Today’s Reading: Mal 1:1–2:9, Acts 27:1–44, Job 31:9–22

Today’s Theme: Sloppy Leftovers

Today’s theme is that we should not give God the sloppy left overs but give Him our best. This attitude will filter throughout every area of our lives so that we also love and honor each other more.

Malachi 1:1–2:9

Gods purpose in election

“I have loved you,” says the Lord. But you say, “How have you loved us?” “Is not Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares the Lord. “Yet I have loved Jacob but Esau I have hated. I have laid waste his hill country and left his heritage to jackals of the desert.” (Malachi 1:2-3 ESV)

This was said that God’s purpose in election might stand as an example to us all, note the motivating factor of God’s election is a special love that He does not have for everyone.

Honour God

“A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear? says the Lord of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. But you say, ‘How have we despised your name?’ (Malachi 1:6 ESV)

This is the Lord’s question to us today, we should honour God as our father, instead, so many completely dishonour Him by seeing how far they can go.

Polluted food

By offering polluted food upon my altar. But you say, ‘How have we polluted you?’ By saying that the Lord’s table may be despised. (Malachi 1:7 ESV)

The Word of God corrupted, badly interpreted and taught.

Sloppy Leftovers

When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not evil? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that not evil? Present that to your governor; will he accept you or show you favor? says the Lord of hosts. (Malachi 1:8 ESV)

We should not be giving God the sloppy left overs of our time, energy or resource. He should get the prime cut of these things which is why it is important to spend time listening to Him in His word and in prayer at the very start of the day and to serve Him throughout the day with joy and vigour.

Give good pleasure

Oh that there were one among you who would shut the doors, that you might not kindle fire on my altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you, says the Lord of hosts, and I will not accept an offering from your hand. (Malachi 1:10 ESV)

God does not have pleasure in religious people, those involved in external observance and ordinance or those who simply attend church. God only gets pleasure from those who put their faith and trust in Him.

Don’t cheat

Cursed be the cheat who has a male in his flock, and vows it, and yet sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished. For I am a great King, says the Lord of hosts, and my name will be feared among the nations. (Malachi 1:14 ESV)

Cheating will bring a curse to our lives, it is impossible to cheat God, He is the great king on the throne.

Turn others from iniquity

True instruction was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity. (Malachi 2:6 ESV)

One of the purposes of being a priest, we are a royal priesthood.

Study Gods Word

For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts. (Malachi 2:7 ESV)

A leader in the church should study the word of God so that they can give a biblical answer when asked questions. The same applies to all Christians as God’s priesthood.

Pray for neglected sheep

But you have turned aside from the way. You have caused many to stumble by your instruction. You have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says the Lord of hosts, (Malachi 2:8 ESV)

A pastor’s call is serious, their lives and teaching affect so many, this is why their judgement is more severe. We should pray for those who have leaders causing them to stumble.

Thank God that we have good pastors.

Acts 27:1–44

Gods quiet work

We sailed slowly for a number of days and arrived with difficulty off Cnidus, and as the wind did not allow us to go farther, we sailed under the lee of Crete off Salmone. (Acts 27:7 ESV)

God is quietly at work here directing Paul’s steps.

God’s plans will succeed

and he said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. And behold, God has granted you all those who sail with you.’ (Acts 27:24 ESV)

God’s plan would not be thwarted, God intended to save the empire. Those around us can benefit because of God’s purpose in our lives.

Receive the word in faith

So take heart, men, for I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told. (Acts 27:25 ESV)

God’s word to Paul via the angel was received in faith, we should also receive the word of God in faith.

Let’s stick together

Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved.” (Acts 27:31 ESV)

Mother Greenidge used this scripture to encourage us to stick it out together.

The whole man

Therefore I urge you to take some food. For it will give you strength, for not a hair is to perish from the head of any of you.” (Acts 27:34 ESV)

God is concerned with the whole man.

Don’t give up

and the rest on planks or on pieces of the ship. And so it was that all were brought safely to land. (Acts 27:44 ESV)

This is often referred to as the saying ‘even if you make it by the skin of your teeth… don’t give up’.

Job 31:9–22

What if someone did it to you?

then let my wife grind for another, and let others bow down on her. (Job 31:10 ESV)

This is the right way to measure lust. If a man allows his heart to be enticed it is as Jesus said adultery in the heart. A great deterrent as a married man is to consider your wife sleeping with another man as a result of your thoughts and actions.

The fire of lust

for that would be a fire that consumes as far as Abaddon, and it would burn to the root all my increase. (Job 31:12 ESV)

Lust is a fire that brings ultimate destruction.

Abortion is murder

Did not he who made me in the womb make him? And did not one fashion us in the womb? (Job 31:15 ESV)

God makes babies in the womb, abortion is murder.

Social Justice

“If I have withheld anything that the poor desired, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail, (Job 31:16 ESV)

From here to verse 22 Job speaks about social justice and responsibility and that not pursuing this would be a terrible sin.

Most of the above post is a copy of the original notes from the same date in 2014.

Additional resources

The Gospel Coalition on Acts 27

Today’s Reading: Zech 12:1–14:21, Acts 26:1–32, Job 31:1–8

Today’s Theme: The Spirit of Grace

Today there is no clear theme but we do speak about the spirit of grace which God pours out, granting repentance to His people. We see God’s grace in the very creation of man and then in His plan to redeem and restore man to His own Glory.

Zechariah 12:1–14:21

Man’s spirit

The oracle of the word of the LORD concerning Israel: Thus declares the LORD, who stretched out the heavens and founded the earth and formed the spirit of man within him: (Zechariah 12:1, ESV)

We are not extensions of God, nor are our spirits a part of or akin to the Holy Spirit. God created man’s spirit when He breathed into man the breath of life.

The heavy stone

On that day I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples. All who lift it will surely hurt themselves. And all the nations of the earth will gather against it. (Zechariah 12:3, ESV)

This is a good lens to see today’s news through and explains the troubles in the Middle East. It also gives us direction on future events. We should pray that our nation will not hurt itself meddling in Israel as we have done in the past.

Jesus son of David, Son of God.

On that day the LORD will protect the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the feeblest among them on that day shall be like David, and the house of David shall be like God, like the angel of the LORD, going before them. (Zechariah 12:8, ESV)

A nod to the Messiah who is of the Davidic line and is God.

Armageddon

And on that day I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. (Zechariah 12:9, ESV)

This points to Armageddon

The spirit of grace

“And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn. (Zechariah 12:10, ESV)

This will be a sovereign move of God at the return of Christ to the Glory of God, The Jews will see Jesus who was nailed to the cross and because God gave them a spirit to repent they will.

There is a fountain

“On that day there shall be a fountain opened for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and uncleanness. (Zechariah 13:1, ESV)

There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel’s veins, Jesus is the fountain of life.

Demons judged

“And on that day, declares the LORD of hosts, I will cut off the names of the idols from the land, so that they shall be remembered no more. And also I will remove from the land the prophets and the spirit of uncleanness. (Zechariah 13:2, ESV)

Be encouraged, false teachers and demons days are numbered.

False prophecy is evil

And if anyone again prophesies, his father and mother who bore him will say to him, ‘You shall not live, for you speak lies in the name of the LORD.’ And his father and mother who bore him shall pierce him through when he prophesies. (Zechariah 13:3, ESV)

God takes false prophecy really seriously.

Jesus, the struck shepherd

“Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, against the man who stands next to me,” declares the LORD of hosts. “Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered; I will turn my hand against the little ones. (Zechariah 13:7, ESV)

This can be seen in both a good and bad light, it was used to describe the essential truth of what happens to followers when a leader is struck and in particular context to Jesus when He was arrested. However in this context it is God’s judgement on a bad leader in Israel and the wicked followers.

The fire of refinement

And I will put this third into the fire, and refine them as one refines silver, and test them as gold is tested. They will call upon my name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘They are my people’; and they will say, ‘The LORD is my God.’ ” (Zechariah 13:9, ESV)

God’s fire which is often hard times will refine our character in God.

Protect the women

For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city shall be taken and the houses plundered and the women raped. Half of the city shall go out into exile, but the rest of the people shall not be cut off from the city. (Zechariah 14:2, ESV)

This is terrible, we put our household and wives / daughters in danger when we rebel.

Jesus’ 2nd Coming

On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives that lies before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to west by a very wide valley, so that one half of the Mount shall move northward, and the other half southward. (Zechariah 14:4, ESV)

The great prophecy of Jesus at his second coming.

The Lord’s army

And you shall flee to the valley of my mountains, for the valley of the mountains shall reach to Azal. And you shall flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the LORD my God will come, and all the holy ones with him. (Zechariah 14:5, ESV)

Jesus comes with saints and angels.

Yet future

And it shall be inhabited, for there shall never again be a decree of utter destruction. Jerusalem shall dwell in security. (Zechariah 14:11, ESV)

This must be a future event yet to come as since this prophecy Jerusalem was destroyed in 70AD.

Acts 26:1–32

Listen patiently

especially because you are familiar with all the customs and controversies of the Jews. Therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently. (Acts 26:3, ESV)

This is a bold and good request when someone is being shared the Gospel, it’s worth asking them to listen patiently.

The miracle of salvation

And I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them blaspheme, and in raging fury against them I persecuted them even to foreign cities. (Acts 26:11, ESV)

Paul was a zealous persecutor of the church before he met with Jesus. It is a glorious miracle that he is now a disciple.

Divine appointment

But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, (Acts 26:16, ESV)

Paul’s calling to ministry was a divine appointment of the sovereign Lord. God call us all to service and being Your witnesses.

The mission, outlined

to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’ (Acts 26:18, ESV)

The purpose of Paul’s mission to the gentiles is outlined by Jesus. To open their eyes, turn them from Satan to God. This is the core purpose of all ministry.

The end and goal of the Gospel is that we might have an inheritance to the glory of God.

Repentance is necessary

but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance. (Acts 26:20, ESV)

Repentance is turning to God. True repentance will result in changed behaviour.

The gospel, summarised

that the Christ must suffer and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles.” (Acts 26:23, ESV)

A great summary of the validity and end of the Gospel with particular focus on the hope the resurrection gives us.

Be rational

But Paul said, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking true and rational words. (Acts 26:25, ESV)

Paul did not accept the abuse from Felix and maintained that the words he spoke were true and rational. Paul was a rationalist in a sense and we should also be. Our gospel is rational.

Seek to persuade

And Agrippa said to Paul, “In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?” (Acts 26:28, ESV)

Oh yes Paul sought to persuade and so should we.

Job 31:1–8

A covenant with our eyes

“I have made a covenant with my eyes; how then could I gaze at a virgin? (Job 31:1, ESV)

This is a covenant all godly men should have, as Jesus warned us when we look with lust we are guilty of adultery.

A gross caricature

Is not calamity for the unrighteous, and disaster for the workers of iniquity? (Job 31:3, ESV)

This is simply not true, we do go through hard times as well.

The lust of the eyes

if my step has turned aside from the way and my heart has gone after my eyes, and if any spot has stuck to my hands, (Job 31:7, ESV)

We must be careful of the lust of the eyes and coveting, materialism and short sighted lust in general, our hearts must not follow our eyes, we should walk by faith and not by sight, Lord help us.

Most of the above post is a copy of the original notes from the same date in 2014.

Additional resources

The Gospel Coalition on Acts 26

Today’s Reading: Zech 10:1–11:17, Acts 25:1–27, Job 30:16–31

Today’s Theme: Good Shepherds

Today’s theme is about the good shepherds God has given to the church. We thank God for our own pastors who guide, feed and protect us and pray for those under bad shepherds.

Zechariah 10:1–11:17

Thank God for our shepherds

For the household gods utter nonsense, and the diviners see lies; they tell false dreams and give empty consolation. Therefore the people wander like sheep; they are afflicted for lack of a shepherd. (Zechariah 10:2, ESV)

We need pastors, we need leadership or we will be afflicted with false teaching and practice.

Bad shepherds beware

“My anger is hot against the shepherds, and I will punish the leaders; for the LORD of hosts cares for his flock, the house of Judah, and will make them like his majestic steed in battle. (Zechariah 10:3, ESV)

God loves His sheep and will deal with bad shepherds who lead them astray or neglect them. We can take comfort that those attempting to lead God’s people astray will be judged.

God’s compassionate restoration of Israel

“I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph. I will bring them back because I have compassion on them, and they shall be as though I had not rejected them, for I am the LORD their God and I will answer them. (Zechariah 10:6, ESV)

God restores Israel and His people not out of obligation but in His compassion and simply because He is God.

God whistles

“I will whistle for them and gather them in, for I have redeemed them, and they shall be as many as they were before. (Zechariah 10:8, ESV)

Lord whistle (call, draw) for those who are wayward or under judgement

Judas, a bad shepherd

Then I said to them, “If it seems good to you, give me my wages; but if not, keep them.” And they weighed out as my wages thirty pieces of silver. Then the LORD said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—the lordly price at which I was priced by them. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the LORD, to the potter. (Zechariah 11:12–13, ESV)

There are echoes here to what the bad shepherd Judas did to the Lord.

Bad shepherds

For behold, I am raising up in the land a shepherd who does not care for those being destroyed, or seek the young or heal the maimed or nourish the healthy, but devours the flesh of the fat ones, tearing off even their hoofs. (Zechariah 11:16, ESV)

This is the antithesis of what a good shepherd is. Pray for every church with bad shepherds to be restored.

Acts 25:1–27

Clear argument

Paul argued in his defense, “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I committed any offense.” (Acts 25:8, ESV)

Paul knew his case and made it clear. We should make our points clearly.

Don’t try to impress men

So when they came together here, I made no delay, but on the next day took my seat on the tribunal and ordered the man to be brought. (Acts 25:17, ESV)

Liar, he delayed for 8 days, he was just trying to impress the man, Lord keep us from trying to impress people with lies.

Job 30:16–31

Have a firm view of God

You have turned cruel to me; with the might of your hand you persecute me. (Job 30:21, ESV)

We must not let circumstances cause us to change the way we see God.

Job’s sickness

My skin turns black and falls from me, and my bones burn with heat. (Job 30:30, ESV)

The physical affliction must have been very difficult to handle.

Most of the above post is a copy of the original notes from the same date in 2014.

Additional resources

The Gospel Coalition on Acts 25

Today’s Reading: Zech 8:1–9:17, Acts 23:23–24:27, Job 30:1–15

Today’s Theme: God’s Passion

Today’s theme is about our passionate God. God is not some cold force, He is full of passion, desire and delights in good things. We as His children, inherit His passion for His glory and rejoice in the things that He delights in and bring Him pleasure.

We should share the truth with the passion of God in our hearts. God will actively see His will come to pass in the fire and energy of His own passion, for His glory.

Zechariah 8:1–9:17

God is passionate

“Thus says the LORD of hosts: I am jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I am jealous for her with great wrath. (Zechariah 8:2, ESV)

Our God is full of deep passions and affections, He is not untouched and impersonal, instead He is intensely passionate, full of holy jealousy.

The jealousy of God is vitally connected to the expression of that zeal, for His glory, in the wrath of God.

Shared delights

Thus says the LORD of hosts: If it is marvelous in the sight of the remnant of this people in those days, should it also be marvelous in my sight, declares the LORD of hosts? (Zechariah 8:6, ESV)

God and His people have shared joys and delights. Ask yourself the question; are the things you take joy in, the things that God delights in?

God desires relationship

and I will bring them to dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in faithfulness and in righteousness.” (Zechariah 8:8, ESV)

God desires appropriate relationship with His people, in faithfulness and righteousness.

Enjoy the fruit of peace

For there shall be a sowing of peace. The vine shall give its fruit, and the ground shall give its produce, and the heavens shall give their dew. And I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things. (Zechariah 8:12, ESV)

We should sow peace in our families, ministries and communities, and enjoy the reaped fruit.

Called to honesty

These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth to one another; render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace; do not devise evil in your hearts against one another, and love no false oath, for all these things I hate, declares the LORD.” (Zechariah 8:16–17, ESV)

God hates lies and dishonesty and calls His people to honesty and peace, knowing that this will invoke a blessing from Him.

Live in peace with God

“Thus says the LORD of hosts: The fast of the fourth month and the fast of the fifth and the fast of the seventh and the fast of the tenth shall be to the house of Judah seasons of joy and gladness and cheerful feasts. Therefore love truth and peace. (Zechariah 8:19, ESV)

Same point as the last; we should love the truth of God’s word and living in peace with Him.

Jesus the Jew

Thus says the LORD of hosts: In those days ten men from the nations of every tongue shall take hold of the robe of a Jew, saying, ‘Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’ ” (Zechariah 8:23, ESV)

This in some ways, was happening at the time of Jesus, but I think it is ultimately pointing to the future.

In a very real sense, there is a Jew that men from all nations have taken hold of and followed, His name is Yeshua (Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God).

The Fragility of Nations

But behold, the Lord will strip her of her possessions and strike down her power on the sea, and she shall be devoured by fire. (Zechariah 9:4, ESV)

No nation should have confidence in its resources because God can take it all away.

Jesus the King

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. (Zechariah 9:9, ESV)

The prophecy is fulfilled by King Jesus.

The kingdom of Jesus

I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall speak peace to the nations; his rule shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth. (Zechariah 9:10, ESV)

The future kingdom of Jesus.

God restores double

Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope; today I declare that I will restore to you double. (Zechariah 9:12, ESV)

We are kept by hope and our hope shall not make us ashamed. Our God is a good Father, thank you for giving us double and rescuing us.

Acts 23:23–24:27

God’s purpose will be facilitated

Then he called two of the centurions and said, “Get ready two hundred soldiers, with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen to go as far as Caesarea at the third hour of the night. (Acts 23:23, ESV)

Look at the amount of men and resources that have been mobilised to facilitate God’s purpose through Paul’s life. God is able to give us favour and in His providence, make a way for us to fulfil His agenda, through the resources of the world.

Nicknames and Slander

For we have found this man a plague, one who stirs up riots among all the Jews throughout the world and is a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. (Acts 24:5, ESV)

The new perspectives on Paul are not new, he has always been seen as an enemy of the Jews. Also note one of our early nicknames, like Christian, was Nazarenes.

Legal argument

Neither can they prove to you what they now bring up against me. (Acts 24:13, ESV)

Paul did not completely abandon his legal argument, he had one and he made it. Know when to use logical reasoning like this.

The same God

But this I confess to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, I worship the God of our fathers, believing everything laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets, (Acts 24:14, ESV)

Jews and Christians share the same God. Notice we believe the OT, we do not practise it.

The hope of resurrection

having a hope in God, which these men themselves accept, that there will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust. (Acts 24:15, ESV)

Resurrection is central to our Gospel hope and is shared with the Pharisees and Judaism of the day.

Resurrection belief leads to godliness

So I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man. (Acts 24:16, ESV)

In light of the coming resurrections (plural), we must strive to have a clear conscience before God and man, we must not walk in compromise.

The Explicit Gospel, Unashamed

After some days Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, and he sent for Paul and heard him speak about faith in Christ Jesus. (Acts 24:24, ESV)

Paul was not ashamed of the explicit Gospel.

Wrestle and Reason

And as he reasoned about righteousness and self-control and the coming judgment, Felix was alarmed and said, “Go away for the present. When I get an opportunity I will summon you.” (Acts 24:25, ESV)

We must wrestle and reason with men concerning things of the kingdom and gospel, knowing that this will alarm many, we must still make every effort to reason with them.

Job 30:1–15

Job is mocked

“And now I have become their song; I am a byword to them. (Job 30:9, ESV)

The lowest of men were now making up songs about Job, this shows the extent of his fall and suffering. When someone is going through hard times we should not mock them.

Financial trials

Terrors are turned upon me; my honour is pursued as by the wind, and my prosperity has passed away like a cloud. (Job 30:15, ESV)

Difficulty with finances may be a test of faith rather than the result of sin, discipline or poor stewardship. Trust in God through the trial.

Most of the above post is a copy of the original notes from the same date in 2014.

Additional resources

The Gospel Coalition on Acts 24

Today’s Reading: Zech 6:1–7:14, Acts 22:22–23:22, Job 29:13–25

Today’s Theme: Use Practical Wisdom and Justice

Today’s theme looks at the pursuit of social justice and the use of practical wisdom. We begin with Jesus the Messiah who branches out and builds God’s true house, the Church. As the body of Christ we should be kind to each other.

In the NT reading we see Paul using the practical everyday wisdom that God has given him, in very difficult circumstances. Finally in Job, we see that Job was like an MP, using his life and influence to pursue justice.

Zechariah 6:1–7:14

Jesus branches out and builds the church

And say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, “Behold, the man whose name is the Branch: for he shall branch out from his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD. (Zechariah 6:12, ESV)

The Branch is a reference to the coming Messiah. Jesus fulfils this prophecy not by rebuilding the temple like Zerubabel did, but by building His church, as He mentions in Matthew 16:18.

Don’t waste your time

“Say to all the people of the land and the priests, When you fasted and mourned in the fifth month and in the seventh, for these seventy years, was it for me that you fasted? (Zechariah 7:5, ESV)

If our religious activity is not truly for God, it is a waste of time.

Be kind to each other

“Thus says the LORD of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another, do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart.” (Zechariah 7:9–10, ESV)

God wants us to pursue mercy and justice and wants us to be kind to each other.

Acts 22:22–23:22

Know and use the law

But when they had stretched him out for the whips, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, “Is it lawful for you to flog a man who is a Roman citizen and uncondemned?” (Acts 22:25, ESV)

God led Paul by His Spirit, to use the law of the land to his advantage. Lord, help us to use the law of the land to further the cause of the Gospel.

God will strike

Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! Are you sitting to judge me according to the law, and yet contrary to the law you order me to be struck?” (Acts 23:3, ESV)

Those who oppose the Gospel put themselves in danger of being struck by God.

Be alert and perceptive

Now when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. It is with respect to the hope and the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial.” (Acts 23:6, ESV)

We need to be alert and perceptive like Paul, this was a great strategic move.

Take courage

The following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.” (Acts 23:11, ESV)

Jesus himself came to comfort Paul, the Lord wants us to take courage in our stand for Him too.

Practical wisdom

Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the tribune, for he has something to tell him.” (Acts 23:17, ESV)

Paul used the practical wisdom and common sense that God had given him, he did not go into prayer about this, his actions were quite straightforward.

Job 29:13–25

Job the MP

I was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame. I was a father to the needy, and I searched out the cause of him whom I did not know. I broke the fangs of the unrighteous and made him drop his prey from his teeth. (Job 29:15–17, ESV)

Job was no slouch, he lived out his faith in the pursuit of social justice and it seems he had the position and influence to do something about it. We could think of him as a godly MP or Lord today.

Be a councillor

“Men listened to me and waited and kept silence for my counsel. (Job 29:21, ESV)

Not shy, very wise and respected, Job was the chief of the men of his city. Lord, help us to be people that others can turn to for advice.

Most of the above post is a copy of the original notes from the same date in 2014.

Additional resources

The Gospel Coalition on Acts 23