Hey Element Church! How is your one prayer journey going. This is day # 13 of 28 days together. Our prayer today is “Lord make us faithful”. Please pray for the churches that are listed on the calendar. Our reading today is from Acts chapter 13. You can read it online HERE:
Acts 13:2-3 — Struck me that AFTER the Holy Spirit said to dedicate Barnabas and Saul for special they fasted and prayed some more. Why? I’m not sure their reason but it reminded me that we need to “test the spirits” to see if they are from God. I know there are MANY times that we as Christians and churches drag our feet when God wants us to do something. But I wonder how many times we jump the gun too? There may be times when we sense a move of God that we need to go back to fasting and praying. Test the spirit to make sure it is the SPIRIT. I don’t know. What do you think?
Acts 13:4 — The call of God is of UTMOST importance. They were sent by who? The HOLY SPIRIT. Not a good idea. Not an organization or denomination. Not a challenge. They were sent by God. CALLED!!
Acts 13:14 — The intentionality of the apostles we need to take note of. On the Sabbath, they went to the synagogue. Why? Because that is EXACTLY where their audience was. They went to where they knew they’d have an audience.
Acts 13:15-37 — The relevance of the apostles we need to take note of. Paul didn’t force anything down the throat of the Jews. When the floor was opened up, Paul spoke to them from the Old Testament. He reasoned with them through the methods (Old Testament) which THEY understood why Jesus was the Christ.
Acts 13:38-39 — The practicality of the message we need to take note of. “Through Jesus there is forgiveness of sins”. The message, the method, the place was ALL practical. “Everyone who believes in Him is declared right with God.”
Acts 13:44-45 — The effectiveness of the apostles we need to take note of. The following week almost the ENTIRE city turned up to hear them preach the Word of God. Now THAT is effective.
Acts 13:45 — Critics again. lol
Following Christ,
Jeff
