#70925

God, thank You for the privilege of approaching Your throne with my requests, I trust that You hear me and will provide for me, Teach me to have bold confidence when I pray, and fill me with childlike faith. In Jesus' name, Amen.

DAILY BIBLE READING: JOB 38-40 ACTS 16:1-21 THE LORD ANSWERS JOB Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me. “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? “Shall a faultfinder contend with the Almighty? He who argues with God, let him answer it.” JOB PROMISES SILENCE “Behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer you? I lay my hand on my mouth. THE LORD CHALLENGES JOB TIMOTHY JOINS JOHN PAUL AND SILAS As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered to them for observance the decisions that had been reached by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem. 5So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and they increased in numbers daily. THE MACEDONIAN CALL a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. THE CONVERSION OF LYDIA to Philippi, Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together.Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us. PAUL AND SILAS IN PRISON a slave girl who had a spirit of divination, followed Paul and us, crying out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.” Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour. they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely. 24Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.

1 THESSALONIANS 5:16-24 FINAL INSTRUCTIONS AND BENEDICTION Rejoice always, 17pray without ceasing, 18give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19Do not quench the Spirit. 20Do not despise prophecies, 21but test everything; hold fast what is good. 22Abstain from every form of evil. 23Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it. INSIGHT In this series of exhortations, Paul first urges us to “rejoice always” (1 Thessalonians 5:16). How are we to rejoice when our situation is dire? Paul wasn’t naive; he faced constant difficulties with more challenges than most of us will ever experience. He knew that continual prayer was key (v. 17). This doesn’t mean that we pray literally every moment, but rather that we pray through all our circumstances, for the Spirit will never abandon us. Prayer becomes as natural as breathing. Connected closely to these vital concepts is gratitude (v. 18). When our hearts are inclined toward thankfulness, joy naturally follows. This pattern foreshadows a similar theme the apostle emphasizes in his letter to the Philippians, written several years later: “Rejoice in the Lord always. . . . In every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (Philippians 4:4-6). The inevitable result is the peace of God ruling in our hearts. By: Tim Gustafson

PANIC IN A CAVE They were three adrenaline-fueled teenage boys, unleashed in the immense underground system connecting to Mammoth Cave. With them was their Uncle Frank, a veteran caver familiar with these parts. He knew the drop-offs and danger spots and continually called to the three, “Guys, this way!” Still, they ventured ever farther from him. Dimming his headlamp, Uncle Frank decided to remain silent. Soon, the boys realized they’d lost their guide. Panic-stricken, they yelled his name. No response. Finally, they saw his headlamp flicker to life in the distance. Instant relief and peace! Now they were ready to follow their guide. This true story makes an apt parable for how we can treat the gift of the Holy Spirit. Detours lure us away from the voice that calls us to follow the one who said, “Follow me” (Matthew 16:24). That voice is the Holy Spirit, who dwells inside each child of God (Acts 2:38-39). God’s Spirit will never abandon us, but we can ignore Him. The apostle Paul warns, “Do not quench the Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 5:19). Instead, “Rejoice always, pray continually,” and “give thanks in all circumstances” (vv. 16-18). By doing so, we stay close to our guide, “the God of peace,” who can keep us “blameless” (v. 23). It’s not our work that does it. It’s His. As Paul reminds us, “The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it” (v. 24). By: Tim Gustafson

REFLECT AND PRAY In what ways have you ignored the voice of the Holy Spirit? How might you follow Him more closely?

Father, please keep me close and attentive to You today. In Jesus' name, Amen.

OXYGEN TO MY SOUL NEEDING THE WORD OF GOD The psalmist says that at times in his life, the trials have been so difficult and the pain so great that he would not have survived without God’s Word. He says that he would not have made it. He would have shriveled up and died spiritually, emotionally, and perhaps even physically—if it had not been for the Word of God. Let me ask you. Do you understand what he’s saying? Have you experienced what the psalmist experienced? Does this ring true in your life? It does for me.

There have been times in my life that were so difficult, so overwhelming, or so scary that I would not have survived if it had not been for God’s Word. Certainly, this has applied to times of deep anguish due to a mental health issue: my obsessive-compulsive disorder. There have been other dark times: health crises for children and grandchildren, challenging seasons of marriage, periods in my ministry when I felt like a failure, and times of unrelenting financial pressure. In all of these times, the Bible has been a rock in my life. It has been a foundation to stand upon. It has been a source of endless comfort, peace, and rest. Where would I be without it? I don’t know that I would have survived. This is not to say that Scripture offered a simple answer to a problem or provided a spiritual jolt each day. Rather, when you meet God in the scriptures, day in and day out over a long period of time, something happens to you. You feel an increasing connection and closeness to God, a bond that will not break. You find yourself changing. There is a strength and peace within you, and you breathe the breath of God. You have a rock to stand on. There is a solid foundation for life. God gives you all of this through his Word.

Begin today. Meet God in the pages of Scripture every day. You need it.