Happy Pre-Thanksgiving! Today we will finish up our reading in Acts 21, where Paul had been ceased by the Roman regiment because of false accusations against him. Yet, Paul who was articulant in speech and bold for Christ did not allow the arrest to limit him – he never remained silent. Join me as we continue our reading in Acts. Enjoy your day and your Thanksgiving.

Bible verse

“³⁷ As Paul was about to be taken inside, he said to the commander, “May I have a word with you?”

“Do you know Greek?” the commander asked, surprised. ³⁸ “Aren’t you the Egyptian who led a rebellion some time ago and took 4,000 members of the Assassins out into the desert?”

³⁹ “No,” Paul replied, “I am a Jew and a citizen of Tarsus in Cilicia, which is an important city. Please, let me talk to these people.” ⁴⁰ The commander agreed, so Paul stood on the stairs and motioned to the people to be quiet. Soon a deep silence enveloped the crowd, and he addressed them in their own language, Aramaic.^[g]” – Acts 21:37-40 NLT

Reflection

While I hate to leave you in suspense of what Paul states to the crowd in Acts 22, I will… However, only to bring us to focus on verses 37-40.

• Paul had been beaten – nearly to death. Verse 31 read, “As they were trying to kill him.”
• It was clear the commander of the Roman army did not know Paul.
• Paul used his birth right or status as a Jew and a citizen of Tarsus to calm the commanders opinion of him, which lead to an opportunity for Paul to address the crowd.

Sisters and brothers, here Paul was nearly beaten to death, but even after his rescue/arrest by the commander of the Roman regiment he still desired to address the crowd who attempted to kill him. Paul definitely had more heart in that situation than I think I would have. That is why, Paul is our example of one who follows Christ regardless of the season.

Paul knew his birth right as a citizen of Roman and as a Jew gave him more privileges than the average person. He used his privileges for good and as needed to further the Good News of Jesus Christ, to reach people in places where non-citizens were not allowed to speak, and to explain to Jews his understanding of the Mosaic Law and the freedom they had in Christ Jesus.

For those who believe in Christ Jesus, we have all be given an eternal promise and inheritance that last forever.

• Colossians 1:12-14 reminds us that: “May you be filled with joy,^[c] 12 always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light. ¹³ For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, ¹⁴ who purchased our freedom^[d] and forgave our sins.“
• Ephesians 2:12-13; 18 reminds us that:  ¹² In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope. ¹³ But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ... ¹⁸ Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us.

Sisters and brothers no matter what you are facing today and in the weeks to come, remember the One who sits on the throne, the one who ensured an eternal inheritance for you, who brought you into the family of believers and reconciled you back to God. So, use your God-given place in the family of believers for good – to bring glory to God.

Sisters and brothers, use what you have been given to expand the Good News.

Prayer

Father God we thank you for who you are and for your endless mercy and grace toward us. Thank you for your son Jesus Christ who gave his life so that we can be reconciled to God. We praise you and thank you for rescuing us from the kingdom of darkness. Thank you for our salvation, hope and unity because of Christ Jesus. Help us to always remember our inheritance in You – for making us new in Christ Jesus. Lord, strip away the old things within us that do not bring you glory. Touch us and change us so that people will see you working on the inside of us. Lord, lead the way. Be with us this Thanksgiving season and comfort those who are grieving the loss of loved ones, those who are separated due to COVID-19 restrictions, and those who are with others, but still feel alone. Lord, will you touch their hearts and minds right now and bring them the peace and reassurance of your love – in the name of Jesus. Lord, bless our nation and heal and protect all the people from spiritual and mental battles that pull them away from you. In Jesus name we pray, amen.

Events

Join us as we study lessons from the Bible through a video series authored by Priscilla Shirer. RSVP to: contactus@maryewhiteministries.com and a member of our team will email you the Zoom link to join the study.

“Interruptions. They’re aggravating. Sometimes infuriating. But how we handle interruptions actually tell us more about ourselves. What do we do when God interrupts our lives? Many times, like Jonah, we run! Priscilla redefines interruption and shows that interruption is actually God’s invitation to do something beyond our wildest dreams. When Jonah was willing to allow God to interrupt his life, the result was revival in an entire city.” – Priscilla Shirer

• Location: Via Zoom (RSVP: contactus@maryewhiteministries.com for the Zoom link)
• Begins: Wednesday, November 18, 2020
• Time: 6:00 P.M. – 7:30 P.M.
• We purchased the Jonah Video Bundle for Group Use. You will need to purchase your personal Bible study book.
• Bible Study Book:  Jonah Navigating Life Interrupted. The author of the book is Priscilla Shirer.

Note: If you purchase your book online through LifeWay, you can subscribe to their website and get a 20% discount on your purchase. Here’s the link to the Bible study book via LifeWay:  https://www.lifeway.com/en/product/jonah-bible-study-book-P005264295

Do you have a prayer request? We would love to pray for you. Send your prayer request to: prayerrequest@maryewhiteministries.com

Bible Reference: http://biblegateway.com

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