We are on day 10 of blogging through the Bible using the Murray M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan

Matthew 10

Jesus gave his disciples authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. Why make it more complicated than that? The message they were to bring is the kingdom of God is near and to heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who are lepers and drive out demons. Let’s go for it! We also have the authority Matthew 28:19-20 means we are to do what Jesus commanded to!

Verse 11 men of peace – look for people on whom God is already at work.

We are sheep among wolves – the world is not a nice place so be shrewd as snakes and innocent as doves.

Snakes are nearly universally disliked (why one earth do people want them as pets!) so snakes are pretty shrewd at self preservation.
Protect their head above all
Don’t listen to the charmer who tries to deceive them into a trap
Take shelter in the rock – Jesus!

The call is to be inncoecent as doves too – not hurting, or full of ill will and guileless.

Genesis 11

Mankind has progressed to wanting to build a tower to reach the heavens and be like God. So God scatters the people and introduces language – the curse of Babel, which is redeemed at Pentecost where tongues are given not to confuse but to be understood and the people can be one again, one new man in Christ.

At the end of the chapter we are introduced to Abram who becomes Abraham

Acts 10

Jesus has been pretty clear in his ministry to Gentiles and Jews, yet the early Christians are still Jewish and avoiding Gentiles. In Acts 10 God forces the issue by giving a vision to a Gentile, Roman Centurion to get hold of Peter at Joppa.

God also needs to speak clearly to Peter through a vision twice!
So Peter goes and starts to speak about how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth withe the Holy Spirit and power and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil.

As Peter is speaking the Holy Spirit comes on the Gentiles too and is evidenced by tongues and praise! Peter gets it finally and realises nothing can keep them from being baptised too! So they are.

The theme of God wanting us to witness and heal continues – don’t be prejudiced about who to speak to!

Ezra 10

The spiritual revival continues as the people of God repent of their sin and get rid of the wives they shouldn’t have taken who have been polluting there walk.

This is really hard! God is holy and we must put to death sin in our lives.
Under the new covenant Paul tells us to stay in the situation we are in when we get saved – so don’t divorce an unbelieving wife or husband, BUT don’t marry on either if you aren’t married yet.

What other compromises are in your life that must put to death though? God wants us to be pure and blameless in our daily walk in keeping with the new nature He has given us.