In The Waiting

SCRIPTURE
Acts 17: 16  While Paul was waiting for them (Silas and Timothy) in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols.

OBSERVATION
At this juncture in Paul's ministry we connect with him at Athens. he has just been teaching God's word in Thessalonica and Berea. Some religious leaders, however, caused great difficulty for Paul and their actions make it necessary for him to leave. While following the Holy Spirit's lead he went to the city of Athens. We are told that he was 'waiting' for Silas and Timothy to join him. Verse 16 & 17 stood out to me as I read this section of scripture because Paul accomplished some Kingdom business while he was 'waiting'. he saw the spiritual emptiness and did something about it. The city was full of idols but empty of spiritual life. 

Wow! When I''m waiting for someone, I usually just hang out and accomplish nothing. I call it Killing Time - This happens frequently when I accompany my wife on a shopping expedition. I will sit on a bench and you guessed it... I 'Kill Time. I also get caught up in 'People Watching" when I am waiting for someone or something to happen. It brings a smile to my face when I catch some of the idiosyncrasies and silly actions that people do as they go about their daily activities. I know it's sick and I may need some therapy but it is a cheap price for some entertainment. After reading this verse, however, I realized that I am wasting some valuable time and an opportunity for God to do some Kingdom work through me. Do you find yourself doing the  same thing? Col 4:5 tells us to make the most of every opportunity. It may be at a stop light while waiting for it to turn green. It may be at Starbucks or on a bench outside a maul. God wants to show something to you about people and their need. While you are waiting, God can work through you. 


APPLICATION
I don't think I will stop watching people in my times of waiting because it is SO MUCH fun. I am going to to more, however that merely watch. I am going to pray for them. I will ask God to reveal a need they might have, a family member they are concerned about or a bill that needs to be paid. As I 'People Watch', I 'm going to become a watchman for God (Ezek 33:7) While I wait for the next thing to transpire, I will pray for our city and county because there are idols everywhere. If you and I do this, we will 'redeem the time - Col 4:5

PRAYER
Lord, Thank You for being involved in our daily times. While we are waiting, while we are sleeping, while we are going about our daily activities, you are at work. Thank you for men like Paul who actively pursued you and was stirred by the Holy Spirit because there were idols that filled the land. May we be among those who carry a burden for our city and set ourselves to tearing down the idols of darkness.

SCRIPTURE
Acts 24:25 - "and as he (Paul) continued to argue about righteousness, purity, and the judgement to come, Felix (the king) became terrified, and said, "go away for now, and when I have a convenient opportunity, I will send for you".

OBSERVATION
The king became uncomfortable when Paul started to share the realities of living in righteousness, purity, and the judgement to come, which is the eternal judgement. He sent Paul away, saying that he would call for him and listen when it was more convenient. Unfortunately, that time never came, because it is never "convenient" when a person is confronted with the reality of their need of a Savior and a lifestyle change that will honor the Lord.


APPLICATION
It is very easy to live our lives focused on the "easy" parts of Christianity, and how we push away the things that challenge our lives with the need to change - it just isn't "convenient" for our flesh. May we choose to become Christians who are making the decisions to not live what is just "convenient", but what is necessary to us growing in Christlikeness and choosing godliness and maturity.

PRAYER
God, help us to not give in to the temptation in our flesh to not do the "inconvenient" that would really cause us to choose Christ and grow and mature in a relationship with Him. Help us to understand that, in reality, we will face an eternal judgement someday and how we live our lives here on earth, and whether or not we have chosen to know You and have a relationship with You will determine the outcome of our eternity. Help us to always live with this at the forefront of our minds and lives.

SCRIPTURE
Acts 23:5 - "Paul replied, "Brothers, I did not realize that he was the high priest; for it is written: 'Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people'.""


OBSERVATION
Paul is treated unjustly, and when he responds angrily in self - defense, he is told that he is talking to the High Priest. At that point, he apologizes and refers to a part of the law that God gave the Jews in Exodus 22:28 which instructs the people not to blaspheme God or to curse the rulers of the people, which means to not speak disrespectfully about or to them.


APPLICATION
This is an interesting scripture because it instructs us that no matter how wrong authority may be sometimes, it is still right before God to respect them - note that we are not called to agree with them if they are involved in sin - but that our communication of them should be with respect for the office of authority that they hold. How many times have we given in to the tendency to be disrespectful just because we perhaps felt that before God, we were right? This would be a sin of the attitude of our hearts. It is possible to disagree and even disapprove and rebuke with an attitude that communicates respect.

PRAYER
Lord, reveal our heart motives to us when we sway towards the all too common tendency to show disrespect, towards whoever it may be. Help us to always remember to respond in situations where we may not agree with somebody else, or even feel that what they are doing is wrong, with attitudes of graciousness and respect. Help us to be able to speak the truth in love.

SCRIPTURE
Psalm 25:2-3a - "O my God, I trust in You; let me not be ashamed, let not my enemies triumph over me. Yea, let none that wait on You be ashamed. . ." Psalm 25:20 - "O keep my soul, and deliver me: let me not be ashamed; for I put my trust in You".

OBSERVATION
These scriptures all have to do with the concepts of waiting, trust, and shame. Apparently the writer was struggling with some shame issues and more than a physical struggle, it was a mental struggle. He had to reassure himself that as he waited and trusted in God, that his enemies would not triumph over him, and that he would not be ashamed. In the original language, the word "wait" her is interesting because it implies not a passive "waiting" where we are not doing anything, but a very active "waiting" where we are serving God and "waiting"upon Him as a waiter or servant would "wait" upon their patrons or their master.


APPLICATION
As we continue to "wait" upon the Lord, to serve Him in faithfulness, and continue to depend on His ability to protect and provide, it brings us to our own challenges of trusting in Him to do what we cannot. It brings us to the challenge to instruct our minds to trust in God and not fear, but to believe that God will not be unfaithful to those who trust in Him.

PRAYER
Lord, help us not to be distracted in our service to You by things or circumstances that the enemy would use to challenge our trust or distract us from serving You in faithfulness, trusting that You will not allow us to be put to shame in any way.

SCRIPTURE
Psalm 24:3-4 - "Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in His holy place? He that has clean hands, and a pure heart; who has not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.


OBSERVATION
This is a really interesting observation about those who are able to go to the "hill of the Lord", which was the place where the tabernacle was set up and where God's presence was in the Old Testament. There had been so many laws set into place with stipulations about who could enter the tabernacle - people who brought animal offerings, made sacrifices, etc. But the observation here is that really, God was more interested about the heart issues and not the physical actions, because dealing with the heart issues would automatically affect the physical actions. God was more interested in purity and a lack of deceit in the lives of those who would enter His presence.


APPLICATION
We need to grasp the concept that as we endeavor to live pure lives before the Lord, that is what is most pleasing to Him, instead of focusing just on external actions. As we focus on the conditions of our hearts, our external actions will automatically change and be transformed into His likeness. And sometimes, the only way that we can actually experience purity is to come to God first, to run to Him instead of away from Him, so that He can cleanse us and then continue to enter into His presence in a deeper way. If we continue to run away from God, we will never become like Him. As we run to Him with our sins and faults, we can be changed by Him.

PRAYER
God, help us to run to You, not from You, in our weakest moments, knowing that only You can cleanse and purify, and only You can transform us to be more like You. We can only experience Your presence as we continue to be cleansed by You.

SCRIPTURE
Acts 20:24a - "But none of these things move me. . ."


OBSERVATION
Paul had faced, and would continue to face, many hardships in his life. In fact, he was being warned prophetically about some of them in this instance, and this is what provokes his comments. Yet he has a heavenly perspective with regards to suffering and sacrifice and refuses to be moved from a place of trust and obedience to God's path for his life.


APPLICATION
How easy it is for us to let difficulties, sufferings, even small, uncomfortable things move us in our emotions, our decisions - those are the things that cause us to waver from God's path and God's best. We must learn to say "but none of these things move me" and continue to press forward with confidence, obedience, and trust in the Lord's plan for us.

PRAYER
God, when the difficulties come, help us not to be moved, but to be unwavering in our commitment to live for You and serve You with all of our hearts. Help us to recognize our tendencies to be "moved" by adversity out of Your perfect will for our lives.

The Holy Spirit

SCRIPTURE
Acts 19:6 - "And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied".


OBSERVATION
This was a very special experience in these believers' lives that God had ordained for them - releasing them into the prophetic ministry of the Holy Spirit. It came as somewhat of a surprise, because they weren't expecting or even aware of it. How awesome that God, in His love for them, chose to surprise them and show them that there was even more in their Christian experience than they knew about, or had planned on.


APPLICATION
God has incredible supernatural moments for all of us as His children and sometimes they come when we least expect it. Our perceptions of God are so limited, and as we continue to walk with Him, He will surprise us with supernatural interruptions of His Spirit that are designed to strengthen, encourage, and empower us in our lives and relationships with Him.

PRAYER
God, help us to be open to Your divine interruptions in our lives- things we may not be expecting, things we may not be prepared for - but things that You have purposed for our lives to grow us in our relationship with You, and to make us stronger witnesses for Your Kingdom. May every purpose of Yours be established in our lives!