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that I may be delivered from those in Judea who do not believe, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints,<\/strong><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Following God is more important than personal safety.<\/p>\n The word translated \u201cdelivered<\/span>\u201d is rhuomai<\/em><\/span>, meaning \u201cto snatch from danger, to rescue, or to deliver.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAcceptable<\/span>\u201d is from the Greek word euprosdechomai<\/em><\/span>, a double compound word made up of eu<\/em><\/span>, meaning \u201cgood or well,\u201d pros<\/em><\/span>, meaning \u201cunto or toward,\u201d and dechomai<\/em><\/span>, meaning \u201cto accept or receive.\u201d Thus, it means \u201cwell received.\u201d<\/p>\n In the previous verse Paul urgently requested the Christians in Rome to join him in fervent, heartfelt prayer, striving against the forces of Paul\u2019s opposition. If you or I were asking for prayer in this situation, we most certainly would ask for deliverance from the persecution that was surely coming. The Apostle Paul also wanted to be delivered from trouble, because he was concerned that the disbelieving Jews in Judea might try to do him harm. Clearly, Paul had good reason to believe this. Throughout his journeys to spread the gospel he was repeatedly accosted, thrown in jail, and even stoned. On his third missionary journey, about the time that he was writing this letter, Paul was planning to return to Judea by way of Syria but someone discovered a plot among the Jews:<\/p>\n Now when he had gone over that region and encouraged them with many words, he came to Greece and stayed three months. And when the Jews plotted against him as he was about to sail to Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia. <\/span>(Acts 20:2-3<\/strong><\/span>)<\/p>\n As he continued on this journey to Jerusalem, Paul stopped and invited the leaders of the church in Ephesus to come and meet with him. He shared with them the many trials that he had endured for the sake of the Gospel and told them that he had received repeated indications from the Spirit of God that chains and tribulations awaited him in Jerusalem.<\/p>\n And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me.<\/span> (Acts 20: 22, 23<\/strong><\/span>)<\/p>\n He knew that something bad was going to happen to him in Jerusalem and yet he felt bound by the Spirit of God to go there anyway. And, although Paul wanted to be delivered from personal harm, that was not his primary concern. He wanted to deliver the gift to the converted Jewish saints in Jerusalem and he wanted that gift to be well received. He knew that trouble from the Jewish unbelievers might take away from the joy and gratitude of those receiving the gift he was bringing.<\/p>\n Once again, we see that Paul\u2019s focus was on his ministry, not on his personal situation. He was so intent on delivering the gift to those in need that he gave little thought for what might happen to him in Jerusalem<\/p>\n Paul was more interested in serving God than in saving his own skin. If we are focused on serving God when and where He calls us, personal concerns take a back seat. I wonder \u2013 if you knew that following God\u2019s calling for your life would mean personal harm, would you still do it? Think about that!<\/p>\n In God\u2019s service, for His glory,<\/strong><\/p>\nTruth to Learn<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
Behind the Words<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
Meaning Explained<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
Application<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
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