Andy Talks

Today is Halloween.  Do you know the religious history of this day?  A lot has happened throughout church history, from Martin Luther to the celebration of our saints and those who have passed into the Church Triumphant.  After all, we are surrounded by a mighty cloud of witnesses!  So, while we may not think about it, today has some deep religious meaning!   

Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.

If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up.

Read our passage here - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews%2012%3A1-3&version=NRSVUE

You can watch this in video form here - https://revandy.org/blog/

In our Traditional sermon from October 29, 2023, we hear the story of the widow and Elijah. She had given all that she could give, and now Elijah wanted more?  You can't get blood from a turnip. But when we look closer, we see that her call to give was actually her call to live.  When we give, we actually find life.         

Sometimes, we feel the pressure that it is all up to us. Don’t worry. God’s got this.  We see that Paul is nearly killed. There is a plan to ambush and kill Paul. But, Paul is saved, and in his saving, Paul is headed further down the road to where God wants him, in Rome, preaching. We may not always understand what is happening at the moment. It may not always make sense. But we know that God is at work, and we know that we can’t mess up the plans of God. Our job is to be faithful. We can trust that God is at work and knows what He is doing. God’s got this. 

Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.

If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up.

Read our passage here - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+23%3A12-22&version=NRSVUE

You can watch this in video form here - https://revandy.org/blog/

We see Paul continue to be very smart.  The Lord has told him that he was to go to Rome and testify about Him. That is where all this is headed.  But before we get there, we see some internal conflict among the religious leaders. We see a fight among the Sadducees and Pharisees. But who were these people?  Who were these groups?  What did they represent?  What did they believe?  Today, we’ll look a little bit deeper at the Sadducees and Pharisees and learn who they were. 

Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.

If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up.

Read our passage here - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+22%3A+30+-+Acts+23%3A+11&version=NRSVUE

You can watch this in video form here - https://revandy.org/blog/

Paul plays his Roman citizen card today.  Paul tells the soldiers beating him that he is a citizen of Rome, and they stop what they are doing immediately. They are not allowed to do that.  Paul’s destination to Rome continues.  He is heading there, for the glory of God. It is interesting that Paul had been telling the people his testimony, telling them what God had done, but they would not listen. They would not open their ears; open their hearts. They would not listen. Today, do we listen to what God is saying? Do we listen to where God is calling? God is still speaking. We need to grace to hear. 

Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.

If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up.

Read our passage here - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+22%3A+22-29&version=NRSVUE

You can watch this in video form here - https://revandy.org/blog/

Paul finishes his testimony today.  He tells of how Jesus has changed him.  Jesus changes lives, y’all.  We see that Paul told all the folks all that he did, and after he was saved, folks didn’t want to believe him. They knew all that he had done, and it was hard to let go of his actions.  We should learn to forgive ourselves for our past mistakes and, in the same way, learn to forgive others of their past mistakes.  I’ll forgive you, and you forgive me. And we’ll live in God’s goodness.  Let’s remember today that Jesus changes lives.  

Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.

If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up. 

Read our passage here - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+22%3A+6-21&version=NRSVUE

You can watch this in video form here - https://revandy.org/blog/

Paul gives us his background today. We see all that he has done, all he has learned from, all that has happened in his life. He was uniquely positioned to make a difference for the kingdom by bridging the gap between the Gentiles and the Jews. He had that ability because of who he was.  Today, God has you where He has you for a reason. Maybe that reason is to learn. Maybe it is to act.  Prayerfully listen to the Spirit today. He will reveal.  He will show you.  Listen, and you will learn why God has you where He has you. 

Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.

If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up.

Read our passage here - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+21%3A+37+-+22%3A5&version=NRSVUE

You can watch this in video form here - https://revandy.org/blog/

In our Traditional message from October 22, 2023, Andy shares with us from 2 Timothy 2: 1-10.   Why do we teach?  We find that when we pour into others, we are the ones who are blessed. It is in the giving that we receive!

Today, we see Paul begin to really see the opposition that was going to come to him. Individuals stir up much trouble and try to even kill him. They assume the worst about Paul, that he did something to offend them when in reality, he went out of his way to avoid doing just that.  Their worst-case assumption leads to riots and much trouble.  Today, do we assume the best of each other or the worst of each other?  Those assumptions will shape much of how we live together and how we serve together.  This world pushes us to assume the worst. Let’s push back against that and assume the best of each other!

Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.

If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up.

Read our passage here - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+21%3A+27-36&version=NRSVUE

You can watch this in video form here - https://revandy.org/blog/

Paul gets to Jerusalem today.  There was much concern among the Jewish believers that Paul had been telling Jews to ignore the law, so the church leader asked Paul to participate in some of the rituals. Because for Paul, it wasn’t about the rituals; it was about Jesus.  It is easy for us to confuse the means for the end. The end is knowing Jesus. That’s what matters. The means is how we do it, and that may look different for every one of us. Let’s focus on the end, knowing Jesus. Let’s not expect everyone to have our “means.”  That may look different and probably will look different for all of us. What matters is that we know Jesus. That’s the point of all this. 

Join us for our daily reflections with Andy. In 10 short minutes, he'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help you better understand God's Word.

If you'd like to receive this daily reflection on your phone, text @39110 to 81010 to sign up.

Read our passage here - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+21%3A+17-26&version=NRSVUE

You can watch this in video form here - https://revandy.org/blog/