Acts 20 - 8.17.26

Scripture

Acts 20:24

“However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.”

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Observation-What does it say?

Paul meets with the Ephesian Elders to say his “goodbyes” before he heads off to Jerusalem. He tells them that no matter the circumstances he was in, he didn’t shrink to tell them all that God wanted them to know. Paul is now going to be heading off to Jerusalem. He doesn’t know what awaits him there. But the Holy Spirit does tell him that jail and suffering awaits him in each city he will go to. Paul is not discouraged though. He knows that Jesus has given him a job to do and Paul will not be satisfied until he completes his task given to him by his Lord Jesus Christ. What was his task?.. To multiply Christ Followers everywhere by sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ and the wonderful grace of God!

Application

Live a life investing in building God’s Kingdom, rather than my own.

I am challenged by the way Jesus and Paul lived their lives. They put all their pride aside to fulfill God’s will. They both gave up life’s comforts in order to fulfill God’s will. They both were put through beatings, mockery, and jailings because of it and here I am scared to share His Word with people or sometimes pray in public because I’m afraid others may think I’m weird! So today’s devotion reminds me to think about what Jesus and Paul went through. I’m reminded of what my brothers and sisters in Christ are risking in other parts of the world just by ministering to others. I am reminded that there is no higher calling in life than Jesus’ calling. At the end of the day, when I see Jesus face to face, I know I will be held accountable for the time He has given me on earth, and how I used that time helping others and building His Kingdom.

Prayer

Father God,

I am humbled by the fact that You gave up everything for me. You came down from Your throne and left the comforts of Heaven. You lowered Yourself to become man, flesh and blood, in the form of Jesus Christ. You could have easily used Your kingship and power to rule over this earth, but You chose instead to live a servant’s life and die a sinner’s death. You didn’t have to because You lived a perfect, sinless life. But, You wanted to because of Your great love for me and for the people of this world. For that I am forever grateful. I know there is nothing I can ever do to pay You back. All I can do is to make sure Your story is told and Your love is shown wherever I go. Give me the courage and boldness to do that no matter what I face today. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. 🙏🏽 

-Moses Gaddi

Acts 17 - 8.14.26

SCRIPTURE:  ACTS 17:1 – 4

1 “When Paul and his companions had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. 2 As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and proving that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead. “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah,” he said. 4 Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few prominent women.”

OBSERVATION: This Scripture highlights a custom of Paul: going to the synagogue. I know it might not be anything new to think it was his “custom” to go to the synagogue. He is Jewish and you would think it’s common but his “custom” had a different meaning. Before his conversion to Christ on the road to Damascus, Saul (later named Paul) was a leader in the synagogue and specifically hunted new believers in the early church to bring them to religious justice and persecuting new believers.  According to Acts 8:3, it says “But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.” Paul had a heart for those in the synagogue. He was once in their shoes before his conversion. Although he reached many for Christ, Paul used his position as a synagogue leader to be on a specific mission: to specifically reach these people for Christ. The Synagogue was his part of his mission field. 

I also love the fact this Scripture includes that Paul, in his ministry to the people there, was able to bring others to Christ including “a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few prominent women.” Here’s a great example of how Paul took the salvation message to everyone – to the Jews first and also the Greek. How wonderful to see the Scripture also noting there were “prominent women” who joined Paul and Silas. Many think that women were relegated to only traditional roles in Biblical times, but this shows they were some that were probably businessowners, leaders, or in other “prominent” positions and they became followers of Christ.

APPLICATION:  Paul took his experience from the past, as a leader in the synagogue, to connect with those who needed to hear that Jesus is the Messiah. He obviously shared his faith elsewhere but I think because of his position and history within the synagogue, it was his extra special place to share Jesus’ saving message. Maybe you have a group of people that were once a part of your life, before finding Christ as your savior, that could be your special mission field. If not, there are plenty of people we encounter within our normal activities that could be a special mission field. Connecting with those around you, in your sphere of influence, or just someone you happen to meet along the way are all a special mission field.

Our church family has heard often how Jesus and others shared their faith “along the way” of life. He used everyday life to bring the message of salvation. I’m encouraged to do this but also, at times, feel inadequate. Sometimes it takes a quick prayer and just asking a question. This is how I shared Jesus with my 90 year old dad (that I had only met about 7 - 8 years ago - it’s a long story). He was in the hospital earlier this year and I just asked if he had every heard about the salvation message of Jesus. He said no and I was actually shocked he hadn’t heard. I shared about Jesus, how he came and died for our sins, how we need his forgiveness in order to get into heaven and more. I asked if he wanted to pray and ask Jesus into his heart and he said YES! We prayed together in his hospital room. I loaded the Bible app on his phone and encouraged him to read the Gospels. I’m not sure how much he read because he was in and out of the hospital for several more months. I am very thankful for that time we prayed together because he passed away last night (8/13/26). Although I’m sad and will miss him on this earth, I take comfort that he asked Jesus into his heart and I’ll see him again in Heaven.

PRAYER: Lord, give me your boldness and courage to step out and share your saving grace to all those I encounter. Forgive me Lord for letting fear of rejection or fumbling my words to keep me from not saying anything. My heart’s desire is to share your wonderful love, forgiveness and eternal life with everyone!  Lord, give me your eyes and ears to who needs to hear about your saving grace. Guide me in spreading your Gospel. In Jesus name…. amen!

- Mary Oberg

Acts 16 - 8.13.26

S: Acts 16:25 - 34

“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!” The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household.”

O: I absolutely love Acts 16. In the portion I’ve chosen from Acts 16, verses 25 to 34, we see Paul and Silas in prison. They have been brutally beaten and imprisoned for casting out a demon from a woman who was making profit for her slave owners from her fortune telling. They are imprisoned in the deepest confine of the prison and in the most violent way possible.  They are in their prison cell, in pain and in torture, and what do they do? They “pray and sing hymns,” 

to who? 

To GOD.

In a moment where they could be brainstorming how to get out of this situation, their hearts and their minds are on ministering to the Lord. Seeking His heart and worshipping Him in the confinement of their prison cell. Through this action, they were operating in freedom while in the midst of physical captivity.

Then, as they are praying and singing hymns to God - an earthquake erupts and all the prison gates fling open. This miracle of divine intervention, a “But, God moment” is what brings a prison guard to Jesus and changes the trajectory of how the prison guard lives his life. All of this, after Paul and Silas sing to God. Their situation was changed, a community of people experience a move of God, and salvation breaks through; all as a result of true and proper praise.

What were Paul and Silas singing? Unlike our belief that we can fall into that we need someone to lead us in worship, they had psalms and God’s character to sing and worship. There was no elevation worship to play on their phones to guide them in worship and there was no lyrics on a screen to read that helped them worship, but it is suggested that when Paul and Silas were sitting in that prison, they sang Psalms of trust and deliverance—songs that pointed them back to who God is in the midst of their suffering and trial.

And you have access to that same kind of worship. If you flip through the Psalms, you can worship God with the very same words that His people have used for generations. You can declare, “God, You are my refuge. You are faithful. You are near to the brokenhearted. You are my deliverer. You are good.”

But you can also sit with God, become aware of His presence, and worship Him in your own voice - in spirit and in truth. You can exalt His name by declaring what is true about His character, even when your circumstances don't feel good.

 In the depths of suffering, they sang hymns and prayers that blessed God and declared who He is. They did not focus on how to get out, but they instead focused on who was in the midst of the prison with them and sang to HIM. It was while others may have been brainstorming an exit plan, Paul and Silas focused on exaltation. Is this not what we are to do as well?  In the midst of suffering, in the midst of claustrophobic trials that feel like a prison, we must exalt the name Jesus. We must come back to true and proper worship, which is Christ being exalted.

What is on the other side of praise and exaltation of Jesus? True fixation on Him, worship of Him, singing of psalms and scripture over our situations? Intimacy with Jesus and deliverance.  On the other side of exaltation was not just personal deliverance for Paul and Silas, but the entire atmosphere of the prison shook and more than just their prison cell flung open. The way Paul and Silas respond to being imprisoned is with faith and assurance that God is within the prison cell with them and they begin to praise Him within the prison cell, the result is not just their deliverance but corporate deliverance and salvation.

What does this teach us? To worship Him. To exalt Him. To lift Him up.

A: This Sunday when worship is happening at church, intentionally bring yourself continually back to worship’s true calling - exaltation of the man and the name Jesus. During worship, have your bible open. As songs are sung, read and sing Psalms in your own voice - this is a powerful weapon to guard your heart and your mind in the midst of trials. Take after Paul and Silas and worship God and God alone in the midst of your situation and see how the atmosphere shifts, see how prison doors fling open when Christ is exalted and lifted up.

P: Jesus, my focus and worship is unto you. Bring me back to the heart of deliverance, you. Jesus bring me back to focus on you in the midst of my storms and my prison cells. Thank you for being the king of all kings and the compassionate father you are. I love you Lord, Amen.

- Tess Schrupp