Today : Let’s Do It Again
TODAY’S VERSE
“Give us, your servants, great boldness in preaching your word. Stretch out your hand with healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus.’ After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness. All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had. The apostles testified powerfully to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God’s great blessing was upon them all. There were no needy people among them, because those who owned land or houses would sell them and bring the money to the apostles to give to those in need.” Acts 4:29-35 (NLT)
TODAY’S THOUGHT
Is there any wonder why the Church grew so mightily in the first century? Men and women who had known Jesus Christ, who had experienced mighty miracles and had seen Jesus rise from the dead, were now filled with the Holy Spirit. They were on a mission to share the glorious THOUGHT of God’s forgiveness and grace to everyone they could. How does today’s passage compare to your church or personal Christian experience? Erwin McManus in his book, “The Barbarian Way,” writes, “Somehow Christianity has become a non-mystical religion. It is about reasonable faith. If we believe the right things, we are orthodox. Frankly, whether we ever actually connect to God or experience His undeniable presence has become incidental if not irrelevant.” Sadly, what McManus is saying is true. Today let us repent of our “reasonable faith” and join those in Acts asking God to fill us with His Spirit and give us boldness in sharing about Christ. Let us ask God for His healing power and miraculous signs and wonders. Finally, let us share with those in need, be united in our hearts and mind and testify powerfully of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus. May it be said of us that “God’s great blessing was upon them all.”
TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, forgive us for powerless orthodoxy. Forgive us for our lack of faith and sacrifice. We pray for a holy boldness in our church. We pray for Your miraculous hand to come upon us and do mighty works. We pray for unity of hearts and mind. Might the places we worship be shaken. In Jesus’ Name.
AMEN
TODAY’S AFFIRMATION & MEDITATION
I am a disciple of Jesus Christ
Today stop and meditate with a conviction in your heart. You have committed yourself to follow Christ with passion so now spend time visualizing what that means. Picture yourself living for Him. Sense His power alive in your life. Picture mighty things happening because of your faith and expectancy. Finish by asking God to make you visions come true. Go and live as a Disciple of Christ.