Bible Commentary & Daily Devotional

  Acts 22 - Call on the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth My daughter, son-in-law, and first grandson (Lynchburg, VA) Jesus does not make mistakes. He’s God. He draws people to himself, but he does not force them. Jesus loved the people of Jerusalem. They were hard people to love. They were stubborn, rebellious, arrogant, and self-righteous. He knew their hard hearts, yet he still yearned for them to know Him and his will. Jesus chooses men and women to do his will - not based on our accomplishments or pedigree, but on His wisdom and grace. God’s body is strong. Jesus has those He chooses to use for particular purposes. Men of God. The Ananias of this passage was such a man. And so was Paul.   Jesus of Nazareth (never be ashamed of where you are from!) (v. 8) became Saul’s Lord and Saviour on the road to Damascus. Saul was then born again with a new heart, indeed, even a new name. The God of Abraham chose Paul to know his will, see the Righteous One, and hear him sp

  Acts 21:26-40 - The Law of Christ So, as each believer knows, the Holy Spirit writes His laws on our hearts when we believe in Jesus Christ (Rom. 2:15, 1 Cor. 9:21, Gal 2:19, Gal. 6:2, Eph. 2:15, Jas. 1:25, 2:8). And yet God uses all Scripture to continue to instruct us in His ways of holiness. We also know that the law of Christ is higher and better (Matt. 5 and 6). It was a serious question for Peter, Paul, and James, and it remains so for us: how must we live as believers in Jesus Christ. According to some, there is one way for the Jew and another for the non-Jew. But which Jews? Only those alive at the resurrection of Jesus Christ? If that is the case, the point is moot today - 2,000 plus years after the Rescuer came to earth to die on the cross for our salvation. Is there a subset of people alive today who hear the Message of the King and trust Him for eternal life - yet they must continue to follow Jewish customs, purification ceremonies, and the law of Moses? And s

  Acts 21:15-26 When you go into battle, what a blessing to do so with friends. Yet, like Jesus, Paul’s final trip to Jerusalem was of inevitable suffering. Paul faced his impending spiritual and physical battle with courage. Paul was undoubtedly aided by his friends. But most of all, he met this test with the encouragement of his God and Savior, Jesus Christ. So here’s my takeaway from this passage. We have to be prepared. We must be right with God. Ready to be jailed and even to die for Him.  Paul faced sure trouble in Jerusalem. The mobs of Asia would be magnified in Jerusalem. But for the rescue from the Author of Life, Paul’s ministry would have ended at the hands of the Jewish mob. There was a victory to follow this seeming defeat. Church growth, glory to God, and Kingdom expansion will not please those seeking to build kingdoms in this world. They are liars and deceivers. They are in it for themselves, for power and control. They are slaves to sin and self-in

  Acts 21 - Gracious Spirit Please Lead Us Ok, so onto 21. We see here Paul and his companions on the move. Paul is on a mission to get to Jerusalem. What’s my mission this week? What’s yours? We see Paul, Luke, and the disciples constantly finding local believers. Don’t miss that Paul was hearing from them. We must listen well. How do we hear how local believers are doing if we don’t spend time together and we don’t ask them? Ask people how they are doing today. And ask your fellow believers what they are hearing from the Holy Spirit.           In Tyre and Caesarea, the message of prophecy through the Holy Spirit was the same: that Paul should not go on to Jerusalem and that Paul would be bound by the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem (v. 4 and 11). Sometimes a message of confirmed adversity is that you are right where God wants you. But be encouraged by this message. God was at work in this ancient story, and He is on the move today. When we follow Father God, He will lea

  Acts 20:30 - The Reward is Not a Following - It is What Jesus Gives Being famous, like winning the lottery (or becoming a college football coach), is appealing. I suppose it’s easy for me to say all this about a “following” as I’m an ordinary man with a familiar name from a faraway Province with no “following.” But I believe this verse is worth pausing on before we move on to Chapter 21. It is noteworthy because of the eternal principle, as true in ancient days as it is now. The desire for a following is a deceptive desire from a person’s human nature that the devil uses effectively. Like vicious wolves, False teachers distort God’s proper and sound way and lead people to shipwreck their lives - to eternal destruction. As Christian men and women, let us not desire a big name and a prominent position. It seems so trite that it need not be said. But look at the modern evangelical church. It is led by wannabe popes rather than humble servant leaders. False teachers desire

  Acts 20 - The Secret to Life Well, this is it; one of those many Bible passages that contain the secret to life. And it gives us a clear picture of how a Christian man ought to live, think, serve, and lead. Lord God, I thank you for how you modeled leadership and the example of your apostles. Notice the drive and determination of the disciples of Christ. Neither mob nor riot, not political or economic uproar or murderous plot by wicked men (v. 3) could stop Paul from encouraging the believers. I love how Paul gathers the believers together after the riotous debacle in Ephesus. That’s leadership. Gather the team and encourage them! Men:  we must be servant leaders. All the rage these days is talk about level-five leaders and transformational leaders. The secular world has figured out the biblical principle of servant leadership. But has the Church? We must mentor other men and not be afraid to travel, preach, heal the sick, work hard to support God’s people, and over

  Acts 19:19-41 Barcelona, Spain Well, as it turns out, the great goddess Artemis - of the Ephesians! - isn’t so great after all. She is one in a long line of false gods - man-made objects of affection, trust, pride, and worship. But this story isn’t about Artemis. She is long forgotten. It is more about the devil and our desires that entice and drag us away. These same passions, when brought to fruition, result in death (James 1:15). And it is a reminder that we too - 2,000 some-odd years later - live in a fragile world subject to the same human conditions and tempter. It is said that money is the root of all kinds of evil. That’s true. People are easily deceived. And our desire to accumulate wealth and power is immense. We see in this story how sneaky Demetrius was. He used the mob to get his way. The same tactic is prevalent today. Demetrius’ issue was lost demand for his evil product. Culture changes when people hear and understand the truth. And when they change

  Acts 19:13-22 A couple things. First, there is a Kingdom of God. Like it or not, realize it or not. We are not to be fixing our minds and endeavors as citizens of this world but as citizens of the Kingdom of God. We are children of the King. Argue persuasively for the Kingdom of God. Talk about our loving Saviour, King Jesus. Boast in the cross of Jesus Christ - the only way into the Kingdom. Second, we are in a spiritual battle. Act like it. Our gifts, abilities, and strengths come from our good, gracious, loving Holy Spirit. Act like it. Stop being weak, petty, judgemental, and focused on yourself and your deficits. Instead, focus on the Giver of all good gifts and know that the demons and evil spirits have no power over Him.  Cheerfully, soberly, fearfully, and sincerely honor the mighty name of Jesus Christ. Confess your bitterness, selfishness, and ‘woe is me’ sin. Burn anything that represents or leads you into that sin (v. 19). Value and practice holiness wi

  Acts 19:1-12 Books on Abe Lincoln - Washington, DC As soon as Paul got to Ephesus, he found believers. We, too, should seek out disciples - believers in Jesus Christ. Maybe they only have a mustard seed of faith - that’s perfect. We see in this passage that people need to learn - they need to be taught to repent of their sins and turn to God. But they also have to be taught that Jesus died for their sins and that if they believe in Jesus as Messiah, they will receive the Holy Spirit. Paul’s question to the 12 Ephesian men is excellent; why don’t we ask it more:  “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”  We have to believe in the One who came after John the Baptist. When we trust in Jesus for our salvation - not in our works - the Holy Spirit will come upon us. Holy Spirit, please come upon your people today, those who believe in you. Help us to ask the right questions and help us to disciple others today! God did a mighty work in Corinth. And here we see G