September 5, 2026

Acts 12: 1-16 (NIV)

It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. He had James, the brother of John, put to death . . . he proceeded to seize Peter also. . . Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying . . . for him. The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers . . . Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared . . . “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists. . . He went to the house of Mary . . . where many people had gathered and were praying. Peter knocked . . . and a servant girl . . . came to answer the door. When she recognized Peter’s voice . . . she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, “Peter is at the door!” “You’re out of your mind,” they told her. . . But Peter kept knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished.

God doesn’t promise good outcomes – he wants us to rejoice in him no matter the circumstances.*

In this passage, we have two contrasting perspectives on prayer: Surprise when prayers are answered; disappointment when they aren’t. We might be amused at Peter’s friends’ astonishment. He appeared at the door at the exact time that they were huddled together in Mary’s house praying for his safety and release. Where was their faith? we wonder.  Perhaps their faith had just taken a hit when they got word of James’ execution. Surely they had been praying for him, too.

When prayers yield immediate and positive results, your expectations are high for the next time. When it seems God is ignoring your prayers, you lose heart and faith, and your expectations weaken. Perhaps it will encourage us to be reminded of some things we know about prayer.

Our responsibilities:	What prayers God has promised to answer:
1. We should do it. (No question about it; many scripture passages confirm it.)	1. Persistent prayer (Luke 18: 7)
2. We should do it continually (I Thessalonians 5: 17).	2. Prayer in Jesus’ name (John 14: 14)
3. We should pray believing (Matthew 21: 22).	3. Prayers of faith (Mark 11: 24)
4. We should pray for others (I Timothy 2: 1).	4. Prayers of two or more who are in agreement (Matthew 18: 19)

In an effort to manage our expectations, let’s examine more facts about prayer and God’s purposes.

• He is not slow in keeping his promises – he just has a different perspective on time. (II Peter 3: 8, 9) 
• He works for the good of those who love him. (Romans 8: 28) 
• When we don’t know what to pray for, his Spirit speaks for us. (Romans 8: 26) 
• Our prayers can change God’s mind but not always – just ask Jesus. (Luke 22: 42) 
• The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. (James 5: 17)

Jesus models the life of prayer that we should seek to establish for ourselves. He stayed in constant contact with his Father. He prayed in private and in public. It was a priority in his hectic schedule. He shows us that prayer is more than asking God to give us stuff and heal our loved ones. Prayer was his access to the source of power and the path to the relationship that God longs to have with each of us. When we walk that closely with him, we know that he is hearing us and that his answers are for our good. Those are the realistic expectations of the faithful.

Our responsibilities:

What prayers God has promised to answer:

1. We should do it. (No question about it; many scripture passages confirm it.)

1. Persistent prayer (Luke 18: 7)

2. We should do it continually (I Thessalonians 5: 17).

2. Prayer in Jesus’ name (John 14: 14)

3. We should pray believing (Matthew 21: 22).

3. Prayers of faith (Mark 11: 24)

4. We should pray for others (I Timothy 2: 1).

4. Prayers of two or more who are in agreement (Matthew 18: 19)

He sought the presence of God in order to fulfill the purpose of God.*

September 4, 2026

Philemon 6 (NIV)

I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.

We must put into practice what we have come to know.*

I’m a little surprised that Paul would expect Philemon to be active in sharing his faith before he has a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ. Shouldn’t he pray that his friend would be actively seeking understanding before he starts to share his faith? Apparently, Paul’s expectations differ from mine. Instead of encouraging Philemon (and us) to study and prepare until we feel ready to share our faith, he seems to think we should just Do It!

Maybe he’s right. Well, he’s Paul – of course he’s right. No matter how much we know, knowledge is not faith. Academic knowledge is not personal experience. Sharing what we know from reading about living a life of faith will never be as effective as our testimony about actually living it.

That makes sense. I can’t introduce you to someone I’ve only read about, but I can present you to a friend with whom I have a history. But how does this testimony-sharing translate to a full understanding? Putting what we know into practice solidifies our knowledge. In one writer’s words: “The practice of convictions deepens convictions; not that the exercise of Christian graces will make theologians, but it will give larger possession of the knowledge which is life.”* Reading the procedure manual is important; being thoroughly familiar with the material is critical; but when you start applying what you know, it becomes a part of you and your story. That’s when you start to have that full understanding Paul wanted for Philemon.

Telling the old, old story comes easiest to those of us who live it.*

September 3, 2026

I Peter 2: 15 (NIV)

For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men.

Does a holy life put us into situations where others will appreciate and praise us, or into situations where we will be misunderstood and falsely accused?*

Good works won’t earn us a place in heaven but there are lots of reasons for doing them. To name a few: 

• So that men will praise God (II Corinthians 9: 13) 
• So that the body of Christ may be built up (Ephesians 4: 12) 
• Because the Lord will reward (Ephesians 6: 8) 
• To live a life worthy of the Lord and to please him (Colossians 1: 10) 
• Because God will not forget (Hebrews 6: 10)

In today's verse, Peter isn’t really addressing the kind of works by which we mistakenly try to earn salvation, although they often consist of the same activities. He is telling us how to defend ourselves against the accusations of those who are ignorant of the gospel – a demonstration of the adage, “Actions speak louder than words.” As Christians, our daily lives should boldly proclaim who we belong to. 

Obedience to Christ is crucial in our actions and our attitudes. But what does “doing good” look like to an outsider? What should we do to silence the ignorant talk of foolish men? Charitable works; abiding by the law; maintaining integrity in business; authenticity in our personal lives; seeking excellence in all our pursuits – these are characteristics that make us look like Christ. 

Persecution of Christians is common in many countries and could easily become part of American society in our lifetime. Adopting these behaviors to silence the ignorant is not a guarantee of protection against persecution but practicing them makes us stronger and more confident. Then, through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can “rejoice and be glad” in the midst of persecution because “great is [our] reward in heaven.” (Matthew 5: 12)

We’re in the midst of climate change – one that’s getting colder and colder toward religion.*

September 2, 2026

Romans 8: 1 (NIV)

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.

His grace is greater than our disgrace.*

You may be one of those people who did something shameful in your past, and not only do you regret it, you can’t get over it. You carry a load of guilt. You can’t forgive yourself. I can relate – to a point. I did something stupid and sinful that I wish I hadn’t. I confess that I am more ashamed of the stupidity than of the sinfulness. See, I know God has forgiven me and that I am free of the penalty and the guilt. I’m just still mad at myself for behavior that is so out of character for me.

The good news in this verse doesn’t just apply to those benchmark sins in our past. The “law of sin and death” says that the soul that sins must die, and that refers to our daily, comfortable sins as well. I don’t know about you, but I couldn’t possibly list all my sins at the end of each day, so unaware am I of what I have done. I confess my sinfulness to God, beg his forgiveness, and start over again with a clean slate – because through Christ Jesus, the law of the Spirit of life has exempted me from the punishment I deserve under the law of sin and death.

If you are burdened by the sins of the past, I ask you, “If God doesn’t condemn you, why should you condemn yourself?”* If you insist on carrying your guilt and shame, you might as well wear a sign saying, “Jesus’ blood isn’t enough to wash away my sins.” If you are in Christ Jesus, the freedom from condemnation is yours. You need to start living like it!

When I hold on to what God has already let go of, I’m throwing away his grace as if it were the daily trash.*

September 1, 2026

Acts 2: 1–13 (NIV)

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. . . . All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. . . a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. . .  Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?” Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”

The church grew and permeated Greco-Roman society for centuries in the face of official hostility and mob hatred.*

Upon first reading that the disciples began to speak in other tongues, we might picture a rather chaotic scene. Lots of babbling and confusion and miscommunication. But keep reading. “Each one heard them speaking in his own language” it says. That presents a more orderly picture, doesn’t it? What would be the point of the Spirit’s enabling the disciples to speak another language if it only resulted in pandemonium? Instead, they opened their mouths and whatever came out was understood by their foreign listeners. There is no indication that they were rudely speaking over each other.

It’s odd that some observers preferred to make fun of the disciples’ new linguistic abilities and to accuse them of being drunk. (It reminds me of a line I heard in a TV show or movie: "You're drunk. I see two of you.") But a drunk does not suddenly begin speaking a language he has never learned. Perhaps the skeptics didn’t hear their mother-tongue because they were not filled with the Holy Spirit. In any event, it is a reality 2,000-plus years later that sometimes people think you’re drunk or crazy when you speak God’s language.

The new-improved version of Peter did not take offense at the mockery or false accusations. We might have been embarrassed or felt inclined to launch a counterattack but Peter took advantage of an opportunity to preach. It was following that sermon that about 3,000 were added to their number - on that very day.

Being made fun of is never fun but following the Spirit’s leading in confronting your mockers is exhilarating. Let Peter’s example encourage you to speak God’s language bravely. The results could be astonishing!

Sermons may be clever, powerful, convincing, and yet, unless the Spirit’s power be sought . . . no spiritual harvest can be expected.*

August 31, 2026

Isaiah 30: 18 (NIV)

Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. 

His grace exceeds the largest dimensions known to man.*

Have you ever been snapped at – or bitten by – an injured pet when you were trying to help him? You had only the best of intentions toward the hurting animal but he was in too much pain to understand.  Remember how you felt?

Other versions of today's verse say something along the lines of God is waiting to be gracious to you. I picture him waiting patiently, soothing us as much as we will allow, until we realize that he is there and ready with the first aid.  He longs to tend our hurts. He rises to show you compassion – he gets up to come to our side to comfort us. But just like an animal in pain, we reject his aid. A pet reacts instinctively to attempts to tend to his wounds. What is our excuse?

God isn’t just waiting for us to allow him to heal our hurts; he is also waiting for us to accept his offer of salvation. “He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (II Peter 3: 9) There is a strong sense of urgency here – we don’t know how much longer he will wait. With God, a thousand years and a single day are equal increments of time (II Peter 3: 8) so has he been patient with you for a few days or for thousands of years?

For the present, the door is still open.*

August 30, 2026

Psalm 116: 2 (NIV)

Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live.

It is such a comfort to drop the entanglements and perplexities of life into God’s hands and leave them there.*

The first week that my twin boys were in high school, I got hives. Dealing with their school was one of the most stressful experiences of my life. There were some issues with their schedule that needed to be worked out, but when the person who answered the phone at the school couldn’t help me, I couldn’t get any further, no matter how many times I called. No referring me to another person; just, “Sorry, I don’t know.” Finally, (long story short) I found someone who could help me – the district superintendent’s secretary. After all was sorted out, I told this long-time, knowledgeable, and helpful employee, “You can’t retire until after my boys graduate.” (And I did have to call on her again before their four years were up!)

My reliable source of help with the school system didn’t actually solve my problem but she put me in touch with someone who could. God doesn’t always provide the solution either. Sometimes he shows us how to live with our problems. Occasionally, he turns a problem into a blessing. But he never leaves us to face life alone.

I wish that I could have found that helpful employee before I had to run the gauntlet of futility. I would wish the same for you as you struggle with life’s issues. When you know who can help, why waste your time getting nowhere with people who don’t know anything? God is ready to listen and ready with the answers. Give him that first chance to be your source of help and you will say with the psalmist, “Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live.” Perhaps you can say good-bye to high blood pressure, ulcers, anxiety . . . hives . . .

God wants to provide solutions that will nourish and sustain, not harm us in the long run.*