Tag Archives: Testimony

Chapter-a-Day

Chapter-a-Day Acts 25

Leave a comment
Regional Art Museum, Uzhgorod, Ukraine
Regional Art Museum, Uzhgorod, Ukraine (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

So the next day [King] Agrippa and [his sister] Bernice arrived at the auditorium with great pomp, accompanied by military officers and prominent men of the city. [Governor] Festus ordered that Paul be brought in. Acts 25:23 (NLT)

Confession time. When I was a young man, I was incredibly intimidated to be around people of worldly influence, social status, and power. When I began working for c wenger group, I was occasionally asked to accompany my employer and colleagues into meetings with prominent business leaders. I was nervous and self-conscious. My heart would pound and I could feel my cheeks become flushed if I was ever asked to speak. It took all of my training as a theatre major to act calm.

Over the years, the nerves, fear and anxiety faded. Time and experience taught me that I had nothing to fear. In fact, I began to realize two very important life lessons. First, I came to understand that the people in those positions of relative power are very much human like I am. They have the same human emotions and weaknesses as anyone else. In fact, often because of their position those individuals can feel more lonely and isolated than you might expect. Second, I learned that my position afforded me the sometimes unique opportunity to have relationships and show love to some of these individuals. God was giving me an open door to be a person of influence with persons of influence.

I thought about that as I read in today’s chapter about Paul getting called into deposition after deposition with the various leaders and rulers of the day. Each interview and trial was a unique chance to share his story and share God’s Message with an audience few if any could otherwise reach. It was also a direct fulfillment of Jesus’ prophetic message to His followers:

“But before all this occurs, there will be a time of great persecution. You will be dragged into synagogues and prisons, and you will stand trial before kings and governors because you are my followers. But this will be your opportunity to tell them about me. So don’t worry in advance about how to answer the charges against you, for I will give you the right words and such wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to reply or refute you!  Even those closest to you—your parents, brothers, relatives, and friends—will betray you. They will even kill some of you. And everyone will hate you because you are my followers. But not a hair of your head will perish! By standing firm, you will win your souls.”

Today, I am thankful for the unique positions God places us in our jobs, our communities,  and in life circumstances – that we might have the opportunity to be people of influence. I pray that I will be a good steward of the opportunities I am given.

Enhanced by Zemanta
Chapter-a-Day

Chapter-a-Day John 20

2 Comments

That Sunday evening the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. John 20:19 (NLT)

The religious leaders of Jerusalem had conspired and in less than 24 hours they had apprehended, tried and executed Jesus. If they were so intent on killing their master, it would make sense for them to go after Jesus’ core disciples as well. They could make a clean sweep and be rid of this pesky sect that had caused so many headaches for them.

It is not surprising that Jesus’ followers were shut up behind locked doors fearing for their lives. They had nothing with which to defend themselves. They were uneducated men from the rural Galilee region in the north. They had no money, no political power, and they were in grief over the death of their master. They had alway depended on Jesus to lead them and tell them where they were going and what they should do. Now, they were distraught, afraid, leaderless and utterly without direction or hope.

So, what happened over the course of the following six weeks that changed this fearful, directionless, uneducated lot into a fearless, impassioned, articulate group of men boldly standing up in public to proclaim that Jesus was alive? In fact, all twelve would eventually spread out around the known world to experience persecution, torture and death in order to share with others the story of Jesus, His death and His resurrection.

Today I’m thinking about the fact that following Jesus and experiencing a relationship with Him results in changed lives. Death becomes life. Hate becomes love. Bitterness becomes forgiveness. Selfishness becomes selflessness. Prejudice becomes grace. I see that change in the story and testimony of Jesus’ first followers. I’ve seen it in countless others. I’ve experienced it in my own life, and I pray to experience increasingly more each day.

Chapter-a-Day

Chapter-a-Day Isaiah 62

1 Comment

…Cubs win. hoist high a flag, a signal to all peoples! Isaiah 62:11d (MSG)

Perhaps the fact that it was Flag Day earlier this week caused this sentence to jump out of today's chapter. But, it got me meditating on the idea of flags and banners. We don't give a ton of thought to flags these days, but they still hold a quiet a place in communication within our world.

When I'm driving down the street and I see an American flag at half-mast I know that someone died. While boating at the lake I see the flags flying on various docks and quickly determine who supports Kansas (Jay-hawk or K-State flags) or Iowa (Hawkeye Flag).

As Chicago Cubs fans, Wendy and I purchased a large "W" flag to fly when the Cubs win. It hasn't flown much this year. Nevertheless, when we stick it in the flagpole and it flies outside the house, we proclaim that we're Cubs fans. We proclaim (a rare) victory. Everyone in the neighborhood knows that Tom and Wendy are Cubs fans and the Cubs won the night before.

When God tells us to raise our banners high, he's asking us to publicly proclaim him. God wants us to be willing, through our words and actions, to "fly the flag" proclaiming we are God's fans and proclaiming His victory.

Creative Commons photo courtesy of Flickr and cjrphoto