March 21:  Following His Guidance.

HIS ADEQUACY.
Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me."--John 14:6

After a long day of travel, we arrived in Budapest to start a short river cruise vacation on the Danube river.  As we were boarding the ship, my husband had an accident; he fell on a metal sheet and cut his hand very badly.  It was obvious that he would need urgent care, but we didn't know where to go or what to do.  The ship's personnel called a doctor.  We waited until a young physician arrived.  After examining his hand, she said that he would need stitches.  Then she said: "Do not worry, I will do everything that is needed right here in your room."  And she did!  We were so thankful and relieved!

It is difficult when we don't understand what is going on, and when we don't know the way forward.  When Jesus was talking about going away to prepare a place for His followers and coming back for them, His disciples didn't really understand and one of them asked Him a question: "Thomas said to Him, 'Lord, we don't know where You are going, how do we know the way?' " (John 14:5).  This is a question that reverberates through the hallways of human history.  Have you ever asked this important question: How do we know the way?  Whether we need guidance for eternal salvation or are searching for the next step in our spiritual life, the response of Jesus applies to all of us.  "Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me' " (verse 6).  Jesus said that He is everything!  He is the way forward; He is the only path that leads to heaven.  He embodies the truth of the gospel, the self-revelation of God Himself; He is our life and He is more than adequate to meet all of our needs, for He not only shows us the way, but He is the Way!  He is all that we need.  We can trust in His sufficiency!  In the words of the Budapest doctor: Do not worry, I will supply everything that is needed!  Like Thomas, sometimes we feel completely lost and without answers.  Jesus calls us to follow Him, for He will take us safely to our heavenly home.  He not only knows the way, but He is the Way!  Trust the Way!

My Response:____________________________________________________________

March 20:  Following His Guidance.

HIS REVITALIZATION.
And when the doors were shut...for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, "Peace be with you."--John 20:19


I was astonished to see the high-water mark on the wall.  In June 2013, in the beautiful German city of Passau, the flood waters reached the highest level in more than five hundred years.  Due to the rising waters in the three rivers, the Danube, the Inn and the Ilz, this section of the old city, with its beautiful architecture and tourist attractions, was underwater up to the third floors of its buildings.  It was a tragedy!  Then I saw photos of the residents of the town coming together in order to rebuild their city.  It was amazing!  When I visited Passau in 2018, it was as beautiful as ever.  How does God guide us in rebuilding our lives after tragic events?

The crucifixion of Jesus was the darkest moment for His disciples.  From their perspective, the pounding of each nail and the eventual death of their beloved Master had totally crashed their dreams for the redemption of Israel.  Yet from heaven's perspective, the exact same events were the ones that secured eternal salvation for all!  Jesus had taken upon Himself the punishment of our sins, and He rose from the dead on the third day!  In the evening, the disciples were gathered with doors shut for fear of the Jews.  They didn't know how to begin to rebuild their shattered lives!  What could possibly revitalize their minds and hearts for them to go on?  That's when Jesus showed up and stood in their midst.  His first words to them were: "Peace be with you" (John 20:19).  After a tragic event, when God is rebuilding our lives, it is helpful to understand the way in which Jesus, after His death, revived the hearts of the disciples with His presence, His peace, His revelation, His joy, and His purpose (verses 19-21).  He personally came and stood among them to reveal Himself in a new way and to speak peace.  They rejoiced seeing Jesus in this new light, as He reminded them of His purpose for them: "As the Father has sent Me, I also send you" (verse 21).  When tragedy strikes, we won't always understand, but God will guide us with His presence, peace, joy, and purpose; and He will always reveal Himself to us in a new and deeper way.

My Response:________________________________________________________

March 19:  Following His Guidance.

HIS ILLUMINATION.
There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man.--John 1:9

As our tour bus was passing the opera house in Vienna, our guide told us the sad story of its two architects.  Sicardsburg and van der Null designed this world-acclaimed landmark building of Vienna.  However, their design fell under harsh criticism by both the press and the emperor.  It is believed that the unkind comments led van der Null to commit suicide.  Sicardsburg died about ten weeks later.  Neither of them was alive when the opera house opened.

When we base our identity and purpose in life on people's opinions about us, we are bound to lose our way.  There is only one true Light, Jesus Christ, who illuminates our way and reminds us who we are.  He is the source of life for all human beings: "In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men" (John 1:4).  In Greek, as in English, both "life" and "Light" are preceded by a definite article: the life was the Light.  Not just a light but the only true Light.  Life is one of John's key themes, including the concepts of eternal life (John 3:16), and abundant life (John 10:10).  He uses the word thirty-six times in his Gospel, more than any other New Testament book.  In Christ was life; He is the Light that illuminates our path.  Jesus, as the Light, is available to the whole human race; "every man" (John 1:9) has the opportunity to accept the Light.  Unfortunately, not everyone will.  The world was made through Him, yet when He came, the world did not receive Him (verses 10, 11).  "But..."  Oh, how I thank God for this but!  "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God." (verse 12).  Yes!  That is who we are.  Children of God!  And our identity and life purpose are found only in Him.  When who we are is rooted in Christ, we are no longer guided by public opinion nor motivated by people-pleasing, or fear about the future.  Jesus is our Light, who guides our steps to eternal life.  He paid our price on the cross, and therefore, we can live with assurance and purpose, because in Him is life.  Let the true Light guide your mind and your heart and illuminate your path today!

My Response:___________________________________________________________

March 18:  Following His Guidance.

HIS WISDOM.
"Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent."--Acts 17:30

The archeological sites of Athens are extraordinary.  The Areopagus Hill is of special significance to me because that's where Paul delivered his famous sermon, recorded in Acts 17:22-31.  At the place from where it is believed Paul addressed the men of Athens with the good news of Jesus, there is a bronze plaque with the Greek text of Paul's sermon inscribed on it.  More than two thousand years later, we continue to seek divine wisdom, as Paul did, to find a point of contact with diverse audiences throughout the world that do not know about Jesus Christ.

Athens was a cultural center, showcasing high levels of art, sculpture, literature, oratory, philosophy, et cetera that continue to influence our modern world.  Renowned philosophers, such as Socrates and Plato, had shared their thoughts and ideas there.  Yet this is not what caught Paul's attention when he got to Athens.  "Now while Paul was waiting for them [Silas and Timothy] at Athens, his spirit was being provoked within him as he was observing the city full of idols" (Acts 17:16).  It wasn't the masterpieces that stirred the soul of Paul.  It was the idols and temples.  He started proclaiming the gospel everywhere, to all who would listen: in the synagogue, at the marketplace, and dialoguing with the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers (verses 17, 18).  Eventually they took him to the Areopagus, the center of religious and moral discussions, and Paul proclaimed the gospel there.  Yet notice that he did not start with pointing out everything they were doing wrong!  He started by calling them "very religious in all respects" (verse 22).  He went on to say that he noticed the objects of their worship and the altar "To an Unknown God" (verse 23).  The Greeks did not want to displease their gods by accidentally ignoring one they might not know about.  In this Paul received wisdom from God, finding a connection point to proclaim Jesus to them as the unknown God.  He even quoted their own poets!  Let's ask God for wisdom to find a point of contact to share the grace of Jesus with our friends and loved ones who do not know Him.

My Response:______________________________________________________

March 17:  Following His Guidance.

HIS PERMISSION.
After they came to Mysia, they were trying to go into Bithynia, and the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them.--Acts 16:7

Years ago, I tried to start a group with the purpose of studying and sharing the gospel.  Many people got together to talk about the plan, location of the meetings, et cetera.  But things were not happening as expected.  It truly felt as if we were forcing something that God was not approving.  And it never took off.  It's confusing when we want to do something good, to advance God's kingdom, and God seems to prevent it.  It simply doesn't work out.  Over the years, I have realized that just because something is good doesn't necessarily mean that it is God's will for that time, place, or set of circumstances.

Sometimes the Spirit of God guided Paul away from his plans, even preventing him from preaching the gospel in a particular area.  In Acts 16, during his second missionary journey, Paul arrived at Derbe and Lystra.  After going through the churches that had already been established in that area, "They passed through the Phrygian and Galatian region, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia" (verse 6).  If you look at an ancient map, it looks reasonable that they would want to go west, towards Ephesus.  But God prevented them.  F.F. Bruce explains: "Paul's missionary journeys display an extraordinary combination of strategic planning and keen sensitiveness to the guidance of the Spirit of God, however that guidance was conveyed--by prophetic utterance, inward prompting, or the overruling of external circumstances." *  Then they tried to go north, into Bithynia, "and the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them" (verse 7).  Eventually, Paul received a vision to cross over into Macedonia (verses 9, 10).  It is crucial to submit ourselves to God's guidance; and that even includes our good plans that seem so obvious to us.  It is essential to remember that He is our Creator, Savior, and Lord.  He knows where, when, and how the preaching of the gospel will be most effective.  We can trust Him, who gave His life for the whole world, to open the doors for Jesus to be lifted up, that He may draw all people to Himself!

My Response:______________________________________________________
* F.F. Bruce, The Book of Acts, NICNT (Grand Rapids, MI: Erdmans, 1988), 306.

March 16:  Following His Guidance.

HIS WILL.
When Peter came to himself, he said, "Now I know for sure that the Lord has sent forth His angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod."--Acts 12:11

Visiting the Garden of Gethsemane was one of the most profound experiences of my life.  As I walked among the olive trees, I remembered the Savior's prayer: "Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done" (Luke 22:42).  Being there, in the very place where Jesus surrendered to His Father's will in order to save me...well, it was more than I can describe in words.  And God did answer Him, because He always does.  Yet it was not His will to remove the cup, because there was no other way to save us.

When Peter was imprisoned by Herod, the church kept praying fervently for him (Acts 12:5).  I would assume they had also prayed for James, but God, in His sovereign will, allowed James to become the first of the twelve disciples to taste martyrdom; yet He miraculously set Peter free.  When the angel brought him out of the jail, Peter thought he was seeing a vision (verse 9); yet soon he found himself on the street and realized what had happened.  He rushed to the house of Mary, the mother of John Mark, where many were gathered praying for him.  He wanted to let the believers know that their prayers had been answered positively!  When the servant-girl recognized Peter and ran in to announce that he was at the door, the skeptical response she received was: "You are out of your mind!" (verse 15).  They were so surprised that God had answered their prayer that they couldn't believe it!  You are crazy! they said.  Peter explained how the Lord had delivered him (verse 17) and asked them to report it to others.  Then Peter went away; we are not told where.  His last appearance in the book of Acts is in chapter 15.

God always answers prayer, yet not always as we expect.  Sometimes He says yes, no, no for now, yes for now, or wait.  Prayer is not for us to twist God's arm, but it is the way we submit to His sovereign will.  God will work all things for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28).  Yes, all things, even the painful events in our lives, when His answer was not the one we were expecting.

My Response:__________________________________________________________

March 15:  Following His Guidance.

HIS OMNIPOTENCE.
And behold, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared and a light shone in the cell; and he struck Peter's side and woke him up, saying, "Get up quickly," and his chains fell off his hands.--Acts 12:7

I was attending a graduate class in a business setting when the professor asked us to share some impactful experiences.  One of my classmates simply said: "I saw my guardian angel."  We all wanted to know more about it.  She went on to tell us about a horrific car accident she was involved in, and how, having seen her bloody face in a mirror, she panicked.  Then a man with a peaceful voice came to her window, calmed her down, and stayed with her until help arrived.  When she inquired about the man who had helped her, no one had seen him.

When we find ourselves in situations that are completely out of our control, let's remember that God is omniscient and omnipotent.  He knows what we don't know and will guide us according to His sovereign will.  In His power and might, He is able to remove any obstacles if and when He sees fit.  Peter experienced this first hand in the book of Acts.  The first disciple to be put to death was James, the brother of John (Acts 12:2).  When Herod saw that this pleased the Jews, he arrested Peter as well (verse 3).  He held him in prison with maximum security and precautions, assigning four quaternions (of four soldiers each) to guard him.  The church was praying for Peter, and God, in His sovereignty, chose to intervene.  "On the very night when Herod was about to bring him forward, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and guards in front of the door were watching over the prison" (verse 6).  I am astonished at the level of security, with soldiers, chains, and guards; and startled at the notion that Peter was sleeping under those circumstances.  And just like that, an angel of the Lord came to the cell, light filled the place, he woke up Peter, the chains fell off, Peter got dressed, put on his sandals and cloak, they passed the first and second guards, and the iron gate opened by itself (verses 7-11).  And Peter was free.  God is omnipotent to save us and to deliver us from trials, according to His sovereign will.  Let's trust Him!

My Response:_______________________________________________________

March 14:  Following His Guidance.

HIS CALLING
"Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel."--Acts 9:15

The way God guides us in our life purpose is as real as it is enigmatic.  God doesn't give us the whole map, but instead guides us one step at a time.  Consider the way God guided the prophet Elijah (see 1 Kings 17).  First, Elijah told the king that it wouldn't rain for a few years; then God guided him to the brook Cherith, where he would drink and was fed by ravens.  Then the brook dried up, and God sent him to the house of a widow in Sidon, outside of Israel's territory, then...

When the risen Jesus met Saul on the way to Damascus, He gave him instructions only for the next step: "Get up and enter the city, and it will be told you what you must do" (Acts 9:6).  Jesus didn't show him a map of the next ten years; neither did He disclose all the epistles that he, as the apostle Paul, would write, or the churches he would visit.  After his encounter with the risen Christ, Saul discovered that he couldn't see, so he was led to Damascus.  In this story, God guided another man through a vision.  His name was Ananias, and we don't know much about him (he is mentioned again in Acts 22:12).  Ananias got instructions for the next step as well: "Get up and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay hands on him (Acts 9:11, 12).  God sent two visions: one to Ananias, and another one to Saul.  Ananias answered something like, Are you sure?  I've heard about this man...the harm he has done to your followers and the purpose of his visit to Damascus....Then the Lord disclosed to Ananias that He had chosen Saul to bear His name to Gentiles, kings, and Israelites (verse 15).  Ananias went to Saul, laying his hands on him and calling him, "brother Saul."  And the rest is history, as Paul began to proclaim Jesus.  The same God who designed the plan for your salvation, is the One who promises to guide you in your calling.  And He will do it one step at a time.

My Response:_____________________________________________________________

March 13:  Following His guidance.

HIS PROVIDENCE.
Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture he preached Jesus to him.--Acts 8:35

The person who picked me up from the airport at the European country where I had come to preach that weekend had been a supporter of our ministry for a few years and had arranged for this special event to take place.  When I asked him how he found out about Jesus 101 in the first place, I was speechless!   He told me how one day he was listening to an internet broadcast, when suddenly the programming was interrupted, and our program came on.  He was about to turn it off, but lingered for a few seconds, got interested in the Scriptural topic, and the rest is history.  I don't believe this was a coincidence but a providential event.

We often hear such testimonies about how people throughout the world discover our media ministry.  I am convinced that God is always at work behind the scenes.  Some call these events coincidences, but I believe otherwise.  In Acts 8, the story is told of the Ethiopian man who was a court official of the queen of the Ethiopians (verse 37).  He had gone to Jerusalem to worship and was on his way back, reading in his chariot from the prophet Isaiah.  Suddenly, Philip ran up next to the chariot and asked him if he understood what he was reading (verse 30).  He was reading Isaiah 53!  This chapter is called the "proto-gospel," because it is the prophecy about the suffering Servant, explaining the death of Jesus on our behalf.  The man needed someone to explain this prophecy, and Philip, filled with the Spirit, was right there, ready to preach Jesus to him from this very Scripture (verses 30-35).  The Ethiopian official could have called Philip's presence a coincidence, but we know better; because in the first four verses of the story we are told how God, in His providence, had orchestrated this meeting.  Philip was given divine direction to take this particular road (verse 26), and to go up to this specific chariot (verse 29).  God is always providentially guiding our lives, and He desires our ultimate redemption.  If you truly desire to do God's will, you can be assured that He will providentially and clearly provide the guidance you need.

My Response:_____________________________________________________

March 12:  Following His Guidance.

HIS STIRRING.
"Do you understand what you are reading?"..."Well, how could I, unless someone guides me?"--Acts 8:30, 31

A particular comment that the Jesus 101 ministry received from a Muslim man caught my attention: "The way I heard about you guys is a long story.  I was having a girlfriend who was a Muslim just like me and from the same tribe too...she was convincing me about the Christian faith, and I was not listening to her, but now I decided to download this Jesus 101 app to learn and know more about Christianity."  What exactly stirs a person's heart to seek to know Jesus?

God is personally involved in guiding people to the Savior.  It is a divine initiative that creates divine appointments, reaching out to all types of groups, encouraging seekers to respond to the Spirit's promptings.  God sent Peter to explain the gospel to Cornelius, who was a Gentile (Acts 10), and He sent Ananias to minister to Paul, a zealous Jew, who had encountered the risen Jesus on the way to Damascus (Acts 9).  It is God's initiative to guide and send appointed guides to explain Jesus to a wide variety of people.  Acts 8 is no exception.  "An angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying, 'Get up and go south to the road that descends from Jerusalem to Gaza' " (Acts 8:26).  This was a desert road towards Gaza, one of the five cities of the Philistines.  It seemed an unlikely territory for evangelism.  But God knew that someone needed guidance to accept Jesus.  It was an Ethiopian man, a treasurer of Candice, queen of the Ethiopians (Nubia).  Kandake was the title of the queen mother who performed secular activities for the king.  This man was far away from home, but he had come to worship in Jerusalem.  Was he a Gentile, a proselyte, or a Jew?  Luke doesn't say much about him, other than the fact that he was a eunuch, which would have excluded him from the inner temple courts.  Yet he wanted to know more and was reading Isaiah the prophet.  God sent Philip to guide him in this process, and we will study their encounter tomorrow.  In the meanwhile, may you be assured that it is God Himself who stirs human hearts to seek Him and to accept Jesus.  And He takes the initiative to guide us in this process!

My Response:_____________________________________________________