My Comforter Daily Devotions

WEDNESDAY, 4 OCTOBER 2023

TEXT: Acts 17:1-15

1: When Paul and his companions had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue.

2: As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures,

3: explaining and proving that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead. “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah,” he said.

4: Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few prominent women.

5: But other Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason’s house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd.

6: But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some other believers before the city officials, shouting: “These men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here,

7: and Jason has welcomed them into his house. They are all defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus.”

8: When they heard this, the crowd and the city officials were thrown into turmoil.

9: Then they made Jason and the others post bond and let them go.

10: As soon as it was night, the believers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue.

11: Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.

12: As a result, many of them believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men.

13: But when the Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God at Berea, some of them went there too, agitating the crowds and stirring them up.

14: The believers immediately sent Paul to the coast, but Silas and Timothy stayed at Berea.

15: Those who escorted Paul brought him to Athens and then left with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible.

(New International Version Holy Bible)

TOPIC: MY CUSTOM

Custom is what someone is always in the habit of doing which has become part of that person's daily life. Some customs are bad while some are good.

Today's text illustrates the custom of a child of God. Paul had the custom of preaching in the synagogue which was a key and central meeting place for the Jews. He wanted them to understand that Jesus is the Messiah (vs. 1-3), with evidence from the Scriptures.

Indeed, this part of Paul's custom paid off as the Gentiles and Jews were drawn to the Lord (vs 4). Paul encountered jealous men and stiff opposition but these did not stop him from practicing his custom of preaching and teaching from the Scriptures (vs 5-10).

In fact, on arriving Thessalonica, he went straight to the synagogue (vs. 10). The custom of searching the Scriptures by the Berean Christians was a noble character. They did not just receive the message with eagerness but searched the Scripture which made many people believe and accept Christ (vs. 12).

QUESTION: What is your custom and how has it improved the church and helped people know and accept Christ?

PRAYER: Thank You, Oh Lord, for making me who I am. Help me to cultivate the great custom of preaching, teaching and searching the Scriptures daily, in Jesus name. Amen.