We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,

Acts 14

After reading 2 Corinthians about Paul's hardships and again in Acts 14 the hardships he shared with Barnabas, I believe I am beginning to see the role of hardships in our lives. I am working through a spiritual formation workbook and the key tenet of the workbook is that there are several "traditions" of our faith that form our spiritual foundation and God desires us to be balanced among them.  For example, one of the traditions we should aspire to be adept at is the "holiness tradition" which of course is for us to be more pure of heart, mind, body and spirit - to be more like Christ.  For me this implies a sense of hardship in that we are to deny ourselves perhaps earthly desires in a quest to build a stronger desire for heavenly desires and a desire for Him.  So I see truth in Paul's statement:

"We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God..."

My Prayer: Lord, YOU are the most holy of holy and that You could be both human and God is amazing.  That You died for me personally is amazing and I am in awe of how great and gracious you are.  I throw myself at Your feet as I don't feel worthy for your love but I know I have it.  Forgive me for my ongoing anger at work and help me focus on you, your love for me and help me be more like you.

My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

2 Corinthians 12

As Paul boasts about his weaknesses in this chapter, I gain key insights about Christ's power which are desperately needed by me at this time.  In response to Paul's desire to have God remove the thorn from his side, The Lord replies:

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

As I struggle with work stress, I turn to anger and anger is not desired by God so I plead with God that He forgive me for my anger.  At the same time, I plead for God to take away my anger, yet perhaps he won't.  Maybe I need to continue to have anger issues as my thorn in my side so that I can continue to lean on God and seek peace in His power.

My Prayer: Lord, please give me insight into your desire for my anger - is this my thorn in my side or will you remove this thorn in my side.  Please either way help me with my anger issues - at least help me understand how You will use all of this for your glory.

So they shook the dust off their feet...

Acts 13

For those following my posts, you may find it odd that I have jumped from Psalms to Acts.  I do so because I have now started attending BSF here in Raleigh and find it a blessing for myself and a blessing for Zach with whom I go.  I am encouraged that through a shared experience of the bible that Zach's interest in reading and knowing God's word has grown.  We study together father and son.

BSF this year is studying Acts and this week the start of the study is from Acts 13.  This chapter is of course filled with many words that speak to me but probably the words the speak to me most prominently are:

So they shook the dust off their feet as a warning to them and went to Iconium. ⁵² And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit. 

I see encouragement here - encouragement in the sense that while Saul (Paul) and Barnabas are expelled from Antioch in Pisidia,  "they shook the dust off their feet as a warning to them and went to Iconium".  This language struck me as odd and I found the following.  While the reference I found talks about this as an act of separation from the Jews who rejected the good news, I see this as a sign of encouragement because Saul and Barnabas, despite the fact that the Jews in Antioch in Pisidia rejected the good news, Saul and Barnabas were strong enough in their faith to move on...and even more so it said the "disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit"!  They moved on flourished!


The question and challenge is clear: is my faith strong enough to be challenged (not just in my faith but in all areas of life)  to the point where Saul and Barnabas were challenged and can I go on and flourish as they did?

This is certainly my prayer.

My Prayer: Lord, You are an awesome God and the good news about You - the gospel of Christ and all that it offers - is so powerful that it cannot be contained nor cannot be stopped.  For You I am thankful.  I am also thankful for how Your power has transformed my life in ways too many to mention.  Yet at the same time, I am weak...I am weak in many areas of my walk, including prayer, evangelism and other ways.  Lord, please forgive me for my weakness and imbalance in these areas.  Help me submit to You to be developed in these areas and help me truly develop to be the disciple You desire me to be - despite whatever earthly discouragement I might encounter.

Blessed are those who have regard for the weak; the LORD delivers them in times of trouble.

Psalm 41

Blessed are those who have regard for the weak;
   the LORD delivers them in times of trouble.  (verse 1)

A dictionary review of "regard" indicates: "thoughtful and sympathetic regard".  This causes me to expand my view of weak to include anyone worthy of sympathy.  Isn't everyone worthy of sympathy?

My Prayer: Indeed as I read yesterday I continue to marvel in the wonders You have done for me Lord - how great You are!  I am blessed beyond what I deserve and then some.  Forgive me for the hardness of my heart towards others, in particular at work.  Please help me see everyone as You do - that everyone is worthy of not only sympathy but of course love.  Help me Love everyone as You intend.  Please transform my heart and my life in this area.

Many, LORD my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us.

Psalm 40

As David praises God here I become present to many thoughts:
(1) I have recently experienced a stressful period from which God has pulled me out

¹ I waited patiently for the LORD;
   he turned to me and heard my cry.
² He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
   out of the mud and mire; 

Although it is questionable whether I was patient, God DID lift me out of the slimy pit.

(2) I am clear how God blesses me and it IS too numerous to count

Many, LORD my God,
   are the wonders you have done,
   the things you planned for us. 

The question of course in my mind is to whom David is referring to when he references"us" and "the wonders you have done".   Perhaps David is speaking as King of Israel and for his kingdom and for sure there was much God did for Israel.

For me, I KNOW for sure the wonders God has done for me ARE MANY and I have also witnessed the greatness and wisdom of God's perfect plan as He has used all things in my life for good.

My Prayer: Lord, Your wonders in my life are many and truly amazing - I stand in awe of You as the song goes.  Yet I know I have miles to go to draw closer to You in my desire to be more like You.  Forgive me Lord for my weakness and my sin and help me stay present to the many blessings You have provided in my life and how real You are in my life.  Help me focus on Your love for me, for me to love You, and for me to love others, and for me to be man you intend me to be.

“Show me, LORD, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is.

Psalm 39

I was struck this week by an article about Steve Jobs that indicated in the final weeks prior to his death, he expressed regret that he had not spent more time with his children.  Similarly, I have been thinking over the past several months, that I must be living my life with a certain amount of urgency to live the life God intends for me.  And on a related note, I must with urgency be the head of my household - as a dad and a husband - that God intends for me.  My family's lives are at a stake - there is literally a war for their souls and I must fight for their faith.

So today's reading in Psalm39 strikes a chord - verse 4 as David expresses:

“Show me, LORD, my life’s end
   and the number of my days;
   let me know how fleeting my life is. 

I need to be continuously reminded of how fleeting my days are so I can live life with the end in mind, and to be the man God intends me to be.

My Prayer: Lord, you have SAVED me.  Oh how awesome a God You are!  My heart and life have been transformed and this is ONLY through You Lord Jesus!  I am not who want you to be or who you intend me to be as I am weak - and I pray for your protection from Satan, and for strength that only You can provide.  Bring me strength Lord and help me be the man you intend me to be.

Come quickly to help me, my Lord and my Savior.

Psalm 38

I often think that I don't need protection. I don't face physical harm...and I don't feel as if I have any enemies.  So when I read this Psalm from David (and many others like this), I don't feel like God is talking to me and I move on.  Yet today, as I begin to emerge from the shadows of a dark valley where I have been for the past several weeks, I am clear that I DO need protection.

I need protection from my own thoughts that form as a result of Satan's attacks and Satan's desire to separate me from God.

It is true from pastor Scott's sermon that true rest can only be found in Him.

I found solace in the closing verses of this Psalm:

²¹ LORD, do not forsake me;
   do not be far from me, my God.
²² Come quickly to help me,
   my Lord and my Savior.  

My Prayer: Lord, I know You are everywhere all the time and present in my life anytime I seek You.  What an incredible God You are that You are not only this to me but to ANYONE who seeks you!  Forgive me please Lord for my neglect of You and for my sin of lust.  Please please forgive me.  Forgive me for my neglect of my family.  Thank you for how you bless me despite my failures - for you bless me even though I don't deserve it.  Please help me Lord continue to seek You out - daily.  Protect me from Satan - all the time.  Help me be the man You desire me to be.