands of believers in the book of Acts shared the gospel at the risk of their lives. Obedience, not personal safety, was the primary concern of the disciples. When Jesus said you must lay down your life for the gospel, He meant it. Today, many Christians want a guarantee of safety before they step out in faith. Forget about our lives, we are reluctant to sacrifice even our popularity. We must abandon the false teaching that our prosperity and popularity are God’s number one concern. Lost souls are His chief concern. He gave the life of his Son for them. Do we really think our lives are more important than that?  Being a disciple has no guarantee of safety. Be a disciple anyway. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day  

Christian = Generous

June 5

(Acts 11:27-30 NIV) "During this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. {28} One of them, named Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. (This happened during the reign of Claudius.) {29} The disciples, each according to his ability, decided to provide help for the brothers living in Judea. {30} This they did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul."

(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."

(2 Corinthians 9:12-15 NIV) "This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. {13} Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. {14} And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. {15} Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!"

The believers in Antioch, derisively labeled as “Christians” because of their faith in a risen Lord, demonstrated what it means to follow Jesus. They not only supported one another in times of need, they modeled generous giving, sending money to help people they didn’t even know. This is what happens when self-preservation ceases to be our goal in life. It happens when we get outside ourselves -- our wants and our needs. It happens when we see that what we have is a gift from God, given to us to share with others. It happens when we have faith that God will take care of us even when we give our stuff away. These people were not wealthy by the world’s standards, but they were rich in grace and mercy, and they became a legend in their own time. They earned the name “Christian” -- a curse word that eventually evolved into a badge of honor. Are you growing into the name? -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day

Teachable Disciples

June 4

(Acts 11:25-26 NIV) "Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, {26} and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch."

(Acts 18:11 NIV) "So Paul stayed for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God."

(Mark 6:34 NIV) "When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things."

One of the traits that marked the early disciples and earned them the label “Christian” was their teachability. Like sponges, the believers in Antioch soaked up the teaching of Saul and Barnabas for a whole year. With diligence and determination, they sacrificed their time to learn. Today, many who identify as Christians have lost that spirit. Far too many are just “Sunday morning Christians”. They seldom read the Bible for themselves, study Scripture together, or spend time in prayer. Becoming a mature disciple does not happen automatically. There is no magic pill. It takes discipline, and requires a teachable spirit, which is a choice. One of the greatest weaknesses of the church today is the lack of teachable disciples. Apathy, busyness, indifference, and arrogance define many believers, and these attitudes hinder discipleship. Don’t be one of the unteachables. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day

Full of It

June 3

(Acts 11:24 NIV) “He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.”

(John 1:14 NIV) “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

(Acts 6:8 NIV) “Now Stephen, a man full of God's grace and power, did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people.”

(Luke 11:39 NIV) ““Then the Lord said to him, "Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness.””

You may have heard the expression, “He’s full of it.” It is not usually meant as a compliment. When Luke speaks of Barnabas being sent to Antioch, he tells us that Barnabas was a man “full of the Holy Spirit and faith.” When John speaks of Jesus, he describes the Lord as “full of grace and truth.” Stephen, the church’s first recorded martyr, is described as “a man full of grace and power.” Conversely, Jesus described the Pharisees as “full of greed and wickedness.” How would God describe you? If the Lord described you as “full of it”, what would he be talking about? What a glorious epitaph for our tombstones, if it could honestly be said of us, “He (she) was a good man (woman), full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and he (she) brought a great number of people to the Lord.” If we’re going to be described as being full of something, let’s work at making it “the Holy Spirit and faith.” -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day