Acts: The Sovereignty of God

“In Him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will” (Ephesians 1:11)

I want to take you on a ride through history, but first, grab your Bible and read Acts 8:1-8. This is just after the death of Stephen, the Church’s first martyr (7:54-60). It begins the fulfillment of Jesus’ proclamation in Acts 1:8: “You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

In 332 BC, the nation of Israel, along with much of the known world was conquered by Alexander the Great, a Greek warrior and king. Alexander’s conquests were not meant for destruction, but rather for assimilation into the Greek empire. All nations were educated in the Greek language for unification. Alexander ordered the ancient Hebrew Scriptures to be translated into Greek, a work that was accomplished in 70 days.

In 63 BC, the Roman Empire took Israel from the Greeks. Though known for their cruelty and harsh rule, they also established strong infrastructure wherever they went to enable swift transport for their military. Roads were laid by the Romans throughout the European and Asian continents.

Now, come back to the point of our key passage in Acts 8.  After the stoning of Stephen persecution drove Jesus’ followers from Jerusalem into Judea and Samaria and all throughout the region. As they went, they traveled along those Roman-built roads and shared the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the unified Greek language. The story of God’s mercy, grace, and love could be read and taught – and understood – everywhere because the language was the same wherever they went.

While all these events seemed to be unconnected, harsh circumstances, it’s clear that the God of heaven and earth was “working all things together” for the spread of the Gospel. Now, don’t you think this same sovereign God is able to manage the circumstances of your life? He is at work “perfecting that which concerns you” (Psalm 138:8). I’m clinging to this promise with all my heart right now. He’s got the whole world in His hands – and that includes you. Stand still, Beloved, and watch Him make a way as only He can.

It All Matters to God

The woman told her pastor, “I never bother God with the little things.” “Madam,” he replied, “He’s God. To Him, it’s all little.” I chuckle at that, but at the same time, I recognize the truth therein. God is bigger than all man’s problems. No trial or struggle will ever measure up to Him. Overflowing sea in front of you and the Egyptian army at your back? No problem. Massive wall around the city God has given you? No problem. Giant threatening your nation’s army? No problem. A royal edict to wipe out your people? No problem. God’s got it.

But what about the “little” problems? That headache you’ve got from your kids running through the house at top speed and volume all day? The pile of laundry sitting beside the broken-down washing machine? The stack of work on your desk that keeps growing no matter how much you do. The dog next door that barks. All. Night. Long. And what’s that weird clunking sound your car has been making all week? Does God care about those things? Why would He even notice your everyday stuff while He is busy keeping the universe spinning?

The God who took the Israelites through the sea on dry ground (Ex 14:22) and drowned the entire Egyptian army (vv. 26-28), pulled down the walls of Jericho (Jos 6:20), put a small stone in a giant’s head (1 Sam 17:48-50), and rescued the Jews from annihilation (Est 9:5) also gave His thirsty people water from a rock (Ex 17:5-6), provided a poor widow with overflowing oil to buy her sons out of slavery (2 Ki 4:1-7) and gave another an inexhaustible supply of flour and oil to sustain her family through a drought (1 Ki 17:12-16).

That’s why Paul said, “Pray in the Spirit on all occasions, with all kinds of prayer and requests” (Eph 6:18) – of every size and shape.

So I will leave my problems – the big ones and the small ones, and the big ones in a small body – in my Father’s hands. But I’m not going to walk away. I’m going to sit down at His feet and watch what He will do. And maybe crawl into His lap for hug. I encourage you to do the same. Beloved, If He has “numbered the very hairs of your head” (Mat 10:30) you can be sure that He is paying attention to you and everything that concerns your life. Big, little, and everything in between.

The Battle Belongs to the Lord

Life for the believer is often a battleground; many days, we feel like we are in the middle of an all-out war. We face opposition from the world, from satan, and sometimes from the people nearest to us. David was a man who understood battles. He stood tall against Goliath as a youth. He fought for Israel even while the king fought against him. He led his men into many skirmishes before and after he claimed the throne. David knew how to fight, and he knew how to prepare for battle.

Psalm 20 was written before one of those battles and it gives us great insight into preparing ourselves for the fight ahead. Grab your Bible and read all nine verses of this Psalm.

David knew that the first and most important step is prayer: “May the Lord answer you when you are in distress; may the name of the God of Jacob protect you” (v. 1). The only way that God can answer you is if you ask Him for help. And the help you and I need comes “from the sanctuary” (v. 2), from His holy heaven (v. 6). He also knew that God’s ears are attuned to those who consistently love and worship Him before they are in distress (see v. 3). He remembers and He responds.

Verse 4 is challenging. Is that a guarantee that God will “give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed?” If we have called on Him, sought His help and counsel, and have committed to follow His battle plan; if our heart’s desire is His will, our plan will be His plan and it will succeed.

And when the battle is done and victory is ours, then fellow warrior – it’s shoutin’ time! “We will shout for Joy!” Oh, how that resonates in my heart! And we will declare the victory in the name of our God who heard our prayers and granted our requests (v. 5).

David also reminded himself of what he knew was true – “The Lord saves His anointed,” and when we call on Him He responds with all “the saving power of His right hand” (v. 6). He also declared that God, not earthly powers, that will bring the enemy to their knees.

When we face a battle, we must remember two things: God, not you or I, will win the day, and “our struggle is not against flesh and blood” (Eph 6:12). So “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Mat 5:44). Then get your armor on, (Eph 6:10-18). Beloved, “the battle is the Lord’s” (1 Sam 17:47).

Seeking

My life-verse is Jeremiah 29:13: “You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.”  David wrote, “You have said to my heart, ‘Seek My face.’  Your face Lord I will seek” (Ps 27:8).  Isaiah 45:19 declares, “I have not spoken in secret . . . I have not said, ‘Seek me in vain.’” Paul said that God has placed Himself near us so that when we reach out to Him, we will find Him (see Acts 17:26-28). This is an extraordinary invitation: “If you seek Him, He will be found by you” (1 Chr 28:9). 

But understand that we will not just “stumble over” God. Nor is seeking Him a casual glance in His direction on Sunday morning.  Seeking God is a life-long, daily, determined pursuit.  It is making time every day for Bible study, prayer, and meditating on Him, His character, and His Word.  It is allowing nothing to distract us or disrupt our heart’s mission – to know God. 1 Chronicles 22:19 says, “Now set your mind and heart to seek the Lord your God.”

But get this: God is seeking you too.  Jesus declared in John 19:10 – “The Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”  Imagine that with me – God; the God of heaven, the Creator of all things, the great and holy I AM, sought you and me out to be His own. 

No, it’s not like God has lost sight of you, but you have wandered far from Him, and are lost in a wilderness of your own choices. John 15:4-7 tells the parable of the lost sheep.  Jesus said, “Does [the shepherd] not…go after the lost sheep until he finds it?  And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home” (vs. 4,5).  The Good Shepherd is on a “search and rescue” mission to find you and restore you and bring you home – and He does so with great Joy.

It is a beautiful two-fold promise. God has pledged that when you seek Him with all your heart, He will make sure you find Him.  And when you lose your way, He will seek you and bring you back home. Either way, Beloved, you win. And the prize? Eternity with the One who created you and loves you – and seeks you with all His heart.

This World is Not My Home

When we moved from Alabama to Florida, we had to adjust to being under Florida’s authority. We had to change driver’s licenses and car tags. We had to pay Florida taxes. We had to vote as Florida citizens.  We had to obey Florida laws. When we moved back to Alabama from Florida, we had to make the same transition as Alabama citizens once again. And even though we lived in Florida for almost 20 years, we always considered Alabama our home. I often said that Alabama red clay still ran through my veins. You know the saying: You can take the girl out of Alabama, but you can’t take Alabama out of the girl. My body may have been in Florida, but my heart was in Bama.

Our union with Christ makes us citizens of a new Kingdom, with a new Ruler. Our identity changes. Our allegiance changes. We are “a new creation” (2 Cor 5:17). The problem is that our old nature moves with us and continues the fight for control. The other problem is, our citizenship has changed, but our geographical location has not and we are still under the steady influence of sin.

In Romans 6, Paul reminds us that we who are in Christ are “dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus” (v. 11).  When we came to believe in Christ, we “died to sin” (v. 2), just as He died (v 3). But the grave couldn’t hold Jesus, and it cannot hold us. We have been raised with Him to “live a new life . . . to God” (vv. 4, 10). Somebody say “Hallelujah!”

Yes, a new life, yet still with the same old ingrained patterns of sin and the same old worldly influences. That causes quite a struggle for us as Paul noted in Romans 7. But here’s the good news: “Sin shall not be your master” because “you have been set free from sin” (vv. 14, 18, 22). That means you do not have to obey your sinful desires and the influence of the world anymore. Because “Christ is your life” you can “put to death whatever belongs to your earthly [sinful] nature” (Col.3:4-5).

Here’s the bottom line: before Christ, you and I had no choice but to sin, but now as a believer, if we sin it is because we chose to. It’s a choice that is completely in your hands – and your heart. Beloved, make the choice that says “I am a citizen of the Kingdom of God!”

Why Did God Come to Earth?

Why did God come to earth? What is so important down here that He would put on human flesh and walk among the wicked and the imperfect? Genesis reports that God regularly came to visit and walk with Adam and Eve in sweet fellowship (Gen 3:8). After the fall God came down to bring judgment and punishment (see Gen 11:5, 18:21). The Israelites built Him a sacred place where He could dwell among His chosen people – though they could not approach His presence (Ex 25:8). In one of the most heartbreaking scenes in the Old Testament, their idolatry became so great that He withdrew His presence and left the Temple (Ezk. 11:22-23).

So why did He come back? When John the Baptist, Jesus’ forerunner and cousin was born his father, after months of silence for his unbelief, declared the answer to our question in a song. He said, “[The Lord] has come . . . to bring salvation . . . to redeem . . . to show mercy . . . to rescue . . . to enable . . . to give us His holiness and righteousness . . . to forgive . . . to shine His light into our darkness . . . and to guide our feet into the path of peace” (Lk 2:67-80). Jesus Himself said that He had come to declare the Good News; “to proclaim freedom for the prisoners, and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, and proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Mark 1:38, Lk 4:18-21). He came to do the will of His Father, even unto death on a cross (Jn 4:34; Lk 22:42; Phil 2:8).

At the beginning of this devotional, I asked, “What is so important down here that He would put on human flesh and walk among the wicked and the imperfect?” You were. The writer of Hebrews said that Jesus endured the cross and all it entailed “for the Joy set before Him” (Heb 12:2). What was that Joy? You were. It gave Him great delight to know that you would be with Him forever and ever. God came for you Beloved; He came to make you His own child, His treasured possession (Is 43:4). All He did He did for you. You are that important to Him.  

Cheap Grace

I’ve just started reading the biography of Deitrich Bonhoeffer, a German theologian, writer, martyr, and sold-out Christ-follower during the rise of Nazism. He was also a fierce opponent of “cheap grace.”  He wrote the classic “The Cost of Discipleship” in which he stated, “Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline. Communion without confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.” Cheap grace has choked the life out of the modern church.

Cheap grace winks at sin. It accepts the sinful nature as “just who I am” and refuses to fight those ungodly passions. We are far too complacent with sin. I’m not talking about the church’s willingness to tolerate and celebrate sin. I am speaking of you and me and our individual pet sins. David said, “I know my transgressions and my sin is always before me” (Ps 51:3). Maybe it’s always before us because we are holding on to it.

How far are you willing to go to rid yourself of sin? Jesus said, “If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. If your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away” (Mat 18:8, 9). Wow – that’s pretty extreme! And that’s how seriously we need to take our sins.  Could He have meant this literally? Maybe. But let’s take it down a notch just in case. What are you continually dabbling in that stirs up your sin nature? T.V. shows and movies? Books and magazines? Websites? Relationships? Alcohol? Recreational drugs? Gossip? Anger? Sexual immorality? Idolatry? Ad infinitum. What sin do you “cherish in your heart” (Ps 66:18). Are you willing to cut it off for the sake of Christ?

Jesus paid the highest price to set you free from sin and its power over you. You and I cheapen His sacrifice when we refuse to let sin go.  Jesus added, “It is better for you to enter [eternal] life maimed or crippled or without an eye than to enter hell with all your parts intact” (Mat 18:8,9 – very paraphrased). Which says that those who chose sin have rejected Jesus. The end result is hell.

Beloved, what are you willing to do to honor this costly gift of grace? Or said another way, which do you love more? Christ or your sin?

Acts: Stephen, the First Martyr of the Church

I want to be like Stephen. Stephen was a disciple of the Lord in the first-century church. He was one of seven men chosen as the church’s first deacons. His story starts in Acts 6 and runs through chapter 7. You will be blessed if you read these two chapters.

I want to be like Stephen whom the Bible says was full of faith and the Holy Spirit (v. 5), God’s grace and power (v. 8 ), and wisdom (v. 10) And it showed. It showed in his service to the church as he ministered to the widows in need. It showed as he “did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people” (v. 8 ). And it showed in the way he faced opposition. Some unbelieving Jews dragged him before the Sanhedrin and charged him with blasphemy. Standing before his accusers, Stephen had an other-worldly expression about him. “His face was like the face of an angel” (v. 15)

I want to be like Stephen because he was full of holy boldness. He did not cower or shrink back nor did he try to defend himself against the false accusations. He told the story of Israel, a stiff-necked people who had rebelled against God for generations. The same people who rejected God in the flesh (Acts. 7:1-53). You’re probably not surprised to learn that Stephen infuriated the religious leaders, even though he simply told them the truth. He was dragged out of the city and stoned to death (v. 57).

I want to be like Stephen because Jesus was pleased with him. As he faced his “punishment,” he was given a glimpse of the Lord in all His glory. Christ stood to receive His into the fullness of His Kingdom (vv. 55-58).

I want to be like Stephen because, even in his death, he was a man of godly influence. Standing among the crowd, “giving approval to his death,” was a young man named Saul (8:1). We’ll encounter him again as Paul – the persecutor of the Christian church who became her first missionary and writer of much of the New Testament.

I want to be like Stephen who was the first martyr for the Christian faith. To the church, he died a hero. To the world, he died a fool. But to the Lord Jesus Christ, he died a good and faithful servant. And that’s all I want to be.

The Royal Priesthood of the Believer

I am in a group of believers who are writing – or “scribing” – our way through the Bible. Because we deal with smaller portions of Scripture and must slow down and pay attention to every word, we’re seeing things we would have normally missed on our fast-paced Bible-in-a-year plans. We’re nearing the end of Exodus this month and the people are building, weaving, hammering, and crafting all the elements of the Tabernacle.

Today’s text – Exodus 39:1-7 – is focused on making garments for Aaron, who served as the Lord’s high priest. These were “sacred garments” designed “to give him dignity and honor” as he went about his priestly duties (Ex 28:2). And they were a work of love and devotion. When the ancient craftsmen made the ephod, the apron-like garment worn over the robe and under the breast piece, the Scripture says, “they hammered out thin sheets of gold and cut strands to be worked into the blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and fine linen.  Can you imagine the amount of dedication and intricate work that required?

But that’s nothing compared to how God is working in you. Everything God does in your life has one aim, to conform you to the likeness of His Son (Rom 8:29). I admit, sometimes that work isn’t pleasant.  Lately, it feels like God is hammering away at me like the craftsmen hammered out that gold. You may feel that He has put you into a crucible for purifying silver over intense, prolonged heat. It might even seem that He has buried you underground like a seed. But the gold adds beauty to the garment, the purified silver reflects the Silversmith and the seed bursts forth from the ground to grow into a fruitful plant.

God has called you and me to be part of His royal priesthood (1 Pet 2:9)– not in the order of Aaron, but in the order of His Son, Jesus Christ. Like Aaron, we must be consecrated, cleansed, and made pure for this holy service. Aaron was washed with water and anointed with the blood of a bull. You and I are washed and anointed with the blood of the Lamb of God which cleanses us from all sin (1 Jn 1:7). Aaron received beautiful garments to wear; Christ gives us His own righteousness (2 Cor 5:21).

In the hammering and the heat and the darkness Beloved, consider this, God is not just weaving threads of His Son into your life, but making He is you into His very image.

Joy and Love

I love Saturday mornings. I am an early riser, and my house is quiet so I get to sit at my desk drinking coffee and reading Scripture. This morning I’m reading through some of the Psalms. That’s my favorite place to hang out. The Psalmists often write what is on my heart. Human nature is pretty much the same from generation to generation. They had burdens and so do I. They needed hope and so do I. I’m pretty sure you do too. This morning two hopeful words stand out as I read: Joy and love.  

Joy stands out to me for obvious reasons; I may have mentioned a time or two that my precious granddaughter’s name is Joy. Everywhere I see her name in the Bible, I mark it. As you can imagine that’s a lot because Joy is one of the most consistent themes in Scripture. Psalm 126 has four “Joys,” The Psalmist is celebrating the return of God’s people from captivity. He said they “are filled with Joy” (v. 3) which comes forth in “songs of Joy” (vs. 2, 5, 6) because “the Lord has done great things for us” (v. 2,3). 

Love is the most frequent expression in the Bible, and the two – Joy and love – are intertwined. The love of God brings us great Joy. Psalm 136 repeats the refrain: “His love endures forever” twenty-six times as the Psalmist praises God for who He is, for His great wonders, for rescuing His people, for fighting on their behalf, for remembering them in their struggles, and for meeting their needs. In all of Israel’s highs and lows, God’s love was with them.

Maybe you don’t feel joyful today. Things in your life are heavy and hard. I get it. And maybe you’re having a difficult time believing God loves you. You’ve made some pretty big messes that you think make you unlovable. I want to assure you, on the authority of God’s Word and my own experience, Joy and love are for you too. This Joy isn’t dependent on your circumstances. It is the by-product of a relationship with God. And the love of God has nothing to do with who you are or how well you behave. God loves you because it’s who He is.

Beloved, if you need a word of hope today, rest your weary heart in this: you are dearly loved and that is cause for Joy.