JULY 29, 2025

  “Who you are tomorrow begins with what you do today.” 

― Tim Fargo

PSALM 56-58

 10In God, whose word I praise,

in the Lord, whose word I praise—

11in God I trust and am not afraid.

What can man do to me?

12I am under vows to you, my God;

I will present my thank offerings to you.

13For you have delivered me from death

and my feet from stumbling,

that I may walk before God in the light of life.(56:10-13)

ACTS 28:1-15

1Once safely on shore, we found out that the island was called Malta. 2The islanders showed us unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold. 3Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand. 4When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, “This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, the goddess Justice has not allowed him to live.” 5But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. 6The people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead; but after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god.

7There was an estate nearby that belonged to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us to his home and showed us generous hospitality for three days. 8His father was sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him and, after prayer, placed his hands on him and healed him. 9When this had happened, the rest of the sick on the island came and were cured. 10They honored us in many ways; and when we were ready to sail, they furnished us with the supplies we needed.

JOURNAL 

Paul’s life in Acts 28 is a masterclass in spiritual presence. He has survived a shipwreck, washed up on an unfamiliar shore, and is still bound as a prisoner. By every worldly measure, he should be weary, anxious, and self-focused. Instead, he is gathering firewood, shaking off a venomous snake, healing the sick, and ministering to an entire island. He is not caught up in what he has lost or what may come next. He is living. Fully. Obediently. Boldly.

He is building an outpost of Heaven in Malta.

What strikes me most is how Paul refuses to let fear, bitterness, or uncertainty rob him of his purpose. He is not waiting on circumstances to improve before acting in faith. He doesn’t say “once I’m free” or “once this storm passes.” He walks in the power and love of God right where he is.

This dismantles so much of my own conditional thinking. I often tell myself that once things calm down, once I’m more stable or more equipped, then I’ll be obedient. Then I’ll give. Then I’ll lead. Then I’ll be bold. But Paul reminds me that the Kingdom of God is always now. I don't need a stage or a spotlight or perfect conditions. I need only the willingness to act in faith with what I have, where I am.

Psalm 56 says, “In God I trust and am not afraid. What can man do to me? I am under vows to you, my God; I will present my thank offerings to you. For you have delivered me from death and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.”

There it is...the calling. Not to wait. Not to calculate. Not to self-protect. But to walk before God in the light of life. Today.

Paul did not know what tomorrow would hold, but he was fully committed to honoring God in the moment at hand. That kind of devotion is not accidental. It is cultivated. It is trained into the heart over time, just as we see in Deuteronomy 6: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength… Impress these commandments on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”

This is how we build an outpost of Heaven...by weaving truth into every ordinary moment until it becomes extraordinary.

God does not need my perfection. He asks for my surrender.

Today is a good day to begin.

4Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.^a 5Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

DEUTERONOMY 6:4-9