SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 5/1/2018 7:31 AM
My Worship Time Focus: PT-1 Intro to Acts 17:1-15
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Acts 17:1-15
Message of the verses: “1 Now when they had traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. 2 And according to Paul’s custom, he went to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and giving evidence that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, "This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ." 4 And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large number of the God-fearing Greeks and a number of the leading women. 5 But the Jews, becoming jealous and taking along some wicked men from the market place, formed a mob and set the city in an uproar; and attacking the house of Jason, they were seeking to bring them out to the people. 6 When they did not find them, they began dragging Jason and some brethren before the city authorities, shouting, "These men who have upset the world have come here also; 7 and Jason has welcomed them, and they all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus." 8 They stirred up the crowd and the city authorities who heard these things. 9 And when they had received a pledge from Jason and the others, they released them.
10 The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11 Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. 12 Therefore many of them believed, along with a number of prominent Greek women and men. 13 But when the Jews of Thessalonica found out that the word of God had been proclaimed by Paul in Berea also, they came there as well, agitating and stirring up the crowds. 14 Then immediately the brethren sent Paul out to go as far as the sea; and Silas and Timothy remained there. 15 Now those who escorted Paul brought him as far as Athens; and receiving a command for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible, they left.”
John MacArthur takes the title of this chapter from verse six “Men Who Turned the World Upside Down.” The world has not always been upside down, for after God had made it in six days, and on the sixth day He proclaimed that it was “very good.” It was not until man sinned and Satan usurped it from man, which caused God to curse the earth did things get turned upside down. However it will not remain that way forever as we have studied in the past that Jesus Christ will return to planet earth as seen in Revelation 19:11-21 and take back control of not only the earth but also the universe, and the world will once again be right side up as Christ rules from Jerusalem for 1000 years. We have also learned that according to 2 Peter 3:10-3 that after the 1000 year kingdom is over that God will un-create the earth and the universe. Peter goes into detail as to how this will happen by using a Greek word, stoicheion stoy-khi’-on, which is translated “element” in the NASB. The word means basic building block and I believe that this word is referring to the atom as it is the basic building block of our universe. Actually no one knows how the atom is held together, but when God is ready to take this universe apart He will lose the atoms and as Peter tells us that “the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up 2 Peter 3:10.”
God is not just standing idly by until this happens as He
is actively involved throughout redemptive history as He has sent His
messengers to proclaim the light of His truth to the lost, sin-darkened
world. When these messengers of the Lord
come into teach about the light it upsets the world system in which we live
in. I can remember that when I was a
child that it was popular by most people in our country to attend church and
church activities, but that has all changed as the enemy has a stronger grip on
our country and even Christians are being persecuted, (not physically yet by in
other ways), and it will probably continue to get worse.
John MacArthur gives an example of what we are talking
about as he tells the story of Elijah which comes from 1 Kings. Times were difficult at the time of Elijah
who ministered in the Northern Kingdom of Israel and God sent a famine onto the
land by not allowing it to rain for three years. King Ahab was looking for Elijah to kill him,
however Elijah went to the king and told him that it was about to rain
again. Elijah had a task to do, and that
task involved getting rid of the prophets of Baal which he did as seen in 1
Kings. God always has His messengers to
tell people about the light including people like Elijah in the OT and the
missionary crew of Paul and Silas, along with Timothy in the NT which we are
following as they move along in their second missionary trip. Troubles seem to follow them as they go
against the grain of this world system, and yet God is faithful in using them
to tell others about Christ and see the Spirit of God bring redemption to many
from the towns they are visiting.
In our next SD we will look at other examples from the
Bible as we read of more troublesome men who are intent on going against God.
Spiritual meaning
for my life today: Even though
things are getting harder in our country and around the world I believe and
always will believe that there is only one way to get to heaven and live
eternally with our Lord.
My Steps of Faith for Today: I trust that the Lord will continue to use my
Spiritual Diaries to tell others of how they too can spend eternity with our
Lord.
Answer to yesterday’s Bible
question: “Samuel and Ezra.”
Today’s Bible
question: “On what day did God create
man?”
Answer in our next SD.
5/1/2018 8:10 AM
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