ROME
Today’s Reading: Acts 28
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).
“But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat, and fastened on his hand…But he shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm.” Acts 28:3, 5
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.
Key Verse: Acts 28:8
And it happened that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and dysentery. Paul went in to him and prayed, and he laid his hands on him and healed him.
Throughout the centuries, divine healings have been instrumental in turning people’s attention toward Jesus. Firstly, in today’s reading, we read of God’s physical protection for Paul from an always fatal snake bite, and secondly, the immediate recovery of Publius. We should never hesitate to pray for people’s healings. Then, share Jesus as Saviour and Lord! (MOST IMPORTANT!!!)
Believers in Jesus from Rome came to meet Paul. They may have been secret believers because of persecution. The main Jewish community seemed to know little of Paul’s message. Oral history tells us that after two years of house arrest in Rome, Paul was released and went to Spain where he established churches. Some suggest that he may have gone to Britain also. His final arrest back in Rome brought his death under Nero. After Paul’s first visit to Rome, Luke, our historian, disappears from the scene. His work was done and done very well.
Tomorrow, back to Deuteronomy. Let us not give up on this systematic tour of the Scriptures. Amen!
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord God, grant that I may bring people to You, regardless of the cost, as Jesus and Paul did. I’m trusting You for the grace necessary to be true to Your calling. In Jesus’ Name, Amen!
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
I spent a great deal of time in Spain before and during World Expo ’92 in Seville. Crossroads sponsored a pavilion there where more than 1,000,000 people visited our witness for Jesus. More than 53,000 precious souls made first-time recorded decisions to give their lives fully to Jesus. Each one signed up for a Bible correspondence study in their native language and were followed up around the world by Scripture Union. While there, I visited places where Paul first preached the Good News of Jesus. Even though the Bible does not share that Paul was in Spain, you could never tell the Spanish people that Paul was not there! Monuments testify to this fact.
I asked for the picture of the serpent seen above. In our reading, the venom could not destroy Paul. Revelation 12:9 speaks of “that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world.” You may want to read that entire section (click here). Satan has been defeated through the Cross of Christ. As Paul did literally, we do spiritually. Shake the serpent off and into the fires of Hell. He cannot hurt those who put their trust in Jesus. Check out again the first verses of today’s reading, and do to the serpent as Paul did!
Yours for effectively winning people to Jesus,
David
P.S. Yesterday, my son Ron and his wife Ann, who help me in this blog, were guests on 100 Huntley Street to talk about the stress many married couples experience during the Christmas season. I thought you might appreciate hearing their insights. Click HERE to watch the interview.
The Apostle Paul finished his course and it would be great to think he also went to Britain. For the hope of Israel he was bound with those chains. The Lord never forgets His people. Informative interview with Ron and Ann. God bless you saints!
The determination Paul and his desire to share the Gospel to one and all is so evident. May it be so in our lives, I pray: And too so evident in you Pastor David as evident in your prayer and comments within this blog.
May the Lord continue to strengthen you and those working together with you daily.
As mentioned in my yesterday’s comment, it was great to see and hear Ron and Ann sharing their hearts with Joe and Maggie. God bless them in all they do!! Amen!!
WOW! WOW! PRAISE AND THANK GOD FOR WORLD EXPO 92 and the precious 53,000 who received Jesus Christ into their hearts! AMAZING GRACE HOW SWEET IT IS
had a group called Peace Meal put on a night of music, story telling about the birth of Jesus Christ!
Simeon was on stage, he saw this young couple with a baby, Mary and Joseph made their way to Simeon, he was kneeling on the floor! He knew what was coming! Mary let Simeon hold the baby in his hands, Simeon RECEIVED the baby, the baby Jesus Christ!!
At this point there was not a dry eye in the theater; this is the message, RECEIVE JESUS CHRIST, you can come as you are to receive Jesus Christ into your heart!
If you have any addictions, any issues that you desire to change; bring them to the Lord; thousands of people will pray for you,
April 16, 1995 a friend spoke these words “We have the Holy Spirit that enables us to do more than we ever dreamt!
We were down at the beach after an Easter Service, I was rolling a smoke and WOW! I looked at my friend and told her she was absolutely right and I threw the tobacco, papers, into the water! Never smoked since! Didn’t realize it at the time but the Lord removed drinking from me at the SAME TIME! He did all this for me! I did not have to go through any programs! The Lord removed these bad habits from me!
write out your plan perhaps of you goals in life, what would you like to change, be REAL HONEST, take that list to the Lord, ask Him to help you deal with everything you have written down! I thought I HAD A PLAN BUT GOD had a plan also, His was much better! It took some time for me to understand His plan, I had to rethink my stubborness, I had to confess that I am a sinner, I had to ask God for His forgiveness! AND HE DID, HE FORGAVE ME OVER AND OVER! if He can do that for me, He can do it for all people!
God bless all on this blog, no prayer is to small for God! God did not make junk! You are all precious in His sight, every morning thank God that HIS approval is covering you every single day…….
PRAISE GOD FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW!
PRAISE HIM ALL CREATURES HERE BELOW!
AMEN AMEN AMEN
April 26, 1995, 10 days after this miracle happened in my life, I broke my leg and that turned into me learning to swim! Another blessing from God!
Well said Sah, wishing you a very blessed Christmas !
Praise God for Paul, what a wonderful example He made of him, following our Jesus. God works in such incredible ways through His chosen apostles, amen. I read Revelations 12 again and felt as if I had never read it before. Looking forward to the start of Deuteronomy, tomorrow. Soaking in the Spirit and praying for all saints of the living blog.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 3:16 KJB
From The Inside Out
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZ-fghqc8Oo