Magnify the Name

To magnify means to enlarge or make greater what you are focused on. It happened in Ephesus: "and fear fell upon them all and the name of the Lord Jesus was being magnified". It came about when the cheaters who really didn't know God were operating in His name. They were trying to cast out demons and got soundly trounced by that enemy.  (Acts 19:9-20)

On the other hand, "those who had believed kept coming, confessing and disclosing their practices". That is when the word of the Lord began "growing mightily and prevailing".

God wants the real deal. He blesses genuine repentant hearts that turn away from evil -even "look good" evil. 

Lord, help us to serve You with sincere hearts.  We want You and Your Name to be magnified.

We're Expecting!

We usually find what we expect. Paul had come to Ephesus and found some disciples (about 12 men). The first question he asked them was significant. "He said to them, 'Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?'"  Hmm...   Maybe He (the Holy Spirit) is more important than we realized. (Acts 10:1-10)

"And they said to him, 'No, we have not even heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.'" (Something's missing here!)

So Paul finds out that they were baptized into John's baptism. And after teaching them the rest of the Good News, he then baptizes them into the name of the Lord Jesus.

Next, maybe it is a surprise to us that Paul put his hands on them and "the Holy Spirit came on them".  Yep. It was very obvious - with much grace.

So I'm wondering what we expect when we receive the Holy Spirit. 

Lord, give us grace to receive all you have for us from Your Spirit. We're expecting more!

Inviting Them In

There was a new guy in Ephesus. He was a Jew from Alexandria, Egypt, "and a terrific speaker, eloquent and powerful in his preaching of the Scriptures. He was well-educated in the way of the Master and fiery in his enthusiasm."  (Acts 18:24-28 Message) 

But this fine orator named Apollos didn't have the whole story. He knew the Good News only up to the baptism of John. So the Priscilla and Aquila part of Paul's team "invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately".

It was then like a gate opened and Apollos went to Achaia and "was a great help to those who by grace had believed. For he vigorously refuted his Jewish opponents in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah."

Praise God for generous people like Priscilla and Aquila who invite others in and encourage them in the truth. With all his wonderful talents, Apollos never could have been mightily used by God without his knowing the truth. 

Lord, give us generous hearts to invite others into our lives and homes to share Your love and truth. You have been so gracious with Your unfailing invitations!

Precious Encouragement

God has a world of creative ways to encourage us. Our faithful missionary, Paul, had been plugging away on this third trip, "reasoning in the synagogue every Sabbath and trying to persuade Jews and Greeks". When two helpers came, Paul gave up his tent-making work and "began devoting himself completely to the word, solemnly testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ". (Acts 18:1-11)

But these Jews' resistance and blaspheming almost did Paul in: "he shook out his garments and said to them, 'Your blood be on your own heads! I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles'".

So Paul moved on to another house and was surely ready for God's encouragement. It came in vision at night when the Lord said to His servant, "Do not be afraid any longer, but go on speaking and do not be silent; for I am with you, and no man will attack you in order to harm you, for I have many people in this city."

Yeah! Paul was so blessed by God that he "settled there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them".

Thank you Lord for all the ways You have of encouraging us. Open our eyes, ears, and hearts to receive them.

The Door of Opportunity

Mmm... Paul was angry. He was in Athens - a city well known for its intellectual advancement. But my! The city was "a junkyard of idols". (Acts 17:15-34)

So Paul uses the multitude of shrines as a door to open up truth. He said, "while I was passing through and examining the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, 'TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.' Therefore what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you".

What a brilliant lead in to truth in the midst of so much evil! Paul could then teach about the "God who made the world and all things in it" and who "does not dwell in temples made with hands". 

Paul even mentioned that their poets had spoken of this God, saying "For we also are His children." So he exhorts them all to repent of their false worship because a fixed day is coming when the true God will judge all people.

And the response? Well some sneered, but some men "joined him and believed"! 

How important it is to look for opportunity to speak truth in the midst of rampant evil. Some will hear!

In Colossians 4:3-4, Paul urges "praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned; that I may make it clear in the way I ought to speak".

Lord, equip us to look for that door of opportunity to speak Your truth and love.

Our Nobility

It seems like our Paul replays the same story in city after city on this third mission trip. The leading Jews get jealous of the Good News of Jesus and stir up persecution and pain for Paul. That is until Berea! (Acts 17:10-13)

In Berea "the people here were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, since they welcomed the message with eagerness and examined the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so". What a refreshing difference. What a great example for us!

In the NIV we read, "Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true".

How encouraging it is to read of people who act like and know that they are children of the King (nobility).  They have confidence and eagerness to hear what the Father says. 

Lord, may our life today evidence our true nobility.

No, indeed!

Paul and Silas had been greatly wronged. As Roman citizens they had been publicly and sorely beaten by authorities without trial. Then they had been thrown, bound, into prison. (Acts 16:35-40)

And now these authorities and their policemen were trying to sweep it all under the rug of secrecy. "The chief magistrates have sent to release you. Therefore come out now and go in peace."

Can you believe it! But our courageous Paul is all into exposing the lies and deception of evil. He replies to the schemers, "No indeed! But let them come themselves and bring us out". 

How refreshing it is to hear of those who boldly reject the enemy's lies and advances. Only in Jesus do we have this power and protection - especially when satan comes at us with condemnation. 

Lord, give us courage and fortitude to rebuke Satan's lies. Highlight the Accuser's voice in our minds and hearts so we can say, No, indeed! May we remember who we are in Christ.

All Our Household

My, things looked drastic! The jailer had startled awake as his bed shook in the huge prison earthquake. Since all the doors were swinging open, he assumed that the convicts had escaped. And as that meant certain death - a Roman death, he drew his sword to slash out one quick death. (Acts 16:27-34)

But wait! Paul yelled, "Do not harm yourself, for we are all here!" And the shaking jailer rushed in with lights to see that it was true. Whew! This whole shock had the jailer on his knees begging Paul and Silas, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?".

But what a surprising answer he gets! "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household." 

Do you notice? One man's decision was going to bring salvation to all those in his responsibility. That sounds strange in our world of independent living.

Then after our preachers spoke the word of the Lord to the jailer and "all who were in his house", he was baptized, "he and all his household". 

Now then the jailer was so grateful that he poured out plenteous hospitality to our sore preachers. The new Christian cared for their wounds, brought them to his house and fed them. It's recorded that he "rejoiced greatly, having believed in God with his whole household".

Wow! It is the fourth time the whole group is mentioned. There may be several reasons why this jailer's household was so blessed. But one clear thing is that the thankful guy's humbling and obvious turn-around had great effect on the whole group.

Hey, we want all our family to be saved! 

Lord, we ask You to do whatever it takes to save us and "all our household".

A Shakin' Goin' On!

It must be the most profound example of grace and gratefulness ever recorded! (Acts 16:16-26)

Paul and Silas were still trying to get to a "place of prayer" and this loud fortune-teller slave girl started following them around. She's announcing, "These men are bond-servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation." But these proclamations kept up for many days so that Paul was "greatly annoyed" and effectively cast out her evil spirit of divination. 

Well, our fortune teller had been raking in loads of money for her masters and when these hucksters "saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the market place before the authorities". Then the magistrates were falsely told that Paul and Silas were "proclaiming customs which it is not lawful for us to accept or to observe, being Romans". The authorities tore off their robes, rod-beat our guys profusely, and threw them in the dark inner prison with their feet fastened in stocks.

Whew! How terrible! But it does set up for us the most unforgettable picture of amazing grace. "About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them."  Can you believe such faith and love in this awful condition?

However, our God didn't stay quiet after such a profound offering of gratitude. "Suddenly there came a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison house were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were unfastened."

"Yeah God"!  It does so matter how we respond in difficult times. God loves to come and shake things up when we stay faith-full and praise His holy name.