EXPAND TO READ: ACTS 9 (HCSB)
PERSONAL JOURNAL:
SIN (verse 13): This verse convicted me because of Ananias’ original reaction to Your words to him for what You wanted him to do. You told him to head out to visit Saul, yet he was fearful and hesitant due to the stories he had heard about Saul. Although You reassured him which led to him proceeding with Your wishes, he did still hesitate in his initial response. I have lived in this hesitation and fear quite a bit since coming to faith, Father. I have felt the Spirit pushing me in one direction yet I feel from my flesh that direction is a difficult one for me. I am sorry for my hesitation, resistance, and fear, Father, as this is essentially me telling You that I do not fully trust in Your will for my life. It’s essentially telling You that I want to be in control of my path instead of giving myself fully to You. Please forgive me for this, Father. Forgive me for my occasional disobedience, distrust, fear, and hesitance when You want me to do something. Help me to truly embrace my faith fully in the future, so that as I continue to be guided in certain directions by You I do not hesitate nor resist out of fear.
PROMISE (verse 31b): This promise, although hidden in a larger verse, is such a powerful one to me personally as I have been struggling with encouragement my entire life. The promise here is that we receive encouragement through the Holy Spirit. Thank You for Your encouragement, Father. Thank You for providing the Holy Spirit to me for this encouragement, wisdom, and guidance from You. I do often lack the proper reception when others are possibly trying to encourage me, but I have felt and embraced the encouragement You have given me many times in my life. I am grateful for this promise and the fulfillment of it in me through the Holy Spirit.
ATTITUDE (verse 31a): I have struggled with this quite a bit, because I find it difficult to truly “admit” or even embrace that I am “fearful” of anything in this life. I guess it’s most attributed to my upbringing and the world’s conditioning of what a “man” should be in this life. Fortunately, You tell us that we should not face fear of You the way that the world dictates fear. You tell us in the first part of this verse that we are to be in peace as we are being built-up and walking in the fear of the Lord. This is a healthy fear as we understand Your unending power, but also embrace Your unending grace and love. As followers, we should be living in a “fear” in disappointing or displeasing You, but through that comes growth and maturity as we understand that the things that are pleasing to You is how we should be living in the first place. If we align our will with Yours, then there is no true fear of You because You do all things for what is best for us. Help me to embrace this attitude fully in my life, Father, so that as I walk in peace in this world, I can be built-up and walk fully in the fear of the Lord for the growth of Your kingdom.
COMMAND (verse 6, 34, 40): These two words were spoken three times to three different people in this chapter—“Get up.” This is very direct, but always was a direct command to those inflicted by something. This to me says that although all power and authority lies solely with You, Father, that we too are required to “take action” in a sense when You are working in/through us. I can’t simply get a revelation from You about, let’s say, a job for example but then just sit on my butt and do nothing about that revelation. When You speak to me or guide me, I must take action on what You are telling me. Thank You for this wisdom and encouragement to “get up” in the things You are pointing me to do, Father. I ask that You continue to encourage me like this, so that I do not become complacent, Father.
EXAMPLE (verses 18-21): The example You provide here is absolutely amazing. You are essentially showing us that You can use and bless ANYONE for the glory of Your kingdom, regardless of their history. Saul had done some atrocities towards Your believers, but then You spoke to him directly and had Ananias go out to cure his vision and baptize him. From that point forward, he was used as a vessel for Your glory and Your kingdom. This just goes to show that no matter my past or the mistakes I’ve made, I too can be used as a vessel in this life for the glory of Your kingdom. Thank You for receiving me, Father, and never giving up on me.
*DAILY NOTE: Saul was not a very good guy towards Your followers initially, but You accepted the challenge he tried to put in front of You and converted him into a follower as well! How absolutely amazing is that! You used Your followers for amazing feats of healing and restoration. You also showed Your followers that there is nobody that is so far gone from You that they cannot be brought back to Your kingdom, redeemed, and restored to their new, born-again identity in Jesus Christ! Thank You for the encouragement You’ve given me today, Father, as I needed it. Thank You for Your timeliness in this encouragement as well, as Your timing is always perfect. I’m sure if I would have read this several months ago I likely would not have extracted from it the same lessons I learned from today, so I am grateful for Your timing in my life. As I am ready, You are revealing and I cannot ask for more than that. Thank You, Father.
EXPAND TO READ: GENERAL NOTE FOR MY QUIET TIMES
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