Day 168 Bible Readings – Acts: 12: 1-2 (ESV)

1 Kings 2: 11-46, 1 Kings 3: 1-15, Acts 11: 19-30, Acts 12: 1-19, Psalm 90: 1-10

Acts: 12: 1-2 (ESV)

“About that time Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church. He killed James the brother of John with the sword,”

Verse 1 and 2 describe Herod killing James, who was a disciple and brother of John. He was the first of Christ’s 12 disciples to be killed, but he would not be the last. All the disciples except for John died violent deaths for their beliefs and for preaching about Christ. Because of the TV show “The Chosen”, I’ve gotten to know the disciple Jakes. James and his brother John were close to Jesus. They were also witnesses to many miracles he performed that other disciples did not see. Many biblical scholars have made the case that James was part of inner circle of Christ.

But Jesus did tell the 12 disciples that they would follow him in his path, but they never believed him. It makes me wonder if the death of James made them fully realize what Jesus had been warning them about and what it would mean for their lives. Even if they did realize that they too would one day die of a violent death, the disciples kept talking about the words of Christ. They did not stop preaching.

Day 167 Bible Readings - Acts 10: 44-46 (ESV)

Day 167 Bible readings are for June 17. 

1 Kings 1, 1 Kings 2: 1-12, Acts 10: 24-48, Acts 11: 1-18, Psalm 89: 46-52

Acts 10: 44-46 (ESV)

“While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles. For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God.”

Verses 44 through 46 from Acts 10 shows Peter baptizing Cornelius and his friends with the Holy Spirit, and the gifts of the spirit coming to them where they end up speaking in tongues. I always thought that speaking in tongues was a gift of the spirit, and that not everyone would be able to do it. But two kindly women who sat next to me at church on Sunday corrected me and told me that “speaking in tongues” was not a gift but something that all believers can do if they truly believed they were baptized with the Holy Spirit.

I had never heard “speaking in tongues” explained to me in that way and their words resonated with me. When I told the two women what I thought, they spontaneously started praying and laying their hands of me for me to “speak in tongues.”  I have been praying to God to speak in tongues for months, but nothing ever came out so I didn’t think I had this “spiritual gift.” I couldn’t do it while they were praying, but I promised them I would try when the Holy Spirit moved me. I later tried and words came out of my mouth that were strange and I had no idea what I was saying, But Holy Spirit assured me I was indeed speaking in tongues. Then Monday I received the message from Holy Spirit that as long as I prayed with intention, then it didn’t matter if I didn’t understand “the speaking in tongues” part of my prayer. God understands what the strange words mean. The two women did mention to me that interpreting what words mean when you “speak in tongues” is a spiritual gift, which I may or may not have. So Holy Spirit confirmed what the two women told me. I may never understand what I am saying when I speak in tongues, but God will always understand me.

Speaking in tongues feels so strange, but I know I feel this way because I am so used to understanding what I am saying. I need to have faith that whatever is coming out of my mouth, God understands exactly what I am saying.

Day 166 Bible Readings - Acts 10: 3-6 (ESV)

2 Samuel 23: 8-39, 2 Samuel 24, Acts 9: 32-43, Acts 10: 1-23, Psalm 89: 38-45

Acts 10: 3-6 (ESV)

“About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God come in and say to him, “Cornelius.” And he stared at him in terror and said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God. And now send men to Joppa and bring one Simon who is called Peter. He is lodging with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea.”

Verses 3 through 6 from Acts 10 describes how a centurion named Cornelius heard the word of God. Cornelius worshipped the God of Israel even though he wasn’t Jewish. I love how in these verses we see God reaching out to the non-Jewish people who believed in him. The message of Christ was not only for the Hebrews but also for the Gentiles.

I can imagine God looking into the future and trying to determine how to best spread the faith. Jesus always said that his message was for everyone, and not just for his own people. It was the Gentiles who spread the words of Jesus all over the world. And I love how it started with a Roman named Cornelius because I believe it is a synch-wink from God to tell us that one day the vicar of Christ would live in Rome, and Rome would become the center of Christendom.

Day 165 Bible Readings – Acts 9: 3-9 (ESV)

2 Samuel 22, 2 Samuel 23: 1-7, Acts 9: 1-31, Psalm 89: 30-37

Acts 9: 3-9 (ESV)

“Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.”

Verses 3 through 9 from Acts 9 recounts the story of Saul being confronted by Christ on the road to Damascus. It must have been a frightening experience for Saul when he heard the voice saying it was Jesus, since he was persecuting followers of Christ. Saul might have dismissed it as a hallucination because no one saw or heard the voice of Christ except him, but then he had physical evidence of what happened by his blindness. I’ve always wondered why Saul didn’t ask for a doctor right away for his blindness. Perhaps he did, but it is not recorded in Acts 9. I like the symmetry of Paul not eating for three (3) days as a kind of death, like Jesus staying in the tomb for three (3) days before his resurrection. Paul had three (3) days to think about what was happening to him, and if it was really Christ who had spoken to him.

Since Paul had been a persecutor of Jesus’ followers, he needed a “supernatural” experience for his conversion. I remember a therapist telling me that some people can get a revelation through reading a greeting card; that was not Paul’s way. He needed something more. Faith has always been a part of my life, and I often wonder how my conversion experience would have happened. I think that God appears in someone’s life when they need to be converted in whatever way is needed for that person to believe in him. Whatever way it happens, the effect afterwards will be the same. We will be eager to experience more of God.