KJB Daily Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Wednesday, November 29, 2017
Chapters: Acts 18-19
Message: Worshiping The Only Living God
Hello My Friend,
There has been a lot of talk about religion and civil rights lately in the media, it is as if there is nothing else to talk about. You know, the same things that we are seeing today are the same things that have been happening since God created the world, only we have better technology. Do you think that if one of God’s creation from the very beginning rejected God, that it will be any different today? The problem is that people want to see proof of God’s existence, and while they play their games, they fail to realize that He is everywhere. To know the living God we cannot find Him in a statue, an image made by man, nor animals or objects created by God. To know the living God we must believe that He is the only living God, and since God is a Spirit, in order to know Him, and understand Him, we need His Spirit in us. “Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” – John 4:22-24.
As faithful Christians, sometimes we can feel like we are all alone in this world, even among other professing Christians, it seems no one cares or even preaches the Gospel anymore. As Paul walks through Corinth he is discouraged because no one would listen to him, it was then that he had a dream of Jesus talking to him.
“And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ. And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles. And he departed thence, and entered into a certain man’s house, named Justus, one that worshipped God, whose house joined hard to the synagogue. And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized. Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city. And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.” – Acts 18:5-11.
“Your blood be upon your own heads;” Many people will reject Christ, even family and friends, no matter how many times they hear the Gospel or even see how He works in our lives. We must realize that we cannot force them, they must come willingly, all we can do is keep showing them Jesus and pray that God softens their hearts. Remember, God knows the heart of every person He creates, some will never believe so He will harden their heart from ever believing. However, God never wants us to give up, there are many that will get a glimpse of the love of Christ and God will open their heart. He did this with Paul, He can do this with anyone. “Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.” – Hebrews 3:12,13.
Paul met a couple named Priscilla and Aquila, who converted and traveled with him in his ministry, in their travels the met a Jew named Apollos, he was knowledgeable in the Scriptures, but only as far as John the baptist was concerned.
“And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism. Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.” – Acts 19:1-5.
“they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.” The reason these people did not receive the Holy Spirit yet was because they thought that they were if they got baptized through repentance they would be saved, but they missed something, Jesus. It is not enough to say that we are sinners and confess our sin, we must also believe upon the Lord, Jesus Christ. Even John said that he baptized with water, but Jesus would baptize them with the Spirit of God. We cannot and will not receive the Spirit of God is us unless we personally know Christ as our Saviour. “I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.” – Mark 1:8.
Anytime we preach the Gospel to unbelievers we at least open the door to give them the opportunity to know the truth. The rest is up to their willingness to open their heart to accept it, it’s actually not the unbelievers that we need to be careful of, but those who are dead set against preaching the truth because they know it will take away their revenue. A man named Demetrius prided himself on the statutes he made and sold, he gathers his followers together and convinced them to go after Paul for going against their god.
“Whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth. Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands: So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth. And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians. And the whole city was filled with confusion: and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul’s companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the theatre.” – Acts 19:25-29.
“and her magnificence should be destroyed,” You know, there is a lot of money and fame in false religion, in reality all they really believe in is a paycheck, and will stop at nothing to keep people from knowing the truth. Do you know how many TV evangelists there are out there? How many are actually who they claim to be? Speaking in tongues, faith healing, and prophetic messages, are all signs that they are not who they claim to be, these are acts of the devil, not God. Let me tell you, our only defense is the Lord, Jesus Christ. We must put on the armor of God if we are to defeat the devil and everyone else he uses to try and keep the truth from us and the lost. “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” – Ephesians 6:11-13.
Jesus Christ Magnified: “Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.” – Acts 19:4.
Today’s Prayer: God, When I gave my heart to You, I made the willful choice to no longer conform to the trends and false religions of this world, but seek Your truths so I see this world through the eyes of Your Son. We are put to the test daily in deciding what is truth and what is error. Sharpen our minds and grant us the courage we need to readily know truth from error and give us the boldness to speak it. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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