Common Sense Reborn

Yesterday’s New Music Friday featured a handful of remix releases, but also some great new sounds. Among them is the single below from Austin French.

May 23

¹²When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem.  ¹³Then Paul answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart?  I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”  ¹⁴When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, “The Lord’s will be done.”  (Acts 21:12-14)

For the remainder of this month, we will be focusing on Paul’s last accounts through the Book of Acts.  These are the final days as the last book of the history of Jesus comes to an end.  For the rest of the New Testament, minus the Book of Revelation, each book is a letter written to various individuals or churches of great significance of the birth of Christianity.   I wanted to highlight the verses above because of Paul’s devotion to the cause of Christ.  He boldly states he is ready to lay down his life for Jesus.  Such a radical and powerful transformation, the man, who was introduced at the beginning of Acts as Saul, a murderous Christian-killer, gladly allowing any willing Christian to martyr themselves before him. Now Paul gets it.  Now Paul knows the truth.  Now Paul sees the power of the passion of the Christ.  And now Paul is ready to be the martyr.  But Jesus still needs this warrior to go further than just Jerusalem.  His time will not come to an end for sometime.

I also want to point out that Luke is present throughout the remainder of this journey.  As you see in the “we” referenced here, I hope you realized the importance of this fact.  This is the first century physician that is travelling with Paul and helping build the Christian church.  From Luke’s own experience do we get to read and learn the true story of Jesus and the world-changing emergence of the only true way to salvation.

The stories, the Books, the truth has been available to you all your life.  Are you willing to drop what you are doing and step out into a world teaching and spreading the Good News of Jesus’ love and grace?

Reading plan:  Acts 22

Deeper reading plan:  Job 16, 17, 18

Prayer and meditation:  Pray for the sick, pray for the lost and their loved ones.  Pray for redemption for this lost world.  Pray for a reviving rattle to shake COVID off this planet.  And continue to pray for all those in medical professions, grocery stores, supply chain operators, first responders, and the amazing teachers still doing all they can to teach the students they love so much.  Pray for all the businesses trying to recover and keep their associates able to provide for their families.  Pray that the world reopens without a surge of new COVID outbreaks.  And pray that the world has undergone a lasting change and the flame of revival has been lit!

Fitness challenge:  2.5 miles for time.

Serve Day Challenge:  find a way to get out and do some good this Memorial Day weekend!