Topic: Unreliable Public [Thursday May 10, 2018]
Text: Acts 14:19-28 (KJV)
Key Verse: “And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead” (Acts 14:19).
MESSAGE:
William Tyndale first translated the Bible from Hebrew to English, making a Bible for the common people. In 1535 he was betrayed by a friend, taken prisoner to the castle of Vilvoorde and continued to work on his translation. He was unable to finish his work because he was sentenced to die a heretic’s death: strangulation and burning at the stake. On October 6, 1536 he cried out his last words, “Lord open the king of England’s eyes!” and then he died. His prayer was answered within a year.
Like the story above, Paul, who was almost worshiped as a god for performing the miracle of healing a man lame from his birth in Lystra, was now being stoned by the same people after they were incited by the adversaries of the gospel. He was not only stone to the point of unconsciousness, but also dragged out of the city and dumped in the outskirts, believing he was dead. Graciously, the Apostle was restored when the disciples stood around him in prayers. Paul and his company still went ahead to fulfil their ministry and returned to their base after encouraging the disciples to continue in the faith, despite the tribulations.
Believers must see the utter futility of riding the waves of public opinion. Another lesson here is about the wickedness of the natural, unregenerate man and what he can do under the influence of Satan. The ease with which the devil persuaded these people to stone Paul after all the good deeds he did among them is a great paradox.
We may face or have faced this kind of disappointment and betrayal from people we trust(ed); but like Paul, we must not bear grudges. We must pick up the pieces and move on in life to fulfil the good purposes of God for our lives.
Thought For The Day: It is vain to bask in the adulation of people.
Bible Reading in one Year: Psalm 50; 53; 60; 75
DCLM Daily Manna was written by Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi; is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated at KM 42 on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria.
 Key Verse: “And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead” (Acts 14:19).){kind=link}