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A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold is as pictures of silver.(Prov.25:11) It is so important to speak the right words to people at the right time to produce the right results. When you think of apples of gold in pictures of silver, then you are thinking of wealth and excellence. When we speak wisdom into the lives of others we are making them wealthy. Therefore we must seek God for He is the source of all wisdom and He will give us just the right words needed at the right time.
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#And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more. Acts 20:25
Paul is giving his swan song to them when he used the Greek word: optanomai which means look, perceive, be sure, understand that ye all among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more. The Greek word: skopeo means watching from a distance. And the people are very sad at the revelation of this fact, but God uses Paul to advance the kingdom through all the trials that he suffered. The Greek word for preaching is kerysso, which means to herald especially divine truth and publish it. This is what Paul does as he authors fourteen books of the New Testament if you attribute Hebrews to him. What a blessing this has been to the church and we are all better Christians because of how the Lord used Paul to publish the divine truth of the kingdom of God. The Greek word for face is prosopon, which means countenance, fashion, person, and presence. So this is what they enjoyed more seeing his face among them and now knowing that he will not be there with them in person. This is why we must enjoy the presence of our loved ones every day for we never know when the Lord will take them from us, as he did with Paul. Tell your loved ones how much you appreciate them and thank God for giving you the time with them. The poem goes: one life to live, and will soon be past, Only what is done for Christ will last.
#But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, that I may testify to the gospel of the grace of God. Acts 20:24
The Greek word for finish: is teleios which means to complete, accomplish, consecrate to bring to a perfect end. That is what the Lord Jesus said on the cross when He had finished the work that the Father had given Him to do. So it is with Paul when he said none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy. The Greek word for joy: is chairo which means with cheerfulness, i.e. calm delight or an exceeding fulness of joy. For Paul delighted in finishing the ministry which he received of the Lord Jesus on that Damascus road, as well as to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. What a blessing this is to finish the work the Lord Jesus has given us to do. I pray for those of you out there who are caught between two opinions: serve God only and finish the work of the grace of God. Leave this world behind for all those things of this world will perish, but he that does the will of the Father shall abide forever.
#Save that the Holy Spirit witnesseth in every city, saying bonds and afflictions abide me. Acts 20:23
The Greek word for Holy is hagios which means sacred most holy one and Paul has been told by the Holy Spirit that in every city bonds and afflictions abide him there. The Greek word for witnesseth is: diamartyromal, which means to affirm solemnly. As Paul writes in II Tim. 3:12 all those who live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. The Greek word for bonds is: desmos, which means shackle, figuratively an impediment or disability. This is exactly what happened to Paul as in II Cor. 12 he writes about the thorn in the flesh that was given to him, a messenger of Satan to buffet him lest he should be exalted above measure. So he prays three times for the Lord to take it away, but Jesus said: My grace is sufficient for thee, My strength is made perfect in your weakness. I thank God that I too have learned to rejoice in the grace of God in my disability. Mental Illness is not looked upon as a Christian impediment, but it is and we have to cry out to the Lord for more grace to keep us from those voices that are trying to destroy our testimony in the Lord Jesus Christ. Just as Paul learned to boast in his weakness that the power of Christ would be upon him, we too must do the same.
#And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there: Acts 20:22
The Greek word for spirit is pneuma which is the mental disposition as Paul's disposition makes him bound in the spirit to go to Jerusalem not knowing what shall befall him there: The Greek word optanomai means be aware, behold, consider. This is what the Holy Spirit had warned Paul that he needed to beware of what would befall him in Jerusalem. And Paul is telling us that trouble is coming, but understand God will provide for us in every area of life. Where ever the spirit tells us to go the grace of God provides for us. Therefore perceive that the will of God moves on you to go in the way that the Lord tells you to go. Paul wanted to go to Jerusalem and observe Pentecost. Yet he was knowledgeable about the suffering that was going to come on him for doing the will of God. I thank God that He gives us the grace to go every place the spirit leads us. So do not worry just like Paul did not worry he just did the will of God and he was taken care of knowing trials would come his way. The Greek word for behold: is eido which is used as an imperative meaning he was determined to do the will of God. That is the same thing we must do when we behold the will of God telling us what to do. The Lord gives us the wherewithal to go and do everything He commands us to do. So give God the glory and tell the story of how He gave you the grace to get over whatever cares come your way.
#Serving the Lord with all humility of mind and with many tears and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews: Acts 20:19
The Greek word for temptation: is peirazo which means an experiment or a trial. The Greek word for lying in wait: is epiboule, which is a compound word that means a plan against someone. This is how the Jews plotted against Paul to try to stop him from preaching the gospel. Yet God used the temptation and lying in wait of the Jews for the furtherance of the gospel. We will need to do the same house-to-house preaching of the gospel as many people do not go to church gatherings for fear of catching Covid-19 so we have to let them know we are serious about advancing the cause of the Lord Jesus Christ. We do this by preaching repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. So do not be discouraged by the lying in wait and temptations of the devil, for we are more than conquerors in the Lord Jesus Christ who leads us always in triumphant victories.
#And when they have come to him, he said unto them, Ye know from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all season, Acts 20:18
Paul had tarried at Trogullium, a place in Asia Minor, a place in Ionia. It was the name of a town and promontory of Ionia, and there he had meditated on their journey through Chios, an island in the Aegean Sea, and Samos, how the Lord had delivered them through many perils from the first day that he came into Asia. God is good and faithful in all seasons and we can trust him in this period of climate change to see us through these perils too. May we trust in the Lord at all times and give Him the glory for leading us in triumphant victories in the Lord Jesus Christ everywhere. Let us continue to pray that Congress will act on all the gun violence and mental health disorders with the Red Flag laws.
#For Paul had determined to sail by Ephesus because he would not spend time in Asia: for he hasted if it were possible for him to be at Jerusalem the day of Pentecost. And from Miletus, he sent to Ephesus and called the elders of the Church. Acts 20:16,17
Paul had considered the trials he suffered at Ephesus and had determined to sail by Ephesus because he would not want to spend time in Asia: so he hasted to be at Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost. How beautiful it is when brothers dwell together in unity, so he decided to call from Miletus for the elders of the Church. This was common for the bishops or no otherwise different from the rector of a parish and his curates. Pentecost is very important to commemorate as it was the birth of the Church and Paul wanted to glorify God for establishing the churches in Ephesus. Pentecost was therefore the greatest concourse of the people. We need to get back to that today as the churches seem to celebrate everything but Pentecost now and God must be glorified in the Church by our coming together by the power of the Holy Spirit.
#And we went before to ship, and sailed unto Assos, there intending to take Paul: for so had he appointed, minding himself to go afoot. Acts 20:13
So Paul decides to go afoot to Assos, from Troas round Cape Lectum, which would have been over forty miles. Paul was loved by his brethren and they wanted to take him with them, but he decided to walk the vast ruins of the seaport of Assos. This shows us the determination of Paul to do the will of God. We can learn much from Paul as we have cars, trains, and planes, yet we fail to make our missionary journeys. I pray the Lord will give me the spirit to travel as I have been invited to preach the gospel in India, and I have yet not made the trip due to the pandemic. May the Lord open a door through the Internet that maybe some way at home virtually I will be able to preach this gospel. The Great I Am has promised never to leave us or to forsake us until the end of the Age. What an inspiring hope this is for us to fulfill the great commission.
#When he, therefore, was come up again and had broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed. And they brought the young man alive and were not a little comforted. Acts 20:11,12
So Paul preached till midnight and if service began on the first day of the week, Sunday, then that meant they celebrated the Lord's Supper early Monday morning? This is one belief, while some believe that the service was on the Sabbath, which would mean they took the Lord's Supper early Sunday morning. I do not believe we should get into the theological debate about when the Lord's Supper was taken, as Jesus commanded us to do this as often as you do and thereby show my death, burial, and resurrection until I come again. So I thank the Lord that the young man was resuscitated and there was no small comfort to the saints for this miracle. May we rejoice that though the outward man is perishing, the inward man is being renewed day by day.
#And Paul went down and fell on him, and embracing him said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him. Acts 20:10
Happy Memorial Day, as we celebrate the Veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice. Jesus said no greater love hath any man than this that he lay down his life for his friends. Thank God that Jesus did that for us at the Cross and when we accept Him as our Personal Lord and Savior, we too can lay down our lives for the brethren. This is what Paul is doing for Eutychus by embracing him after he had fallen from the third loft dead. God gave the apostles the power to raise the dead and that is what Paul did when he said his life is with him. May the Lord raise us to love one another fervently so that we will lay down our lives for those that are mentally ill and feel unloved. Call someone today and tell them that you love them and that every call may stop them from committing suicide. Mental Illness is an epidemic in this country and guns are making it too easy for those suffering to end their lives. We need Red Flag laws to save us from this illness and I pray that Congress will have the courage to pass them to save us from these mass shootings.
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