The Book of Acts: Turn Your World Upside DownSample

Today’s Devotional:

If you've ever felt discouraged, like giving up and backing down from what you believed God told you to do, you're in good company. You're not just my company, but you can identify with the Apostle Paul too. In Acts 18, we find Paul discouraged and opposed by the religious leaders' response to the Good News of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Paul has recently left Athens, a place of intellectual prominence, and entered Corinth, a less refined city known for immorality and selfish pride. Corinth was a ripe mission field, unknowingly ready for harvest, much like the city we live in today.

Paul's discouragement didn't last long. God surrounded Paul with people of encouragement. A couple in exile, Aquila and Priscilla, opened their home to Paul and labored together as tent makers. Soon, Silas and Timothy, Paul's mentees, arrive on the scene. Their arrival meant that Paul could fully devote himself to teaching and preaching. Just as God put specific people of encouragement in Paul's life, he's done that for us. My wife and I have several CEOs—Chief Encouragement Officers. We know who they are, and they know who they are to us. They lend us their faith when we don't have enough faith for ourselves. When we grow weary and tired of praying, they continue to pray bold prayers over us. Who are your CEOs? Who has God placed in your life to encourage you? We all need people like that, but even with encouraging people of God in our lives, we will still face opposition as Paul did.

Acts 18:6, when the Jews opposed Paul and became abusive, he shook out his clothes in protest and said to them, "Your blood be on your own heads! I am clear of my responsibility. From now on, I will go to the Gentiles."

Even in the face of opposition, God continued to encourage Paul. This time, He spoke to him in a vision: "Do not be afraid, keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city." Those words, "Don't be afraid, I am with you," are reminiscent of God's words to Joshua (Joshua 1:9) and Jesus' words to us in The Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20). We serve a speaking God, who, through His Word and His people, reminds us that He is with us and for us.

If you find yourself in a place of discouragement today, you can borrow my faith. God is not finished with you yet! Surround yourself with people of faith and spend time learning to listen to His voice. I've heard it said that if you want to hear God audibly, read His Word out loud. Give it a try. Read Acts 18:9-10 a few times out loud and envision God speaking those words over you. Don't quit. Don’t be afraid. He is with you. And so are we.

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Today’s devotional was written by Pastor Dave Simiele.

Questions to consider:

• At Christ Fellowship, we often say you are the sum of your five closest friends. Are your friends encouraging you in your faith journey or discouraging you?
• What do you believe God is speaking in this season of your life? Is there a Scripture you can memorize and declare over your life as a reminder?
• If heaven seems silent, what distractions could you remove from life to lower the volume of this world to hear God speak more clearly?

Prayer:

God, thank you that you still speak and want me to hear your voice. I pray that you would help me turn down this world's noise so I can tune into you. I pray that you would help me identify encouragers in my life and be an encouragement to others. In Jesus’ name, amen.