Tag: faith

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 19:21-41 NLT – bad for business

Reading: Acts 19:21-41 NLT

Afterward Paul felt compelled by the Spirit to go over to Macedonia and Achaia before going to Jerusalem. “And after that,” he said, “I must go on to Rome!” He sent his two assistants, Timothy and Erastus, ahead to Macedonia while he stayed awhile longer in the province of Asia.

"Artemis of Ephesus" (Vatican Museums)
“Artemis of Ephesus”
(Vatican Museums)

About that time, serious trouble developed in Ephesus concerning the Way. It began with Demetrius, a silversmith who had a large business manufacturing silver shrines of the Greek goddess Artemis. He kept many craftsmen busy. He called them together, along with others employed in similar trades, and addressed them as follows:

“Gentlemen, you know that our wealth comes from this business. But as you have seen and heard, this man Paul has persuaded many people that handmade gods aren’t really gods at all. And he’s done this not only here in Ephesus but throughout the entire province! Of course, I’m not just talking about the loss of public respect for our business. I’m also concerned that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will lose its influence and that Artemis — this magnificent goddess worshiped throughout the province of Asia and all around the world — will be robbed of her great prestige!”

At this their anger boiled, and they began shouting, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” Soon the whole city was filled with confusion. Everyone rushed to the amphitheater, dragging along Gaius and Aristarchus, who were Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia. Paul wanted to go in, too, but the believers wouldn’t let him. Some of the officials of the province, friends of Paul, also sent a message to him, begging him not to risk his life by entering the amphitheater.

Inside, the people were all shouting, some one thing and some another. Everything was in confusion. In fact, most of them didn’t even know why they were there. The Jews in the crowd pushed Alexander forward and told him to explain the situation. He motioned for silence and tried to speak. But when the crowd realized he was a Jew, they started shouting again and kept it up for about two hours: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians! Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

At last the mayor was able to quiet them down enough to speak. “Citizens of Ephesus,” he said. “Everyone knows that Ephesus is the official guardian of the temple of the great Artemis, whose image fell down to us from heaven. Since this is an undeniable fact, you should stay calm and not do anything rash. You have brought these men here, but they have stolen nothing from the temple and have not spoken against our goddess.

“If Demetrius and the craftsmen have a case against them, the courts are in session and the officials can hear the case at once. Let them make formal charges. And if there are complaints about other matters, they can be settled in a legal assembly. I am afraid we are in danger of being charged with rioting by the Roman government, since there is no cause for all this commotion. And if Rome demands an explanation, we won’t know what to say.” ]Then he dismissed them, and they dispersed.

Prayer: Lord Jesus – Give your servants the courage and boldness to proclaim the Truth… in season and out of season. Give them them clarity and discernment in applying your Word to their culture. And if offense is taken… may it be the offense of the Gospel… not your servants’ offensiveness. Strengthen all of your servants around the world who are willing to speak Truth to their cultures. Protect them… and may they bear much good fruit And may your Kingdom come. To God be the glory. Amen.

Spiritual Song: “Our Father” – Bethel Live Worship

Morning Reading: Acts 19:8-20 NLT – power encounters

Reading: Acts 19:8-20 NLT

Then Paul went to the synagogue and preached boldly for the next three months, arguing persuasively about the Kingdom of God. But some became stubborn, rejecting his message and publicly speaking against the Way. So Paul left the synagogue and took the believers with him. Then he held daily discussions at the lecture hall of Tyrannus.

This went on for the next two years, so that people throughout the province of Asia—both Jews and Greeks—heard the word of the Lord. God gave Paul the power to perform unusual miracles. When handkerchiefs or aprons that had merely touched his skin were placed on sick people, they were healed of their diseases, and evil spirits were expelled.

“The Sermon of St. Paul at Ephesus” by Eustache Le Sueur, 1649 (The Louvre, Paris)
“The Sermon of St. Paul at Ephesus”
by Eustache Le Sueur, 1649
(The Louvre, Paris)

A group of Jews was traveling from town to town casting out evil spirits. They tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus in their incantation, saying, “I command you in the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, to come out!” Seven sons of Sceva, a leading priest, were doing this. But one time when they tried it, the evil spirit replied, “I know Jesus, and I know Paul, but who are you?” Then the man with the evil spirit leaped on them, overpowered them, and attacked them with such violence that they fled from the house, naked and battered.

The story of what happened spread quickly all through Ephesus, to Jews and Greeks alike. A solemn fear descended on the city, and the name of the Lord Jesus was greatly honored.

Many who became believers confessed their sinful practices. A number of them who had been practicing sorcery brought their incantation books and burned them at a public bonfire. The value of the books was several million dollars.  So the message about the Lord spread widely and had a powerful effect.

Prayer: Lord Jesus – In all things, may I direct people to you and your Kingdom purposes.  Immerse me in your Word… and enable me to apply it to the needs of the day… to the needs of those around me. Holy Spirit – Move with power among your people… healing, delivering, convicting… leading people to repentance, forgiveness, and newness of life. Mighty God – You alone are worthy of our worship and praise. May my focus always be on you… as an end in itself, nothing else. To You be the glory. Amen.

Spiritual Song: “How Great Thou Art” – Kim Walker Smith

Morning Reading: Acts 19:1-7 NLT – Holy Spirit received

Reading: Acts 19:1-7 NLT

While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the interior regions until he reached Ephesus, on the coast, where he found several believers.

image

“Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” he asked them. “No,” they replied, “we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

“Then what baptism did you experience?” he asked. And they replied, “The baptism of John.”

Paul said, “John’s baptism called for repentance from sin. But John himself told the people to believe in the one who would come later, meaning Jesus.”

As soon as they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in other tongues and prophesied. There were about twelve men in all.

Prayer: Lord Jesus – Fill us with your Spirit. Overcome our ignorance, or bad theology, so that every believer who has been baptized in your name may experience the fullness of the Holy Spirit… with all the gifts and blessings that entails. And may your Spirit bear good fruit in us… love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, kindness, goodness, faithfulness and self control. All to the glory of God. Amen.

Spiritual Song: “Holy Spirit, You are welcome here” – Jesus Culture (Kim Walker – Passion 2013)

Morning Reading: Acts 18:23-28 NLT – training a new generation

Reading: Acts 18:23-28 NLT

After spending some time in Antioch, Paul went back through Galatia and Phrygia, visiting and strengthening all the believers.

Got teacher? Got Bible? Got impact! Uganda 2011 - wwcs.org
Got teacher? Got Bible? Got impact!
Uganda 2011 – wwcs.org

Meanwhile, a Jew named Apollos, an eloquent speaker who knew the Scriptures well, had arrived in Ephesus from Alexandria in Egypt. He had been taught the way of the Lord, and he taught others about Jesus with an enthusiastic spirit and with accuracy. However, he knew only about John’s baptism.

When Priscilla and Aquila heard him preaching boldly in the synagogue, they took him aside and explained the way of God even more accurately.

Apollos had been thinking about going to Achaia, and the brothers and sisters in Ephesus encouraged him to go. They wrote to the believers in Achaia, asking them to welcome him.

When he arrived there, he proved to be of great benefit to those who, by God’s grace, had believed. He refuted the Jews with powerful arguments in public debate. Using the Scriptures, he explained to them that Jesus was the Messiah.

Prayer: Heavenly Father – Thank you for raising up preachers, teachers and evangelists in every generation, in every tribe and nation… people who are compelled by your Spirit to reach people for Jesus. Holy Spirit – open their hearts and minds to the Word of truth found in Scripture… immerse them in your Word. Continually correct any false impressions or cultural biases they may have and give them the wisdom and courage to apply your Word with clarity and power to the world i which they live. Lord Jesus – you are Lord of all… reign in the hearts of all your people wherever they may be today. And, call forth your people like a mighty army to advance your Kingdom throughout the world. To God be the glory. Amen.

Spiritual Song: “Shine” – Matt Redman (Passion 07)