King James Daily Bible Study Devotional
Message Title: Keep The Truth And Pass It On
Date: Tuesday November 15, 2011
Chapters: Acts 17-19
Click Here to Read Them or Go to: http://imfollowingjesus.com/bible-november-15

Hello My Friend,

“But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.” - I Corinthians 2:9-16.

Did you ever play the game pass it on? One person tells a story to another person and that person tells the story to another person and so on until it reaches the first person who told it. By the time the story gets to the first person it is completely different and has hardly any truth to it at all. How does that happen? When someone tells us something we only pick up bits and pieces of it so when we tell it to someone else we tell them only the things we remembered or thought we remembered, and by the time it reaches the person who told it, there is hardly any truth to it. It's not done intentionally, it's just our inability to comprehend a certain amount of information at one time. Well, now you can imagine how distorted the truths of the Bible have become over the centuries from person to person telling bits and pieces of the story that they have just heard? This was the challenge that Paul and Silas dealt with in Greece. By the time they got to a new town the unbelieving Jews were

already there causing havoc, the challenge was getting them to see the truth verses something they just heard about.

Paul challenges the Greeks and their worship of idols, false gods, and spirits, “And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few. But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people. And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also; Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus. And they troubled the people and the rulers of the city, when they heard these things...And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. ” - Acts 17:4-8,10.

The unbelieving Jews were angry, because the apostles preached to the Gentiles, how strange it is, that people would grudge others the privileges they will not themselves accept. We should never be afraid to approach someone with the Gospel, regardless of their race or religion, God is God of all and saves all who believe in His Son. “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many.” - I Corinthians 12:12-14.

Paul was led to preach to the people in Athens, this time he challenges the philosophers, “Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection. And they took him, and brought him unto Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is...Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious...God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;..Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device...And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter...Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.” - Acts 17:18,19,22,24,32,34.

The Epicureans entirely denied a providence, and held the world to be the effect of mere chance, asserting sensual pleasure to be man's chief good, and that the soul and body died together. Sound familiar? This is similar to evolution or atheism. The Stoics held, that matter was eternal and that all things were governed by irresistible fate, that virtue was its own sufficient reward, and vice its own sufficient punishment. This is similar to Buddhist beliefs. Paul knew that he was wasting his breath talking to the know-it-all's, his intention, through the Holy Spirit's guidance, was to open the door to the truth that some might listen, accept it and be saved. Anytime we preach the Gospel to unbelievers we at least open the door to give them the opportunity to know the truth. The rest is up to God and their willingness to accept it. “For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building. According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” - I Corinthians 3:9-11.

There are some people unknown to the truth that truly want to follow God, such as the case with many in Ephesus, “And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism. Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.” - Acts 19:1-6.

The Holy Spirit is who teaches us about God and His Word, without the Holy Spirit the Bible is just words in a book. He reveals things a little at a time so you can comprehend them rather than try to figure them all out in one reading. It's mind boggling every time someone says that they have read the Bible and know everything in it. One might know about Moses and David, but one can never know every thing that is contained in the Bible simply by reading it through once. Why? Learning God's Word slowly, day by day is the only way to comprehend it, keep the truth, and pass it on to others. Since the Holy Spirit is a spirit and God is the Spirit, that means that the only way to know God is through the Holy Spirit inside of you. Which by the way can only get inside of you through Jesus Christ. “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.” - Romans 8:9-11.

Today's Prayer:
Dear God,
Lord, when I gave my heart to You, I made the willful choice to no longer conform to the trends and philosophies of this world, but to seek Your truths so that I see this world and its philosophies through the eyes of Christ. We are put to the test daily in deciding what is truth and what is error. May Your Holy Word be our reference point and Your Holy Spirit be our Guide as we are exposed to countless philosophies based on human understanding and the basic principles of this world rather than Your eternal foundational truths. Sharpen our discernment and grant us the courage we need to readily know truth from error and are fearless in saying so. I ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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