Daily Encouragement for the Family of God
25 November 2024
Reading From Acts 17-18:18
“10 As soon as it was night, the believers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. 11 Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica,for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. 12 As a result, many of them believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men.” —Acts 17:10-12
My maternal grandparents passed along to me the value of honoring the Word of God as the only rule of faith and practice. Because this value was ingrained into me from such an early age, I view everything within me and around me through the lens of Scripture. Therefore I love the story of the Bareans. They received new light on ancient Scripture and examined them to test whether or not Paul’s message was from God.
This testing of truth claims against the already written record of revelation from God is not something that increase and strengthen our faith in God and His Word. If there are things about our faith or its expression in our lives that doesn’t quite match up with what we find when we seek the whole counsel of the Word of God, then we need to repent and discard whatever that idea or belief or practice is that does not align with what God says.
Even as we strive to have our ways of thinking, beliefs and lifestyles in alignment with His Word, our understanding is always depending and expanding and being refined. The goal of spiritual sanctification and spiritual growth is to become more and more like Jesus in every way. As we surrender different aspects of our lives to Him and allow His truth to challenge our preconceived notions, we are transformed from glory to glory.
When we are with Him in Heaven, we will know even as we are fully known. There will be no more sin to hinder our relationship with Him. We will be one with God and while our distinct, God-given personalities will be recognizable, we will enjoy perfect unity and harmony with Him. We will be partakers of His divine nature and we will reign with Him forever. Throughout the Scriptures we read of marvelous miracles God has accomplished even in our sinful world in its fallen, corrupted state. Imagine the amazing adventures we’ll have with Him when His perfect will is done on Earth as it is in Heaven to the fullest degree of glory.
“Lord, I pray that every one of Your sons and daughters will value Your Word as the Bereans did. It is so fascinating to read of God-fearing Jews and gentiles as well as others who had no previous knowledge of Your revelations come to know Christ in powerful and life changing ways. Thank You for the power of Your promises that have come true in Jesus. May we build our lives upon them and help us Lord with Your Spirit as we use Your Word to test and approve ideas and beliefs and lifestyles. In the Name of Jesus I pray, Amen.”
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. —Romans 12:1-2
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing[b] her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. —Ephesians 5:25-27
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. —I John 4:1
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. —Romans 12:9
19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not treat prophecies with contempt 21 but test them all; hold on to what is good, 22 reject every kind of evil. —I Thessalonians 5:19-22
Forever Home in the Eternal Family of God 
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