A CONVENIENT TIME
Today’s Reading: Acts 24-25
Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion on the right-hand side).
A view at sunset of the Roman aqueduct that supplied water to the ancient port city of Caesarea from the north. This structure supplied water from the springs of Mount Carmel for Paul during the two years he was incarcerated here.
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.
Key Verse: Acts 24:25
Now as he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and answered, “Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you.”
Paul was a Jew and also a Roman citizen. Such a prisoner would usually be under house arrest, not in a dungeon. The Roman centurion, Cornelius, his family and friends had been the first non-Jews to believe in Jesus (Acts 10). No doubt there were many Christians in this city who would care for Paul with food and housing, meeting his needs. We might become impatient with two years in which our movements were restricted, but not Paul. He was content to wait for God’s timing. He knew there were thousands more to win for Jesus, but there he sat. Think of it. Instead of thousands blessed by Paul’s ministry, there are millions who are blessed by the books of Romans and Galatians which appear to have been written during this time. Luke, Paul’s travelling companion, had two years to interview shepherds in Bethlehem, believers in Jesus in the Galilee, and dozens of people who knew Jesus personally. God could’ve released Paul to freedom as He had done before in Phillippi. Paul’s witness for Christ to two Roman governors and to the Jewish puppet-king Agrippa was in God’s plan.
Do you know someone who is waiting for a more convenient time to receive Christ. I do. Let us press for a decision now while there is still time.
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord Jesus, may I not become impatient in my present circumstance but make the most of the opportunities You’re giving me TODAY to share Your love and truth with those around me. Thank You that I can rest in the knowledge that You are in charge, because I’ve yielded control of my life to You. Amen!
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
Since I began this blogging journey on June 3rd, 2012, I’ve received close to 18,836 comments. Thanks so very much for the gift of your time and input. I am blessed by your care. Have you watched the music video that a reader sent to me. It’s attached to yesterday’s blog. What a powerfully creative statement about God’s care for each one of us! I’m amazed by the technology available to us for spreading God’s Word. Through Crossroads Christian Communications and other ministries, millions of precious people will be presented with the Good News of Jesus, encouraged in their faith, and challenged to be soul winners for Jesus. Just as Paul’s brothers and sisters in Christ supported his ministry, I ask you to do the same for those called of God to lead Crossroads. With the year-end approaching, there is an urgent need for offerings to support the greatest cause and the greatest outreach in our 52-plus years of ministry…100 Huntley Street! Receipts for income tax deductions for 2014 will be issued early in the New Year. Crossroads is a federally chartered charity in Canada and in the U.S.A. God bless you for making the outreach possible through your generous and sacrificial giving! Here’s the link for donations, or you can call 1-800-265-3100, or mail a cheque to Crossroads, Box 5100, Burlington, Ontario, Canada, L7R 4M2.
Yours for discovering God’s timing and purposes in our lives,
David
P.S. Below…I asked Ron to post a recent photo of the on-air team from this week’s 100 Huntley Street program.
The team ministering on the set of 100 Huntley Street this week. Left to right, Ron Mainse, Moira Brown, Tanner Keith, and Dr. John Hull.
Dear David : I HAVE WATCHED YOU SINCE THE BEGINNING, YOU’S HAVE MADE MY WALK WITH THE LORD SO BLESSED. I’M SO GLAD THAT YOUR HEALTH IS STAYING STROMG. MY BROTHER DONALD BILLSON IN SHERBROOKE, QUE. HAS BONE CANCER AND SPOTS ON HIS LUNGS. HE IS IN PALLATIVE CARE AT MAISON AUBE-LUMIERE. WE DON’T KNOW HOW LONG HE HAS. PLEASE PRAY FOR HIM TO RECIEVE JESUS. I ASKED HIM TO ASK JESUS INTO HIS HEART, BUT HE SAID HE DIDN’T BELIEVE. I’M BELIEVING THAT THE LORD WILL SENT SOMEONE TO TALK TO HIM. DONALD IS 85 YRS. OLD. LORD BLESS YOU AND NORMA-JEAN. YOU’S ARE A BEAUTIFUL EXAMPLE OF LOVE. THANK YOU. LOVE IN JESUS NAME.
I have been listening faithfully to 100 Huntley and want to comment on the excellency of the programme. I like it that it is timely and keeps me more informed about what is going on in this troubled world. It is wonderful to see God/s blessing on Huntley St.
Merry Christmas to you David and your family and all bloggers.
Paul was a man of great patience and faith. He truly has earned rest, peace and joy eternally.
The interview with The Vicar of Baghdad on 100 Huntley St. yesterday certainly was riveting. I pray for those dear souls in Iraq and all the middle east. Praise God for all the help they are receiving, both spiritual and material.
Praying for Israel. Blessings fellow saints.
http://www.first15.org/first15/344-first15-december-10
Just learned to copy and paste on my android tablet. Whoever said u can’t teach an old dog new tricks was wrong:-)
This old dog hasn’t learned to do that yet Lynda! I have an Android tablet also. How did you learn to do it?
I just asked “google” and got this:
http://www.makeuseof.com/answers/how-can-i-copy-and-paste-links-on-my-samsung-tablet/
to make a long story short, just hold your finger on the webpage address until you see that funny little fat arrow and it will give you options up in the right-hand corner. Click on one of the options (mine was copy) and you have it. Then I went to my email account and clicked on the message part of your email area, or held my finger down for awhile and the funny-looking fat little arrow comes up again and says paste. Good luck Doreen and sorry I couldn’t get back to you before now. Blessings.
Amen to that Lynda
Today’s reading reminds us never to judge the effectiveness of our Christian witness by our own standards. When I was in university many, many years ago I had a number of born again Christian friends witness to me and prayed for me, but all to no avail. I am sure in their eyes if they were judging success on whether or not I accepted Christ on the spot, they failed. But what they don’t know, is about five years later, the seeds they planted in my heart began to grow. I may have officially accepted Christ while watching Huntley Street, but in my mind those Christian friends had as much a part of God’s plan for life as the show did.
So although it is always a pleasure to lead someone directly to Christ, we shouldn’t be discouraged if that doesn’t happen right away; if God uses us as seed planters instead of reapers, we all play our part in the Spirit’s work. We just have to be open with our witness, doing what we can when we can and trust God is at work even if we don’t see the results ourselves.
Amen Donna!
Amen
We r encouraged by Paul’s boldness to witness for Jesus. Maybe today we will be bold for Him too.
We r travelling from the bitter cold of Canada…but read your blog daily as a reminder of God’s purpose for our lives.
Blessigs, George & Marilyn
Thank You Lord for this wonderful day and for Your Powerful Word…manna for each day…thank You that You are the Truth and the Way…the truth and hope to share those in our pathway…Thank You that You are the Saviour…the only one we desire to introduce to those in our pathway of life.
Thank you for this Glorious Day you have made in which I rejoice.
Scripture tells us to plant seeds, the Holy Spirit does the rest! I am very thankful for that fact! when a person talks to others you never know who is listening….again, the Holy Spirit does the leading…
please pray for Colin who is addiction free for 5 years and for MR who is starting his journey and for all those who are praying about changing their habits in life…;.talk to the Lord, be very honest with Him, realize that you may have to start over and over and over again, BUT NEVER STOP THE CHANGE, The Holy Spirit enables us to do more than we ever dreamt! Those words said to me 20 years ago immediately removed smokes/alcohol and I mean IMMEDIATELY! What God has done for me He will do for others! Let us continute to pray for the Muslims! Pray the Holy Spirit will call, gather and enlighten them to the Christian Faith on another note we had a fabulous community Christmas concert, it was so full of wonderful music played and sang by Christians in the community. Very uplifiting….Pray for our leaders of our governments! pray the leaders will be called to look after children and the elderly and those who need extra help Everyone has a chemical imbalance, some more than others. Pray the governing bodies will make mental illness a prioirity as it affects all of us. In Jesus name AMEN MERRY CHRISTMAS