DONNIE DAILY GEMS FOR WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 15:
WORD OF WISDOM
Many times we fail to see the beauty in something until it's gone.
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DAILY DEVOTION
Doing What Matters Most
"And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple,
sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them
questions. And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and
answers. And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto
him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have
sought thee sorrowing. And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me?
wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?"
Luke 2:46-49
None of us has enough time, money, or talent to accomplish everything that
could be done. Every day we have to make choices about how we will invest
what we have been given. Every night there will be things that did not get
accomplished. Our task is to work to the best of our ability to see that the
most important things are done. This requires that we identify what matters
most, and dedicate ourselves to living so that those things are
accomplished.
Priorities do not set themselves. You must purposefully set them and then
resist the natural drift away from them. This will include saying "no" to
some opportunities or activities that don't contribute toward or that
prohibit you from doing what matters most. But it is easier to say "no" to
something when there is a greater "yes" burning inside. When you start by
identifying your God-given priorities, it helps you identify that greater
"yes," making your needed "no" more clear.
The excuses that we often hear (or that we use ourselves) for why things
that matter don't get done usually reveal that it was what mattered most
that was done rather than what was claimed as the goal. Many people lament
what they have failed to accomplish without realizing that it was the
choices they made that kept them from their goals.
When our hearts are filled with what matters most to God, we will devote our
lives to the truly important.
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DAILY BIBLE READING
Acts 22-24New King James Version (NKJV)
22 "Brethren and fathers, hear my defense before you now." 2 And when they
heard that he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, they kept all the more
silent.
Then he said: 3 "I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought
up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, taught according to the strictness
of our fathers' law, and was zealous toward God as you all are today. 4 I
persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both
men and women, 5 as also the high priest bears me witness, and all the
council of the elders, from whom I also received letters to the brethren,
and went to Damascus to bring in chains even those who were there to
Jerusalem to be punished.
6 "Now it happened, as I journeyed and came near Damascus at about noon,
suddenly a great light from heaven shone around me. 7 And I fell to the
ground and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting
Me?' 8 So I answered, 'Who are You, Lord?' And He said to me, 'I am Jesus
of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.'
9 "And those who were with me indeed saw the light and were afraid,[a] but
they did not hear the voice of Him who spoke to me. 10 So I said, 'What
shall I do, Lord?' And the Lord said to me, 'Arise and go into Damascus, and
there you will be told all things which are appointed for you to do.' 11
And since I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand
of those who were with me, I came into Damascus.
12 "Then a certain Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good
testimony with all the Jews who dwelt there, 13 came to me; and he stood
and said to me, 'Brother Saul, receive your sight.' And at that same hour I
looked up at him. 14 Then he said, 'The God of our fathers has chosen you
that you should know His will, and see the Just One, and hear the voice of
His mouth. 15 For you will be His witness to all men of what you have seen
and heard. 16 And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash
away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.'
17 "Now it happened, when I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the
temple, that I was in a trance 18 and saw Him saying to me, 'Make haste and
get out of Jerusalem quickly, for they will not receive your testimony
concerning Me.' 19 So I said, 'Lord, they know that in every synagogue I
imprisoned and beat those who believe on You. 20 And when the blood of Your
martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by consenting to his death,[b]
and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.' 21 Then He said to
me, 'Depart, for I will send you far from here to the Gentiles.'"
Paul's Roman Citizenship
22 And they listened to him until this word, and then they raised their
voices and said, "Away with such a fellow from the earth, for he is not fit
to live!" 23 Then, as they cried out and tore off their clothes and threw
dust into the air, 24 the commander ordered him to be brought into the
barracks, and said that he should be examined under scourging, so that he
might know why they shouted so against him. 25 And as they bound him with
thongs, Paul said to the centurion who stood by, "Is it lawful for you to
scourge a man who is a Roman, and uncondemned?"
26 When the centurion heard that, he went and told the commander, saying,
"Take care what you do, for this man is a Roman."
27 Then the commander came and said to him, "Tell me, are you a Roman?"
He said, "Yes."
28 The commander answered, "With a large sum I obtained this citizenship."
And Paul said, "But I was born a citizen."
29 Then immediately those who were about to examine him withdrew from him;
and the commander was also afraid after he found out that he was a Roman,
and because he had bound him.
The Sanhedrin Divided
30 The next day, because he wanted to know for certain why he was accused by
the Jews, he released him from his bonds, and commanded the chief priests
and all their council to appear, and brought Paul down and set him before
them.
23 Then Paul, looking earnestly at the council, said, "Men and brethren, I
have lived in all good conscience before God until this day." 2 And the
high priest Ananias commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the
mouth. 3 Then Paul said to him, "God will strike you, you whitewashed wall!
For you sit to judge me according to the law, and do you command me to be
struck contrary to the law?"
4 And those who stood by said, "Do you revile God's high priest?"
5 Then Paul said, "I did not know, brethren, that he was the high priest;
for it is written, 'You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.'"[c]
6 But when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other
Pharisees, he cried out in the council, "Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee,
the son of a Pharisee; concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am
being judged!"
7 And when he had said this, a dissension arose between the Pharisees and
the Sadducees; and the assembly was divided. 8 For Sadducees say that there
is no resurrection-and no angel or spirit; but the Pharisees confess both.
9 Then there arose a loud outcry. And the scribes of the Pharisees' party
arose and protested, saying, "We find no evil in this man; but if a spirit
or an angel has spoken to him, let us not fight against God."[d]
10 Now when there arose a great dissension, the commander, fearing lest Paul
might be pulled to pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and
take him by force from among them, and bring him into the barracks.
The Plot Against Paul
11 But the following night the Lord stood by him and said, "Be of good
cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also
bear witness at Rome."
12 And when it was day, some of the Jews banded together and bound
themselves under an oath, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till
they had killed Paul. 13 Now there were more than forty who had formed this
conspiracy. 14 They came to the chief priests and elders, and said, "We
have bound ourselves under a great oath that we will eat nothing until we
have killed Paul. 15 Now you, therefore, together with the council, suggest
to the commander that he be brought down to you tomorrow,[e] as though you
were going to make further inquiries concerning him; but we are ready to
kill him before he comes near."
16 So when Paul's sister's son heard of their ambush, he went and entered
the barracks and told Paul. 17 Then Paul called one of the centurions to
him and said, "Take this young man to the commander, for he has something to
tell him." 18 So he took him and brought him to the commander and said,
"Paul the prisoner called me to him and asked me to bring this young man to
you. He has something to say to you."
19 Then the commander took him by the hand, went aside, and asked privately,
"What is it that you have to tell me?"
20 And he said, "The Jews have agreed to ask that you bring Paul down to the
council tomorrow, as though they were going to inquire more fully about him.
21 But do not yield to them, for more than forty of them lie in wait for
him, men who have bound themselves by an oath that they will neither eat nor
drink till they have killed him; and now they are ready, waiting for the
promise from you."
22 So the commander let the young man depart, and commanded him, "Tell no
one that you have revealed these things to me."
Sent to Felix
23 And he called for two centurions, saying, "Prepare two hundred soldiers,
seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen to go to Caesarea at the third
hour of the night; 24 and provide mounts to set Paul on, and bring him
safely to Felix the governor." 25 He wrote a letter in the following
manner:
26 Claudius Lysias,
To the most excellent governor Felix:
Greetings.
27 This man was seized by the Jews and was about to be killed by them.
Coming with the troops I rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman.
28 And when I wanted to know the reason they accused him, I brought him
before their council. 29 I found out that he was accused concerning
questions of their law, but had nothing charged against him deserving of
death or chains. 30 And when it was told me that the Jews lay in wait for
the man,[f] I sent him immediately to you, and also commanded his accusers
to state before you the charges against him.
Farewell.
31 Then the soldiers, as they were commanded, took Paul and brought him by
night to Antipatris. 32 The next day they left the horsemen to go on with
him, and returned to the barracks. 33 When they came to Caesarea and had
delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him. 34
And when the governor had read it, he asked what province he was from. And
when he understood that he was from Cilicia, 35 he said, "I will hear you
when your accusers also have come." And he commanded him to be kept in
Herod's Praetorium.
Accused of Sedition
24 Now after five days Ananias the high priest came down with the elders and
a certain orator named Tertullus. These gave evidence to the governor
against Paul.
2 And when he was called upon, Tertullus began his accusation, saying:
"Seeing that through you we enjoy great peace, and prosperity is being
brought to this nation by your foresight, 3 we accept it always and in all
places, most noble Felix, with all thankfulness. 4 Nevertheless, not to be
tedious to you any further, I beg you to hear, by your courtesy, a few words
from us. 5 For we have found this man a plague, a creator of dissension
among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the
Nazarenes. 6 He even tried to profane the temple, and we seized him,[g] and
wanted to judge him according to our law. 7 But the commander Lysias came
by and with great violence took him out of our hands, 8 commanding his
accusers to come to you. By examining him yourself you may ascertain all
these things of which we accuse him." 9 And the Jews also assented,[h]
maintaining that these things were so.
The Defense Before Felix
10 Then Paul, after the governor had nodded to him to speak, answered:
"Inasmuch as I know that you have been for many years a judge of this
nation, I do the more cheerfully answer for myself, 11 because you may
ascertain that it is no more than twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem
to worship. 12 And they neither found me in the temple disputing with
anyone nor inciting the crowd, either in the synagogues or in the city. 13
Nor can they prove the things of which they now accuse me. 14 But this I
confess to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect, so I
worship the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the
Law and in the Prophets. 15 I have hope in God, which they themselves also
accept, that there will be a resurrection of the dead,[i] both of the just
and the unjust. 16 This being so, I myself always strive to have a
conscience without offense toward God and men.
17 "Now after many years I came to bring alms and offerings to my nation,
18 in the midst of which some Jews from Asia found me purified in the
temple, neither with a mob nor with tumult. 19 They ought to have been here
before you to object if they had anything against me. 20 Or else let those
who are here themselves say if they found any wrongdoing[j] in me while I
stood before the council, 21 unless it is for this one statement which I
cried out, standing among them, 'Concerning the resurrection of the dead I
am being judged by you this day.'"
Felix Procrastinates
22 But when Felix heard these things, having more accurate knowledge of the
Way, he adjourned the proceedings and said, "When Lysias the commander comes
down, I will make a decision on your case." 23 So he commanded the
centurion to keep Paul and to let him have liberty, and told him not to
forbid any of his friends to provide for or visit him.
24 And after some days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was
Jewish, he sent for Paul and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. 25
Now as he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to
come, Felix was afraid and answered, "Go away for now; when I have a
convenient time I will call for you." 26 Meanwhile he also hoped that money
would be given him by Paul, that he might release him.[k] Therefore he sent
for him more often and conversed with him.
27 But after two years Porcius Festus succeeded Felix; and Felix, wanting to
do the Jews a favor, left Paul bound.
Footnotes:
a.Acts 22:9 NU-Text omits and were afraid.
b.Acts 22:20 NU-Text omits to his death.
c.Acts 23:5 Exodus 22:28
d.Acts 23:9 NU-Text omits last clause and reads what if a spirit or an angel
has spoken to him?
e.Acts 23:15 NU-Text omits tomorrow.
f.Acts 23:30 NU-Text reads there would be a plot against the man.
g.Acts 24:6 NU-Text ends the sentence here and omits the rest of verse 6,
all of verse 7, and the first clause of verse 8.
h.Acts 24:9 NU-Text and M-Text read joined the attack.
i.Acts 24:15 NU-Text omits of the dead.
j.Acts 24:20 NU-Text and M-Text read say what wrongdoing they found.
k.Acts 24:26 NU-Text omits that he might release him.
New King James Version (NKJV)
Scripture taken from the New King James VersionR. Copyright C 1982 by Thomas
Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
