January 31, 2013 - Acts 28:16

            “When we got to Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, with a soldier to guard him.”  Acts 28:16.

            Previous to his arrival in Rome, Paul spent several months under arrest and was carried off to Rome like a chained criminal.  Even in Rome, he was under house arrest, with a guard assigned to watch over him.  Paul was under arrest because of his belief in the resurrection of Jesus from the dead and his belief in the lordship of Christ – that Jesus was God’s only Son and was Lord over all creation.  In those days and in that part of the world, these were life and death issues.  And Paul was eventually martyred because of that belief.  Even in today’s world, people are being arrested, as well as being martyred, for their faith in Jesus as their Lord.  In fact, more believers in Jesus Christ were martyred in the last one hundred years than in the previous nineteen centuries combined!

            It is difficult for me to imagine being martyred or even being arrested and put in jail because of my belief in Jesus.  And to be tried, convicted, and sentenced to death is something that I cannot fully grasp.  But what if I lived my life as if I had nothing to lose?  It was Paul who wrote, “to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” He stated this in his letter to the believers in Philippi while he was imprisoned in Rome.  Paul sought to bring glory to God in Christ, in and through his body, whether in life or in death.  It didn’t matter that he was under arrest.  He still proclaimed Jesus no matter his circumstances.  The challenge for me, today, is whether I am living my life as if I have nothing to lose.  To live is Christ, and to die is gain.  It’s a win-win!

            Questions: If being a Christian was illegal, would there be enough evidence to imprison you?  What does it look like to live your life as if you have nothing to lose?  How are you doing with that?

            Prayer: Father, You know my desire to live that sold-out life for You, yet You know the personal struggles that I wrestle with that are at war with being sold out.  Please strengthen me to make conscious choices to follow You, no matter the cost.  Amen.

January 24, 2013 - Matthew 9:36-38

            When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.  Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.  Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”  Matthew 9:36-38.

            The Marines used to say, “We’re looking for a few good men.”  This is a powerful phrase.  It calls a man to challenge himself and to be challenged.  It calls a man to ask himself if he has what it takes to face obstacles and to overcome them. It calls a man up to something bigger than himself.  In addressing His disciples, Jesus was calling them up to something bigger than themselves and was challenging them to pray for more laborers to go out in the world to harvest people for the kingdom of God.  Can you think of a higher calling than to do this work?  This is what Jesus calls us up to today – to join in with Him in reaching the people around us for the kingdom of God.

            Jesus saw the crowds that always seemed to gather around him as helpless and aimless, and His heart went out to them.  When I look around at the men in our culture and in our world, I see many men who are hurried, helpless, and hassled, just like the crowds that followed Jesus.  We can choose to stay in the comfort of our own circle of friends, or we can choose to answer Jesus’ call to be one of the laborers, as well as to pray for more laborers to go out to the harvest.  It is my choice.  It is your choice.

            Questions to consider: Are you one of “the few good men” – one of God’s laborer-harvesters?  Would you be willing to invest yourself in reaching men for Jesus Christ?  Would you be willing to take the risk to go out to where men are and to bring to them the life of Christ that is within you?  What will you choose to do?

            Prayer: Father, I no longer desire to sit back in my own comfort.  I desire to take the risk to reach men for Your kingdom’s sake.  Give me wisdom and show me how I should invest myself for Your sake.  I desire to be one of those “few good men”.  Amen.

January 17, 2013 - Acts 28:15

            “The brothers there had heard that we were coming and they traveled as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us.  At the sight of these men Paul thanked God and was encouraged.”  Acts 28:15.

            Paul’s journey to Rome was coming to an end after months of travel and hardship.  The travelers would come to Rome on the Appian Road, arriving first at the Three Taverns, which was approximately 40 miles Southeast of Rome, and then to the Forum of Appius, which was 10 miles closer.  Some of the followers of Jesus in Rome were so excited about Paul’s coming that they traveled down the Appian Road to both locations.  It was no short walk!  It was a full and strenuous one-day journey by foot to reach the Three Taverns.  It was evident that these believers couldn’t wait to meet Paul and to be with him.

            I remember times when I was dating my wife that I had to travel some distance to be with her.  It was not unusual for me to have warm feelings of anticipation, thinking about our time together.  I longed to be with her!  I think that, except for the romantic component, this anticipation is similar to what these believers must have felt when traveling to meet Paul.  This thought of anticipation got me thinking.  When I am traveling to meet with someone, what are my thoughts and/or prayers concerning our time together?  Am I anticipating our meeting or am I distracted by the radio, or a CD, or the phone, or (horrors!) text messages.  In considering the value I place on my times with various friends, I desire to be more intentional about preparing for the time we will spend together.  God may have something to say to me as I prepare for the time.  This, I think, was the spirit in which these believers journeyed down the road to meet Paul.  This is the spirit of anticipation that we can have traveling down our road.

            Questions to consider: Who would you travel 40 miles by foot to spend time with?  What does it feel like for you to anticipate your time with someone as you travel to see them?  Do you do anything special to prepare yourself for being with someone?  Have you ever had a sense of God showing up as you were going to meet someone?

            Prayer: Father, help me to value the time You give me in traveling to see people, and help me to be more intentional in anticipating my time together with them.  Amen.

January 10, 2013 - Acts 28:14

            “There (Puleoli) we found some brothers who invited us to spend a week with them.  And so we came to Rome.”  Acts 28:14.

            Paul and his companions finally arrived at their last port in the journey to Rome when they landed at Puleoli, which is located near modern day Naples.  Puleoli was a shipping port for grain and other materials and products arriving from various points around the Roman Empire.  The followers of Jesus in that area heard of Paul’s arrival and came to offer hospitality and care for this traveling party.  They managed to convince Paul and the others to stay for a week.  It appears that they were not just housing the travelers for the night but that they insisted on Paul staying as long as he would like.  They were honored to have Paul stay with them, and I am certain that Paul did all that he could to encourage the gathered followers of Jesus.

            This verse has gotten me to think about how hospitable I am, and it has challenged me to consider ways that I could be more hospitable.  Are there areas in which I can share with others what God has blessed me with?  How willing am I to extend to others the grace that God has shown to me?  Hospitality can take the form of many things: opening one’s home, opening one’s wallet or purse, or opening one’s life to another.  Jesus taught that freely I have been given to by God; freely I can (and should!) give to others.

            Questions to consider:  How hospitable are you?  How do you extend hospitality?  Are there any other ways that you could extend hospitality to others?  Are you willing to take the risk?

            Prayer: Father, thank You for Your hospitality – Your free gift – shown to me in Your Son, Jesus.  Help me to have the heart to give to others out of the abundance of what You’ve given to me.  Amen.

January 3, 2013 - Acts 28:10

             “They honored us in many ways and when we were ready to sail, they furnished us with the supplies we needed.”  Acts 28:10.

            While shipwrecked on the island of Malta, Paul was used by God to heal many of the island’s inhabitants.  To show their gratitude, the people of Malta treated Paul and his companions as guests of honor.  When it was time for the travelers to make ready to sail on the last leg of their journey to Rome, the Maltese people gave them all the supplies they needed to make the trip.  Before arriving on Malta, things were not looking good for those on the ship.  They had been caught in a hurricane for days, and their ship was torn to pieces, finally wrecking on the coast of Malta.  Once on land, Paul even had to survive being bitten by a viper.  Survival looked bleak.  Yet, God had a plan.  He turned a situation that looked horrible into one that was life-giving for all involved.  Paul kept his eyes on God, and the Father guided him, and all associated with him, through.

            In looking at my life, I recognize different times when I had to endure rough patches; rough seas of life.  It could have been very easy for me to sink to the bottom or to “shipwreck” on some distant island of life.  But I tried to keep my eyes on the Father, who I believed would guide me through.  He didn’t necessarily make the storms go away, but He did stay with me and He guided me through to the other side.  I have even sensed God using me in the lives of others while I was in the middle of those rough seas. And, I have also sensed God furnishing what I needed to make it through.  God has always provided the direction, as well as the supplies necessary to make it to the next destination.

            Questions to consider: Have you experienced God’s provision in the middle of the rough seas in your life?  What has that looked like for you?  When you have been in rough seas, have you been used in other’s lives to help them?  What was that like?

Prayer: Father, thank You for always being with me and for guiding me through the rough seas.  Help me, Father, to keep my eyes on You as You direct me through and use me to come along side of others to serve them as You would want me to serve them.  Amen.