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October 19 - Evening
" When we arrived at Jerusalem, the brothers and sisters received us warmly. The next day Paul and
the rest of us went to see James, and all the elders were present. Paul greeted them and reported
in detail what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.
When they heard this, they praised God.
Then they said to Paul:
'You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews
have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law. They have been informed that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or live according to our customs. What shall we do?
They will certainly hear that you have come, so do
what we tell you. There are four men with us who
have made a vow. Take these men, join in their purification rites and pay their expenses, so that
they can have their heads shaved. Then everyone will know there is no truth in these reports about you, but that you yourself are living in obedience to the law.' "
- Acts 21:17-24 |
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| Paul Delivers Financial Support to Jerusalem Christians |
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Paul arrived in Jerusalem in 57 AD. Paul and Luke, along with the seven representatives (Sopater, Aristarchus, Secundus, Gaius, Timothy, Tychicus and Trophimus in Acts 20:4) from the churches (Berea, Thessalonica, Derbe, Asia) that provided money for the offering to the believers in Jerusalem met with James (Jesus’ brother) and the elders of the Jerusalem church.
Paul and his eight Gentile friends share with the Pastor James and the Jewish elders in the Jerusalem church the great things God is doing among the Gentiles who accept the message of Jesus. These Gentile believers have brought a substantial financial gift to help relieve the financial poverty the Jewish believers have had to endure due to their being rejected by Jewish society for having accepted Jesus as the Messiah (1 Cor. 16:1-4; 2 Cor. 8:1-9:5; Romans 15:25-28, 31).
Imagine these eight uncircumcised Gentile men (the seven mentioned above plus Luke) testifying
in front of the leadership of the original Jerusalem church about the Messiah Jesus, the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives, and, then, handing them a large sum of money collected from Gentiles
from Greece and Asia in order to help the Jerusalem believers!
The response of the leaders of the Jerusalem church is to point out to Paul that his behavior has convinced many of the Jews that Paul had abandoned the Law of Moses and was encouraging other Jews to do so also. The Jewish leaders advised Paul to take a vow, go to the Temple Mount and make an offering to help squelch these rumors. Paul followed their advice, the Jews start a riot and Paul spends the next five years in prison…57-59 in a prison in Caesarea and 60-62 in a Roman prison. And, Paul never sees Jerusalem again. |
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"The golden rule for understanding in spiritual matters is not intellect,
but obedience."
- Oswald Chambers
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| Sometimes young people live as if they were in their final moments of life, rather than at the beginning preparing for it. |
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Rhizoo (Gr) - Rooted (Eng) - the Greek word rhizoo means "rooted, strengthened with roots." Rhizoo is used to express the image of being constant and firmly established such as the foot
of a mountain. Ephesians 3:17 says we are to be rooted in love. So, while the Word of God
is the seed that grows, we now know love is the soil in which that seed will grow. (Remember
the sower sows the seed in soil that produced 30, 60 and 100 fold? The seed, was always
the same, what varied was the soil, or the love.) |
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Antiquity did not have an atheistic philosophy like the modern western world deals with. Atheism is a recent philosophy and is merely
a passing fad when considered with world
history in perspective. |
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Do I study and understand the Word of God? This is the seed for spiritual growth.
Do I live a life of love or selflessness? This is the soil where the roots of truth grow deep and rich.
I will know and understand Truth. I will love and consider others before myself.
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"Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise." - Proverbs 19:20 |
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| Discernment concerning truth and deception |
Revival |
Religious Liberty |
Saudi Arabia - very poor record of religious freedom and human rights |
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Water is still found under the vaulted rooms that supported the Byzantine church which was built over the northern pool around 350. It was destroyed in approximately 614.
The area of the Pools of Bethesda has always had a source of water.
In the days of the Old Testament, the area was outside the city of Jerusalem to the north. It had a large pool that shepherds used and was called the Sheep Pool. The gate on the north side of Jerusalem was thus called the Sheep Gate. In the 700’s BC a dam was built to turn the spring into a reservoir that would collect rain water which could then be channeled into
the city. The area was associated with sheep, sacrifice, and the Temple because of its proximity to the Temple.
The Hasmoneans added a second pool on the south side of the dam and covered the channel to improve water quality. This site was uncovered
in 1888 by K. Schick, but it had been known about since the days of the Byzantines and Crusaders, as evidenced by the remains of the church
that was built over it. No ancient Jewish writers refer to this pool, although Josephus did write of the Pool of the Sheep-market. Some early Christian writers recorded a spring of water here that flowed with a red, ruddy color
that some people have tried to associate with the blood of the Temple sacrifices. The spring that feeds the pools has been located,
and water still collects in the lower areas.
(click on image for larger size) |
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| Details and Explanation of Sets & Reps Devotional System Here |
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| Reps & Sets is a daily Bible devotional for Christians from Generation Word Bible Teaching used each morning and evening. |
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