Finding Our Niche

September 10

(Acts 18:6-8 NIV) “From now on I will go to the Gentiles. {7} Then Paul left the synagogue and went next door to the house of Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. {8} Crispus, the synagogue ruler, and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard him believed and were baptized."

(Isaiah 42:6-7 NIV) “I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, {7} to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.”

(Galatians 3:8-9 NIV) ““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.””

Paul came to a fork in the road, and decided to target a different audience in Corinth. He would take the gospel predominantly to the Gentiles. He had found his niche. He didn’t leave town or head for a foreign land -- he went next door. God calls a few to take the gospel across the sea, but all of us are called to take it across the street. Most will never take the gospel overseas, but we can take it to our next door neighbor. We won’t be able to look God in the eye and say, “I never had a chance to take the gospel next door.” We can never say, “I was too poor to take the gospel across the street.” You don’t have to be a genius to find your niche. There’s a good chance that your “niche” is your neighborhood. Jesus says to all of us, “Take the gospel over there”, and our “over there” is very likely next door or across the street. Find your niche. You shouldn’t have to look too far. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day

When Enough is Enough

September 9

(Acts 18:6 NIV) “But when the Jews opposed Paul and became abusive, he shook out his clothes in protest and said to them, "Your blood be on your own heads! I am clear of my responsibility.”

(Matthew 10:12-15 NIV) “As you enter the home, give it your greeting. {13} If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. {14} If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town. {15} I tell you the truth, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.”

(Luke 9:5-6 NIV) “If people do not welcome you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave their town, as a testimony against them." {6} So they set out and went from village to village, preaching the gospel and healing people everywhere.”

Sometimes in ministry, we must say, “Enough is enough.” Paul shared the gospel with the Jews in Corinth. He argued God’s case well, but still they opposed him and would not believe. Finally, Paul threw up his hands and said, “That’s enough. I have fulfilled my responsibility to you. I have shared the Good News and you have rejected the truth. I am not responsible for the judgment that awaits you.” Some may recoil at the thought of writing anyone off, and certainly we are called to have patience, love, and faith as we pray for and witness to unsaved family, friends, and neighbors. But there comes a time when we must decide how to best spend the limited amount of time and energy, we have as a disciple of Jesus. At some point, the Holy Spirit may prompt us to move from the rocky soil to a more fertile soil. Even Jesus instructed His disciples about this. Pray, and listen for the Lord. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day

Preaching Exclusively

September 8

(Acts 18:4-5 NIV) “Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks. {5} When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ.”

(2 Timothy 4:1-5 NIV) “In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: {2} Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage--with great patience and careful instruction. {3} For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. {4} They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. {5} But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.”

When Paul arrived in Corinth, he worked all week making tents and preached every Sabbath. When Silas and Timothy arrived, he was able to return to preaching the word every day. We don’t know if they both got jobs to support Paul’s ministry, or if they brought an offering along with them from Macedonia. What we do know is that they made it possible for Paul to devote himself full time to preaching and testifying about Christ. This was Paul’s passion. Knock him down -- he gets back up. Run him out of one town -- he moves on to the next one. Take away his funding -- he gets a job and preaches whenever he can. There was no stopping this guy! Paul lived to preach that Jesus is Lord. He was also very good at it -- the record speaks for itself. What are you good at? What are you passionate about? Use it to advance the gospel in some way. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day

Tent Makers for Jesus

September 7

(Acts 18:1-3 NIV) "After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. {2} There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, {3} and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them.”

(1 Corinthians 1:2-6 NIV) "To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ--their Lord and ours: {3} Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. {4} I always thank God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. {5} For in him you have been enriched in every way--in all your speaking and in all your knowledge-- {6} because our testimony about Christ was confirmed in you."

Paul moved down the road again, ending up in a city called Corinth. We know that he succeeded in planting a church there because we have two letters written to that church in the Bible. While Paul was in Corinth, he met Aquila and Priscilla. They had recently moved from Rome to Corinth, after being expelled by the Emperor Claudius for being Jewish. They could identify with Paul as they shared the common experience of being persecuted and run out of town for your faith. They also connected in that Aquila and Priscilla were tentmakers by trade, as was Paul. This led them to team up in the trade in order to put food on the table while Paul preached the gospel in Corinth. Thus we get the term, “tent making ministry”, describing those who work in the marketplace to fund their work in the church. Where there is a will, there is always a way. Use all your gifts to do the work of the Lord. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day

The Sneering Crowds

September 6

(Acts 17:32-34 NIV) “When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, "We want to hear you again on this subject." {33} At that, Paul left the Council. {34} A few men became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others."

(Luke 16:13-15 NIV) “No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money." {14} The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus. {15} He said to them, "You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but God knows your hearts. What is highly valued among men is detestable in God's sight.”

(Luke 23:33-35 NIV) ““When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals--one on his right, the other on his left. {34} Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. {35} The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.””

The Athenians had been accommodating many gods -- Paul called them to worship only one. Even today, many live with altars to unknown gods in their hearts. Jesus calls us to replace those gods with his Name -- the Name above all names. Christ wants us to know Him personally. Ask the Light of the world to illumine all of the shadowy idols that hinder your relationship with Him. Ask Him to reveal the Unknown God to you. Then, through your life and speech, share Jesus with your family, friends, and neighbors. Just remember… whenever and wherever the truth of Jesus is shared, some will believe, and some will sneer. Some will want to hear more, and some will try to shut you up. We are not called to win the world -- we are to witness to the world. Be faithful, patient, and persistent. Ignore the sneering crowds and look for those that God has called to new life. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day

Ignorance Is No Excuse

September 5

(Acts 17:30-31 NIV) “In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. {31} For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead."

(Matthew 25:31-34, 41 NIV) ““When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. {32} All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. {33} He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. {34} "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world…. {41} Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.””

(Psalms 98:1-9 NIV) “Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things; his right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him. {2} The Lord has made his salvation known and revealed his righteousness to the nations. {3} He has remembered his love and his faithfulness to the house of Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. {4} Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music; {5} make music to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and the sound of singing, {6} with trumpets and the blast of the ram's horn-- shout for joy before the Lord, the King. {7} Let the sea resound, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it. {8} Let the rivers clap their hands, let the mountains sing together for joy; {9} let them sing before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples with equity.”

As Paul wrapped up his message to the Athenians, he played his ace. The attributes that separate the Unknown God from the false gods are the incarnation and the resurrection. Unlike the many gods of Athens who had never lived in the first place, the Unknown God came to earth as a living, breathing man. He was crucified for our sins and died, but He rose from the dead and will come again to judge all people. The Unknown God is Jesus Christ the Lord. In His grace, God has overlooked much of our ignorance and rebellion. But today God commands all who hear these words to repent. Christ is coming to judge all people. He will separate the sheep from the goats. There will be no middle ground. There will only be the lost and the found, the forgiven and the unforgiven, the saved and the unsaved. Which group will you be in? There is still time to believe. Trust in Jesus! -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day

Homemade Idolatry

September 4

(Acts 17:29 NIV) "Therefore since we are God's offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone--an image made by man's design and skill.”

(Isaiah 2:7-9 NIV) "Their land is full of silver and gold; there is no end to their treasures. Their land is full of horses; there is no end to their chariots. {8} Their land is full of idols; they bow down to the work of their hands, to what their fingers have made. {9} So man will be brought low and mankind humbled -- do not forgive them."

(Jeremiah 10:3-6 NIV) "For the customs of the peoples are worthless; they cut a tree out of the forest, and a craftsman shapes it with his chisel. {4} They adorn it with silver and gold; they fasten it with hammer and nails so it will not totter. {5} Like a scarecrow in a melon patch, their idols cannot speak; they must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them; they can do no harm nor can they do any good." {6} No one is like you, O Lord; you are great, and your name is mighty in power."

(Jonah 2:8-9 NIV) ""Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs. {9} But I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. Salvation comes from the Lord.""

Idolatry is nothing new. Mankind has been drawn toward idols since Adam and Eve first sinned in the Garden. Whenever we place anything ahead of the interests of God, we have drifted into idolatry. Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and many other prophets confronted it in their day, and when Paul got to Athens, he dealt with it there. Believers must continue to confront the idolatry in our world with God’s truth, and the place we should start is in our own lives. What are the idols that demand your time, attention, and money? What steals your affection and allegiance? What is it that holds you back from serving Jesus fully? Idols don’t have to be made of wood, stone, or gold -- they can be thoughts or activities that distance us from Jesus. Destroy them! Abandon them! Remove them from your homes and your lives. Worship the Living God! -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day 

Perhaps

September 3

(Acts 17:27-28 NIV) “God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. {28} 'For in him we live and move and have our being. 'As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.'”

(Matthew 19:11 NIV) "Jesus replied, "Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given."

(Luke 13:23-24 NIV) "Someone asked him, "Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?" He said to them, {24} "Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to."

(Romans 11:13-14 NIV) "I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I make much of my ministry {14} in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them."

 When we speak of Jesus in the way Paul did, God uses our words to win some. When we speak the truth in love, the Unknown God can become the known God. Some will realize that we “live and move and have our being” in Christ. Some will seek the Lord, and “perhaps reach out and find Him”. He is near… but don’t miss the word “perhaps”. Not all will accept God’s offer of grace. Even Jesus did not win everyone when He was here. He was the perfect Son of God, and yet many did not believe. All humanity has a free will. Every individual can choose to accept or reject Christ, and there will always be those who will refuse to believe. But we must not focus on the refusals. We must continue to be faithful in praying for the lost, reasoning with them, and lifting up our risen Lord Jesus. Our hope is that “perhaps” some will be saved. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day

Knowing the Unknown God

September 2

(Acts 17:23b-26 NIV) “Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you. {24} "The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. {25} And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. {26} From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.”

(Philippians 3:10-11 NIV) “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, {11} and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.”

At the beginning of his presentation to the Areopagus, Paul told the highly educated Greek philosophers, “I know something you don’t know. I know who the Unknown God is. In fact, I know the Unknown God personally. I have met the Unknown God.” Paul then began to make known to them this Unknown God. He started with the truth of Genesis, telling them of the Creator God who gives life and breath to all things. This God is Spirit and does not live in manmade temples, nor does He live in idols made by human hands. From one man, this God made all nations. This God determines the length of our lives and where we live out those lives. This God is the sovereign Lord of all things. Paul went on later to proclaim that this God is the risen Christ. This is our calling, Christians. Our God, who is unknown to many, wants to be known, and we are called to make Him known. Share the truth. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day

Covering Our Bases

September 1

(Acts 17:22-23 NIV)  “Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: "Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. {23} For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.”

(John 14:6 NIV) ““Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.””

(Deuteronomy 4:23-24 NIV) “Be careful not to forget the covenant of the Lord your God that he made with you; do not make for yourselves an idol in the form of anything the Lord your God has forbidden. {24} For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.”

In the minds of the highly educated philosophers of Athens, it was wise to embrace every idea and every god. They celebrated the diversity of their culture and built altars to all the gods. Everybody’s god was seen as equally valuable. The Athenians were so concerned about being inclusive that they even had an altar to the “UKNOWN GOD”. They didn’t want to risk leaving anyone out. This is called pluralism and it is still popular among the sophisticated and enlightened of our day. The inclusiveness of the Athenians would have been lauded by our contemporary culture. But Paul knew it was wrong. His Judaism told him that there was but one God, and his newfound faith in Christ had convinced him that there is but one Messiah and one way to salvation. His wisdom holds true today. There is but one covering for all of the bases. His name is Jesus. Let Him cover you. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day

The Best Idea

August 31

(Acts 17:19-21 NIV) “Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, "May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? {20} You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we want to know what they mean." {21} (All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)”

(1 Timothy 6:20 NIV) “Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, {21} which some have professed and in so doing have wandered from the faith.”

(Mark 12:28-30 NIV) ““One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” {29} “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. {30} Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.”

(Romans 10:8-10 NIV) ““The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: {9} That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. {10} For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.”

Paul was brought before the Areopagus, a group who spent all their time listening to and talking about the latest ideas. They thought Paul’s ideas were strange and wanted to hear more. They were trying to intellectualize the faith. Many today try to do the same thing. As long as Jesus remains just in the mind, and never moves into the heart and soul, we can keep Him at a safe distance. As long as Jesus is just a good idea, He does not threaten our lifestyle and we don’t have to change. Other ideas and philosophies are just as valid for managing our lives. Thus we hear people say, “Jesus is fine if He works for you -- just don’t push your religion on me. I have my own ideas about God -- my own personal religion. Believe whatever you want.” But Jesus didn’t come to be just a good idea. Jesus came as God’s best idea! Believe in your heart. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day 

Babble On Believers

August 30

(Acts 17:18 NIV) ““A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to dispute with him. Some of them asked, "What is this babbler trying to say?" Others remarked, "He seems to be advocating foreign gods. They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.””

(1 Corinthians 1:20-25 NIV) “Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? {21} For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. {22} Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, {23} but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, {24} but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. {25} For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.”

(Colossians 2:8 NIV) “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.”

Paul proved that reasoning can work in evangelism, but no method is fool proof where man has both free will and pride. Some believed -- others debated Paul. When we share Jesus and His resurrection, we can expect opposition. In Athens, it was philosophers. Genuine and wannabe philosophers of today will usually attack us in one of two ways. First, there is the “put down”. They called Paul a “babbler”. Today it may be “bible thumper”, “narrow minded”, “holy roller”, or a dozen other slanderous titles designed to make you feel stupid, out of touch, or ashamed. Second, the supposed philosopher will try to convince you that you are advocating foreign gods. They’ll say stuff like, “I believe in God, but you’ve gone too far with this Jesus in your heart stuff. Don’t get carried away with that wacko foreign thinking.” Christian, do not listen to the philosophers of this age. Babble on! -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day

Reasonably Opposing Idolatry

August 29

(Acts 17:17 NIV) “So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there.”

(Acts 17:1-4 NIV) ““When they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. {2} As his custom was, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, {3} explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead. “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ,” he said. 4Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God–fearing Greeks and not a few prominent women.””

(Isaiah 1:18-21 NIV) ““Come now, let us reason together,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. {19} If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land; {20} but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.” For the mouth of the Lord has spoken. {21} See how the faithful city has become a harlot! She once was full of justice; righteousness used to dwell in her -- but now murderers!””

When Paul saw the rampant idolatry in Athens, he didn’t just wring his hands, or complain to his Bible study group about how the world was going to hell in a hand basket. Armed with truth, he initiated a battle with them on two fronts. He reasoned with them in the synagogue (for us, that is the church), and he reasoned with them in the marketplace (for us, that is where we work and shop). He didn’t rant, rave, and shout about people burning in hell. He wasn’t hostile or condemning. Scripture says he reasoned with them. He told them of a God who could be known… a God who created all things… a God who could not be captured in an idol made of gold, stone, or wood. He spoke about judgment, repentance, and a man who rose from the dead. He had their attention. Paul shows us that we can reasonably oppose idolatry and that when we do, the hearts of some will be changed. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day

Idolatry Run Amok

August 28

(Acts 17:16 NIV) “While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols.”

(1 John 5:21 NIV) “Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.”

(Exodus 20:2-5 NIV) “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. {3} You shall have no other gods before me. {4} You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. {5} You shall not bow down to them or worship them…”

Paul went to Athens, a very cosmopolitan and sophisticated city, full of highly educated and intelligent people. But Paul saw something that disturbed his spirit. This modern metropolis was filled with idols. The many shrines and altars there betrayed a polytheistic culture. These people were very religious. They had a shrine for every god except the true God. Paul was highly educated and certainly knew of Athens before he was saved. But now he came with new eyes… eyes opened by the Holy Spirit, and what he saw was idolatry run amok. And if our eyes are open, we can see the same thing today. We live in a polytheistic culture where individual choice reigns supreme. Our idols may not look the same as those in Athens, but they are numerous and powerful, and we bow down to them and worship them in various ways. Ask God to give you eyes to see the idols in your life. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day

History Repeats Itself

August 27

(Acts 17:12 NIV) “Many of the Jews believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men. {13} When the Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God at Berea, they went there too, agitating the crowds and stirring them up. {14} The brothers immediately sent Paul to the coast, but Silas and Timothy stayed at Berea. {15} The men who escorted Paul brought him to Athens and then left with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible.”

(Acts 13:49-50 NIV) “The word of the Lord spread through the whole region. {50} But the Jews incited the God–fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region.”

(Acts 14:1-2 NIV) “At Iconium Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish synagogue. There they spoke so effectively that a great number of Jews and Gentiles believed. {2} But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers.” 

(1 Thessalonians 2:1-4 NIV) “You know, brothers, that our visit to you was not a failure. {2} We had previously suffered and been insulted in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in spite of strong opposition. {3} For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. {4} On the contrary, we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts.”

Wherever Paul preached, some believed and gave their lives to Christ. But there were always those who criticized and threatened. Paul faced opposition in every town, in every conceivable form – and often it became physical. You could always count on pushback. It was inevitable, as history repeated itself over and over again. But Paul would not quit. He was like a pit bull for the gospel. He would not let go. He would not stop talking about Jesus. He would not quit, because he had been called and because everywhere he went, someone got saved. That made it worth the risk and the pain. Is that your philosophy of ministry as a Christian? Will you push through the pushback for the sake of a soul saved? Like Paul, this is our calling. Accept the inevitable opposition and keep speaking the truth in love. Souls are at stake. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day

Daily Bible Study

August 26

(Acts 17:11 NIV) “Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.”

(1 Cor. 2:12, 14 NIV) "We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. {14} The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned."

(James 1:22 NIV) "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says."

Daily Bible study is a vital tool for the disciple of Jesus. Here are some hints on how to become more like the Bereans. First, find a translation you understand. There are many, and most of them are good. Second, find a reading plan and stick to it. God is a God of order. It makes sense to use an orderly plan for reading the Bible. Third, ask the Holy Spirit to speak through the Scriptures. We need God’s help to understand. Ask God to open your ears and your heart so you can hear what He is saying. Fourth, as you read, ask two questions: what does it say, and what does it say to me? In other words, what did it mean then, and what does it mean to me today? Fifth, be faithful in personal application and obedience. Once we know what God is saying to us, we need to do what the Lord says. Without this last step, the Bible is just words on paper. God wrote it to be far more than that. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day

Daily Examination

August 25

(Acts 17:11 NIV) “Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.”

(Luke 11:3 NIV) “Give us each day our daily bread.”

(1 Thessalonians 2:13 NIV) “And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe.”

The Bereans didn’t read Scripture because they thought it would impress God, or make them look more holy. They examined the Scriptures daily to hear from God. They read seeking truth. They read God’s word every day to verify that what Paul preached was the truth. They spent considerable time diligently studying the word of God. They are a model for us. Many Christians today are long on feelings, but short on knowledge of Scripture. The majority have never read the Bible through. Examining the Scriptures daily is a foreign concept. They may attend church regularly, but seldom open their Bibles outside the church building. In so doing, they miss out on God’s daily bread, and on one of the Lord’s greatest tools for producing noble character. Don’t join them in their negligence. Be different! Get into the word. Be among those who examine the Scriptures on a daily basis. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day   

Eager Beaver Bereans

August 24

(Acts 17:11 NIV) “Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness…”

(Matthew 13:23 NIV) “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.”

(Romans 15:4 NIV) “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”

Luke describes the Bereans as being of “noble character”. What does that look like? Scripture says the Bereans “received the message with great eagerness.” They eagerly received the gospel that Jesus died for their sin and rose again. They also likely shared that message with enthusiasm. They became gossips for the gospel. Can you imagine a church where all of the gossip pertained to the good news of Jesus, rather than the perceived failings of others? The church’s reputation could change almost overnight. We could become like the Bereans and be thought of as “noble in character”. But it all starts with us receiving the message with eagerness. Believe the good news. Receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. If you’re tired of the character you’ve become, and would like to become a person of noble character, this is where you start. It’s where the Bereans started. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day

Like A Broken Record

August 23

(Acts 17:10 NIV) “As soon as it was night, the brothers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue.”

(2 Corinthians 11:23-28 NIV) “Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. {24} Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. {25} Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, {26} I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. {27} I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. {28} Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.”

Paul’s life played out like a broken record. For those too young to remember, when an old phonograph record got a deep scratch or a crack in it, it would often skip, playing the same phrase over and over again. Today’s verses repeat the now familiar story of Paul being run out of town. Over and over again, this was his earthly reward for preaching the truth. The true gospel is offensive. It changes people, and many don’t want to see that happen. More than once, Paul got beaten up and close to killed. Again and again, he had to flee for his life. This is because Paul was a persistent prophet. The first thing Paul and Silas did when they reached Berea was to go to the synagogue. They didn’t go there for a handout -- they went there to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Thank God for persistent prophets whose lives play out like broken records. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day  

Blessed Are The Troublemakers

August 22

(Acts 17:6 NIV) “But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some other brothers before the city officials, shouting: "These men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here…”

(Acts 24:5-6 NIV) "We have found this man to be a troublemaker, stirring up riots among the Jews all over the world. He is a ringleader of the Nazarene sect {6} and even tried to desecrate the temple; so we seized him."

(Hebrews 10:32-35 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."

The mob that rioted in Thessalonica resembled the mobs of today, blaming someone else for their bad behavior. They pointed to Paul and Silas, and accused them of making trouble all over the world. That’s quite a claim! Would anyone say that about you? Is your faith so active and far-reaching that you would be accused of making trouble all over the world? Would it surprise you to know that God will bless the right kind of troublemaker? Paul and Silas did nothing wrong. They simply preached the truth and challenged the status quo religion. They shared the love of God, delivered people from demons, and spoke of Christ’s death and resurrection wherever they went. Because of this, they were accused of causing trouble all over the world. If that’s the kind of trouble you cause in this world, Jesus would likely say, “Blessed are the troublemakers.” -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day