For my daily devotions I follow the Life Journal Bible Reading plan. If I am consistent (which isn’t always the case) than I will read the Old Testament once and the New Testament twice a year. I’ve been doing this for a number of years, which means I get “knocked around” by the  Scriptures on a regular basis.

You know what I mean, don’t you?

There are a number of biblical passages that throughly work me over with conviction.

Frankly, there are some portions of Scripture that I want to highlight…with a black marker!

Within a couple of days of each other, my reading plan takes me to Exodus 18 and Acts 6. One details Jethro’s visit to Moses. The other deals with the choosing of servants to assist in the food distribution for widows. I have read both portions numerously and feel challenged each and every time!

In Exodus 18, Jethro cautioned Moses regarding his overbooked day-timer. He would sit as the only judge of the people from morning to evening. This is a classic recipe for burn-out. Not just for Moses though. The people of Israel will also burn-out. Moses’ father-in-law Jethro stated in verses 17,18 that “What you are doing is not good. You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out.”

Did you see that? Doing it alone will not only wear out the leaders but also the followers.

In Acts 6, ministry was increasing at an alarming rate due to the growth of the church. In the process, some people were being inadvertently overlooked and complaints were flooding in. The apostles email inboxes were full. The natural response for leaders is often to work harder and longer, deal with the problems directly, and get a handle on the situation…fast. At least, that’s how I would deal with it. Unfortunately, this is how bigger and more severe problems are often created.

Thankfully, with discernment, the apostles opted to focus their energy upon prayer and preaching, and chose qualified people to tackle the food distribution fiasco. This was a good call with a good outcome:  “The word of God spread and the number of disciples increased” (vs. 7).

I love how everyone did what they were called and equipped to do and the Kingdom advanced. God’s design for effectiveness is that leaders in the church exist “to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the Body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:12,13).

Everyone has a place. Everyone has a purpose. Together amazing things can be accomplished.

I’ve gone to hundreds of camps and retreats. Ever since I was young, I’ve been a camper, counselor, staff member, camp director or regional overseer. Suffice it to say, I’ve slept in too many uncomfortable bunk beds, sung lots of “Friends are Friends Forever” and thrown plenty of pinecones into the bonfire while swaying to the melody of “It Only Takes a Spark.”

Around those bonfires we would often have “testimony time.” Anyone could share what God had done or was doing in their life. Many times the testimonies would begin with something like this: “I really didn’t want to come to camp this year, but I’m so glad I did, because the Lord did some cool things in me, etc. etc.” Other testimonies were WAY more dramatic. They involved crazy things that I thought happened only in Rated R movies. Things like drugs or hurting people. Girls would testify to promiscuity and deep insecurity. Guys would tells us how they used to “drink, chew and date girls that do.”

I recall the various testimonies I’ve heard at those camps, and now the ones that I have the privilege of hearing as a pastor of a church, and there is a irrational thought that pops into my head almost every time:

“I wish I had a testimony like that.”

Now to be fair, I am grateful that I, by the grace of God, was able to side-step many tragic and life-altering pitfalls. I’m not actually wishing I had done the things I’ve heard others speak of, nor would I want anyone to go through such trauma, but a small part of me wonders what my testimony would sound like if it had more…well…spice.

In Acts 22, the Apostle Paul is defending himself in front of a Roman Tribune. I found it interesting to note that his defense was his testimony – pure and simple. Paul addressed them with the only thing that was completely HIS…his testimony. No one else could claim that. No one could borrow or buy it.

Near the end of chapter 22, while the Tribune was up in arms over Paul’s claims, one of the centurions overheard Paul say that he was a Roman citizen. This was a deal-breaker to the case they were building against Paul. The Tribune asked “Are you a Roman citizen?” Paul said, “Yes.” They told Paul that they had gotten their citizenship by paying a large sum of money. In other words, they’re identity was purchased whereas Paul was a Roman by birth. When they discovered this, the tribune withdrew immediately.

You’re testimony is YOUR testimony. You can’t get rid of it. There is great power in it.

Nor can you borrow or purchase someone else’s testimony. It’s not worth it. Like me, you may have thought, “Man, I wish I could tell a shocking BEFORE & AFTER story like the ones I hear other share,” but honestly, it wouldn’t be your story. Your story is…your story, and your story, regardless of its level of “spice” is powerful.

Tell it. Speak it out. This is what we find Paul doing in chapter 22. Today I was encouraged by him and his boldness.

I encourage you to be bold as well.

“When Paul said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. And there was much weeping on the part of all; they embraced Paul and kissed him, being sorrowful most of all because of the word he had spoken, that they would not see his face again. And they accompanied him to the ship.” Acts 20:36-38

This might be one of the more tender passages in Scripture and an intimate glimpse into the Apostle Paul that we don’t often see. Basically, it’s his softer side. Much of the time we follow him on his missionary journeys, teaching and preaching, working miracles, training and rebuking, and planting and shaping the direction of the fledgling church.

Here, however, he is weeping.

Why?

Because he loves the people of Ephesus.

Paul spent a handful of years with this congregation; more time than with any other group. He bonded. He grew with them. He was deeply concerned about their well-being, which was evident from the instructions he gave the Ephesian Elders before departing to Jerusalem. He asked them to carefully watch over the congregation, to guard it from ill-motived wolves, and to continue building up the church with the word of grace.

It’s probably similar to a Father giving away his daughter to the boy…I mean man, that she is marrying. With hopefully anticipation, and yet a wave of trepidation, one must trust that the hand-off will be successful.

Will the church/daughter be loved, cared for, and be nurtured?

These are the questions a Father asks, if he has any semblance of a heart. This is what Paul is asking as well. All too often, we miss the heart of Paul because we tend to focus only on his firm corrections and doctrinal challenges. But, this guy has a softer side too.

I like the softer side of Paul. How about you?

Four times in Book of Acts this little phrase is repeated: “In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.”

We see it again in Acts 19:20.

In this way.

In what way you may ask? That’s what I wondered also.

In Acts 19:13-19 we get some background clues at to “what way” the word of the Lord was growing. In this portion of Scripture the reader discovers some amazingly miraculous events. In the midst of this grace-filled season, a few itinerant Jewish preachers tried their hand at casting out some demons (if Paul can do it, why couldn’t we?).

Well, they were in for it, that’s for sure. The demons that they assumed they could cast out actually questioned who they were. They said, “We know Jesus and we know Paul, but who in the world are these goofballs?” Then, to make matters worst, they proceeded to beat the snot out of the men, leaving them naked and wounded.

When this embarrassing debacle was posted on Twitter and Facebook (or whatever social media tools they had then), it spread like a silly YouTube video. Soon everyone throughout Ephesus had heard about the beatdown and were filled with fear.

The next few verses describe nothing short of wholesale repentance. People confessed sin, divulged secret practices, and burned stuff that they knew to be evil. It was time to clean house.

Repentance is the way “the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.” In the Greek language it is called “metenoia”  which means a change of mind.  Repentance looks like a 180 degree turn.

Wanna keep growing?  Repent often. This is at the heart of the Gospel and the ministry of Jesus: “Repent for the Kingdom of God is near” Matthew 4:17.

Why should we repent?  Well, because we are sinners. RC Sproul says, “We are not sinners because we sin, we sin because we are sinners.” Unfortunately one church historian has said that “…the appeal of modern evangelism is not for repentance but for enlistment.”

Sadly a large segment of the American Church has gotten to a place of wanting people to have rapport WITH Jesus rather than repent TO Jesus.

What are your thoughts about repentance?

Acts 18 is a travelog of one of Paul’s breakneck missionary journeys. This chapter alone puts him in Athens, Corinth, Antioch, Syria, and Ephesus. I love this portion of Scripture in that Denise and I, along with a number of Foursquare pastors/leaders will be seeing these biblical sites in September 2011 on a “Footsteps of Paul” tour.

You can find out about this epic adventure by clicking HERE.

One of the primary purposes of our Footsteps of Paul tour is to be immersed in the land of a large portion of the New Testament and the culture of it’s teachings. Myself, my friend Tim Clark and a few other Foursquare leaders will be teaching our way through various sites – which is pretty much what the Apostle Paul did.

18:4 “He (Paul) reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and tried to persuade Jews and Greeks.”

18:8 “Many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and were baptized.”

18:11 “And he stayed a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.”

Perhaps the most poignant verse is this: “When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was occupied with the word, testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus” (18:5).

Occupied with the Word.

In another version it says: “Paul was completely engrossed with preaching, earnestly arguing and testifying to the Jews that Jesus [is] the Christ.” He was constrained. He was pressed. Paul HAD to preach the Word. He simply HAD to, because it occupied him completely.

Are you occupied with the Word? When your friends see you do they recognize that you are an individual constrained by the Scripture?

One of my mentors is a man that is occupied with the Word. It’s always on his lips. He refers to it often, speaks it out loud, and quotes it in casual conversation. Almost any interaction with him can and will be navigated towards a passage of Scripture. For some time I used to giggle quietly when he did this. I was blown away as to how he would constantly drive the conversation back to the Bible. Then one day I mentioned it to him. I said, “Sir, I’m always amazed how you insert the Word of God into just about anything!”

He responded to this effect: “I’m amazed that more people don’t consider the Word of God in just about everything. So many people have memorized lyrics, batting averages, movie dialogue and current events, but don’t know any Scripture. Too many people are being led by talk show hosts, the internet and the opinion of friends but don’t rightly consider the authority of the Bible. I keep bringing the conversation back to God’s Word because it matters most.”

Ouch.

Are you occupied by the Word?