Monday 5 Nov 2018

November 5: Acts 13:44-49

Key Verse: Acts 13:48
When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honoured the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.

Devotion:
When it comes down to it, there is not that much we can do to convince people Christ is real and He is our Saviour. When we get up and try and tell people about God, many will not listen, many are set in their own ways and many will rebel. But one thing we can do is to show them the gospel. It is not our words which are going to do the convincing but the Word of God. It is not how good we are at talking or how expressive we can be, but the Very Word of God, covered by the Holy Spirit!

Paul and Barnabas were preaching God’s Word to the people who came to listen. That is what was turning their heads and that is what was doing the convincing. The only people who did not want to listen were the devout Jews who would have the most to lose. They are the ones who would have to give up their own intricate lifestyles and believe the simple truth of the gospel rather than their whole storylines they had embellished. The people who were not Jews were listening intently to the Gospel and wanted Paul and Barnabas to come back the following week. When they did, even more people turned up to hear the truth. God’s Word will not go untold!

As Paul put it, we have to hear the Word of God first. That is what will stick in our minds just as God wants it to. When we hear the truth, we will recognise it as the truth. We then have the choice of whether we want to follow it or follow our own story or desires. If we are willing to put our own feelings aside and take on what God has deemed right for us, we will be able to understand the truth as it is. Each one of us who believes in God’s Word and proclaims Jesus Christ as our Saviour will receive eternal life. Christ has already told us this fact and all we have to do is to hear it, believe it and trust in Him.

You may think that gossip spreads... you should try spreading the Gospel instead because it will always stand the test of time.

Points to Ponder:
Do you find it hard to explain God?

Have you tried God’s simple Word?