Daily Devotional for December 30, 2015
Acts 18
Scripture:
9 One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. 10 For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.” 11 So Paul stayed for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God.
Observation:
It was the fall of 1996 and I was a twenty-one year old, newly married (three months), and newer Christian (less than two years) walking onto a Christian campus to follow God’s call to be a youth pastor. I will never forget the feelings of inadequacy and fear that I carried onto that campus. In this season of life God taught me many lessons. One is that He will always be there for me and help me finish what He has called me to.
Fear can be crippling to us as men. Whether it’s the fear of failure, a fear associated with protection, or any other fear, it can impede our ability to accomplish the purposes God has called us to. Fear will come and go, however, the promise of God’s presence in our lives should be enough to comfort and encourage us to keep moving forward.
It has been almost twenty years since I showed up at college chasing my call. God has helped me overcome many of my fears since then. It’s amazing to watch how those who are fully devoted to God, through the help of the Holy Spirit, complete the purpose in front of them.
Don’t be afraid, God will be with you!
Application:
- Personal Application: When God calls you to something, He will be there for you. Do not be afraid, God will give you what you need to finish what He’s put in front of you. If you are struggling with inner fears, talk to a pastor or a leader in your church about it.
- Family Devotional: Read this chapter to your family. Ask them if anything spoke to them as you read. Talk about their answers and show them that one important aspect of this chapter is when God calls us to something, He will be there for us along the way. Pray for them.
Prayer:
- Personal Prayer Focus: Ask God for the courage to do what He is calling you to do.
- Family Prayer Focus: Pray that your family will overcome fear and continue the discipleship journey in their life.
Three Year Reading Plan for Sunday, December 27 – Sunday, January 3:
- Sunday, December 27: Acts 15
- Monday, December 28: Acts 16
- Tuesday, December 29: Acts 17
- Wednesday, December 30: Acts 18
- Thursday, December 31: Acts 19
- Friday, January 1: Acts 20
- Saturday, January 2: Acts 21
- Sunday, January 3: Acts 22
—TOM GROOT is National Director of Men’s Ministry and Christian Education. Connect with Tom on Facebook or Twitter @TomGrootJr.
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