Day 178 Bible Readings – Acts 17: 26-28 (ESV)

1 Kings 18-19, Acts 17: 22-34, Acts 18: 1-8, Psalm 103: 13-22

Acts 17: 26-28 (ESV)

“And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, for ‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are indeed his offspring.’”

In verses 26 through 28, Paul preached to people of Athens telling them that Father-God created us because we are all descendants of Adam. Father-God also is ruler over all things and has plans for all nations and its people. Father-God is not a distant god of stone, silver or gold. Father-God is near to each of us and invites us to search and find him. Paul emphasizes that Father-God is not far from each of us, because he made us and we are his offspring. Paul tells us that we live and move in Father-God. If we can really understand as Paul has said that we are Father-God’s children, then our whole identity will revolve around how we connect to our Father-God, how we praise him, and how we are solely dependent on him for all our needs. If we live and move and have our being in Father-God, then we also know that his presence is not inside a specific location. Father-God is near and within us because he is the one true god. The hardest thing to grok, at least for me, is knowing that I am a child of Father-God and that I can be dependent on him for all my needs. I was taught that when I grew up, I would be independent from my parents and responsible for my own decisions. I couldn’t rely on anyone but myself and any family I might have. But as a follower of Jesus Christ, I’ve learned that I am not alone. Father-God is my spiritual parent, and I can rely on him and the Holy Spirit for all my needs, because Father-God is sovereign over all things.

If you enjoyed reading my thoughts on these Bible verses, find yourself a Holy Spirit filled, full Gospel, Bible-based church where you can hear the word of God preached and learn what it truly means to be a child of Father-God.

Day 177 Bible Readings – Psalm 103: 2-5 (ESV)

1 Kings 16-17, Acts 17: 1-21, Psalm 103: 1-12

Psalm 103: 2-5 (ESV)

“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.”

In verses 2 through 5 from Psalm 103, David the writer of this psalm tells us we must not forget all the benefits that Father-God gave to his people. Father God forgives all our sins, and he heals all our diseases. We can pray to Father-God to heal in natural and miraculous ways, whether they are spiritual or physical. Father-God also rescues us spiritual death or despair. Father-God also blesses us with steadfast love and mercy. Father-God also brings satisfaction and goodness to our lives, and this satisfaction becomes a source of strength and energy. From the Lord, we have his provision and generosity for all good things spiritual and physical. And finally, Father-God ensures that we have the power of self-renewal so that we have the vitality and strength of our youth.

I wrote these verses down on a notecard so I can say them when I need to praise and bless Father-God, or when I have doubts about the benefits I receive daily because of my belief in Father-God, his son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. The blessings of Father-God are everything I need to truly lead a satisfying and long life.

If you enjoying reading my thoughts about these verses, find yourself a full Gospel, Holy Spirit filled, Bible-based church where you can hear the word of Father-God and praise and remember all the benefits that come from being a follower of Jesus Christ.

Day 176 Bible Readings – Acts 16: 25-26 (ESV)

1 Kings 14: 21-3, 1 Kings 15, Acts 16: 16-40, Psalm 102 18-28

Acts 16: 25-26 (ESV)

“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's bonds were unfastened.”

In verses 25 and 26 from Acts 16, we see example of Father-God’s supernatural power when we pray and praise him when we are in a difficult situation. Paul and Silas were beaten with rods, thrown into prison with their feet in stocks in Philippi after they cast a demon out of a slave girl. Instead of feeling sorry for themselves and being depressed, Paul and Silas started praying and praising the Lord by singing hymns. They were not praying and singing quietly either in desperation either. They were praying and singing so loudly that everyone in the inner prison could hear them. Father-God heard their praying and praises and sent an earthquake which shook the foundations of the prison and caused the prison doors to open. The bonds and shackles of every prisoner also opened miraculously. I love this immediate demonstration of Father-God’s response to Paul and Silas praying and singing hymns of praise even though they had been beaten severely and their feet were chained in stocks in a prison. If we can follow the example of Paul and Silas praying and singing hymns to the Lord loudly and with joy even in our most desperate and lowest of circumstances, Father-God will respond to us. I have heard so many stories from friends about the love they felt from Father-God when they were at their wit’s end and the deepest of depressions and remembered to pray and praise the Lord. When I was in a deep depression, I felt the supernatural love of Father-God reach down to me to like a hand to pull me out of the deep and dark hole after I started praying and worshiping him. That waves of supernatural love from Father-God surrounded me and tears of joy replaced my tears of agony. If you find yourself in a moment or a season of difficult circumstances, remember to pray and praise the Lord and you too will feel the supernatural love from Father-God surrounding you and other miracles as well.

If you enjoyed reading about my thoughts about these Bible verses, find yourself a Holy Spirit filled, full Gospel, Bible-based church where you learn and hear about the word of God and learn to pray and praise God even in a moment or a season of desperate circumstances.

Day 175 Bible Readings – Acts 16: 6-7 (ESV)

1 Kings 12: 25-33, 1 Kings 13, 1 Kings 14: 1-20, Acts 16: 1-15, Psalm 102: 12-17

Acts 16: 6-7 (ESV)

“And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them.”

Verses 6 and 7 from Acts 16 show the Holy Spirit guiding Paul and Timothy in their mission work. Paul always consulted with the Holy Spirit in his mission work and if a door was closed to him, he just went in a different direction. These verses show us that Father-God has a strategic and divine plan, and if we follow it, we will have our victories. Paul would later return to Asia, which in Biblical times was western Turkey, and establish the church in Ephesus. Paul was always supposed to establish a church in Asia, but it wasn’t the right time. As believers in Jesus Christ, we must always be open to changes in our plans and be willing to adapt to where the Holy Spirit is guiding us. We might not understand the guidance and it might not make sense at the time, but we must trust that the guidance we receive from the Holy Spirit. Before I moved to my current location, my plan was to move a year earlier than I did and to have a job waiting for me. But the guidance I kept getting from the Holy Spirit was that it wasn’t time. The job search did not produce any results and during that year, I was promoted and ended up receiving a substantial bonus. That bonus allowed me to move without a job and gave me the time to search for a new job. Had I not followed and trusted in the guidance of the Holy Spirit; I know my move would have been more financially stressful.  

If you enjoyed reading my thoughts about these Bible verses, find yourself a Holy Spirit filled and Bible based church where you hear the full gospel preached and learn to deepen your trust in the Holy Spirit and Father-God’s divine plan for your life.