Tuesday Reading: Acts 5 12-16
Key Verse: Acts 5 15
15 So as to carry out the sick into the streets and place them on cots and mattresses, so that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them.
Key Verse: Acts 5 15
15 So as to carry out the sick into the streets and place them on cots and mattresses, so that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them.
Devotion:
What would you do if you were able to heal people? Would you hide yourself away for fear of being discovered, would you heal a few people at a time or would you devote your life to healing people constantly? I know that that is an unfair question but we need to think about what we are doing with our lives. We have a life because God has allowed us to have it. We know that God wants us to be able to enjoy our lives so that we are happy. We know that God wants us to serve Him and promote the Gospel. It is a matter of sorting out our priorities and doing things whereby God will get the glory.
What would you do if you were able to heal people? Would you hide yourself away for fear of being discovered, would you heal a few people at a time or would you devote your life to healing people constantly? I know that that is an unfair question but we need to think about what we are doing with our lives. We have a life because God has allowed us to have it. We know that God wants us to be able to enjoy our lives so that we are happy. We know that God wants us to serve Him and promote the Gospel. It is a matter of sorting out our priorities and doing things whereby God will get the glory.
The apostles were here for one reason and that was to preach about Jesus and to make the people understand just what a wonderful Saviour we do have. They were up against all sorts of people who did not want them to preach about Christ because that would undermine their authority. Indeed, a few verses further on we see how the apostles were thrown in jail because they were preaching. But we also see how God got them out and back into the temple that same night. When we are focused on making sure that people hear about God, then we will continue to have His support. When we are focused on making sure that He gets the glory for everything in our lives, then He will continue to make sure that we can show people!
The apostles were given wonderful powers of healing and so many people came to town just to be healed. But instead of just healing people, they continued to teach everyone about Jesus and made sure that people knew that it was the Holy Spirit within them doing God’s work. Nobody dared to even think themselves as good as the apostles (unlike many today who take on that title for their own gain) because they knew that this power was God given. This means that the apostles were doing it right – making sure that God got all of the glory for their work!
Points to Ponder:
How often are you praised for things you do?
How often are you praised for things you do?
How often do you acknowledge that it is through God that you can do those things?