SEPTEMBER 13 - PAUL AWAITS TRIAL
READ Acts 23
Because of attempts to kill Paul, he is taken to Caesarea to await trial.
INSIGHT
Jesus says, “I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves” (Matthew 10:16). This certainly describes Paul. As he stands before the Jewish Council, Paul knows that his life is in peril. He also knows that the Council is divided between Pharisees, who believe in the resurrection of the dead, and the Sadducees, who do not. When Paul deliberately brings up that issue, the ensuing dissension is so great that the soldiers take him away, thwarting the immediate plot against him.
PRAYER
It is by grace through faith that we can repent, turn to God, and give Him our praise:
Our Lord and God,
You are worthy to receive
Glory and honor and power,
Because you have created all things,
And by your will (Revelation 4:11).
I will thank the Lord for his righteousness;
I will sing about the name of the Lord Most High
(Psalm 7:17).
Pause for praise and thanksgiving, and pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
The heart is more deceitful than anything else,
And incurable — who can understand it?
I, the Lord, examine the mind,
I test the heart,
To give to each according to his way,
According to what his actions deserve
(Jeremiah 17:9-10).
Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:
I delight to do your will, my God,
And your instruction is deep within me
(Psalm 40:8).
As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:
Offer this closing prayer to the Lord:
This is what the Lord says:
The wise person should not boast in his wisdom;
The strong should not boast in his strength;
The wealthy should not boast in his wealth.
But the one who boasts should boast in this:
That he understands and knows me —
That I am the Lord, showing faithful love,
Justice, and righteousness on the earth,
For I delight in these things.
This is the Lord’s declaration
(Jeremiah 9:23-24).
Because of attempts to kill Paul, he is taken to Caesarea to await trial.
INSIGHT
Jesus says, “I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves” (Matthew 10:16). This certainly describes Paul. As he stands before the Jewish Council, Paul knows that his life is in peril. He also knows that the Council is divided between Pharisees, who believe in the resurrection of the dead, and the Sadducees, who do not. When Paul deliberately brings up that issue, the ensuing dissension is so great that the soldiers take him away, thwarting the immediate plot against him.
PRAYER
It is by grace through faith that we can repent, turn to God, and give Him our praise:
Our Lord and God,
You are worthy to receive
Glory and honor and power,
Because you have created all things,
And by your will (Revelation 4:11).
I will thank the Lord for his righteousness;
I will sing about the name of the Lord Most High
(Psalm 7:17).
Pause for praise and thanksgiving, and pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
The heart is more deceitful than anything else,
And incurable — who can understand it?
I, the Lord, examine the mind,
I test the heart,
To give to each according to his way,
According to what his actions deserve
(Jeremiah 17:9-10).
Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:
I delight to do your will, my God,
And your instruction is deep within me
(Psalm 40:8).
As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:
- Spiritual victory over temptation
- Opportunities to serve the Lord
- Whatever else is on your heart
Offer this closing prayer to the Lord:
This is what the Lord says:
The wise person should not boast in his wisdom;
The strong should not boast in his strength;
The wealthy should not boast in his wealth.
But the one who boasts should boast in this:
That he understands and knows me —
That I am the Lord, showing faithful love,
Justice, and righteousness on the earth,
For I delight in these things.
This is the Lord’s declaration
(Jeremiah 9:23-24).