A Woman Named Lydia

Today's Reading: 2 Kings 24-25; Acts 16:1-21

We don't know too much about her. What we do know was that she was a career woman, a seller of purple cloth, who heard the gospel message and believed. Perhaps that's all that needs to be said about Lydia. She was a good, hardworking woman who put her faith in Christ. Isn't that what each of us desires?
In the past people have asked me what I want my legacy to be when I leave this earth for my eternal home in heaven. My answers have been many. I’d love to be remembered as a writer, a military wife, a mother, and keeper of memories. These are all a part of who I am, and whom I believe God has created me to be. But more than any of these things, I want my legacy to be that of a child of God. I want people to remember me as a woman of faith, who stopped at nothing to share the gospel with those around her.
For that is the great commission each of us has been given, isn’t it? (Matthew 28:16-20). To share the gospel with the world around us, so that all might come to a faith in Christ Jesus.
The Apostle Paul was fulfilling this commission when he witnessed to a woman named Lydia. And Lydia was starting her work when she opened her heart to the truth.
We don’t know much about Lydia besides that. A part of me would like to find out more about her. But that will be a story that will have to wait until heaven. Until then, the most important thing has already been said, she believed.

What do you want your legacy to be? How can you carry out the Great Commission today?

Paul and Barnabus

Today’s Reading: 1 Kings 21-22; Acts 14

“Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith” (Acts 14:21-22 NIV).

Paul and Barnabas didn’t have it easy. They were spit at, rebuked, chased and stoned. They were persecuted and ridiculed, yet they still reached out to others. They had a great desire to share the Good News of Christ with all who would believe. They spoke the truth, even in the midst of persecution, and encouraged their brothers and sisters in Christ to stand firm.
I’ll admit it, when I feel beat down, the last thing I want to do is encourage someone else. Instead, I want to focus on my own hurts, pains and fears. I want to focus on how I’ve been mistreated, instead of encouraging someone else. Yet this is exactly the example Paul and Barnabas set for us. They encouraged and gave, even when they were at the end of their selves. And look how God used them! Paul and Barnabas had such an amazing ministry, and brought so many to Christ. At times I wonder if I could ever do the same. They seem so much greater then men, so much more important.
But they’re not really. They’re just men, willing to be broken and used by their Savior.
I wonder what ways God could use me today, if I truly got over myself and my own misfortunes and focused on others instead. If, instead of focusing on what I couldn’t do, I focused on what I could do to love and serve others.
I’m sure some amazing things would start to happen.

Lord, please help me to look past myself and truly see the needs of others today. Show me practical ways in which I can love them, and draw them closer to your side.

Bold Faith

Today's Reading: Ecclesiastes 10-12; Acts 10:24-48

“While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God” (Acts 10:44-46 NIV).

Today we read the rest of Peter & Cornelius’ story. In this section, Peter was called to act upon the lesson he just learned. He had just seen a vision that revealed God’s lack of favoritism, and now Peter was expected to show this same lack of favoritism. While he could have held back and stayed within his comfortable traditions, Peter broke out of his Jewish mold and preached to the Gentiles in Cornelius’ home. The result was that they, too, believed, and were given the gift of the Holy Spirit. How life changing that must have been for Peter & the other Jews in the room that day! And how humbling as well!
Sometimes God has important lessons for us to learn. Often we take the first step in listening and repenting, but things break down before we actually act in faith. We cower back, thinking God couldn’t possibly be asking us to do that here and now. And because of that, we lose out on some awesome experiences.
There have been many times when I’ve reached out enough to invite someone to a church event, but then didn’t follow through with actually witnessing to them. At those moments I cowered back into my comfort zone, ignoring the nudge of the Holy Spirit, and thinking that he couldn’t possibly be using me, when in fact, he wants to use me more than anything!
Looking back, I regret those times when I didn’t follow through with what was on my heart. I pray that, in the future, I’ll be more like Peter, who wasn’t afraid to change the way he’d always thought, in order to share the gospel with everyone who desired to know the truth about Jesus Christ.

Lord, help me to be bold in my faith, and not only take your message to heart, but to share it with others as well.

Strong Stephen

Today’s Reading: Song of Solomon 4-5; Acts 7

Stephen was an amazing man of God. When confronted about his faith, he was able to clearly lay out the story of salvation. He shows the people that he does indeed know his history, and has never spoken against Moses or the temple. Instead, he uses Moses and the temple to show the Israelite people how wrong they really are. He shows that all of history has pointed toward the coming Messiah, yet the people still don’t want to believe.

For his great faith, Stephen was stoned to death. I can’t imagine what being stoned was like. I’m sure it was a slow and excruciating way to die. But Acts 7 tells us that, even in those excruciating moments, God was looking out for Stephen. Stephen “falls asleep,” which was presumably God’s way of gently taking him out of this world and into the next.

I don’t know if I’ll ever face a trial as big as Stephen’s. If I’ll ever have to chose truth over life. If that moment ever does come, I hope that I’ll respond in a similar way. I pray that I’ll be able to stand by what I believe in, even if death is the result. Because God really is more important to me then anything in this world.

What do you think about Stephen’s story? What would you do if you were faced with a similar circumstance?

Lord, please help me to never be afraid to speak the truth about you and all that you have done for me.