Joshua 1   Four times Joshua is told " be strong and courageous".  Three times this command is spoken from the Lord:

v5 -6 " No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you.  Be strong and courageous..."

v 7 " Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go."

v9 " Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous!  Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

The 4th time that these words are spoken, it is from the Reubenites, Gadites , and Manasseh - " Just as we obeyed Moses in all things, so we will obey you; only may the Lord your God be with you, as He was with Moses. Anyone who rebels against your command and does not obey your words in all that you command him, shall be put to death; only be strong and courageous." ( v17-18)

What important words to be spoken to this new leader of the nation of Israel as they are poised to enter the promised land.. knowing that great battles lie ahead.  We can gain encouragement by God's promises to Joshua, for He has also said that He will be with us and not forsake us;  that He will be with us no matter where we go, and that we can succeed if we follow Him, being careful to obey His Word.  In the troubling days that our nation is facing - we need to be strong and courageous just as Joshua and the people of Israel were.  We need to meditate on God's Word, obey God's Word, and believe that God is faithful.

Heavenly Father, You are our Faithful Lord and You never change and never fail.  You have given us a command to love one another, to do good, and to walk in faith by the power of Your Spirit.  We are also charged to be strong and courageous - in Jesus Christ who has all authority in heaven and on the earth. Help us to hear Your voice, to obey Your Word, and to face the uncertainties of our world with Your strength and with courage that comes from faith in the One Who is ever faithful.  According to Your Word we ask this in the Name of Jesus. amen

Acts 27-28  Paul's journey to Rome is full of unexpected twists and turns - storms, a shipwreck, a viper's bite, and more.  Through it all Paul continues to make the most of every opportunity to speak about Jesus.  All along the way he leaves behind new Christians!  When he finally reaches Rome, Paul has gained favor from the soldiers who accompanied him.  He is allowed to live in his own house with a soldier to guard him and he spends 2 years there, preaching and teaching... and writing.

Let us be encouraged to keep on trusting and speaking up about Jesus.  God will make a way for us.  He will take us where He wants us and keep us in His Hands as long as we keep our eyes on Him and listen to His voice.  He is our Shepherd and we are His sheep.  We need to be encouraged that no matter what the law of the land may be... God has not changed and His purposes for us have not changed.

Father, thank You for the example of Paul and others in Your Word.  May we be faithful, as they were  faithful, even through the storms and shipwrecks that they faced.  Our country is facing great turmoil and struggles now, and things are getting worse.  I pray for Your mercy!  Forgive us for the sin of our land.  Revive us Lord!  Bring righteousness back and stay the hand of darkness and immorality. Give wisdom and discretion to the Supreme Court today as they hear the arguments before them.  Give courage to those who believe in You, to speak the Truth and to not give up.  We ask for Your will to be done and Your Name to be honored.  In the Name of Jesus our Lord we pray. Amen.

Acts 24-26  Paul goes to trial before Felix, then Festus, and then before King Agrippa.  Each time the Jews make accusations but have no proof.  Each time Paul defends himself by simply telling the truth of the Gospel.  Paul states several times that his conscience is blameless " both before God and before men. "  For 2 years Paul is imprisoned by Felix, who would often send for him and converse with him.   After Felix was succeeded by Festus, the Jews once again started making their accusations against Paul and demanded another trial.  Festus asked Paul if he would be willing to go to Jerusalem, but Paul knew the plots against him there and appealed to Caesar.   Festus brought Paul before King Agrippa and his wife Bernice and again Paul speaks out, telling them all about Jesus.  Agrippa himself states that Paul's message is so persuasive that " ... In a short time you will persuade me to become a Christian." 

They would have set Paul free, but for his appeal to Caesar.  But now the events have been set in motion and Paul will go to Rome, just as he was told by Jesus.   The " sober words of truth" , the truth of Jesus, the Resurrected and Living Christ would be preached before "both small and great", so that they  would " open their eyes.. turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, in order that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith.." in Christ.

Paul's testimony and his heart's cry was that "all who hear me this day, might become such as I am, except for these chains."  

Paul was willing to speak the truth to slaves, to kings, and to those who hated him.  He spoke to idol worshipers and to devout Jews.  It didn't matter who they were or what they did to him, Paul knew that they needed Jesus.  It was his constant prayer that all who heard him would meet Jesus. That needs to resonate with our hearts too...

Father in Heaven, You are Almighty God, and we hallow Your Name.  We pray for Your will to be done and for Your Kingdom to come.  We see the great need for Jesus in our world today and pray that You would send workers into Your harvest field, that many more would meet Jesus Christ and have their eyes opened, that they may turn from darkness to Light, from death to Life.  Lead us in Your paths and give us the courage and wisdom to speak the sober words of truth faithfully, wherever we go.  We pray this in the Name of our living Lord Jesus Christ. amen

Acts20-23  Paul leaves behind his missionary travels and heads to Jerusalem, knowing that he will be arrested there.  Paul is determined to do what God has called him to do... testify of the Truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ before men, Jews and Gentiles, kings and slaves.  The most important thing to Paul, was that people hear the Good News and repent from their sins, receiving Jesus as Lord.  He didn't know exactly what would happen, but he was determined to trust God and obey His voice.

When Paul testifies of his encounter with Christ he simply tells what he saw and heard. This is his witness.... he was a zealous sinner who met Jesus on the road to Damascus... and his life was forever changed.   Our testimonies are similar... for we were all sinners, on the road to somewhere.. when we met Jesus and our lives were forever changed.  And this is what we need to simply tell others.

Father, thank You for taking me from the dominion of darkness and transferring me into the Kingdom of Your Son.  I may not have had the same kind of encounter that Paul did, but I did meet Jesus and I am determined to follow Him all the days of my life. Give me courage and help me to be faithful to tell of what I have seen and heard from You.  Once again I dedicate myself to You, in the Name of Jesus, my Lord and Savior.  Amen

Acts 18-19   Paul and his friends continue traveling and preaching the gospel.  They reasoned with Jews and Gentiles.  They tried to persuade and teach and strengthen all those they could reach.  Aquila and Priscilla are mentioned here, as well as Apollos.. more devoted teachers of the faith.
"So the word of the Lord was growing mightily and prevailing." ( 19:20)

God was on the move in Asia and Europe through these men and women of faith and the Lord Jesus was "being magnified".

There was also much opposition... from Jews as well as from those who made their living off of making idols.  Demetrius, the silversmith, was one who caused a great uproar because he was afraid of losing money from his business making silver shrines of Artemis. His greed motivated his attack on Paul and the believers in Ephesus.

Father in heaven, send forth workers into Your harvest field, men and women like Paul and his companions, who will  reason and persuade and teach the Word, leading people to the Lord Jesus.
Father, stay the hand of those who are persecuting Christians.  We pray for the peace and hope and strength of believers who are being oppressed and even killed because of their faith in You.  You have promised that You will build Your church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.  May Your will be done and Your Kingdom come with power and glory and honor to Your mighty Name.
Amen

Acts 17  Paul, Silas, and Timothy continue their mission in Thessalonica, where some believe but others stir up problems.  Then they go on to Berea, where more come to the faith, until the troublemakers show up from Thessalonica.   Then, Paul is sent off to Athens, while Silas and Timothy stay behind for a little while.

In Athens, Paul is disturbed by the number of idols and preaches in the synagogue and the market place and ends up in the Areopagus, debating philosophers.  Even here in the center of Greek culture, God calls out those who would believe.  Paul's message here is a sound and simple summary of the Gospel for anyone who does not know God ( v24-30):

"The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth does not dwell in temples made with hands; neither is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all life and breath and all things; and He made from one, every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times, and the boundaries of their habitation, that they should seek God, if perhaps they might grope fro Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said,'For we also are His offspring'.   Being then the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man.  Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead."

God is the Creator and the Master of heaven and earth.
God is transcendent above all of His creation.
God is the giver of life.
God is the One who determines even the boundaries of nations.
God desires every man to seek Him.
God has made a way for all men to find Him.


God cannot be made to dwell in human buildings and is not formed by man's imagination.
God wants all men to repent, to think differently, to know Who He really is - because there is a day of judgement coming and His Son Jesus Christ will judge in righteousness.

Father in Heaven, You alone are God, the maker of heaven and earth.  We honor Your Name and worship You alone.  Giver of life, will You open our eyes to see and our ears to here Your Word with repentant and humble hearts?  Will You give us the Spirit of Christ to speak up to those who do not know You, that they also may be saved?  Thank You that You have not closed the door to anyone who seeks You.  Thank You that we can come to know Who You are and Who Jesus is through Your Divine Word.  Thank You for speaking to our hearts today . Amen.

Acts 15-16  After some men came from Jerusalem to Antioch and started telling the Gentile believers that they had to be circumcised and had to follow Jewish Law, Paul and Barnabas head to Jerusalem to talk to the apostles there.  After much debate, James, the brother of Jesus, who has become a leader of the church, gives a final judgement on the matter.

 Peter's experience with Cornelius showed that the Lord made no distinction between the Jews and the Gentiles - the circumcised and the uncircumcised , both:
heard the Word
believed
received the Holy Spirit
had hearts cleansed "by faith"

"But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are." v11

So, James and the apostles and elders wrote to the church in Antioch that the only laws that they should hold to were the laws against idolatry - "abstain from things offered to idols and from blood and from things strangled and from fornication..."

After Paul and Barnabas return to Antioch for a while they decide to go back to all the places that they had been to see how the christians were doing there.  Barnabas wanted to take John Mark along again, but Paul did not since he had deserted them the first time.  They disagreed so strongly that Barnabas left with Mark on their own.  Paul took Silas and went a different way, ending up in Europe - Macedonia, through the leading of the Holy Spirit.

The Lord brought Paul, Silas, and Timothy to Philippi where they meet Lydia and lead her to Jesus.  A church is started in her house.  Then there is an incident with a slave girl, who is freed from an evil spirit, leading to Paul and Silas being beaten and thrown in prison.  God sends an earthquake that opens all the doors and releases their shackles, but they do not flee.  Instead they lead the jailer and his family to Christ.

Paul and his fellow workers were all about encouraging and strengthening the "brethren".  This was their goal, along with delivering the Word so that more would come into the church through believing the gospel.  Is that something that our church is doing?  Are we, here in America, focused on the Gospel and on encouraging and strengthening our fellow believers?  We are in great need of revival here in America especially!  We need to get back to basics and stop promoting our own agendas and just preach Christ!

Father in heaven,  lead Your church today.  Fill us with Your Spirit and revive us with Your Grace and glory.  In the name of Jesus we pray. amen.