Cared For

Cared For

Acts 16: ¹⁶ Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. ¹⁷ She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” ¹⁸ She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her.

¹⁹ When her owners realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities. ²⁰ They brought them before the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar ²¹ by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice.”

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One of my employees was out sick. I called to check in on her to see how she was doing. I mean it was the right thing to do, being her boss. I did this for several of my employees. When I left the company, I lost touch with most of the people.

• There were times when I did the right thing because of my role.
• There were times when I cared for people because of my role.
• There were times when I watched out for people because of my role.

A woman kept following Paul and the disciples. She said the truth about them, stating they were men of the Most High GOD. While this was true, more than likely she did it in a mocking or annoying way.

Paul commanded the spirit to come out of her and she was immediately freed. Her bosses did not like her new freedom. They only cared that she could make them money.

• GOD wants me to care for people beyond what they can do for me.
• GOD wants me to care about people even when they cannot return any favors.
• GOD wants me to care for people, wishing them the best.

Caring for people means going beyond what they can do for me. I mean when I care about the person, I do not need anything from them. GOD wants me to express HIS love regardless of any reciprocation. I am glad HE loves me.

• Do you have people working for you that you only keep in touch with because or your working relationship?
• Do you have a lot of acquaintances?
• Will you allow GOD to speak through you by caring for more people today?

Joining the mob

Joining the mob

John 18: ³⁹ “But you have a custom that I should release someone to you at the Passover. Do you therefore want me to release to you the King of the Jews?”

⁴⁰ Then they all cried again, saying, “Not this Man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a robber.

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Hearing the cheering made me want to cheer. It was my first college football game and I could feel the excitement in the stadium. Years later I was in a group who complained, a lot. After a while I felt myself wanting to do the same. My verbiage had turned negative. I could feel the intensity in the building.

 

• I used to join in based on what was going on around me.
• I used to get emotionally involved even when I did not have all the facts.
• I used to absorb the energy of the crowd, even when the crowd was going in the wrong direction.

Pilate asked who he should release, JESUS or a known felon named Barabbas. The crowd did not care about prophecy concerning the Messiah coming to save the world. Nor did they care that JESUS was innocent. They began chanting “Barabbas” with the same excitement as being at a game. I wonder if I would have joined in.

• JESUS wants me to have a solid relationship with HIM so I cannot be swayed by misinformation.
• JESUS wants me to seek HIM daily so I cannot be fooled by deception.
• JESUS wants me to hear HIS voice through all the world’s chanting.

The world can be quite noisy. Cause after cause points out the misgivings of others daily. One cause pulls and the other pushes. BUT GOD wants me to seek HIM, not causes. HE wants me to listen to what JESUS did and explain to others HE is my Savior.

HE wants me to see beyond those who seek power, even in churches. GOD shows who sincerely seeks HIM and who wants HIS SON as their savior. HE sends me to them or them to me. GOD gives me purpose to reach those whom only I can reach.

• Are you following the crowd?
• Do you have less belief in GOD and more belief in the news?
• Will you give your life over to GOD and seek HIM daily so you can hear HIS small still voice?