Tuesday 21 Oct 2014

October 21: Acts 15:18-21

Key Verse: Acts 15:20
but that we write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from things strangled, and from blood.

Devotion:
I always find it amazing picking up my bible and reading over the same verses again a day or two later. So today we have the same verses as yesterday but looking at it from a different angle. When God tell us to go forward and tell everyone about the Gospel message, it is not just to go and read stories to them (no matter how good) but to support them as well. One of the things we find lacking in so many walks of life is the support structure after you have taught someone something.

If we are going to be bold enough to tell people about God, then we should be bold enough to teach them when they have questions as well. Most people will not come back and boldly ask questions but will rather sit and stew on them or try and attract attention in some other way. We need to be vigilant and pick up on those cries for help. Nicodemus did not come to Jesus in the open but came in the dark of night.

When we have opened up the Gospel to people and they have responded in any way, we have to continue to encourage those people to seek and follow Christ and not to use Him as an excuse to get out of trouble now and again. We need to show people that being a Christian is a way of life and not just something we do at the weekend or on nights when we have bible study; yes it will be hard for many people to understand our ways of life, but we should be consistent in our relationship with Christ.

The biggest trap for people is always going to be the world around us and all its trimmings. Satan has a way of opening up a box of toys just as we should be laying down to rest! We need to encourage people to do what is righteous. We don’t have to give up on life nor walk around declaring doom and gloom; God wants us to enjoy life, but to do it so that we can glorify God always.

Points to Ponder:
Are you keeping God’s Word a secret?

Are you supporting your new family?