Blog Entries - March 2008

Filthy White Tiles

linda@dailydevotions.com.au — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 12:32:46 +0100

As soon as you walk into our lovely terrace-house rental you will see a large surface space covered by white tiles. Beginning at the entrance, going into the dining area, through to the livingarea, sweeping into the kitchen and concluding in the laundry, we have white tiles. While this consistency of floor covering adds to the open plan design, anyone who has lived with white tiles before will be able to pre-empt my dilemma... they are a nightmare to keep clean! Every time a strand of hair or a bread crumb lands on the floor, the tiles act as a blank canvas to highlight any piece of filth on the floor. Not only that but if there is a drop of water on the tiles it will act as a magnet to any piece of dust in the near facinity which will gravitate straight to the droplet, leaving an obvious black spot on the relatively clean floor.
Last week we had a house inspection. After spending a couple of hours cleaning the floors earlier in the week I was baffled to see how much I still had to sweep up on the inspection day. White tiles may look great clean, but while that only lasts for 3.2 minutes they end up looking very average for most of the time.

Every human is "fearfully and wonderfully made" (Psalm 139.14). It's like we are all created as a beautiful clean canvas just like the white tiles. And yet as time passes we soon become dirty and covered by things that are not so wonderful: selfish ambition, negative thoughts towards another person, greed, etc. Very quickly we have dirt and filth all over us. Anything that separates us from God contributes to the filth in our lives. The difference between us and my white tile floor is that no matter how hard I scrub and how much time I put into cleaning myself, I can never make myself clean again.

But that's where the powerful love of Jesus comes in. No matter what we do or how filthy we become, Jesus took all of our sin upon himself when he hung on the cross 2000 years ago. He is the ultimate cleaning agent. When we go to Him and ask for forgiveness, He takes away all our filth and makes us 'whiter than snow' (Psalm 51.7). He created us and yet when we turned away from Him it was He who stretched out His arms towards us. What a gracious act! What a merciful God!

Pass the Buck

linda@dailydevotions.com.au — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 11:23:12 +0100

When we realise that we have suddenly had a mortal-moment and actually done something wrong, we tend to pass the buck to someone or something else.

Acts 16.16-40

Reference: v.19 When the owners of the slave girl realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities. (NIV Bible)

Explore: Children learn at a very young age that you don't want to take the blame for anything! If they discover that they have done something wrong then they are very quick to look to someone else to point the finger at.
In this passage we see that the owners of a slave girl have lost their income because of Paul's actions. They decide very quickly - maybe out of fear of Paul - that they are not going to deal with this on their own. It seems the idea of sitting down with Paul and Silas and explaining their situation does not even enter their heads. Instead, they drag them straight to the authorities and let those in power deal with their personal problems.

Application: No one likes to look like the bad-guy. When we realise that we have suddenly had a mortal-moment and actually done something wrong, we tend to pass the buck to someone or something else. Here the slave owners have been abusing a child to make money. When their income is suddenly stopped, they don't point the finger at themselves for their abuses but point the finger at Paul for disrupting the peace.
If everyone was to look honestly into their lives we would see ourselves pointing the finger at others too. Noone wants to look bad or to be seen as in the wrong. However, this passage shows us the damage we can do to somone else if we are not willing to take the blame for our own actions. People may not be flogged and imprisoned in this country but someone's reputation can certainly take a beating. Can we be brave enough to admit that we are not perfect and have failings? While trying our best to live a Christ-like life we must be aware that we will stuff up along the way. God doesn't call us to be perfect, that's why He went to such lengths to save us from our sin.

Prayer: Lord, so often it seems easier to let someone else carry the burden of our mistakes. Help us to be brave enough to take responsibility for our own actions and to be guided by your wisdom in all we do. Amen.

Connect with Culture

linda@dailydevotions.com.au — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 11:01:50 +0100

Paul is the guru of understanding another culture and being appropriate to it so he is able to preach the good news of Jesus.

Acts 16.1-15

Reference: v.3 Paul wanted to take him (Timothy) along on the journey, so he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. (NIV Bible)

Explore: This passage took me a little by surprise. In the chapter just gone past we read of Paul taking a letter to the Gentiles saying they don't need to be circumcised to believe in Jesus. Now, only verses afterwards, we hear of Paul circumcising his own travel partner so it does not hinder their ministry to the Jews in the area. Is this hypocritical? Does Paul have different sets of rules for different people?
I actually think this shows the extent to which Paul will go to connect with a particular group of people. He is the guru of understanding another culture and being appropriate to it so he is able to preach the good news of Jesus. I am not male but I think that it's Timothy who actually endured the pain in this situation, however Paul does not want to limit their impact with the Jews by something that could be changed.

Application: Do we hinder our connection with our neighbours by things that can be changed? As mentioned previously, sometimes we get so caught up in the itty-bitty details of our faith that we forget the greatest commands God gave us: Love Him, Love Others. We are all called to help people connect with God in a stronger way. Whether we are surrounded by other believers or reaching out to those who say they don't believe, may we be encouraged to push aside all the itty-bitty details and come to each other with the Love of our Heavenly Father.

Prayer: Lord, you showed the ultimate act of love by living on earth in human form. May we follow your example so that we are not precious of the details but extravagant with our love. Amen.

Let Me Explain the Rules...

linda@dailydevotions.com.au — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 00:00:00 +0100

We get so caught up in what people can and can’t do that we confuse what is Christlike and what is just our preferred lifestyle.

Acts 15.22-41

Reference: v. 28 It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements… (NIV Bible)

Explore: I love to play cards (I’d like to think it’s the one dorky element to my life, but I’m sure there are many more!). The greatest challenge in playing cards is explaining the rules to a new player. The idea in explaining the rules is for the new player to grasp enough of the game to begin to play. You need to explain the aim of the game and then keep the rules as simple as possible. It’s not the time to delve into the latest strategy of how to win against the world champions, but just enough to start to get involved.
As Paul went to speak to the Gentiles who were new to a faith in Christ they had just a few simple requirements. He didn’t delve straight into the latest of the Trinitarian theology, he kept it simple so they could start living a Christlike life.

Application: When it comes to our faith, we can get so precious as to what is right and what is wrong in how we live a Christian life. We get so caught up in what people can and can’t do that we confuse what is Christlike and what is just our preferred lifestyle. We mix the basic rules with what we see as our preferred strategy. People can be so put-off by all the rules and regulations they perceive in our faith when really God just guides us to love Him and love others. It’s as simple and as complicated as that!

Prayer: Lord, we can confuse things so much that we end up creating our own separate club that only we know the rules of. And yet when we do that we go against your most important commandments to Love You and Love others. Help us to be inclusive in our faith and share Your love with everyone. Amen.

Healthy Debate

linda@dailydevotions.com.au — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 07:43:47 +0100

...we have dulled down the idea of `love others` to mean never get feisty with each other.

Acts 15.1-21

Reference: v.6 The apostles and elders met to consider this question.

Explore: I'm a little embarrassed to admit this, but the other day I watched a bit of Question Time, where the Australian politicians debate certain issues in Parliament (let me clarify that I was sick, lying on the couch and couldn't reach the remote!!). I was horrified yet again in how the leaders of our country define 'healthy debate' when they were yelling out, interrupting and being rude towards their opposition.
In this passage we read that there was a bit of debate amongst the apostles as to whether the Gentiles should be circumcised to truly be classed as a believer. I wonder whether their debate was as feisty as the Australian politician's. It is no surprise what the author thinks about this decision. While there was 'much discussion' it seems that the only side of the debate we hear is against the idea of Gentiles being circumcised. (I'm not sure whether I would ask Luke, the supposed author, to ever minute one of my meetings!) However, if I know anything about passionate people, I'm sure there was much said within the words 'much discussion'.

Application: As Christians, we are often under the false pretense that we must never argue. I think we have dulled down the idea of 'love others' to mean never get feisty with each other. However, if we never discuss and debate topics then some important aspects may get passed over. I would hope that we express more love in our debate than what some politicians do, however I also hope that we don't shy away from a good debate that allows us to clarify our own thoughts and learn from others a different perspective. Surely that is a healthy Christian debate.

Prayer: Lord, I know I often feel uncomfortable when people disagree. Let us always embrace one another in love but be willing to stand up for that which we are passionate for. Amen.

The Easy Life

linda@dailydevotions.com.au — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 08:54:23 +0100

I don't believe that God creates the hardship for us, but I do believe that if we are serving God with all our lives then our path will not always be an easy one.

Acts 14.21-28

Reference: 22b "We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God," they said.

Explore: We all like to live the easy life. We drool over advertisements that show grand holidays when all we have is a rusty caravan in the back yard, we put down students for being lazy when really we're just jealous of their copious amounts of holidays, and we idolise the rich and famous because their lives seem so much easier with wealth.
And yet we know that luxuries, holidays and riches are not going to help us enter the kingdom of God here on earth. To enter God's kingdom we need to follow His command to love Him and love others... and that's when the hardships start!
I feel that Paul and Barnabas have earned their right to speak on hardship. In this passage they have actually travelled back to the place (Lystra) where the Jews persuaded the crowd against Paul that "they stoned him and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead"(Acts 14.19). Now if that's not hardship, I'm not sure what is!! And yet it did not deter Paul. He continued on and even went back to the same place so that he could continue to spread the word of Jesus.

Application: I'll be honest, I hate hardships. I've just moved church, I've just moved suburb, I've just moved jobs and it's been hard and I've struggled. But I do know that through the hardship I have relied more on God than when I feel like I'm sailing through life. It's during times of hardships that I look to God more, I strive to seek His face and to feel His presense. And it's in these times that we truly enter the Kingdom of God. There is no better place than to be at the feet of Jesus and sometimes it takes a hardship to get us there. I don't believe that God creates the hardship for us, but I do believe that if we are serving God with all our lives then our path will not always be an easy one. But that is the best place for us to be.

Prayer: Lord, hardships can really suck. Being in a place of turmoil can really affect our decisions and our relationships. Help us to rely on you in every part of our life so that we can enter into the Kingdom of God and always live for You. Amen.

Misunderstood

linda@dailydevotions.com.au — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 07:06:54 +0100

Often we do things with the best of intentions, and yet our actions are misconstrued. These times often bring confusion and discomfort to us.

Acts 14.8-20

Reference: v. 11 When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, "The gods have come down to us in human form!" (NIV Bible)

Explore: Mercy Ministries exist to help young women who are struggling with life. There are a number of Mercy houses across Australia that take in young women with struggles such as eating disorders, drug addiction and teenage pregnancy. Recently some girls who were unhappy with their treatment in these houses have spoken out to the media, creating a very damning opinion of this Christian ministry. I was so saddened to read how the restrictions that were placed on the girls to help and support them were misconstrued making them feel trapped and bullied.
My limited understanding of Mercy Ministry is that their intention is to help young women. It is such a shame they have been dragged into the media with a incredibly negative bias.
In this passage we read that Paul and Barnabas were going to Lystra with the intention to teach people about Jesus. Instead, their power through the Holy Spirit was misconstrued and they were seen as gods. No matter what they said they couldn't turn the crowd and Paul ended up being stoned almost to the point of death. This was a huge misunderstanding that Paul and Barnabas did not see coming.

Application: Often we do things with the best of intentions, and yet our actions are misconstrued. These times often bring confusion and discomfort to us. We second-guess our decisions and struggle to understand where things went wrong. And yet it's during these times that we tend to lean on God more. If people are not understanding our intentions, then we turn to God and offer ourselves to Him. In the Bible it mentions that the world will not understand us and yet that should not deter us from living a life for God. If we make our decisions prayerfully and in love then we will continue to grow a Christ-like life.

Prayer: Lord, we know that we should only seek your acceptance and approval, but when the world turns against us it is sometimes hard to stay sure. May we feel your presense around us, supporting us and encouraging us to stay true to your way. Amen.

The Usual Suspect

linda@dailydevotions.com.au — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 09:40:38 +0100

Over and over in the Bible I read that God chose the everyday people, who showed faithfulness and commitment, and did extraordinary things through them.

Acts 14.1-7

Reference: v.1 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.

Explore: The words 'as usual' caught my eye during this passage. Paul and Barnabas were such amazing and powerful evangelists it seems unusual that they would do somthing so routinely and regular. And yet they knew what they were called to do and committed to doing it regularly.
Their impact came from their persistance and faithfulness rather than from the extra-ordinary tasks they fulfilled.

Application: This epitimizes my understanding of God. Over and over in the Bible I read that God chose the everyday people, who showed faithfulness and commitment, and did extraordinary things through them. I believe God continues to do the same today. He is willing to work through anyone to build His kingdom, we just need to be faithful and committed to living as He would want us to - to Love Him and Love Others. This is His call, our discernment is how we decide to act out that call. But if we rely on God and believe that He can use us, no matter how usual or unusual we are, He will do great things.

Prayer: Lord, we thank you that You do not just look to the rich and famous to fulfill Your kingdom but You call each person to life their best for You. Amen.

Powerful Stories

linda@dailydevotions.com.au — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 08:08:23 +0100

If we desire to tell people about Christ, we need to know and understand the stories of today and explain God's grace and love through them.

Acts 13.13-52

Reference: v.18 "...he endured their conduct for about forty years in the desert..."

Explore: This may seem a fairly random verse to choose but that's probably nothing new for me! I wonder how many Christians, if they had not read the full passage above, would know what Paul was talking about. For those who have been studying the Bible for some time would probably be able to recall that the Israelites spend 40 years in the desert after escaping Egypt. When Paul was speaking in the Synagogue, he spoke like everyone there would understand what he was talking about, even though he didn't go into a lot of detail. The Israelite's history was very important to them and showed them the grace of God, therefore they knew this story that Paul was retelling very well.

Application: If I stood up in a group of my friends to tell them about God and started with this brief synopsis of Jewish history, it would mean very little to them. In fact, even if I stood up in church I may have to go into a bit more detail! Paul was very good at understanding the knowledge of the people and using it to explain that Jesus is the Messiah. I wonder what the knowledge of people today is. Now, I am the first person to say how important the Bible is and how essential it is for us to read it and learn from it. However the stories held within it are not known by our culture. They know different stories. If we desire to tell people about Christ, we need to know and understand the stories of today and explain God's grace and love through them. God is not limited to the pages of the Bible. He continues to move through every story we hear and every current experience we have. Our aim, like Paul and Barnabas, is to make people aware of God's amazing presense in our life today.

Prayer: Lord, You are present today and You desire to be a part of our everyday life. Help us to notice You and make You known in all that we do. Amen.

Godly advice

linda@dailydevotions.com.au — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 12:16:10 +0100

As we travel though life it is important that we have other wise Christians around us so that we can continue to learn from them and receive guidance through them.

Acts 13.1-12

Reference: v.6b-7a There they met a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus, who was an attendant of the proconsul, Sergius Paulus. (NIV Bible)

Explore: I know it may seem a bit melodramatic but when I read this passage of a sorcerer using his position as an attendant to try and influence thr proconsul away from God, I was reminded of The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. During this second movie we meet the characters of Rohan and find King Theoden has been weakened by his steward Grima Wormtongue. Lucky Gandalf comes to save the King and his people by sending Wormtongue away.
In this passage in Acts we find Saul and Barnabas doing the same for the proconsul of Paphos. They are able to show that their God is stronger and more powerful than the influence of a sorcerer.

Application: Even though the proconsul, Sergius Paulus was 'an intelligent man' (v.7) he still had the wrong people around him.
When we need to make decisions we like to hear from those who know us. Therefore, it's so important that we surround ourselves with wise people who can give us Godly advice. I remember when I was thinking of moving jobs at one stage and trying to discover where God was calling me. When I asked a business man friend he could not believe that I would consider changing job for lesser pay. He did not understand that money was one of the last requirements when I was trying to discern where God could use me best. I respectfully listened to his advice but realised that I also needed to hear from those who understood that God was more important than money. As we travel though life it is important that we have other wise Christians around us so that we can continue to learn from them and receive guidance through them.

Prayer: Lord, often we truly desire to do your will but struggle to know what we should do. Help us to discern your wisdom in all we hear. Amen.

Reserving our Praise

linda@dailydevotions.com.au — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 09:03:32 +0100

So often we reserve our praise for a Sunday morning while we're singing in church, however that is way too limited for our awesome God.

Acts 12.19b-25

Reference: v.23 Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died. (NIV Bible)

Explore: What a crazy verse! Herod had given a rousing speech bringing people to call him a god. He didn't refute the claims and so an angel of the Lord struck him down. I love the detail of the verse as it explains he had been eaten by worms and died. I'm thinking that this makes reference to him being buried in the ground and maybe not in a kingly tomb, bringing more disgrace to his name, but it sounds pretty grose all the same!
I must say, I have never been called a god before (and if this is the result then I'm happy never to be called one!) but I have been given praise and been called an angel. What is my response then? Do I give the praise to God as Herod should have?

Application: I have been known to play some card games in my time and on occasion, when I have received a good hand (very rare in my case!) I will give a sigh of relief and say, 'Praise the Lord!' My mother-in-law pointed out one day that she didn't think the Lord was really all that worried about my hand of cards. I do tend to agree with her on that one, however I do think it's important that we give praise to God for everything. So often we reserve our praise for a Sunday morning while we're singing in church, however that is way too limited for our awesome God. If we really start to understand how high, how wide, and how deep God's love for us is, then we will want to praise Him with everything we have.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for loving us when you are so Great and we are often so simple! We praise you today with everything we have. Amen.

God`s Action Figure

linda@dailydevotions.com.au — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 07:56:35 +0100

It seems that God does not require us to be a "Bond 007" character to be His followers and get out of tough situations.

Acts 12.1-19

Reference: v.6 The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chans, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. (NIV Bible)

Explore: I know I'm female so shouldn't be claiming this, but I actually don't mind action movies. Sure, often they are a little lacking in story line, but they are usually quite entertaining. Sometimes I have to laugh, however when the hero of the movie is totally out-numbered and in a disasterous situation and yet somehow he seems to single-handedly fight off all the bad guys, save the mistress in distress and walk out with just a designer shaped scratch across his eyebrow! It's this impossible scenario that makes the movie so entertaining.
Peter seems to have found himself in a similar situation. He is the hero of the story and yet we find him stripped of all his possessions, mistreated, chained with guards and sentries surrounding him. How could he ever get himself out of this situation? It seems that in this situation God does not need a "Bond 007" character to help him out. He sends an angel who frees Peter from his chains and walks him out of his prison environment.
The wonder of this story is that there is nothing on earth that can stop the actions of our Heavenly Father. It actually wouldn't have mattered if Peter was crippled, surrounding by soldiers and trapped in a room with no door! If God desired it, Peter would have been able to walk out unharmed. In the end, Peter did not have to do anything, but follow God.

Application: I am willing to admit that I am often the first to doubt the power of God. I see the immensity of the situation surrounding me and feel overwhelmed by the impossibilities. It is so important for us to remember that nothing is impossible with God. The Creator of all things is still present in the world today. He loves us, cares for us, wants the best for us. This does not mean that we will have an 'easy' life, but it does mean that God will be with us every difficult step of the way.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for always being there for us. We can still witness Your miracles in our world today. We profess our faith in you again today and desire to trust in Your awesome power. Amen.

Strengths

linda@dailydevotions.com.au — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 09:00:12 +0100

If we are diligent about working on our strengths then we are being good stewards of what God has given us.

Acts 11.19-30

Reference: v.29 The disciples determined that according to their ability, each would send relief to the believers living in Judea. (New Revised Standard Version Bible)

Explore: I have heard both Marcus Buckingham and John Maxwell speak about working on your strengths and not focusing too much on our weaknesses. As these experts in work productivity explained this basic yet profound wisdom, my whole work ethic seemed to be revolutionized. And yet often the roles we are involved in confine us to a job description that does not support our strengths but bogs us down in tasks that do not inspire us. It is when we are involved predominantly in areas that we enjoy that we will give more, learn more and feel more productive during the process.

Application: This should apply to our main area of work as well as our ministry to God. The disciples were invited to support their fellow believers 'according to their ability'. This may have been financial or it may have been practical but either way they were encouraged to give based on who they were and what they could offer.
So often we put people into roles that are outside their area of strength. I'm all for stretching people and completing challenges, but only if it is within the persons passion. If someone is passionate about something, they can go beyond expectations. However, if we place people in tasks because the role needs to be filled, rather than seeing it holds strengths for that person, then we need to evaluate the things we are trying to accomplish. If we are diligent about working on our strengths then we are being good stewards of what God has given us.

Prayer: Lord, you have blessed every person with gifts. May we use them to bring glory and honor to Your Name. Amen.

Criticism

linda@dailydevotions.com.au — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 07:14:57 +0100

There are so many ways that we can all be working to build God's kingdom and we should be very wary to pull others down for doing their part.

Acts 11.1-18

Reference: v.2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him (NIV Bible)

Explore: I went to visit a church last week to hear about their journey of building a faith community and connecting with their local community. Within Australia, this church would be classified as a larger church which is starting to plant other churches and continues to grow. Through discussions with the senior leadership, it saddened me to hear that they were receiving criticism. My sadness didn't come from learning of their persecution from the local community or other religious groups, it was disheartening to hear that the criticism came from within their own denomination. And yet, I must admit that I was not completely surprised. I often hear harsh criticism of other people within similar faith groups, particularly towards people who are growing and developing. Unfortunately we transfer the 'tall poppy' criticisms of our society into our churches, and we pull down anyone who is showing signs of success.
As we've read in this passage in Acts, even the disciple Peter, who God had chosen to 'build His church' experienced criticism within the believers.

Application: The words used to pull down fellow believers seem to roll off the tongue so easily. And yet, with all the challenges in our lives, we should be aiming to build people up instead of tearing them down. Doing God's work here on earth is not easy and there's not just one way to accomplish the work. There are so many ways that we can all be working to build God's kingdom and we should be very wary to pull others down for doing their part. This doesn't mean that we can't be critical or analytical as we explore what our role in God's kingdom is, however we should always err on the side of encouragement, rather than contributing in pulling people down.

Prayer: Lord, you love us and encourage us, even though we constantly fail and turn from you. Help us to show that grace to others too. Amen.

Favoritism

linda@dailydevotions.com.au — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 08:38:11 +0100

We should not be so narrow-minded against those who God loves and calls us to reach out to.

Acts 10.23b-48

Reference: v.34 Then Peter began to speak: "I now realise how true it is that God does not show favoritism." (NIV Bible)

Explore: When I was growing up, my mother was my Sunday School teacher. At the time I didn't think it was all that cool but now, as I look back, I realise that my parents were running a miniture bus ministry where they would pick up the local children before church and lead them in Sunday School classes. I distinctly remember one day we were learning about Noah's Ark. My mum had a picture of a rainbow and each child in the class was invited to colour in one band of the rainbow. There was one hiccup however, there were eight children and only seven rainbow colours required. I was totally shocked and mortified when it finally came to my turn and my mum skipped over me and allowed the rest of the children to colour in the rainbow. I couldn't believe that my mum had allowed her very own child to miss out on something so important!! (OK, so colouring in a rainbow may not seem important to you now but I was about 8 at the time!) Of all people I thought Mum should show favoritism to, it should have been me.
But now I realise that Mum was showing the other children an important lesson; Mum was showing that just like God she did not show favourites, even to her own blood!!

Application: It's so easy to show favoritism to those you connect with best. And yet this realisation for Peter that God loved the Gentiles as well as the Jews was mind blowing for him. It also teaches us that we should not be so narrow-minded against those who God loves and calls us to reach out to. We need to constantly be reminded to push aside personal preferences and look at all people through the eyes of God.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for loving me. Help me to love all people as You love them. Amen.

Unwritten Rules

linda@dailydevotions.com.au — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 00:00:00 +0100

I think we have created some fairly harsh unwritten rules that separate us from the people we are commanded to love (and that's a written rule!)

Acts 10.1-23a

Reference: v.14 "Surely not, Lord!" Peter replied. "I have never eaten anything impure or unclean." (NIV Bible)

Explore: There are written rules and unwritten rules all over the world. For example, if you drive in the car there are written rules which you must abide by. But there are also unwritten rules too. 'You should always wave if someone lets you in'. This rule is certainly not written anywhere and the police will not pull you up if you disobey, but it's just one of the many unwritten rules that people should abide by!
We have written rules as well as unwritten rules in our churches too. The written ones are hopefully based from the Bible but there are many unwritten rules too. Things like 'You must never sit on the Communion table' or 'If anything goes wrong, blame the youth group'!!
However, I think we have created some fairly harsh unwritten rules that separate us from the people we are commanded to love (and that's a written rule!) Things like we need to dress in a certain style, or act in a particular way for us to be accepted into the group.

Application: Peter had an idea of what was holy in God's eyes. However, all of that changed when Jesus, in human flesh, brought God's love, mercy and grace into the world. No longer were Gentiles (like Cornelius) excluded from God's love, and no longer were religious standards surrounded by legalistic structure. Peter had a vision to embrace that which he once thought unclean. I think we too, need to analyse what truly is classified as unclean and what is just our security blanket for keeping the 'undesirables' out. We can create just as many barriers to 'protect' our faith. I think it's time we started breaking down the walls and showing all people God's love and acceptance.

Prayer: Lord, forgive us for putting our unwritten rules around Your Love. Broaden our minds to love and accept all that You have created. Amen.

Calling It Quits?

linda@dailydevotions.com.au — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 21:07:24 +0100

We may give up and lose all hope but wherever there is God, there is hope.

Acts 10.32-43

Reference: v.38 Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, "Please come at once!" (NIV Bible)

Explore: When does one give up? When do you call it quits? I think everyone has a different level. Some people will just keep going on things until they are 'flogging a dead horse', where others give up too easily.
Peter was called by some disciples to Joppa where Tabitha, one of their fellow disciples, had become sick and died. I wonder what they were expecting of Peter. Were they wanting comfort? Were they wanting one of Jesus' original disciples to acknowledge the great life this fellow disciple had led? Or were they fully believing that Peter, through the power of prayer, could bring Tabitha back to life?

Application: We are reminded again that nothing is impossible with God. We may give up and lose all hope but wherever there is God, there is hope. No matter what the situation, we can find hope in our Lord and Saviour.

Prayer: Lord, thank you that you are always there for us. No matter what the situation You are always beside us. Help us to have enough faith to trust that You have all things in Your hands. Amen.

An Advocate

linda@dailydevotions.com.au — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 07:17:22 +0100

Paul needed an advocate from within the disciples to push his case.

Acts 9.20-31

Reference: v.27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. (NIV Bible)

Explore: When there is a racial, social or political debate you find there is a majority group and a minority group. In Australia, the white people were the majority and the indigenous Australians were the minority because of an imbalance in power. In most situations, the lower socio-economic people are the minority and the upper class are the majority because of the power of money. If a minority group is to be heard, and something changed, it helps a great deal to have people from the majority group advocating on their behalf to make a change.
This is exactly what Paul needed. Amongst the disciples he was by far the minority. Even if he had experienced some miracle conversion I would have still been very hesitant to allow him in to the ranks. Paul needed an advocate from within the disciples to push his case.

Application: Barnabas was the one disciple who believed Paul and trusted in his story. He believed that God would do such crazy thing as to convert one of His greatest opposition on earth. Due to Barnabas' trust, Paul was invited into the ranks of the disciples and given more encouragement and courage to proclaim Jesus as the Messiah.
Who has God called you to advocate for? Is there someone or some group that you could stand up for and have a bigger impact due to your position or perceived power. We need to be aware of our position in our society and use our place to bring peace and encouragement to those who need it most.

Prayer: Lord, help me to see opportunities to speak your love into my community today. Amen.

No Shortcuts For God

linda@dailydevotions.com.au — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 08:48:34 +0100

God has chosen each of His followers to be His 'chosen instrument'.

Acts 9.1-19

Reference: v.16 "I will show him how much he must suffer for my name." (NIV Bible)

Explore: We all like the easy life... or at least I do! If there's a quicker, more effective way of getting things done then I like to hear about it. I try to discover all the short-cuts on my computer keyboard and get frustrated when I'm using a program that doesn't allow them!
Unfortunately, when we are chosen by God, there aren't any short-cuts to make things easier. God had chosen Saul to be His 'chosen instrument' (v.15) and yet He followed up that honor by saying that he 'must suffer for my name'. Saul should have known the kind of suffering that he would face, as he had inflicted a lot of the suffering on other Christians before his conversion on the road to Damascus.

Application: God has chosen each of His followers to be His 'chosen instrument'. You may not have the skills to be a travelling missionary like Saul (whose name was changed to Paul) but you do have skills in other areas. And God has given us each strengths and abilities so that we can use them to build His kingdom.
Now, we must keep in mind that it's not going to be easy! There are times when we will all suffer for God's name, but then we will know that we are truly being used for Him.

Prayer: Lord, we tend to shy away from hardship and troubles. You never promised us an easy life, but You did promise to be with us through every part of our lives. Help us to feel Your presence, especially when we feel we are suffering. Amen.

Along the Way

linda@dailydevotions.com.au — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 09:28:29 +0100

This passage shows that often the journey is even more important than the final destination.

Acts 8.26-40

Reference: v.27a So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch... (NIV Bible)

Explore: I am a task-oriented person. This means that I work well off a 'to-do' list and feel productive by completing tasks. This also means I struggle to be patient when I have to wait for others or even wait for the 'right time'.
Clearly, Philip was not as impatient or as task-oriented as me. An angel of the Lord sent him on a journey and as he was on his way, Philip was willing to be side tracked by an eunuch. Philip was able to recognise that this person was more important than the speed of his journey. Maybe this person was actually the purpose of his journey.

Application: I can often get into the mind set that the end product is more important than the journey along the way. And yet this passage shows that often the journey is even more important than the final destination. If we are open to allowing God's spirit to move throughout our whole journey, then we can discover so much more than just focusing on the final product.

Prayer: Lord, may I have the patience to put Your journey before my own tasks. Give me Your wisdom to know when to push forward and when to pause. Amen.