Category Archives: Uncategorized

1After we had torn ourselves away from them, we put out to sea and sailed straight to Cos. The next day we went to Rhodes and from there to Patara.  Paul is on what he believes will be his final trip to these places where he has preached and people have responded to hisContinue reading “18Nov2009 Acts 21:1”

32 “Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. Grace is a powerful commodity. There is no grace in Islam. Grace is a totally foreign concept to the Koran. In fact, in Jesus graceContinue reading “17Nov2009 Acts 20:32”

29 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. As Paul gives his final words to this group of Jesus-followers he knows that difficult times are ahead for them. He describes them as savage wolves. We occasionally hear stories in the news about aContinue reading “16Nov2009 Acts 20:29”

28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.  Paul is speaking to the leaders of the early church. They have two responsibilities that leaders still have today. Now before youContinue reading “15Nov2009 Acts 20:28”

24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace. Reading Paul’s words that he considers his life worth nothing could lead us to believe he was suicidal. ButContinue reading “14Nov2009 Acts 20:24”

21 I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus. Beginning a relationship with God requires two things: a turning and a trusting. The first, the turning, is something that we don’t often do in our natural selves. We get trainedContinue reading “13Nov2009 Acts 20:21”

11 Then he went upstairs again and broke bread and ate. After talking until daylight, he left. Paul has preached so long and so late that a young man in his audience fell from the third floor window. Sometimes we don’t take hints. God restored the young man and Paul returned to talking. I canContinue reading “12Nov2009 Acts 20:11”

7 On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight. Church is about more than singing, hearing the Word, giving and shaking a few hands. We see this in this passage. PaulContinue reading “11Nov2009 Acts 20:7”

2 He traveled through that area, speaking many words of encouragement to the people, and finally arrived in Greece, Everyone needs to be encouraged from time to time. Part of the reality of life is that we get worn down and get discouraged. It is easy to look at our circumstances and bury our headsContinue reading “10Nov2009 Acts 20:2”

39 If there is anything further you want to bring up, it must be settled in a legal assembly. Having a civil society, a society governed by laws, has some advantages. Some places in the world, even today, are ruled by mobs and the whims of a dictator. The citizens never know from day toContinue reading “9Nov2009 Acts 19:39”