- And when they had read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement. Acts 15:31 – How often is that the case for you when you read God’s Word? Seems like often scripture can be convicting, opening up things about ourselves that we might not want opened up. We’d say that’s far from encouraging, but is it? When something in scripture convicts you, don’t let it tear you to pieces with discouragement because you feel like you haven’t done things right. See it as God gently leading you to a better life with Him because He loves you that much. While the message might be sharp, be encouraged by the love of the One who is sharing the message with you. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac
- In Acts 15, brothers in Christ are torn apart because of a disagreement on a certain issue. One thinks one way, and one sees it in another way. This could quickly become something deadly to their relationship and this same issue can be deadly in our own Christian relationships today. So how do we figure this out? Start with love for one another. If you don’t love that other brother, you don’t care about how your words effect them and how they are feeling. You don’t care how this whole thing could mess up what you have with them. Yet if we begin with love it changes how we move forward with them. So if you have an issue with another brother/sister in Christ, begin today to love them, really love them. Then let that filter of love be present in your conversations about that issue. It will change everything. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac
- Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood. Acts 15:19-20 – Understand here the message is not that we shouldn’t talk with them about their sin and trouble their lives with the whole process of walking away from sinfulness. What it is saying is that we don’t need to heap on new believers the rules we have chosen to follow for ourselves. Such as circumcision in the passage. Some said the new gentile believers had to do it to be saved when that wasn’t a requirement for salvation. They choose to do it, but that doesn’t mean everyone has to. Jesus saving you from your sin and you following Him, that’s what saves you. Be careful that we don’t add things of our own doing into the process of salvation. Nothing we do adds to our salvation, it’s all Jesus. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 644
- And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question. 3 So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the brothers. Acts 15:3-4 – In our passage today we have a disagreement within the church, something far too common in church life today. Not being able to resolve the issue themselves, Paul and Barnabas pause the debate to run up to Jerusalem to get clarity and direction on what to do. While on their way to Jerusalem, they share in Phoenicia and Samaria the good news of God and what God is doing. Keep this in mind as well, they took time to still share the good news of God even while in a season of dissention and debate with brothers. How often do we though, when in our own seasons of dissention and debate within church, totally forget to share the good news of God with others? See today how possible it is to remain a joy-giving, gospel-sharing follower of Jesus even if you are in a season of tension and dissension. Seek to find unity and peace with your brother/sister as soon as possible, and bring in those more mature in the faith to help navigate if needed, but don’t neglect the gospel during this time. Remember our enemy will do anything he can to blind us to the lost around us and their need for the gospel, don’t allow him that victory in your story. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2541
Daily DEVO 