"And in those days, Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples...and said, 'Men and brethren, this Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus...' "
Acts 1:15-16
As in the days of Jesus' earthly ministry, Peter (which, being interpreted, is "big-mouth) took the floor and became the spokesman for the group. He was blessed with the Gift of Gab. As he tried to understand and make sense of what had happened in the past week or two, he turned to the Psalms (41:9; 69:25; and 109:8). Later on the Day of Pentecost, he would quote Joel (Acts 2:16ff). It could be said that he was proof-texting. (A proof-text without a context is a pre-text.) I am not saying that Peter was wrong. I'm sure He was led by the Holy Spirit to apply these verses to the situation. For us, proof-texting is a common method of trying to understand our circumstances. It is easy to grab a verse and apply it to my personal challenges, and it can be beneficial in bringing light and encouragement to my own life. But I need to be careful how I use God's Word lest I misuse it.
Today's Thought: Proof-texting can be beneficial but needs to be done with care.
Have a Scriptural day. Love you.
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