June 24

2 Kings 6:1-7:20, Acts 15:36-16:15, Psalm 142:1-7, Proverbs 17:24-25



Pray: I read somewhere (Chuck Swindoll, I believe) that God answers prayers in three ways: Yes, No, Not Yet. I’ve found that to be true in my life. Sometimes God answers my prayers in the affirmative: Yes! Other times, God says, “No.” I can handle the first easily, the second is tough, but manageable. It’s when God says, “Not yet” that I struggle. That answer typically means I’m not ready. The timing is off. God needs to do a work within me before He can answer in the affirmative, or my motives are not pure. As you pray, be discerning. God hears and answers ALL your prayers. The answer He gives is the answer you need.

Read: Paul and Barnabas had a disagreement. They decided to separate and each go do what God was leading them to do. They didn’t demonize the other. They didn’t criticize each other. It was two adults acting like two adults. How I wish there were more adults in our world today who treated each other with respect and dignity, even when they disagree “sharply.” How do you measure up against the actions of Paul and Barnabas? Do you need to do better with this? Me too! Today is a new day filled with the grace and forgiveness of God. Let’s agree to start over again.

Edify: Trust is an interesting thing. We trust people we don’t know all the time (food workers, other drivers, pilots, etc.). We trust when we spend money online that we will actually get the item(s) we desire. When it comes to trusting our Father in Heaven, that is rare, indeed. The king’s officer in 2 Kings 7 didn’t trust and it caused him to be trampled to death by starving people. Although you and I will likely not be trampled by a starving nation, a lack of trust can be devastating in life. Choose to trust the Lord. It is a choice, typically followed by action. We trust others...why not Him?

Practice: We all have areas of life in which we need to grow and improve. I’m not great at encouragement and “checking-in” with people. Still, I need to do it. In Acts 15, Paul and Barnabas decided to go back and check-in with the churches they had previously visited and preached the Gospel. They wanted to see how the new believers were doing. I admire them...it wasn’t as easy for them to do then as it is for us today. There was no email, no texting, no postal service to deliver hand-written notes. Who do you need to encourage and check-in with today just to see how they’re doing? Who do you know that needs to know they matter to you? Write the note, make the call, send the email.