Andy Talks

Paul is told twice today, don’t go to Jerusalem.  If you do, it will end badly for you.  You will die. But Paul says he is called to go, even if it means his death.  He is called by God to do this, so he has courage.  Courage is not being afraid. Courage is being afraid and doing the right thing anyway. Stay rooted in the Spirit. Listen to God, listen for His voice, and stay rooted in His call.  He will give us the courage for whatever may happen.

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+1-16&version=NRSVUE

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

Paul gives his last words today to the church in Ephesus. He knows he is heading towards Jerusalem, and while he doesn’t know exactly what awaits him there, he knows that it will not be good.  He knows through the Spirit that suffering will come.  So, as he leaves these people he loves, he shares his last words for them with them. Protect and love the church.  This is what Paul wants them to know. Today, what would your last words be?  If you were leaving those whom you loved, and you could give them one final word, what would it be?  We see Paul’s last words to Ephesus today. What would your last words be?

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+20%3A+13-38&version=NRSVUE

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

Stealing a title from John Wesley today!  We see Paul preach for so long that a young man falls asleep and falls to his death. But, the text tells us several times about the “breaking of bread,” or Holy Communion. And we see this young man is brought back to life. Communion is a gift from God.  It brings us back to life. It restores us.  It gives us the grace necessary for the living of life.  Wesley encouraged us to take it constantly.  So, let us look to the next taking of communion for the joyous gift that it is, this gift that gives us life!

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+20%3A+7-12&version=NRSVUE

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

When we think of encouragers in Scripture, we don’t always think of Paul first. But when we read today, that is exactly what we find. Paul encourages his disciples. Then, he goes to Macedonia and encourages the Christians there. Even when forced to flee from a plot against him, Paul takes folks with him on the journey and pours into them. We don’t always think of Paul as one who encourages. But that is exactly what he did today. And that is our call today. Look around.  Who can use some encouragement in your life? Who could use just that?  Today, be like Paul. Be an encourager. And see just what God will do with that. 

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%2020%3A1-6&version=NRSVUE

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

A riot breaks out in Ephesus.  It’s going bad, bad, bad. But Alexander speaks up, and he speaks peace to a bad situation. This is such a wonderful example for us.  Our lives and our world are filled with things that create such negativity. That creates such worry.  Paul tells us to think on things that are noble and pure.  This passage, I think, asks two questions for us. First, what are we filling our minds with? Are we filling them with things that bring peace, things that are good, noble, and pure? Or are we filling them with things that create negativity and worry?  And second, do we speak peace in the worry and anxiety of the world?  Do we de-escalate situations?  Are we means of peace in a tense world?  This is a great example of just what we can do when we learn to speak peace.

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%2019%3A21-41&version=NRSVUE

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

Today, we see God doing great things through Paul. So great that folks begin to try to try to imitate Paul, casting out demons not “in Jesus” name but “in the name of Jesus who Paul proclaims.”  In other words, these people didn’t know Jesus.  They knew about Jesus.  It isn’t enough for us to just know about Jesus. We have to know Jesus. Our faith is personal; it is about that relationship that we have with Jesus.  My faith is mine, and I have to walk daily with Jesus, just as you do.  Today, it isn’t about knowing who Jesus is. It is about knowing Jesus.

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%2019%3A11-20&version=NRSVUE

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

Today, we see Paul talk about conversion and baptism. Like Apollos before, Paul meets some people who do not have the full story of salvation and the Gospel. Paul explains the truth to them, and they are baptized in Jesus’ name.  You may have met some churches that baptize in “Jesus’ name.”  We take a few minutes to unpack what is happening here.  But always remember that baptism, and salvation, are a Trinitarian experience. We are made right with the Father, through the Son, by the Spirit. Our very salvation is an act of the Trinity. 

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%2019%3A1-10&version=NRSVUE

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

Today, we meet a person who is very important to Paul's ministry in Corinth.  Apollos.  We learn from the Word that he is a gifted speaker and very powerful.  He is doing amazing things for the Kingdom. But he also doesn't know the full story. This passage forces us to ask two questions of ourselves. Who in our lives are we pouring into or mentoring?  And who in our lives is pouring into or mentoring us?  We need both. To pour into others and to have others pour into us. When we are living, when we are doing both of those things, then we will truly see our faith blossom. 

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+18%3A+24-28&version=NRSVUE

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

In our Traditional message from October 1, 2023, Andy shares with us from John 15: 9-17. Our colleges do a great job of "making disciples," even better than the church. They provide identity and community. So should we, so must we, as the church. How can we do just that?

Paul is a tent maker, and he connects with Pricilla and Aquila. They work together. They labor together. Work is sacred. Work is not something that is a punishment of the Fall, but if we go back and read the Creation, we see that God gave Adam and Eve a job to do.  Now, the Fall complicated things, but work is a good thing.  A sacred thing. God gave us purpose and work. Today, attend to the work relationships we have in life. And do your job well, for God’s glory. Work is sacred. It is how God made us. May we always remember that.

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%2018%3A1-17&version=NRSVUE

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