God Speaks
At the End of His Third Missionary Journey, Paul Arrived in Jerusalem, Caused a Roit and Awaited Trial
Verse of the Day: Then he [Ananias] said [to Paul]: ‘The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and to hear words from his mouth. You will be his witness to all people of what you have seen and heard. And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.’ (Acts 22:14-16 NIV 2011)
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We Respond
Acts 20
Reflection: Paul spoke words of encouragement to believers wherever he went. The people of Philippi had such a hunger for the word of God that they were willing to stay up all night listening to Paul expound on it. Paul stopped preaching long enough to resurrect a young man who had fallen asleep and tumbled from a third story window, causing his death. Paul served the LORD with all humility and tears in the midst of trials, declaring what is profitable and teaching repentance toward God and faith in Jesus Christ. He was constrained by the Holy Spirit to testify to the gospel of the grace of God, proclaiming the whole counsel of God. He was alert to the needs of those around him as well as to those who seek to destroy the flock. Paul thanked the LORD God, that His word of grace is able to build people up and give them an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. He taught the people by example not to covet the possessions of others but to work hard to meet the needs of the weak and needy among them. Paul wasn’t shy about showing how much he (and God) cared about the people to whom and with whom he ministered.
Prayer: Dear God who equipped and guided the Apostle Paul, please use Christian leaders (especially pastors, missionaries, and educators) and those they are training to speak words of encouragement to believers wherever they go. May people have such a hunger for the word of God that they are willing to stay up all night listening to it being expounded. May You bring back to life those who have “fallen asleep” as You see fit. May those You send out serve the LORD with all humility and tears in the midst of trials. May they declare what is profitable and teach repentance toward God and faith in Jesus Christ. May we all be constrained by the Holy Spirit to testify to the gospel of the grace of God, proclaiming the whole counsel of God. May we be alert to the needs of those around us and to those who seek to destroy the flock. Thank You LORD God, that You and Your word of grace are able to build Your people up and give us an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. May we, Your people, not covet the possessions of others but work hard to meet the needs of the weak and needy among us. May we not be shy about showing how much we care about each other. AMEN
Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, if He wants you to work on one of the suggestions below or something else more personal that He points out.)
- I will encourage a believer that is going through a tough time.
- I will pray for God to fill my Christian friends and me with such a hunger for the Word of God that we willingly stay up all night to hear it preached.
- I will prepare my heart and life so that if God wants to use me to perform a miracle, like raising the dead, that nothing in my life would interfere.
- I will watch out for and speak up against any person or teaching that would seek to “destroy the flock,” especially the children.
Acts 21
Reflection: Acts 21 tells us that Paul was remarkably busy traveling as he headed for Jerusalem, stopping to encourage believers along the way (v. 1). He said goodbye to the Ephesian elders and sailed to Cos, Rhodes, and Patara (vv. 2-3). While sailing for Phoenicia, he passed by Cyprus and landed in Tyre in Syria (vv. 4-6). There he stayed with local believers for a week before praying with the entire congregation on the beach as he left (vv.7-9). He greeted the brothers and sisters in Christ at Ptolemais for one day and went on to Caesarea to stay with Philip the Evangelist who is mentioned in Acts chapters 6 and 8 (vv. 10-14). A prophet named Agabus warned Paul and others of what awaited him in Jerusalem, but it did not dissuade him (vv. 15-17). Paul and his companions went on to Jerusalem, spending the night in the home of Mnason (vv. 18-19). The next day he reported to leaders of the church what God was doing among the Gentiles (vv. 20-26). After listening favorably to his report, James and the other leaders asked Paul to aid four men to complete their vows at the Temple, for appearances’ sake, which he agreed to do (vv. 27-30). While he was complying, some Jews came from Asia and brought false accusations against him, stirring up trouble for Paul and causing him to be beaten (vv. 31-40). This called for action on the part of the Roman commander who first rescued and then interrogated Paul. Like the old-time movies and TV shows, the person who set up the chapter and verse divisions of the New Testament left us with a cliff-hanger waiting for the next episode, and so will I. The reader will have to wait for chapter 22 to see what Paul did and said next.
Prayer: Thank You LORD, that You are the One that is ultimately in charge of our itinerary–and our lives. May we seek out disciples of the Lord wherever we go, praying with and blessing each other. May neither the prophecies of Spirit-filled people nor the pleadings of loved ones dissuade us from doing what You, LORD God, are directing us to do. Let Your will be done in everything. Help us to practice hospitality. May people step up and warmly receive those who are either going to or coming from serving You. May Christian ministries report the facts and clear up misconceptions as they report to their supporters or sending agencies. May we as believers be sensitive to the concerns and cultural distinctives of those we are called to serve. May we distinguish between methods and procedures that are truly biblical and those that are merely cultural. May whatever sufferings come upon Christians bring glory to You, Lord, and advance the gospel of Christ. Please give civil authorities insight as to what is really happening and what to do about it. Help Christians to “keep their cool” even in the midst of great turmoil and violence. May Christian workers identify with their hearers by clearly speaking their language. AMEN
Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, if He wants you to work on one of the suggestions below or something else more personal that He points out.)
- I will seek to encourage fellow believers wherever I go.
- I will set my heart on what God has told me to do, and I will ask for Holy Spirit’s help not to be dissuaded.
- I will send thank you letters to those who have given me lodging or helped me in other ways. (This is in addition to thanking God for them.)
- I will pray for some new missionaries as they go to the field that they will be efficient and effective in learning new languages and customs.
Acts 22
Reflection: Paul was respectful as he spoke to the crowd in Jerusalem, speaking to them in their own language. He established credibility by telling them his background as a Jew zealous for God. He told them what happened on the way to Damascus that changed his thinking and his whole way of life. The crowd reacted very negatively when he told them what God had called him to do, preach God’s truth to the Gentiles. The Roman commander was shocked to learn, as he was about to flog Paul to get at the truth behind the riot, that Paul was a Roman citizen by birth and thus entitled to a trial before being flogged. The next day the commander summoned the council and allowed Paul to address them in his defense. Here we have another cliff-hanger. The reader will have to wait for chapter 23 to see what Paul did and said next.
Prayer: Dear God, who is the source of all wisdom and grace, please empower believers with Your wisdom and grace whenever we are called to stand up in defense of the gospel. May we give our testimony for Christ clearly stating 1) what our life was like before we encountered Jesus, 2) exactly how this encounter happened, 3) what we learned about God, and 4) what we did about it. May we not be surprised or overwhelmed when we face opposition but trust You in all that takes place. May we use any earthy advantages wisely and always remember that the believer’s citizenship is ultimately in Heaven. May public officials be curious and give Christ-followers opportunities to present the good news of Jesus Christ. AMEN
Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, if He wants you to work on one of the suggestions below or something else more personal that He points out.)
- I will be respectful as I talk with people about my personal journey in coming to and growing in my faith in Jesus as the Christ.
- I will plan out my testimony (writing it out if necessary to make it easier to remember and share).
- I will be sure to tell how God has changed my life and thinking.
- I will remember where my true citizenship lies whenever I am mistreated.
Acts 23
Reflection: Paul was granted an opportunity to speak before the Sanhedrin, where He stated that he had a clear conscience before God. Because the high priest believed that this was impossible and therefore a lie, he ordered Paul to be struck on the mouth. In reaction, Paul insulted the high priest. When informed of his sinful response, Paul applied scripture in his apology. When he spoke again, he used the division among his audience in his defense; this created such an uproar that he had to be removed for his own safety. That night the Lord Himself encouraged Paul through a dream and revealed a bit of His plan for Paul’s future. Forty Jews formed a conspiracy to kill Paul. The plot was discovered, reported, and thwarted, and a letter explaining the situation was sent to the governor. The governor received Paul, read the letter, and placed him in protective custody.
Prayer: Dear sovereign LORD, who knows the plans You have for Your people, may Your faithful people be granted opportunities to speak before the decision makers and influencers (politicians, judges, and the media) of our day. May they state how, because of Christ Jesus, everyone can have a clear conscience before God. May these decision makers and influencers no longer believe that this is impossible and therefore a lie. May they commend people like Paul instead of censuring them. Please keep Your people from mocking, insulting, or threatening these decision makers and influencers. When informed of our sinful responses, may believers apply scripture in our apology and say or do the righteous thing instead. May we seek to heal the division among our audience by pointing people to God who is above it all. Whenever there is an uproar, may people seeking to follow You and Your principles be protected. We need You, Yourself, to encourage us through the scriptures, dreams and visions, or healings and miracles. Please reveal Your plans for the future. (You have done so in the Bible but help us to understand and act accordingly.) May all plans and conspiracies to steal, kill, and destroy be exposed, reported, and thwarted. May all accurate, clear, concise, and truthful explanations of the situation be disseminated to the public. Please enable the decision makers and influencers to respond appropriately in these situations and protect those who are being threatened or attacked. In all this, may Your kingdom come, and Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. AMEN
Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, if He wants you to work on one of the suggestions below or something else more personal that He points out.)
- I will thank God for the ways His people are being given opportunities to speak to decision makers and influencers.
- I will work on giving a clear and concise presentation of how, because of Christ Jesus, everyone can have a clear conscience before God.
- I will learn scripture more thoroughly so that I can apply it in my daily decision making.
- I will step up (both speak up and act) and protect those who are being threatened or attacked.
Share: I plan to share what I’ve learned with __________.