Let your LOVE shine

                                 

Read:  Leviticus Leviticus 27:30 and Acts 23

 

S.O.A.P.

Scripture – Observation – Application – Prayer

 

S:  But on the night immediately following, the Lord stood at his side and said, “Take courage; for as you have solemnly witnessed to My cause at Jerusalem, so you must witness at Rome also.”  Acts 23:11

 

O:  In addition to this study I have been reading I John.  Today I was reading in chapter 2 and it talks there about loving each other and not blocking the Light of Christ from one another.  As I read the account of Paul in Acts 23 it occurs to me how these religious leaders were so full of arguments with one another.  How could anyone find God in all of their arguments?  They were blinded and as I John says and they were blocking the Light of Christ.  The Sadducees were arguing against the Pharisees and vice versa … the Pharisees were against the Samaritans and the rest of the Gentile world … Paul knew of their factions and he used that to his advantage and what I find almost humorous is that the barracks or prison were the safer place for him to be than in the council of his brothers!!  (see verse 10) 

 

The next thing I see in this passage is that in verse 11 the Lord tells Paul that everything is going to work out!  It’s going to be okay!  He gives Paul some blessed assurance!  But across town 40+ men were plotting Paul’s murder.  But GOD!  God uses Paul’s nephew and puts him in the right place at the right time to overhear the plot against Paul’s life.  His nephew takes the news to Paul to warn him and is cleared to see the captain who listens to his warning and prepares armies to get Paul out of town in accordance with God's will.

 

Paul is taken to Caesarea where he is locked up in King Herod’s quarters and that is where we leave him today ...

 

A:  1) To remember that the world is watching how we “use our religion”.  Are we using it to further our prejudices and hold on tightly to tradition or are we sharing Christ and loving one another?  2)  Remember as we have seen before that God’s got a plan and whether it looks like it or not from our perspective He has it all under control!

 

P:  Lord, I thank you that I can have courage that while things look a little messy that You are in control and You are working things out to further Your kingdom.  Help me to love like Christ and not to allow “religion” to be more important than loving others.  I pray today to LOVE WELL and SHINE BRIGHTLY for Your Name’s sake.  Through Christ I pray.  Amen & Amen.