40 Very Hungry and Thirsty Men

Tuesday  2-16-16 (Landing in Buenos Aires, Argentina)

     

Scripture reading for today:    Lev 26 - 27    Acts 23

S=Scripture  O=Observation  A=Application  P=Prayer  SOAP for the soul.

S.  Acts 23:12-14 “...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.  Now there were more than forty who had formed this conspiracy.” NKJV

O.  Among the religious Jews a vow was sacred.  To break a vow brought great shame and had religious consequences.  More than 40 men agreed to bind themselves with an oath to lie in wait and leap out of the bushes and kill Paul.  But a boy heard about this... and this boy happened to be Paul’s nephew.  And Claudius the Centurion immediately escorted Paul to safety with 470 soldiers, 70 of them with Paul on horseback. 

A.  Sorry fellows, no breakfast, lunch or dinner for you boys today, or tomorrow... unless you want to fight the whole Roman army to kill Paul.  I seldom bind myself to a fast.  When I am busy I forget to eat, but when I proclaim a fast I find myself walking through the kitchen and picking up a cracker or a carrot without thinking.  It is a lot easier to make promises to God than to really keep them.  If in doubt... ask these 40 skinny men.

P.  Dear Lord, You came to visit an addict, robber and drug pusher named Nito (pronounced Neeto) when he was frightened.  He had loaned his two stolen revolvers to two of his fellow robbers.  Now he knew that if they were caught in a robbery or murder he would be going back to prison.  “God,” he cried out YOu, “Don’t allow these guys to pull off a robbery.”  Lord, he told me later that he made You no promises... because he knew he could not keep them, but You, Jesus, came into his room.  He did not see You, but knew You were there.  “Nito, you may get rich with these weapons, but you will never have peace.  Every day will be like today... the law will be on your trail.”  Thank you, Lord, for Your mercy on Nito who turned in the stolen weapons and opened his heart to You a few days later.  You had mercy on Nito and on me, too.  Amen.

Ralph