Acts 17:24 “God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands.

Here Paul is explaining to the people of Athens the characteristics of the TRUE God. God is the one who made the world and everything in it. He is not limited to power in heaven but also has power over this earth. God does not dwell in temples made by man. Notice though that He does reside in the temple of our bodies (1 Cor. 6:19), but our bodies are not made with hands of man but by the God of heaven and earth.

The Holy Spirit dwells in each believer allowing us to meet with the Lord anytime or in any place. God has no limitations in where He is but is ever-present. This is an incredible truth that I want to grasp further. God is always with me so I need never fear…I have the POWER of the Holy Spirit abiding in me.

Application:

As I go back home there will definitely be times where I face situations or a job that create fear in my heart; I am going to cling to the truth that I have the Holy Spirit living inside me so that I remember to put my trust back to the Lord claiming the power that lives inside me.

Acts 17:25 “Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things.”

This verse made me think of worship in a whole new light. When I worship, it is not because the Lord “needs” to be glorified but solely my response to the Lord’s greatness because He does give life, breath, and all things.

Life…everything living on this earth and in the atmosphere is made by the Lord. From the biggest mammal to the intricate microorganisms that are unseen to the human eye. He is the one who gives breath…He has our days numbered and knows how long we will be on this earth. What a comforting thought that my time to go be with Him will never come too soon or too late. He gives us “all things”. All things can be summed up in Psalm 68:19 where it says he loads us with benefits daily. God gives us the strength to live out His word and be a light. My worship is solely a response to His greatness. Even though the Lord doesn’t need my worship…it brings Him pleasure.

Application: Today, I am going to take some time solely worshiping the Lord…doing nothing else but responding to all He has done, doing, and will do for me.

Acts 17: 26 “And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their pre-appointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings.

This verse has a whole new meaning to me since being in another part of the world for almost five months. The people I grew to love and know in Costa Rica as well as the people here in the US….all came from one blood Adam and Eve. But what is even more mind- boggling to me is the fact that God has already pre- determined how many days I have on this earth and knows every single step of my future even to the extent of where I will live. I need not fear anything not even death itself because I am the property of Jesus Christ; what a marvelous promise.

Application:

Today, I am going to pray for God to extend my boundaries like Jabez did in 1 Chronicles 4:10. Jesus is in control of everything in my life and I want to live life to the fullest of what it can be in Him because He does have all my days counted.

Acts 17:27 “ so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us…”

Even though Jesus is not far from us because He sees everything and is omnipresent, He can be very distant at the same time. The words from “More Like You” are still playing over in my head ….”all the worlds attractions, the things I hold, they are just distractions” The things in this world can be major distractions that make me distant from the Lord. At first, they seem wonderful….affordable clothes, more money, a nice car, affordable peanut butter J…all summed up in one word it is materialism. However, the one thing I really don’t want to lose being here amidst the distractions is the precious presence of God. However, the only way that I will be able to combat these things is seeking after the Lord. Paul uses the verb “grope” to seek after the Lord. To me, grope means to be in such a desperate position that I am grasping for the Lord with everything I am just trying to obtain a part of Him to hold onto. I don’t see this desperation though, when all my physical needs and often wants are met. How do I practically grope for the Lord seeking Him with all my being? First, I believe it is making my Bible time a PRIORITY….something that I sacrifice other opportunities at times to keep daily in my week. Two, I believe, it is recognizing the “attractions of life” are just distractions. This materialism will never fill me and my ultimate contentment needs to come from the Lord. What a hard but invaluable lesson this is to learn.

Application:

I have already decided on who is going to hold me accountable for my daily Bible reading as I return home, but I also want to continue to remind myself that when I am longing for something materially that I can’t have or don’t need, I will remind myself to long after the Lord first and foremost to find true contentment and satisfaction in this life.