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Acts 17:21 For all the Athenians and the foreigners who were there spent their time in nothing else but either to tell or to hear some new thing.
I love to speak to people who are eager to listen, but sometimes there are some who just want to know new stuff and are not really interested in seeking God.
We must not be the judge of those people. God has given us the opportunity to talk to them and share the gospel; allow Him to work out things in their minds.
God is able to do over and above anything we can think or do; allow Him to work where we can’t but don’t limit His effectiveness by not doing what He asks of us.
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Acts 17:11 These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.
Just sometimes you will get people who will be interested in actually listening to you and looking up the bible verses you talk about; just sometimes they will be willing to follow your words…
And that is what should be driving you forward, not the doubt and fear there will be rejections or people fighting you but the realisation you will find even one person who is ready to listen!
Don’t be discouraged by all the hassle we have before we get to where God is leading you; it is then you will see just how awesome God’s guidance is!
Let this be your HAPPY NEW YEAR!
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Acts 17:5 But the Jews who were not persuaded, becoming envious, took some of the evil men from the marketplace, and gathering a mob, set all the city in an uproar and attacked the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people.
Today is the last day of the year already! Some would say the year has sped past and others will say it is still dragging on… We all lead very different lives; which makes us human.
A part of being human is the evil side of mankind as well and here we see the crowds joining with the evil people from the market just to get their own way.
Don’t think that you can control a crowd – the crowd will control itself and not you.
Start with one person at a time and make a difference where you are this year!
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Acts 17:2 Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures,
How well do you know your bible? How well do you know the scriptures? Paul was one who had memorised the scriptures and used them every day.
If you know your bible well enough you will be able to reason with people who are stubborn against God, people who believe in other gods and people who know many things in their own religions or beliefs.
God wants us to be able to tell the truth to others and to do that we have to know a certain amount of His word so we can talk to others about it.
Start with one verse and memorise it and all it means.
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Acts 16:35 But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us openly, uncondemned Romans, and have thrown us into prison. And now do they put us out secretly? No indeed! Let them come themselves and get us out.”
Have you noticed how we will quite openly tell others about what people do wrong, but when it comes to apologising, we would rather do it in secret!
This is a trait many of us follow but Paul and Silas wanted to stand up against this when the officials in charge displayed exactly that.
They were openly beaten and jailed, but were going to be secretly released.
We need to treat people fairly and justly just as Christ treats us; and only then can we demand the same from others!
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Acts 16:25 But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.
It is easy to say “Don’t worry what the people around you do to you, just obey God,” but actually doing so can lead to hardships!
Paul and Silas were taken, beaten, thrown in the darkest prison; and yet they continued to sing out praises to God with song and prayers!
Showing others just how much God rules in your life will make a big difference to your own confidence and give hope to the people around you.
Show people how much they mean by showing them just how much hope they have in their lives – no matter what happens in your own!
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Acts 16:19 But when her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to the authorities.
Some people are doing the right things around us, but they are just annoying in the way they go about it! What are you going to do about that?
There is no answer to cover all situations other than to do what is right; but we need to make sure the people around us are safe from evil and the evil one.
Sometimes that will annoy the people who think they are in charge or the people who think they have control.
God is in charge and He is in control; listen and obey Him alone.
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Acts 16:13 And on the Sabbath day we went out of the city to the riverside, where prayer was customarily made; and we sat down and spoke to the women who met there.
God where God directs! The disciples assumed they were going to share the gospel with people in Macedonia, because that is what they did…
Their first port of call on the Sabbath day was to go to where prayers were being said – to find the local church as it were.
If you are away from home over the holiday season, why not visit a local church and find out what is going on – and pray for them.
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Acts 16:9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”
How caught up in Christmas are you right now? As I write this, I know I will be caught up and may well ‘delay’ my daily reading for a while as the day encompasses us… but this is all about Christ!
Listen intently to Him and obey what He is trying to say to you. Remember today is all about Christ.
God bless you and have a wonderful day with Christ and those around you whom you love.
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Acts 16:6 Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia.
What are you like when someone says no to you? Do you take on board what is being said and obey, or do you go ahead thinking you know better?
How well are you listening to the Holy Spirit? How well are you listening to God?
We may not always agree with what God has in store for us or those around us, but we have to try and make sure we do obey Him in all ways and always.
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Acts 15:26 men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
When the church sent out people to tell the world about Jesus, they sent an excellent reference letter in which these words are said.
How far would you go to make sure people heard about Christ? How far would you be willing to go just so people can hear His name?
If men and women around the world are willing to risk their lives, will you be willing to tell your neighbour about Christ this Christmas?
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Acts 15:22 Then it pleased the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, namely, Judas who was also named Barsabas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren.
A big part of our lives with Christ is being able to share the gospel with others; and this is not just to those around us but to all the world.
It is not possible for us to announce the gospel in person to the whole world, but we can send others out to do that bidding for and with us!
As churches we need to acknowledge the need for others to go out in our name and share the good news; that means they will need our support!
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Acts 15:20 but that we write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from things strangled, and from blood.
What sort of things do you do for people who you know are trying to find out about God?
Do you rush in and tell them of every verse you remember and tell them how them must adhere to all of God’s rules?
Or do you encourage them towards a more acceptable life to your God?
It is the attitude toward your relationship with them and with Christ that will talk more than words and rules. Jesus loved people openly.
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Acts 15:16 After this I will return And will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down; I will rebuild its ruins, And I will set it up;
A long time before Jesus came to live amongst the Jews, the prophets heard from God how He would come and do this all.
The prophets told of the days when the Messiah would be killed and would rise up again afterward to show once and for all that He was above everything.
Sometimes we need reminding of the things God has written down because we make our own stories and they tend to fill our minds and hearts.
Keep God’s words fresh in your hearts and live for Him.
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Acts 15:9 and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
When the people in charge of the Jews and the Jewish customs and laws said that everyone had to be circumcised just as the Jews are, someone had to stand up and tell the truth.
When the disciples did so, they came up against the people in charge because it was a change to the laws; or so it seemed.
When God gave the people the Holy Spirit, it was because of faith in the belief and not because of human laws.
Trust God and believe in His word.
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Acts 14:27 Now when they had come and gathered the church together, they reported all that God had done with them, and that He had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.
Don’t keep God’s good news to yourself! Christ opened up the gospel to all who were willing to listen and then He sent disciples and apostles out to everyone!
It is also important to report back to the church what is happening and what you are doing; encouraging others by showing them you are willing to go forward is always good.
Even better when we are able to tell them good news. God is good!
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Acts 14:22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, “We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.”
What better news for us to hear than one more person believing in Jesus Christ! Well, OK, hearing lots of people believe…
But when we are the ones working away trying to get people to believe in our unseen God we may well get despondent when people say no or even mock us.
Don’t give up on working for Christ; we may not get people surrounding us saying they believe but we can still rejoice when we hear of others taking that step forward!
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Acts 14:12 And Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker.
When people see how faithful you are or how much you know about the bible, they may well lift you up on a pedestal. Don’t fall for it!
Allowing people to treat you as gods is exactly what Satan did in the beginning and what separated him from God.
Allow God to work in your life. Allow Him to do amazing things with you. Allow Him to guide you. Just don’t think it is you who is doing this when God is doing all the work behind the scenes!
Show people who God is and give Him all the glory, always.
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Acts 14:9 This man heard Paul speaking. Paul, observing him intently and seeing that he had faith to be healed,
When the apostles fled from their aggressors they continued to preach the gospel where they went seeing more people wanting to come to faith and be healed.
Telling who is genuine in their faith is not always easy, but some people just beam with excitement when they hear God’s Word preached.
Wanting to be healed and having faith to be healed will show up quite easily… let someone else see your faith today!
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Acts 14:2 But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brethren.
Once doubt sets in to a group of people they either fall apart or they start sharing their doubt and breaking down faith where it used to be.
We have been warned against a little evil getting into a group many times in the bible, and yet we think we are stronger than the doubt.
Don’t try to fight doubt by yourself or by your own words, always use what God has given us because he knows about this doubt already.
Use God’s words wisely and always.