ROME
Suggested Reading: Acts 28
(click scripture link to read online)
"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, God’s physical protection for Paul from an always fatal snake bite, and secondly, the immediate recovery of Publius. We should never hesitate in praying, according to the Scriptures, for people’s healings. Then, share Jesus as Saviour and Lord!
Believers in Jesus 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, after two years in Rome, tells us that Paul went to Spain, and some suggest that he may have gone to Britain. 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 pavilion, and at least 53,000 made first time decisions to give their lives fully to Jesus. While there I visited places where Paul first preached the Good News of Jesus. Even though the Bible does not share this, you could never tell the Spanish people that Paul was not there. Monuments testify to this fact. We first started with our Expo witnessing because Vancouver business man, Jim Pattison, encouraged us to participate in Expo ’86. He was Chairman and CEO of the Expo. On one occasion he said to me, “I believe the reason I have this job is to help bring the message of the Gospel here.” When Mr. Pattison was a teen, he played his trumpet on the streets of Vancouver, drawing a crowd so that his Dad could preach the Good News of Jesus.
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
The book of Acts was a fascinating reading and a wonderful testimony to the witness of Jesus Christ and His expanded work unto the gentiles. I use the word ‘fascinating’ for several reasons, this is the first time we see the broader expansion of the gospel to the nations which really set a template for our witness in the world today. As well, in this work of Luke’s we visualize perhaps more clearly since Christ had risen, the work and power of the Holy Spirit as He came into the lives of these early believers at Pentecost. Thirdly and arguably most importantly, we see an early theology formulation and a defense for the faith being put forth by Paul, Stephen and Peter for the winning of the world to Christ! What great men of God who endured so much for the gospel, even to their own deaths! Praise God for such a wonderful testimony as the book of Acts! It’s both challenging and at the same time inspiring!
Deuteronomy is bound to unearth wonderful stories of truth and history which apply to our Christian faith and heritage … let’s soldier-on blog buddies!
The book of Acts came alive, more than ever! The workings of the Holy Spirit, Paul’s changed life, his strength of character in the face of adversity, and his persistance in sharing Christ to a new generation of believers, was truly an inspiration and spiritually lifting! Thank you, David, for for the effort and commitment you make, getting up at four in the morning in prayer and in sharing these precious words, with us.
I have had a few close calls when being in the hospiatl over the years. In 1975 I was given a muscle relaxant during an operation and it turned out I was allergic to this medicine. Before they gave me the antidote I had a near death experience!! I was floating up by the ceiling, looking down at the operating table and I was on it & about 8 people were scrambling around the table. Then they gave me the antidote and suddenly I was awake but paralyzed for 4 hours or so in recovery. I had not been concerned about not breathing at all, I remember! Occasionally I feel cheated that I did not go further to Heaven though! Hopefully He has something more in store for me!!
Nancy
Thankyou !
2
Years later I was in the hospital again and I admit I was a little nervous again. I was having a Plastic surgery on my little finger the next morning. The nurse checking me in noticed on my BP that I was nervous, so I told her every time I come into the hospital something happens to me! She told the Head Dr. of the hospital that I was nervous because she came to see me & asked me what happened before. She had came back 3 days later and said “Boy, you weren’t kidding!”
Anyway, I took out the Gideon Bible from the nightstand and opened it. My eyes rested on ACTS 4:30 !!! It was like God was speaking just to me!!! I wasn’t scared any longer!!! I’ve been giving God the glory and telling everyone I meet but I don’t think they believe me!! I never saw that verse before but I have highlighted it in my mother’s Bible as soon as I got home from the hospital!!
Yours with fervent faith!!!
There is a lot more to this life than we can imagine, I think!!
Nancy