Acts 16: 14- 15a
Lydia is not the most well-known name in the Bible, yet she was a woman of both faith and influence. At a time when career women were rare, Lydia was a respected and successful businesswoman. She was also the first European believer and host of the first European church. That’s pretty impressive if you ask me.
Paul first met Lydia while she was praying with a group of women. Although not Jewish, Lydia was searching for God. That’s when Paul began sharing the good news of the Gospel – that Jesus paid the penalty for our sins, dying on the cross and rising again in three days. As Lydia listened, God opened up her heart, convicting her of the truth, and at that moment, she gave her life to God in faith. But her transformation didn’t end there; her entire household followed her example and became believers, forming the region’s first church in her home.
Lydia then used her gifts and talents for God’s glory, impacting the lives of those around her. So what about you? How do you use your resources and influence? What is your motivation for your work? Ask God to show you how you can leverage your resources and influence for God’s glory – just like Lydia.
Pastor William Del Casale
Paul had certainly seen more than his fair share of affliction in his life. An extensive list of what he experienced included whippings, beatings, stoning, shipwrecks, hunger, and a multitude of perils found in 2 Corinthians 11. He concludes that list by stating that at the end of it all, his daily concern does not regard his trials, tribulations, and fears but instead a “deep concern for all the churches.” Why can he look beyond these afflictions and essentially shrug them off? Because Paul has an eternal perspective.
He goes on to say in verse 18 that he focuses on the things that are seen rather than those that are not seen, since the things that are seen are temporal while those that are not seen are eternal. With this mindset, Paul knows what we experience in this life cannot begin to compare with eternity.
It is hard to grasp this concept from a human standpoint, but when we switch our perspective to the eternal it becomes easier to imagine. Lord, may we see our trials and tribulations from your perspective and like Paul may our anticipation of the coming exceeding and eternal weight of glory lighten the load of our affliction.
Jeff Mericle
The Apostle Paul had heard about what was going on in the Colossian church and he was excited about it, so he wrote to encourage them. He told them that he was always praying for them. I like that! How we ought to pray always for each other!
Here Paul says he was always praying for these brothers and sisters even though he never met them. Do you think that he was exaggerating?
It is the Spirit of God, the heart of God, that wants the best for others and prays for others always. God uses our prayers.
When the Lord puts one of your brothers or sisters on your heart, there is that opportunity that God has given you to pray for them. Our example, Paul, said he was always praying for his brothers and sisters in the Colossian church. That is what the body of Christ is all about!
Praying for you,
Rich Kikuchi
John 6:12
Here we have a biblical mandate to not waste leftovers after a meal. Or did Jesus have other intentions when instructing the disciples to gather the leftover food after He miraculously supplied a meal for 5,000 plus people from a measly five loaves of bread and two small fish?
Had Jesus not instructed them to gather the leftovers, the disciples would not have known that there were 12 baskets of food left over. What is the significance of 12 baskets of food leftover you ask? It’s to communicate that Jesus doesn’t just meet the bare minimum of a human need, He goes over and beyond. He supplies supernaturally in a way that leaves you full and marveling.
The lesson then is this: don’t short change what Jesus is able to do and don’t miss the opportunity to fully reflect on what Jesus accomplished. Sometimes we pray for something and we get that need met, but don’t take the time to gather the full story and we miss how Jesus not only met the need but went over and above it.
We don’t want to lose out on the opportunity to see how great our God is by not getting the details and miss seeing or telling the whole story. Our God is awesome, and in our fast paced, instant gratification tendencies, we don’t always allow ourselves to see just how awesome He truly is. Take some time to gather more often, that way nothing is lost and you don’t miss out!
Pastor Jason Witt
Judges 6:10
Chapter 6 begins with the children of Israel again doing evil in the sight of the Lord, so the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian for seven years (Judges 6:1). The result of their disobedience was that Israel would be greatly impoverished. During this time, they cried out to the Lord. So the Lord sent them a prophet. The prophet gives them a reminder of what God has done. I brought you out of the house of bondage, I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of all who oppressed you, and drove them out before you.
The children of Israel knew what the Lord would require of them, yet they still disobeyed. There comes a point where you decided to do what is right in your own eyes and the Lord will allow it. He will essentially give you what you are asking for. Until you come to the point of spiritual bankruptcy and to a point where all you can do is cry out to the Lord. The children of Israel spent an unnecessary seven years under the hand of Midian before they cried out. Let’s learn from them and trust that the Lords ways are better than ours.
In Isaiah 55:8 we are told “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways, says the Lord.”
Joshua Navarro
Ephesians 5:1
It only makes sense that we should follow after the One who has done everything for us; that we should seek to do the things that He did, love the way He loves, and speak the way He speaks.
The Greek word here for “Imitators” is the word, mimetes.It means “to follow or mimic someone’s actions,” but this means much more than doing what someone else does. Jesus said in John 5:19-20, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does.”You see it goes much farther that just copying someone’s movements, just mimicking them as they move their arms or legs and say, “Look I’m just like them!”
No, this kind of “imitation” is only accomplished through a relationship with the one we are following. “As dear children,” imitate your Father, Paul tells us. Kids always take on the characteristics of their parents, the good and bad. It’s just what happens as you are around someone a lot. As we abide with Jesus, spending time with Him, enjoying our relationship with Him, we begin to take on His characteristics. Then we will truly mimic God, not just in our outward actions here and there, but with a changed life, from a changed heart within.
Pastor Doug Hardin
Ephesians 2:14
If we look back at the context of this verse, we see Paul talking about the Jews and the Gentiles becoming one in the body of Christ. These two groups did not like each other at all. But the Lord doesn’t care about our social norms or even what has happened to cause a hatred between groups of people. Why? Because Jesus is our peace. Not only internally, but externally with all people as well.
When we look back at all the greetings in the epistles we find the greeting, “grace and peace.” It is all from God because this peace amongst each other is not found in a situation or outside of anyone other than Christ as we grow closer to Him. Know that the Lord has broken down the barriers between people, even ones that seem unreconcilable, because HE is our peace. Is He yours?
Resting in Him,
Pastor Sean Boehm
Philippians 3:10a
Self-care has become an extremely trendy word in our culture. However, it is not the way to true joy. True joy does not come from treating yourself or from self-realization; rather it comes from knowing Jesus Christ. As Paul was penning this great letter about joy from a prison cell, he reflected on his greatest ambition in life, “that I may know Him.” Paul knew God in a way that we all hope to one day, but it was not enough, he wanted to know Him more!
It was Paul’s relationship with the Lord that allowed him to have an abundance of joy in his life. If you want true joy in your life, follow the example of the apostle Paul and make it your life’s ambition to know Him! Walk with the Lord daily, grow in your knowledge of Him and you will have an abundance of joy in your life.
For the King,
Pastor Daniel Batistelli
John 15:6
If we’re driving down the road and see a sign that says “Bridge Out,” it’s good to heed the warning. This verse is definitely one of those “Bridge Out” type of warnings. This is not a reference to salvation but refers to our earthly usefulness in bearing fruit. Jesus is giving us a simple formula: abide in Christ or we won’t be useful for the Kingdom. He gave a vivid illustration of this with the Parable of the Talents. Obviously the last servant who buried his one talent was not abiding or connected to the master. Jesus also warned in the Sermon on the Mount that as salt of the earth we could lose our flavor.
The solution is simple; walk in His steps, love as He loves, serve as He serves, go where He goes, and every road will have a solid bridge to cross.
Heeding the warning,
Pastor Gerard Deleeuw
Jeremiah 42:2-3
The above verses are spoken by Azariah, the son of Hoshaiah and other leaders. They certainly seemed sincere and genuinely seemed to want God’s guidance. Yet Jeremiah 43:2 says, And all the proud men spoke, saying to Jeremiah, “You speak falsely! The Lord our God has not sent you to say, ‘Do not go to Egypt to dwell there.’”
Chapters 42 and 43 are Jeremiah’s ministry in a nutshell. In Chapter 42, a group of leaders came to Jeremiah and said, “Whatever you tell us, we’ll do” and then after Jeremiah gave them instructions, including not to go to Egypt, this same group said, “You’re lying! The Lord would never say that!”
I’ve encountered the same thing counseling. I’ve listened to the situation and then given what God says about it in His word. Many times, the person or people I’m counseling will say something like “That doesn’t work for us, there must be another way” and like the leaders above, go off to Egypt, or the world, to look for answers.
If we’re going to live a blessed life, we have to take God’s word as truth and follow it even if it’s hard to do.
Keep me out of the world!
Pastor Ron Kitchell
