Revival Behind Challenges Keluarga Allah Daily Devotional September 30, 2017
TODAY'S FOOD FOR THE SOUL Acts 8:1-3
TODAY'S RHEMA Acts 8:1b "at that time a great persecution arose against the church, which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the religions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles."
In Steven's ministry, many people who were envying him disliked him who was gifted and full of power. They can't accept if Steven reproached them of their sin. Eventually, those people stoned him to death. After Steven's death, persecution to the followers of Christ at that time was getting severe, they were facing hardship; men and women were put into jail, and even punished by death. However, those situations didn't make the early church to give up on ministry; they even became more courageous to spread the Gospel to around the world. They kept their faith in Jesus till the end; they didn't run away nor hide; James was beheaded, Andrew died on a cross X, Peter died on an upside down cross, Paul was harshly persecuted and beheaded as well, Mark died after he was dragged alive with a horse through stony road to his death. Those men of God had passed all those persecutions and finished their race of faith well. Their death is not for nothing, Gospel has been spread around the world and souls be saved. The grace of salvation that we get is somehow the fruit of revival from their loyalty.
Right now, we may face challenges in our Christianity life. Our challenges may not be mere physical persecution, like what Steven and other apostles had to go through back then. Maybe, because of our faith, we can't get promoted in the office; we choose to follow Christ instead of our girlfriend or boyfriend; maybe we are left alone by our friends because we live according to the Word of God; and even due to we share the Gospel of God, we are treated like an enemy by our friend. If we want revival happens in our life, our family, our ministry, our city, our nation, we need to be loyal just like what the apostles did. Don't run away from challenges, but face those challenges with God, so that we can experience a revival in our life.
REFLECTION Saudara Terkasih, Be a Christian who DARES TO LIVE AS A GOD'S SOLDIER, because REVIVAL ALWAYS COMES WITH CHALLENGES.
APPLICATION 1. What kind of revival that you desire to happen in your life? 2. What are your challenges to attain that revival? 3. How do you overcome those challenges?
TODAY'S PRAYER "My powerful Father, enable me to be able to stand in my faith in You to go through whatever challenges I may face, until revival really happens in my life and also my surroundings. In Jesus' name, I pray, Amen. "
YEARLY BIBLE READING
Numbers 3-4
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