Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.
Acts 16:6-10

Called to Preach

When Jesus sent out his disciples, they heard from his own mouth where he wanted them to go and what he wanted them to say. After Jesus ascended into heaven, he sent special gifts from the Spirit to tell those disciples where he wanted them to go and what he wanted them to say.

In today’s reading from the book of Acts, Jesus made it clear where he wanted Paul and his companions to go. But they already knew what to say. God had called them to preach the gospel to people.

The gospel is the good news that Jesus lived a perfect life in our place and then died to take the punishment for our sins. The gospel is the good news that we have forgiveness of sins through faith in Jesus. God called Paul to preach the gospel.

And God still calls people to preach that gospel today. He does not use visions from the Spirit. Instead, God calls people through the Church, through people who have come to believe in Jesus through the gospel.

And there are still people asking preachers to teachers to “come over and help us.” All around the world, from Tennessee to Tibet, people are asking to be reassured of their forgiveness through faith in Jesus. How good it is to know God still answers those prayers by sending his representatives to proclaim the good news of sins forgiven!

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, send your messengers wherever the good news needs to be proclaimed. Amen.

[Jesus said] “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”
Revelation 22:13

Constants in Your Life

Do you have any constants in your life? Is there anything in your life that is completely dependable and never lets you down? The reality is that our lives are in constant flux. Our jobs can change in a moment, even after many years of faithful service. Our significant other can just up and leave even after months or years of a relationship. Friends can betray us in real life or unfriend us on social media. A spouse or family member can let us down from time to time. Even the people who love us are not always there for us in the way we need them to be. Life in this world can often feel like we are adrift at sea, without anyone or anything that is truly and completely dependable.

That’s where Jesus is different. He says to you, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” With these comforting words, Jesus reminds us that he is eternal. He never changes. He has always been there for us and will always be there. His promises are dependable. Jesus does not change.

That sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it? Maybe you have even been aware that God is with you at times. But then there are times when everything goes from bad to worse, and you wonder if, in fact, God is real or if he’s even paying attention to you. Make no mistake: Jesus has never left you and never will. He is the Alpha and Omega. You can depend on him. And just to prove how faithful he is to you, he willingly died on that cross to make sure that sin could not separate you from him. Then, he kept his promise, and he rose from the dead to make sure that death could not separate you from him.

Do you have any constants in your life? You only need one. And his name is Jesus.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, thank you for being the one constant in my life. Teach me to depend on you each day and to trust your promises. Never leave me, Lord. Amen.

[Jesus said] “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.”
John 17:24

The Ultimate Goal

What are your life goals? What aspirations do you have? Where do you see yourself in five, ten, or twenty years? Maybe you have your sights set on a dream job at a certain company or in a certain part of the country. Perhaps you have an amazing retirement mapped out in your mind. Or it could be that you have the dream of being financially independent and traveling the world. Whatever dream you may have, it will only be achieved through action. We are encouraged to chase our dreams and work towards our goals.

Whatever dreams you have, be assured that Jesus has already set loftier goals for you. Jesus prayed to his Father in heaven and had a clear goal in mind for you: he wants you in heaven with him forever. To achieve that lofty goal, it was not as simple as applying to the right colleges or selecting the right mix of investments in his 401(k). No, to achieve his heavenly goals for all of us, Jesus elected to suffer and die on the cross to pay the bill that our sins had racked up. Then, to guarantee our victory over death and the grave, Jesus rose from the dead on Easter Sunday. His resurrection guarantees that we too will rise to live forever in heaven. Now through faith, he invites us to put our trust in him so that we can receive the blessings of faith, forgiveness, and eternal life.

Christ has achieved the ultimate goal for us. As you chase your dreams here on earth, always keep an eye on the heavenly home that Jesus has waiting for you. Rest assured that no matter what happens here, the loftiest goal possible has already been achieved for you.

Prayer:
Dear Lord, heavenly Father, thank you for sending Jesus to win my salvation. Help me to keep my eyes on my heavenly home and bless me as I set goals for my time here. Help me to always glorify you. Amen.

During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”
Acts 16:9

Help Others

How long will eternity last? Seriously stop and think about that question.

When you think about it, it’s mind-boggling. The hymn Amazing Grace reads, “When we’ve been there ten thousand years, bright shining as the sun, we’ve no less days to sing God’s praise, than when we’d first begun.” And that’s true! Eternity will go on and on and on and on and, well, you get the picture.

Of course, for those who are believers in Jesus, that’s an awesome thing! They will enjoy God’s love and praise him forever.

But for those who do not know Jesus as their Savior, it will be awful. They will be separated, forever, from God and his love.

So, can we understand the plea from the Macedonian man? What did the people in that area need? More than anything else, they needed to know about Jesus and his forgiving love. More than anything else, they needed to know that God loved them. More than anything else, they needed to know that heaven was open for them because Jesus had died and risen.

These are the things we need more than anything else as well. Thankfully, we have them because they are all promised by God in his Word.

Thank God today that you have heard about what Jesus has done for you and what he promises you–an eternity of joy with him in heaven.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank you for doing everything necessary for me to spend my eternity with you. Amen.

[Paul and Barnabas] preached the gospel in [the city of Derbe] and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said.
Acts 14:21,22

Joy Victorious Over Hardship

Paul and Barnabas wanted to strengthen and encourage the faith of the young disciples they had previously met. So they told them that “we must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.”

At first glance, those words don’t seem to be that encouraging. They seem to be predicting that life will be harder for them than they would like. In fact, they seem to be promising that this will be the case—that there is no other way to live as a follower of Jesus. “We must go through many hardships,” they said. Certainly, the thought of hardships is not at all encouraging.

But thinking of the kingdom of God is.

The kingdom of God is perfect beyond what we can imagine. It is perfect harmony with God and with one another. It is an existence entirely without sin and its ability to corrupt every part of our lives—one without any guilt, sadness, or pain.

And it is already yours by all that Jesus already accomplished on your behalf as your Savior.

No hardship on earth can take it away from you. “Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation,” Paul would write in the book of Romans, “will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38,39).

Expect hardship on earth. Also, expect one day to be entirely free from it in the kingdom of God.

Prayer:
Gracious Savior, may your victory on my behalf over sin, death, and Satan always be my heart’s greatest treasure. Amen.

[Jesus said] “Now is the time of your grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.”
John 16:22

Joy Victorious Over Feelings

Consider how many people in the Bible lost their joy between the Thursday when Jesus spoke these words and the following Sunday morning, the day of Jesus’ resurrection.

Think of Peter after the rooster crowed, running outside, and weeping bitterly over his sin. Think of Mary Magdalene on Easter morning, soaking Jesus’ tomb with her tears, blinded by so much sorrow that she didn’t even recognize Jesus when he was standing right next to her in the garden. Think of the other disciples, too scared or ashamed to stay with Jesus; too afraid of Jesus’ enemies to do anything but lock themselves away in a room and hope that no one would find them.

As you read through these moments of personal grief and pain, do you ever wonder why the Bible includes all of them? Do you ever wonder why God wanted us to know about these different people in their lowest moments?

There is one likely explanation.

God includes all these stories of personal pain because he wants you to be able to find yourself in his Word. He knew there would be times when you would feel like Peter, very guilty about something. Or like Mary when your heart is breaking because you lost someone you loved. He knew there would be times you would be paralyzed by fear or overwhelmed by guilt. God knew.

And he wanted you to know that, despite those powerful and painful feelings, “no one will take away your joy.” The joy of Jesus’ disciples did not at all depend on how well they reacted to Jesus’ suffering and death. It depended entirely on the fact that Jesus earned complete forgiveness for them by his death and on the certainty of his resurrection—just as it does for you.

No one will take away your joy: for Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, guide my emotions by the certainty of your completed work as my Savior. Amen.

[Jesus said] “Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.”
John 16:20-22

Joy Victorious Over Circumstance

Jesus statement that “a woman giving birth to a child has pain” needs no explanation for those who have given birth to a child. Childbirth is painful. His statement that “when her baby is born, she forgets the anguish” also needs no explanation for any new mother who has cradled her newborn in her arms for the very first time. It’s not that the labor pain didn’t happen. It’s not that the new mother’s body has healed in any way by the time the new child is delivered. Rather, the joy of holding her new child is so great it overwhelms all the immense pain.

Jesus promised the same type of experience for his disciples. “You will grieve,” he said, as he alluded to the grief that would consume them as they would soon witness Jesus’ arrest, suffering, crucifixion, and death. They would grieve in other ways as well, just as we do, living with sinful hearts in a sinful world that regularly rebels against God’s Word.

But though the circumstances of our lives in this world cause real grief, the victory of Jesus on our behalf is great enough to overwhelm it. One day, that will happen in eternity as God “will wipe every tear from [our] eyes” (Revelation 21:4). And, just as the woman in labor finds strength to endure her labor pains in the knowledge that her joy is coming, so also Christians find daily strength to endure our grief knowing our victory is coming; for Jesus’ sacrifice for our sins is completed and his victory over death is already won.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, by your death and resurrection, give me daily strength to endure the hard circumstances of earthly life in anticipation of my final victory that is already won. Amen.

“As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”
John 13:34

Limitless Love

The thing about love is that it almost always has limits.

You might love someone or something, but there is probably a limit to that love. You may love a certain food, but you will only pay so much for it. Perhaps you love a certain sports team, but after so many losing seasons, you may just give up. Even in a marriage, a lifelong love, we say our vows with, “Till death do us part.”

Even though almost every love we know has its bounds, we still crave truly limitless and unconditional love—a love without any end.

God filled our desire for limitless love by sending Jesus to win eternal life for us. God didn’t set a limit or an end to his love. With his limitless love, Jesus came to live and die for us to take away our sins and to win for us a place before God forever. This love will never end.

When God commands us to love one another as he has loved us, he gives us no small task. He says to love with the love that he has shown to us.

How can we do that? We can do the kinds of things that will make sure even death will not limit our love. If you want to love your spouse, pray for and encourage their faith. If you want to love your child, make sure that they grow up in a place where their faith can be nurtured. If you want to love your neighbor, do the kinds of things that allow you to share with them the hope you have in Jesus. Helping those you love to be in the Word of Christ and to follow his commands is one of the greatest expressions of love because it is the only thing that is truly limitless.

God loves you in an ultimate way by winning eternity for you. Go and love people by sharing that message with them.

Prayer:
Father, thank you for loving us so much that you sent Jesus. Help us to love with the limitless love you have shown to us. Amen.

For now we see a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
1 Corinthians 13:12

Full Knowledge

I always wondered why my parents were so strict about bedtimes. It didn’t seem to me like a minute or two should make a big difference, but if I went to bed on time, my parents were happy, and if I dawdled, they were unhappy.

Now that I am an adult, I realize how much healthier kids are when they have a reliable structure in their lives. I realize that my parents loved me and were willing to enforce some structure because they knew how good it was for me.

And now that I am an adult, I wonder why God allows some things to happen in my life and the lives of the people I love. I know that God loves me, and I try to figure out his purposes, but I realize it’s always like looking into a bathroom mirror covered by steam. I can’t completely see the whole picture.

But that’s ok. I don’t need to see the whole picture. I know God sees it. And I know I don’t have to fear because through faith in Jesus, I have his forgiveness and righteousness. And because I have his forgiveness and righteousness, I will see him in heaven one day. There, I will have a much clearer picture of things. I will know everything I need to know to be perfectly at peace. Won’t it be wonderful?

Prayer:
Lord God, Heavenly Father, give me confidence in your love and protection in my life and the lives of my loved ones. Amen.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7

God Is Love

Have you ever heard a pastor read these words at a wedding? Couples often choose this text for their marriage ceremony as a beautiful description of the love they are celebrating by saying their vows to one another. It is moving to think about the power of selfless love.

Read the text again, but this time, substitute your name for the words “love” and “it.” For example, “Jim is patient, Jim is kind. Jim does not envy, etc.” When you get to the word “always,” slow down a little, and realize that it’s not true. You don’t always protect, trust, hope, or persevere. Regardless of the strength of your love, you have moments when your selfishness overcomes your love.

But now, read the text once more. This time, put Jesus’ name in the place where you had put your name. Now the words ring true. Jesus was patient and kind. He kept no record of wrongs. He always protected. He always persevered. Jesus did all these things perfectly, not simply to serve as an example for us but to serve as a substitute for us. Through Jesus, God sees Jesus’ disciples as perfectly loving. Through Jesus, we sinners are saved.

When you are angry because other people do not love you the way they promised, remember the love of Jesus, and forgive them. When you are disappointed in yourself because you realize that you are self-seeking, remember the love of Jesus, and relax in his forgiveness and faithfulness.

Prayer:
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for your kindness. Lead me always to trust you for forgiveness and love. Amen.

[Jesus said] “My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come. A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
John 13:33-35

Love One Another

“Clean up the kitchen after you eat. Feed the dog and let it out. Make sure to finish your homework and get to bed by 9 o’clock.” Similar instructions are given to responsible children in countless households by parents who are about to leave them home alone for an evening.

Jesus gave his disciples some instructions when he knew that he would be leaving them soon. His instructions were simple: “Love one another.” By dealing with one another in love, not only would the followers of Jesus be obeying his command, they would also be making it clear to others exactly who they are—disciples of Jesus.

What is this love that we are to have for one another? Jesus tells us that it is to be the same kind of love he has for us. His love caused him to go to the cross and give up his life for us so that we don’t have to be punished for our sins. His love focused on our greatest need and was willing to do whatever it took to meet it, even if that meant he would have to suffer tremendous pain and even die.

Because of his love for us and what that love caused him to do, we know that our sins have been forgiven and our relationship with God restored. Such wonderful news motivates us to want to live for Jesus, and he tells us how to do so: “Love one another.”

By lifting our eyes off ourselves to see others and their needs and then working to meet those needs, even if it means personal sacrifice, we obey our Savior’s command to love one another. When we do, other people will notice that there is something different about us. They will recognize that we are disciples of Jesus.

Prayer:
Jesus, my Savior, thank you for loving me enough to make the ultimate sacrifice for my sins. Help me to show that same sacrificial love to others that it may be evident to them that I follow and obey you. Amen.

“These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore, they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence.”
Revelation 7:14,15

Encouragement

The Christians to whom the apostle John wrote the book of Revelation needed encouragement. They lived at a time when the Roman government was severely persecuting them. Being a Christian was illegal. If you were discovered to be a Christian and refused to renounce your faith in Jesus, you could be killed.

To these Christians, it may have seemed as if Jesus had abandoned them. He had promised always to be with them, care for them, and protect them. But their friends and even family members were being killed. Their own lives were constantly in danger. Where was Jesus when his people so desperately needed him?

Jesus gave John a vision that gave these Christians the encouragement they needed. He showed John a huge crowd of people, all dressed in white and waving palm branches. He was told that these were those “who have come out of the great tribulation.” In other words, these were all God’s people who had died but now were with Jesus in heaven. It may have seemed Rome had won, and they had lost. But in reality, the Christians were the victors because they were with Jesus. Jesus blood, shed for them on the cross, had washed them and made them clean. And Jesus would keep with close to him forever. Nothing would ever separate them from him.

We may not face the same type of physical persecution that those early Christians did. But we still need the same encouragement. If ever we wonder whether Jesus is keeping his promise to us and protecting us, we can look at that same crowd of people that John saw. There we see all of God’s people who have been washed clean in Jesus’ blood. There we see where we will one day be as well. A time is coming soon when we will stand in the shelter of Jesus’ presence. And we will be with him forever.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, hold me tightly until you take me to be with you forever. Amen.

“I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.”
John 10:28

Our Good Shepherd

Sheep are prey animals. They don’t hunt other animals. Other animals hunt them. Bears, wolves, coyotes, mountain lions, and even dogs can attack sheep and try to drag them away from the flock. When that happens, sheep don’t have much they can do besides try to run away. They don’t have sharp teeth or claws that they can use to defend themselves.

That’s why a shepherd is so important. In many ways, the shepherd is the sheep’s most powerful defense. When a predator tries to snatch a sheep, the watchful shepherd will drive the predator off. He will do whatever he can to prevent anyone or anything from snatching even one of his sheep. David, the Old Testament king who was once a shepherd, is a good example. He once said, “When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it, and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it” (1 Samuel 17:34-35).

Spiritually, we are sheep. We are the prey. Satan and all his allies are our predators. The Bible says, “The devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). When the devil attacks, we are not able to defend ourselves. Spiritually, we are defenseless unless someone comes to our rescue.

Jesus is the Good Shepherd who has come to our rescue. When Satan was seeking to devour us, Jesus came and fought Satan directly. He willingly put his own life on the line—actually, he willingly laid down his life to rescue us from Satan. Now that Jesus has given his life to keep us from being taken from him, we can be sure that there’s nothing he won’t do to keep us close to him. Satan will still try to snatch us away from Jesus. But he will not succeed. Jesus, our Good Shepherd, holds us tightly in his hand. And no one can snatch us from his hand.

Prayer:
Good Shepherd who laid down your life for me, hold me close to you forever. Amen.

The Jews who were there gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me.”
John 10:24,25

Right in Front of You

Sometimes people simply refuse to see what is right in front of their eyes. The Jewish people who gathered around Jesus in today’s Bible reading are a perfect example of this. They still weren’t sure whether Jesus was God’s promised Messiah. They felt as if Jesus was keeping them in suspense. Why wouldn’t he just come right out and tell them if he was the Messiah?

Jesus, however, had been telling them plainly that he was the Messiah. In fact, he’d done it many times. He’d spoken that truth to them repeatedly using words. In addition, he had spoken to them using his actions.

If they wanted to know if Jesus was the Messiah, all they needed to do was open their eyes and see what Jesus was doing. Who else but God’s chosen Messiah could heal the sick as Jesus did? Or cast out demons with a single command? Or feed thousands of people with just a few loaves of bread and fish? Or raise the dead? Or give sight to the blind? Or do any of the countless other miracles that Jesus was doing?

The miracles that Jesus performed demonstrated who he was. He was indeed the Messiah God had promised to send. But they refused to see it. Even though all the evidence they needed was right in front of their eyes, they could not see it because they didn’t want to see it.

On our own, we couldn’t see the evidence that Jesus is the Messiah any more than the people in today’s Bible reading could. But God the Holy Spirit has worked faith in our hearts so that we see all that Jesus has done. Jesus’ miracles, his perfect life, his death on the cross, and his resurrection from the dead clearly show us that Jesus is our Savior who has paid for all our sins. Praise God that he has opened our eyes to see!

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank you for opening my eyes to see that you are my Savior. Amen.

Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
Acts 9:17

Lost and Found

A person can get lost without knowing it. A little boy in a mall wanders off from his parents to play with some toys. Two friends on a cross-country road trip miss their exit; they’re so caught up in the conversation that they drive many miles out of the way.

A man named Saul was lost, but he didn’t know it. He thought that by keeping the laws and traditions of the Old Testament, he could make himself right with God. In fact, Saul was so convinced he was right that he went after those who disagreed to bring them down. He didn’t want to hear that Jesus was the Savior, risen from the dead. Saul was a persecutor of Christians.

It’s easy to think about our relationship with God the way Saul did. It’s easy to think the way to be right with God is to do the right things. It’s easy to think we don’t need a Savior from sin. And when we think that way, we’re just as lost as Saul was.

One day God found Saul. There was a bright light from heaven, a visit from Jesus, and a bout of blindness. As terrifying as it all must have seemed to Saul at the time, clearly, God loved Saul. For the three days Saul’s blindness lasted, God gave him time to reflect on things. Jesus had been right all along; he was the only way to God. Jesus wasn’t dead; he was alive! Best of all, when the three days were up, Saul was baptized. Jesus had died for Saul’s sins too. God had forgiven Saul, and now Saul knew it.

When you are lost and know it; then there’s nothing better than being found. You probably haven’t been rescued from a deserted island, but you can imagine what joy there would be in hearing the beat of a helicopter blade. The account of Saul’s conversion is a ray of hope for all who are spiritually shipwrecked. Jesus paid for Saul’s sins, and he paid for yours too. It doesn’t take miraculous healing or light from heaven to turn you around. The Holy Spirit works through the message of what Jesus has done for you. Help has come.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, risen Savior, thank you for shining the light of your forgiveness on me too. Amen.