Acts 25 & 26....Hope and belief

I am headed back to work tomorrow, but I wanted to be sure that I finished out my study in Acts. So I decided tonight to read 2 chapters.  The story at this point is about Paul going before mutiple courts for the charges brought against him by a group of Jews. As he is presenting his case, there are 2 phrases that I really want to cling to today.

The first is in Acts 6:6....
"And now it is because of my hope in what God has promised our ancestors that I am on trail today."

My hope in what God has promised...wow! Doesn't that sound wonderful? Hope is defined as looking forward to with desire and confidence. Confidence...I love that word. I want to have confidence in what God has told me every day.  Some days my doubting flesh gets in the way. I want to beleive, I want to listen, I want to walk in it.

The second verse was Acts 6:8....
"Why should any of you considerit incredible that God raises the dead?"

God can do everything, any way He wants to, beyond our expectations, above what we can ever imagine. Then why do we question Him so often? Why do we stand in disbelief? Why don't we know without a doubt that He can still perform miracles today? He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

He who was, and is, and is to come!!!

Acts 24...Share your faith

"Several days later Felix cam with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish. He sent for Paul and listened to him as he spoke about faith in Christ Jesus. As Paul talked about righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and said, "That's enough for now! You may leave. When I find it convenient, I will send for you." Acts 24:24-25

To me this is short, simple, and to the point....there will always be an opportunity for you to share your faith. Someone is always watching and listening to you, whether you know it or not. We cannot be afraid to stand up and stand out. We have to be brave enough to tell people about our journey with Him, our Savior. Because in the end, they may be scared, and they may even tell you to stop....but they want more. Don't we all??

As this story progresses, Felix calls for Paul many times after this encounter. Understand this though...Felix also had horrible motives at the same time, he was silently hoping that Paul would offer him a bribe to free him from prison. But he still listened every time as Paul spoke. FOR 2 YEARS this went on. 2 YEARS!!!!! He wanted to know what it was that made Paul different, what made him love the way he loved, and live the way he lived, and talk the way he talked.

Lord, please....if there is someone that You have placed in my path for me to speak to, help me to always recognize it. I want to help people, heal their hearts, show them there is a better way., by knowing You. I want to always be open to Your Spirit. Amen.

Acts 23...Stand up!!

"Paul looked straight at the Sanhedrin and said, "My brothers, I have fullfilled my duty to God in all good conscience to this day." Acts 23:1

I couldn't even get past the first verse today. LOL! That struck me. He could stand before his accusers and honestly say I have done everything that God has asked me to do up to today. Can I? Can I say that I have always listened to Him, and done what He said for me to do?

The simple answer is no, I have in my past been young, dumb, and hardheaded.  I think we can all probably say that about some time in our life, right? I was too stupid to listen as He said, "Hey Libby, not that way, follow the path I showed you before." But I want to stand up and say today, that I will follow Him anywhere. He has shown me so much favor over the last year, how can I not follow Him? I want to show Him that I am overwhelmed with His love, and wanting to show my gratitude by doing everything He asks of me.

And here in verse 11 is why....
"The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, "Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome."

For me, this verse reminds me that if I am willing to stand up for Him....He will stand up for me always.

Lord, I want to follow after Your heart everyday of my life. I want to do what you would have me to do always. Lead, guide, and direct me please. I want to stand up for You, because I know that You will always stand up for me. Amen.

Acts 22....KAPOW!!!

"About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me. I fell to the ground and heard a voice...the brillance of the light had blinded me." 
Acts 22:6, 7a, 11b

How big of a light would it finally take for me to hear what God has to say to me? Would I have to be completely blind to be able to stop and really listen? How heavy does the rock have to be that hits me in the head?

I don't want to be so dense that I miss out of on the things that He has for me.

Lord, I love you. Today continue to reveal your face to me. I want to walk in the path that you have set before. I want to do what you would have me to do. Thank you for smiling on me. Amen.

Acts 21...All together now

"When it was time to leave, we left and continued on our way. All of them, including wives and children, accompanied us out of the city, and there on the beach we knelt to pray." 
Acts 21:5

This verse brought a single word to my mind, a very important word, a very strong word....TOGETHER....

Together, our church family can pray to see the love of God manifested.

Together, my husband and I can work and make this family better.

Together, our family can pray to see things done in our lives.

Together, me and Abigail can take communion, and I almost cry trying to explain to her what the little cup and wafer means to us.

Together, Dean and I can deal with our finances.

Together, time that Tyler and I can spend walking to get my strength back.

Together, our church can worship to feel God's presence on a Sunday morning.

Together, a loving couple can lay in bed talking about how good God has been and is being to us.

Together, a blended family can love each other.

Together, we can make a difference.

Together, we can show the world God's love.

Acts 20....reaching out

Today as I was reading quite a few verses really jumped off the page to me.  And at first, I couldn't see how, the what seemed like random verses, went together....but I think I see what He is trying to tell me through his words today. Some of my verses quoted may seem out of nowhere, but I will pull it all together eventually.

"When the uproar had ended, Paul sent for he disciples and, after encouraging them, said goodbye and set out of Macedonia....On the first of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight....my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me - the task of testifying to the good news of God's grace." 
Acts 20:1, 7, 24b

I have finally begun to grasp the idea that God has made me as an encourager on purpose. That is who I am 100%...whether it's to my family, friends, coworkers, whoever....I am just built that way.  Those verses above talk all about it too. Being an encourager, talking and sharing your feelings and testimony....that's is exactly what God put me on this earth to do.  He created me to not be afraid to be open and honest, even if it's about not nice things that happen throughout my life.  He has taught me over the years to be totally transparent.  But he has given me an old fashioned soul at the same time....not one that keeps me from talking about subjects that would be considered taboo, but to know there is a time and place, as well as a way to say everything.  Somethings can be said straight out, upfront, and blunt.  Other times you have to be gentle, quiet, patient, and discreet. (Those are things I am still learning, LOL!!)  He also created me to be outgoing and friendly, I can stinkin' talk to anyone! Always have been that way, always will be. God knew exactly what He was doing when he put me together.

"Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers....Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance...in everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: "It is more blessed to give than to receive."  Acts 20: 28, 32, 35

Now I know, usually these verses would apply to pastors....but I feel like there are people I am charged with reaching out to, women He put in my path, people God has told me to speak to, to have a part in their healing or their walk. I am not trying to speak too highly of myself, but I want to give back at least a small portion of what He   has given to me.  I want to be "more blessed" by giving myself over to Him to do as He wants me to.

Lord, today help me to be more of the type of encourager that You want me to be.  Continue to build up those qualities in me, and stoke the fire in me to help others by showing them the same grace You have shown me throughout the years. I love You...help me to love them. Amen.

Acts 19...the Way

As I was reading today in Acts 19, a word jumped out at me because it was capitalized, and at first I thought maybe it was a typo but it was done twice in the chapter...hmmmmm. So I started re-reading the passage with this word in it to see what He was trying to say to me.
Take a look with me.....

"There he (Paul) found some disciples and asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?"  They answered, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." So Paul asked, "Then what baptism did you receive?" "John's baptism," they replied. Paul said, "John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, this is, in Jesus." On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. There were about 12 men in all. Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God. But some of them became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way."  Acts 19:1b-8

the Way is mentioned again in verse 23, "about that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way."

So this got me thinking about what is the Way?? And for me, I decided it means for me to be walking in the fullness that God offers me. Taking the authority given to me to live in all the fruits of the spirit, such as peace, joy, love, gentleness, and faithfulness....but to also walk in the giftings from the Holy Spirit as well. The giftings that were bestowed specifically on me, Libby, to go out into the world with. I feel a hard pressing on my life lately to share my heart, that call that there is someone out there for me to help with my testimony.  But what if it's not just one person? What if it's hundreds or thousands even?  I'm not saying that in any way to boast in myself or my abilities....but what if God has bigger plans for me? Could I really? Am I ready for that?

Today is really a "what if" sort of day for me.  As I look at all the blessings He has given me, how can I not think about how I can share that joy, that overwhelming excitement, that "my cup runneth over" sort of feeling with others? I told Tyler the other day that I do believe if I told a mountain to move it would...but do I really? Is my mustard seed of faith enough?

Here's the realization that I had....it's not about me and my abilities and my ways....it's all about HIM, HIS abilities, HIS strengths, HIS callings, HIS kingdom, HIS decisions, HIS ways....the WAY!  If He decided I can touch hundreds or thousands, then I can. But, it's all come down to this, do I choose to accept and walk in the Way?

Lord....I am shaking like a leaf just at the thought of this, but I want to live the Way. I want to do what you would have me to do. Whether it's to reach one heart or thousands. Continue to reveal yourself to me, through Your words, the encouraging words of my husband, and the prophetic words of a ministry team. I am really trying, help me to be more quiet and to just listen. In Your Name, Amen.