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Scripture for the day: Acts 17:11-12 These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so. Therefore many of them believed, and also not a few of the Greeks, prominent women as well as men.
Thought for the day: If we’re going to walk as Jesus walked, we’re going to actively seek the will of God in our lives. We may have had a tremendous desire to pursue a particular course for our working years. That desire may actually align with God’s will for us. On the other hand, that desire may be very low on His list of priorities. The key to effective service in the Kingdom is not that we do our best at our chosen area of interest. The key is that we give our best to whatever Jesus would have us doing.
If we’re going to walk as Jesus walked, we are going to spend our lives in sacrifice and worship of God. Everything we do, everything we express, the very best we have will be offered up as a praise offering to our God. He will use that sacrifice of worship to further His kingdom and, with that increase in His realm, we will be blessed beyond our ability to even comprehend.
If we’re going to walk as Jesus walked, we are going to serve Him and work for Him, without question. We like to separate our labors into two distinct categories; that of the secular and that of the sacred. When we work at the church, cleaning, teaching, preaching, or giving our time and talent to any other needed aspect of church life, we look on that as sacred work. Punching a time clock down at the factory is seen as purely secular. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I see no such distinction in the Word. If I’m a preacher, I’m preaching to the glory of God and the furtherance of His Kingdom. If I’m a plumber, I’m God’s plumber and every job I take is done to His honor and glory. Period.
Finally, if we’re going to walk as Jesus walked, we’re going to know His Word. Jesus knew His Bible and used that knowledge over and over in His interactions with those He taught and those with whom He battled over spiritual issues. When Satan came to tempt Him in the wilderness, Jesus defeated him with three little words (followed by a prime example from the scriptures) – “It is written” (Matthew 4:4, 7, 10). When He had the attention of thousands on a hillside in Judea, “When Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes” Matthew 7:28-29).
Several times in that same message, Jesus said, “You have heard that is was said …. But I tell you.” Jesus regularly quoted from the scriptures because they are authoritative. When the Word of God loses its authority, it loses its appeal. There are so many today who have become convinced that the Bible is simply a book written by a number of different people over many years, that it can be interpreted any number of ways, depending on the situation. I prefer to take the attitude of the preacher who was confronted about Jonah. His antagonist scoffed at the idea that this story could possibly be true. “You don’t really believe that Jonah swallowed that great fish, do you?”
The preacher said, “No, I don’t think Jonah swallowed a huge fish. The Bible says the great fish swallowed Jonah, but if the Scriptures said Jonah did swallow that huge fish, I’d believe it because it would be an even greater miracle of God.” So many, even within the church, are prone to dismiss the truth of God’s Word because they can’t see how it aligns with science. Science isn’t the bottom line; the authority of the Creator of science is.
If we’re going to walk as Jesus walked we are going to take seriously what Paul said to his spiritual son, Timothy: “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).
Now go take on your world. - Bill