Acts 17

I hope that if you ever read this blog that you are a Berean. Don't take my word for anything you read here. My intention for anyone who reads, is that you would first go read the chapter for the day and then read what I think and then hear God for yourself about it all. That's what Paul thought was so great about the Bereans. They were hearing for Paul himself, but they still went to God's Word to get the truth.

The other great thing about this chapter is what a great example it is of Paul's inspired creativity in a custom-crafted gospel message. We can read in a few other places him breaking down the story of redemption. But here in Athens, we see him telling it in such a way that it will make sense to his audience of learned scholars and idolatrous philosophers. Do you ever pray for God to speak through you that way? He will. I think God longs to tell the gospel story to each person in exactly the way they can accept it. And He will do it through us when we allow Him too. But beside being inspired, I bet Paul also did his homework. He knew his audience. He mentioned their monument, he referred to their poets, he spoke their language in every sense of the word. We can do that too.

God has put someone on my heart that is learned and intelligent and knows his stuff. To reach him I may have to both do my homework and pray for inspiration. Hopefully, God has someone like that for you too.