Shake it Off

Acts 28
But Paul shook off the snake into the fire and was unharmed.
Acts 28:5 NLT


LET IT GLOW

The survivors winter (3 months) on the island of Malta, which was 17 miles
long and 60 miles south of Sicily.

NLT reads in verses 3-6  : "As Paul gathered an armful of sticks and was
laying them on the fire, a poisonous snake, driven out by the heat, bit him on
the hand. The people of the island saw it hanging from his hand and said to
each other, 'A murderer, no doubt! Though he escaped the sea, justice will
not permit him to live.' But Paul shook off the snake into the fire and was
unharmed.  The people waited for him to swell up or suddenly drop dead.
But when they had waited a long time and saw that he wasn't harmed, they
changed their minds and decided he was a god.

Paul was just helping out by adding sticks to the fire in order for it to keep it
going for the group's wamth. I need to keep letting the Holy Spirit fuel my
spiritual fire, surrendering to Him and obeying God's Word, keeping
 "on fire for the Lord Jesus." Then when evil or temptation comes and bites
me, I can shake  it off, into the fire and it's gone. What are some things
I'm needing to sling off? Pride, prejudice, worldliness, selfishness,
self-centeredness, and the list goes on.

The people thought Paul was a murderer so he brought on such an event; he
deserved it. But that was far from the truth. They expected Paul to die as a
result of his sins. When he didn't die, they changed their minds. The Greek
word used here  means to change their "opinion." Do I change my opinion of
people? Or do I form a wrong opinion of them and keep it?

Paul ministered to the people on the island while he was there-healed the
father of the chief man and other sick ones. I'm sure they heard the gospel,
too. The islanders provided for the group to sail on towards Rome.


LET IT GROW

Finally, the group reached their destination, Rome. The prisoners were turned
in to the authorities and Paul was put under house arrest. He had a guard
while he rented his own house and lived there in that manner for two years.

Staring in verse 17, Paul is talking to the Jewish leaders. He tells them that he
is bound with the chain because he believed that "the hope of Israel-the
Messiah-had already come."  Paul preached the gospel and taught about
Jesus right there in his home. Some people believed and others didn't.

During this time, Paul wroted letters to the churches at Ephesus, Colossea,
Philippi; he wrote letters to Philemon, Timothy, and Titus. These became
books in our New Testament, words from God to us centuries later.

Hundreds of thousands came to know Christ as Savior through Paul and his
missionary teams. He was a small in stature, but a giant spiritually. Luke
doesn't tell about Paul's trial before Caesar, release of 2-3 years, final
imprisonment, and death in A.D.68. It appears that the narrative ends due to
it being caught up with history.

The Acts of the Apostles continues, as the living Lord of His church
continues to build His church against which the gates of hell shall not prevail.

We don't know what influence an email, letter, or text may have on a person.
(references used:  Nelson's Illustrated Bible Handbook and Liberty Bible
Commentary)

LET IT GO

Recognize the evil and temptations that bind me, then give them to Jesus.

Let Him change my opinions.

Surrender to the Holy Spirit daily.

Be a witness of my Savior wherever I am.

Keep walking by faith, not by sight.