DONNIE DAILY GEMS FOR MONDAY DECEMBER 27
WORD OF WISDOM
Don't be worried about your smartphone or TV spying on you ... your vacuum
cleaner has been collecting dirt on you for years.
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DAILY DEVOTION
The Prince of Peace
And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the
head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the
dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. For it pleased the
Father that in him should all fulness dwell; And, having made peace through
the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him,
I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
Colossians 1:17-20
In the 1960s Don and Carol Richardson went to New Guinea as missionaries.
The Sawi tribes among which they worked viewed treachery as a virtue.
Richardson later recounted that when the people in the tribe first heard the
story of the arrest, trial, and crucifixion of Jesus, they thought Judas was
the hero. He prayed for a way to understand their perspective and better
explain the gospel to them. A breakthrough came in a surprising way. Two of
the villages near the mission outpost had been feuding for some time. When
Richardson urged them to cease fighting, he observed a unique ceremony. One
man from each of the villages took his own son and gave him to a man from
the other village to raise as his own. One of the men told him, "It's
impossible to have peace without a peace child." Richardson used that
metaphor to show them reason for Jesus coming into the world, and many of
them responded to the gospel.
Jesus was God's "peace child" given to a sinful world that was at enmity
with Him. He is the reason the angels declared "peace on Earth" when they
announced His birth to the shepherds. Man has no hope of peace with God
apart from Jesus Christ. "For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and
hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us" (Ephesians 2:14).
The world may reject the Lord. They mock and criticize those of us who have
accepted Him as Savior. Their refusal to accept the Prince of Peace is the
reason that the world has no peace. Jesus is the only source of peace.
Jesus provides peace with God to all those who trust Him, and we need never
fear that this peace will end - it is forever.
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DAILY BIBLE READING
Paul
Acts 24:1-27 Easy-to-Read Version
Some Jews Accuse Paul
1 Five days later Ananias, the high priest, went to the city of Caesarea. He
brought with him some of the older Jewish leaders and a lawyer named
Tertullus. They went to Caesarea to make charges against Paul before the
governor. 2-3 Paul was called into the meeting, and Tertullus began to make
his accusations.
Tertullus said, "Most Honorable Felix, our people enjoy much peace because
of you, and many wrong things in our country are being made right through
your wise help. For this we all continue to be very thankful. 4 But I don't
want to take any more of your time. So I will say only a few words. Please
be patient. 5 This man is a troublemaker. He causes trouble with the Jews
everywhere in the world. He is a leader of the Nazarene group. 6-8 Also, he
was trying to make the Temple unclean, but we stopped him.[a] You can decide
if all this is true. Ask him some questions yourself." 9 The other Jews
agreed and said it was all true.
Paul Defends Himself Before Felix
10 The governor made a sign for Paul to speak. So Paul answered, "Governor
Felix, I know that you have been a judge over this nation for a long time.
So I am happy to defend myself before you. 11 I went to worship in Jerusalem
only twelve days ago. You can learn for yourself that this is true. 12 These
Jews who are accusing me did not find me arguing with anyone at the Temple
or making trouble with the people. And I was not making trouble or arguing
in the synagogues or any other place in the city. 13 These men cannot prove
the things they are saying against me now.
14 "But I will tell you this: I worship the God of our fathers as a follower
of the Way, which these Jews say is not the right way, and I believe
everything that is taught in the Law of Moses and all that is written in the
books of the prophets. 15 I have the same hope in God that these Jews
have-the hope that all people, good and bad, will be raised from death. 16
This is why I always try to do what I believe is right before God and before
everyone.
17-18 "I was away from Jerusalem for many years. I went back there to take
money to help my people. I also had some gifts to offer at the Temple. I was
doing this when some Jews saw me there. I had finished the cleansing
ceremony.[b] I had not made any trouble, and no one was gathering around me.
19 But some Jews from Asia were there. They should be here, standing before
you. If I have really done anything wrong, they are the ones who should
accuse me. They were there! 20 Ask these men here if they found any wrong in
me when I stood before the high council meeting in Jerusalem. 21 I did say
one thing when I stood before them and shouted, 'You are judging me today
because I believe that people will rise from death!'"
22 Felix already understood a lot about the Way. He stopped the trial and
said, "When commander Lysias comes here, I will decide what to do with you."
23 Felix told the army officer to keep Paul guarded but to give him some
freedom and to let his friends bring whatever he needed.
Paul Speaks to Felix and His Wife
24 After a few days Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was a Jew. Felix
asked for Paul to be brought to him. He listened to Paul talk about
believing in Christ Jesus. 25 But Felix became afraid when Paul spoke about
things like doing right, self-control, and the judgment that will come in
the future. He said, "Go away now. When I have more time, I will call for
you." 26 But Felix had another reason for talking with Paul. He hoped Paul
would pay him a bribe, so he sent for Paul often and talked with him.
27 But after two years, Porcius Festus became governor. So Felix was no
longer governor. But he left Paul in prison to please the Jews.
Footnotes
Acts 24:6 Some Greek copies add 6b-8a: "And we wanted to judge him by our
own law. 7 But the officer Lysias came and used great force to take him from
us. 8 And Lysias ordered those who wanted to accuse him to come to you."
Acts 24:17 cleansing ceremony The special things Jews did to end the
Nazirite vow. See " Nazirite" in the Word List.
