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 17:10-15 NLT – Bible study

Reading: Acts 17:10-15 NLT

That very night the believers sent Paul and Silas to Berea. When they arrived there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. And the people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul’s message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth. As a result, many Jews believed, as did many of the prominent Greek women and men.

But when some Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God in Berea, they went there and stirred up trouble. The believers acted at once, sending Paul on to the coast, while Silas and Timothy remained behind. Those escorting Paul went with him all the way to Athens; then they returned to Berea with instructions for Silas and Timothy to hurry and join him.

Prayer: Lord Jesus – Give me an open mind tethered to the your Word. May I listen eagerly… and yet test what I’m hearing against Scriptural truth. And may I be a doer of the Word… and not a hearer only. To God be the glory. Amen.

Spiritual Song: “Word of God speak” – Bart Millard and Pete Kipley

I’m finding myself at a loss for words / And the funny thing is it’s okay / The last thing I need is to be heard / But to hear what You would say

Word of God speak / Would You pour down like rain / Washing my eyes to see / Your majesty / To be still and know / That You’re in this place / Please let me stay and rest / In Your holiness

Word of God speak

I’m finding myself in the midst of You / Beyond the music, beyond the noise / All that I need is to be with You / And in the quiet hear Your voice

I’m finding myself at a loss for words / And the funny thing is / it’s okay

Morning Reading: Acts 17:1-9 NLT – disturbing the peace

Reading: Acts 17:1-9 NLT

Page from Book of Kells Trinity College, Dublin — Page from Book of Kells
Trinity College, Dublin

Paul and Silas then traveled through the towns of Amphipolis and Apollonia and came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. As was Paul’s custom, he went to the synagogue service, and for three Sabbaths in a row he used the Scriptures to reason with the people. He explained the prophecies and proved that the Messiah must suffer and rise from the dead. He said, “This Jesus I’m telling you about is the Messiah.” Some of the Jews who listened were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with many God-fearing Greek men and quite a few prominent women.

But some of the Jews were jealous, so they gathered some troublemakers from the marketplace to form a mob and start a riot. They attacked the home of Jason, searching for Paul and Silas so they could drag them out to the crowd. Not finding them there, they dragged out Jason and some of the other believers instead and took them before the city council. “Paul and Silas have caused trouble all over the world,” they shouted, “and now they are here disturbing our city, too. And Jason has welcomed them into his home. They are all guilty of treason against Caesar, for they profess allegiance to another king, named Jesus.”

The people of the city, as well as the city council, were thrown into turmoil by these reports. So the officials forced Jason and the other believers to post bond, and then they released them.

Prayer: Heavenly Father – Your word guides and directs me… your Spirit applies your word to my daily comings and goings… your Son gives me life, abundant and eternal. Help me to integrate your word into every aspect of my life… so that I can explain to lost souls how Jesus can satisfy the longing of their hearts. Give me courage and godly boldness to speak the truth as you have revealed it in your Son… and let the chips fall where they may. And may I honor you in all things. Amen.

Spiritual Song: “Ancient Words” – Michael W. Smith