Progress Must be Evaluated

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Scripture: Acts 13:51

But they shook off the dust of their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium.

Insights: The first two blogs this week have dealt with progress and regress.  Today, we are dealing with the same subject matter, but from a different vantage point.  Today we are discussing the need to evaluate our work.  In other words, we need to determine if our work is progressive or regressive in nature.  You are probably looking at today’s verse and going, I don’t see it and in a technical sense you would be correct.  Yet from a slightly different shade today’s verse is exactly what Paul and Barnabas were doing.  They were shaking the dust off of their feet in protest to those who were persecuting them.  Their protest was a way of saying the work we are doing  in this town is good, it is progressive.  At the same time it is their evaluation of those who are in opposition and they are saying, you are regressive and you are not in the right.  Beloved, we all need to, from time to time, stop what we are doing and evaluate the work.  We need to determine from an objective perspective whether what we are doing is moving us in the right direction or if it is moving us in the wrong direction.  At that point, we must react to the information.  We need to look at the dust on our feet and either wipe it off or keep walking.  This evaluation process can be painful if we learn we are not progressing, but are actually regressive in nature.  This evaluation process can be very joyous if we find we are progressing because we are on the right course.  Beloved, I would challenge you to take some personal time and evaluate your life.  Look at all aspects of your life.  Is your relationship with the Lord growing?  Is your relationship with your family on a progressive track?  Is your work situation one that is in line with your core values?  Are you getting enough personal time for recreation and fun?  Is your health in the place you think it ought to be?  These are just a few questions you need to ask of yourself on a regular basis.  Be mindful of the answers you give to yourself and then make adjustments if they are required.  Above all, don’t make excuses for areas of your life in which you determine to be in a regressive pattern.  Make necessary changes and move forward.

Questions:

1. Do you regularly evaluate your life and ministry?

2. What are some things you have discovered from these evaluations?

Prayer: Father, when I enter into times of evaluation, please grant me Your incite to know how to properly interpret life events.  Let me learn from them and become a better servant of You.  Amen.

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Progress Brings Squabbles, Ridicule and Persecution

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Scripture: Acts 13:50

But the Jews incited the devout women of prominence and the leading men of the city, and instigated a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their district.

Insights: Yesterday we observed the positive side of progress.  The problem, however, is not everyone desires progress.  Some, in fact, go out of their way to hinder progress and to keep things as the status quo.  They are unwilling to grow and adapt themselves, and therefore, do not wish for anyone to grow and adapt.  Just like with the three examples of progress, I think there are three examples in today’s verse which show us the pattern of regression.  The first example is that of squabbles.  Notice in today’s verse these regressive people incited people of prominence and power to engage in conversation.  In other words, these Jews went around and were squabbling about what was happening in their little town..  In a modern day context they were picking up their cell phones and calling others and complaining about the situations at the church they don’t like, squabbling.  The second example is that of ridicule.  The conversations turned from what they did not like to that of personal attack.  Notice the verse states they instigated the next set of events.  In other words, they turned their squabbling about what they did not like to a personal attack against Paul and Barnabas.  It started of in a verbalized fashion, but once something has moved to this level, what we see happening is that situation escalates and moves into our third example of regression today.  The third example is that of persecution.  Notice the verse states they persecuted Paul and Barnabas.  The persecution was so intense it literally drove them out of that district in which they were ministering.  I would like you to evaluate your personal activity level.  I would like you to determine if you have been drug into this regressive mentality which leads to status quo or even negative growth.  If you have found yourself caught up in this cycle, let me challenge you to make a conscious effort to stop.  Stop walking down this path of resistance and embrace what the Lord is doing and walk in the progressive path of growth.  Let God be brought glory as you stop quenching His Spirit and start obeying His Spirit.  You will be amazed at the difference in your life.

Questions:

1. Is your life regressively focused and negatively impacting the kingdom of God?

2. What are some things you can specifically do to change this course direction?

Prayer: Father, often times I harbor bitterness and hostility toward those who fall into the pattern described today.  Please work on my heart and help me to love such people and to specifically pray for them and their hearts to change.  Amen.

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Progress Brings Salvation, Rejoicing and Proclamation

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Scripture: Acts 13:48-49

When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.  And the word of the Lord was being spread through the whole region.

Insights: I have titled this Thoughts by Scott around the idea of progress.  It is my faith presupposition there out to be progress and growth in our individual lives as well as in our corporate lives.  Also, because of my relationship with Jesus, I believe the most profound kind of progress is spiritual in nature.  Paul and Barnabas have been on their first missionary journey and they are now experiencing some progress in their proclamation of the gospel.  In today’s verses I think we observe three types of progress.  The first area of progress is that of salvation.  In other words, the verses tell us that many had been appointed eternal life because of their belief.  Salvation was brought to many.  The second area of progress is that of rejoicing.  The verses tell us the Gentiles who had heard the gospel was for them also began to rejoice and glorify the word of the Lord.  Worship was expressed by those who had received eternal life.  The third area of progress is that of proclamation.  The verses tell us the word of the Lord spread through the whole region.  Many others who were not present when Paul and Barnabas’ original delivery of the gospel heard the good news from those who had been converted by this message.  When we see more salvations occurring, when we see more people rejoicing, and when we see more people proclaiming, then I feel pretty comfortable saying we are observing progress and growth occurring around us.  Beloved, it is my hope you are one who is intently striving to grow in your personal life.  It is my desire for you to experience the joy of sharing the gospel with someone and them receiving the gift of eternal life.  Over the next several weeks I will make reminders about the upcoming Easter celebration at FBC Bowling Green.  If you are looking for a church home and you live any where within a thirty mile radius of Bowling Green, Florida, then I invite you to attend our Easter services.  If you are an attender of FBCBG, then I encourage you to be one who invites others to our Easter services.  Let us double our attendance and have the largest attendance we have had in the past three years.  Let us do great things for the Lord.

Questions:

1. Is your life progressing forward and impacting the kingdom of God?

2. What are some things you can specifically point to in order to demonstrate this progress?

Prayer: Father, You are always progressing forward to your eternal plan and objective.  Help me to have the courage and passion to join You and walk forward for Your glory.  Amen.

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The Wounded Person

Last week Ann asked me to write on the fifth type of person.  To give you context, a few weeks back I wrote about the four types of people that Jeff Kisiah preached about at our church on Valentines day.  As a brief recap the four types were those who are on the fringe and do not have a relationship with the Lord.  The second type of person is one who has “received” Jesus as Lord and Savior, but Jesus is on the back burner of this persons life.  The third type of person has grown in their relationship with Jesus and He is on the front burner of this persons life, but the individual is still on the back burner themselves.  The fourth type of person is one who is truly surrendered to the Lordship of Christ and they are are not even on the burner at all.

The fifth type of person can be found in any one of the preceding types.  The fifth type of person is a wounded person.  In other words, this individual has gone through a major event in which their heart was damaged to such an extent that they are creating defensive strategies to prevent such pain.  There are two observations I wish to make about this last sentence.  Firstly, the event was major.  In this life we all will face times of difficulty.  A wounded person, however, has been traumatically impacted by someone, something or they may even attach the blame on the Lord.  This moment often times leads to years and years of defensive techniques being created by this person of pain.  Secondly, these defensive strategies or techniques are often times created at the subconscious level and the person building these defenses do not recognize the fact they are actually creating more pain in their lives.

No matter where the person is in the four types of person profile, it is our job to try and bring them to Jesus.  Jesus is the only One who can heal this person’s wounded heart.  He tells us to cast our cares on Him because He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7).  Jesus also tells us to take up His yoke because His burden is light (Matthew 11:29-30).  Jesus is not just about the saving of our soul.  He is about the complete and total healing of our lives.  He desires for us to be the person He created us to be.  This kind of life can only be accomplished through Him.

When we are wounded, however, we resist such healing because of those defensive strategies we have built up around us.  I will also tell you, when Jesus starts to work on these areas of pain, one does experience more pain.  In the Voyage of the Dawn Treader where Eustace, who had been turned into a dragon, is being healed by Aslan (the Jesus character of the C.S. Lewis story).  Eustace tried to heal himself to no avail three times, but then Aslan starts to work on him.  Read Lewis’ words because they express this healing process well.  Let us lead people to the Lord and let Him heal them.

“‘Then the lion said—but I don’t think if it spoke—You will have to let me undress you.  I was afraid of his claws, I can tell you, but I was pretty nearly desperate now.  So I just lay flat down on my back to let him do it.

‘The very first tear he made was so deep that I thought it had gone right into my heart.  And when he began pulling the skin off, it hurt worse than anything I’ve ever felt.  The only thing that made me able to bear it was just the pleasure of feeling the stuff peel off.  You know—if you’ve ever picked the scab of a sore place.  It hurst like billy-oh but it is such fun to see it coming away.’

‘I know exactly what you mean,’ said Edmund.

‘Well, he peeled the beastly stuff right off—just as I thought I’d done it myself the other three times, only they hadn’t hurt—and there it was lying on the grass: only ever so much thicker, and darker, and more knobby looking than the others had been.  And there was I as smooth and soft as a peeled switch and smaller than I had been.  Then he caught hold of me—I didn’t like that much for I was very tender underneath now that I’d no skin on—and threw me into the water.  It smarted like anything but only for a moment.  After that it became perfectly delicious and as soon as I started swimming and splashing I found that all the pain had gone from my arm.  And then I saw why.  I’d turned into a boy again.  You’d think me simply phone if I told you how I felt about my own arms.  I know they’ve no muscle and are pretty moldy compared with Caspian’s, but I was so glad to see them.

‘After a bit the lion took me out and dressed me—.’”

How has Jesus healed you?  We would love to read your story.  You can write in the comment section and we would be honored to learn from you.

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God Continues to Move Forward

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Scripture: Acts 13:47

“For so the Lord has commanded us, ‘I have placed You as a light for the Gentiles, That You may bring salvation to the end of the earth.’ ”

Insights: Today’s verse gives me a great deal of comfort.  As we learned Monday, it is God’s desire for everyone to enter into a relationship with Him.  At the same time, however, we learned yesterday that He gives us all a choice to accept or reject Him.  Now that we have this foundation, let me explain why this verse is a comfort for me.  God had chosen the people of Israel to be His very own special people group.  He had commissioned them to share His love with a world.  The problem was the children of Israel never truly grasped what the Lord had wanted form them.  As a result, they became inwardly focused regarding their position and relationship with the Lord.  They thought God was for them only and they were unwilling to let others into their circle.  The sad part is in this particular passage that same sentiment is still being expressed.  What’s even sadder is that mentality is still present to this very day even though their Messiah has extended grace to everyone who will receive Him.  This last part of the preceding sentence is the point I am trying to express.  Even though the children of Israel were charged with proclamation and they did not accept that charge, God’s plan was not stopped.  He still sent His Son, Jesus.  He still drew on the Israelite nation, but He also used converted followers of Jesus to spread the message of grace to the Gentile world.  His plan had always been for the redemption of the world and no matter how many people try to stop this plan, it is going to happen in His timing and in His way.  This reality gives my heart a great deal of comfort and joy.  God is going to bring His plan to pass and nothing can stop it, praise the Lord!

Questions:

1. What is the next assignment God is commissioning you to join Him?

2. What are some ways in which you have observed God moving forward in spite of resistance?

Prayer: Father, it gives me great comfort to know You are going to accomplish Your plan in Your way and in Your time.  Help me to grow in this grace and trust You more for the completion of Your plan.  Amen.

If you have found this blog to be helpful, please forward it in Facebook or retweet it in Twitter.  Thank you.

God's Plan is NOT Stopped by Our Choices

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Scripture: Acts 13:46

Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first; since you repudiate it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles.

Insights: Today’s verse gives me a great deal of comfort.  As we learned Monday, it is God’s desire for everyone to enter into a relationship with Him.  At the same time, however, we learned yesterday that He gives us all a choice to accept or reject Him.  Now that we have this foundation, let me explain why this verse is a comfort for me.  God had chosen the people of Israel to be His very own special people group.  He had commissioned them to share His love with a world.  The problem was the children of Israel never truly grasped what the Lord had wanted form them.  As a result, they became inwardly focused regarding their position and relationship with the Lord.  They thought God was for them only and they were unwilling to let others into their circle.  The sad part is in this particular passage that same sentiment is still being expressed.  What’s even sadder is that mentality is still present to this very day even though their Messiah has extended grace to everyone who will receive Him.  This last part of the preceding sentence is the point I am trying to express.  Even though the children of Israel were charged with proclamation and they did not accept that charge, God’s plan was not stopped.  He still sent His Son, Jesus.  He still drew on the Israelite nation, but He also used converted followers of Jesus to spread the message of grace to the Gentile world.  His plan had always been for the redemption of the world and no matter how many people try to stop this plan, it is going to happen in His timing and in His way.  This reality gives my heart a great deal of comfort and joy.  God is going to bring His plan to pass and nothing can stop it, praise the Lord!

Questions:

1. When you understand God’s eternal plan is not going to be stopped, what emotions does that evoke in you?

2. Have you been one who has at times attempted to thwart God’s activities?

Prayer: Father, it gives me great comfort to know You are going to accomplish Your plan in Your way and in Your time.  Help me to grow in this grace and trust You more for the completion of Your plan.  Amen.

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God Gives ALL A Choice

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Scripture: Acts 13:45

But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began contradicting the things spoken by Paul, and were blaspheming.

Insights: This verse and verses like it break my heart.  These individuals had heard the good news and now were in the process of rejecting it.  I have shared the gospel with many people in my life.  Many have come to know Jesus Christ and their lives truly were changed and the evidence is still present to this day.  Others, however, rejected the gospel and their lives have shown the ever downward spiral of despair and toxicity that God never intended for them.  Yet God gives humanity the choice.  He is not a dictatorial god playing with the fate of humans.  His love is so grand He actually wants people to choose Him.  In other words, He does not coerce, force or manipulate people to enter into a relationship with Him.  He genuinely extends grace and continually draws on the hearts of humanity, but at the end of the day, He let’s us choose or reject Him.  I personally think this truth tells us a great deal about the Father and His amazing love.  It reveals to us that God is secure in who He is.  His identity and value is not based on our acceptance or rejection.  It reveals His transparency and vulnerability as well.  He is open and honest about His pain in our rejection, but He does not let that pain alter our choice.  He allows us to walk a path which will ultimately lead to eternal suffering and torment and the Lord, though not fine with this, will allow it to happen because He respects your choice.  If you are one who does not have a relationship with Jesus and you have rejected His gracious gift, then I would strongly encourage you to think through these truths I have mentioned about God’s character.  I would encourage you to think through the long term outcome of your decisions.  I, obviously, would encourage you to say, “Yes,” to Jesus and enter into that relationship.  I can promise you this: your life will still be full of problems and difficulties, but there will be one walking the journey with you who will stick closer than a brother.  Trust Him and see.

Questions:

1. Is your heart grateful or discouraged by the fact God gives us a choice to accept or reject Him?

2. Would you prefer for the Lord to have chosen a different way to invite humanity into a relationship with Him?

Prayer: Father, I am grateful You give us the choice to enter into a relationship with You.  May Your good grace continue to strive with humanity and may we delight in Your mercy.  Amen.

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