Set Time Apart
Search for the Lord and for his strength;
….continually seek him. Psalm 105:4 NLT
Acts 19:8-10 (<<click here to read the passage)
Most of us realize it, but when it comes to learning and growing in our relationship with Jesus, it’s easy to compartmentalize our lives. Many set aside a Sabbath time of worship. That is a wonderful thing for sure but that solitary compartment is far too limiting when it comes to interacting with God. Our God is a God of miracles but for most of us, it is just an hour or a little more that we set aside to spend time with Him. It can impact us, yes, but more time would definitely translate to more opportunities for impact.
Part of the struggle for some is that in compartmentalizing that part of their lives, they develop the mentality that that is the only place they can learn. Their lives are too full to even work in a daily devotional time. There are many daily devotionals out there. My two churches both get different ones, one of them I know we just send in a donation to receive – the other I’m not sure on – but picking them up at either church costs our people nothing. Those two are Our Daily Bread and The Upper Room. Both publications had an app available for personal use…so there’s no excuse.
In today’s passage, we learn that for about three months Paul taught in the local Jewish place of worship, the synagogue. But some of the Jews became stubborn, rejecting his message and publicly speaking against the Way. So Paul left the synagogue and took the believers with him. Then he held daily discussions at the lecture hall of Tyrannus. v9
Tyrannus, I learned from my study notes, was a school. Lecture halls were used in the morning for teaching philosophy, but they were empty during the hot part of the day (about 11 AM to 4 PM). Because many people did not work during those hours, they would come to hear Paul’s preaching.*
They – nor we! – need a church or any formal kind of place set aside to learn and grow in our relationship with Jesus. We can learn literally anywhere!
And did you catch what the last part of that note said? Those who wanted to learn made it a priority in their lives. They went to hear Paul preach when they could have been doing so many other things. And it wasn’t the most comfortable time to get together, either. We all have things that need to be done but some things are more important than others. Now I don’t expect that they went to hear Paul every day, but it was important enough for them to dedicate time regularly.
We all – I included – need to make sure that we are setting time apart from all the many other things clamoring for our attention. It will be of great spiritual benefit to do so. Lord, help us.
*Life Application Study Bible New Living Translation
June 28th, 2022, Tues, 7:51 pm
Dig In and Hang On!
All praise to You, Heavenly Father! It was a beautiful day. I had the energy to get some things done. You have blessed me beyond measure in so many ways!
********
When Massey and I were hiking the other day, we came upon a tree. I said I wanted to take a picture of it, and he asked if I wanted to write about it, and of course, my answer was, “Yes.” 😊
There was no good way to get a picture of the entire tree. In the park, many of the trees are very tall. I had a hard time identifying a few because their foliage was so high that I couldn’t distinguish what kind of tree it was. I can identify a fair number of trees by their foliage and some by their bark. This particular tree is a cherry tree, I could tell because of its bark.
Regardless, it was very tall but as you can tell it was not totally upright. It was leaning on trees beside it. I could also tell that whatever had pushed it over had done it some time ago. If you look at the roots at its base, they are mostly encased in compacted earth. Also, there are a few of its roots that are broken but they have hardened with exposure to the elements and possibly traffic from hikers and wildlife.
There are two things that we can learn here. First of all, the reason this tree didn’t fall to the ground was that it fell onto neighboring trees. In our lives, we are going to fall. From a life perspective, there are multiple times in life where things beyond our control knock us down – illnesses, losing a job, accidents, death of someone close to us…and the list goes on and on. Sometimes it is our doing – accidents due to our negligence, investing our resources in unnecessarily risky endeavors, getting involved with people who in reality we should just avoid…and that list goes on and on, too.
Honestly, even when we are stupid or just a victim of circumstances beyond our control, many of us are fortunate enough to have friends and family who will catch us, support us, and love us through the most difficult of times.
Spiritually speaking, our loving Heavenly Father, is there to catch us as well. Even when others cannot (or will not) catch us, support, and love us, He will.
The other thing we can learn here is to not give up. We may stumble. We may fall, but we should always give it everything we’ve got to hang in there. The tree’s roots were not totally pulled out of the ground. To me, it looked like it just dug its roots in deeper to help keep itself from falling any further. That’s a bit of personification there, trees can’t think and physically act like that, but you get the point.
A few days ago, I wrote concerning Apollos that some dig their heels in regarding things they refuse to learn – “My way is right, and no one is going to change my mind!” But sometimes it’s beneficial to dig in your heels and hang on because it is the only way to survive! We can’t just give up and say, “Oh, well! What can I do?”
The Holy Spirit is there to shore us up and to help us hang in there! When the going gets tough, the tough get going! But we are blessed in that we don’t have to go in alone and we don’t have to go it in our own strength! The Holy Spirit is there for us on both counts! Lean on Him – He can take it – and call out for whatever you need to make it through – He will provide!
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing [through the experience of your faith] that by the power of the Holy Spirit you will abound in hope and overflow with confidence in His promises. Romans 15:13 AMP
June 27th, 2022, Mon, 7:14 pm
Where…Is…Love
Thank You Father for a great day! It was wonderful to get together with my family this afternoon. I am so grateful for opportunities taken and safe travels for all!
Acts 19:1-7 (<<click here to read the passage)
Apollos needed the full story of Jesus, and now other believers are dealing with the same issue, but this time Paul is the revealer of the entire truth. As he filled them in it was like Paul Harvey used to say, “Now you know…the rest of the story.”
The greatest thing was once that happened, they embraced what Paul had said and they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them… vs5-6
The notes regarding this passage in my Life Application Study Bible in essence say that the Holy Spirit’s filling of these men was delayed because they needed the “rest of the story” to make it complete. Coming into a knowledge of the Holy Spirit’s existence filled in the gaps making it possible for the Holy Spirit to come upon them. His doing so made them aware that they were a part of the church and endorsed them as believers.
The final sentence about verses 2-4 definitely needs to be heeded. The mark of the true church is not merely right doctrine but right actions, the true evidence of the Holy Spirit’s work.
One of my greatest concerns today is the fact that many Christians (not all), are quick to spout off doctrine, that is, scriptural teaching on theological truths. In and of itself that’s what we are supposed to do. But where the problem arises is the fact that in a lot of cases, we can preach and harp all we want but if we don’t live out the entirety of our doctrine it doesn’t build up the cause of Christ…it tears it down.
The political environment in our country today is toxic. We scream for our rights – which by the way, if we are true followers of Christ, we don’t have any – but screaming for them nine times out of ten excludes the greatest commandments we are told to abide by.
When asked in Mark 12, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”
Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.” vs28b-31 NLT
So, where…is…love… I see plenty of anger. I see plenty of hate and disgust and disdain and abhorrence…but where is love.
I’ve said it time and time again. Every. Single. Time. in the Gospels, which speak of Jesus’ life here amongst us, when he interacted with “sinners” there was only love. It may have been hard love, but it never included anger or hate, disgust, disdain, or abhorrence. It may be hard to comprehend a holy God who embraced the sinner…but He did…He surely did.
And He did the same for every, single one of us. Now there is love and as Jesus commanded at the end of the story of the Good Samaritan…go and do likewise. Luke 10:37b NIV
The mark of the true church is not merely right doctrine but right actions, the true evidence of the Holy Spirit’s work.
June 26th, 2022, Sun, 9:02 pm
Bloom Where You Are Planted
Father, this evening I am grateful for the nice temperatures for a good hike with Massey, the opportunity to run some errands as a family, and being blessed to enjoy some good food together as well. Thank You for watching over us.
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As I mentioned, Massey and I had a good hike at Columbus’ Highbanks Metro Park. It’s not too far away from the Kohl’s at which I used to work. Altogether we walked over 4 miles! Since most of its trails are wooded, it was very enjoyable.
At one point we looped through an open glade, where I took the opportunity to take a few pictures. The one featured above is one of the shots I took of wild roses growing along the path. They would most surely be classified as wildflowers. No one tends them, no one feeds them, no one waters them. God alone tends, feeds, and waters them.
If the park system did not regularly mow a path around the glade, I would not have seen them at all but their beauty would have been no less. For they grow and live and shine for no one but their Creator, bringing Him glory.
I’m sure at some point that you’ve heard the phrase “bloom where you are planted”. It’s one of those things that’s been around for quite a while but is not really traceable as to its origin. I won’t go into all of that but I did find one possible reference in a Christianity.com article.
Saint Francis de Sales (1567-1622), when he was the Bishop of Geneva is recorded as saying this:
“Truly charity has no limit; for the love of God has been poured into our hearts by His Spirit dwelling in each one of us, calling us to a life of devotion and inviting us to bloom in the garden where He has planted and directing us to radiate the beauty and spread the fragrance of His Providence.” (emphasis mine)
Far too many of us think too little of ourselves. We have this idea that we are insignificant. We are untalented in so many ways that we have this concept that where our talents do lie makes them inconsequential in the scheme of the world. But nothing could be further from the truth…at least not in God’s kingdom!
God made us to shine! Read through Frances de Sales’ quote once more.
The Encyclopaedia Britannica defines charity in Christian thought as, the highest form of love, signifying the reciprocal love between God and man that is made manifest in unselfish love of one’s fellow men.
God’s love fills us through the Holy Spirit and our responsibility is to bloom in the garden where He has planted and directing us to radiate the beauty and spread the fragrance of His Providence.
So instead of feigning our insignificance, let’s get to work, as the glade’s wild roses, growing and living and shining for our Creator. Let’s bring Him glory by loving Him and others! Amen!
“But blessed are those who trust in the Lord
….and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.
They are like trees planted along a riverbank,
….with roots that reach deep into the water.
Such trees are not bothered by the heat
….or worried by long months of drought.
Their leaves stay green,
….and they never stop producing fruit. Jeremiah 17:7-8 NLT
June 23rd, 2022, Thurs, 7:27 pm
Don’t Dig in Your Heels!
A beautiful day, Father, and all from Your mighty hand! May I ever be grateful for the wonderful gifts set before me, that I can see, smell, taste, and experience with all that I am!
Acts 18:24-28 (<<click here to read the passage)
A story running through social media recently has to do with an elderly woman who decided to further her education even though she was in her 90s. In trying to find it, I found myself surprised at the results! I couldn’t find her particular story, but I did find several others!
One was about a gentleman by the name of Bob Dwyer who lived in the Chicago area. He had planned on furthering his education at a young age but signing up for the army, getting married, having a successful career — got in the way…time passed on and an opportunity never really was right for him to go back [to school].
His job in the fastener business took him around the world but after retiring at 80, he missed more intense human interaction, especially after losing his wife, Peggy, in 2010.
So, he decided to pursue an interdisciplinary program at Northeastern Illinois University – a 40-hour course over a two-year period. He graduated in the spring of 2019 with his nine kids and most of his 22 grandchildren there to cheer him on!
When interviewed by a local television station Dwyer said, “It’s never going to be too late, and I think the reward is worth it.” (For the entire story visit this link to WPVI ABC6, Chicago)
In these verses, we are introduced to a Jewish gentleman by the name of Apollos. He is described as being eloquent and cultured and was spiritually impassioned, speaking boldly and fearlessly in the synagogue… and teaching accurately the things about Jesus… The thing is his knowledge of Jesus only went up to the baptism of John! vs24, 25
I have no idea how old Apollos was, but to be doing what he was doing, where he was doing it, communicated the fact that he was determined to accomplish what he thought to be a very important task! (He hailed from Alexandria, Egypt, and according to one source that was a trip of 475 miles by sea to get to Ephesus…a four-and-a-half-day trip!
He was very well educated (many think he may have authored the Biblical book of Hebrews). You don’t get to that point in your life without knowing a fair amount about a fair number of things. But the thing is, when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained more accurately to him the way of God [and the full story of the life of Christ]. v26b
We hear nothing of his balking at any of this! Instead despite his age and life experience, he embraced the furthering of his education and went to impact innumerable lives by spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ, the Messiah!
How many get stuck where they are in their notions of spiritual things? All of us should be open to what God has to teach us. Yes, we much do so with care, for there are many false teachings out there as well. But many dig their heels in and won’t give expanding their spiritual understanding an opportunity because it’s “new”!
Lord Jesus, help us to open our minds to what You would have us learn, even if it may be foreign to our own concepts. If it lines up with other things we know of concerning You and especially if it is in accord with Your word, may we be receptive. Amen.
June 22nd, 2022, Wed, 9:30 pm