{"id":1991,"date":"2019-12-31T08:02:24","date_gmt":"2019-12-31T16:02:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/?p=1991"},"modified":"2019-12-31T08:02:24","modified_gmt":"2019-12-31T16:02:24","slug":"devotion-acts-2031-38-god-gives-and-then-gives-even-greater","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/?p=1991","title":{"rendered":"Devotion Acts 20:31-38 God Gives And Then Gives Even Greater"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Acts 20:32-38\u00a0<\/b>–\u00a0\u201c<\/sup><\/b>Now I commit you to God\u00a0and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance\u00a0among all those who are sanctified.<\/i><\/span>\u00a033\u00a0I have not coveted anyone\u2019s silver or gold or clothing.<\/span>\u00a034\u00a0You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions.<\/span>\u00a035\u00a0In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said:\u00a0<\/span>\u2018It is more blessed to give than to receive.\u2019<\/span>\u00a0\u201d 36\u00a0When Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down with all of them and prayed.<\/span>\u00a037\u00a0They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him.<\/span>\u00a038\u00a0What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again.\u00a0Then they accompanied him to the ship.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\u201cNow I commit you to God\u00a0and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance\u00a0among all those who are sanctified.<\/i>\u201d\u00a0 Paul states that he \u201ccommits\u201d these leaders to God and to the Word of grace.\u00a0 Another way of saying this is that Paul had presented them before God.\u00a0 In\u00a0Mark 6:39-44<\/b>\u00a0(five loaves and two fishes) and in\u00a0Mark 8:6-9<\/b>\u00a0(seven loaves and a few small fish) the same word is used.\u00a0 Jesus had prepared a miracle and then presented it to them to consume.\u00a0 He brought the power of God to them.\u00a0 Paul had faithfully ministered to the people and then presented them to the Son of God who would ultimately present them to the Father (1 Corinthians 15:24<\/b>).\u00a0 Those who Paul ministered to he presented before Jesus, who is God the Son.\u00a0 They had been taught, and prepared to walk in faith and to instruct others in the faith.\u00a0 Paul has done what he was called to do and now it is their job to do what they have been called to do.<\/span><\/p>\n

Here, too often, what is taught is that Paul commits them to the Word while not pointing to the most important thing, that he has brought them to God Himself.\u00a0 Family, the Word means nothing to those who reject God (1 Corinthians 2:14<\/b>).\u00a0 Remember that God called Abram before The Law was given.\u00a0 Before the written Word was God Himself calling and nurturing Abram and his progeny.\u00a0 Before the written Word of God was God having a relationship with Adam.\u00a0 First a person must be brought to God.\u00a0 Now we need to be careful in this understanding because how we lead people to God is by using the Word of God.\u00a0 The Holy Spirit, who inspired the whole Word of God, will use the Word that He inspired to lead people to Him.\u00a0 So we see that we first bring the Holy Spirit within us to others and present the Holy Spirit to others by presenting the Word.\u00a0 The Holy Spirit reveals His Word to souls and thereby they meet God by bringing God within us to reveal the Word of God that God has given to all.\u00a0 First, we bring people to the feet of God and we do that through his Word.\u00a0 But without the presence of God to touch, through His Word, the soul will not come.\u00a0 We must remember that God Himself preceded the written Word of God but that the written Word of God has always been within God and is in full display through Jesus Himself.\u00a0 Here Paul clearly tells the prepared leaders that he has brought them to the God Himself as prepared servants of God and that He has brought them to the living Word of His grace.\u00a0 Both are required.\u00a0 Both are divine, but remember that the written Word only comes alive if we have God Himself and it is the written Word that God uses to bring us and to keep us, and all that by sacrifice of Jesus.\u00a0 Everything starts with God and ends with God (Colossians 1:15-20, Revelation 1:8, 21:6, 22:13<\/b>).\u00a0 Is God great or is God great!<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI have not coveted anyone\u2019s silver or gold or clothing.<\/i><\/span>\u00a034\u00a0You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions.<\/span><\/i>\u201d \u00a0Paul came to minister.\u00a0 He came to give to everyone and to build all who would receive.\u00a0 He mentioning his hand was to remind them that he worked for his living, and not only for his, but to help supply the needs of his companions.\u00a0 Paul did come with a displayed palm to receive for himself, but with an open heart to give what he had received from God.\u00a0 What he had received from God He freely gave out (Mathew 10:8<\/b>).<\/p>\n

\u201cIn everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said:\u00a0<\/i><\/span>\u2018It is more blessed to give than to receive.\u2019<\/i><\/span>\u00a0\u201d<\/i>\u201d\u00a0 \u201cIt is more blessed to give than receive.<\/i>\u201d\u00a0 He is not saying that it is not a blessing to receive.\u00a0 Rather Paul is saying that having received, having in possession blessings from God, it is wonderful to be able to freely share what God has freely given to us.\u00a0 If we have, we share.\u00a0 Since God has blessed us spiritually in every way we ought to generously give out what we have received so that God is praised (2 Corinthians 9:11<\/b>). Why would we not share what we have been given?\u00a0 After all, if God gave, then God will resupply as we freely give away.\u00a0 In fact, the Lord will replenish to the exceeding of the original blessings (Malachi 3:10<\/b>).\u00a0 Since we are blessed, if we have desire for greater blessing, then with a pure heart give away what we have.\u00a0 Especially this is true spiritually.\u00a0 As we give out what God has given us then God gives us even more.\u00a0 It is well known that the government, and many companies, give a departmental allotment for the year.\u00a0 If the department that receives the allotment wisely spends all the money they were given, then their coffers will be filled back up for the following year.\u00a0 However, if the allotment is not spent, then they may receive less the next year.\u00a0\u00a0 Jesus wants us to use what was given to us to use and if we do not, then he will take away for us who do not give and give to those who will use it as the Lord has determined.\u00a0 Therefore if you love the blessings of God, and desire more, then give them away and God will replenish, and in greater abundance.\u00a0 (Matthew 25:14-30<\/b>). \u00a0Luke 6:38<\/b>\u00a0\u201c<\/span>Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you<\/i>.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down with all of them and prayed.<\/i><\/span>\u00a037\u00a0They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him.<\/span>\u00a038\u00a0What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again.\u00a0Then they accompanied him to the ship.<\/span><\/i>\u201d\u00a0 When Paul was finished he knelt down and in front of them all talked with God.\u00a0 He did not pray in secret but for them, in front of them.\u00a0 Family, some do not understand\u00a0Matthew 6:1-8<\/b>.\u00a0 The Lord was not telling us that we cannot pray in front of others.\u00a0 He was warning us to pray with a right heart.\u00a0 The intent of our prayer is to praise God, to pray for others and self, and to hear from God.\u00a0 If we pray for show so that we may be praised by men, then that is wrong.\u00a0 But we can pray before the world if our hearts and intent is right.\u00a0 Pray earnestly and God will respond.<\/span><\/p>\n

These men had broken hearts that they would not see Paul again.\u00a0 We all have Pastors that we love.\u00a0 To be permanently separated from them hurts.\u00a0 These people had been mentored by Paul the Apostle, how hard it must have been to know they would not see him again.<\/span><\/p>\n

Our God is so much beyond us (Job 36:26<\/b>).\u00a0 He is wonderfully beyond measure beyond us!\u00a0 \u00a0And His generosity is inexhaustible! Praise God!\u00a0 Always praise God!<\/span><\/p>\n

Psalm 150:6<\/b>\u00a0–\u00a0Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.\u00a0 Praise the Lord!<\/i><\/p>\n

Micah 7:7<\/b>\u00a0–\u00a0But as for me, I watch\u00a0in hope\u00a0for the\u00a0Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear\u00a0me.\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n

Micah 6:8<\/b>\u00a0–\u00a0He has shown You, O man, what\u00a0is\u00a0good; And what does the\u00a0Lord\u00a0require of You but to do justly, to love mercy, And to walk humbly with Your God<\/i>.<\/p>\n

Numbers 6:24-26<\/b>\u00a0\u201cThe\u00a0Lord\u00a0bless you and keep you; 25\u00a0the\u00a0Lord\u00a0make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26\u00a0the\u00a0Lord\u00a0turn His face\u00a0toward you and give you peace.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Acts 20:32-38\u00a0–\u00a0\u201cNow I commit you to God\u00a0and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance\u00a0among all those who are sanctified.\u00a033\u00a0I have not coveted anyone\u2019s silver or gold or clothing.\u00a034\u00a0You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions.\u00a035\u00a0In…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1192],"tags":[82,1863,129,1849,106,2472,93,101,94,1874,17,711],"class_list":["post-1991","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-devotion","tag-acts","tag-colossians","tag-corinthians","tag-job","tag-luke","tag-malachi","tag-mark","tag-matthew","tag-micah","tag-numbers","tag-psalm","tag-revelation"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1991","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1991"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1991\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1992,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1991\/revisions\/1992"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1991"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1991"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1991"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}