KJB Daily Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Friday, December,
Chapters: Acts 26-28
Message: For This Purpose
Hello My Friend,
As I was reading the chapters for today, this passage stuck out, “But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.” – Acts 26:16-18.
“for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose,” There really is nothing more exciting and scary than to see Jesus or hear Him speak to you and tell you that He has a purpose for you. I will never forget the day that He told me, “Get up! I did not bring you here to leave this way!” I had lost everything I worked hard for, was angry, depressed, ashamed, and vengeful, and it was a severe allergic reaction that caused Him to speak to me that way. We have this tendency to think that Jesus cannot use us, that we are so far gone that He has no purpose for us, but to get saved. However, this is the devil speaking, Jesus will take the vilest of sinners and use them for His purpose. Why? The best testimony is someone whom Jesus turned their life around. “If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son.” – I John 5:9.
When we personally accept Christ as our Saviour, and allow Him to live in and through us, we are a witness that we believe Jesus cleansed by His blood, removed of all our sin, made us complete, and perfect in the eyes of God and are able to stand before Him as an equal to His Son because of that. Remember, we are a witness that we overcame not only the world, but the devil too, and as a witness we ought to be excited to give our testimony. As Paul stands before king Agrippa he was excited to give his testimony, how he got saved and was told by Jesus that he be a witness.
“My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews; Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers: Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope’s sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews. Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead? I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them. Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come: That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles. And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.” – Acts 26:4-10,22-24.
“much learning doth make thee mad.” It is certainly true that too much learning does make one crazy, sometimes to the point that we lose sight of something so simple. The Gospel is simple, believe in the sinless death, burial, and resurrection of the only begotten Son of God, confess that you are a sinner, and ask Him to save you. It is that simple. “But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” – Romans 10:8-11.
Something happens when we become a testimony, we find ourselves being directed by the Holy Spirit even when we are not in the will of God to preach the Gospel. And let me tell you, He can teach us how to reach someone wherever we are. While Paul thought he was to die in Jerusalem, Jesus told him that he must go to Rome and preach the Gospel there, and while I am sure that God never intended for Paul to go there as a prisoner, king Agrippa, who was ready to release him, granted his wish to appeal to Caesar and was now on a prison ship with two hundred seventy-six men headed for Rome. God used this opportunity to show Christ to the men on the ship as they are in the midst of a hurricane for days. Paul ensures the men that God is with them and that they would survive as long as they stayed on the ship.
“And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away. But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss. And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you, but of the ship. For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee. Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me. And as the shipmen were about to flee out of the ship, when they had let down the boat into the sea, under colour as though they would have cast anchors out of the foreship, Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.” – Acts 27:20-25,30-31.
“Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.” Jesus is the ship that we must be on in order to be saved, if we do not abide in the ship we cannot be saved. What are we saved from? Death, hell, and the lake of fire. Think about it this way, what do you have to lose? Do you want to believe that when you die it is over, that your body or ashes are just placed in a box and buried somewhere? Or do you want to have hope that all of the pain and suffering you put up with in this life leads to a better life, one that has no more pain, no more suffering, no more death? Whether we believe or not, we must receive Christ if we want to be saved from what is much worse to come. The choice us ours.
“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” – Revelation 21:4-8.
Paul never lost his faith in God being right there with him, he witnessed the Gospel to anyone the Holy Spirit led him to no matter what he was going through. One of the main reasons why God allows tragedy in our lives is to remind us that He is always with us. While the ship tore apart and everyone ended up in the water, not one person lost their life, many getting saved themselves. Paul finally arrived in Rome, while he still remained a prisoner, he had his own place to live for two years in order to minister to the people, many getting saved themselves.
“And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening. And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not. And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers, Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive: For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it. And when he had said these words, the Jews departed, and had great reasoning among themselves. And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him, Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.” – Acts 28:23-31.
“with all confidence, no man forbidding him.” Jesus would use Paul for two years in Rome, preaching the Gospel, until the day of his death. Jesus will give us the power, wisdom, and words to speak about Him, wherever we are, we just have to be the willing vessel He needs because the harvest truly is plenteous. We may not always understand where Jesus takes us, and sometimes we do face persecution for our faith, many have died defending their faith, but we live, even upon our death we live because we have Jesus in us. Praise God! “According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” – Philippians 1:20-21.
Jesus Christ Magnified: “But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;” – Acts 26:16.
Today’s Prayer: Jesus, Thank You for saving my life, You did the hard part when You died on the cross for me, my part was easy, all I had to do was believe in You. Thank You for seeing something in me that I never saw in myself, You have a purpose for me, and for that I am forever thankful, grateful, and humble as I know I am who I am because of what You have done in my life. Lord, forgive me for my frustrations as I go through this challenge You have me in, I know that You love me have a purpose for what I am going through. Give me Your power and strength to stay in the ship, moving slow and steady by faith. Lift up my spirits, restore unto me the joy of my salvation, so that I may be of good cheer as I endure this, and become a further witness wherever you send me. Help me to remove all the obstacles that keep me from hearing You, and let me not fear what man can do to me, but trust what You have done for me. In Your name, Jesus. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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