Today’s Podcast
Today’s Scriptures
Today’s Bible reading plans include:
Ready – Acts 13:1-12
Set – Leviticus 1; Acts 13
Go! – Leviticus 1-3; Acts 13
Acts 13:1-12
1The church in Antioch had grown strong, with many prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon (a dark man from Central Africa), Lucius (from Cyrene in North Africa), Manaen (a member of Herod’s governing council), and Saul. 2 Once they were engaged in a time of worship and fasting when the Holy Spirit spoke to them, “Commission Barnabas and Saul to a project I have called them to accomplish.” 3 They fasted and prayed some more, laid their hands on the two selected men, and sent them off on their new mission. 4 Having received special commissioning by the Holy Spirit, Barnabas and Saul went to nearby Seleucia on the coast. Then they caught a ship to the island of Cyprus.5 At the city of Salamis on the east side of Cyprus, they proclaimed the message of God in Jewish synagogues, assisted by John Mark. 6-7 They went westward from town to town, finally reaching Paphos on the western shore. There the proconsul named Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man, summoned Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear their message. At his side was an occult spiritualist and Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus 8 or Elymas (which means “magician”). Elymas argued with Barnabas and Saul, trying to keep Sergius Paulus from coming to faith.
9 Saul, who is also known as Paul, was suddenly full of the Holy Spirit. He stared directly into Elymas’s face.
Paul: 10 You’re a son of the devil. You’re an enemy of justice, you’re full of lies, and you steal opportunities from others. Why do you insist on confusing and twisting the clear, straight paths of the Lord? 11 Hear this, Elymas: the Lord’s hand is against you, and you will be as blind as a bat for a period of time, beginning right now!
At that instant, it was as if a mist came over Elymas and then total darkness. He stumbled around, groping for a hand so he could be led back home. 12 When Sergius Paulus saw this happen, he came to faith and was attracted to and amazed by the teaching about the Lord.
Today’s Devotional
From today’s background scripture God might say:
Elymas is like so many I see today. He argued not just to keep Paul from talking to him about Me, but to keep him from talking to anyone else. Sometimes I just don’t understand the crowning glory of My own creation. I don’t understand why people want to hold others back from the truth. Maybe I can see that they will decide for themselves they want to play god with their life, but to try to impose that on others. I just don’t get it.
Elymas was and always would be no better than second fiddle to anyone that Rome sent to Salamis. He knew that. His trickery would allow him to stick around the court and entertain the proconsul and his guests for a while, but Elymas knew he had no real wisdom and no real answers for the proconsul. Why would he deny the truth to the man who could make a difference in the daily lives of others?
I’m appalled at how often it happens even today. Those who taunt their benevolence and goodwill, but then withhold My message of real hope and salvation are just like Elymas. I don’t understand them. They hold back the really good things in life for those in need. They present themselves as genuine and concerned and generous, but their true colors eventually come out as untrustworthy and greedy, focused on what is best only for them and not what is best for those they supposedly serve.
I’m so proud of what Paul did, though, through the prompting of My Spirit. Elymas didn’t stick around long after Paul pointed out who he really was and who he served. I think today your societal spirit of “tolerance”, that is tolerance for everything except Me, blinds the vulnerable to the truth. In that tolerant atmosphere, everyone fears identifying Satan for who he is and fails to warn others of the traps he sets around the weak. Paul put Elymas straight and warned Sergius Paulus, just like I hope you will do for My children.
As one saved from My greatest enemy, you have a responsibility to help your brothers and sisters. Fallen humanity needs people who will call out those putting others at risk by failing to let them hear My truth. It’s time to start letting My message be heard loud and strong above the clammer of lies that try to push it away.
Will you do your part? My Spirit will be there to give you strength, just like it was for Paul.
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
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