It seems like these last few chapters are "dragging" in my opinion. In chapter 21 Paul is arrested, then he shares his conversion story with the crowd (which we have already heard). He then speaks before the Sanhedrin, is transferred to Caesarea, goes under trial before Felix and then before Festus and now before Agrippa.
The main point of all this (I think) is revealed in Acts 23:11 where it says "The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, "Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome."
God is giving Paul opportunity to preach the gospel to key people in Rome. What does everyone else think??
I like what Rosaleen said in her comment yesterday and so I thought it was worth repeating: "Sometimes we will feel fettered and unable to move forwards. With no control over our circumstances. Having to wait and trust God. Dont fret - make the most of the opportunities under your nose - right where you are!"
skip to main |
skip to sidebar
An eight week journey of seeking God as we read.think.pray.live our way through the gospel of John
An Invitation
Please join us during this lead up to Christmas 2009 by doing the four things listed below. Anyone can join at any time throughout this 8 week period although obviously it would be best if you can begin with us on the first of November 2009.
Requirements:
1. Commit to seeking God EVERY DAY in Nov & Dec '09 in a way that is more radical than anything you have ever done before.
2. Read.think.pray.live your way through the Gospel of John in seven weeks (3 chapters each week) and then 1 John, 2 John, 3 John in the final week.
3. Listen to the Holy Spirit and obey whatever he says to do!!
4. Contribute your insights and experiences to this blog.
May we all continue to seek the Kingdom of God before anything else!
Requirements:
1. Commit to seeking God EVERY DAY in Nov & Dec '09 in a way that is more radical than anything you have ever done before.
2. Read.think.pray.live your way through the Gospel of John in seven weeks (3 chapters each week) and then 1 John, 2 John, 3 John in the final week.
3. Listen to the Holy Spirit and obey whatever he says to do!!
4. Contribute your insights and experiences to this blog.
May we all continue to seek the Kingdom of God before anything else!
2 comments:
Agreed Andrew, Chap 23 v 11 is the underlying promise for everything that then takes place.
These chapters are a wonderful illustration that God works in all sorts of ways we cannot see at the time!
I may chafe against circumstance and delay - but these are all in His hands!
It is exactly 12 months since I was in Germany caring for Marita and through circumstances I could not have forseen, or controlled, and which I thought were the complete opposite of an answer to my prayers - God fully answered them!
It was another illustration for me of His ways - so different to my own! Sovreign.
I long to be able to discern and 'see' what He is up to with my life, and He has given me specific promises from time to time - but most often it is all trust and obey!
Taken from: http://thestorythatislife.blogspot.com/2007/03/where-to-begin.html
where to begin...
I've been in sheffield at st thomas' church- a conference with heidi and rolland baker (missionaries in mozambique), just amazing! I don't think i can write or put into words all thats gone on in my head and heart, all i've experienced these past days but i do know that somehow i've been changed, the Holy Spirit has been at work (and down i went!) and i need to do lots of processing! Gosh...just amazing almost five hour evening meetings- when the Spirit of God is moving you don't want to get in its way!
Anway i'll have a go at sharing a few thoughts and questions i'm asking...:
* have a look at matthew 5:3-12, what does it mean for you to be poor in spirit? to be so desperate for Him? to be so dependent on Him? So desperate for intimacy with God, so in need of Him that if He doesn't show up you won't even breathe...
* How much do you want the Kingdom of God? no matter the cost? You know in mozambique the last two weeks have seen floods, cyclones and then just days ago missiles were flying over Mozambique and struck the "Iris" centre...heidi spoke of being perplexed "God what are you doing?" God told her "you told me to come in power, to invade, no matter the cost..." You know Heidi said "Heaven laughs when the earth trembles and shakes because God has a plan that will shape and transform the world"
* heidi has seen 6,000 churches planted in the last ten years! think that speaks for itself.... Things are so hard, so challenging out there yet so simple- theres no other way than to depend on God with all you've got!
* To see a woman in tears, pouring her heart out to God in prayer in front of 700 people on saturday, completely broken and wrecked from all that was happening at home, and yet still craving that God would break her more, still craving that he'd take more of her, still wanting to be yet more desperate for Him...
* What does it mean for you to go so low? How low are you willing to go and to be? You'll never undertstand the kingdom of God from the high place...only in the dirt, only in poverty, only in desperation... How thirsty are you for His treasure, for His inheritance, to see your nation changed... Are you willing to pay the price? Will you be meek, humble?
* What blocks His presence from your life? What do you keep boxed, neat, tidy and not let God in? Where are you full of pride, self-righteousness, selfishness, self-sufficiency? Where does God need to bring His wrecking ball and break you? What do you need to yield to Him?
* If you'll stay in His presence you'll be safe...you can run into the darkness, you can have missiles being thrown at you, you can face all sorts of persecution but in His presence is rest, is protection , is love...
* 1 John 3:11- love one another, you have passed from death to life! Don't give up, even if you get no response- a ceaseless, limitless, endless love. God says "know who you are and i'll show to love without limit..."Who's hard to love in your world? Jesus laid down His life for us and we're to lay down our lives for others. "I love you, know it, now follow the Leader and love!"
* Jesus laid down his life his life for us - 1 John 3 - what does it mean for you to lay down your life for Him? for others? Lay down your life and love because He first loved you...
Post a Comment