Daily Reading

Acts20:1-38; Psalms 56:1-13; Proverbs 11:8

So Paul continues to travel, preaching the Good News in every town he comes to, leaving when the threat to his life becomes to severe. Then we read about a long sermon & a young man who falls asleep & out of a window. Paul raises him from the dead. Many jokes have been made about long-winded sermons here, but the real point is the power of God.

Also notice the pronoun "we" is being used quite a bit. This indicates that the author of Acts, Luke, was present at these events. He traveled with Paul and witnessed all sorts of miracles and teachings.

Our reading today ends with Paul in Ephesus. He tells the congregation there that this is his final visit. He reminds them of his example and asks them to follow it. What was Paul's example? He declared the Good News, he worked hard, and he focused on giving rather than receiving. Good models to follow.

He also warns them to be ware of false teachers and prophets who will try to destroy the church. We need to be on the lookout ourselves for false teachers & false teachings. That is why it is so important to read your Bible. That way you can match up the teachings you hear with the true Word of God. A good example is the teaching that the world was going to end on May 21, 2011. Obviously it didn't happen, but the preacher who made this prophecy now states that he got the dates mixed up and the end of the world is now October 21, 2011. Well, we know from the word that "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone." Matthew 24:36. It also says in Deuteronomy 18:22 that "when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not come about or come true, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him." Basically, he no longer speaks for the Lord. So, by knowing the Word, we can judge the words of a preacher as valid or invalid.

Are you feeling down in the dumps? Having trouble with a certain person or group of people? Read Psalm 56. It puts the focus back on God & away from mere man.