JULY 25, 2016

“The person born with a talent they are meant to use will find their greatest happiness in using it. ” 
― Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

PSALM 44-46

The Author acknowledges God as the hope of fear and despair...

1God is our refuge and strength,

an ever-present help in trouble.

2Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way

and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,

3though its waters roar and foam

and the mountains quake with their surging.^c

ACTS 25

Paul calmly argues his defense...

8Then Paul made his defense: “I have done nothing wrong against the Jewish law or against the temple or against Caesar.”

9Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and stand trial before me there on these charges?”

10Paul answered: “I am now standing before Caesar’s court, where I ought to be tried. I have not done any wrong to the Jews, as you yourself know very well. 11If, however, I am guilty of doing anything deserving death, I do not refuse to die. But if the charges brought against me by these Jews are not true, no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!”

12After Festus had conferred with his council, he declared: “You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you will go!”

JOURNAL 

Paul is steadfast in his defense and displays a confidence that he will die if he has done anything deserving of death. It is at this point that I begin to see the shrewdness and intellect of Paul. He knows his arguments and knows how the powers of government work.

Paul is working the system and working within his ability. He is obedient to God but still uses his own talents and opportunities. This is encouraging and to me goes to show that God doesn't ask us to work outside of our own capabilities. He asks us to work within them.

24“Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’

26“His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.

 - MATTHEW 25:24-27