Tag: Derbe

Morning Reading: Acts 20:1-6 NLT – moving on

Reading: Acts 20:1-6 NLT

St Paul's Third Missionary Journey
St Paul’s Third Missionary Journey
[Note the numerical sequence]
When the uproar was over, Paul sent for the believers and encouraged them. Then he said good-bye and left for Macedonia. While there, he encouraged the believers in all the towns he passed through. Then he traveled down to Greece, where he stayed for three months. He was preparing to sail back to Syria when he discovered a plot by some Jews against his life, so he decided to return through Macedonia.

Several men were traveling with him. They were Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea; Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica; Gaius from Derbe; Timothy; and Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia. They went on ahead and waited for us at Troas. After the Passover ended, we boarded a ship at Philippi in Macedonia and five days later joined them in Troas, where we stayed a week.

Prayer: Lord Jesus – Give your servants the discernment and good sense to know when it’s time to move on… when they can more effectively further your Kingdom purposes elsewhere. Raise up faithful men and women in place to fill the vacancies in the faith communities left behind. Surround your saints with faithful followers who can learn and grow and eventually take their rightful places serving in your Kingdom. Multiply their efforts ten-fold… a hundred-fold. And may your will be done in all of it. Amen.

Spiritual  Song: “Let It Start With Me” – No Other Name

In the streets of every village / Every city’s soaring tower / Empty people live in darkness / Every minute every hour / Hear the cry of desperation / From a billion broken hearts / With in need so great, how do we even start?

Let it start with me / Open up my eyes / Fill my heart with your compassion / Free my mind from all distractions / Use my hand, to set the captive free / Move my feet to follow after you / Or change the world and let it start with me

You have given us the orders / There’s a place for everyone / I don’t wanna miss my mission / In the plan that you’ve begun / You’ve promised you’d go with me / To the edges of it all / And changed everything that keeps me from your call

Take my life, all that I’ve called my own / Everything I am is yours alone / Let it start with me / Open up my eyes, / Fill my heart with your compassion / Free my mind from all distractions / Use my hand, to set the captive free / Move my feet to follow after you / Or change the world and let it start with me / Let it start with me

Morning Reading: Acts 14:1-7 NLT – divided opinion

Reading: Acts 14:1-7 NLT

Iconium, Lystra, Derbe
Iconium, Lystra, Derbe

The same thing happened in Iconium. Paul and Barnabas went to the Jewish synagogue and preached with such power that a great number of both Jews and Greeks became believers. Some of the Jews, however, spurned God’s message and poisoned the minds of the Gentiles against Paul and Barnabas. But the apostles stayed there a long time, preaching boldly about the grace of the Lord. And the Lord proved their message was true by giving them power to do miraculous signs and wonders. But the people of the town were divided in their opinion about them. Some sided with the Jews, and some with the apostles.

Then a mob of Gentiles and Jews, along with their leaders, decided to attack and stone them. When the apostles learned of it, they fled to the region of Lycaonia — to the towns of Lystra and Derbe and the surrounding area. And there they preached the Good News.

Prayer: Lord Jesus – Give us the courage of Paul and Barnabas… and all who have faithfully fought the good fight down through the ages. May we lift high the cross… honoring those who have gone before us. And may we be united in faith, hope and love… giving you the glory. Amen

Hymn: “Onward Christian Soldiers” – S. Baring-Gould
Note: The hymn begins at 2:30 min
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Onward, Christian solders, marching as to war, With the cross of Jesus going on before! Christ, the royal Master, leads again the foe; Forward into battle, see his banner go! Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war, With the cross of Jesus going on before!

At the sign of triumph Satan’s host doth flee; On, then, Christian soldiers, on to victory! Hell’s foundations quiver at the shout of praise; Brothers, lift your voices, loud your anthems raise! Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war, With the cross of Jesus going on before!

Like a mighty army moves the church of God; Brothers, we are treading where the saints have trod; We are not divided; all one body we, One in hope and doctrine, one in charity. Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war, With the cross of Jesus going on before!

Onward, then, ye people, join our happy throng, Blend with ours your voices in the triumph song; Glory, laud, and honor, unto Christ the King; This thro’ countless ages men and angels sing. Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war, With the cross of Jesus going on before!