A Faith That Can't Be Tested...Is a Faith That Can't Be Trusted!

I ran across an amusing story about the first Duke of Wellington. An inventor was trying to interest him in a bulletproof waistcoat he had made. It was absolutely marvelous; and could save the great man’s life if somebody tried to assassinate him. The Iron Duke asked the man to put it on, and he examined it carefully, and then, to give it a test, he sent for a rifleman - but the inventor bolted out of the other door!

Faith. This is definitely "where the rubber meets the road," as the saying goes. In Genesis, chapter 22, and in Hebrews 11:17, we find the top three tests of faith in the life of Abraham. Satan tempts to bring out the bad, but God tests to bring out the good. Although personally, I would rather be exempt from tests, a faith that cannot be tested is a faith that cannot be trusted.

Genesis 21, tells us that Abraham was asked to send away his son Ishmael. Galatians 4 tells us that Ishmael represented the world and the works of the flesh. “Just as the flesh was mocking the Spirit then, so it is today.” We will never give God our Isaac's until we have sent away our Ishmael's. I like the way that sounds!

We all can agree that God has the right to ask us to give up the bad, but we never expect him to require of us the good. It is a test between two loves. Abraham loved Isaac and God. Please note there are three big tests of our faith. They are as follows:

1) Can You Trust God with the Possessions He Has Given You? Abraham was a hundred years old when Isaac was born. Can you trust God with your possessions? Sometimes we say we are willing to give up everything for the Lord, but are we willing to give it up to the Lord?

There’s a big difference between giving up something for the Lord and giving it to the Lord. God had given Abraham a priceless possession and then asked for it back. It was the test of Abraham’s faith because he loved both Isaac and God. It is not enough to give God a place in our life, or prominence, or priority. God wants to have preeminence.

Is there anyone, anything, or any blessing that we love more than God? Is it possible that Abraham was beginning to love the blessing more than the Blesser, the gift more than the Giver? Was his world now getting more wrapped up in Isaac than the One who gave Isaac in the first place? The test is somewhere along life’s journey when God will ask us to give some blessings back to Him. Can we trust Him with our possessions?

2) Can You Trust God with His Purposes for You? Not only did God give Abraham a possession, but He gave him a purpose. “With Isaac there is a purpose, and through him the nations will be blessed.” Understanding and doing the will of God requires three simple steps—finding, following and finishing the will of God.

The opposite of obedience is disobedience. Faith is not simply obeying in spite of the evidence; it is obeying in spite of the consequences. It is obeying whether or not we understand the purpose. This was the first time God had ever asked for human sacrifice. It was no doubt perplexing to Abraham, because only the heathens and pagans made human sacrifices. 

Sometimes we offer sacrifices for which God is not asking. We need to have an informed and intentional obedience. A lot of people who plan to obey only procrastinate. As soon as we move into procrastination, however, we are automatically in disobedience. Abraham was beginning to walk in the direction that God had planned for him. His was informed, intentional, immediate obedience. 

You don’t see Abraham whining all the way to the top of the mountain. In fact, when Isaac said, “We have the wood, the fire and the knife, but where is the sacrifice,” Abraham said, “God will provide for the sacrifice.” He was speaking faith into the heart of his son. Can we trust God with the possessions He has given, and can we trust Him with the purpose He has for us? 

3) Can You Trust God with the Promises He has Spoken to You? God said to Abraham years earlier, “You are going to have a son. It’s going to happen.” Did it happen the next day, or during the next ten years? No, but one day Isaac was born in fulfillment of God’s promise. 

Further God said, “Not only are you going to have a son; all the world will be blessed through your son Isaac and his descendants.” That was the promise God had given Abraham. Jesus said about Abraham, “He saw My day, and he rejoiced.” Abraham saw it on Mount Moriah. That’s where God gave him a vision of the Messiah Who one day would take away the sins of the world.  

In conclusion today, can you trust the promises of God even when the circumstances of life do not add up? Can you believe that God has a way to keep His Word? On life’s journey, you may face many problems, sicknesses, and disappointments – but God will still keep His promises. He spoke to Abraham for the third time; Abraham recognized the voice of God, and said, “Here I am.” It is important that we know the voice of God.

Scripture: Romans 10:17; Hebrews 11:6; Matthew 21:22; Ephesians 2:8-9; Luke 1:37; Ephesians 2:8; Hebrews 11:1; 1 Corinthians 2:5

Prayer: Dear Lord, grant me the strength to get through today. Grant me your wisdom to handle situations I cannot control. Amen

God loves you!

Olivia

Use Your Gifts to Share God with Others

"We have nothing to do with how much ability we've got, or how little, but with what we do with what we have. The man with great talent is apt to be puffed up, and the man with little (talent) to belittle the little. Poor fools! God gives it, much or little. Our part is to be faithful, doing the level best with every bit and scrap. And we will be if Jesus' spirit controls."    -S.D. Gordon, The Bent-knee Time

What if I told you that it is well within the abilities of every person reading this today to do something truly outstanding for Christ’s kingdom. Some of you would probably say, "Yeah, right!" But, I am here to tell you that it is true! In fact, I’d like to present to you the life of one man in the Bible who seems not to have had many talents. In fact, I doubt he thought he had any talents, and, to be truthful, I can only see one talent. But oh what a talent! It is a talent that you too possess, whether you realize it or not!

Very little is known of this man from the scriptures although he was one of the original 12 disciples. At every turn he seems to have been over-shadowed by his more outgoing and multi-talented brother. Who is this person? It’s Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother!

Andrew, like his more famous brother, Peter, was a fisherman from Capernaum in Galilee. But he must have taken some time off from the fishing business from time to time to pursue his interest in spiritual matters. For, when we first meet Andrew in the Bible, he is already a disciple of John the Baptist. Andrew is in the crowd one day when John points to Jesus passing by and says, “Look, the Lamb of God!” And so, interested and intrigued, Andrew follows Jesus to find out more about him (John 1:35-40).

Now, I don’t know what all took place that evening in the home where Jesus was staying, but it must have been some discussion, because later on those two disciples even remembered the very hour that it took place. “It was about the tenth hour,” (or about 4:00 P.M. by our method of counting time).

It was a very significant hour for Andrew—an hour of decision, an hour of opportunity, and an hour that was to change his life forever. Whatever it was that was said, Andrew came away with the conviction that he had found the Messiah he had been looking for!

I want you to notice that, because of that conviction on the part of Andrew, every time we meet him in the Scripture he is bringing someone to meet his Messiah. That's Andrew’s one talent, and that's the talent within the ability of everyone reading this message today—the ability to introduce people to Jesus!

Certainly, others were brought to Jesus by someone else. Nathanael was sitting under a fig tree one day when Phillip came to him and said, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. … Come and see.” (John 1:45-46). But all John the Baptist had to do was point Jesus out; Andrew had to find out for himself.

Now, there may be some where you live, and some even in your church who need to do some personal investigating of the claims of Christ, and some searching of their own hearts and minds. It may not be as easy for some to come to the same point of acceptance and obedience as Andrew, but it is equally necessary for all.

It’s easier for some to become a Christian, than for others. Those who were raised in a Christian home for instance. But what about a Jewish man or woman, what about someone who is a Mormon, or Islamic, or Muslim? It’s very hard for them to become a Christian.

Family members who are still of their giving religion will deter them with all their heart, and many of those who come to Christ anyway feel like they are betraying their family. But, praise God that many go ahead and make that decision for Christ even though it is tremendously hard for them.

Andrew evidently considered the privilege of being a follower of Jesus as a gift from God to be shared with others. He is a good example of a basic principle of Christianity—that everyone who comes to Christ should bring others.

Maybe you can't preach, or sing, or teach, or play a musical instrument; but you can speak a word about Jesus to a friend or neighbor. Perhaps you can write a letter of comfort, or encouragement to one who is in need. You may not be able to do everything, but (like any one of us) you can do something.

Scripture: 1 Peter 4:10; Romans 12:6; 1 Peter 4:10-11; Colossians 3:23-25; Matthew 25:29; 2 Timothy 1:6; John 3:16-17

Prayer: Dear Father, please let what I do make a difference in the world. Amen

May God bless you always,

Amy Lynn

What Is God's Answer to Evil, Suffering, and Death?

"If you could kick the person responsible for most of your troubles in the backside, you wouldn't be able to sit down for two weeks!"   -Bits and Pieces, December 1990

Jesus said in John 16:33 that in this life, there will be trouble. But why? Why these side effects? Why is there suffering and evil and pain? That “why” question goes back thousands of years. It was asked in the Old Testament by Job and the writers of the Psalms, and it was especially relevant during the 20th century, where we witnessed two World Wars, the Holocaust, devastating famines in Africa, the killing fields of Cambodia, the emergence of AIDS, the genocide in Rwanda, the ethnic cleansing of Kosovo, and so on up to the present. Why all of this if there’s a loving and powerful God? Why do bad things happen to good people?

In a USA survey,  people were asked what question they’d ask if they could only ask God one thing. The Number One response was: “Why is there suffering in the world?” If you've never asked why our world is infected with pain, suffering and evil, you will when they strike you with full force, or come to a loved one. And I really wish I could stand in the shoes of God and completely answer the question, but obviously I can’t.

First Corinthians 13:12 says that on this side of heaven, we only see things dimly, because we can’t understand everything from our finite perspective. However, one thing is very clear: God is not the creator of evil and suffering. This answers the question you hear so often: “Why didn't God merely create a world where suffering and evil didn't exist?” The answer is: He did. Genesis 1:31 says: “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.”

But if God is not the author of pain or evil or death, where did they come from? Well, God decided to give human beings free will, which is necessary if we are to be able to express love to God and to each other. Real love must involve a choice. Unfortunately, we humans have abused our free will by rejecting God and walking away from Him. And that has resulted in the introduction of two kinds of evil into the world: “moral evil” and “natural evil.” 

Moral evil is the immorality and pain and suffering that comes because we choose to be selfish, arrogant, uncaring, hateful, and abusive. And Romans 3:23 says “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Some have estimated that 95 percent of the world’s suffering results from the sin of ourselves or others. For example, people look at a famine and wonder where God is, but the world produces enough food for each person to have 3,000 calories a day. It’s our own irresponsibility and self-centeredness that prevents people from getting fed.

In other words: look at your hand. You can choose to use that hand to hold a gun and shoot someone, or you can use it to feed hungry people. It’s your choice. But it’s unfair to shoot someone and then blame God for the existence of evil and suffering. Like that old cartoon said: “We have seen the enemy, and he is us.”

The second kind of evil is called “natural evil” — these are things like earthquakes, tornadoes, and hurricanes that cause suffering. But these, too, are the result of sin being allowed into the world. As one author explained: “When we humans told God to shove off, He partially honored our request. Nature began to revolt. The earth was cursed. Genetic breakdown and disease began. Pain and death became part of the human experience.”

Genesis 3:18 says it’s because of sin that nature was corrupted and “thorns and thistles” entered the world. Romans 8:22 says, “For we know that up to the present time all of creation groans with pain like the pain of childbirth.” Nature longs for redemption to come and for things to be set right. That’s the source of disorder and chaos.

Let me clarify this: God did not create evil, suffering and death! Now, it’s true that He did create the potential for evil to enter the world, because that was the only way to create the potential for genuine goodness and love. But it was human beings, in our free will, who brought that potential evil into reality.

Some people ask, “Couldn't God have foreseen all of this?” And no doubt He did. But look at it this way: many of you are parents. Even before you had children, couldn't you foresee that there was the very real possibility they may suffer disappointment or pain or heartache in life, or that they might even hurt you and walk away from you? Of course — but you still had kids. Why? Because you knew there was also the potential for tremendous joy and deep love and great meaning.

And it’s the same with God. He knew we’d rebel against Him, but He also knew many people would choose to follow Him and spend eternity in heaven with Him — and that it was all worth it for that, even though it would cost His own Son great pain to achieve their redemption.

When the storms of life hit us hard, He offers us the two very things we need when we’re hurting: peace to deal with our present, and courage to deal with our future. You see, God’s ultimate answer to suffering isn't an explanation; it’s the incarnation.

Suffering is a personal problem; it demands a personal response. And God isn't some distant, detached, and disinterested deity; He entered into our world and into our pain. We are not alone in our suffering. As one philosopher said, "Jesus is there, sitting beside us in the lowest places of our lives."

Scripture: Romans 5:3-5; James 1:2-4; 1 Peter 5:10; Revelation 21:4; John 16:33;  Isaiah 43:2; Psalm 34:19; Jeremiah 29:11

Prayer: Dear Father, please give me the wisdom to know that the best success comes after being disappointed. Amen

Have a blessed day,

Patti

Don't Despair, There Is Still Time To Change Your Life!

"We master our minutes, or we become slaves to them; we use time, or time uses us."    -Source Unknown

Langston Hughes, poet of the Harlem Renaissance, spoke out of the frustration of a people who had been waiting for the dream of freedom to come true. He suggested that when you do not get what you earnestly want and desperately need, either that frustration dries you up, shrivels you; or it creates a boiling rage.

What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun? Or does it just explode? Where are you are in your life? What is to be done about good intentions, never fulfilled? Those ambitions, never completed? What about all those dreams of what you could become and what you might make of your life? 

Somewhere around the year 600 B.C., the people of Judah woke up to a day of enormous frustration. They had planned so many wonderful things. They had thought they were on the edge of tremendous national prosperity. They had a fine king, Josiah, who had rebuilt the Temple, had refocused the people, and had energized the nation. 

But one horrible day, at Megiddo, Josiah and Judah’s army marched out to intercept Necho, the Egyptian pharaoh, on his way to do battle with Babylon. On that day, that terrible day, the dreams of the people of Judah were dashed, as on the plain of Megiddo King Josiah lay dying, his army crushed. 

Bad as that was, only a short time later, at Carchemish, another battle, this time with Egypt defeated, but the Babylonians stepping in to take over. Judah, with its bright hopes and its worthy ambitions, was now a vassal of Babylon. Defeated. Dried up like the raisin in the sun.

The prophet Jeremiah reports their plaintive cry: “The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.” Jeremiah, they said, it’s late! We had such high hopes, such fantastic dreams for ourselves! But it’s late! “The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.”

Can you feel that in your own life? You've done part of your education, but you didn't do all that well – and if you don’t get into gear right now you will never have the grades for college. “The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.”

Maybe you’re a parent, and suddenly you see that that child of yours is not a child anymore. Others influence him; there are other sources for her mind to draw on. If you are going to shape that character and guide that heart, it may be too late. “The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.”

Perhaps you’re a man or a woman of a good many years, and you recognize that you have come to a stage in life where there just isn't plenty of time anymore. What is the word of the Lord for those of us who feel as though our dreams have petered out and our visions clouded over, for we are near the end of the summer’s warmth and feel the first chill winds of decline just ahead?

If you and I are living with dried-up dreams and flattened visions, let's not expect God to do for us what we have not been willing to do for ourselves. If we have not been willing to pay the price of disciplined loyalty to our God, He does not reward faithlessness.

We  know what Jeremiah could only dimly perceive – for you and I are on this side of Calvary. We know that even God has His hopes dashed, time and again; even the Creator of heaven and earth cannot see His work completed, but must watch His dreams dry up like raisins in the sun. But, we also know that in Jesus Christ, and at His cross, that same God has paid the price for our deliverance and is doing whatever it takes to bring us back to Himself.

If the harvest be past, the summer ended, and we are not saved – if there are so many things we wanted to do for the Kingdom but did not do – then take heart. Pay the price of discipline and faithfulness and take heart, for “the great physician now is here, the sympathizing Jesus. He speaks the wounded heart to cheer, Oh praise the name of Jesus!” 

There is still time to respond; there is new life; there is something more we can be, even at this late date. For because of the empty tomb, I tell you, there is a balm in Gilead, to make the wounded whole; there is a physician there, to heal the sin-sick soul.

Scripture: Psalm 90:12; Proverbs 16:9; Mark 13:32; James 4:13-15; Jeremiah 29:11; Psalm 39:5-6; Matthew 24:32-33

Prayer: Dear Father, please help me today. I have much to do and very little time. I fear that I may make the wrong decisions and complicate things. Please give me the wisdom to make the right decisions and the strength to follow them through. Amen  

God bless you, 

Darla

Saturday Scripture Gold with Bibi: Does God Fit Into Your Plans?

Hudson Taylor had definite convictions about how God's work should be done. We can make our best plans and try to carry them out in our own strength. Or we can make careful plans and ask God to bless them. "Yet another way of working is to begin with God; to ask His plans, and to offer ourselves to Him to carry out His purposes."     -W. Wiersbe, Wycliffe Handbook of Preaching and Preachers, p. 243

It's too easy for Christians to make plans and set goals, expecting God to fall in line behind them. It's also easy to plan our lives as if we controlled the future and had unlimited authority over the factors that affect our life. And so, in reality we do plan our lives as if God does not exist. Holding on to that thought, this week, I thought that I'd like to speak against the danger of self-centered planning.

Worldly living is not displayed only by a disbelief in God, sometimes it’s apparent in the disregarding of God as we plan our life and our daily activities. We so want things our way that we harshly criticize and strike out at any one or thing that seems to be standing in our way. This leads to a life of self-will instead of God’s will. But, life should be lived in seeking and submitting to God’s will.

Look at it this way, if we don’t humble ourselves and repent toward God, as is commanded in James 4:7-10, we grow in stubborn pride which is revealed in the denouncing of others. Correct? And, is not judging and criticizing others always easier than to judge oneself and repent? The unrepentant Christians James addressed, calling them brethren (James 4:11), spent far too much time criticizing others than critiquing themselves.

To speak against (evil to) one another reflects fault finding, harsh criticism and attacking behind backs that too often has characterized some Christian people. Slander is critical speech intended to inflame others against the person being criticized. For Christians to malign other believers is a living contradiction of the close family ties which should bind us together. Peter taught Christians that when the truth about a brother is harmful, one should cover it in love rather than repeat it in criticism (1 Peter 4:8).

James gave two compelling reasons to refrain from harshness toward other believers. First, to disparage a brother finds fault with God’s law. The royal law insists that believers love one another (James 2:8). To slander a brother is to attack the king of all laws which insists that we are to love our brother as we love ourselves. This person says they know more than God and places his judgment above the law, judging it instead of following it.

The second argument for refraining fault finding speech is given in verse 12. There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and to destroy; but who are you who judge your neighbor? Only God has the sovereign right to make His laws and carry out His judgments. He allows no human being to share this role.

A slanderous judging Christian attempts to supplant God’s place. God is the only one who knows the heart, perfectly understands the situation, and stands equipped to correctly decide. How can finite, sinful individuals attempt to play the role of God?

Dear friends, the point that I am try to make here is this: God wants us to avoid acts of disobedience to His Will. He also wants us to do His revealed Will (Matthew 25: 14-30). As Christians we must plan our lives in full commitment to the will and plans of God. We must not avoid such important practices as Bible reading, helping the needy, and sharing our faith. God wants His people to live with a conscious commitment to follow His will.

We are to seek and obey the Will of God in all our plans. Doing the Will of God demands an active listening and sensitivity to God’s Word for God’s goals and plans. We must plan for the future, but we must plan with a deliberate seeking of the Will of God. We do not ask God to submit His plans for our approval but we obey His will unconditionally.

James reminds us that life’s unpredictability is one reason not to put too much stock in our plans. Instead, he pointed to a course of action that follows God’s master plan, not business trends. James said we must submit our goals to God , value people more than money, and patiently wait for spiritual investments to be rewarded.

Remember this, It is wrong to presumptuously ignore God’s will by living as though God and His will do not exist. James 4:16 addresses those who, while acknowledging that God exists and has a will, nevertheless arrogantly reject God’s will. But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil.

Therefore, what are you planning to do today? Tomorrow? Where does God fit into your plans? What can you do that will have eternal impact? The best plans begin and end with God.

Scripture: Proverbs 3:5-6; Psalm 119:105; Romans 8:28; Luke 18:27; Colossians 3:16;  Luke 13:24; Romans 3:10

Now, let's pray...

O Father, give us the humility which realizes its ignorance, admits its mistakes, recognizes its need, welcomes advice, accepts rebuke. Help us always to praise rather than to criticize, to sympathize rather than to discourage, to build rather than to destroy, and to think of people at their best rather than at their worst. This we ask for in thy name's sake. Amen

Until next time...

Have a blessed week!

Bibi

Bible Study Snacks, Acts 26:1-26

Hi, everyone!

Happy Friday, and welcome back to Bible Study Snacks! I hope everyone had a nice week. It's great to be here with you again! As always, I thank you so much for joining me as we walk together through the richness of God's spoken word, and wisdom. I pray that today finds you in good health and strong in faith!

This week, I would like to continue our study of the Book of Acts, with Chapter Twenty-six, Verses 1-26.

I have designed these studies to be brief, yet packed full of good information for everyone regardless of your level of biblical knowledge. I might add that these quick studies make perfect small group discussion starters, as well!

As always, I whole-heartedly believe in the importance that any Bible study should begin with prayer. If you have your Bible ready, let's pray together...

"Heavenly father, please guide us as we study your Word today; I pray that our hearts and our minds will be open so that we will not only receive your Gospel, but learn from it as well; you are the Light of the world, Lord, and your Spirit will illuminate our path as we journey through your teachings. In the name of Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Savior. Amen"

If you are taking notes for yourself, or using this for a bible study with others, here are the objectives for this week's lesson...

OBJECTIVES: This week, the reader will...

 1) Consider Paul's defense before King Agrippa.

For your convenience, here is a summary of Acts 26:1-26...  

Paul went before King Agrippa and made his defense. In the beginning, Paul reviewed his life as a Jew - before his conversion. King Agrippa gave Paul permission to speak for himself. Paul began by acknowledging that Agrippa was an "expert" in the Jewish customs and questions concerning the Jews.

Paul told of his former life as a Jew/Pharisee. Paul had spent his early life in Jerusalem - all the Jews knew this. He was a member of the strictest sect, the Pharisees. Paul noted that he was being judged for the "hope of the promise made by God to our fathers." Paul reiterated that this was the core of the accusation - this "hope." Paul asked Agrippa, "Why should it be thought incredible by you that God raises the dead?"

Paul then stated that he originally thought he should act contrary to Jesus. He cast Christians into prison, voted for their deaths, punished them, compelled them to blaspheme; he even persecuted them to foreign cities. Paul then told of the Lord's appearance on the road to Damascus. While Paul was engaged in persecuting Christians, he journeyed toward Damascus.

At midday, a bright light shone on him and his companions. They all fell to the ground. The Lord spoke to Paul in the Hebrew language. The Lord identified Himself as Jesus. The Lord told Paul of the purpose of His appearing: to make him a minister and witness of the things he had seen and of the things that would be revealed to him. Paul was sent by the Lord to the Gentiles, to open their eyes - that they may receive forgiveness of sins.

Paul told Agrippa that he had to be obedient to the heavenly vision. He declared the Gospel in Damascus, Jerusalem, Judea, and then to the Gentiles. Paul told the Gentiles to "repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance." He said for these things the Jews seized him at the temple and tried to kill him. He recognized that God had helped him to that very time.

Paul only preached those things which the prophets and Moses had said would come to pass: that Christ would suffer; that Christ would be the first to rise from the dead; and, that He would proclaim light to the Jews and Gentiles.

Festus then interrupted Paul. He interjected at Paul's defense with a loud voice. He said, "Paul, you are beside yourself! Much learning is driving you mad!" Paul replied, "I am not mad, most noble Festus, but speak words of truth and reason." He pointed out that Agrippa knew of these things. Paul further noted that none of these things had been "done in a corner."  (1-26)

REVIEW QUESTIONS:

1) What did Paul indicate that King Agrippa was "expert" in? (Acts 26:3)
2) In what city did Paul state that from his youth he spent with his own nation? (Acts 26:4)
3) What sect had Paul been a part?  What word did he use to describe it? (Acts 26:5)
4) What did Paul say he was being judged for? (Acts 26:6)
5) [Fill in the blank] "Why should it be thought ___________ by you that God raises the dead?" (Acts 26:8)
6) List some of the things that Paul did "contrary to the name of Jesus." (Acts 26:9-12)
7) What did Paul see on the road to Damascus? What time of day? How bright was it? (Acts 26:12-13)
8) After falling to the ground, what language did the Lord speak to Paul? (Acts 26:14)
9) What did the voice ask Paul? (Acts 26:14)
10) Who did the voice say he was? (Acts 26:15)
11) Why did the Lord appear to Paul? (Acts 26:16)
12) To whom (what people) was Paul sent? (Acts 26:17)
13) What was Paul to do for these people?  For what purpose? (Acts 26:18)
14) What did Paul declare that they should do? (Acts 26:19-20)
15) Because of his obedience to that heavenly vision, what did the Jews do to Paul? (Acts 26:21)
16) How was Paul able to stand before Agrippa that day? (Acts 26:22)
17) What 3 things did Paul say in accordance with the prophets and Moses? (Acts 26:22-23)
18) What did Festus say to Paul at this point? (Acts 26:24)
19) How did Paul respond to Festus? (Acts 26:25)
20) Where were all of these things NOT done? (Acts 26:26)

After completing this week's study, I encourage you to go back and read through the material again. Take your time and read each topic and scripture reference as many times as you feel necessary. Keep in mind that by doing this, you just might see something new that you overlooked the first time around!

As we journey through the Bible together, I will continue to pray that God’s message will come through to you loud and crystal clear. Until next time, I wish everyone a blessed week!

God bless you!  

Sheri

Are YOU Where God Wants You to Be?

Peter T. Forsyth (Scottish theologian) was right when he said, "The first duty of every soul is to find not its freedom, but its Master."   -Warren W. Wiersbe, The Integrity Crisis, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1991, p. 22

In 1 Kings 17:1-7,  Elijah is brought from obscurity and set front and center upon the stage of history. God takes a man who is an absolute nobody and He uses him to shake the throne and the nation of Israel. You see, Israel was in the grip of the pagan worship of the Phoenician god, Baal.

Baal was the god of fertility. When the sun rose high into the sky, his followers believed they were seeing his face. When the great thunder heads rolled into the sky, his followers believed they were about to receive the blessings of Baal in the form of rain for the earth. Baal worship was a sensual, wicked orgy of the flesh and God hated it to its core!

When God allowed Elijah to stand before king Ahab and boldly say there will be no rain, it was a divine challenge! By the way, it was Ahab’s wife, Jezebel, who was promoting Baal worship among the people of Israel. Yet, when this challenge was issued, God was telling Israel, “I will teach you Who is really God. It is Jehovah and I will prove it by cutting off the rain and there is nothing you, nor your god can do about it.”

As soon as Elijah stands before the king and issues God’s challenge, he is immediately told to go and hide himself by the brook Cherith. The word Cherith means, “to cut down, or to cut off”. God tells Elijah that just as quickly as He placed him before men, He will just as quickly remove him from view. Elijah is told to go to Cherith, which incidentally means “to cut off or to cut down."

According to verse 1 Kings 17:4, God has plans for Elijah when he gets “there”. After being at Cherith for a time, the Bible tells us the brook of water at that place dried up. Then, Elijah is told to go to Zarepath, which incidentally, is in Jezebel’s old stomping grounds. God promises the prophet that He has arranged for Elijah’s needs to be met “there” as well. When Elijah arrives at the brook and when he arrives at the widow’s house, he will be “there." When he gets “there," he is assured of the Lord’s blessings and provision.

I want to ask you this question: Are YOU there? You say, “Where is there?” I would answer you by saying that for Elijah, “there” was a brook and later a widow’s house. For Noah, “there” was an Ark. For Daniel, “there” was a prayer room that led to a lion’s den. For the three Hebrew boys, “there” was a fiery furnace. For Ruth, “there” was a field owed by Boaz. For David, “there” was the throne of Israel. For Paul, “there” was a prison cell. For Jesus, “there” was a cross.

In other words, “there” is that place in your life that finds you where God has placed you. “There” is His perfect will for your life! When you get “there," you will know it! When you aren't “there”, you will know it also!

When you get “there”, there are some things you will find out about that place. From this great chapter, I want to point out some truths about that place called “there”. I want to ask you again, “Are you there?” If you aren’t, I want to encourage you to find “there," get “there” and stay “there”. Let’s look together at what the Bible teaches us about being “there."

In 1 Kings 17:4, 9, we learn that "there" is a place of promise. God promised Elijah that the ravens would feed him “there”, by that brook. He is told that a widow woman “there” in Zarephath has been commanded to sustain him! When Elijah went “there” as the Lord commanded, he found out that the Lord was as good as His Word!

When you get “there” you will discover that God always does what He promises He will do! He is a God Who keeps all His promises (Romans 4:21; Hebrews 6:18). God is as good as His Word (Psalm 138:2). He will keep His promises whether you and I ever get “there” or not.

But, those who have arrived at their “there” are in a position to see Him do “exceedingly, abundantly, above all we can ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20)! Those who are “there” will see more than those who aren't! When God puts you “there”, He will take care of you “there”!

In verses 6, 15-16, we learn that "there" is a place of provision. When Elijah got “there”, the ravens flew in right on time every morning and evening with his meals. When he arrived at the widow’s house, he saw the Lord suspend the very laws of nature to provide for his needs and for the needs of that widow’s family! When you get “there” in your own life, you will find that the God Who promises is also the God Who can bring it to pass! (Matthew 6:25-33; Philippians 4:19)!

In verses 4, 9, "there" is a place of providence. When he arrived “there” Elijah was reminded that God is a God Who is at work on both ends of time! Notice in verses 4 and 9, before He commanded the prophet to go to Cherith or Zarephath, He had already commanded the ravens and the widow!

In other words, before there was a need in Elijah’s life, God had already taken care of supplying that need. Those who go with God and find their “there” soon come to understand that they are serving a God who is not bound by the limits of time and space. He transcends both!

Verses 9, 15-16, 22 show us that "there" is a place of power. Because Elijah was “there,” he got to see the ravens bringing his meat and bread. He got to see the meal barrel and the cruse of oil supplying the widow, her son and the prophet for many months. He got to see the Lord raise a dead child back to life.

Something, by that way, that had never happened before! He got to see the power of God manifested before His very eyes, all because he was “there.” When you get “there,” and stay “there,” you will be in a position to see His power manifested in your life as well.

Many people live out their entire Christian lives and never experience His manifested power. Why? They never get “there.” Being “there” will sometimes place you in a situation that is out of your control. But, I will remind you that when life is out of your control, it is well within His. Those who are “there” will experience the power of God!

Verses 3, 9 tell us that "there" is a place of protection. Because of what took place, Elijah was a wanted man. Chapter 18 finds Ahab searching everywhere for the prophet (1 Kings 18:10-11). But, because Elijah was “there”, he was in a place of safety and divine protection. Even in Zarephath, Jezebel’s backyard, Elijah was as safe as a baby in its bed. Why? Because He was “there” and he was under divine protection.

Finally, In verses 9, 15-16, 22 we see "that" there is a place of privilege. By being “there”, Elijah learned more about God and His power than he could have anywhere else! Being “there” was no doubt hard at times, any step of faith is! But, it was the best place he could have ever been because it afforded the man of God an opportunity to watch God work and to see God do things firsthand.

Sure, God’s path for your life may lead you through some treacherous waters, but until you go with God and watch Him do the impossible in your life, how will you ever know what He can do for you?

In conclusion, are you “there?” Have you reached that place in your life where you can honestly say, “I am in the will of God. I am where He wants me to be?” Some folks get “there” and they see the Lord move in power and glory. They get to see the miracles and they see the Lord move in remarkable ways.

Others never arrive “there” and they wonder why they don’t see the Lord move in their lives in power and glory. The secret to seeing His glory and experiencing His best is no secret at all. All it requires is getting “there!” So I ask you,  "Are you “there?"

Scripture: Romans 6:16; 2 Corinthians 2:9; Hebrews 5:9; Titus 3:1; John 14:23; Proverbs 3:5; Job 36:11

Prayer: Dear Father, thank you for hearing my prayer. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to learn and understand that for everything that happens there is a reason. Help me understand that I must not question why things happen but to accept that it did and learn how to move forward even in the face of despair. Amen

May God bless you always,

Claudia