Category Archives: Essential 100

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It’s Not Repentance Until You Change

Essential 100—Read:
Acts 16:1-20:38

“And many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds. Also, many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver.” (Acts 19:18-19)

Powerful signs and great wonders attended Paul’s extended ministry in Ephesus. (Acts 19:11-12) Even as Paul’s handkerchief was placed on the sick, they were healed and the demonized were set free in dramatic fashion.

As you might imagine with such a demonstration of Kingdom power, a great number of people in this major city of Asia Minor came to know Jesus Christ. The number of converts was so large that as a result of people abandoning their idols, the thriving idol-making industry in Ephesus experienced a sudden and severe economic downturn—which didn’t make the idol-makers all too happy. (Acts 19:25-27)

One group of these Ephesians who turned to Christ were those who practiced sorcery. We are told they experienced such strong spiritual conviction that they brought their incantation books and publicly burned them. Someone at the scene figured out the total value of the books and placed it at fifty thousand pieces of silver—a figure by today’s worth that would be in the hundreds of thousands, if not millions of dollars.

Now that is repentance! When those who come to Christ are willing to put their livelihoods on the line and burn the tools of their trade, you know that real inner transformation has taken place. These sorcerers had experienced a true change of heart, mind and behavior.

And that is what Biblical repentance is all about. It is not just feeling bad over wrongdoing. It is not feeling embarrassed that you have been caught—or fear that you might. It is not just saying, “I’m sorry!” It is a literal 180-degree change in thinking and acting. The Greek word for repentance means exactly that: Change.

Keep that in mind the next time you are under the conviction of the Holy Spirit. When repentance is in order for a wrong attitude, a hurtful word, a destructive behavior, or just a plain run-of-the-mill sin, Biblical repentance calls you to completely turn from it in heart, mind and behavior and to pursue a new course of righteousness.

That is true repentance. And that’s what the Father wants from us.

“Wherever there is a pulverized and penitent heart, there grace also is, and wherever there is a voluntary confession not gained by pressure, there love covereth a multitude of sins.” ~Menno Simons

Reflect and Apply: Here is a prayer I dare you to pray: “Lord, search my heart and bring to light any sin that I have committed. Here and now I commit to repenting of anything that stands in the way of my love and obedience to you.”

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To Make You Holy, But Not Necessarily Happy

Essential 100—Read:
Acts 15:1-41

“Now the apostles and elders came together to consider this matter. And when there had been much dispute, Peter rose up and said to them: ‘…we should not trouble those from among the Gentiles who are turning to God, but that we write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from things strangled, and from blood.’” (Acts 15:6-7,20)

This was the church’s first big doctrinal brouhaha. At issue was whether Gentile converts to Christ should observe Jewish laws and customs, such as circumcision, to be saved. Emotions were on edge, sides were chosen, and this issue was ready to blow the young church apart.

So, wisely, the matter was taken to the church leaders in Jerusalem to be settled. Because there were such strong feelings about this matter on both sides of the argument, whatever decision the apostolic leaders made was likely to cause unhappiness with a whole faction of church folk.

After much debate, the leaders issued their decision, reaffirming that salvation was by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone, and not by works of righteousness, including works done through Jewish laws and customs. All they asked of the Gentile converts was that where the letter of Jewish law called for personal holiness, they honor the spirit of the law so that the same kind of God-honoring holiness would result. (Acts 15:20-21)

Now apart from the historic decision produced at this first Jerusalem Council, there is something highly instructive we learn here about effective and God-pleasing church leadership. From Peter, James and the others, we can clearly see that the call of God upon church leaders is not to keep us happy; it is to make us holy.

There is not a one of us who doesn’t hope that we get leaders who please us and do what we want. That is not a bad thing so long as it takes a back seat to the permission we give them to produce in us a life of holiness, obedience and service unto the Lord. Happiness and holiness are not mutually exclusive, yet most of the time, true and lasting happiness only results out of and after the forging of holiness in our lives. Happiness that comes before holiness is often ephemeral (and usually a barrier to growth in holiness); happiness that comes from holiness is enduring.

What expectations do you have of your spiritual leader? Think about it. Do you put the highest premium on his or her contribution to your personal happiness? Do you want them to make you more comfortable in your faith journey? Are you hoping they lead in a way that satisfies your preferences? Or, above all else, have you given them permission—have you demanded—that they lead in such a way that holiness is forged in your life?

I think we all know the better use of a spiritual leader.

“We need a baptism of clear seeing. We desperately need seers who can see through the mist—Christian leaders with prophetic vision. Unless they come soon it will be too late for this generation. And if they do come we will no doubt crucify a few of them in the name of our worldly orthodoxy.”  ~A.W. Tozer

Reflect and Apply: The one thing you must desire more than to be happy is to be pure.  Ask God, then allow him, to bring people into your life that will challenge you to growth in personal holiness. Have this conversation with your spiritual leader.  It will encourage him or her like you can’t imagine!

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Moments That Define You

Essential 100—Read:
Acts 13:1-14:28

“Then Saul, who also is called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at Elymas and said, ‘O full of all deceit and all fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord? And now, you indeed, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a time.’ And immediately a dark mist fell on Elymas, and he went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand.” (Acts 13:9-11)

Up to this moment, Paul, who was called Saul, had been in the background. He was ministering in the church at Antioch, but was basically the ministry associate to the better-known Barnabas. Saul was playing second fiddle in this orchestra.

All that changed on this ministry trip to Cyprus when an influential sorcerer named Elymas harassed Barnabas and Saul. Elymas’ demonically inspired powers held sway over the Roman proconsul Sergius Paulus, to whom Barnabas and Saul were witnessing. This up and coming official was on the verge of accepting Christ as his Savior, but Elymas was making it very difficult.

Saul, discerning that this sorcerer was being used as a tool of Satan, turned on Elymas with both barrels and gave him the unedited version of a Holy Spirit smackdown. And as they say, the rest is history: Elymas was immediately struck with blindness, Sergius Paulus came to faith in Christ, and “Paul and his party set sail from Paphos.” (Verse 13)

Don’t miss the significance of that last line. It is no longer “Barnabas and Saul”, now it is “Paul and his party”. From then on in Acts we read of Paul and Barnabas, or Paul and Silas, or Paul and his companions. Apart from his dramatic salvation experience on the Damascus Road, this was the moment that defined Paul. This victorious power encounter with a demonically inspired sorcerer launched Paul’s ministry into orbit, and on to becoming the most influential leader and theologian in the history of the church.

Paul could have backed down from making a scene. He could have waited to see how team leader Barnabas handled this disruption. He could have tried to out-reason Elymas. Rather, he responded to the prompting of the Holy Spirit, seized this God-ordained moment and smashed the devil in the chops in one of the most dramatic encounters you will read of in the entire New Testament. And in this God-moment, Paul was defined for the rest of his life.

You never know on the front side of any given moment if it will be life-defining or just another ordinary experience. But when you stay filled up with the Holy Spirit, when you sense his prompting, and when you seize that moment to take a dramatic, risky stand against what is clearly the work of the devil, you may very well be in the throes of a moment that defines you—either in your private character or in your public life, or perhaps even both.

If it doesn’t turn out to be that kind of a moment, no big deal! You got to kick the devil’s fanny—and that’s always a good thing. But you never know when your moment of courage will be just the thing that opens the door to even greater things, so be prepared.

“Courage is the human virtue that counts most—courage to act on limited knowledge and insufficient evidence.” ~Robert Frost

Reflect and Apply: Pray this prayer, if you dare: “Lord, fill me with your Holy Spirit. And keep me courageously ready to seize any given God-moment for your glory.”

 

 

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Give Me A Break—Please!

Essential 100—Read:
Acts 9:1-31

“And when Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, and did not believe that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles.” (Acts 9:26-27)

I wonder what would have happened to Paul if it hadn’t been for Barnabas.  Paul had been marvelously converted on the road to Damascus, but his fierce and frightening reputation as a persecutor of the church understandably kept the believers from fully embracing him.

Every time Paul tried to join the fellowship, he was treated like he had the plague. But then Barnabas showed up and took a chance with Paul. He came alongside this new convert, put his own reputation on the line, vouched for the authenticity of Paul’s conversion, and literally walked him by the hand into a meeting with the Apostles. As we now know, Paul ultimately became the all-time greatest theologian, evangelist and driving force of the church, but it was Barnabas who gave him his start.

We first met Barnabas back in Acts 4:35-37. Actually, his name was Joseph, but he had such a reputation for showing up and helping at just the right time that the Apostles nicknamed him Barnabas—which means, “son of encouragement.”

What a reputation to have! And what a needed ministry in the church today!  There are probably a number of folks like Paul, trying to live down less than stellar reputations, who need to “draft” behind the reputation of someone like Barnabas for awhile.

Perhaps you can think of someone in your church, class or small group who just can’t seem to catch a break. Their reputation precedes them, and as a result, the group is reluctant to fully embrace them. What might happen if you came alongside them, like a Barnabas to a Paul, and poured your encouragement into their life. You never know, you just might release greatness in the next Paul!

So give ‘em a break, please!

“Flatter me, and I may not believe you. Criticize me, and I may not like you. Ignore me, and I may not forgive you. Encourage me, and I will not forget you.”  ~William Arthur Ward

Reflect and Apply: Ask the Lord to show you where you need to risk an investment of encouragement in someone’s life today.

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God Remembers

Essential 100—Read:
Acts 10:1-11:18

“The angel answered, ‘Cornelius, your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God.’” (Acts 10:4)

No one knows how long Cornelius had faithfully prayed to God and regularly demonstrated kindness to people before he experienced this dramatic moment of divine visitation. The flavor of the story seems to indicate that day after day Cornelius simply offered up a life of quiet piety with no real or visible acknowledgement from God.

Maybe that is your story. It could be that you have faithfully trusted God, consistently served his cause and patiently waited for his favor over the years with seemingly nothing to show for it.  Perhaps you are wondering if you really matter to God or if he even notices your faithful life.

It is not uncommon at times for Christians to feel as if their prayers are nothing more than an exercise in futility and their acts of kindness simply go unnoticed.  Honestly, there have been times where we all have felt that our faithfulness just doesn’t matter. According to this verse, however, and others like it, every act of faith, whether reaching out to God in prayer or touching someone with the love of God, matters greatly to a watching Heavenly Father.

According to Revelation 5:8, every prayer you offer in faith to God rises up to heaven and is offered as precious and pleasing incense before his very throne:

“The four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.”

And according to Hebrews 6:10, your every act of kindness toward people counts in God’s book, and will one day result in his kindness being turned back to you.

“God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.”

Cornelius simply, consistently, faithfully set his course for a long obedience in the same direction, and one day there was a spiritual breakthrough.  He didn’t know it would happen that day—but the God who watches and remembers had other plans.

This may or may not be your day of spiritual breakthrough—you just don’t know.  But here is what you do know:  God is watching, he remembers, and he has plans for you!

“The reward of being ‘faithful over a few things’ is just the same as being ‘faithful over many things’; for the emphasis falls upon the same word; it is the ‘faithful’ who will enter ‘into the joy of their Lord.’” ~Charles S. Robinson

Reflect and Apply: Ask the Lord to strengthen you today for a long, consistent, determined and practical faithfulness. Perhaps this day will be the day of breakthrough into a deeper realm of God’s favor for you—you just never know when, not if, but when it will happen.

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Promptings

Essential 100—Read:
Acts 8:26-40

“The Spirit told Philip, ‘Go to that chariot and stay near it.’” (Acts 8:26)

Have you ever had a sense that you were to go talk to a random stranger about Jesus?  Maybe they were sitting alone in a booth at the restaurant, or on a bench at the park, or sitting at the gate waiting for their flight, or whatever. Oh, you weren’t thinking about blasting in on them with the Four Spiritual Laws, but you felt the urge to strike up a dialogue that could possibly lead to a spiritual conversation.

The next time that happens, can I encourage you to pursue that urging?  It will take courage and you will have to overcome a hundred rationalizations why doing it would be so wrong, but do it. It is not an urging, it is a prompting from the Holy Spirit. Furthermore, there is nothing random about it. Since it is the Spirit prompting you to be his mouthpiece, it is entirely strategic. And that is no stranger with whom you will be speaking; it is someone who matters to God and whom he has chosen for a kingdom purpose.

If you will accept this assignment, all you have to do is walk through the open door—if it opens. If it doesn’t, move on, you have been obedient. If it cracks a little wider, plant a seed. If it leads to an invitation, have that spiritual conversation. Just respond in the moment with obedience and watch God do the rest.

Philip, a layman in the early church, had one of those “promptings”. He followed it and struck up a conversation with a man who happened to be an important official in the Ethiopian government. He saw the man was actually reading from the Book of Isaiah and Philip asked him a brilliant question: “Do you have any idea what that means?” The man said, “Uh-uh…don’t have a clue!”  And that began a very strategic spiritual conversation—although Philip had no idea how important it would be when he first followed that prompting.

It is likely that the conversion of this Ethiopian official planted the first seed of Christianity in a nation that is now 84 million people, of which 18% (some reports say the percentage is even higher) are born-again believers. A veritable revival is currently taking place in that nation with signs, wonders, miracles and church growth akin to the book of Acts. It is very much within the realm of possibility that one day soon all of Ethiopia will happily surrender to Jesus Christ.

Might we say it all started with a prompting—and a believer who obediently and faithfully followed that prompting?  I think so!

Following your prompting may not turn out to be that dramatic, but then again, Philip had no idea that his encounter would lead to the salvation of a nation. He simply responded to the Spirit.

How about you and I do what Philip did—and leave the rest up to God.

“Evangelism is not a professional job for a few trained men, but is instead the unrelenting responsibility of every person who belongs to the company of Jesus.”  ~Elton Trueblood

Reflect and Apply: Your assignment, should you choose to accept it, is to simply listen to and look for those promptings, then follow them.

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“Just” A Layman

Essential 100—Read:
Acts 6:8-15, 7:1-60, 8:1-8

“And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people.” (Acts 6:8)

“But I’m just a layman!” Those words may not be spoken openly, but I think they represent an attitude that is fairly prevalent among average churchgoers.  Behind those words is this mentality: “I am not a pastor. I don’t have theological training. I’m not gifted.  I’m not able to do much more than simply show up and offer moral support.”

I am glad Stephen didn’t feel that way. He, too, was “just a layman.” He was not theologically trained nor did he have a special calling to be a pastor. But out of the ranks of the rank and file churchgoers in Jerusalem, this faithful man was selected by his peers, along with six others, to be a deacon—one who would take care of the daily organizational demands of this growing church so the Apostles could concentrate on their prayer and preaching ministry.

Stephan was an ordinary man set apart by the Holy Spirit for an ordinary job—to wait on tables (Acts 6:2).  However, there is nothing ordinary about a simple ministry assignment in the church.  Behind ordinary jobs the Holy Spirit has extraordinary purposes in mind—as we find out in Stephen’s story.

Stephen’s ministry in the church was brief—he was martyred in the following chapter—but his brevity was oh so bright!  Stephen, “just a layman”, selected to wait on tables, was used by God to perform great wonders and outstanding signs in the church.

Why was Stephen, who was “just a layman”, so significantly used by God? The text points out that it was his faith. That was the key to his extraordinarily powerful life. He was full of faith!  Not just saving faith—every Christian has that. It was that little measure of faith that God has given every believer, including you and me, that Stephen took and leveraged for all it was worth. Stephen turned his mustard seed faith into an “I’m-taking-God-at-his-word-and-living-my-life-accordingly-in-scorn-of-the-consequences” kind of faith, and that faith transformed this ordinary man into a fired up layman.

Great miracles and outstanding signs are reserved not only for pastors and evangelists, but for ordinary, everyday laymen, too—including you. In whatever you are doing, as simple and ordinary as it may seem, offer your measure of faith for the Holy Spirit’s use and he will use you for extraordinary purposes.

“God loves to effect His greatest works by means tending under ordinary circumstances to produce the very opposite of what is to be done.”  ~Christopher Wordsworth

Reflect and Apply: Offer you this ordinary day to the Holy Spirit for his extraordinary purposes.