DAY 26: Look Back, Go Back!

Read: Acts 18:23-19:12

Think: In Acts 18:23, Paul’s missionary travels continue, “After spending time in Antioch, Paul went back through Galatia and Phyrgia, visiting and strengthening the believers.” In this passage, we clearly see that Paul’s work not only included boldly preaching the Gospel to unbelievers, but he made a point to shepherd, baptize, and pray for the healing of the believers. By Paul’s third missionary journey he had traveled back and forth to places he had previously visited—sometimes staying a day, sometimes staying two years!

Act: Paul’s life challenges us all, not only to preach the Gospel to the lost but to nurture and care for those we’ve spiritually mentored over the entire span of our lives. For example, to this day, I’ve remained connected with students from past youth groups— even mentoring their children! I’ve also continued to encourage many women with whom I’ve mentored, though they live 1000’s of miles away. And if I have the opportunity to share the Gospel with a stranger on an airplane, I do my best to stay in touch with them, help them find a church in their area, and be sure they have a Bible. Today, identify one person from your past and give them a phone call, send an email, or make a visit to strengthen them in their faith. 

Pray: Dear Lord, show me who needs a word of spiritual encouragement. Help me to look back on my life and remember the students, neighbors, coworkers or classmates with whom I’ve had an impact for the Gospel and renew my friendship with them. Give me time and tenacity to reconnect with them—even today! Thank You, Lord! Amen.

Be full of faith today!

DAY 25: Speak out. Don’t be silent.

Read: Acts 18:1-22

Think: In Acts 18, Paul travels to the city of Corinth—known as a wicked city, full of all kinds of immorality. Nonetheless, he preached regularly in the city and synagogue “trying to convince the Jews and Greeks alike,” that Jesus was the Messiah sent by God to all men and women. Even after facing considerable personal difficulty, many Corinthians became believers and were baptized! It was at this juncture that the Lord came to Paul in a vision and said, “Don’t be afraid. Speak out. Don’t be silent. For I am with you…” In other words, God told Paul to keep speaking! Acts 18:11 says, “So Paul stayed there for the next year and a half, teaching the word of God.”

Act: Theologian Wm. Barclay writes, “Just when Paul needed it, God spoke to him. Often he must have been daunted by the task that faced him in Corinth. But when God gives a man a task to do, he also gives him the power to do it. In the presence of God Paul found his courage and his strength.” Paul understood that the Good News is transported, transferred and transmitted by those who will speak out and not be silent! Today, send one email or write one letter to someone you know who has not given his or her life to Christ. More than likely, you know what holds them back. Address the issue specifically—and if you don’t know how to (1) answer their questions or (2) defend your faith—buy a book on apologetics (such More than a Carpenter) or take an online or college class at a nearby Christian university. God asks each of us to speak out and not be silent!

Pray: Dear Lord, give me courage to speak out about You—even when it feels overwhelming or difficult. Show me what to say that will bring breakthrough and understanding to those who don’t believe in You. And please, help me to grow in my knowledge of You and the Word of God. Take away my fears and fill me up to overflowing with an extra measure of Your Holy Spirit. I love you. Amen.

Be full of faith today!

DAY 24: The People of Berea

Read: Acts 17:1-34

Think: Acts 17:11-12 says, “The people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul’s message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth. As a result, many Jews believed, as did many of the prominent Greek women and men.” I was born and raised in the city of Berea. Berea, Ohio is a small college town near Cleveland, Ohio. These verses not only resonate with me because I lived in the city of Berea, but because I have “searched the Scriptures day after day” for over three decades! On February 18—over 30 years ago— I made a decision to read the Bible daily. By using a 365-day Bible, I have since read the entire Bible each year by simply reading for 15 minutes a day. What happens when you read the entire Bible year after year? Your faith grows immeasurably and you are able to articulate the message of the Gospel whenever God prompts you because you have searched the Scriptures daily and found it to be true. 

Act: Many of you have been reading through the New Testament for 24 days. Some of you are planning to read through the books of Acts, Romans and I & II Corinthians for 100 days. Others of you are reading through the entire Bible each year. I encourage you, as a Berean, not to stop reading the Bible daily after 100 days, but to make a decision, if you’ve never done so, to read through the entire Bible. It only takes about 15 minutes a day for 365 days. In Paul’s second letter to Timothy, he writes, “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.” Will you make a life-long decision to read the Word of God daily and allow God’s Word to daily guide your life and speak to your heart? If so, tell someone today. (If you need a system, contact me at becky@viewpointchurch.org)

Pray: Dear Lord, I want to know You better so that I can make You known. Give me a renewed commitment to spend time with You daily by reading the Scriptures. Allow me to hear Your voice as I read. Illuminate the Scriptures as I read Your Word daily. I ask that Your Holy Spirit makes the Word come alive in me each day. I love you, Lord. Amen.

Be full of faith today!

DAY 23: Are Christians Weak?

Read: Acts 16:16-40

Think: In Acts 16, Paul and his companions continue to proclaim the Gospel to anyone and everyone who would listen. Even when they faced opposition and upon imprisonment, they did not give up sharing the Gospel message. One of the most consistent themes in the book of Acts is the amount of tenacity, resolve, and focus that the followers of Christ exhibited. Not just once, but numerous times, they endured persecution in order to take the message of Jesus Christ to city after city, to family after family, to person after person. Faith requires tenacity, strength, courage and resolve.

Act: When I first became a Christian (at the age of 21), many of my friends urged me to reconsider my profession of faith in Jesus Christ, saying “Christians are weak people.” My immediately changed life proved otherwise. Within only hours of turning my life over to Christ, I was able to turn away—and stay away— from habits that hurt me and others. The book of Acts reminds us that Christians are not weak. True Christians are empowered by the Holy Spirit of God to live “set apart” within the culture, to bravely face opposition to the Gospel, and remain resolved and focused on the mission God has given them—to tell the story of Jesus Christ’s love and forgiveness! Today, evaluate your tenacity, strength, and resolve as a Christian. If you need more strength…ask God for more—and keep asking.

Pray: Dear Lord, you know me. You know where I am tentative or insecure. Give me more of Your Holy Spirit. Show me, through the book of Acts, how to boldly share my faith. Give me strength to stand against the culture. Grant me the immediate outpouring of your Holy Spirit, Lord. I need more of You today. Amen.

Be full of faith today!

DAY 22: A Bumpy Journey

Read: Acts 15:36-16:15

Think: As Paul continues to travel and share the Gospel, he parts ways with former travel partners over a “loyalty” issue. Instead of going with his “regular” travel companion, he joins with another man (Silas), and along the way, meets a young man to whom he would become a lifelong mentor (Timothy). Additionally, Paul is prevented by the Holy Spirit from traveling in the province of Asia, and in a vision, he is redirected to Macedonia. Moral of the story? The Christian journey is often bumpy. The clash of powerful personalities and/or misunderstandings that lead to parting of ways are not uncommon—yet often broaden the area reached for Christ. Though we may want to go in one direction, the Holy Spirit can and will redirect us at any time.

Act: I recently attended an event where four former members of one church were now at four different churches, yet still serving God! My husband commented on how all four of them were still serving God, but reaching more people by working in four churches, than if they had remained in the same church! How has God redirected you—whether it was to “regroup” you and place you with another team or to send you to a different location than you had planned on going? Consider if this might have furthered the Gospel and expanded the Kingdom of God. If necessary, let go of any hurt feelings that you have harbored toward anyone who helped “push” you in a new direction—one that the Holy Spirit had planned for you to go.

Pray: Dear Lord, forgive me for holding on to any resentment toward a person, church or team that I felt was keeping me back from serving You! Show me where/how/when to use the gifts you’ve given me to share the Gospel right where you have planted me! Give me great resilience, courage, and confidence to know that I am right where you want me.! I love you, Lord. Amen.

Be full of faith today!

DAY 21: It seemed good…

Read: Acts 15:1-35

Think: In Acts 15:28, the letter that the apostles, elders, and the whole church in Jerusalem sent with Paul and Barnabas to report on the decisions made by them included, “For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay no greater burden on you than these few requirements: You must abstain from eating food offered to idols, from consuming blood or the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality. If you do this, you will do well. Farewell.” In William Barclay’s commentary on the book of Acts he writes, “It has been said that chastity was the only completely new virtue that Christianity brought into the world. In an impure world, Christians had to be pure.”

Act: Chastity is defined as refraining from sexual relationships outside of marriage. Having worked with students for almost four decades, one of the greatest temptations they continue to face is to abstain from sex outside of marriage. Therefore, these verses and Barclay’s statements continue to be of great relevance for believers in every culture and generation, not just for those in the first century. Yet, from the first century until the 21st century, we can see how radical it was/is for Christians to be known as “different, set apart, and holy” because of their commitment to sexual purity. In the 21st century, we must, in the same way as the early church, talk openly about God’s call to live sexually pure in our culture. Take time—this week—to identify and come alongside a single person or dating couple and become their accountability partner and/or support person in this area. Ask them how you can pray for them encourage them specifically.

Pray: Dear Jesus, remind me how difficult it is to be a student or young adult in any culture. Give me the courage and the time to come alongside someone who needs an accountability partner. Give me, as well, Lord, Your Holy Spirit’s help to live with integrity and sexual purity in my own life. I need You. Amen.

Be full of faith today!

DAY 20: Preach, Strengthen, Encourage

Read: Acts 14:8-28

Think: Today’s reading describes how Paul and Barnabas, after preaching of the Gospel in Lystra, stirred up the faith—and miraculous healing—of a man who had been crippled since birth. This miracle caused a frenzy among Jews who did not want to see the people in Lystra converted to Christianity. Because of this, Paul and Barnabas were driven out of town and escaped to Derbe. Upon reaching Derbe, Acts 4:21 says, “After preaching the Good News. . . they strengthened the believers. They encouraged them to continue in the faith, reminding them they must suffer many hardships…”

Act: The Holy Spirit, sent by Jesus, was essential to the early church in fulfilling the Great Commission. Not only did He give them power to witness (Acts 1:8), but He gave them the courage to immediately and continuously preach, strengthen and encourage believers at every juncture. Some days were thrilling because of miraculous healing. Other days were filled with preaching and encouragement to those who were suffering. From my vantage point, not much has changed. We need to call on the Holy Spirit of God to help us to preach the Gospel, strengthen the church, and encourage those among us who are suffering. Today, identify (1) someone with whom you can share (or preach/proclaim) the Gospel, (2) someone in the church who needs to be strengthened (ex: visit them and offer to help them in a tangible way), and (3) someone who needs encouragement (ex: call or visit and pray for them).

Pray: Dear Jesus, remind me of how practical it is to be a believer. Make me willing to: share the Gospel today, strengthen someone in my church, and encourage someone who is suffering emotionally or physically. I need Your help, Lord. Amen.

Be full of faith today!