Acts 20
Ministry of encouragement verse 1- 3
And after the uproar was ceased – Paul called to him the disciples
and embraced them – and departed for to go into Macedonia
And when he had gone over those parts
and had given them much exhortation – he came into Greece
and there abode three months
And when the Jews laid wait for him – as he was about to sail into Syria
he purposed to return through Macedonia
Ministry team with Paul includes Luke verse 4- 6
And there accompanied him into Asia Sopater of Berea
and of the Thessalonians – Aristarchus – Secundus
and Gaius of Derbe – and Timothy
and of Asia – Tychicus – Trophimus
These going before tarried for us at Troas and we sailed away
from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread
and came to them to Troas in five days
where we abode seven days
Falling asleep in church can be dangerous verse 7- 12
And upon the first day of the week
when the disciples came together to break bread
Paul PREACHED to them
ready to depart on the morrow
and continued his speech
until midnight
And there were many lights in the upper chamber
where they were gathered together
and there sat in a window a certain young man
named Eutychus being fallen
into a deep sleep
and as Paul was long PREACHING
he sunk down with sleep
and fell down from the third loft and was
taken up dead
And Paul went down – and fell on him
and embracing him said
Trouble not yourselves – for his life is in him
When he therefore was come up again
and had broken bread – and eaten
and talked a long while
EVEN till break of day – so he departed
AND they brought the young man alive
and were not a little comforted
Luke joins Paul on missionary journey verse 13- 16
And we went before to ship – and sailed unto Assos
there intending to take in Paul – for so had he appointed
minding himself to go afoot
And when he met with us at Assos – we took him in
and came to Mitylene and we sailed thence
and came the next day over against Chios
and the next day we arrived at Samos
and tarried at Trogyllium
and the next day we came to Miletus
FOR Paul had determined to sail by Ephesus
because he would not spend the time in Asia
for he hasted IF it were possible for him
to be at Jerusalem the day of Pentecost
Paul’s testimony regarding his ministry verse 17- 27
And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus
and called the elders of the church
and when they were come to him
he said unto them
You know – from the first day that I came into Asia
after what manner
I have been with you at all seasons
serving the Lord
with all humility of mind
and with many tears – and temptations
which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews
And how I kept back nothing that was profitable to you
but have showed you – and have taught you publicly
and from house to house
testifying both to the Jews
and also to the Greeks
repentance toward God and faith toward our
Lord Jesus Christ
And now – behold – I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem
not knowing the things that shall befall me there
save that the Holy Ghost witnesses in every city
saying that bonds and afflictions abide me
BUT none of these things move me
neither count I my life dear unto myself
so that I might finish my course with joy
and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus
to testify the gospel of the grace of God
AND now BEHOLD – I know that you all
among whom I have gone PREACHING the kingdom of God
shall see my face no more
Wherefore I take you to record this day
that I am pure from the blood of all men
For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God
Paul’s warning to others serving the LORD verse 28- 35
Take heed therefore to yourselves – and to all the flock
over the which the Holy Ghost has made you overseers
to feed the church of God
which HE had purchased with HIS OWN blood
FOR I know this
that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you
not sparing the flock
Also of your own selves shall men arise – speaking perverse things
to draw away disciples after them
THEREFORE watch – and remember
that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one
night and day with tears
And now – brethren – I commend you to God
and to the word of his grace – which is able to build you up
and to give you an inheritance among all them
which are sanctified
I have coveted no man’s silver – gold – apparel
Yea – you yourselves know
that these hands have ministered unto my necessities
and to them that were with me
I have showed you all things
how that so laboring you ought to support the weak
and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus
how HE said
It is more blessed to give than to receive
Closing prayer verse 36- 38
And when he had thus spoken – he kneeled down
and prayed with them all and they all wept sore
and fell on Paul’s neck – and kissed him
sorrowing most of all for the words which he spoke
that they should see his face no more
And they accompanied him unto the ship
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 3 And there abode three months. And when the Jews laid wait for him, as he was about to sail into Syria, he purposed to return through Macedonia. (1917 “laid wait” [epiboule] means plot, scheme, a (secret) scheme to do something; especially something wicked or illegal, a project or design, or a plan formed against one)
DEVOTION: There are always those who don’t want the message of the LORD Jesus Christ to be taught or preached. They come in all forms. Here we have the Jewish people who don’t want any of their Jewish neighbors becoming believers in Christ.
Their solution is to try to kill Paul who is preaching Christ. They don’t want to meet him in their synagogues or on the street to talk with him about his believes to try to prove him wrong publicly. Instead they just want to hide somewhere where he is going to be to kill him. That is an easier solution.
We have many people today that are condemning Christianity in our public schools. They don’t want any of the children to say “Happy Easter” to other children because it would be offensive. We have teachers teaching fifth grader student in Texas that 911 is our fault as Americans because we are so negative. Our government says that Christians are radicals that have to be watched.
There have continued to be plots against Christians since the resurrection of Jesus to today. It will not end. Satan is a real fallen angel that wants to still think that he can win the battle against Christianity. He is wrong.
We may be losing some battles but the war is won. No matter what people say and do against the gospel of Jesus Christ it is still true and the only way to heaven.
CHALLENGE: Keep looking to the LORD for help to defend against the plots of the servants of the devil. Some of them even think that they are pleasing the God of the Bible. Sad but true.
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 7 And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight. (1256 “preached” [dailegomai] means dispute, reason with, speak, or mingle thought with thought)
DEVOTION: Paul is heading for Jerusalem. He says that the Holy Spirit has warned him that bonds and afflictions await him. He continued to visit churches and encourage believers.
While he was in Troas, the church gathered on the first day of the week, which was Sunday, to commemorate the resurrection of Christ from the dead. HE arose after three days in the grave. There were four things mentioned in chapter 2 that the disciples did when they gathered together to worship the LORD. The four were teaching the apostles’ doctrine, fellowship, breaking of bread and prayers.
Here we find that Paul was sharing the apostles’ doctrine with the people. He was going to leave the next day so he spoke to them for a long time. At midnight a young man named Eutychus fell asleep. While asleep he fell out a window from the third loft. He was taken up dead. That was a long service. He was a guest speaker. He was on his way to Jerusalem. He didn’t know if he was going to return. He wanted to share as much as he could in this one sermon to have them understand the truths of the word of God. He stopped his sermon to go outside to embrace Eutychus and told the people not trouble themselves because there was life in him. He then went up and started teaching again until the break of day.
Today we want a service to last a very short time and many don’t want to hear too much doctrine. If the preacher goes pass noon people will get up and leave. That is one of the reasons the church is in the state it is in today. We need to know what the Bible teaches because of all the false teachings that are out there in our world. We need a complete Biblical worldview which includes all the doctrines or teachings covered in the Bible. Paul told the elders of Ephesus church that he presented the whole counsel of God in his teaching ministry. He stated that the blood of all those who heard him was on their own shoulders because his were clean.
To many have only a partial worldview that is Biblical. We need the whole counsel of God presented to our churches on a regular basis. Do our churches mingle thought with thought regarding every book of the Bible in an orderly fashion? We need messages that cover from Genesis to Revelation in all of our Biblical churches. We need more times of fellowship instead of less. Many churches have given up on Sunday evening service and prayer meetings. They only meet for one or two hours on Sunday. How much milk and meat can we serve in that time?
Another habit this chapter addresses is the fact that Paul went house to house presenting the Word of God. We need that again today.
CHALLENGE: We need to pray that those around us and as well as ourselves are learning on a regular basis the whole counsel of God. Let’s not fall asleep during the message.
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: 13 And we went before to ship, and sailed to Assos, there intending to take in Paul, for so had he appointed, minding himself to go afoot. (3195 “intending” [mello] means be about to, is going to, to be imminent or impending, occur soon in the future, be destined, to be on the point of, or to have in mind)
DEVOTION: The “we” in this verse includes the author of the book of Acts. His name is Luke. He wrote the book of Luke also. He was a doctor by profession. He was one who traveled with Paul on his missionary journeys. He gives us a insiders report on what was happening in the first century church.
God called men to be with Paul on his missionary trips to be an encouragement to him. We need individuals to help us in our service to Jesus. There are many times when we can get discouraged. Life can be hard. People can be hard. There is always an enemy around every corner in the life of a true servant of the LORD.
Sometimes the enemy can be fellow believers. They don’t want anyone to succeed but themselves. They will try to have the preeminence in a local church and hinder anyone who is trying to serve the LORD outside of their realm of authority.
God knows who HIS faithful servants are and does send others to encourage them. Paul needed traveling companions to help him serve the LORD. We need traveling companions to help us serve the LORD.
Work with a team of believers that have your back when you are in the service of the King. They can support you through prayer and other ways to encourage you to move forward for the LORD.
I have some people who are encouragers in this ministry. Each time I think “what am I doing” they come alongside with a word of encouragement. I hope that I am an encouragement to others who are struggling in their service for the LORD.
CHALLENGE: Be an encourager of someone today. Luke the physician was an encourager!!!
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 20 And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have showed you, and have taught you publicly, and from house to house.
(3624 “house” [oikos] means home, household, any dwelling place, place where one has fixed his residence, property or one’s settled abode)
DEVOTION: When the church started many gatherings were done in individual’s homes. So, the apostles would have gone into the homes and taught the individual family or a gathering of Christians.
Paul states that he “kept nothing back” that was profitable for growth in the LORD. He would have given instructions he received from the Old Testament and from the LORD. He would have shown how other people can witness for the LORD with the use of the Old Testament.
Most of the people would have been witnessing to fellow Jews about Jesus being the Messiah. However, in Ephesus there were many Greek or Gentile believers. He would have had to teach them the basics of the Old Testament and how to witness to fellow Gentiles.
He states in the book of Romans that he would become all things to all men so that he could win one to Christ. He would not break the law of God but he would use any legal method to win individuals to a saving knowledge of Christ.
Those who have been followers of Christ for a long time need to be teachers of others. We have moved away from inviting people into our homes to learn more about Christ. Very few Christians open their homes to Bible studies compared to the days of Paul. There is the thought that if someone needs to learn more about Christ they can go to church. These are wrong thoughts at times.
The church is a good place to learn but there is a great need for more instructions for believers. There needs to be individual follow-up for those who make a commitment to Christ. This is the only way there can be real growth in the LORD. The pastor doesn’t have the time to do this with every individual family. Church members need to step up to the plate and help in this ministry.
Pastors should visit their members and those who regularly attend at least once a year to see how they are doing and if they have individual questions regarding his ministry or the ministry of the church.
The elders need to make sure those who are saints in the church are growing and hold nothing back. Those who are new believers need to be instructed by individuals who are mature in the faith. There should be members of local churches who are growing Christians and helping others to grow with the knowledge they have already learned.
The Bible is available to everyone in their own language. There is no reason for believers to stay “baby” Christians for forty years. We have too many forty-year-old Christians, who are still “babies” in their knowledge of the way of knowing Christ intimately.
CHALLENGE: If you are still young in the faith find a mature believer to help you grow. If you have been a believer for a long time and know little find a good source to learn more. Don’t be satisfied with staying a baby or carnal Christian.
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DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Paul kneeled down to pray verse 36
Paul prayed with elders of Ephesus verse 36
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
Days of unleavened bread verse 6
First day of week verse 7
Paul preached verse 7
Day of Pentecost verse 16
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DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
Gospel verse 24
Council of God verse 27
Word of HIS grace verse 32
Words of the Lord Jesus verse 35
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
God verse 21, 24, 25, 27, 28, 32
Grace of God verse 24
Kingdom of God verse 25
Counsel of God verse 27
Church of God verse 28
Commend to God verse 32
Word of HIS grace verse 32
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
Lord verse 19, 21, 24, 35
Jesus verse 21, 24, 35
Christ verse 21
Lord Jesus Christ verse 21
Lord Jesus verse 24, 35
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Paul bound in the Spirit verse 22
Holy Ghost verse 23, 28
Witness verse 23
Bonds and afflictions for Paul verse 23
Holy Ghost appoints overseers verse 28
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Macedonia verse 1, 3
Greece verse 2
Syria verse 3
Asia verse 4, 16, 18
Thessalonian verse 4
Derbe verse 4
Troas verse 5, 6
Phippi verse 6
Assos verse 13, 14
Miletus verse 14, 15
Chios verse 15
Samos verse 15
Trogyllium verse 15
Ephesus verse 16
Greeks verse 21
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Jews laid wait for Paul verse 3, 19
Temptations verse 19
Shun to declare verse 27
Grievous wolves verse 29
Within church evil men arise verse 30
Speaking perverse things verse 30
Draw disciples away from church verse 30
Covet verse 33
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Disciples verse 1, 7
Embraced verse 1
Exhortation verse 2
Purpose verse 3
Break bread verse 7
Preach verse 7, 25
Elders of the church verse 17
Serving the LORD verse 19
Humility of mind verse 19
Many tears verse 19
Keep back nothing verse 20
Taught publicly verse 20
Taught house to house verse 20
Testifying verse 21
Repentance verse 21
Faith verse 21
Finish our course with joy verse 24
Ministry verse 24
Testify the Gospel verse 24
Grace verse 24, 32
Pure verse 26
Watch verse 31
Remember verse 31
Warn verse 31
Build up each other verse 32
Inheritance verse 32
Sanctified verse 32
Support the weak verse 35
Give verse 35
Pray verse 36
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Jews verse 3, 19, 21
Jerusalem verse 16, 22
Church (New Testament people of God)
Paul verse 1- 38
Disciples verse 1, 7
Embraced verse 1
Exhortation verse 2
Sopater of Berea verse 4
Aristarchus verse 4
Secundus verse 4
Gaius verse 4
Timotheus verse 4
Tychicus verse 4
Trophimus verse 4
First day of the week verse 7
Preached verse 7, 9, 25
Break bread verse 7, 11
Eutychus verse 9- 12
Raised dead verse 9, 10, 12
Elders verse 17
Taught publicly verse 20
Taught house to house verse 20
Pure from blood of all men verse 26
Declare the whole counsel of God verse 27
Elders care for the flock verse 28
Overseers appointed by Holy Ghost verse 28
Elders to feed the flock verse 28
Church purchased by blood of Christ verse 28
Watch the church verse 31
Warn the church verse 31
Brethren verse 32
More blessed to give than receive verse 35
Last Things (Future Events)
Kingdom of God verse 25
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QUOTES regarding passage
Another possibility, favored by many recent translations and commentaries, is to translate the final phrase “with the blood of his own,” “his own” referring to Christ, God’s own beloved Son. This is grammatically arguable and perhaps the best solution for those who find the reference to “God’s own blood” unlikely for Paul or for Acts. (Polhill, J. B. (1995). Vol. 26: Acts. The New American Commentary (428). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.)
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To begin with, there are dangers around us, “wolves” that want to ravage the flock (Acts 20:29). Paul was referring to false teachers, the counterfeits who exploit the church for personal gain (Matt. 7:15–23; 10:16; Luke 10:3; 2 Peter 2:1–3). How important it is that believers know the Word of God and be able to detect and defeat these religious racketeers.
But there are also dangers among us (Acts 20:30), because of people within the church who are ambitious for position and power. Church history, ancient and modern, is filled with accounts of people like Diotrephes who love to have the preeminence (3 John 9–11). It is shocking to realize that more than one false prophet got his or her start within the Christian church family! Read 1 John 2:18–19 and take heed.
There are also dangers within us (Acts 20:31–35), and this seems to be where Paul put the greatest emphasis. “Take heed, therefore, unto yourselves” (Acts 20:28). He names five sins that are especially destructive to the life and ministry of spiritual leaders in the church. (Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Ac 20:13). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
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28–31 The third section of Paul’s address continues with an exhortation to the Ephesian elders in light of what Paul sees will soon take place in the church. He warns regarding persecution from outside and apostasy within (cf. 1 Tim 1:19–20; 4:1–5; 2 Tim 1:15; 2:17–18; 3:1–9, which tell of a later widespread revolt against Paul’s teaching in Asia, and Rev 2:1–7, which says that the Ephesian church abandoned its first love). So he gives the elders the solemn imperative of v. 28.
Theologically, much in Luke’s precis of Paul’s address reflects Paul’s thought and expression at this stage in his life, as these are revealed in the letters he wrote at Ephesus (1 Cor), in Macedonia (2 Cor), and at Corinth (Rom) right before this time. Paul’s use of the word “church” (ekklēsia) is an interesting case in point. While in the salutations of his Galatian and Thessalonian letters he used “church” in a local sense (cf. Gal 1:2, “to the churches in Galatia”; 1 Thess 1:1 and 2 Thess 1:1, “to the church of the Thessalonians”), in addressing his converts at Corinth he used the word more universalistically: “To the church of God in Corinth” (1 Cor 1:2; 2 Cor 1:1). And thereafter in his writings “church” appears always in a universal sense (cf. esp. Eph, Col). Likewise, his easy association of “God” with the one who obtained the church for himself “with his own blood” (i.e., Jesus) corresponds most closely in expression to the doxology of Romans 9:5 that speaks of “Christ, who is God over all, forever praised.” In addition, reference to the blood of Jesus (i.e., hē haima tou idiou, “his own blood”) as being instrumental in man’s redemption appears first in Paul’s writings at Romans 3:25 and 5:9 (thereafter Eph 1:7; 2:13; Col 1:20). (Longenecker, R. N. (1981). The Acts of the Apostles. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: John and Acts (Vol. 9, p. 513). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)
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Take heed unto yourselves (προσεχετε ἑαυτοις [prosechete heautois]). The full phrase had τον νουν [ton noun], hold your mind on yourselves (or other object in the dative), as often in old writers and in Job 7:17. But the ancients often used the idiom with νουν [noun] understood, but not expressed as here and Acts 5:35; Luke 12:1; 17:3; 21:34; 1 Tim. 1:4; 3:8; 4:13. Ἐπεχε [Epeche] is so used in 1 Tim. 4:16. To all the flock (παντι τῳ ποιμνιῳ [panti tōi poimniōi]). Contracted form of ποιμενιον=ποιμνη [poimenion=poimnē] (John 10:16) already in Luke 12:32 and also in Acts 20:29 and 1 Pet. 5:2, 3. Common in old Greek. Hath made (ἐθετο [etheto]). Did make, second aorist middle indicative of τιθημι [tithēmi], did appoint. Paul evidently believed that the Holy Spirit calls and appoints ministers. Bishops (ἐπισκοπους [episkopous]). The same men termed elders in verse 17 which see. To shepherd (ποιμαινειν [poimainein]). Present active infinitive of purpose of ποιμαινω [poimainō], old verb to feed or tend the flock (ποιμνη, ποιμνιον [poimnē, poimnion]), to act as shepherd (ποιμην [poimēn]). These ministers are thus in Paul’s speech called elders (verse 17), bishops (verse 28), and shepherds (verse 28). Jesus had used this very word to Peter (John 21:16, twice βοσκε [boske], feed, 21:15, 17) and Peter will use it in addressing fellow-elders (1 Pet. 5:2) with memories, no doubt of the words of Jesus to him. The “elders” were to watch over as “bishops” and “tend and feed as shepherds” the flock. Jesus is termed “the shepherd and bishop of your souls” in 1 Peter 2:25 and “the great Shepherd of the sheep” in Heb. 13:20. Jesus called himself “the good Shepherd” in John 10:11. The church of God (την ἐκκλησιαν του θεου [tēn ekklēsian tou theou]). The correct text, not “the church of the Lord” or “the church of the Lord and God” (Robertson, Introduction to Textual Criticism of the N. T., p. 189). He purchased (περιεποιησατο [periepoiēsato]). First aorist middle of περιποιεω [peripoieō], old verb to reserve, to preserve (for or by oneself, in the middle). In the N. T. only in Luke 17:33; Acts 20:28; 1 Tim. 3:13. The substantive περιποιησιν [peripoiēsin] (preservation, possession) occurs in 1 Peter 2:9 (“a peculiar people”=a people for a possession) and in Eph. 1:14. With his own blood (δια του αἱματος του ἰδιου [dia tou haimatos tou idiou]). Through the agency of (δια [dia]) his own blood. Whose blood? If του θεου [tou theou] (Aleph B Vulg.) is correct, as it is, then Jesus is here called “God” who shed his own blood for the flock. It will not do to say that Paul did not call Jesus God, for we have Rom. 9:5; Col. 2:9 and Tit. 2:13 where he does that very thing, besides Col. 1:15–20 and Phil. 2:5–11. (Robertson, A. T. (1933). Word Pictures in the New Testament (Ac 20:28). Nashville, TN: Broadman Press.)
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FROM MY READING:
(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)
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We’re scared of words like diligence, effort and duty. Pastors don’t know how to preach the good news in their sermons and still strongly exhort churchgoers to cleanse themselves from every defilement of body and spirit (2 Cor. 7:1). We know legalism (salvation by law keeping) and antinomianism (salvation without the need for law keeping) are both wrong, but antinomianism feels like a much safer danger.
Then there’s the reality that holiness is plain hard work, and we’re often lazy. We like our sins, and dying to them is painful. Almost everything is easier than growing in godliness.
(p. 19, The Hole In Our Holiness by Kevin DeYoung)
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Times and Seasons
“And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.” (Acts 1:7)
Just before Christ ascended into heaven, His disciples asked Him, “Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?” (v. 6). Christ refrained from answering their question as they had hoped, but in His wisdom He used the occasion to teach them that some information is for God alone, including the “times and the seasons.” In our finiteness, we are unable to handle too much information, and should we know even a small part of the “knowledge [which] is too wonderful for me” (Psalm 139:6), we would use it improperly.
Isaiah taught the same lesson many years before: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9). God has graciously revealed enough that we know He has a wonderful plan, but the details are known by Him alone. They are under His “own power,” or authority. Certainly, He knows the future, but more than that, He controls it.
And why not? He created time (Genesis 1:1); surely He can exercise authority over it. Surely the “Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last” (Revelation 22:13) can control the destinies of individuals and nations. “Power” to work out His good pleasure rests solely with “the only wise God our Saviour . . . now and ever” (Jude 1:25).
Even though this “power” is His alone, His promise to the disciples that “ye shall receive power [a different word than that in verse 7, here meaning strength]” (Acts 1:8) has been fulfilled in the person of the Holy Spirit. We have what we need to be “witnesses” of that which we know of Him to “the uttermost part of the earth.”
(JDM, The Institute for Creation Research)
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Revelation 22
Jesus reaffirms His second coming and encourages us to be ready.
INSIGHT
Looking forward to the Messiah, Isaiah writes: “Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in abundance” (55:1-2). Then John, looking back to the Messiah, picks up the same theme: “The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let him who hears say, ‘Come!’ And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely” (v. 17). (Quiet Walk)
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A STEADFAST SPIRIT
Renew a right spirit within me. Psalm 51:10
One characteristic of the Christian is always this: a profound distrust of self and a realization of the power of God. Listen to David: “Create in me a clean heart…and renew a right spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10). The Revised Version margin puts it this way: “Renew a steadfast spirit within me.”
You see, what he was conscious of was his own unsteadiness. Well might David have felt that. He was a man who had experienced God’s blessing, and he had known the joy of the Lord; and yet he had fallen into terrible sins. So he cries out for this renewal and for this reliable spirit within himself. I make bold to say that every Christian knows what this means.
A Christian is not a man who relies upon himself. It is only the Christian who knows his own weakness. It takes a Christian to see the darkness of his own heart and the frailty of his own nature. There is a type of Christian, I regret to say, who behaves as if he can do everything. He has had an experience of conversion, and now he is ready to face hell and the devil and everything. Poor fellow, he will not go very far before he loses that sense of confidence. “Let him that thinketh he standeth,” said the apostle Paul to such people, “take heed lest he fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12). No; the Christian is a man who knows his own weakness, and he is afraid of it. So he prays for a steady spirit, a reliable spirit. He wants to be a sound man.
A Thought to Ponder: The Christian is a man who knows his own weakness, and he is afraid of it. (From Out of the Depths, pp. 105-106, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
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