After Jesus’ resurrection, the apostles had a rough go of it as they traveled the known world preaching the Gospel. An example of one of those hard times happened when Paul and Barnabas got to Iconium. Acts 14:1-3 reports, “Now it happened in Iconium that they went together to the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke that a great multitude both of the Jews and of the Greeks believed. But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brethren. Therefore they stayed there a long time, speaking boldly in the Lord, who was bearing witness to the word of His grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands” (NKJ).
The surprising phrase in this passage is “therefore they stayed there a long time, speaking boldly.” What? Even though people’s minds were being “poisoned” against the apostles’ message, Paul and Barnabas stayed a long time, continuing to contend for the faith.
Do we keep at it when we find ourselves in day-to-day conversations about the reality of our God, the truth of the Word, and the importance of belief in Jesus? Or do we get frustrated, wave folks away with the back of our hand, and use as an excuse for our giving up that we are not going to “cast [our] pearls before swine”?
In the first place, let’s stop misusing Scripture. “Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine” as Jesus says Matthew 7:6, must not be referring to witnessing. We are supposed to consistently spread the Gospel to everyone who doesn’t know Him already. We cannot give up on people who need to know the truth. We cannot allow ourselves to get frustrated because folks disagree, react negatively, treat our message disrespectfully, or even try to stir others up against us.
The encouragement for Barnabas and Paul to keep at it is mentioned at the end of the Acts 14 passage quoted above. “…the Lord… was bearing witness to the word of His grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands” Acts 14:3b. This incentive proves to us that God will have our backs too as we contend with others for the faith. God will bear witness to His own Word, and is still able to grant signs and wonders by our hands to validate His Word. Worship God today for being the energizer of our witnessing efforts.
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©2014 Sharon Norris Elliott. Feel free to forward this devotion in its entirety, including this copyright line. Leave comments, ask questions, read past devotions, or subscribe to receive these devotions daily in your e-mail at www.sanewriter.wordpress.com. Also, periodically check in at www.LifeThatMatters.net to see what’s going on in the ministry.

Pick up a copy of Sharon’s newest release,
Boomerangs to Arrows: A Godly Guide for Launching Young Adult Children
available from Judson Press (http://www.judsonpress.com/product.cfm?product_id=17387),
at bookstores, and on all major online book buying sites.
Video link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2JH_gbinMk
Also still available:
Power Suit: The Armor of God Fit for the Feminine Frame
from New Hope Publishers (http://www.newhopedigital.com/2010/08/power-suit/)

I’ve heard it said that the most boring parts of the Bible are the “begats”: “And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son… and called his name Seth… And Seth… begat Enos… And Enos… begat Cainan…” etc., etc., etc. (Genesis chapter 5) Then there are more boring lists of names throughout the Old Testament history books, ancient people we don’t know who fought with David, built the tabernacle, or served in the worship of the Lord. When we are diligently reading through the Bible, admittedly, it’s tough not to yield to the temptation to skip these chapters so we can get to the good parts.
Let me challenge you by saying, “Not so fast.” Since “all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable…” Second Timothy 3:16 (NKJ), consider that God had a reason for moving His authors to include these lists. For example, First Chronicles chapter 26 tells us of the gatekeepers and the men over the treasuries of dedicated things in the tabernacle. From time to time, certain men were not only named, but were given descriptions.
• Of Obed-Edom, it is said that “God blessed him. (verses 4-5)
• Of Shemaiah, Obed-Edom’s firstborn and his line, it is said “they were men of great ability.” (verse 6)
• Then again of all Obed-Edom’s family the passage proclaims they were “able men with strength for the work.” (verse 8)
• Zechariah the gatekeeper was known as “a wise counselor.” (verse 14)
• The Hebonites are called “capable men.” (verse 31)

Blessed, having great ability, displaying strength for the work, wise, capable: these are all amazing, complimentary descriptors. Skipping over the chapters containing all those names would have caused us to miss the fact that our names can cause God to have good things to say about us. What’s in a name? When our name comes up before God, is there anything associated with it that would cause God to single us out and describe us in a positive way? I am certainly hoping that when God thinks of my name, Sharon, He readily adds a positive comment like “Sharon, a woman who lives out the life I purposed for her”; or “Sharon, producer of work that glorifies Me.”
But we don’t have to guess about what God adds to our names. He has said of us, “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people… called… out of darkness into His marvelous light… the people of God… (those who have) obtained mercy” First Peter 2:9 (NKJ). Do what I did: place your name in front of each of those phrases for an immediate uplift:
• Sharon, part of a chosen generation
• Sharon, one of a royal priesthood
• Sharon, a member of a holy nation
• Sharon, God’s own special person
• Sharon, called out of darkness into His marvelous light
• Sharon, a woman of God
• Sharon, having obtained mercy

What’s in a name? Since our names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, all God has said about us, is true of us. Worship God today as the One who has named us and who speaks well of us when He thinks of His children.
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©2014 Sharon Norris Elliott. Feel free to forward this devotion in its entirety, including this copyright line. Leave comments, ask questions, read past devotions, or subscribe to receive these devotions daily in your e-mail at www.sanewriter.wordpress.com. Also, periodically check in at www.LifeThatMatters.net to see what’s going on in the ministry.

Pick up a copy of Sharon’s newest release,
Boomerangs to Arrows: A Godly Guide for Launching Young Adult Children
available from Judson Press (http://www.judsonpress.com/product.cfm?product_id=17387),
at bookstores, and on all major online book buying sites.
Video link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2JH_gbinMk
Also still available:
Power Suit: The Armor of God Fit for the Feminine Frame
from New Hope Publishers (http://www.newhopedigital.com/2010/08/power-suit/)

Sometimes it feels as though the Lord is not answering our prayers; however, when we say that, we usually mean we prayed but didn’t get what we wanted. We were expecting a yes answer when God has other options besides the affirmative.
At times, God says, “No.” When Cain took an offering to God in Genesis 4:4-5,
“the LORD respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering.” In essence, God told Cain, “No, what you’re bringing Me is incorrect.” God also said no to Jesus. When our Lord knew He was about to face the excruciating crucifixion, He asked God for an out. Matthew 26:39 tells us Jesus “fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me” (NJK). We know that God said no to this request, and that’s why we have our salvation today.
At other times, God puts a hold on our requests with a “not yet” answer. King David wanted to build a house for the Lord, but God told him “not yet.” Solomon, David’s son, would be the one to build the temple. (See I Chronicles 28:1-6)
The thing to remember about prayer is that its main purpose is not about collecting; it’s about connecting. Prayer is conversation with God and the ultimate goal is supposed to be about strengthening our relationship with Him. God wants to be more to us than a Sugar Daddy or a Deep Pocket. In fact, we complain about people who just throw money at their issues rather than roll their sleeves up and do the hard, personal involvement work of actually making things better. Why do we expect of God what we don’t even approve of in people?
We will get yes answers from God only when we pray according to His will. First John 5:14-15 clearly says, “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him” (NKJ). The question is: how do we know we’re praying according to His will? We can hedge our bets by knowing His Word well enough to know what to ask and what not to ask; however, sometimes we don’t know. Cain thought his offering was great. David thought building God a temple was a good idea. Jesus wanted to avoid all that coming pain. All three of these men did what we have to do: ask God and find out what He’s going to say. We’ll know we’ve hit the mark on God’s will when God says, “Yes.” But no matter whether He says yes, no, or not yet, we can be excited that God is talking to us.
Worship God today for being the prayer-answer-er.
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©2014 Sharon Norris Elliott. Feel free to forward this devotion in its entirety, including this copyright line. Leave comments, ask questions, read past devotions, or subscribe to receive these devotions daily in your e-mail at www.sanewriter.wordpress.com. Also, periodically check in at www.LifeThatMatters.net to see what’s going on in the ministry.

Pick up a copy of Sharon’s newest release,
Boomerangs to Arrows: A Godly Guide for Launching Young Adult Children
available from Judson Press (http://www.judsonpress.com/product.cfm?product_id=17387),
at bookstores, and on all major online book buying sites.
Video link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2JH_gbinMk
Also still available:
Power Suit: The Armor of God Fit for the Feminine Frame
from New Hope Publishers (http://www.newhopedigital.com/2010/08/power-suit/)

It’s true that the Bible is a history book—it’s “His” story, the story of our Lord Jesus. From the opening creation account in Genesis when God the Father spoke God the Son (the Word) into action and the Spirit hovered over the deep, we have seen the second person of the Trinity, Jesus, in the narrative. As the old saying goes, “The Old Testament is the New Testament concealed; the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed.” God’s chosen people led to His choosing of anyone who would accept His Son. The tabernacle and temple sacrifices were precursors to the ultimate sacrifice Jesus made for us on the Cross.
All the way to John’s Revelation we see Jesus. In Revelation chapter 22, the very last chapter of the whole Bible, Jesus identifies Himself as “the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last… the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star” Revelation 22:13 and 16 (NKJ).
So since the whole Bible is the story of Jesus, today’s encouragement is to find Jesus whenever we read the pages of Holy Writ. Philip is our example. In Acts chapter 8, we read of a time when the angel of the Lord instructed him to go through the desert on the road from Jerusalem to Gaza. On that road, Philip ran into an Ethiopian eunuch who just happened to be reading writings by the prophet Isaiah. The man didn’t understand what he was reading, and Philip “opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him” Acts 8:35.
As we read Scripture, we must keep in mind that the words are His story and are not only for us. His story and His words were meant to be shared, so we ought to be able to start anywhere in the Book and “preach Jesus.” Worship God today for revealing Himself to us through His Son Jesus and all through His book, the Bible.
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©2014 Sharon Norris Elliott. Feel free to forward this devotion in its entirety, including this copyright line. Leave comments, ask questions, read past devotions, or subscribe to receive these devotions daily in your e-mail at www.sanewriter.wordpress.com. Also, periodically check in at www.LifeThatMatters.net to see what’s going on in the ministry.

Pick up a copy of Sharon’s newest release,
Boomerangs to Arrows: A Godly Guide for Launching Young Adult Children
available from Judson Press (http://www.judsonpress.com/product.cfm?product_id=17387),
at bookstores, and on all major online book buying sites.
Video link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2JH_gbinMk
Also still available:
Power Suit: The Armor of God Fit for the Feminine Frame
from New Hope Publishers (http://www.newhopedigital.com/2010/08/power-suit/)

Lots of us Christians desire to do or build something grand for God (that is, if we can ever get our wits about us and stop worrying about our own problems). At the least, we want to build a life and family that honors God, and leave a legacy pointing the way to Him for those who come after us. David was no different. Once the great king was settled in his own house, he came up with the grand idea to build a house for God. It seemed like a very humble aspiration. “Now it came to pass, when David was dwelling in his house, that David said to Nathan the prophet, ‘See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of the LORD is under tent curtains’” First Chronicles 17:1 (NKJ).
God had other plans and flipped the script. In essence, God replied to David’s desire by telling him He never asked for a house. Instead, He told David, “Furthermore I tell you that the LORD will build you a house. And it shall be, when your days are fulfilled, when you must go to be with your fathers, that I will set up your seed after you, who will be of your sons; and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build Me a house, and I will establish his throne forever. I will be his Father, and he shall be My son; and I will not take My mercy away from him, as I took it from him who was before you. And I will establish him in My house and in My kingdom forever; and his throne shall be established forever” First Chronicles 17:10-14.
Perhaps David was thinking of this incident when he penned Psalm 116:12 and asked, “What shall I render to the Lord, for all His benefits toward me?” There is no grand thing we can do or build for God. He has a corner on the market for doing grand things: parting the Red Sea, crumbling the walls of Jericho, raising Jesus from the dead, creation—just to name a few. Isn’t it just amazing to realize that it is God who wants to build for us? If we plan to build anything for God, may it be our trust, our love, and our obedience to Him. Worship God today for being the gracious builder of our lives, families, and legacy.
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©2014 Sharon Norris Elliott. Feel free to forward this devotion in its entirety, including this copyright line. Leave comments, ask questions, read past devotions, or subscribe to receive these devotions daily in your e-mail at www.sanewriter.wordpress.com. Also, periodically check in at www.LifeThatMatters.net to see what’s going on in the ministry.

Pick up a copy of Sharon’s newest release,
Boomerangs to Arrows: A Godly Guide for Launching Young Adult Children
available from Judson Press (http://www.judsonpress.com/product.cfm?product_id=17387),
at bookstores, and on all major online book buying sites.
Video link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2JH_gbinMk
Also still available:
Power Suit: The Armor of God Fit for the Feminine Frame
from New Hope Publishers (http://www.newhopedigital.com/2010/08/power-suit/)

When the beggar at the temple was healed in Acts chapter three, the people who knew him as that cripple guy were naturally “filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him” Acts 3:10 (NKJ). Peter observed the people’s reaction and commented, “Why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power of godliness we had made this man walk? The God of Abraham… glorified His Servant Jesus… And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all” Acts 3:12-16.
Lots of times we may feel weak or may even be disabled in a variety of ways. Maybe we’ve come to the end of our rope with a certain problem, we’re out of options, or have exhausted all our visible resources. All that’s left to do is look up because we’re down as low as we can go. The encouragement of this story is the assurance that faith in the name of Jesus is still powerful today. Faith in the name of Jesus makes us strong and gives us perfect soundness just as it did for the cripple man. Look up. Worship God today for being the strengthener we all need.
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©2014 Sharon Norris Elliott. Feel free to forward this devotion in its entirety, including this copyright line. Leave comments, ask questions, read past devotions, or subscribe to receive these devotions daily in your e-mail at www.sanewriter.wordpress.com. Also, periodically check in at www.LifeThatMatters.net to see what’s going on in the ministry.

Pick up a copy of Sharon’s newest release,
Boomerangs to Arrows: A Godly Guide for Launching Young Adult Children
available from Judson Press (http://www.judsonpress.com/product.cfm?product_id=17387),
at bookstores, and on all major online book buying sites.
Video link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2JH_gbinMk
Also still available:
Power Suit: The Armor of God Fit for the Feminine Frame
from New Hope Publishers (http://www.newhopedigital.com/2010/08/power-suit/)