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Acts Reading Plan | Week 11 | Day 3
Prayer
Nahum 1:7 says, “The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him.” Thank God as you come to spend time with Him that He is a safe place when the storms of life are rolling in. If you are facing a storm right now, ask Him to take your worry and give you His peace.
Bible Reading: Acts 14:21-28
Read these verses three times slowly.
They preached the gospel in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said. Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust. After going through Pisidia, they came into Pamphylia, and when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia.
From Attalia they sailed back to Antioch, where they had been committed to the grace of God for the work they had now completed. On arriving there, they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. And they stayed there a long time with the disciples.
Reflection & Questions
This week in Acts we are seeing wrong reactions to the gospel. We’ve seen some reject it. We’ve seen some worship those who bring the gospel. Today we read of another danger. To give up when the going gets tough. Paul and Barnabas were “strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. ‘We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,’ they said.”
There are many today who will preach a prosperity gospel. A gospel that says you can have your best life now. If you just believe you can have health, wealth and all sorts of other blessings. But this is a false gospel! The true gospel says you will face hardships. In fact “we must go through” them. The true gospel says this life is tough, especially for those who know Jesus. But the true gospel also says we have a King who knows suffering, and who is with us every step of the way through ours. The instructions for believers isn’t to believe enough so you’ll avoid suffering, but to remain true to the faith no matter what we walk through. Then we will receive our best life then!
- Why do you think people incorrectly believe that following God would save them from hard times?
- To remain faithful in hard times, we need people around us to encourage us and strengthen us. Who are those people in your life? You might send them a “thank you” text today, telling them how much they mean to you. If you don’t have people like that, you might pray asking God to guide you to people who could be that for you.
Prayer
Talk to God in response to today’s reading.
Worship Song
You might use this song today to worship Jesus today:
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Questions?
Ed Applegate
