When God Sends A Messenger

 “Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road – the desert road – that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza” So he started out . . .”

Acts 8:26-27 (NIV)

      Her father-in-law “Doc” was a patient in the hospital, seriously ill with congestive heart failure. Although he had no relationship with the Lord, he had been blanketed in prayer for years by many friends and family, including his daughter-in-law. She had been visiting with him one day and had left long enough to grab some lunch before returning just a few minutes later. 

When she walked back into his room, he greeted her with “Well, I got things straightened out with the man upstairs.” She responded “Who?” as she wondered what patient on the upper hospital floor had a problem with him. “I’ve straightened things out with the Lord,” her father-in-law replied. He went on to explain that a man had come into his room after she left and talked to him about the Lord and he had asked Jesus to come into his heart. 

She was overjoyed and hurried to the nurse’s station to find out the name of the chaplain on duty as she shared with the nurses what her father-in-law had told her. But their response was not what she had expected. “We have no chaplain on duty today,” they said and went on to tell her that they had not seen anyone going into his room while she was gone. Doc was eventually well enough to leave the hospital and was baptized by a minister who came to his home. He passed away a few months after that. 

In Acts 8:26, an Ethiopian eunuch was struggling to understand the book of Isaiah as he traveled home from Jerusalem. Suddenly Philip appeared on the road and asked him if he understood what he was reading. When the eunuch replied that he did not, he invited Philip to explain it to him. 

And what was the result of Philip sharing Jesus?  The baptism of the eunuch a few miles down the road. As they came up out of the water, Scripture records that “the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away” and the Ethiopian eunuch never saw him again.  But he continued on his way, celebrating what had happened. 

How did Philip find himself on that exact road at that exact time? He responded to the nudging of the Lord to go to a desert road. He had no idea why but simply knew that God had a plan. He could have said “I have more important things on my plate today, Lord” or “How big a deal is it, Lord? Can it wait?” but he did not. God directed and he was obedient. The result: a decision for the Lord and a baptism. 

What about you and me? When the Spirit prompts us to share Jesus (and He does prompt us), how do we respond? Do we hurry to meet whoever the Lord has placed in our path or do we come up with excuses why we can’t go. 

There are people all around us who, like “Doc,” have been prayed for by friends and family for years. And they are praying for a messenger to share Jesus. I do not know who the Lord sent to “Doc’s” room but I can tell you that he was willing to share the message of Jesus with Doc and make a difference for eternity. I pray that we are always willing to do the same. 

Father, please help me to always be in tune with your prompting to share the name of Jesus with those who do not know Him. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

R.A.P. it up . . .

Reflect

• Have you ever felt the Lord speaking to your heart to share His name with someone?

• Did you do it? Why or why not?

Apply

• Journal a list of Scriptures that focus on the path of salvation. Put this list in your Bible.

• Pray, asking the Lord to direct you to someone who needs to know Him and ask that He will set up a divine appointment so you can share from your heart.

Power

• Acts 8:26-27 (NIV) “Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road – the desert road – that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza” So he started out . . .”

• Matthew 28:19 (NIV) “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit . . .”

• Galatians 6:9 (NIV) “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

Read the Instructions!

 “Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord.” Proverbs 16:20 (NIV)

It seemed like a harmless idea, really. A canoe trip in two days with my daughters and granddaughters. Beautiful weather, lots of laughter and just being together. Great food, great fun and only one problem: everyone had a gorgeous tan - but me.

That’s when I remembered a gift I had gotten for my birthday. It was a bottle of self-tanning mousse. I also vaguely remembered my granddaughters telling me that you simply rub it on and within an hour a “real looking” tan would appear. “Just read the instructions, Grandma,” they told me. Somehow I failed to remember that part until much later. 

I found the bottle and thirty minutes later the mousse was applied. Forty minutes later I totally forgot that I had used it. Until the next morning. I followed my usual routine of working out at the gym, visiting with some friends after I was done, and driving home before I realized that I hadn’t checked out my “real looking” tan. I hurried inside to see my results. 

Staring back at me in my full-length mirror was a half woman/half zebra! What in the world had happened?! There were stripes of brown alternating with white up and down my legs! My arms were tan on top but underneath they were the same pale color before I tanned! My hands looked like I had on dark brown gloves! I grabbed the bottle of mousse and did what I should have done in the first place: I read the instructions. 

“Apply mousse with your tanning mitt” (so that’s what that thing is for), “wait at least one hour before showering” (guess overnight is a bit longer than one hour), “be sure to cover all areas of skin equally that you want to be tan” (evidently it doesn’t soak into nearby areas of skin), and “be sure to thoroughly wash your hands if you do not use the mitt” (I wonder how long a “real looking” tan will stay on the palms of hands). 

All I had to do was to read - and follow - the instructions. But in my wisdom and my timeline of wanting to get it done immediately, I had neglected that most important part of the process. And the glances that my friends had quietly sent my way at the gym were undoubtedly due to their realization of what I had done - or not done. Mercy.

We must also be discerning when we are given instructions in this world. Remember, we will never get instructions grounded in truth from society. There will be half-truths and lies coated in what sounds right but Truth for our lives only comes through the instructions given to us in God’s Word - the Bible. As Romans 15:4 tells us: “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures, we might have hope.”

The result of my neglecting to read and follow the self-tanning instructions? A temporary discomfort: wearing jeans and long-sleeved shirts in the heat of summer until the self-tanning mousse faded. But more importantly, not reading and following the instructions in the Word of God can be disastrous! Remember: He will never leave out a step, He will never steer us in the wrong direction and He will always lead us on the correct path when we read the instructions!

R.A.P. it up . . .

Reflect

• Have you ever found yourself faced with a situation that needed answers only found in God’s Word? 

• Did you search for His instructions or did you go ahead on your own?

Apply

• Keep a journal and write down situations you are facing daily that need answers.

• Search the Scriptures, write down instructions from the Lord for each need and pray over each one.

Power

• Proverbs 16:20 (NIV) “Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord.”

• Romans 15:4 (NIV) “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures, we might have hope.”

• Psalm 119:165 (NIV) “Great peace have they who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble.”

Stop Going in Circles!

 “Then the Lord said to me, “You have made your way around this hill country long enough; now turn north.”

Deuteronomy 2:2-3 (NIV)

 

          Finding the mall in a city should not be hard for any female with shopping on her mind. And not just one female, but three, bent on finding fantastic bargains for practically nothing. So began my shopping trip with my two daughters one Saturday morning. We didn’t get directions but were fairly confident that we could find the mall and scoop up one bargain after another. I am famous for getting lost everywhere I go (closets, bathrooms) but I felt certain that my daughters did not inherit that flaw. Wrong.

  After two hours of driving in the city, we decided that being “fairly confident” that we could find the mall was actually “overly confident.” Our conversations went like this: “Is that a prison?” “Yes. Wouldn’t it be scary to live in a city with a prison close by?” Forty-five minutes later: “Hey . . . isn’t that the prison again?” “It can’t be.” “Well, are there two prisons in this city?” “Not that I know of.” “Either there are two prisons or we are going in circles.” Silence. Then: “I vote for two prisons.” Mercy.

  I understand Deuteronomy 2:2-3 completely. In the beginning of chapter 2, Moses reminds the Israelites about their years spent in the desert and the march to Canaan. Then he talks about journeying into the wilderness and around Mt. Seir for several days until the Lord says that they had gone in circles long enough and needed to change direction and go north. Moses also reminds them that, despite their complaining and disobedience, God had supplied their every need and had been faithful to His children every step on that journey.

          I could have been one of those Israelites. God has guidance and direction for my life but so often I think I can do everything on my own. So I travel in the desert, going round and round, never accomplishing anything and complaining every step of the way. Maybe my Mt. Seir is a disagreement with my husband over something he said or did. My argument goes round and round when what I need to do is to “turn north.” In other words, take a deep breath and ask the Lord to redirect my steps – and my tongue.

  Or perhaps I moan and whine when I step on the scales and see my weight. But I go round and round, hopping from one diet to another instead of seeking my Father’s face and asking Him to give me strength and willpower in choosing my meals. 

          Going in circles eventually leads to repeating the same choice over and over with no new results. In other words, it leads . . . nowhere! My old self seems to think that if I follow MY directions, I will somehow get the results I think I need. But that has never happened. Proverbs 3:5-8 reminds us that when we rely on Jesus, He will make our paths straight. I encourage you to join me and decide today to stop wandering round and round, listen to the Lord and turn north.

 Father, forgive me for going in circles when I need to be listening to your voice and following a new direction. Thank you for being faithful and pulling me back to you. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

 

R.A.P. it up . . .

 Reflect

• Have you ever had a situation that you tried to correct on your own without direction from the Lord?

• Did you find yourself going in circles with no solution in sight?

 

Apply

• Draw a circle in your journal. Write the situation that you are facing on the inside of the circle and around the outside, write the steps that you have taken so far.

• Now pray about the situation and draw a “turn north” line and write down the solution the Lord puts on your heart.

 

Power

•  Deuteronomy 2:2-3 (NIV) “Then the Lord said to me, “You have made your way around this hill country long enough; now turn north.”

• Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV) “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight.”

• Psalm 120:1 (NIV) “I call on the Lord in my distress, and he answers me.”  

 

Never Have I . . .

 “Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.” Romans 13:10 (NIV)

 

      My grandkids love to play the game “Never Have I” when they go swimming. It’s simple really. Everyone holds on to the side of the pool while one person stands on the diving board, back to the water. Then he says “Never have I” and states something that he has never done.

  For example, “Never have I kicked a dog.” Then the swimmers in the water who HAVE done that very thing try to swim from one side of the pool to the other as the person on the diving board jumps in and tries to tag them. If he is successful, the person he tags is next on the diving board. If he doesn’t tag anyone, he has to say another “never have I.”

  On one hot summer afternoon, eight year old Jude was the person on the diving board. The other grandkids were holding on to the side of the pool, hoping that he would say something they had not done so they wouldn’t have to race to the other side.

  Jude, in a sweet little voice, called out “Never have I made someone’s heart feel down.” I smiled as every person in the water swam frantically for the other side. And, yes, Jude tagged one to take his place on the board.

Jude has always been very careful to never hurt someone’s feelings. It has happened to him before and he doesn’t like the feeling but he also doesn’t want anyone else to have their “heart feel down.”

         But as they continued their game, it occurred to me that if I were playing the specific “Never Have I” that Jude called out, I would be one of those swimming for the other side of the pool. One of those who has made someone’s “heart feel down.”

  I wish that I could tell you that I, too, am very careful to never cause heartache with my words. But I can’t. More times than I would like to admit, I have spoken without thinking or NOT spoken when I should have. Instead of encouraging and building someone up, I’ve done the exact opposite either by my words or my silence. 

        Romans 13:10 burns my heart. “Love does no harm to its neighbor.” And who is my neighbor? Everyone. Paul is confirming what Jesus said to all of us.

  If we love someone, we are going to do everything we can to keep their heart from feeling down. It starts with what comes out of our mouths. And the words we speak from our lips come straight from our hearts. If I am hiding anger or pride, jealousy or hate in my heart, then my words will reflect that. And instead of trying hard not to make someone’s heart feel down, I will be pushing it down myself!

  Can you relate? I imagine that we all can. Either by what we have spoken or when we should have spoken up but didn’t. I encourage you to not only stop and think before you speak, but to do that twice before uttering a single word. If we truly love, as Jesus tells us to, we will do everything we can to keep from making anyone’s “heart feel down.”

      Lord, my heart longs to be in tune with yours. I know I don’t always love people like you do. Please help me to love them and to build up rather than tear down. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

 

R.A.P it up . . . 

 

  Reflect

• Look over conversations you have had this last week. 

• How many times have your words been critical instead of loving?

Apply

• Begin each morning by praying “Lord, help me to love like you do. Silence me when I am thinking of speaking unloving comments.”

• Practice that every day.

Power 

• Romans 13:10 (NIV) “Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.”

•  Matthew 12:36 (NIV) “But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken.”

•  Proverbs 12:18 (NIV) “Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”

Where You Is?

 “In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears. He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters.” Psalm 18:6, 16 (NIV)

I will never forget the day I lost my youngest daughter. Even now, years later, I can still feel that knot in my stomach when I think about it. In my defense I was also watching seven other children but you would think that losing MINE would not happen. And yet it did.

My two sisters and I had somehow managed to stuff all our children into a huge van and drive to town to shop. We were quite a sight in a local store as we tried to look over items and keep track of eight children at the same time.

As we walked back to the van, my sisters said “Hey, we are here by the supermarket. Need anything?” I did not and volunteered to watch all the kids so they could get what they needed a lot quicker.

As I helped the eight children load into the van, I kept thinking that something wasn’t right. “Five, six, seven” I counted. Suddenly it hit me! Not only was there a child missing but it was MY child! And just as suddenly I realized that I had left her in the department store.

“Do not move from this car!” I sternly warned the children. “If someone tries to bother you, everybody scream together as loud as you can. I will be right back.” I yelled as I ran to find my little one.

  “Please Lord, please” was all I could choke out as I hurried through the shop door and immediately scanned the aisles for my daughter.

  Suddenly I saw a blonde head bobbing up and down three aisles away and heard a precious three-year-old voice calling “Mommy! Mommy! Where you is?”

“I hear you, Sweetie. Mommy is here, right here!” I cried with relief as I ran to her and pulled her up into my arms.

In Psalm 18:6 and 16, David writes about calling on the Lord for help when he was distressed. If he had left it there and said nothing more, we would not have the hope that we have today that God not only hears but answers. But David tells us that not only did God hear him, He “drew me out of deep waters.” In other words, God heard His child’s call for help and answered him.

Just as my daughter called my name and I immediately ran to her, in the same way God hears and answers His children. We, too, can get “lost” in situations of everyday life.  But no matter what, we need to remember that our Father is waiting to hear our call for help and we will never have to ask Him the question “Where you is?”

  Father, oh how I love that you hear me when I call and you promise to take care of me because I belong to you. Thank you for being so faithful. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

 

 R.A.P. it up . . . 

Reflect

• Has there ever been a time in your life when you felt like God was somehow far away and not really listening to you when you called on Him?

• Did you keep praying or were you just tempted to give up?

Apply

• Memorize Psalm 18:6 and 16. Personalize it by placing your name in place of “my” and “me.”

• In your prayer time today praise the Lord for every time He heard your cry to Him this last week and thank Him for answering. Journal His answers.

Power 

• Psalm 18:6, 16 (NIV) “In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears. He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters.”

• Isaiah 43:1 (NIV) “…Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.”

• Isaiah 59:1 (NIV) “Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear.”