AnActsDevotional

  Acts 16:36-40 The rulers who had Paul and Silas beaten publicly didn't know they were Roman citizens! When they complained about it they got their request; the city leadership escorted them out of prison.  (I wonder if they escorted them to Lydia's home where the believers were?  It would have told them how much of the city believed what they were saying.)  Paul and Silas encouraged the church before they left town. Lord Jesus, please help us to stand up for our rights at the right time.  Give us Your wisdom.  And Lord, help us to encourage each other, even more as we see the day approaching.  Guide us and direct us.  Amen

  Acts 16:29-35 If the prisoners had escaped the jail guard would have been executed but Paul and Silas stayed and as a result the jail guard was interested in their story.  He took care of them, listened to them and ultimately became a believer along with his household. Lord Jesus, please help us to do the right thing even if it doesn't seem like the right thing for us at the time. Give to us Your wisdom and the words to say so that Your Kingdom may grow.  Amen

  Acts 16:22-28 This is reminding me of the stories of what use to be the Gospel for Asia.  I recommend the book Revolution in World Missions.   You can order it for free. What strikes me here is Paul and Silas have just been beaten and put in jail yet they are singing and praising God...and God rewards them with opening the prison doors.  I too have been blessed to lead the Alpha course at a women's prison and seen how God can transform hearts and minds. Lord Jesus, please allow our Spirituality to triumph over our physical circumstances.  Amen

  Acts 16:16-21 God was being glorified until Paul rebuked the spirit within the girl.  It's interesting to note that it seems like an evil spirit was glorifying God!  Then Paul demanded that the spirit leave the girl and those who were taking advantage of her could no longer use her.  This is when money talked and they were brought up against the law of the land. Lord Jesus, please help us to stay faithful to You even when we're challenged financially.  Help us to recognize all of our money and assets belong to You and we are only stewards of them here on earth.  Also Lord, help us not to take advantage of others by using them in an unfair manner.  And Lord, please help us not to become annoyed with others if they are praising You.  Amen

  Acts 16:13-15 What do we do on a Sabbath day?  Have you ever gone for a walk with God and encountered a God meeting.  Paul and his friends did.  We don't know what God incidents God has in stored for us each day so we need to watch for them.  We may meet someone who already believes in God but needs to be hooked into our ministry or we may meet someone who has never heard that Jesus lived, died and rose again; in either case God has a purpose for our meeting. Lord Jesus, please give us Your eyes to see this world as You see it.  Show us who we are to connect with and give us the courage to reach out to others.  Amen

  Acts 16:11-12 Jesus commanded the disciples to go into all the world and preach the gospel...and they did!  Here a map of a couple of Paul's journeys. Lord Jesus, please give us the courage to obey the next little thing You tell us to do. Amen

  Acts 16:6-10 It is interesting to note how Paul and his companions listened to the Holy Spirit.  When the Holy Spirit was telling them not to go to certain locations we don't have the full picture.  Did they just have a notion they shouldn't go? we're they turned back by border patrols? or???  But when they did hear about where to go it was because of a dream.  The Holy Spirit speaks in many ways: through dreams and visions, through an idea in our head, through reading scripture, through other people,... so it's important for us to pay attention. Lord Jesus, help us to discern when Your Holy Spirit is speaking and give us the courage to obey.  Thanks and Amen.

  Acts 16:4-5 I'm not a rule person but I don't like chaos either so finding a happy balance is a challenge.  Here the church leaders decided what they'd keep and what they'd get rid of from the Jewish laws and they are sharing the results with those who had accepted Christ; and it grew the church! Lord Jesus, please help our church leadership to know how to appropriately set boundaries so Your church grows.  Give them wisdom when the government rules go against the church rules and help us to take a stand for healthy families and healthy communities. Amen

  Acts 16:1-3 Timothy was the son of a Jewish believer and a Greek.  Paul took note of him and wanted him to join him.  Interestingly enough Paul had Timothy circumcised even though the church didn't say this was a requirement.  It seems that Paul wanted to go the extra mile to get the attention of the Jews in that area.   It doesn't mention it here but Timothy was quite young at the time; maybe a teenager.  He was, however, raised in the church by his Mother and Grandmother so he would have known the scriptures. Lord Jesus, when we're different in our culture please help us to be different because of You.  Show us where we fit in in Your Kingdom and guide us with purpose and direction.  Thanks, Amen.

  Acts 15:41 The question is, what can we do to strengthen the churches?  How do we spur each other on to increase our love and our good deeds?  How do we lift Jesus higher? Lord Jesus, we need You and the body of Christ needs You. Will You guide us and direct us and help us spur each other on with love and good deeds.  Amen

  Acts 15:36-40 Some folks think everything should be perfect in the church but even the early believers had disagreements.  In this case it was whether John Mark should be a missionary or not.  It doesn't sound like they effectively solved this disagreement yet they used their shoes of peace and walked away from the situation. Barnabas teamed up with John and Paul with Silas. Unfortunately we don't hear any more about Barnabas and John but Paul and Silas left with the support of the church. Lord Jesus, there are times when we disagree in the church.  In fact we have a lot of people in Canada who no longer go to church because they disagreed with someone in church.  I know you prayed that we would all be one but this prayer seems to be going unanswered in many situations.  Lord Jesus, we need a revival such that we become united.  Would you bless us with one?  Show us what we need to do to make this happen.  Amen

  Acts 15:22-35 The letter along with some of the church leaders is the follow up to the decision made by the church council in regard to the rules that Gentiles are required to follow. Lord Jesus, please help us with our follow up when decisions are made.  Right now our culture is confused with all the rules in regard to covid.  Please watch over the church and draw us to You during this time of uncertainty and when the church leaders put forth the rules help us to obey them. Lord Jesus, also help us find our place in the Kingdom so Your Kingdom expands in amazing ways.  Amen.

  Acts 15:3-21 When folks don't belong to your culture but want to accept Christ as their Lord and Saviour should your culture be imposed on them?  This is what this meeting is all about.  The truth is that miracles were being performed, folks were accepting Christ and the Holy Spirit came upon them to signify a true change in them so why should cultural rules be imposed on them?...because it's tradition!?  This is the decision the church leaders are asked to wrestle with Lord Jesus, you have instilled in us our history; some of it good and some of it bad.  Teach us through Your Holy Spirit, what needs to change, what needs to stay the same and what needs to grow bigger.  We're living in interesting times in Canada as our history is being presented in a negative light.  Help us to wrestle with what we are to do about it.  Help us not to reject You as we reject the bad behaviours that have been found in our history and give us Your grace as we work...

  Acts 15:1-2 The discovery of Jesus led some Gentiles to believe and since Jesus and the initial disciples were Jewish this led them to questions like this.  Do Gentiles need to be circumcised?  They had formed a hierarchy in the church so they decided it was a questions that those higher up in the church needed to answer. Lord Jesus, please help us to get along and when we have a dispute that we can't solve on our own please help us to seek the help of those in leadership.  Please build our church in a strong, healthy way so we can be effective in Your Kingdom for Your name sake. Amen

  Acts 14:21-28 After Paul's near death experience he wasn't deterred.  He got up and continued to spread the gospel and organize church plants after much prayer and fasting. They then went back to the church that commissioned them and told of their work.  Then they stayed their for a long time. Lord Jesus, you have different plans for each of us.  For some you call us to go, for other you call us to stay.  We're also called to encourage each other and be accountable to each other.  Please place us just where You want us in Your body of Christ.  Guide us and direct us and help us not to become discouraged when hard times come.  Help us to get up and keep going.  Thank You for Paul's example.  Lord, I'm reminded of each person that wanted to know where they fit into the body after the Alpha course.  Lord, please show them and help the existing body to be accepting of them.  In Jesus name.

  Acts 14:19-20 After being though of as gods some people came to change the minds of the crowd.  This led to the stoning of Peter to the point they thought he was dead...but God wasn't through with him yet. Lord Jesus, please help us not to be swayed by the crowds as the crowds don't keep the same opinion.  Help us to stay focused on who You are and what You want us to do in Your Kingdom.  Also, help us not become discouraged when things go from good to bad.  Help us to just move to the next little thing You are calling us to do. Amen

  Acts 14:8-18 Because of a miracle the people though Paul and Barnabas were gods in human form.  Trying to change their minds was a tricky thing.  Maybe this is why we don't experience miracles  in the western world like the disciples experienced them. Lord Jesus, if a miracle will bring folks to You please allow them but if it won't please don't allow it.  Continue to work in and through us.  In Your name, Amen

  Acts 14:2-7 Although Paul and Barnabas had many come to believe in Jesus, especially since God allowed them to perform miracles; there were still many who didn't believe.  This lead to conflict which resulted in a plot to mistreat and stone them.  As a result they left town. Lord Jesus, please help us to represent You well.  Help us to teach others about your life, death and resurrection yet at the same time help us handle those who don't believe as well.  Show us when to stand up for You and when to use the shoes of peace and walk away and give us the courage and the wisdom to know and act on the right decision. Amen

  Acts 14:1 After being banned from one region Paul and Barnabas show encouraging results in another region. Many believed. Lord Jesus, show us where to plant your seeds so the harvest is abundant. Amen

  Acts 13:50-52 The Jewish leaders got the ear of God fearing women in good standing and leading men of the city and they stirred them up in regard to Paul and Barnabas such that they expelled them from the region.  This however didn't discourage Paul and Barnabas.  They just went to another city and they were filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit. This passage is interesting because it tells us that God fearing women went against Paul and Barnabas.  This can be true in our day too.  Respectable, God fearing folks can be stirred up to go against what we feel is from God.  When this happens we shouldn't get discourage because it happened to Paul and Barnabas too.  We should remember who we report to; God! and we should listen to the Holy Spirit and be filled with joy. Lord Jesus, please help us not to discourage each other.  Help us to listen to Your Holy Spirit and allow the Holy Spirit to develop fruit within us. Amen

  Acts 13:46-49 The message came first to the Jews but then, because they refused the gift of eternal life, it went to the Gentiles.  What's interesting is this was prophesied in Isaiah many years before.  It has always been God's intention to reach EVERYONE. Lord Jesus, with all of our diversity it is hard to not include sin in Your Kingdom but as we come closer to You we realize that You are so pure and we are not.  We need You to help clean us up and make us presentable to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  Lord Jesus, please also help us to accept others from other cultures.  Help us to connect and learn from each other and most importantly help us share Your love with each other.  Amen

Acts 13:44-45   The good news is attractive.  Lots of people show up to hear about the Messiah but jealousy creeped in so they contradicted Paul and heaped abuse on him! Lord Jesus, please help us to root out the sin that is within us; envy, jealously, malice, pride...so Your Kingdom can come and Your will can be done in our lives as it is in heaven. Amen Root them out get them gone