August 18, 2020, Acts 18

Signs and wonders are for believers and non believers. When Peter was freed his fellow brothers and sisters rejoice because he was free. It was a sign to them .......God cares, and God sees. 

Acts 18

After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.

There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them,

and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them.

Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks.

When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. ^[1]

But when the Jews opposed Paul and became abusive, he shook out his clothes in protest and said to them, "Your blood be on your own heads! I am clear of my responsibility. From now on I will go to the Gentiles."

Then Paul left the synagogue and went next door to the house of Titius Justus, a worshiper of God.

Crispus, the synagogue ruler, and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard him believed and were baptized.

One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: "Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent.

For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city."

So Paul stayed for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God.

While Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews made a united attack on Paul and brought him into court.

"This man," they charged, "is persuading the people to worship God in ways contrary to the law."

Just as Paul was about to speak, Gallio said to the Jews, "If you Jews were making a complaint about some misdemeanor or serious crime, it would be reasonable for me to listen to you.

But since it involves questions about words and names and your own law--settle the matter yourselves. I will not be a judge of such things."

So he had them ejected from the court.

Then they all turned on Sosthenes the synagogue ruler and beat him in front of the court. But Gallio showed no concern whatever.

Paul stayed on in Corinth for some time. Then he left the brothers and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. Before he sailed, he had his hair cut off at Cenchrea because of a vow he had taken.

They arrived at Ephesus, where Paul left Priscilla and Aquila. He himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews.

When they asked him to spend more time with them, he declined.

But as he left, he promised, "I will come back if it is God's will." Then he set sail from Ephesus.

When he landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the church and then went down to Antioch.

After spending some time in Antioch, Paul set out from there and traveled from place to place throughout the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.

Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures.

He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John.

He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.

When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. On arriving, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed.

For he vigorously refuted the Jews in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.

Proverbs 6

My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, if you have struck hands in pledge for another,

if you have been trapped by what you said, ensnared by the words of your mouth,

then do this, my son, to free yourself, since you have fallen into your neighbor's hands: Go and humble yourself; press your plea with your neighbor!

Allow no sleep to your eyes, no slumber to your eyelids.

Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler.

Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise!

It has no commander, no overseer or ruler,

yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.

How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep?

A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest--

and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man. 

A scoundrel and villain, who goes about with a corrupt mouth,

who winks with his eye, signals with his feet and motions with his fingers,

who plots evil with deceit in his heart-- he always stirs up dissension.

Therefore disaster will overtake him in an instant; he will suddenly be destroyed--without remedy.

There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him:

haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,

a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil,

a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.

My son, keep your father's commands and do not forsake your mother's teaching.

Bind them upon your heart forever; fasten them around your neck.

When you walk, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you.

For these commands are a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the corrections of discipline are the way to life,

keeping you from the immoral woman, from the smooth tongue of the wayward wife.

Do not lust in your heart after her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes,

for the prostitute reduces you to a loaf of bread, and the adulteress preys upon your very life.

Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned?

Can a man walk on hot coals without his feet being scorched?

So is he who sleeps with another man's wife; no one who touches her will go unpunished.

Men do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his hunger when he is starving.

Yet if he is caught, he must pay sevenfold, though it costs him all the wealth of his house.

But a man who commits adultery lacks judgment; whoever does so destroys himself.

Blows and disgrace are his lot, and his shame will never be wiped away;

for jealousy arouses a husband's fury, and he will show no mercy when he takes revenge.

He will not accept any compensation; he will refuse the bribe, however great it is

The great proverbs...

It reads like a riddle. 

Psalms is more poetic. It flows with emotions and passion while proverbs is teaching it also resembles parables. 

For example: my son do not go to the adulterous woman door lest you sink down into death.

A riddle is a statement or question or phrasehaving a double or veiled meaning, put forth as a puzzle to be solved. 

Adultery destroys and it says a husband will take his revenge. 

It presents a problem and what is going to happen.  

It states what will come against you as well as the consequences for the actions. 

This is not theological type of writing. It is a common sense or reality type if writing. 

It's not enough to have wisdom but to have an understanding of that wisdom. 

Marriage vows have a statement that says, what God has joined together let no man put us under.

I interpret as.....What God has joined together cursed be the man or woman that put them under. 

God joins together the devil tears apart.