Acts 21:39 – Acts 22:21″Paul answered, ‘I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no ordinary city. Please let me speak to the people.’ Having received the commander’s permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned to the crowd. When they were all silent, he said to them in Aramaic: ‘Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defense.” When they heard him speak to them in Aramaic, they became very quiet.
Then Paul said: “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city. Under Gamaliel I was thoroughly trained in the law of our fathers and was just as zealous for God as any of you are today. I persecuted the followers of this Way to their death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison, as also the high priest and all the Council can testify. I even obtained letters from them to their brothers in Damascus, and went there to bring these people as prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished.
“About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me. I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?’
‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked.
‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,’ he replied. My companions saw the light, but they did not understand the voice of him who was speaking to me.
‘What shall I do, Lord?’ I asked.’Get up,’ the Lord said, ‘and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do.’ My companions led me by the hand into Damascus, because the brilliance of the light had blinded me. A man named Ananias came to see me. He was a devout observer of the law and highly respected by all the Jews living there. He stood beside me and said, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ And at that very moment I was able to see him.
Then he said: ‘The God of our fathers 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 men 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.’ When I returned to Jerusalem and was praying at the temple, I fell into a trance and saw the Lord speaking. ‘Quick!’ he said to me. ‘Leave Jerusalem immediately, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’ ’Lord,’ I replied, ‘these men know that I went from one synagogue to another to imprison and beat those who believe in you. And when the blood of your martyr Stephen was shed, I stood there giving my approval and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.’ Then the Lord said to me, ‘Go; I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’ “
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Just a WARNING – Verses 10-12 make up one SUPER long sentence. Take a breath and concentrate instead of just skimming over it. I have a problem when reading, and I sometimes skim long/wordy sections. But these words from Paul are powerful. Do what you have to do to “sike” yourself up for it and let’s study some intense text.
Colossians 1:9-14
“9For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. 10And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully 12giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. 13For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”
In this part of scripture, Paul is telling the people at the church in Collose exactly how he is praying for them. It’s great insight into his heart for the people, but it’s also a great example of what we as Christians can be praying for fellow believers, as well as for ourselves.
Paul begins in verse 9 by telling them that he is praying for their knowledge of God’s will through wisdom and understanding. I think it’s safe to say this should be a mainstay in our daily prayer time. Then, in verses 10-12, Paul explains why he is praying for this knowledge. (These verses make up the long sentence that I warned you about before, so you might want to take this time to go re-read them) His reasoning is so that the people will live lives “worthy of the Lord” and so that they may please the Lord in “every way” Paul is encouraging them to bear fruit in what they do and to grow in the knowledge of God.
(Time to stop and think about our own lives . . . are we accomplishing these things? Living lives worthy of our Lord and pleasing Him? Are we bearing fruit in everything we do, and are we really growing in the knowledge of God?)
Verse 11 is one of my favorites. Have you ever thought about being strengthened with power from God’s glorious might? This isn’t your average “red bull” drink. When’s the last time you prayed for strength with the power from God’s glorious might? Today would be good.
Paul reminds them (and us) in verse 12 to be thankful for God’s saving grace. And he finishes through verse 14 reiterating that God saved us from darkness through His Son, and that in Him we have forgiveness from our sins.
This section from Colossians is a powerful message, and to truly understand all that Paul packs into these few verses, it would take more than a single day’s Bible study. Take some extra time over the next few days and dig into these verses, read them in the context of the entire chapter. Ask for God’s wisdom and understanding. He will supply all that you need.
Think about Jesus; He died for us. He gave up His life for us. Now think about the way we are all living . . . are our lives truly a reflection of our thankfulness to our Lord?
Philippians 4:4-9
“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”
So we get to the final chapter in Philippians, chapter 4. These concluding exhortations, very like what one finds elsewhere (e.g., 1 Cor 16:13; 2 Cor 13:11; 1 Thess 5:12-24), are tailored to the situation in Philippi. Among other things, they are to rejoice in the Lord, to let their “gentle forbearance” be evident to all (including those who oppose them) and to not be anxious about anything (given the present opposition and suffering), but let prayer and thanksgiving lead them to experience God’s peace.
What if we all took a 30-day challenge to live exactly like Paul is instructing us? The Bible tells us to read God’s Word, and do what it says. What if we started “Doing what It Says” by following Paul’s exhortations. How would our lives be different? What if we didn’t make excuses?
Psalm 103:1-12
“Praise the LORD, O my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
Praise the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits-
who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
The LORD works righteousness
and justice for all the oppressed.
He made known his ways to Moses,
his deeds to the people of Israel:
The LORD is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
He will not always accuse,
nor will he harbor his anger forever;
he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”
Over 10,000 people every day are told that there health condition is terminal. The testimony most common among them is that, “Thing I have taken for granted, like my health, my family, and my friends, have suddenly become all-important to me. Trivialities no longer matter.”
It shouldn’t take a death sentence to make us stop and recognize just how amazingly God has blessed us. Read this Psalm again, then fill our the Bible study guide, and praise God for all of His blessings in your life. (the link to the Bible study guide is below)
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Deuteronomy 6:4
“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.”
Zechariah 14:9
“The LORD will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one LORD, and his name the only name.”
1 Corinthians 8:5-6
“For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth—as there are many “gods” and many “lords”—
yet for us there is one God, the Father,
from whom are all things, and we for Him;
and one Lord, Jesus Christ,
through whom are all things, and we through Him.”
Ephesians 4:4-6
“There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope at your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.”
When Jesus was asked which of the Ten Commandments was most important, He said, “This is the most important . . . listen Israel! The Lord our God, the Lord is One. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.” (Mark 12:29-30)
There is no question about the importance of loving God and ONLY loving God. This may be opposed to the way that some of your friends or family think about how they live their life. But the Bible is very clear about loving only God. The first commandment in Exodus 20 told us not to have any other gods besides the One True God, God that brought the Israelites out of captivity in Egypt, God the Father of Jesus. And the second commandment in Exodus 20 tells us not to make up any idols, but to only worship God, and God alone.
Check out Isaiah 44 verses 6 and 8. “I am the first and I am the last. There is no God but Me.” “You are My witnesses! Is there any God but Me? There is no other Rock; I do not know any.”
God must be the only focus of our praise and worship.
Psalm 23:1-6
“1 The LORD is my shepherd;
there is nothing I lack.
2 He lets me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside quiet waters.
3 He renews my life;
He leads me along the right paths
for His name’s sake.
4 Even when I go through the darkest valley,
I fear no danger,
for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff —they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Only goodness and faithful love will pursue me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
as long as I live.”
Here’s a unique exercise with Psalm 23. Read it again, verse by verse, and re-write it in your own words. We’re not re-writing the Bible, but the idea here is to personalize this God-praising hymn and make it specific to our lives. Personalize this psalm by using specific examples of how God is your shepherd. We’ve probaby all heard this Psalm before, but let’s meditate on it’s words and praise God for His blessings in our lives. Don’t just skim over it.
Here are some questions that you may think of to get the ball rolling as you re-write your own personal Psalm 23. What are your green pastures and quiet waters that God has supplied you with? How has He directed your path? What dark valleys has He carried you through?
Have fun!
Related Text:
John 10:11
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”
James 3:9-12
“With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.”
What good are ideals of God’s love and grace if we cannot control our tongues enough to speak respectfully to other human beings? Everyone, from time to time, has trouble with this. We sing praises on Sunday at church, but we’re rude to the person moving too slowly in front of us at the grocery store. (and some of us are rude in that really annoying way – where we say the rude things with a smile on our face so we can deny it later) It’s like we left our patience inside the church doors, and we’ll pick it back up the next time we’re there.
Our contradictory speech is a puzzle. At times, our speech is right and pleasing to God, and at other times it is a violent and destructive force ready to tear down anyone in it’s path. When the Holy Spirit purifies our heart, He gives us self-control. Let’s begin to put that self-control into action. May God convict us when we speak words that are destructive, and may we understand how to show patience, love, and grace with our words (even in line at the grocery store when the person definitely doesn’t have less than 15 items). What we say under our breath might be a better picture of who we really are.
Related Text:
James 1:26
“If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless.”
1 Corinthians 13:1-8, 13
“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails.”
v13-“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
On a bed of grass, a chameleon can change it’s skin color to green. On dirt, it can change to brown. On a pair of pink sunglasses, it has even been known to turn pink. The animal changes to match it’s surroundings, which helps it to survive. But followers of Christ are not called to blend in with their environment. We are new creations; born again and changed within. We have values and lifestyles that confront the world around us and clash with it’s accepted morals. True believers won’t blend in very well.
The Christians in Corinth were struggling with their environment that surrounded them. Surrounded by corruption, and every conceivable sin, they felt the pressure to adapt. In the middle of Paul’s teaching and instruction, he gives us chapter 13. Some people call it his famous “Love” chapter. It’s a reminder to us to have pure motives, and let everything we do come from love.
Related Text:
Matthew 22:36-39
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law? Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.’ “
Matthew 5:13-16
“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt should lose its taste, how can it be made salty? It’s no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled on by men. You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.”
Ephesians 5:6-10
“Let no one deceive you with empty arguments, for because of these things God’s wrath is coming on the disobedient. Therefore, do not become their partners. For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light — for the fruit of the light results in all goodness, righteousness, and truth — discerning what is pleasing to the Lord.”
DON’T HIDE IT! The world is filled with darkness and God needs you to be a bright shining light for Him. Let your life shine! In Matthew 5:16 it says, “let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” Now, this isn’t saying to “do works” just so people will notice them. But, if we are truly living our lives for our Lord, then everything we do will glorify Him. Then, when people see what we’re doing, they won’t praise us, but the will praise God in Heaven. Don’t be ashamed of the Gospel, don’t be afraid to share Jesus. Live your life with the volume turned up high.
[Happy memorial Day! We are praying for those who have served in the military, for the families of those who have given their lives in service, and for those who are today risking their lives. You don't have to agree with the war or reasons behind it to pray for our soldiers. Pray for their safety and that God will become a part of their lives.]
1 Corinthians 9:24-26
“Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing.”
In life, you only get to run this “race” once. Paul’s telling us to run to win! Don’t just go through the motions, and don’t just do “enough” to get by. Olympians devote their lives to train for their sport, and the gold medals they win are just temporary prizes. But our gift from God is everlasting, truly a gift worthy of our devotion.
In the race, focus on the next step instead of the next lap, and soon you will have more laps behind you than ahead of you. Make every step count, let everything you do glorify the Lord. “Let us run the race that is before us and never give up. We should remove from our lives anything that would get in our way and get rid of the sin that holds us back.” (Hebrews 12:1)
Our training involves spending time with God, reading His word and being devoted to Him with our prayer life. We must grow spiritually and grow in the knowledge of our Lord, better understanding His Word, His Commands, and His direction for our lives. Paul tells us to live your life with a purpose at every step, so that you may further the Gospel and make an impact for the kingdom of God. Obedience is key.
Related Text:
James 4:7
“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
