EXPAND TO READ: ACTS 13 (HCSB)
PERSONAL JOURNAL:
SIN (verse 12): I found this rather profound to include in this portion of the Scripture as it is well after Jesus’ crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension. The proconsul was struggling in his faith and leaning towards no longer believing in the one true God until he witnessed with his own eyes a miracle that happened under Your name, Father. He struggled with an unseen belief and truly began to believe and follow You once he witnessed Your miracle in-person. I too have struggled at times with my unseen faith. Although I can look back and see Your presence all over after the fact, I have struggled at times with not witnessing a miracle from You in-person and immediately as some in Your scripture have been privy to. Please forgive me for this immaturity in my faith, Father. Forgive me for some of my doubts and selfishness at times. Help me to be better at living in my unseen faith, so that I am truly blessed by the Holy Spirit and Your will for my life. Help me to be better at living in my unseen faith, so that I can become the Godly man You want me to be and so I may glorify You through all things in this life, Father.
PROMISE (verses 32-33): As always, I am so grateful for this promise and the fulfillment of the promise. Paul was giving them the back story of this promise essentially from the beginning and through the generations on how it came to fruition and fulfillment. In the end, he said that he was proclaiming the good news of the promise that was made to our ancestors and that God has fulfilled this promise for us and our children by raising up Jesus from the grave and the eventual ascension into Heaven by Your side. Thank You for both the promise and the fulfillment of this promise, Father. Thank You for committing to our good future and salvation through such a powerful and amazing promise that has been fulfilled!
ATTITUDE (verses 38-39): Help me to embrace an attitude of salvation and freedom from my sin, Father. In these verses, it is written that through Jesus all of our sins are forgiven and everyone who believes in Him is justified from everything that we were not justified from through the law of Moses. I am freed from the old law and am reborn into a new creation under Jesus. Help me to be better at walking in this freedom, Father, so that I no longer carry guilt nor shame from my mistakes. Instead, I can walk freely knowing that even when I do make mistakes, You are there for me with arms wide open to offer me grace and forgiveness if I simply ask for it and release that burden to You.
COMMAND (verses 40-41): This is quite a direct command from my perspective. You tell us to beware that what is said in the prophets does not happen to us. We are to beware of “scoffers” as well as ensure we ourselves do not become scoffers. You tell the scoffers to vanish away as You are doing a great work in our days that we cannot fathom even if it were explained to us directly. I’m sure I’ve been guilty of being a “scoffer” in my faith towards other believers at different times in my life. I am not proud of that, but I do know that I am still growing and maturing in my faith. I ask You to remind me in those moments that I am delving down the path of being a scoffer, Father. Remind me to quickly turn back to Your path and will for my life, so that I am not told to “vanish away” as You tell the scoffers here. I do not need to know Your plans, I just need to know what my next step is in those plans, so help me to be better at understanding and embracing this in my life.
EXAMPLE (verses 44-52): This is such a powerful example of timing, order, and obedience. Paul and Barnabas had essentially witnessed to some of the spiritual leaders and Jews solely during the first Sabbath. They were invited back to do the same during the next Sabbath, but these spiritual leaders and Jews were not happy that a bunch of “Gentiles” showed up this time around. Paul and Barnabas quickly squelched that with Your truth by preaching that God has made all His followers a light for the Gentiles for the purpose of bringing them salvation as well. We are not to be selfish with our faith and with You, Father. No matter someone’s history, background, culture, upbringing, race, gender, etc. You are always wanting us to share You with everyone for the purpose of their salvation and expansion of Your kingdom. Paul and Barnabas handled this perfectly even through the criticism by sticking to Your truth through it all. Although the spiritual leaders and some of the Jews expelled them from the city, the message still became clear to the “Gentiles” in the crowd and their eternal salvation was solidified as a result. This is an amazing testimony to the power of Your truth and how we are to relay Your truth even through critics.
*DAILY NOTE: I am blessed to be able to have these conversations with You, Father. Blessed to be able to learn more about You and from You. Thank You for teaching me more about the history of the promise of my eternal salvation. Thank You for teaching me more about how I must lean on Your truth and wisdom at all times, even when critics are approaching me. Continue to work in me, Father, so that I do not fall back into my fleshly defaults when situations like this arise. I often want to get defensive and sometimes even angry when I am not being heard or harsh and unwarranted criticism comes at me and this is not what You have called me to do. Paul and Barnabas didn’t respond in anger. They simply kept speaking Your truth regardless of what the outcome may be. Help me to be more like this if I am in a situation similar to this, Father, so that I may glorify You through it all and potentially even bring Your truth to someone for their own eternal salvation and expansion of Your great kingdom!
EXPAND TO READ: GENERAL NOTE FOR MY QUIET TIMES
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