“Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John.” Acts 18:24-25.
Upon his arrival to Ephesus, Apollos began preaching about Jesus but only about what he understood to be true. Apollos was a dynamic speaker and was very educated. He knew the Jewish scriptures but was only familiar with the baptism of John. When Priscilla and Aquila heard Apollos, they were impressed with his persuasiveness but knew the incompleteness of the Gospel he was preaching. They sought to talk with him privately concerning the full story of Jesus’ filling the disciples with the Holy Spirit on the festival, called Pentecost. To his credit, Apollos was a good learner and received this additional knowledge with eagerness. Apollos could have reacted out of pride and rejected this new teaching. Instead, he continued to be learner.
Before I went to seminary, I thought that I knew the Bible really well. After graduating, I realize how little I know, and I am more aware each day how little I know. I think that I know some facts about various things, but what I learned most in this process is that I need to always be a continual learner. If I ever do stop learning, I will have died. I look back and am embarrassed at the pride that I had in thinking that I knew a lot. I have also been aware of the pride that comes with acting like I don’t know much. It’s actually more of a false humility. What I am searching for is being in the place where I am an open learner, able to hear the voice of God in various places that I wouldn’t ordinarily look.
Questions to consider: Where are you in the process of learning? Have you learned any new lessons lately? If so, what are they?
Prayer: Father, it is my desire to continue to be a learner. Please guide me to those new lessons that I need to learn. Amen.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
June 23, 2011 - Acts 18:18
“Paul stayed on in Corinth for some time. Then he left the brothers and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. Before he sailed, he had his hair cut off at Cenchrea because of a vow he had taken.’” Acts18:18.
We are not told what the vow was, or why Paul took it. It may have been a Nazarite vow, which was a solemn commitment made by a Jewish man or woman. It had a rich and fulfilling history between God and His people, the Israelites. At the end of the fulfillment of the vow, the person, or group of people, would have had their head shaved after having not cut the hair during the whole time of the vow. Paul kept his word – honoring his commitment before God – by having his hair cut or his head shaved before leaving for Syria.
Have you ever made a commitment to God and not kept it? I know that I have. I cannot think of the number of times that I committed to lose weight and broke that commitment. I feel disappointment and shame whenever I don’t keep my word. I am confident of God’s forgiveness, yet I know that I become more calloused and ashamed. For those who know of my vow, they start to think that my word means nothing or at least that it is blemished. I, also, know the satisfaction of following through with my word, especially when I have kept it to my own hurt; that is, when it inconveniences me and requires a sacrifice. I realize growth in my commitment to God as I honor the vow given.
Questions to consider: Have you ever made a commitment to God and not kept it? How did that work out for you? Have you made a commitment that you did keep, or are currently keeping? How does that make you feel? Are there any commitments that you have made that you need to work on or follow through with?
Prayer: Father, thank You for Your forgiveness for the times when I do not fulfill a commitment made before You. Help me to remember to keep those commitments, even to my own hurt, if necessary. Please help me, as I desire to be a person of honor and integrity – a person who keeps his word. Amen.
We are not told what the vow was, or why Paul took it. It may have been a Nazarite vow, which was a solemn commitment made by a Jewish man or woman. It had a rich and fulfilling history between God and His people, the Israelites. At the end of the fulfillment of the vow, the person, or group of people, would have had their head shaved after having not cut the hair during the whole time of the vow. Paul kept his word – honoring his commitment before God – by having his hair cut or his head shaved before leaving for Syria.
Have you ever made a commitment to God and not kept it? I know that I have. I cannot think of the number of times that I committed to lose weight and broke that commitment. I feel disappointment and shame whenever I don’t keep my word. I am confident of God’s forgiveness, yet I know that I become more calloused and ashamed. For those who know of my vow, they start to think that my word means nothing or at least that it is blemished. I, also, know the satisfaction of following through with my word, especially when I have kept it to my own hurt; that is, when it inconveniences me and requires a sacrifice. I realize growth in my commitment to God as I honor the vow given.
Questions to consider: Have you ever made a commitment to God and not kept it? How did that work out for you? Have you made a commitment that you did keep, or are currently keeping? How does that make you feel? Are there any commitments that you have made that you need to work on or follow through with?
Prayer: Father, thank You for Your forgiveness for the times when I do not fulfill a commitment made before You. Help me to remember to keep those commitments, even to my own hurt, if necessary. Please help me, as I desire to be a person of honor and integrity – a person who keeps his word. Amen.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
June 16, 2011 - Genesis 3:21
“The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.” Genesis 3:21.
In this picture of God clothing Adam and Eve with the hides of an animal, we already see God at work in showing His grace and mercy toward humanity. Adam and Eve blew it in a big way, and God’s discipline had to be carried out, and, in covering Adam’s and Eve’s nakedness, God had to sacrifice an animal’s life. This sacrifice of an animal to cover the man and woman was a foreshadowing picture of the perfect sacrifice that was to be made on Calvary in order to cover humanity’s sin.
In the story of Adam and Eve, it is easy for me to see how we, as people, could believe that we have to work hard to prove our worthiness to God. The man and woman were expelled from the Garden and commanded to work harder than ever to survive. Guilt and shame at what they had done could easily have driven Adam and Eve to try to earn God’s favor again. In clothing them, God was showing Adam and Eve that there was nothing that they could do to earn God’s favor again and that He was providing another way.
In my life, I have had a difficult time receiving God’s grace. I have always attempted to find a way to please God through my actions. I am continuing to learn that God has already fashioned skins to cover me. There is nothing that I can do except receive the gift that God has given to me in the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus. God has already clothed me.
Questions to consider: How does God clothe you? Have you tried to earn God’s favor? How did that work for you? What does God’s grace in your life look like?
Prayer: Father, thank You for clothing me and drawing me back to You. Thank You for showing me that there was nothing that I could do to earn Your favor except to receive Your covering in Jesus. Amen.
In this picture of God clothing Adam and Eve with the hides of an animal, we already see God at work in showing His grace and mercy toward humanity. Adam and Eve blew it in a big way, and God’s discipline had to be carried out, and, in covering Adam’s and Eve’s nakedness, God had to sacrifice an animal’s life. This sacrifice of an animal to cover the man and woman was a foreshadowing picture of the perfect sacrifice that was to be made on Calvary in order to cover humanity’s sin.
In the story of Adam and Eve, it is easy for me to see how we, as people, could believe that we have to work hard to prove our worthiness to God. The man and woman were expelled from the Garden and commanded to work harder than ever to survive. Guilt and shame at what they had done could easily have driven Adam and Eve to try to earn God’s favor again. In clothing them, God was showing Adam and Eve that there was nothing that they could do to earn God’s favor again and that He was providing another way.
In my life, I have had a difficult time receiving God’s grace. I have always attempted to find a way to please God through my actions. I am continuing to learn that God has already fashioned skins to cover me. There is nothing that I can do except receive the gift that God has given to me in the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus. God has already clothed me.
Questions to consider: How does God clothe you? Have you tried to earn God’s favor? How did that work for you? What does God’s grace in your life look like?
Prayer: Father, thank You for clothing me and drawing me back to You. Thank You for showing me that there was nothing that I could do to earn Your favor except to receive Your covering in Jesus. Amen.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
June 9, 2011 - Acts 18:9-10
“One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: ‘Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.’” Acts 18:9-10.
Evidently, Paul was experiencing some rough times in Corinth. He might even have been considering leaving Corinth. It was at this point that the Lord appeared to Paul in a vision, encouraging him to hang in there and to not fear any harm from attack. The Lord had many people in Corinth that He desired Paul to reach out to. Paul ended up staying another year and one half, working with and among the Corinthians.
If the Lord appeared to me in a dream or in a vision, telling me not to be afraid, I would probably start looking over my shoulder wondering what I should be afraid of. Actually, I would be very excited that the Lord appeared to me! Next, I would start worrying about what I wasn’t to be afraid of and what harm I was potentially to be exposed to. I don’t think that this was what happened to Paul. After all, he had already experienced near-death situations from beatings and floggings, and death didn’t seem to be something Paul was afraid of. We are not actually sure what Paul might have been afraid of, yet whatever it was did not stop him from doing the mission God desired for him to do. The encouragement from the Lord in this vision must have been enough for Paul to stand firm and proclaim the message of Jesus.
Questions to consider: Have you received an encouraging word today? Is there an encouraging word that you need to tell someone? Do you sense the Lord is near, helping you to handle any fears?
Prayer: Father, thank You that You give me words of encouragement that calm my fears and help me to face rough obstacles. Give me strength to push through those things that seek to bring me down. Amen.
Evidently, Paul was experiencing some rough times in Corinth. He might even have been considering leaving Corinth. It was at this point that the Lord appeared to Paul in a vision, encouraging him to hang in there and to not fear any harm from attack. The Lord had many people in Corinth that He desired Paul to reach out to. Paul ended up staying another year and one half, working with and among the Corinthians.
If the Lord appeared to me in a dream or in a vision, telling me not to be afraid, I would probably start looking over my shoulder wondering what I should be afraid of. Actually, I would be very excited that the Lord appeared to me! Next, I would start worrying about what I wasn’t to be afraid of and what harm I was potentially to be exposed to. I don’t think that this was what happened to Paul. After all, he had already experienced near-death situations from beatings and floggings, and death didn’t seem to be something Paul was afraid of. We are not actually sure what Paul might have been afraid of, yet whatever it was did not stop him from doing the mission God desired for him to do. The encouragement from the Lord in this vision must have been enough for Paul to stand firm and proclaim the message of Jesus.
Questions to consider: Have you received an encouraging word today? Is there an encouraging word that you need to tell someone? Do you sense the Lord is near, helping you to handle any fears?
Prayer: Father, thank You that You give me words of encouragement that calm my fears and help me to face rough obstacles. Give me strength to push through those things that seek to bring me down. Amen.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
June 2, 2011 - Acts 18:8
“Crispus, the synagogue ruler, and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard him believed and were baptized.” Acts 18:8.
Paul moved on from Athens, going south to Corinth. After proclaiming his message about Jesus and His resurrection, many in the synagogue turned their lives over to God in this new way. And they were all baptized. Crispus, who was one of the synagogue rulers, and his entire family, including their slaves, believed in the Lord and were baptized. This leader, and his household, perceived that what Paul was speaking about was true, and he made the decision to stake his life on it. When Crispus was baptized, he was publicly telling the world that he was dead to his old life and that he had been made alive in Jesus Christ. He most likely gave up his high position in the synagogue and with the Jewish people in order to start a new life as a Christian. His becoming a Christian cost him a great deal, but it was worth it.
In thinking about Crispus’ sacrifice of his life within the Jewish community, I had a difficult time relating to the level of the sacrifice he made. In my life, I have never really made much of a sacrifice in my lifestyle. My language changed, and the way I treated people was more caring, but there was no positional changes – and the people that knew me before where still my friends. I wasn’t treated as if I were dead. I perceived no tangible sacrifice in my decision to follow Jesus. And because of this, I have never really felt a deep sense of dying to my old life and needing Jesus to raise me up into a new life in Him. I have lived a comfortable life and, as a result, seem to have settled into mediocrity.
Questions to consider: What sacrifices did you have to make in moving closer to Jesus? What was that like for you? What changed in your life after making a public commitment to follow Jesus?
Prayer: Father, thank You for giving me a new life in Christ. Help me to connect with You and to serve You with all my heart. Amen.
Paul moved on from Athens, going south to Corinth. After proclaiming his message about Jesus and His resurrection, many in the synagogue turned their lives over to God in this new way. And they were all baptized. Crispus, who was one of the synagogue rulers, and his entire family, including their slaves, believed in the Lord and were baptized. This leader, and his household, perceived that what Paul was speaking about was true, and he made the decision to stake his life on it. When Crispus was baptized, he was publicly telling the world that he was dead to his old life and that he had been made alive in Jesus Christ. He most likely gave up his high position in the synagogue and with the Jewish people in order to start a new life as a Christian. His becoming a Christian cost him a great deal, but it was worth it.
In thinking about Crispus’ sacrifice of his life within the Jewish community, I had a difficult time relating to the level of the sacrifice he made. In my life, I have never really made much of a sacrifice in my lifestyle. My language changed, and the way I treated people was more caring, but there was no positional changes – and the people that knew me before where still my friends. I wasn’t treated as if I were dead. I perceived no tangible sacrifice in my decision to follow Jesus. And because of this, I have never really felt a deep sense of dying to my old life and needing Jesus to raise me up into a new life in Him. I have lived a comfortable life and, as a result, seem to have settled into mediocrity.
Questions to consider: What sacrifices did you have to make in moving closer to Jesus? What was that like for you? What changed in your life after making a public commitment to follow Jesus?
Prayer: Father, thank You for giving me a new life in Christ. Help me to connect with You and to serve You with all my heart. Amen.
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