Week of January 25, 2009
Monday
On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. One of those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message. When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. "If you consider me a believer in the Lord," she said, "come and stay at my house." And she persuaded us. - Acts 16:13-15 (NIV)
This part of the lesson emphasizes the importance of going from "searching to sharing". Lydia immediately displayed a spiritual gift: generosity. What are you sharing as a result of your walk with the Lord?
Tuesday
Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. This girl followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved." She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so troubled that he turned around and said to the spirit, "In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!" At that moment the spirit left her. - Acts 16:16-18 (NIV)
The girl described in this passage was oppressed by demonic forces. These forces had her enslaved. Jesus freed her from spiritual bondage.
Is there something in your life that seems to have an unshakable grip on you? Call on Jesus' name. Make Jesus your master. Allow him to tear down these strongholds in your life.
Wednesday
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody's chains came loose. The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted, "Don't harm yourself! We are all here!"
The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"
They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household." Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his family were baptized. The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole family. - Acts 16:25-34 (NIV)
The jailer was willing to kill himself when he thought Paul and Silas had escaped. Notice the great change in the man once he had accepted Jesus.
What are your greatest fears? Our Lord promises us there is no need to fear (Lk 12:22-34).
Thursday
Again, it says,
"Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people." And again,
"Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles,
and sing praises to him, all you peoples." And again, Isaiah says,
"The Root of Jesse will spring up,
one who will arise to rule over the nations;
the Gentiles will hope in him."
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. - Rom. 15:10-13 (NIV)
Do you think of God as a God of hope? The Father not only wants to fill you with joy and peace, but fill you to overflowing. There are no greater pleasures in this life or the life to come greater than the pleasures of God.
Friday
Even as he spoke, many put their faith in him.
To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."They answered him, "We are Abraham's descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?"
Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. I know you are Abraham's descendants. Yet you are ready to kill me, because you have no room for my word. I am telling you what I have seen in the Father's presence, and you do what you have heard from your father." - John 8:30-38 (NIV)
In our nation, we pride ourselves on our "freedom". The fact is that everyone is a slave to something. We all worship something.
What are you a slave to? What do you worship?
Saturday
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls. - 1 Peter 1:3-9 (NIV)
Faith and hope are inseparable. When we lose hope, we lose faith. Is your faith dim? Focus on the hope of your inheritance that Christ is keeping in Heaven for you.
When we focus on our incredible future in Christ, it changes how we view the present.
