JULY 23, 2020

“And out of that hopeless attempt has come nearly all that we call human history—money, poverty, ambition, war, prostitution, classes, empires, slavery—the long terrible story of man trying to find something other than God which will make him happy.” 
― C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

PSALM 34-40

3Trust in the Lord and do good;

dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.

4Take delight in the Lord,

and he will give you the desires of your heart.

5Commit your way to the Lord;

trust in him and he will do this:

6He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,

your vindication like the noonday sun.

7Be still before the Lord

and wait patiently for him;

do not fret when people succeed in their ways,

when they carry out their wicked schemes.(37:3-7)

ACTS 22-23

12The next morning some Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. 13More than forty men were involved in this plot. 14They went to the chief priests and the elders and said, “We have taken a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed Paul. 15Now then, you and the Sanhedrin petition the commander to bring him before you on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about his case. We are ready to kill him before he gets here.”

JOURNAL 

Trusting God in the midst of trouble...David speaks of it in the Psalms and here is Paul with death plots being hatched all around him. How do they persist? How do they have confidence in the midst of such dire circumstances? 

It can only be the spirit of God...the same spirit that comforted Jesus and guided him his whole life. The same spirit that gave confidence and passion to David, Joseph, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Daniel, Peter etc. The spirit of God transforms the weak into the strong. It transforms evil into righteousness. It makes the fearful courageous and the hateful loving.

God's spirit is a living, moving power that cannot be contained, it moves and transforms in ways that are beyond human understanding. 

14For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.^f And by him we cry, “Abba,^g Father.” 16The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

ROMANS 8:14-17