Prayer: Urgent, continual reliance on the grace of God (Acts 13:42-52)

What I'm doing this morning, I do every morning: Do your best to present yourself to God, approved after being tested. I want to be a good and noble vessel, ready and useful to God. The purpose of this time is to move up and see clearly how I can best serve the Lord. Some days are better than others. Today I'm excited to help my work colleagues advance their capabilities and succeed. It's SALT and LIGHT today. My prayer is that we are what God has called us to be, holy His. I'm grateful for this Day 4 of 40Days (Acts 13:42-52).

Acts 13:42-43) Paul and Barnabas, large fan club of Jews: urgent, continual reliance on the grace of God

44-45) Next week most of city came to hear the word of the Lord, Jews jealous, slandered them

46-47) bold declare: first Jews who rejected God's word, judging themselves unworthy of eternal life - now for Gentiles

‘I have made you a light to the Gentiles, to bring salvation to the farthest corners of the earth. Isa 49:6

 - Message: The living Word of God engages and intrigues us right where we are

 - Gently instruct those who oppose the truth (2 Timothy 2:25)

48-49) Gentiles VERY glad, THANKED the LORD - all who were chosen for eternal life became believers, spreading the message

50) Jews stirred up influential religious leaders, ran Paul and Barnabas out of town

51-52) Shook dust from feet as sign of rejection, to Iconium - disciples filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.

Daily Reading for Personal Growth, 40 Days with God

40 daily Scripture readings that illustrate the character of God and the nature of faith.

Read More ->>

Covenant of circumcision, Abraham washes feet receiving the promise (Gen 17-18:15)

Big Idea: Covenant, believing God's promises, Guiding versus controlling

A) God makes the covenant of circumcision with Abraham and Sarah's Isaac

 17:1-2) Abram 99 LORD appeared, "I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless, then I will make my covenant, increase your numbers"

3-8) Abram facedown, God "covenant: father of many nations, Abraham. I make fruitful, I will establish an everlasting covenant, descendants"

9-14) "You, descendants must keep the covenant, every male circumcised 8 days old, not circumcised in flesh, cut off from people, broken covenant"

 - Exodus 4:24) LORD confronted Moses, going to kill him

 - Exodus 12:15) eighth day remove yeast, Exodus 30 :33) separation, Lev 23:29) be humble

 - Application: In Him, you were also circumcised in the putting off of your sinful nature, with the circumcision performed by Christ and not by human hands. Colossians 2:11

 - Gal 5:6) circumcision (by men) doesn't matter, what matters is faith expressing itself in love. Love God with a cut heart

15-16) Sarai is Sarah, she'll give you a son, mother of nations, kings from her

17-18) Abraham facedown, laughed, "we're old, Ishamael blessing?"

19-22) "Isaac, I will establish an everlasting covenant with descendants, Ishamael blessed, fruitful, 12 rulers, great nation

23-27) Abraham circumcised everyone, 99, Ishamael 13

B) LORD appears, three men prophesy, as Abraham washes feet and serves

18:1-2) LORD appeared to Abraham great tree of Mamre, three men, bowed

3-5) Favor in your eyes, let me wash your feet, rest under this tree, something to eat, refreshed, I'm your servant

6) Abraham, Sarah, "Quick, 3 seahs of finest flour, bread"

7-8) Choice calf prepared, curds, milk, waited under tree

9-12) Where's Sarah? next year she'll have your son, Sarah listened and laughed "Old, now have this pleasure?"

13-15) LORD to Abraham "Why Sarah laughs, doubts, anything too hard for LORD?" Sarah afraid lied, but couldn't hide

Principle: genuine service brings revelation of God's will for our lives

 

Read More ->>

He washed their feet and opened their minds

I've been fascinated at the churches lack of embracing the example set by Jesus, who said - you don't understand this now, but later you will. (John 13:7). At the resurrection, he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures concerning himself. (Luke 24:45)

I know the example is that of a loving leader serving. In my imagination I see Jesus washing their feet and giving each a blessing of significance, that would have made the teaching in John 14-17 more memorable. These blessing I imagine would have impacted the apostles such that the epistles were written with these blessing in mind:
 - Romans 16:20, The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.
 - 1 Cor 15:25, For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet.(1 cor 15:27, eph 1:22, heb 2:8)
As well as impacted the writting in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

So here are my imagined blessings not that come to mind from Jesus washing feet and blessing each person.It would be fun to make this into a short story, showing each person and matching a blessing with something found in their epistle or life story in Acts. Could perhaps be built into a VBS type class. Maybe someday.

Take off your sandals: Exodus 3:5, Joshua 5:9,15, Matthew 3:11, Acts 7:2,33

To Judas, as he washed his feet
 God promised, "He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.” (Gen 3, John 13:27)

David sang, “And I have devoured them and shattered them, so that they did not rise;
And they fell under my feet.“Then I pulverized them as the dust of the earth;
I crushed and stamped them

To John, he recounted Abraham washing the Lord's feet from Genesis 18 (not one righteous one would be lost). 2 Peter 3:9, Matthew 18:14, John 6:39

To the next, as he washed his feet he quoted 2 Samuel 22, the song of David (Psalm 18)

“You have also given me the shield of Your salvation,
And Your help makes me great.
“You enlarge my steps under me,
And my feet have not slipped.

next, “You know that David my father was unable to build a house for the name of the Lord his God because of the wars which surrounded him, until the Lord put them under the soles of his feet. (1 Kings 5:3)

You make him to rule over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet, (Psalm 8:6)

You will tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day which I am preparing,” says the Lord of hosts. (Malachi 4:3)

Then to the next, "How lovely on the mountains Are the feet of him who brings good news, Who announces peace And brings good news of happiness, Who announces salvation, And says to Zion, “Your God reigns!” (Isaiah 52:7)

"Behold, on the mountains the feet of him who brings good news, Who announces peace! Celebrate your feasts, O Judah; Pay your vows. For never again will the wicked one pass through you; He is cut off completely." (Nahum 1:15)

How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,
Nor stand in the path of sinners,
Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!
But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water,
Which yields its fruit in its season
And its leaf does not wither;
And in whatever he does, he prospers. (Psalm 1)

How blessed are those whose way is blameless,
Who walk in the law of the Lord.
How blessed are those who observe His testimonies,
Who seek Him with all their heart.
They also do no unrighteousness;
They walk in His ways.
You have ordained Your precepts,
That we should keep them diligently. (Psalm 119), John 14:6

Teach me Your way, O Lord;
I will walk in Your truth;
Unite my heart to fear Your name.
I will give thanks to You, O Lord my God, with all my heart,
And will glorify Your name forever.
For Your lovingkindness toward me is great,
And You have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol. (Psalm 89), John 14:6

To Peter:
“It will come about after this
That I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind;
And your sons and daughters will prophesy,
Your old men will dream dreams,
Your young men will see visions.
“Even on the male and female servants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days. (Joel 2, Acts 2:14-41)

Read More ->>