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Friday Devo

Scripture:

Acts 17
10 That very night the believers sent Paul and Silas to Berea. When they arrived there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. 11 And the people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul’s message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth. 12 As a result, many Jews believed, as did many of the prominent Greek women and men.

Commentary:

17:10 Berea. At least two inscriptions confirm a Jewish presence in Berea after the time of Paul.
17:11 Noble translates the Greek eugenēs, which originally meant “of noble birth” or “well born.” The word was also applied to people who exhibited noble behavior, in that they were open-minded, fair, and thoughtful. Thus Luke saw the Bereans as “more noble” in their receiving Paul’s message with all eagerness, and then in looking to the written words of the OT as their final authority, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. By commending this activity, Luke encourages this searching of the Scriptures as a pattern for all believers and also gives support to the doctrine of the clarity of Scripture, the idea that the Bible can be understood rightly, not only by scholars but also by ordinary people who read it eagerly and diligently, with conscious dependence on God for help.

Questions:

  • We must bow to the Lion. If we could only take the perspective of King David, who said in Psalm 16, "“You are my Master! Every good thing I have comes from you.” He also says that the lines God has drawn for him fall in pleasant places. This means God's rule for David, and for us, is GOOD! His rule over us is for our ultimate good and for His glory. In His presence there is "fullness of joy." Do you really believe this is true in your own life? Do God's boundaries seem restrictive or freeing?

  • The Bereans searched the Scriptures to test the Apostles' preaching, and they believed. They were convince by the evidence. The Christian faith is REASONABLE. There is so much evidence, inside and outside of the Bible, that Jesus rose from the dead. Read this quote Clayton shared from former atheist Lee Strobel after he was convinced that Jesus is Lord after years of trying to prove otherwise: “Yes, I had to take a step of faith, as we do in every decision we make in life. But here’s the crucial distinction: I was no longer trying to swim upstream against the strong current of evidence; instead I was choosing to go in the same direction that the torrent of facts was flowing. That was reasonable, that was rational, that was logical. What’s more, in an inner and inexplicable way, it was also what I sensed God’s Spirit was nudging me to do. So on November 8, 1981, I talked with God in a heartfelt and unedited prayer, admitting and turning from my wrongdoing, and receiving the gift of forgiveness and eternal life through Jesus. I told him that with his help I wanted to follow him and his ways from here on out. There were no lightning bolts, no audible replies, no tingly sensations. I know that some people feel a rush of emotion at such a moment; as for me, however, there was something else that was equally exhilarating: there was the rush of reason... The case for Christ is conclusive." What does it do for YOUR faith to know it's not blind and foolish? How much more do you want to live for Him and tell people about Him knowing it's all based on solid, reasonable evidence? 

Prayer Topics:

  • That you would trust God's goodness.
  • That you would remember your faith is based on reason and that it would be unshakeable. 

This Week's City 7:

Try to commit to memory! 

6. Is the Bible God’s Word? Jesus proved He is God by rising from the dead and said the Old Testament was God’s Word and gave authority to the Apostles to write the words of the New Testament, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, so that all the words of the Bible are God’s Word.
(Matthew 5:18; Luke 24:27, 44; John 14:25-26, 15:27, 16:12-13, 17:20; Acts 2:42; Ephesians 3:5; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:16-21)

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