God gives very detailed instructions to His people to enable them to stand out from others and not be involved in detestable acts. Just like the Israelites, we have been chosen to come out of our past. This is an election of grace that we do not deserve by our mere strength but through the grace of God.
However, in obeying God, you may seek answers in the wrong places out of fear instead of solely relying on God for direction and sustenance. In Deuteronomy 18:9, God expressly warned against seeking answers through divination, fortune telling and other new-age practices. However, this is important in our age as social media has normalised and promoted many of these practices. To avoid falling into such traps, you must always be within the confines of the scriptures and wait on God.
On the other hand, in Acts 18: 1-23, Paul moved to Corinth from Athens and, as usual, would still engage the Jews in the synagogue, convincing them to believe in Jesus Christ. This time around, Paul decided to move on to only preach to Gentiles as he kept meeting brick walls with the Jews as they were mostly violent and uncooperative.
As he started preaching to the Gentiles, many believed, including Crispus, the synagogue’s leader. Thereafter, being instructed by God to be bold and remain in Corinth preaching to people, Paul stayed in Corinth for one and a half years. The Jews still tried to forcefully shut him up by having him reported to the Governor; however, just as God promised Paul that no evil would befall him in Corinth, the case against him was thrown out, and he remained in Corinth preaching.
To this end, you must never forget that God will always back you up no matter what you may face.
Prayer: Lord, empower missionaries in hostile regions with boldness to continue the work of ministry
Today’s reading
Deuteronomy 17-19
“You shall not sacrifice to the Lord your God a bull or sheep which has any blemish or defect, for that is an abomination to the Lord your God.
“If there is found among you, within any of your gates which the Lord your God gives you, a man or a woman who has been wicked in the sight of the Lord your God, in transgressing His covenant,
who has gone and served other gods and worshiped them, either the sun or moon or any of the host of heaven, which I have not commanded,
Acts 18:1-23
After these things Paul departed from Athens and went to Corinth.
And he found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla (because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome); and he came to them.
So, because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them and worked; for by occupation they were tentmakers.