Today's Passage - Acts 18:18-23

Acts 18:18-23   Paul stayed on in Corinth for some time. Then he left the brothers and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. Before he sailed, he had his hair cut off at Cenchrea because of a vow he had taken.  They arrived at Ephesus, where Paul left Priscilla and Aquila. He himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews.  When they asked him to spend more time with them, he declined.  But as he left, he promised, "I will come back if it is God's will." Then he set sail from Ephesus.  When he landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the church and then went down to Antioch.  After spending some time in Antioch, Paul set out from there and traveled from place to place throughout the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.   Numbers Chapter 6, verse 1 to 5 talk about vows of the Nazirites, which is the pledge of thanksgiving that the Jews offered before God.  When the period of the vow ended, those who took the vow would cut their hair down, and if they were out of town they would have their hair sent back to Jerusalem.   Paul took a vow of the Nazirites to God when he was in all kinds of difficulties.  He asked God to keep him safe, and he asked God's Spirit to manifest His righteousness during debates about the truth.  He then saw that the vow he made before God was accomplished by Him: The church or Corinth has grown, God's truth was manifested during the debate about circumcision of the gentiles at the council of Jerusalem as recorded in Acts 15; God also personally comforted him when he was suffering, as God told him to "I am with you."  After he encountered all sorts of hardship and was protected by God, Paul witnessed the grace of God and was willing to give thanks before God.   God made the vow of Nazirites for three purposes: First, Paul was a Jew, but when he debated the truth that gentiles should no longer need to be circumcised, many Jews thought Paul didn't want to be a Jew anymore and no longer respects his own culture.  The truth was that Paul was a Christian but also a Jew, so he did keep his identify as a Jew.  Even though he had stressed that gentiles should not be circumcised, he still respected his own culture; he made the vow according to Jewish tradition, which unveiled his heart.  Next, to the Jews, the vow of Nazirites is a vow of thanksgiving, and also a channel for God's grace.  When Paul made the vow, it's a manifestation of his commitment before God, so that God will continue to use him in his life.  Third, Paul's vow was a prophetic action; even though we may encounter all kinds of persecution and even whipping, but God is still real!  Our Lord is still sitting on the throne!   Pray with Pastor Tong   Lord, I thank you because you are such a faithful God!  You have helped Paul to persevere all kinds of hardship and led him to land of peace, so in the same way you will release us from all kinds of attacks in our life so that we may experience your faithfulness and abundance.  I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!       Participate in Shekinah Glory - ROLCC Building Expansion Project - by Donating a Seat for a future new believer!