Transformed to Preach

June 22

(Acts 13:13-16 NIV) ““From Paphos, Paul and his companions sailed to Perga in Pamphylia, where John left them to return to Jerusalem. {14} From Perga they went on to Pisidian Antioch. On the Sabbath they entered the synagogue and sat down. {15} After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the synagogue rulers sent word to them, saying, "Brothers, if you have a message of encouragement for the people, please speak." {16} Standing up, Paul motioned with his hand and said:””

(1 Corinthians 9:16-23 NIV) “Yet when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, for I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! {17} If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward; if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me. {18} What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not make use of my rights in preaching it. {19} Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. {20} To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. {21} To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. {22} To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. {23} I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.”

When Paul and Barnabas reached Pisidian Antioch, Paul got a request that every preacher loves to hear: “If you have a message, please speak.” Saul the persecutor has become Paul the preacher. When Jesus takes hold of our life, He changes us so much that our old names don’t fit anymore. Paul had experienced the transforming power of Jesus and was determined that the world should hear the gospel message. When he heard about Christ’s call to “go and make disciples”, he believed God and set out to intentionally evangelize as many as he could. And so Saul the murderer became Paul the missionary. Has Jesus transformed your life? He doesn’t change us just so our life will be better… He changes us so that we can preach the gospel in some way to someone. We may never step behind a pulpit, but we are all called to share the gospel somewhere. Go! -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day  

He Believed

June 21

(Acts 13:12 NIV) "When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord."

(Galatians 3:5-9 NIV) "Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard? {6} Consider Abraham: "He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." {7} Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham. {8} The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: "All nations will be blessed through you." {9} So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith."

When God opened the proconsul’s eyes to see the works of the Lord, he was amazed at Paul’s teaching, and he believed. “He believed!” -- two of the most beautiful words in Scripture. Paul was bold in his proclamation and it opened the way for the proconsul to believe. This is still our calling today -- to open the way for people to believe God. We are called to witness to God’s glory in our worship, our giving, our testimony, our love, our prayers, and our service. When we live this way on a daily basis, a way is opened up for people to believe. Those with eyes to see, come to faith and see Jesus. We can partner with the Lord. Does your life’s witness open the way for people to come to Jesus, or does it close the door in their faces? Strive to live in a way that blesses others and opens the way to God. Pray that you get to hear those two most beautiful words: “He (or she) believed.” -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day

Name Change

June 20

(Acts 13:9 NIV) “Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas and said…”

(Acts 13:13 NIV) “From Paphos, Paul and his companions sailed to Perga in Pamphylia, where John left them to return to Jerusalem.”

(Philippians 2:4-7 NIV) “Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. {5} Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: {6} Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, {7} but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.”

In Acts 13:9, a name change occurs. From now on, we no longer read of Saul. He has become Paul. We have seen this before in Scripture, and it usually has significance. In those days, names had meaning that often reflected the personality of the one bearing the name. Saul was born a Jew and given a Hebrew name by his parents -- a name with kingly roots. But his father was a Roman citizen, and he was also given the Latin name, Paul, or Paulus, which means “small”. In the years when he identified as the Pharisee of Pharisees, Saul seemed like an appropriate name. But now his identity had changed -- he was now the Apostle to the Gentiles. The man who had wanted to be everything, now made himself nothing, just as his Lord and Savior had done. Saul had been transformed from “kingly” to “small”. He was now and forevermore, the servant Paul. Let Jesus change your name. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day 

Blinded By Darkness

June 19

(Acts 13:9-11 NIV) ““But Elymas the sorcerer (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul from the faith. {9} Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas and said, {10} "You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord? {11} Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You are going to be blind, and for a time you will be unable to see the light of the sun." Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand.””

(John 3:18-21 NIV) “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. {19} This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. {20} Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. {21} But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.”

(Matthew 15:14 NIV) “Leave them; they are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.”

Not only are there prophets and teachers in the church, there are also false prophets and teachers. Elymas was one of those false teachers. He was a sorcerer who tried to turn the proconsul away from believing in Christ. But Paul would have none of it, and confronted the powers of darkness. He silenced Elymas by calling down blindness upon him. The voice of darkness was silenced by being blinded. The mouth seldom boasts of what the eyes cannot see. False prophets operate in the spirit of darkness, and turn people away from the light of Jesus. They emit an aura of wisdom, but they are blind guides who end up groping and stumbling in the darkness. Do not join them in their blindness. Confront them when you find them. They will put up a fight, but never forget, the Spirit of the Lord is stronger. No sorcery can defeat the power of God. Take the fight to them. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day