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We had a little fun with today’s video. Enjoy!

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This is a video post, for my e-mail subscribers who can’t see the video, click here.

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This is a video post. For my e-mail subscribers who can’t see the video, click here.

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Acts 23-24 (ESV) by Wordle*

Today’s reading is Acts 23:1-24:27.

“But this I confess to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, I worship the God of our fathers believing everything laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets, having a hope in God, which these men themselves accept, that there will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust” (Acts 24:14-15).

Paul believed the Law and the Prophets. Because he believed, he had hope in the resurrection. Because he had hope in the resurrection, he worshiped. Why do I worship? Is it a checklist item? Is it to impress God? Is it because I think it is commanded? Or is it because I have faith and hope?

God is bringing a resurrection. This life is not just about this life, but about the next. God is preparing a way for us to enter to the next with Him. For that, we honor and praise and worship Him. Praise God for His plan.

Why do you worship God?

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading? You can add your input by clicking here.

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*Today’s illustration was generated by the creative tool at Wordle.net. You can find all my wordles here.

Acts 21-22 (ESV) by Wordle*

Today’s reading is Acts 21:1-22:30.

“Then Paul answered ‘What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God’” (Acts 21:13).

There’s a challenge for us. Are we ready to die for Jesus? Are we ready to carry the message of the gospel to someone and they kill us for it? I like to think yes. But then I have to ask, am I ready to be hated, disliked, rejected for Jesus? Am I ready to be thought a fool for Jesus? Am I ready to be made fun of for Jesus? Am I ready to be given sidelong glances for Jesus? Am I ready to be given the cold-shoulder for Jesus? Am I ready to be avoided for Jesus?

Am I ready to put forth the time, effort, and money it takes to go to others with the gospel of the grace of God? Am I ready to give up a night with my family? Am I ready to give up my favorite tv show? Am I ready to give up the football game? Am I ready to give up some of my gadgets? Am I ready to give up some of my retirement investments?

Hmmm. Maybe I need to think a little harder before I think I’m ready to be imprisoned or die for the name of the Lord Jesus.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading? You can add your input by clicking here.

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*Today’s illustration was generated by the creative tool at Wordle.net. You can find all my wordles here.

Acts 11-12 (ESV) by Wordle*

Today’s reading is Acts 11:1-12:25.

“And when he knocked at the door of the gateway, a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer. Recognizing Peter’s voice, in her joy she did not open the gate but ran in and reported that Peter was standing at the gate. They said to her, ‘You are out of your mind.’ But she kept insisting that it was so, and they kept saying, ‘It is his angel!’ But peter continued knocking, and when they opened, they saw him and were amazed” (Acts 12:13-16).

I don’t think, as some do, that these people lacked faith in God’s ability to grant their requests for Peter’s freedom. Rather, I believe they simply placed God in a box. If He would release Peter, it would be by something like getting Herod to change his mind and deciding to set him free. It simply didn’t occur to them that God would defy natural order and let Peter walk through locked gates and walls to escape under the very nose of Herod.

The point then is not to pray with faith, though that is necessary. The point is to never assume God will say, “Yes,” the way we expect. Don’t put God in a box. Take your requests to Him and let Him answer the way He wants. He will amaze you.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading? You can add your input by clicking here.

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*Today’s illustration was generated by the creative tool at Wordle.net. You can find all my wordles here.

Acts 9-10 (ESV) by Wordle*

Today’s reading is Acts 9:1-10:48.

“Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, ‘Ananias.’ And he said, ‘Here I am, Lord.’ And the lord said to him, ‘Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying…’” (Acts 9:10-11).

Jesus could have saved Paul on the road to Damascus all by Himself. He could have either simply declared Paul saved if he wanted or could have told Paul what He wanted him to do to be saved. He didn’t need Ananias to do this. But, Jesus wanted to use Ananias.

While Jesus could do all of His work all by Himself, He has chosen to use us. He wants you and me to be part of His plan. He wants us as a working part of the team. That means Jesus thinks we can accomplish something worthwhile. He has faith in us. He simply wants us to step up to the plate.

I need to do that today. What work can I do for Jesus today? He wants me on His team. He wants to put me up at bat. That is amazing.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading? You can add your input by clicking here.

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*Today’s illustration was generated by the creative tool at Wordle.net. You can find all my wordles here.

Acts 7-8 (ESV) by Wordle*

Today’s reading is Acts 7:1-8:40.

“And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, ‘See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?’ …And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him” (Acts 8:36, 38).

Obviously, preaching Christ to the eunuch included preaching baptism in the name of Christ. The eunuch himself saw water and wanted to know if anything prevented him from participating. Today, this seems like an odd question. What could possibly prevent a man from being baptized in the name of Jesus. But for the eunuch, this was an obvious question. As a proselyted Jew who had been made a eunuch in a foreign court, he had learned that he was a “second-class” Jew (for lack of a better term). He was prevented from full access to the congregation of the Jews (cf. Deuteronomy 23:1). Would it be the same for being part of the congregation of Christ? Was he prevented by what his queen had done to him?

Praise the Lord! The answer was nothing to prevent him. There are no second-class citizens in Christ’s kingdom. Everyone has full access to Christ and to the throne of God through Christ.

That was good news for the eunuch and great news for us. None of us are second-class citizens. We can all be baptized into Christ and into His congregation and kingdom. Nothing prevents us, except possibly us. If you want to be in Christ, you can get there today. Just do what the eunuch did; be baptized into Christ. (If you need help with this, just hit the “contact” link at the top left of the page and let me know.)

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS: What struck you in today’s reading? You can add your input by clicking here.

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*Today’s illustration was generated by the creative tool at Wordle.net. You can find all my wordles here.

Acts 3-4 (ESV) by Wordle*

Today’s reading is Acts 3:1-4:37.

“Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and one soul, and no one said that any of the thing that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common” (Acts 4:32).

I’m not alone. I have a fellowship on which I can rely. What are my needs? I can turn to my brethren and lay them out. God will provide through them. Is my need material? We can help each other. Is my need spiritual? We can rely on each other. Is my need emotional? We can rejoice and weep with each other.

Only when I share my neediness and rely on the fellowship of God’s people are my needs met. I need to quit waiting around for someone to read my mind and heart. Instead, I need to partake in the fellowship of God’s family. I need to reach out and let someone know what is going on. Then I find the help that I need.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading? You can give your input by clicking here.

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*Today’s illustration was generated by the creative tool at Wordle.net. You can find all my wordles here.