Acts 18:23-19:12

The examples of Peter, Paul, Silas, Barnabas, Phoebe, and others in the book of Acts are people who are ecstatic about Jesus and sharing him with others. So, how excited are you to do this? Acts 18 introduces us to Apollos. He is a man identified by two important characteristics. First, he had a heart for truth. He is described as having a “thorough knowledge of the Scriptures.” He not only knew the truth but communicated it to others. Is this heart for truth true of you? Do you know the Scriptures and share them with others? The second description of Apollos is that he was passionate about the truth. We have all probably had teachers, professors, or maybe even pastors, who communicated truth but did not seem to have their heart in it. They were speaking truth, but there was no passion, fervor, or enthusiasm behind it. On the other hand, Apollos spoke with a fervor and zeal. People instantly knew that he believed what he shared, and I am sure his passion was contagious.

Is this passion true of you? Do you have a fervor for Jesus and to make him known? If not, what is keeping your heart disconnected from the heart of God? Let us be like Apollos and speak with truth and zeal. Let us share our beautiful savior with everyone we can because we are so passionate about him we cannot keep the message to ourselves.

Father God, give me a passion for you, your Scriptures, and to make you known. Amen. 

How can you grow in your heart for truth and your zeal for God to make him known?

Acts 18:1-22

What causes you to be quiet when you have an opportunity to share Jesus? Are you worried about what people might think, feel like you do not have all the answers, or something else? We need to get to a place where we see every conversation, every relationship, and every moment as a great opportunity to share Christ. Paul’s mentality is described in Acts 18:5. “Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ.” Paul was committed to sharing Jesus everywhere he went. He would share in synagogues and homes, he would share indoors and outdoors, and he would share with groups and individuals. He would preach to Jews and Gentiles. He seemed to cast the seeds of the gospel everywhere to see which might bear fruit.

As we go about our days we need to have this same mentality. We need to make sure we are intentionally planting seeds wherever we go. At home, we should be proclaiming Jesus, at work sharing what Christ has done, in our friendships excitedly speaking of God, and to strangers mentioning the love of God. There is nowhere we go that Jesus should not be right at the center of our thoughts, actions, and speech. So let us be like Paul, and proclaim what Christ has done. As we do this, we can know that we do not have to be quiet or afraid because God is with us (see Acts 18:9-10).

Father, help me to get over my feeling of awkwardness when I talk about you and joyfully share what you have done with others. Amen. 

How can you get over any obstacles that keep you from sharing Christ with others?

Acts 17:1-34

Twice in Acts 17 we are told that Paul “reasoned” with people and particularly his statements in Athens provide two helpful pointers for us as we share our faith. Paul began his conversation in Athens by finding common ground with his audience. They were religious, acknowledged the existence of gods and recognized their need to worship something greater than themselves. After starting with commonality Paul built an argument for why Jesus is the one they need. Unlike their idols, God is not something they created with their hands; instead, he is the one who created all things. We are dependent upon him, and he is not in any way dependent upon us. Finally, he is not only the creator but the judge of all people. Our response to God is not merely appropriate but necessary for eternal life.

Paul began with a point of agreement but did not end there, because their current rejection of Jesus as king would lead to an eternity in hell. In the same way, as we communicate with people, there is wisdom in finding points of agreement, but it is necessary for us to present Jesus' uniqueness, sufficiency, and lordship. No matter how "religious", moral, or loving people might be, without Jesus the only thing that awaits them is judgment if they remain outside of Christ.

Father God, give me wisdom to share Jesus with people well. Help me to steer the conversation to the work of Jesus. Amen. 

How can you intentionally find common ground with unbelievers and then point them to Christ?

Acts 16:16-40

How do you respond to hardship? Do you see it as an opportunity to serve God and mature, or something to flee? Paul and Silas continued their ministry in Phillippi, where they were identified as God’s servants by a demonpossessed slave woman. After driving out the spirit, they were thrown in prison after false accusations from the woman’s masters. Savagely beaten, tightly bound, and under heavy guard, the gut instinct of most would be anger or despair. Difficulty, hardship, and injustice can often bring out the worst in us, but Paul and Silas responded with praise and hymns to the Lord.

When an earthquake miraculously threw open the gates, Paul and Silas seized the opportunity, not to flee, but rather to witness to the confused and distraught jailor. Through this circumstance, the entire household of the prison warden is brought to faith. The next day, Paul and Silas were set free by the local magistrates and left Phillippi. They turned their difficult circumstances into transformed eternities for some and a testimony to all. We can be used in this same way. Through a brief word, a kind gesture, or pointing towards Christ, we can find opportunities to serve the Lord in every circumstance.

Lord, thank you that you are faithful and worthy of praise in the struggles of life. You are amazing to work in every circumstance. Amen. 

When faced with hardship or injustice, what is your first reaction, and how can you make it a Godward reaction?

Acts 15:36-16:15

Much of Acts describes Peter and Paul evangelizing the Middle East. Yet Acts 15-16 reminds us that their goal was not simply to make believers but to make disciples. They were seeking to make fully committed followers of Christ in every city they visited. This is the same mission which God has given every believer. To be disciples who make disciples. This is our calling and our purpose.

As we follow Paul, Silas, and Timothy, we see them going back to churches which they had previously established and encouraging their faith. We all need people to come alongside us to encourage our faith and we also need to do this for others. Do you have this type of Christ centered relationships in your life? Do you have a connection group that helps sharpen your faith? We were reminded yesterday that all we need for salvation is Jesus, but we need community to help us mature. We never reach a point in our walk with God where we stop needing the church. We need others to help us grow, and we need to be helping others grow. Is there an area God has placed you where you can help believers mature? We need to be sharing our faith with those who do not yet know Christ, but also are called to help people grow who are already believers. So, let us live up to our mission.

Father God, use me to make disciples. Help me to make you known everywhere I go. Amen. 

How well are you living out your mission of being a disciple who makes disciples? Do you find yourself building up believers and sharing Christ with those who do not yet believe?

Acts 15:1-35

All we need for salvation is Jesus. Yet so often we think this is too simple. We think that faith in Jesus seems too easy and there must be something more. Do you ever feel that as well? Many people think one needs faith in Jesus plus baptism, a high level of morality, tithing, or any number of other things to be saved. There were many in the early church, like those in Acts 15:1, who believed salvation required faith in Jesus plus conversion to Judaism. Therefore, many false teachers were saying you had to be circumcised, eat kosher, and any number of other practices from the Mosaic Law to be saved. All these ideas were completely false as already proven by the Holy Spirit coming upon Gentiles who had faith in Christ, plus nothing. The crucial truth that Jesus+nothing=everything needs to be defended in every generation.

After, and only after coming to faith in Christ, people should be called to holy lives, which is the instruction that the church gave to Gentiles concerning food sacrificed to idols, sexual immorality, and certain dietary practices. Our lives should reflect the character of Christ as the Holy Spirit empowers us to live. However, we must always remember that salvation is through faith in Jesus plus nothing.

Father God, thank you that I am saved by grace through faith alone. Help me to live in a way that reflects the extravagant grace I have received. Amen. 

Are you tempted to add to the simple gospel message? Why are you, or why has the church, often been tempted to add to this equation?

Acts 14:8-28

Following God is not always easy. The example of Jesus was one of faithful obedience even to death. Most likely ten of the original twelve disciples were martyred for their faith. We can easily think that following Jesus will make our life easy, happy, and worry free; but though it will fill our lives with joy, peace, and eternal life, it will not always be pain free.

How do you feel about the statement by Paul and Barnabas, “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.” Paul had been stoned to the point the crowd thought he was dead, yet he refused to stop serving God. Even when he was nearly killed, he kept serving God. How do you respond to difficulty in your life? Do you turn your back on God or run to him? Do you continue to engage people with Jesus who seem uninterested or oppositional, or are you quick to throw in the towel? Do you continue to fight against temptation and sin, or do you find yourself more often giving in to your broken, fallen desires? Following God is not easy, in fact it will often lead us directly into “many hardships,” but it is always worth it.

Father God, help me to see that you are greater and more satisfying than everything else. Help me to live for you and for eternity, rather than for momentary, fleeting pleasures. Amen. 

How well are you willing to endure hardship for the sake of God and his kingdom?

Acts 13:42-14:7

We have seen throughout the New Testament that God is the sovereign king of the universe. At the same time people have free will. When we think about God's sovereignty and human freedom, it inevitably ends with some level of mystery. How do you put these seemingly contradictory ideas together? Look at Acts 13:48, "All who were appointed for eternal life believed" and 14:1, "A great number of Jews and Greeks believed." Throughout Scripture language is used that God predestines, elects, chooses. Also in Acts 13 the language of appointing is used. God is king over salvation, and it is only through his initiative and work that anyone is saved. God is our savior, and no one can be redeemed through their own ability or work. Yet at the same time, people are saved by grace through faith. For someone to be saved they must believe. Acts 13:48 and 14:1 make this point crystal clear.

God does his part, and we need to do ours. Every time a person comes to faith in Christ it is a beautiful display of God's power, grace, and work, and a person coming to faith by an act of their will. How these things work together is always going to be a mystery on some level, but like puzzle pieces we need to try to put Scripture together. Like all areas of theology, we may not know things perfectly or fully, but we can know things truthfully. So, we are saved by God’s grace and through our faith.

Father God, help me to share the message of Christ with those who are far from you, that they might believe. Amen. 

How do you put the pieces of God's sovereignty and human free will together?

Acts 13:16-41

God is the sovereign king of the universe. There is nothing which happens outside of that which he allows. Look at Acts 13:16-41 and underline everything God did. For example, God “chose our ancestors” (v.17), “he endured” (v.18), “he has fulfilled (promises) for us” (v.33) and God was patient for forty years as “he endured their conduct in the wilderness” (v. 18). He slowly, patiently brought about his purposes. He “chose our ancestors” like David, a man after God’s own heart who “served God’s purpose in his own generation (v. 36). God also chose John the Baptist and, as he “was completing his work,” he pointed his followers to Christ (v. 25). Both David and John the Baptist fulfilled God’s purposes during their lifetimes.

From this passage I am reminded of two things. First, God keeps his promises. He kept his promise to David of a Messiah that would come into the world to offer us forgiveness and eternal life. Second, because of this gift of salvation, God has a purpose for each of us in our generation. Like David, he wants our hearts to mirror his heart. This could take the form of accepting others (Romans 15:7), serving others (Galatians 5:13), patiently bearing with others in love (Ephesians 4:2), and encouraging and building up others (I Thessalonians 5:11). Our acts of service take many forms, but it has one ultimate purpose: to serve God in all we do.

Father, use my life to serve you in all I do. Amen. 

If serving God were your very reason for living, how would your heart and life change?

Acts 12:24-13:15

Do you ever feel like Jesus is losing? Do you ever wonder whether the church is going to last against the pressures of our culture? Thankfully, these are not things we have to consider or worry about because Jesus is victorious, and his church will prevail. We live in a broken world, but a world that is saturated by the presence of God. Therefore, there are constant hardships and continual evidence of God's grace, power, and love. It is important that we learn how to respond to both realities in a way that brings glory to God. Notice Barnabas and Saul as they undertake their missionary journeys in Acts 12-13. They were invited by the proconsul, a government official, to come and share the gospel. What an amazing opportunity and certain evidence of God's blessing and favor. Then at the very same time, they were opposed by Bar-Jesus/Elymas. On the one hand, the road seemed open for ministry while at the same time opposition ensued.

What is beautiful, is that in the end, God won, as he always does. It does not always happen that quickly for us, but Jesus is always going to be victorious over death, sin, Satan, and all that is opposed to him. Acts 12:24 tells us even during persecution and suffering “the word of God continued to increase and spread.” Even when we cannot see it, God is always at work. So, let us have eyes to see and join him in his kingdom work, because he always wins.

Father God, give me eyes to see you at work. Help me cling to the hope that you offer and rest in your victory. Amen. 

How would remembering that God wins help you to respond better to the hardships of life?

Acts 12:1-23

What is your initial response when life gets hard? Where do you turn when you face difficulty? In Acts 12 the church found themselves under intense persecution; James had been killed and Peter was next on the docket for death. Their response was not to freak out—instead, to pray. How closely does this parallel your response to hardship? Verse 5 says the church was "earnestly praying to God" and verse 12 tells us the church "had gathered and were praying." Their response to trouble was not to become overwhelmed by the world but instead to become overwhelmed by the presence and power of God.

They turned away from their troubles to call out to the one who could intervene, and God did. God sent an angel to walk Peter out of prison and free him from this attempt to take his life. How well are you emulating this example of the early church? When you find yourself in crisis and trouble, are you earnestly praying? No matter how overwhelming our circumstances might be, God is greater. Notice the contrast between Herod and Peter. Herod, the powerful Rome appointed ruler, fell dead; while Peter, a simple apostle, lived. The difference is one thought he was God, while the other relied on God. So, let us run to God in times of difficulty, pain, and frustration, because he alone can deliver and save.

Father God, help me to turn to you in prayer when life is difficult. Thank you that are greater than anything I can face in life. Amen. 

Is earnest prayer a part of your response to hardship? If not, how can you grow in this area?

Acts 11:1-30

How do you deal with criticism and conflict? For most of us, our initial response is defensiveness, anger, and frustration. It is tough when you face criticism from anyone, but especially from those who you would expect to love and support you. Peter had been obediently following God’s commands, but when some of the church found out about his interaction with Gentiles, they were appalled. Rather than encouraging God’s work, they criticized it. They did not understand how someone could disobey tradition by eating with Gentiles.

How would you feel at that moment? Disappointed, angry, sad? Peter instead responded by explaining his actions and the minds of people were changed. This says a lot about the maturity of the church that even though they were initially wrong, they were willing to change their minds when presented with evidence of God’s work. As we may face criticism, Peter presents us with a great example of how we can respond. We need to explain the rationale behind our actions and always choose to obey God regardless of whether others agree with us or not. Choose to obey God, even if it means opposition and criticism from others. And seek to pursue unity, forgiveness, and love when there are disagreements.

Father God, help me to respond to criticism with love. Help me to follow and obey you no matter how others feel about it. Amen. 

How can you respond better to criticism and conflict?

Acts 10:24-48

It can often seem overwhelming to enter into a spiritual conversation with someone. We may wonder: What should I say? What questions should I ask? Peter’s conversation with Cornelius gives us an understanding of the most important things we should share with others. Peter begins right away by talking about Jesus. He could have talked about creation, the patriarchs, or the prophets, but notice he beelines to Jesus. He does not get distracted from the most important thing. The same needs to be true for us. There are lots of things we can talk about with people, but there is only one ultimate thing we need to share—that is a person, Jesus. He is the one who gives peace. He is the one who is resurrected from the dead. He is also the one who is the “judge of the living and the dead.” Finally, he is the only one who offers forgiveness of sins.

We want to deal with the questions and objections people might have, but we need to make sure that we are always sharing Jesus. He is the only one who offers eternal life and everything we need. So, make sure the next time you are able to engage in a significant conversation with someone, ask them what they think about Jesus. Ask them who they think he is. Ask them what they think about the claim that he died on the cross for their sins and rose from the dead. Ask them if they have experienced the peace and forgiveness that is only available in him. So, make sure you are asking and talking about Jesus.

Father God, help me to be your witness. Help me to share Jesus with those you place in my life. Amen. 

What keeps you from talking about Jesus?

Acts 10:1-23

Most of the early Christians were ethnically Jewish and they continued to follow the Mosaic laws after coming to faith in Christ. Yet in Acts 10 God clearly helps us to understand that Jesus brought a clear break from the old way of things. Peter received a vision of a sheet falling from heaven filled with a variety of animals. The Mosaic Covenant mandated that animals like pigs, many lizards, carnivorous birds, etc., were unclean and not to be eaten. To obey God in the Old Testament, these commands had to be strictly followed. With the vision, Peter suddenly understood he was under the New Covenant. People can follow Jesus while having the freedom to eat the unclean foods of the Old Testament.

As we continue to work our way through Acts, we will see how radical this understanding was for Jewish Christians. This understanding that God works in different ways at different times, and obedience looks different in different times, is dispensationalism. Though some commands may change, at all times, God calls for obedience. When God speaks, we obey; where he did not speak, we have freedom to allow the Spirit to guide us in wisdom. Peter’s obedience would change the way he lived, what he ate, and with whom he ate. No matter the social, cultural, or historical norms, Peter chose to obey God above everything.

Father God, help me to obey you. Even if this means changing the way I live or what seems comfortable to me, help me to follow wherever you lead. Amen. 

When in your life has God challenged you to obey him in a new area? How did this grow your relationship with him?

Acts 9:26-43

One of the marks of the early church was a resolute commitment to Christ regardless of the consequences. Immediately after Paul's conversion, he began to share the message of Jesus everywhere. Sometimes it went well, and people came to faith in Christ, and other times it led to murder attempts (see 9:29). No matter the result, he kept on spreading the message wherever he went. One of the reasons that Paul, Peter, and the rest of the church were able to have this mentality was because they lived "in the fear of the Lord" and were "encouraged by the Holy Spirit."

The fear of the Lord allowed them to resolutely obey God, because they were seeking to please him above everyone else. They knew the power of God and the weakness of the world; therefore they resolutely obeyed God. Also, being encouraged by the Holy Spirit allowed them to find joy in the midst of suffering and persecution. They were filled with joy despite their circumstances because of God's work in their lives. As you follow Christ today, are you motivated by the fear of the Lord and the encouragement of the Spirit? These realities will empower us to follow Christ no matter the results. So let us look to God for our purpose, motivation, and joy, and proclaim him to everyone we can.

Father God, help me to fear you and be encouraged by your Spirit today. May I be motivated by your love and the life I have through Christ to obey you. Amen. 

What would it look like to walk in the fear of the Lord and the encouragement of the Holy Spirit?

Acts 9:1-25

Every person that comes to faith in Jesus is a lost person who becomes found. They are a person who is in darkness coming to the light. Every conversion is a miracle, but some are more surprising than others. As you consider people who seem to be beyond salvation, it is hard to imagine someone more unlikely than Paul. He was seeking to arrest Christians and even oversaw their murders—until Christ broke into his life. Jesus did this through a miraculous appearance on the road to Damascus. After Jesus revealed who he was to Paul, his whole life changed. He went from a persecutor of Christians to proclaiming Christ. He went from bringing suffering upon Christians to willingly enduring anything to make more Christians.

Even if your backstory looks nothing like Paul's, the fact that any person is saved is a surprising act. All our sin separates us from God, and it is only God's initiative and grace which saves anyone. This reality should cause us to celebrate our salvation and give us courage to share with anyone and everyone. No matter where someone is today spiritually, if God breaks into their life, everything will be different tomorrow.

Father God, thank you for my salvation and the grace I receive. Help me to courageously share with all people, no matter their beliefs or behavior today, because you can save everyone. Amen. 

Is there anyone in your life that you have stopped sharing with because you cannot imagine them becoming saved? How can you faithfully extend God's love and grace to them?

Acts 8:14-40

God’s heart is for all people. He has always wanted all people from all nations to come to faith in him. Acts 8 is the beginning of the church breaking into the Gentile world. It is the beginning of God’s kingdom going out to the whole world. We see the apostles go to Samaria and see the Holy Spirit come upon them. This scene is essentially the Gentile Pentecost. This nearly unparalleled event validated that all people could become equally in-dwelt by the Spirit. These people, since residing in Samaria, were probably part Jewish and part Gentile. The Samaritans, who were despised by the Jews, were brought into God's family in the same way Jewish people had been. God’s kingdom is now shown to be open to everyone.

Next Philip had the opportunity to participate in the conversion and baptism of an African official. Whether Jewish, African, Asian, European, Central American, South American, or a mix of all of these, all people can become part of God's family by grace through faith. The Gospel is not a western construct or relegated to one people group; instead it is meant for all people and all nations. This is the mission which God has given to us. To go out into the world and make disciples of all nations.

Father God, help me to be a part of your mission of drawing all people and all nations into your family. Give me eyes to see who I can share you with today. Amen. 

How well are you participating in the mission of seeing diverse people come to faith in Christ?

Acts 7:51-8:13

We need to learn to have eyes to see what God is doing. The early church was rapidly expanding and it seemed like nothing could stand against it. Even when apostles were arrested, they were miraculously released from prison. Then suddenly things seemed to change. When Stephen stood before the Sanhedrin, he was soon murdered through stoning. There was no miraculous angelic intervention, God did not stop the stones in mid-air—instead Stephen died. What could God possibly be doing amid the death of someone he loved?

It is sometimes very difficult to see the connection between suffering in our own lives and God’s activity. Yet Scripture helps us see how he has worked in similar or more difficult circumstances in the past, and therefore, how he might be working in the present. Notice Acts 8:4, the result of persecution in the aftermath of Stephen’s death led to the expansion of the gospel message. Many cities heard the news of Jesus as a direct result of the increased persecution of the church. Suffering in this case, directly led to people coming to faith in Christ. Stephen proclaimed Christ with his dying breath, and Philip and others did the same as they traveled throughout the Roman Empire. No matter the cost they continued to share Jesus, the very thing we are called to as well.

Father God, help me to trust you in all situations of life and be able to see how you are working in and through me. Amen. 

How have you seen God use hardship in your life to make him known?

Acts 7:30-50

If God is faithful, why do people embrace faithlessness? If God rescues, redeems, and saves, why do people turn away from him to other gods? After Stephen recounted the faithfulness of God as evidenced in the lives of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph, he placed the spotlight on Moses and the wilderness generation. God amazingly rescued his people from Egypt and was going to bring them into the Promised Land, but most of the people “refused to obey him.” Imagine that. God led the people through fire and light, provided daily food, and yet the people “refused to obey him.”

If that does not break your heart, nothing will. Yet if we are honest, we find ourselves in the exact same place. We have experienced forgiveness and eternal life through Jesus, yet daily choose sin over obedience. That should break our heart as well. Yet we have the gift of the Holy Spirit who enables us to overcome sin and temptation. So, let us choose faithfulness to God as a response to his faithfulness and provision to us.

Father God, thank you for your faithfulness. Help me to respond to all you have done in my life by following you and walking in obedience. Amen. 

What tempts you to choose conformity to the world over obedience to God? In those areas, how can you pre-plan obedience over sin?

Acts 7:1-29

Where have you seen God’s fingerprints of faithfulness on your life? When you are struggling to make sense of you current circumstances, what do you recount to remember God’s ultimate faithfulness? As Stephen stood before the Sanhedrin, awaiting an uncertain fate, he recounted God’s works on behalf of the Jewish people beginning from the book of Genesis. As he spoke of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph and others, he was not trying to point out the greatness of these individuals; rather the faithfulness of God. He spoke of God’s promises to Abraham; though Abraham never saw their fulfillment, they ultimately came true. After enduring 400 years of slavery and 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, the Jewish people finally entered the Promised Land. Israel clearly doubted the goodness and truthfulness of God during this time of waiting, but God was always present with them. No matter their circumstances, God was always present and faithful.

As we face our own wilderness moments, we can look back on God’s faithfulness as recounted in Scripture and replayed in our own lives. Regardless of where you find yourself today, know that God will prove himself faithful. Even if you do not see his promises fulfilled in your lifetime, know all he has said will come true.

Father God, help me to embrace your faithfulness. Help me to trust you even when my circumstances are confusing, knowing that you will never leave me and will always do as you have said. Amen. 

What causes you to doubt God’s faithfulness? How can you remind yourself of his character amid confusing circumstances?

Acts 6:1-15

We are called to serve and minister to those who are often overlooked. Who do you feel like are those in your life? Who could you love whom others might not be noticing or reaching out to? Early in the church the Gentile widows were being overlooked for material assistance. Jewish widows were receiving daily food, while the Gentile widows were neglected. When this came to the attention of the church, they organized themselves to make sure this did not continue to happen. Some in the church would focus on meeting the material needs of the widows, while others would focus on meeting the spiritual needs of the community.

These same needs are all around us. We will certainly encounter people today who have very real spiritual and material needs. The church is called to bring light and healing into our dark, broken world. We need to make sure as individuals and as a church we are doing our part. So, are you taking the time to notice and respond, or are you allowing their needs to go overlooked? If you were to focus on either meeting physical or spiritual needs, what do you feel like you are better equipped to do?

Father God, help me to care for the needs of people. Give me eyes to see those I can reach and love today. Amen. 

How well are you obeying God’s call to meet the physical and spiritual needs of our world?

Acts 5:1-42

To what extent are you willing to obey God? In Acts 5 we see a picture of both disobedience and obedience and the results that follow. First, Ananias and Sapphira wanted to fit into the culture of generosity in the early church, but were not concerned about truly obeying God. They valued social acceptance more than God’s acceptance. The result was death. Disobedience will rarely lead to instantaneous physical death like happened to them. However, when we refuse to obey God, we are drifting away from the source of life; thus voluntarily choosing to experience a taste of death.

In contrast, we have the example of the apostles. They preached the gospel even in the face of imprisonment and death threats. They considered preserving their life as nothing next to obeying God. No matter what the world threw at them, they remained resolute in obeying God. They sought to please God no matter the cost and no matter the result. In walking in obedience, they were able to experience true, full, abundant life and supernaturally amazing joy. Let us have this heart, choosing obedience over any short-term preservation, blessing or reward this world might throw at us. True life is only available in Jesus.

Father God, help me to choose to obey you. Since joy, peace, and life is only available in you, help me to always choose you over anything this world offers. Amen. 

How intentionally are you pursuing obedience in every area of your life? How can you cultivate a greater willingness to always obey God?

Acts 4:1-37

Jesus is unique. As the eternal Son of God, he alone transformed all human history through his life, death, and resurrection. He further wants to transform our lives and our ability to respond to all of life. How do you generally respond to difficult circumstances? Acts 4 shows us a response that is truly supernatural in nature. Peter and John were arrested, and probably wondered if their lives were over. Yet their response in the face of possible death and imprisonment was to proclaim the gospel and pray.

They first used every opportunity to point people to Jesus. Whether the people were spiritual seekers or potential murderers, they wanted everyone to hear of what Jesus had done. They understand that life was about maximizing God’s glory and not about their personal comfort. Secondly, they continuously prayed. Their prayers were acknowledgements of God’s greatness, power, and glory— even in the face of confusing, difficult circumstances. When they prayed, they reminded themselves of God’s power as creator, they prayed Scripture, and asked for God to enable them to continue the ministry they were doing. Read Acts 4:24-30. How do your prayers compare to that? I encourage you to pray with great intensity, creativity and with a reminder of who God is knowing that no matter what you are going through, God can enable you to respond in supernaturally amazing ways.

Father God, thank you that I can draw near to you in prayer. Help me to remember my life is about you and your glory. Amen. 

How can you respond to confusing, difficult circumstances like Peter and John?

Acts 3:1-26

How similar is your life to that of Jesus? In what ways do people see Jesus in you? After receiving the Holy Spirit, the disciples continued the ministry of Jesus. They came upon a crippled man and healed him in the name of Jesus. In the same way Jesus healed for years, these men performed similar acts. When the healing drew attention though, they put all the focus on Jesus. Their miracle was not meant to point people to the greatness of Peter and John, but rather to the greatness of Jesus. Jesus healed through his own power, while the disciples healed through his power. They had no power or ability on their own, it was all derivate of the Spirit’s power Jesus had granted to them.

Though we most likely have never performed a miraculous healing, we are called to continue the ministry of Jesus in the way we respond to the people around us. It may be a beggar, a neighbor, a coworker, a friend, or family member; to everyone we are to be the hands and feet of Jesus. The way that Jesus spoke, acted, and loved people, becomes the paradigm for us. This is not something we would ever be able to do on our own, but are only capable through the Spirit. Jesus’ life is available to us through the Spirit so it can pour through us onto the lives of others. Let us live as Christ’s representatives continually pointing people to him.

Father God, thank you for your Spirit that empowers me to live in your ways. Help me to represent you well and make you known to the people whose paths I cross today. Amen.

How well does your life and your words reflect the character of Christ and point people to him?

Acts 2:1-47

How is your life different because you know Jesus? In just a few short weeks, the disciples went from a scared group to powerfully experiencing the power of God. The day came when the power Jesus promised descended upon them. The Spirit in-dwelt them, and the proof was in their ability to speak in many languages. This speaking in tongues in the exact way described in Acts 2 was rare evidence of the Holy Spirit, but everyone should display proof of the Spirit’s power. Some of the most common ways of the Spirit working are described in Acts 2:42. We are told the whole church was devoted to “the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”

As amazing as speaking in tongues was, the far more significant event was the changed lives of the disciples. They moved from timid, scared people to passionate, courageous disciple makers. The ultimate evidence of the Spirit was a commitment to truth, people, and God. As we consider the work of the Spirit in our lives, we should consider whether it is the same for us. Are we committed to God’s truth, to God’s people, and to God himself ? If we are not, how can we become devoted to what God wants for us? We are to walk as Spirit empowered, Christ-devoted people like the original disciples. They were radically transformed to be disciples who made disciples.

Father God, thank you for the Spirit. May I continually submit to his work in my life. Amen. 

How devoted are you to pursuing truth, Christ-centered relationships, and prayer?