Our predictable rhythm leads us to spend our Sabbath in worship and prayer.
Pray and worship in the ways that you connect best to the Father’s heart. Think through another list of thankfulness.
Our predictable rhythm leads us to spend our Sabbath in worship and prayer.
Pray and worship in the ways that you connect best to the Father’s heart. Think through another list of thankfulness.
Paul has a sad farewell with the elders of the church in Ephesus. He served them well and long- three years. I love his deep affection and love for those the Lord has put in his path. It is surely a model to me.
He leaves them with some things to do. These seem good for us to also ponder today:
We are all further down the path than someone, we can all shepherd people.
Hmmm…. what a wild story!
I’ve never seen someone raised from the dead, and I’m guessing that you haven’t either, but the Spirit is surely at work amongst us.
Of course it wouldn’t be a journey with Paul without a little rioting!
Paul has been so successful in his endeavor to share the good news, that many people quit spending money to prop up the ‘false god’ industry. This might seem laughable- but think about the ‘false god’ industry in your sphere:
Other ideas…?
All of these things, and some of them completely ‘good’ things- like friends and family- can become idols or false gods for us.
Spend some time right now asking the Spirit to search your heart to reveal anything standing in the way of you offering your whole self to God for His glory.
It’s like these chapters are a whirlwind—Paul in a new place every chapter. Similar rhythms are evident as he preaches and teaches both the Jews and the Greeks. He is incredibly focused on the task that God has given him.
I also appreciate that he is on the lookout for the Spirit’s work. He recognizes some disciples in verse 2 but is wanting them to receive the Spirit so that they have God’s power to live and serve inside of them.
Then we see some Jews try to appropriate the power of the Spirit (v 13), only to be rebuked.
Then we see repentance and a godly fear of the power of the Lord Jesus resulting in an incredibly spreading of the word.
The following is a short video by our Bible Project friends just about the Holy Spirit- take a look:
Perhaps it is evidenced in your changed character to match what is described in Galatians 5, or perhaps you see yourself equipped in unique ways to build up the body as described in 1 Corinthians 12 and 14. However you see it happening, the Spirit does a predictable work in all of us- conforming us to the image/ character of Jesus and using us to bring glory to the Father through our gifts.
Paul has become friends with a couple, Pricilla and Aquila. They seem like gems for ministry and life. They travel with him, teach people, and have incredible hospitality. Their friendship grows as they serve shoulder to shoulder together.
Last week we looked at Acts 17 from the Know, Be, Do perspective. Today we are going to think about life ‘Together’.
Picture in your mind’s eye those you sit near on Sundays at church.
Paul heads to Corinth, and you can guess what he did! Synagogue, talking to people, helping people understand and believe. Same story, different day! (I hope this is said of me someday!)
He gets fueled by the return of Timothy and Silas and devotes all of his time to preaching the good news.
Some Jews believe, but many were angry and opposing Paul. Then he does this strange thing: he “shakes out his clothes”, and tells them “I’m moving onto others who will listen”.
In other cities as we’ve seen, this angry vengeance forces Paul to move on. But the Lord comes to him and tells him, “Don’t be afraid and don’t be silent!”. So Paul and friends settle in for a year and a half- what an incredible blessing to this new church!